Journal Article

Carrageenan Is a Potent Inhibitor of Papillomavirus Infection

Roberts, Jeffrey N, Thompson, Cynthia D, Buck, Christopher B, Schiller, John T, Müller, Martin, Lowy, Douglas R

2006

Overview

Certain sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) types are causally associated with the development of cervical cancer. Our recent development of high-titer HPV pseudoviruses has made it possible to perform high-throughput in vitro screens to identify HPV infection inhibitors. Comparison of a variety of compounds revealed that carrageenan, a type of sulfated polysaccharide extracted from red algae, is an extremely potent infection inhibitor for a broad range of sexually transmitted HPVs. Although carrageenan can inhibit herpes simplex viruses and some strains of HIV in vitro, genital HPVs are about a thousand-fold more susceptible, with 50% inhibitory doses in the low ng/ml range. Carrageenan acts primarily by preventing the binding of HPV virions to cells. This finding is consistent with the fact that carrageenan resembles heparan sulfate, an HPV cell-attachment factor. However, carrageenan is three orders of magnitude more potent than heparin, a form of cell-free heparan sulfate that has been regarded as a highly effective model HPV inhibitor. Carrageenan can also block HPV infection through a second, postattachment heparan sulfate-independent effect. Carrageenan is in widespread commercial use as a thickener in a variety of cosmetic and food products, ranging from sexual lubricants to infant feeding formulas. Some of these products block HPV infectivity in vitro, even when diluted a million-fold. Clinical trials are needed to determine whether carrageenan-based products are effective as topical microbicides against genital HPVs.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Administration, Topical / Algae / Animals / Anti-Infective Agents, Local - administration & dosage / Anti-Infective Agents, Local - chemistry / Anti-Infective Agents, Local - pharmacology / Anti-Infective Agents, Local - therapeutic use / Cancer Biology / Capsid - physiology / Carrageenan - chemistry / Carrageenan - pharmacology / Carrageenan - therapeutic use / Carrageenin / Cell Line / Cervical cancer / Chemical properties / CHO Cells / Cricetinae / Dose-Response Relationship, Drug / Drug therapy / Epidemiology - Public Health / Female / Health aspects / HeLa Cells / Heparin - chemistry / Heparin - physiology / Heparitin Sulfate - chemistry / Heparitin Sulfate - physiology / Homo (human) / Human immunodeficiency virus / Human papillomavirus / Humans / Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / In Vitro / Infectious Diseases / Lubricants / Medical research / Mice / Papillomaviridae - drug effects / Papillomaviridae - pathogenicity / Papillomaviridae - physiology / Papillomavirus infections / Papillomavirus Infections - drug therapy / Papillomavirus Infections - physiopathology / Papillomavirus Infections - prevention & control / Physiological aspects / Polysaccharides - analysis / Polysaccharides - chemistry / Sexually transmitted diseases / Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral - drug therapy / Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral - prevention & control / STD / Sulfates / Vaccines / Virion - drug effects / Virion - pathogenicity / Virion - physiology / Virology / Viruses