Inducible CYP4F12 enhances Hepatitis C virus infection via association with viral nonstructural protein 5B

Metabolic modeling elucidates phenformin and atpenin A5 as broad-spectrum antiviral drugs against RNA viruses

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has reemphasized the urgent need for broad-spectrum antiviral therapies. We developed a computational workflow using scRNA-Seq data to assess cellular metabolism during viral infection. With this workflow we predicted the capacity of cells to sustain SARS-CoV-2 virion production in patients and found a tissue-wide induction of metabolic pathways that support viral replication. Expanding our analysis to influenza A and dengue viruses, we identified metabolic targets and inhibitors for potential broad-spectrum antiviral treatment. These targets were highly enriched for known interaction partners of all analyzed viruses. Indeed, phenformin, an NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase inhibitor, suppressed SARS-CoV-2 and dengue virus replication. Atpenin A5, blocking succinate dehydrogenase, inhibited SARS-CoV-2, dengue virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and influenza A virus with high selectivity indices. In vivo, phenformin showed antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in a Syrian hamster model. Our work establishes host metabolism as druggable for broad-spectrum antiviral strategies, providing invaluable tools for pandemic preparedness.

Cellular factors involved in the hepatitis C virus life cycle

The hepatitis C virus (HCV), an obligatory intracellular pathogen, highly depends on its host cells to propagate successfully. The HCV life cycle can be simply divided into several stages including viral entry, protein translation, RNA replication, viral assembly and release. Hundreds of cellular factors involved in the HCV life cycle have been identified over more than thirty years of research. Characterization of these cellular factors has provided extensive insight into HCV replication strategies. Some of these cellular factors are targets for anti-HCV therapies. In this review, we summarize the well-characterized and recently identified cellular factors functioning at each stage of the HCV life cycle.

Hepatitis C Viral Replication Complex

The life cycle of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be divided into several stages, including viral entry, protein translation, RNA replication, viral assembly, and release. HCV genomic RNA replication occurs in the replication organelles (RO) and is tightly linked to ER membrane alterations containing replication complexes (proteins NS3 to NS5B). The amplification of HCV genomic RNA could be regulated by the RO biogenesis, the viral RNA structure (i.e., cis-acting replication elements), and both viral and cellular proteins. Studies on HCV replication have led to the development of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) targeting the replication complex. This review article summarizes the viral and cellular factors involved in regulating HCV genomic RNA replication and the DAAs that inhibit HCV replication.

Differential DNA Methylation in Prostate Tumors from Puerto Rican Men

In 2020, approximately 191,930 new prostate cancer (PCa) cases are estimated in the United States (US). Hispanic/Latinos (H/L) are the second largest racial/ethnic group in the US. This study aims to assess methylation patterns between aggressive and indolent PCa including DNA repair genes along with ancestry proportions. Prostate tumors classified as aggressive (n = 11) and indolent (n = 13) on the basis of the Gleason score were collected. Tumor and adjacent normal tissue were annotated on H&E (Haemotoxylin and Eosin) slides and extracted by macro-dissection. Methylation patterns were assessed using the Illumina 850K DNA methylation platform. Raw data were processed using the Bioconductor package. Global ancestry proportions were estimated using ADMIXTURE (k = 3). One hundred eight genes including AOX1 were differentially methylated in tumor samples. Regarding the PCa aggressiveness, six hypermethylated genes (RREB1, FAM71F2, JMJD1C, COL5A3, RAE1, and GABRQ) and 11 hypomethylated genes (COL9A2, FAM179A, SLC17A2, PDE10A, PLEKHS1, TNNI2, OR51A4, RNF169, SPNS2, ADAMTSL5, and CYP4F12) were identified. Two significant differentially methylated DNA repair genes, JMJD1C and RNF169, were found. Ancestry proportion results for African, European, and Indigenous American were 24.1%, 64.2%, and 11.7%, respectively. The identification of DNA methylation patterns related to PCa in H/L men along with specific patterns related to aggressiveness and DNA repair constitutes a pivotal effort for the understanding of PCa in this population.

Overview of hepatitis C infection, molecular biology, and new treatment

The World Health Organization estimates that 71 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis C viral infection. A major challenge is overall lack of public awareness of hepatitis C, particularly among infected people of their infection status. Chronic hepatitis C infection is associated with advanced liver disease, is the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma and causes many extra-hepatic manifestations. The existence of seven viral genotypes complicates targeting of treatment. Recent years have seen the approval of many direct acting antivirals targeted at hepatitis C virus non-structural proteins. These have revolutionized therapy as they allow achievement of extremely high sustained virologic responses. Of great significance is the development of pan-genotypic drug combinations, including the NS3/4A-NS5A inhibitor combinations sofosbuvir-velpatasvir and glecaprevir-pibrentasvir. However, resistance-associated mutations can result in failure of these treatments in a small number of patients. This, combined with the high costs of treatment, highlights the importance of continued research into effective anti-hepatitis C therapies, for example aimed at viral entry. Recent developments include identification of the potential of low-cost anti-histamines for repurposing as inhibitors of hepatitis C viral entry. In this review we focus on molecular biology of hepatitis C virus, and the new developments in hepatitis C treatment.

MicroRNA-302 Cluster Downregulates Enterovirus 71-Induced Innate Immune Response by Targeting KPNA2

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) induces significantly elevated levels of cytokines and chemokines, leading to local or systemic inflammation and severe complications. As shown in our previous study, microRNA (miR) 302c regulates influenza A virus-induced IFN expression by targeting NF-κB-inducing kinase. However, little is known about the role of the miR-302 cluster in EV71-mediated proinflammatory responses. In this study, we found that the miR-302 cluster controls EV71-induced cytokine expression. Further studies demonstrated that karyopherin α2 (KPNA2) is a direct target of the miR-302 cluster. Interestingly, we also found that EV71 infection upregulates KPNA2 expression by downregulating miR-302 cluster expression. Upon investigating the mechanisms behind this event, we found that KPNA2 intracellularly associates with JNK1/JNK2 and p38, leading to translocation of those transcription factors from the cytosol into the nucleus. In EV71-infected patients, miR-302 cluster expression was downregulated and KPNA2 expression was upregulated compared with controls, and their expression levels were closely correlated. Taken together, our work establishes a link between the miR-302/ KPNA2 axis and EV71-induced cytokine expression and represents a promising target for future antiviral therapy.

MicroRNA-302a suppresses influenza A virus-stimulated interferon regulatory factor-5 expression and cytokine storm induction

During influenza A virus (IAV) infection, cytokine storms play a vital and critical role in clinical outcomes. We have previously reported that microRNA (miR)-302c regulates IAV-induced IFN expression by targeting the 3'-UTR of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)-inducing kinase. In the current study, we found that miR-302a, another member of the miR-302 cluster, controls the IAV-induced cytokine storm. According to results from cell-based and knockout mouse models, IAV induces a cytokine storm via interferon regulatory factor-5 (IRF-5). We also found that IAV infection up-regulates IRF-5 expression and that IRF-5 in turn promotes IAV replication. Furthermore, we observed that IRF-5 is a direct target of miR-302a, which down-regulated IRF-5 expression by binding its 3'-UTR. Moreover, IAV increased IRF-5 expression by down-regulating miR-302a expression. Interestingly, miR-302a inhibited IAV replication. In IAV-infected patients, miR-302a expression was down-regulated, whereas IRF-5 expression was up-regulated. Taken together, our work uncovers and defines a signaling pathway implicated in an IAV-induced cytokine storm.

The Us2 Gene Product of Herpes Simplex Virus 2 modulates NF-κB activation by targeting TAK1

HSV-2 is one of the most common sexually transmitted pathogens worldwide and HSV-2 infection triggers cytokine and chemokine production. However, little is known about which HSV-2 genes engage in the regulation of NF-κB signaling and what mechanisms are involved. In a screen of the unique short (Us) regions of HSV-2, we observed that HSV-2 Us2 activates NF-κB signaling. We additionally indicated that deficiencies of Us2 decrease HSV-2 WT mediated NF-κB activation and cytokine and chemokine production, and overexpression of Us2 showed opposite effects. Co-immunoprecipitations indicated that Us2 interacted with TGF-β activated kinase 1 (TAK1), a serine/threonine kinase essential for NF-κB activation, and Us2 has the ability to regulate the TAK1-mediated pathway and induces TAK1 downstream signaling. Further studies verified that Us2 induced the phosphorylation of TAK1, resulting in the activation of TAK1 mediated downstream signaling. The role of Us2 in HSV-2 induced NF-κB pathways was also confirmed in the Us2-deficient mutant and HSV-2 WT infected mice. Our results indicate that HSV-2 Us2 gene product binds to TAK1 to positively regulate NF-κB signaling and, for the first time, provide insights into the molecular mechanism.

Advance in studies on traditional Chinese medicines to treat infection with the hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as a type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is a sophisticated and time-honored form of healthcare in China. Many TCMs are widely used to treat hepatitis B and hepatitis C in countries like China, Japan, and South Korea. Since conventional clinical preparations like interferon-α cause obvious dose-dependent adverse reactions and drug resistance, TCMs and related bioactive compounds have garnered increasing attention from physicians and medical researchers. Thus far, a number of TCMs and compounds have been used to inhibit the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) in vitro, in vivo, and even in clinical trials. The current review summarizes TCMs and related compounds that have been used to inhibit HBV or HCV. Most of these medicines are derived from herbs. HepG2.2.15 cells have been used to study HBV in vitro and Huh7.5 cells have been similarly used to study HCV. Ducks have been used to study the anti-HBV effect of new medication in vivo, but there are few animal models for anti-HCV research at the present time. Thus far, a number of preclinical studies have been conducted but few clinical trials have been conducted. In addition, a few chemically modified compounds have displayed greater efficacy than natural products. However, advances in TCM research are hampered by mechanisms of action of many bioactive compounds that have yet to be identified. In short, TCMs and related active compounds are a CAM that could be used to treat HBV and HCV infections.