Discovery of a novel inhibitor of macropinocytosis with antiviral activity Show others and affiliations
2024 (English) In: Molecular Therapy, ISSN 1525-0016, E-ISSN 1525-0024, Vol. 32, no 9, p. 3012-3024Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Several viruses hijack various forms of endocytosis in order to infect host cells. Here, we report the discovery of a molecule with antiviral properties that we named virapinib, which limits viral entry by macropinocytosis. The identification of virapinib derives from a chemical screen using high-throughput microscopy, where we identified chemical entities capable of preventing infection with a pseudotype virus expressing the spike (S) protein from SARS-CoV-2. Subsequent experiments confirmed the capacity of virapinib to inhibit infection by SARS-CoV-2, as well as by additional viruses, such as mpox virus and TBEV. Mechanistic analyses revealed that the compound inhibited macropinocytosis, limiting this entry route for the viruses. Importantly, virapinib has no significant toxicity to host cells. In summary, we present the discovery of a molecule that inhibits macropinocytosis, thereby limiting the infectivity of viruses that use this entry route such as SARS-CoV2.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages Elsevier, 2024. Vol. 32, no 9, p. 3012-3024
National Category
Infectious Medicine Microbiology in the medical area
Identifiers URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-540140 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.06.038 ISI: 001318535900001 PubMedID: 38956870 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-540140 DiVA, id: diva2:1905475
Funder Swedish Research Council, 2021-00179 Swedish Cancer Society, CAN 21/1529 Swedish Research Council, 2019-01837 Swedish Research Council, 2021-02801 2024-10-142024-10-142024-10-14 Bibliographically approved