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Involvement of Human Seminal Plasma Inhibin, a Multifunctional Protein, in Anti-HIV Activity


Affiliations
1 Department of Biochemistry and Virology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, J. Merwanji Street, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India
 

Body fluids of mammals, including semen, are increasingly recognized to harbour anti-microbial proteins which play a role in host defence against a myriad of pathogens. Human seminal plasma inhibin (hSPI) is reported to be a multifunctional protein, well-studied primarily for its fertility-related effects and recently for its anti-fungal activity. Therefore, it was thought worthwhile to study whether it also possesses anti-HIV activity. Towards this objective, human seminal plasma proteins were fractionated using gel-permeation chromatography and chromatofocusing. Results demonstrated that fraction-5 (containing purified hSPI) of the chromatofocused fractions demonstrated substantial anti-HIV activity. The data suggest that hSPI possesses anti-HIV activity. In future, molecular models based on such naturally occurring proteins could be potentially employed for prevention/ therapeutics for HIV/AIDS.

Keywords

Anti-Microbial Proteins, Host Defence, Innate Immunity, Semen.
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  • Involvement of Human Seminal Plasma Inhibin, a Multifunctional Protein, in Anti-HIV Activity

Abstract Views: 384  |  PDF Views: 124

Authors

Vandana Vernekar
Department of Biochemistry and Virology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, J. Merwanji Street, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India
Shilpa Velhal
Department of Biochemistry and Virology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, J. Merwanji Street, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India
Jacintha Pereira
Department of Biochemistry and Virology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, J. Merwanji Street, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India
Atmaram Bandivdekar
Department of Biochemistry and Virology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, J. Merwanji Street, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India

Abstract


Body fluids of mammals, including semen, are increasingly recognized to harbour anti-microbial proteins which play a role in host defence against a myriad of pathogens. Human seminal plasma inhibin (hSPI) is reported to be a multifunctional protein, well-studied primarily for its fertility-related effects and recently for its anti-fungal activity. Therefore, it was thought worthwhile to study whether it also possesses anti-HIV activity. Towards this objective, human seminal plasma proteins were fractionated using gel-permeation chromatography and chromatofocusing. Results demonstrated that fraction-5 (containing purified hSPI) of the chromatofocused fractions demonstrated substantial anti-HIV activity. The data suggest that hSPI possesses anti-HIV activity. In future, molecular models based on such naturally occurring proteins could be potentially employed for prevention/ therapeutics for HIV/AIDS.

Keywords


Anti-Microbial Proteins, Host Defence, Innate Immunity, Semen.



DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv107%2Fi5%2F853-857