Biomacromolecules：猪胃粘液是一种有效的抗病毒试剂

一项发表在Biomacromolecules上的研究指出，猪胃内层粘液可能是人们长期以来所寻求的粘蛋白的一种丰富来源，该粘蛋白不仅被考虑用作婴儿配方奶粉添加的广谱抗病毒试剂，也可被用于个人保健品与其他消费品以防止病毒感染。

粘液是免疫系统的第一道防线，覆盖于鼻、口和阴道内。在致病性微生物（从流感病毒到HIV的各种微生物）引起感染前，粘液分泌可困住它们。其中，粘液的主要成分是粘蛋白，粘蛋白可用作各种产品的抗病毒试剂，其现有来源（母乳）不能提供工业化规模的数量。在猪胃内层中，有大量粘液存在，此粘液已作为人工唾液用于治疗口干燥症患者。因此，研究人员着手确定猪粘液是否有相同的抗病毒活性。

结果表明，猪粘液能有效阻断各种与宫颈癌与口腔癌相关的病毒，包括从流感到人乳头瘤病毒的病毒；猪粘蛋白可添加到牙膏、漱口剂、伤口药膏和生殖器润滑剂中以防止病毒感染。由此可见，猪胃粘蛋白是未来生物医学应用中有前途的抗病毒成分。

doi:10.1021/bm3001292
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Mucin biopolymers as broad-spectrum antiviral agents

Oliver Lieleg, Corinna Lieleg, Jesse Bloom, Christopher B Buck, Katharina Ribbeck

Mucus is a porous biopolymer matrix that coats all wet epithelia in the human body and serves as the first line of defense against many pathogenic bacteria and viruses. However, under certain conditions viruses are able to penetrate this infection barrier, which compromises the protective function of native mucus. Here, we find that isolated porcine gastric mucin polymers, key structural components of native mucus, can protect an underlying cell layer from infection by small viruses such as human papillomavirus (HPV), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV), or a strain of influenza A virus. Single particle analysis of virus mobility inside the mucin barrier reveals that this shielding effect is in part based on a retardation of virus diffusion inside the biopolymer matrix. Our findings suggest that purified mucins may be used as a broad-range antiviral supplement to personal hygiene products, baby formula or lubricants to support our immune system.