There's a new way to fight viruses
Scientists have come up with a new way to fight viruses by affecting their lipid membrane.The authors of a new study have come up with a new way to fight viruses. They used certain compounds as molecular "pins". They burst the membranes that hold the viruses together. The results of the study will be useful for developing a new class of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.
Viruses are coated with proteins that act as "keys" to unlock access to human cells. Scientists have done a lot of research to figure out how to disrupt these proteins. One problem with this approach is that it is not universal.
However, underneath the viruses protein layer is a membrane that surrounds its genetic material. Researchers at New York University (NYU) have figured out how to destroy it and kill the virus.
"We have found the Achilles' heel of many viruses: their vesicle membranes. Exploring this vulnerability and disrupting the membrane is a promising mechanism of action for developing new antiviral drugs," said Kent Kirschenbaum, professor of chemistry at NYU and senior author of the study.
For this study, scientists turned their attention to antimicrobial peptides. These are produced by the human immune system when it encounters a bacterial, viral or fungal infection. These peptides disrupt the membrane layer found in many viruses. Although peptides are a natural part of the immune system, they are too easily broken down by the innate immune system when synthesized in the laboratory to fight viruses. They can also be toxic to healthy cells.
With these limitations in mind, biologists investigated seven peptodes. These are engineered compounds that are molecularly very similar to peptides, but are more difficult for the body to break down.
The researchers compared the peptoids against three viruses. membranes: those that cause Zika infection, Rift Valley fever, and chikungunya. They also tried them against coxsackievirus B3, which has no membrane. Tests showed that the peptoids effectively pierced membranes on all viruses except the one without a membrane.
Scientists are continuing preclinical studies to better understand the role of the peptides in fighting a wider range of viruses that include Ebola, SARS-CoV-2 and herpes.
The study is published in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases.