The Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a major public health concern in Brazil and worldwide, being a rapidly spreading disease with possible severe complications for pregnant women and neonates. There is currently no preventative therapy or specific treatment available. Within this context, drug repositioning is a very promising approach for the discovery of new treatment compounds, since old drugs may become new ones. Therefore, this paper aims to perform a literature mini-review to identify promising compounds to combat this virus. The mechanism of action at the molecular level and the structure-activity relationship of prototypes are discussed. Among the candidates identified, we highlight sofosbuvir, chloroquine and suramin, which present a greater quantity of experimental data to draw on for our discussion. The current treatment is palliative; therefore, this study is of paramount importance in identifying drug candidates useful for combating ZIKV.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389557520666200711174007 | DOI Listing |
Front Cell Infect Microbiol
January 2025
Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belem, Pará, Brazil.
Background: Mosquito-borne diseases have a significant public health threat worldwide, with arboviruses accounting for a high proportion of infectious diseases and mortality annually. Brazil, in particular, has been suffering outbreaks of diseases transmitted by mosquito viruses, notably those of the genus, such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Against this background, the São Paulo Zoo is an intriguing ecological niche to explore the virome of mosquitoes, potentially shedding light on the dynamics of arbovirus transmission within a confined setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Omega
January 2025
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Health Sciences Center, State University of Ceara, Fortaleza 60714-903, Brazil.
Zika (ZIKV) and Dengue (DENV) viruses are clinically significant due to their severe neurological and hemorrhagic complications. Rapid diagnostics often rely on nonstructural proteins to generate specific antibodies. This study aimed to produce IgG antibodies from the recombinant ZIKV protein and plant-expressed NS2B protein for arbovirus detection in serum and urine samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biol Chem
January 2025
Institute of Virology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany. Electronic address:
Orthoflaviviruses are emerging arthropod-borne pathogens whose replication cycle is tightly linked to host lipid metabolism. Previous lipidomic studies demonstrated that infection with the closely related hepatitis C virus (HCV) changes the fatty acid (FA) profile of several lipid classes. Lipids in HCV-infected cells had more very long-chain and desaturated FAs and viral replication relied on functional FA elongation and desaturation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFViruses
January 2025
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami/UHealth, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Flaviviruses are a diverse group of viruses primarily transmitted through hematophagous insects like mosquitoes and ticks. Significant expansion in the geographic range, prevalence, and vectors of flavivirus over the last 50 years has led to a dramatic increase in infections that can manifest as hemorrhagic fever or encephalitis, leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality. Millions of infections every year pose a serious threat to worldwide public health, encouraging scientists to develop a better understanding of the pathophysiology and immune evasion mechanisms of these viruses for vaccine development and antiviral therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFViruses
January 2025
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 5508-900, Brazil.
Dengue fever, caused by the dengue virus (DENV), poses a significant global health challenge, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Recent increases in indigenous DENV cases in Europe are concerning, reflecting rising incidence linked to climate change and the spread of mosquitoes. These vectors thrive under environmental conditions like temperature and humidity, which are increasingly influenced by climate change.
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