Cationic Dendrimer G2-S16 Inhibits Herpes Simplex Type 2 Infection and Protects Mice Vaginal Microbiome

• Main Authors: Carlos Guerrero-Beltrán, Inmaculada Garcia-Heredia, Rafael Ceña-Diez, Ignacio Rodriguez-Izquierdo, María Jesús Serramía, Francisco Martinez-Hernandez, Mónica Lluesma-Gomez, Manuel Martinez-Garcia, María Ángeles Muñoz-Fernández
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: Pharmaceutics
• Subjects: G2-S16 polyanionic carbosilane dendrimer; HSV-2; semen; microbicide; female mice; vaginal microbiome
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/12/6/515

The G2-S16 polyanionic carbosilane dendrimer is a promising microbicide that inhibits HSV-2 infection in vitro and in vivo in mice models. This G2-S16 dendrimer inhibits HSV-2 infection even in the presence of semen. Murine models, such as BALB/c female mice, are generally used to characterize host-pathogen interactions within the vaginal tract. However, the composition of endogenous vaginal flora remains largely undefined with modern microbiome analyses. It is important to note that the G2-S16 dendrimer does not change healthy mouse vaginal microbiome where <i>Pseudomonas </i>(10.2–79.1%) and <i>Janthinobacterium </i>(0.7–13%) are the more abundant genera. The HSV-2 vaginally infected female mice showed a significant microbiome alteration because an increase of <i>Staphylococcus </i>(up to 98.8%) and<i> Escherichia </i>(30.76%) levels were observed becoming these bacteria the predominant genera. BALB/c female mice vaginally-treated with the G2-S16 dendrimer and infected with the HSV-2 maintained a healthy vaginal microbiome similar to uninfected female mice. Summarizing, the G2-S16 polyanionic carbosilane dendrimer inhibits the HSV-2 infection in the presence of semen and prevents the alteration of mice female vaginal microbiome.