Integrative Biotechnology Prof. Dae-Hyuk Kweon’s team developed Virucidal nano-perforator of viral membrane trapping vir
- 생명공학대학
- Hit2229
- 2019-02-11
SKKU Professor Dae Hyeok Kweon's team developed a nano-perforator that causes the virus to die by itself
- Published online in the January 15 issue of the international journal of 'Nature Communications' -
This research was conducted by SKKU Dr. Byeong-jae Kong and SKKU Ph.D. student Seok-oh Moon as a first author and a co-author respectively, and by co-study with SKKU Professor Woo-jae Chung and Yonsei University Professor Baek-lin Seong's team.
This research was carried out with the support of Samsung Research Funding & Incubation Center for Future Technology. The results of the study were published online in the January 15 issue of Nature Communications.
[Abstract]
Membrane-disrupting agents that selectively target virus versus host membranes could potentially inhibit a broad-spectrum of enveloped viruses, but currently such antivirals are lacking. Here, we develop a nanodisc incorporated with a decoy virus receptor that inhibits virus infection. Mechanistically, nanodiscs carrying the viral receptor sialic acid bind to influenza virions and are co-endocytosed into host cells. At low pH in the endosome, the nanodiscs rupture the viral envelope, trapping viral RNAs inside the endolysosome for enzymatic decomposition. In contrast, liposomes containing a decoy receptor show weak antiviral activity due to the lack of membrane disruption. The nanodiscs inhibit influenza virus infection and reduce morbidity and mortality in a mouse model. Our results suggest a new class of antivirals applicable to other enveloped viruses that cause irreversible physical damage specifically to virus envelope by viruses’ own fusion machine. In conclusion, the lipid nanostructure provides another dimension for antiviral activity of decoy molecules.
[Fig. 1] The structure of Nano-perforator. In vitro inhibitory activity of NDTG against H1N1 virus infection.
(Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-08138-1)