Effect of muramyl dipeptide and its stearoyl derivatives on resistance to Sendai virus infection in mice

The efficacy of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP), 6-O-stearoyl-MDP (L18-MDP), N alpha-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutaminyl-N epsilon-stearoyl-L-lysine (MDP-Lys-L18) and N-stearoylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (2N-L18-MDP) for augmenting host-resistance to viral infection was examined in Sendai virus infected mice. L18-MDP and MDP-Lys-L18 augmented the non-specific host-resistance to infection with Sendai virus. MDP showed a slight enhancement of host-resistance to this infection but 2N-L18-MDP was ineffective. The protective effect of MDP-Lys-L18 was seen only when the drug was administered a few days before the virus challenge. The intranasal administration of MDP-Lys-L18 was effective at 1 microgram but only slight activity was observed in mice treated intravenously or intraperitoneally even at the 100 microgram dose level. MDP-Lys-L18 treatment preceding infection augmented interferon production in the lung of the mice but MDP-Lys-L18 treatment alone induced no interferon.