Direct inactivation of viruses by MCP-1 and MCP-2, natural peptide antibiotics from rabbit leukocytes.

Six homologous peptides were purified to homogeneity from rabbit granulocytes or alveolar macrophages and tested for their ability to inactivate herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Two of the peptides, MCP-1 and MCP-2, showed considerable in vitro neutralizing activity, whereas four structurally homologous peptides (NP-3a, NP-3b, NP-4, and NP-5) were relatively ineffective. Inactivation of HSV-1 by MCP-1 or MCP-2 depended on peptide concentration and on the time, temperature, and pH of the incubation. HSV-2, vesicular stomatitis virus, and influenza virus A/WSN were also susceptible to direct neutralization by MCP-1 or MCP-2, whereas cytomegalovirus, echovirus type 11, and reovirus type 3 were not. We speculate that MCP-1 and MCP-2, peptides that are abundant in rabbit granulocytes and lung macrophages, may contribute to antiviral defenses by mediating the direct inactivation of HSV-1 and selected other viruses.