T22 peptide

T22 peptide, also known as [Tyr5,12,Lys7]-polyphemusin II peptide, is a short, positively charged peptide, analog of polyphemusin peptide which exerts a strong anti- HIV activity. Polyphemusins are known to inhibit the growth of gram-negative bacteria and some fungi such as Candida Albicans. T22 is a potent antagonist of CXCR4 (IC50 = 5.05 nM), a co-receptor used by HIV to penetrate cells. It has been suggested that T22 exerts its effect against HIV-1 especially by blocking virus-cell fusion and that T22 might interact with HIV envelope protein (such as gp120 ) and T-cell surface protein. T22 antiviral activity has been shown on HIV-infected MT-4 cells with an IC50 of 0.008 µg/mL (2.6 nM). The cytotoxic concentration on HIV virus (CC50) of T22 is 54 µg/mL (17 mM).