Authors: Alisa Dabb, David Britt, Elizabeth Vargis
Mentors: David Britt
Insitution: Utah State University
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading infectious cause of birth defects in the United States. CMV is typically treated with ganciclovir, an antiviral medicine that inhibits the virus. However, ganciclovir also inhibits the growth of neutrophils, a type of immune cell, which leaves the patient vulnerable to other viruses and diseases. To combat the toxic effects of ganciclovir, a subtherapeutic dose of ganciclovir can be used with the combinatorial treatment of quercetin and poloxamer 188 (P188) while maintaining the same level of antiviral activity. Quercetin is a hydrophobic natural flavonoid with antiviral properties that is found in many fruits and vegetables. P188 acts as the delivery vehicle for quercetin and is an FDA-approved polymer that targets the mitochondria in a cell. This study examines two delivery vehicles—P188 and Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) to optimize the combinatorial treatment of quercetin and ganciclovir.
DMSO is a solvent for both polar and nonpolar compounds. DMSO is beneficial for cell growth at low concentrations. Additionally, DMSO successfully delivers hydrophobic quercetin to infected cells, although it does not target quercetin delivery like P188. Targeting the mitochondria, like P188, could be valuable because one mechanism of CMV infection occurs when the virus attacks the mitochondria in an infected cell. This study aims to understand if mitochondrial targeted delivery of quercetin better protects cells against CMV infection compared to non-targeted quercetin delivery.