Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Rory J. Malek, Colin A. Bill, Charlotte M. Vines
Summary: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants escaping vaccine immunity could extend the COVID-19 pandemic. Beta coronaviruses in animals pose a continuous threat for future pandemics. Currently, only remdesivir is FDA-approved for treating COVID-19.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Shuofeng Yuan, Xiaopan Gao, Kaiming Tang, Jian-Piao Cai, Menglong Hu, Peng Luo, Lei Wen, Zi-Wei Ye, Cuiting Luo, Jessica Oi-Ling Tsang, Chris Chun-Yiu Chan, Yaoqiang Huang, Jianli Cao, Ronghui Liang, Zhenzhi Qin, Bo Qin, Feifei Yin, Hin Chu, Dong-Yan Jin, Ren Sun, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Sheng Cui, Kwok-Yung Yuen
Summary: The study identifies a noncovalent lead inhibitor, F0213, with broad-spectrum antiviral activity against various coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The compound provides protection in animal models and exhibits dual therapeutic functionality by inhibiting viral polyprotein cleavage and promoting antiviral immunity. The mode of inhibition differs between SARS2-PLpro and MERS-PLpro. These findings suggest that targeting the papain-like protease domain could be a potential strategy for developing pan-coronaviral therapeutics.
Article
Microbiology
Soo-Yon Rhee, Michael Boehm, Olga Tarasova, Giulia Di Teodoro, Ana B. Abecasis, Anders Sonnerborg, Alexander J. Bailey, Dmitry Kireev, Maurizio Zazzi, Robert W. Shafer
Summary: Ritonavir-boosted atazanavir is a second-line therapy option for HIV patients in low- and middle-income countries. Analysis of HIV-1 protease sequences from patients with virological failure after atazanavir treatment revealed various drug-resistance mutations, including both major and accessory mutations, as well as a novel nonpolymorphic mutation. These mutations impact darunavir resistance levels, highlighting the need for further clinical studies to determine the optimal boosted PI for use in LMICs.
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
JiHyun An, Dong Ah Park, Min Jung Ko, Sang Bong Ahn, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Dae Won Jun, Sun Young Yim
Summary: DAA therapy has shown safety and efficacy in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The SVR rate was 86%, with low rates of HCC occurrence and mortality. PI-based treatment demonstrated similar clinical outcomes and adverse events compared to non-PI-based DAA treatment in DC patients.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Peter Smyth, Jutharat Sasiwachirangkul, Rich Williams, Christopher J. Scott
Summary: This review provides an overview of the distinctive properties and roles of cathepsin S (CTSS) within the lysosomal cysteine cathepsin family. It highlights the various pathologies in which CTSS has been implicated and provides an update on the clinical progress towards specific inhibitors. CTSS is considered a significant biomarker and potential therapeutic target.
MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Dong Ji, Yan Chen, Qinghua Shang, Huabao Liu, Lin Tan, Jing Wang, Yongping Chen, Qin Li, Qinghua Long, Laicheng Song, Li Jiang, Guangming Xiao, Zujiang Yu, Liang Chen, Xiaoyu Hu, Xiaodong Wang, Da Chen, Zhiqin Li, Zheng Dong, Guofeng Chen, Yongping Yang
Summary: The study aimed to assess the association between changes in liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and histological outcomes in chronic hepatitis B patients receiving entecavir-based therapy. LSM decrease of ≥30% was associated with regression of fibrosis, significant histological response, and alanine aminotransferase normalization, with a new on-treatment LSM cutoff value established for indicating significant histological response.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Zherui Zhang, Hongqing Zhang, Yanan Zhang, Qiuyan Zhang, Qiaojie Liu, Yanyan Hu, Xiaoling Chen, Jing Wang, Yujia Shi, Chenglin Deng, Peng Gong, Bo Zhang, Xiaodan Li, Bing Zhu, Hanqing Ye
Summary: COVID-19 has become a global public health crisis since its outbreak in China in December 2019. Currently, there are few effective drugs for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, the antiviral activity of oridonin, a natural small-molecule compound, against SARS-CoV-2 infection was investigated. The results showed that oridonin efficiently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection by interfering with genome replication, and it also displayed inhibitory effects on specific viral proteins.
Review
Immunology
Dipesh Kumar Yadav, Vishnu Prasad Adhikari, Rajesh Kumar Yadav, Alina Singh, Xing Huang, Qi Zhang, Prabesh Pandit, Qi Ling, Tingbo Liang
Summary: This meta-analysis compared the outcomes of antiviral prophylaxis and preemptive therapy for the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in liver transplant recipients. The results showed that antiviral prophylaxis reduced the incidence of CMV infection in the high-risk group, while preemptive therapy reduced the incidence of late-onset CMV disease. There were no significant differences in other outcomes between the two interventions.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Julius Hollnberger, Yang Liu, Simin Xu, Silvia Chang, Ross Martin, Savrina Manhas, Thomas Aeschbacher, Bin Han, Tahmineh Yazdi, Lindsey May, Dong Han, Alex Shornikov, John Flaherty, Dmitry Manuilov, Vithika Suri, Tarik Asselah, Pietro Lampertico, Heiner Wedemeyer, Soo Aleman, Christopher Richards, Roberto Mateo, Evguenia Maiorova, Tomas Cihlar, Hongmei Mo, Stephan Urban
Summary: This study investigated viral resistance in non-responders and virologic breakthrough participants receiving Bulevirtide (BLV) monotherapy. The results showed no amino acid substitutions associated with reduced sensitivity to BLV at baseline or after 24 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, the study found that the BLV EC50 values were similar among responders of different categories.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Changtian Su, Qin Yang
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of Ganshuang granules combined with tenofovir in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B complicated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The results showed that the combination therapy significantly improved liver function index, reduced liver hardness, and decreased fat attenuation parameters.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Barbara Farkas, Marco Minneci, Matas Misevicius, Isabel Rozas
Summary: This review provides an overview of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (M-Pro) and the host transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), which play important roles in the infection of SARS-CoV-2. The relevance of these proteases is identified by summarizing the viral replication cycle. Approved therapeutic agents and recently reported inhibitors for M-Pro and TMPRSS2 are discussed, along with computational approaches for designing novel inhibitors. Dual-action inhibitors for both proteases are also mentioned. This review highlights the importance of targeting these proteases for the development of antiviral agents against COVID-19.
Article
Virology
Alice-Roza Eruera, Alice M. McSweeney, Geena M. McKenzie-Goldsmith, Helen K. Opel-Reading, Simone X. Thomas, Ashley C. Campbell, Louise Stubbing, Andrew Siow, Jonathan G. Hubert, Margaret A. Brimble, Vernon K. Ward, Kurt L. Krause
Summary: Norovirus is a major cause of viral gastroenteritis worldwide. This study provides new insights for drug design against GII.4 genogroup of noroviruses.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qazi Mohammad Sajid Jamal, Ali H. Alharbi, Varish Ahmad
Summary: This study investigated the potential of repurposing antibiotics for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 protease and peptidase through computational simulations. The results suggest that Doxo could be a promising option for preventing viral entry into host cells.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Zhong Li, Jimin Xu, Yuekun Lang, Xiangmeng Wu, Saiyang Hu, Subodh Kumar Samrat, Anil M. Tharappel, Lili Kuo, David Butler, Yongcheng Song, Qing-Yu Zhang, Jia Zhou, Hongmin Li
Summary: Erythrosin B is an effective antiviral against Zika virus both in vitro and in vivo, and its derivatives are non-toxic to human cells.
ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA B
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Japhette E. Kembou-Ringert, John Readman, Claire M. Smith, Judith Breuer, Joseph F. Standing
Summary: Conventional cell culture systems involve growing cells in stationary cultures, which does not reflect normal physiological conditions. Hollow-fibre bioreactors have been developed to overcome these limitations and have been widely used in various fields. This review focuses on the usage of these bioreactors in viral infection studies and highlights their potential applications in vaccine development and antiviral resistance mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)