No abstract

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes hemorrhagic fever in humans with high morbidity and fatality. Although over 45 years have passed since the first EBOV outbreak, small molecule drugs are not yet available. Ebola viral protein VP30 is a unique RNA synthesis cofactor, and the VP30/NP interaction plays a critical role in initiating the transcription and propagation of EBOV. Here, we designed a high-throughput screening technique based on a competitive binding assay to bind VP30 between an NP-derived peptide and a chemical compound. By screening a library of 8004 compounds, we obtained two lead compounds, Embelin and Kobe2602. The binding of these compounds to the VP30-NP interface was validated by dose-dependent competitive binding assay, surface plasmon resonance, and thermal shift assay. Moreover, the compounds were confirmed to inhibit the transcription and replication of the Ebola genome by a minigenome assay. Similar results were obtained for their two respective analogs (8-gingerol and Kobe0065). Interestingly, these two structurally different molecules exhibit synergistic binding to the VP30/NP interface. The antiviral efficacy (EC 50 ) increased from 1 μM by Kobe0065 alone to 351 nM when Kobe0065 and Embelin were combined in a 4:1 ratio. The synergistic anti-EBOV effect provides a strong incentive for further developing these lead compounds in future studies.

SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic of COVID-19, posing a huge threat to public health. The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like cysteine protease (PLpro) plays a significant role in virus replication and host immune regulation, which is a promising antiviral drug target. Several potential inhibitors have been identified in vitro. However, the detailed mechanism of action and structure–activity relationship require further studies. Here, we investigated the structure–activity relationships of the series of derivatives of tanshinone IIA sulfonate sodium (TSS) and chloroxine based on biochemical analysis and molecular dynamics simulation. We found that compound 7, a derivative of chloroxine, can disrupt PLpro-ISG15 interaction and exhibits an antiviral effect for SARS-CoV-2 variants (wild type, delta, and omicron) at the low micromolar level. These studies confirmed that inhibiting PLpro-ISG15 interaction and, thus, restoring the host’s innate immunity are effective methods for fighting against viral infection.

COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 virus, has triggered a global outbreak. The virus’s continuous mutation increases its infectivity and may be directly related to the immune escape response of viral proteins.

A high concentration of oxalate is associated with an increased risk of kidney calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones, and the degradation of exogenous oxalate mainly depends on oxalate-degrading enzymes from the intestinal microbiome. We found that Zinc Gluconate supplement to patients with CaOx kidney stones could significantly improve the abundance of oxalate metabolizing bacteria in human body through clinical experiments on the premise of simultaneous antibiotic treatment and the imbalance of Lactobacillus and OxDC was involved in CaOx kidney stones through clinical sample analysis. Then, we identified that Zn2+could be used as an external factor to improve the activity of OxDC and protect Lactobacillus, achieved the preventive effect on rats with stones aggravated by antibiotics. Finally, by analyzing the three-dimensional structure of OxDC and some in vitro experiments, we propose a hypothesis Zn2+increases the metabolism of oxalate in humans through its positive effects on Lactobacillus and OxDC to reduce CaOx kidney stone symptoms in rats.