Antiviral activity of phospholipase A2 against human immunodeficiency virus.

Aim: Investigation of antiviral activity of phospholipase A2 (AP-PLA2) from moluccas to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Materials And Methods: Crude venom (CV) and F20 (PLA2 with 20% fractioned by ammonium sulfate) as a sample of PLA 2 obtained from extract were used. Enzymatic activity of PLA2 was determined using the degradation of phosphatidylcholine (PC). Activity test was performed using method using coculture of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from a blood donor and PBMC from HIV patient. Toxicity test of AP-PLA2 was done using lethal concentration required to kill 50% of the population (LC).

Results: AP-PLA2 F20 had activity and purity by 15.66 times bigger than CV. The test showed that the LC of AP-PLA2 is 1.638 mg/ml. Antiviral analysis of AP-PLA2 showed the inhibition of HIV infection to PBMC. HIV culture with AP-PLA2 and without AP-PLA2 has shown the number of infected PBMC (0.299±0.212% and 9.718±0.802%). Subsequently, RNA amplification of HIV using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction resulted in the decrease of band intensity in gag gene of HIV.

Conclusion: This research suggests that AP-PLA2 has the potential to develop as an antiviral agent because experiment showed its ability to decrease HIV infection in PBMC and the number of HIV ribonucleic acid in culture.