Composition and method for treating viral infection

A composition comprising a peptide associated with a transporter that is capable of increasing the uptake of said peptide by a mammalian cell by at least 100%,

• wherein said peptide includes an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P and is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R, and
• wherein said peptide does not contain a contiguous amino acid sequence of an HIV GAG protein that is sufficient to impart an ability to bind the UEV domain of Tsg101 on said peptide.

A composition comprising a hybrid polypeptide, said hybrid polypeptide consists of a peptide covalently linked to a peptidic transporter that is capable of increasing the uptake of said peptide by a mammalian cell by at least 100%,

• wherein said peptide consists of from about 8 to about 100 amino acid residues, comprises an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P, and is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R, and
• wherein said peptide does not contain a contiguous amino acid sequence of an HIV GAG protein that is sufficient to impart an ability to bind the UEV domain of Tsg101 on said peptide.

An isolated peptide consisting of a contiguous amino acid sequence of from 8 to about 30 amino acid residues of a viral protein selected from the group consisting of HBV PreS1/PreS2/S envelope protein, HSV1 RL2 protein, HSV2 virion glycoprotein K, HSV2 Strain 333 glycoprotein I, EBV nuclear protein EBNA2, Influenza A virus hemagglutinin, HPV L1 proteins, HPV L2 proteins, HPV late proteins, HTLV-2 GAG protein, West Nile virus polyprotein precursor, Measles virus matrix protein, Rubella virus non-structural protein, Colorado tick fever virus VP12, foot-and-mouth disease virus VP1 capsid protein, human foamy virus GAG protein, hepatitis G virus polyprotein precursor, human parechovirus 2 polyprotein, and Semliki forest virus polyprotein,

• wherein said contiguous amino acid sequence encompasses the P(T/S)AP motif of said viral protein,
• wherein wherein said peptide is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101,
• and wherein said peptide does not contain a contiguous amino acid sequence of an HIV GAG protein or Ebola virus Matrix (EbVp40) protein that is sufficient to impart an ability to bind the UEV domain of Tsg100 on said peptide.

A method for inhibiting HIV budding from cells, comprising:

• introducing into cells infected with HIV a peptide consisting of from 8 to about 30 amino acid residues and having an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R,
• wherein said peptide is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, and
• wherein said peptide does not contain a contiguous amino acid sequence of an HIV GAG protein that is sufficient to impart an ability to bind the UEV domain of Tsg101 on said peptide.

A method for treating HIV infection, comprising:

• introducing into a patient in need of such treatment a peptide consisting of from 8 to about 30 amino acid residues and having an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R,
• wherein said peptide is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, and
• wherein said peptide does not contain a contiguous amino acid sequence of an HIV GAG protein that is sufficient to impart an ability to bind the UEV domain of Tsg101 on said peptide.

A method for treating HIV infection, comprising:

• administering to a patient in need of such treatment a composition comprising a peptide associated with a transporter that is capable of increasing the uptake of said peptide by a mammalian cell,
• wherein said peptide includes an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P and is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R, and
• wherein said peptide does not contain a contiguous amino acid sequence of an HIV GAG protein that is sufficient to impart an ability to bind the UEV domain of Tsg101 on said peptide.

A method for treating HIV infection, comprising:

• administering to a patient in need of such treatment a composition comprising a peptide associated with a transporter that is capable of increasing the uptake of said peptide by a mammalian cell by at least 100%,
• wherein said peptide includes an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P and is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R, and
• wherein said peptide does not contain a contiguous amino acid sequence of an HIV GAG protein that is sufficient to impart an ability to bind the UEV domain of Tsg101 on said peptide.

A method for treating HIV infection, comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a composition comprising a hybrid polypeptide, said hybrid polypeptide consists of a peptide covalently linked to a peptidic transporter that is capable of increasing the uptake of said peptide by a mammalian cell by at least 100%,

• wherein said peptide consists of from about 8 to about 100 amino acid residues, comprises an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P, and is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R, and
• wherein said peptide does not contain a contiguous amino acid sequence of an HIV GAG protein that is sufficient to impart an ability to bind the UEV domain of Tsg101 on said peptide.

A method for treating an infection caused by a virus, wherein the virus is a member of the group consisting of hepatitis B virus, human herpesvirus 1, and human herpesvirus 2, said method comprising:

• introducing into a patient in need of such treatment a peptide consisting of from 8 to about 30 amino acid residues and having an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R,
• wherein said peptide is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101.

A method for treating an infection caused by a virus, wherein the virus is a member of the group consisting of hepatitis B virus, human herpesvirus 1, and human herpesvirus 2, said method comprising:

• administering to a patient in need of such treatment a composition comprising a peptide associated with a transporter that is capable of increasing the uptake of said peptide by a mammalian cell, and
• wherein said peptide includes an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P and is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R.

A method for treating an infection caused by a virus, wherein the virus is a member of the group consisting of hepatitis B virus, human herpesvirus 1, and human herpesvirus 2, said method comprising:

• administering to a patient in need of such treatment a composition comprising a peptide associated with a transporter that is capable of increasing the uptake of said peptide by a mammalian cell by at least 100%, and wherein said peptide includes an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P and is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R.

A method for treating an infection caused by a virus, wherein the virus is a member of the group consisting of hepatitis B virus, human herpesvirus 1, and human herpesvirus 2, said method comprising:

• administering to a patient in need of such treatment a composition comprising a hybrid polypeptide, said hybrid polypeptide consists of a peptide covalently linked to a peptidic transporter that is capable of increasing the uptake of said peptide by a mammalian cell by at least 100%, and
• wherein said peptide consists of from about 8 to about 100 amino acid residues, comprises an amino acid sequence motif PX1X2P, and is capable of binding the UEV domain of Tsg101, wherein X1 and X2 are amino acids, and X2 is not R.