Multiplication of defective Ebola virus in a complementary permissive cell line.

In an effort to develop safe and innovative in vitro models for Ebola virus (EBOV) research, we generated a recombinant Ebola virus where the glycoprotein (GP) gene was substituted with the Cre recombinase (Cre) gene by reverse genetics. This defective virus could multiply itself in a complementary permissive cell line, which could express GP and reporter protein upon exogenous Cre existence. The main features of this novel model for Ebola virus are intact viral life cycle, robust virus multiplication and normal virions morphology.

1-Phenyl--(benzothiazol-2-yl)methanimine derivatives as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus inhibitors.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) poses a serious threat to human health, and currently there are no effective or specific therapies available to treat it. Herein a series of 1-phenyl--(benzothiazol-2-yl)methanimine derivatives with inhibitory activity against MERS-CoV are described. The compound 4f with a 50% inhibition concentration value of 0.

Identification of SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors among already approved drugs.

To discover effective drugs for COVID-19 treatment amongst already clinically approved drugs, we developed a high throughput screening assay for SARS-CoV-2 virus entry inhibitors using SARS2-S pseudotyped virus. An approved drug library of 1800 small molecular drugs was screened for SARS2 entry inhibitors and 15 active drugs were identified as specific SARS2-S pseudovirus entry inhibitors. Antiviral tests using native SARS-CoV-2 virus in Vero E6 cells confirmed that 7 of these drugs (clemastine, amiodarone, trimeprazine, bosutinib, toremifene, flupenthixol, and azelastine) significantly inhibited SARS2 replication, reducing supernatant viral RNA load with a promising level of activity.

Microbial quantitation of colostrum from healthy breastfeeding women and milk from mastitis patients.

Background: Colostrum is rich in microbiota. However, the quantity of microorganisms including both opportunistic pathogens and commensal mammary microbiota remains fluctuant during lactation. And once dysbiosis occurred in these microorganisms, a process in which the population of opportunistic pathogens increases while other bacteria, commensal mammary microbiota decrease.

Overview of therapeutic drug research for COVID-19 in China.

Since the outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) in December 2019, more than 2,500,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 as of April 22. In response to this epidemic, China has issued seven trial versions of diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19. According to the information that we have collected so far, this article provides an overview of potential therapeutic drugs and compounds with much attention, including favipiravir and hydroxychloroquine, as well as traditional Chinese medicine, which have been reported with good clinical treatment effects.

Effect of a hepatitis B virus inhibitor, NZ-4, on capsid formation.

During the hepatitis B virus (HBV) life cycle, nucleocapsid assembly is essential for HBV replication. Both RNA reverse transcription and DNA replication occur within the HBV nucleocapsid. HBV nucleocapsid is consisted of core protein (HBcAg), whose carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) contains an Arg-rich domain (ARD).

A novel pyridazinone derivative inhibits hepatitis B virus replication by inducing genome-free capsid formation.

Here we first identified a novel pyridazinone derivative, compound 3711, as a nonnucleosidic hepatitis B virus (HBV) inhibitor in a cell model system. 3711 decreased extracellular HBV DNA levels by 50% (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50]) at 1.5 ± 0.

Discovering novel anti-HCV compounds with inhibitory activities toward HCV NS3/4A protease.

Aim: To discover novel hepatitis C virus (HCV) inhibitors and elucidate the mechanism of action of the active compounds.

Methods: HCV subgenomic replicon-based luciferase reporter cell line was used to screen 1200 synthetic compounds with novel structures. Huh7.

Benzimidazole derivative, BM601, a novel inhibitor of hepatitis B virus and HBsAg secretion.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) belongs to the Hepadnaviridae family. HBsAg, greatly outnumbered mature virion, has been mysterious since the discovery of HBV. A novel benzimidazole derivative, BM601, is identified inhibiting the secretion of HBV virions and HBsAg, with 50% effective concentration of 0.

Isothiafludine, a novel non-nucleoside compound, inhibits hepatitis B virus replication through blocking pregenomic RNA encapsidation.

Aim: To investigate the action of isothiafludine (NZ-4), a derivative of bis-heterocycle tandem pairs from the natural product leucamide A, on the replication cycle of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: HBV replication cycle was monitored in HepG2.2.

Mycophenolic acid derivative 118 improves outcome of skin grafts by suppressing IL-17 production.

Aim: To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of 118, a novel derivative of mycophenolic acid, in a murine allogeneic skin graft model.

Methods: Skin grafts were conducted by grafting BALB/c donor tail skin into C57BL/6 skin beds (allograft) or by grafting female C57BL/6 donor tail skin into female C57BL/6 skin beds (syngraft). The mice were treated with the derivative 118 (40 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1), po) for 13 d (3 d before and 10 d after transplantation).

Discovery and optimization of 2,4-diaminoquinazoline derivatives as a new class of potent dengue virus inhibitors.

The results of a high-throughput screening assay using the DENV-2 replicon showed that the 2,4-diaminoquinazoline derivative 4a has a high dengue virus inhibitory activity (EC(50) = 0.15 μM). A series of 2,4-diaminoquinazoline derivatives based on 4a as a lead compound were synthesized and subjected to structure-antidengue activity relationship studies.

WSS45, a sulfated alpha-D-glucan, strongly interferes with Dengue 2 virus infection in vitro.

Aim: To investigate the mode of action of WSS45, one sulfated derivative of an alpha-D-glucan from the Gastrodia elata Bl, on the multiplication cycle of dengue virus serotype 2 (DV2), including initial infection and intracellular replication.

Methods: Virus multiplication in BHK cells were monitored by qRT-PCR, plaque reduction assay, and flow cytometry. Initial virus infection was dissected into adsorption and penetration steps by converting temperature and treating by acid glycine.

The chemokine receptor antagonist, TAK-779, decreased experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by reducing inflammatory cell migration into the central nervous system, without affecting T cell function.

Background And Purpose: The C-C chemokine receptor CCR5, and the C-X-C chemokine receptor CXCR3 are involved in the regulation of T cell-mediated immune responses, and in the migration and activation of these cells. To determine whether blockade of these chemokine receptors modulated inflammatory responses in the central nervous sytem (CNS), we investigated the effect of a non-peptide chemokine receptor antagonist, TAK-779, in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

Experimental Approach: EAE was induced by immunization of C57BL/6 mice with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35-55.