Virology Journal最新文献

{"title":"Efficacy of direct-acting antiviral regimens for acute HCV infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Nada Mansour, Ramy M F Elbarody, Ahmed M Kamel","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03307-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03307-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acute and recently acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection clusters in men who have sex with men living with HIV and in people who inject drugs, where early cure benefits both the individual and transmission control. The best interferon-free dual direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimen and treatment duration, including short courses, remain undefined.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>MEDLINE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to 1 July 2026 for studies of interferon-free dual-DAA therapy in acute or recently acquired HCV reporting SVR12. Each study was appraised as a single-arm case series, and proportions were pooled by random-intercept logistic regression. Pre-specified subgroups were regimen, treatment duration, study design, and HIV status.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fourteen studies (19 single-arm analysis units; 1078 treated patients) were included. Pooled SVR12 was 97.7% (95% CI 94.7-99.1; 1043/1078; I² = 30.4%). SVR12 rates increased with treatment duration, from 84.8% (74.1-91.6) at 4 weeks and 91.7% (86.2-95.1) at 6 weeks to 99.4% (97.5-99.9) at 8 weeks and 97.4% (91.7-99.2) at 12 weeks (between-subgroup p < 0.001), whereas it did not differ by regimen (p = 0.608), study design (p = 0.764), or HIV status (p = 0.975). The pooled estimate was stable across sensitivity analyses (trials only, exclusion of the high-risk study, and leave-one-out).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Dual-DAA therapy was associated with a high pooled SVR12 in acute and recently acquired HCV, with cure differing by treatment duration. These findings support early treatment and favour a course of at least eight weeks. Given the predominantly single-arm evidence and the partial confounding of regimen with duration, randomised duration-comparison trials are needed to confirm the optimal short-course strategy.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13647546/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149138286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cell culture medium influences RSV G protein glycosylation and recognition by monoclonal antibodies.","authors":"Nele Engling, Marie-Christin Knittler, Rajarshee Tagore, Martin Ludlow, Albert D M E Osterhaus, Guus F Rimmelzwaan, Robert Meineke","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03318-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03318-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) glycoprotein G is heavily glycosylated and of variable size following virus growth in transformed cell lines or primary cells. However, it is unknown if the cell culture medium can influence the patterns of glycosylation. Therefore, we tested whether the choice of culture medium can affect the glycosylation of RSV G protein, viral infectivity and antibody recognition. The RSV G ectodomain was produced in HEK293T cells cultured in three different media. Marked differences in molecular weight were observed that were abolished in glycosylation-deficient knockout cells. RSV produced in A549 cells cultured in the same media also differed in relative G protein signals in virus stocks and virus spread. Higher apparent G protein glycosylation was associated with lower binding signals of human F protein-specific monoclonal antibodies to RSV-infected cells. These data show that the cell culture medium can influence biological properties of RSV preparations with consequences for antibody recognition and viral spread.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13621597/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149082217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of the C4 protein encoded by parsley yellow leaf curl virus.","authors":"Hasan Zeitooni, Rosa Lozano-Durán, Masoud Shams-Bakhsh","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03309-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03309-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Geminiviruses encode small, rapidly evolving proteins that reprogram host functions to facilitate infection. Among these, C4/AC4 proteins frequently act as determinants of pathogenicity and symptom expression. Parsley yellow leaf curl virus (PYLCV; Pylecuvirus petroselini), a recently described monopartite geminivirus associated with yellowing and leaf curling in parsley, encodes a C4 protein whose biological activities and cellular distribution remain uncharacterized.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Here, we combined comparative sequence analysis, confocal microscopy, site-directed mutagenesis, heterologous expression, and RNA silencing suppression assays to characterize PYLCV C4.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In silico analysis of the 85-amino-acid C4 protein identified several candidate targeting features, including a predicted N-terminal myristoylation motif, a putative palmitoylation site, nuclear trafficking-related motifs, and a chloroplast transit peptide. Confocal imaging showed that C4-GFP localizes to the plasma membrane and also accumulates in the nucleus and chloroplasts. Substitution of Gly2 within the predicted N-myristoylation motif strongly reduced plasma membrane association and increased the chloroplast-associated signal of C4-GFP, supporting an important role for the Gly2-containing N-terminal region in membrane targeting and suggesting that chloroplast-associated targeting becomes more prominent when Gly2-dependent cell-peripheral association is disrupted. Expression of PYLCV C4 from a potato virus X (PVX; Potexvirus ecspotati)-based vector in Nicotiana benthamiana induced severe developmental alterations, including mosaic, yellowing, leaf curling, stem deformation, and plant death, without affecting PVX RNA accumulation. PYLCV C4 did not behave as a strong suppressor of local or systemic post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) under the conditions tested, although a possible delay in the spread of GFP silencing was observed in N. benthamiana 16c plants.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Together, these findings provide the first experimental characterization of PYLCV C4 and establish a framework for future mechanistic studies addressing how this protein may contribute to host developmental perturbation and PYLCV-plant interactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13617785/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149075957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of combined antiviral drug treatment against selected α-, β-, and γ-herpesviruses.","authors":"Lucio Fortelny, Christina Wangen, Debora Obergfäll, Kishore Dhotre, Friedrich Hahn, Julia Tillmanns, Manfred Marschall","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03303-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03303-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human herpesvirus infections cover a wide range of pathogenic outcomes and challenging situations in the medical field. All herpesviral α-, β-, and γ-subfamilies comprise representatives with a huge clinical impact on human health. The basic and translational research efforts are strongly directed towards the improved molecular understanding of infections and development of novel antiviral test systems and preventive measures. We utilized cell culture-based quantitative models for the assessment of antiviral prototype drugs against human and animal pathogenic herpesviruses. Our analysis focused on approved, developmental, and experimental compounds. All three investigated herpesviruses showed sensitivity against the selected antivirals. The single-drug antiviral treatments identified mean effective concentrations in the micromolar range, for abemaciclib (ABE) and the pharmacophore compound 020 (P-020), as well as submicromolar to nanomolar range, for brincidofovir (BCV) and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor of CDK7 (LDC4297). Time-of-addition experiments addressed questions of temporal potency of inhibition and effects on the expression of individual viral proteins. The results demonstrated that these drugs were mostly robust and did generally show moderate or no difference in antiviral activity when administered pre-, post-, or total duration-infection. By addressing the question of potential drug-drug synergies in combinatorial cotreatment settings, we identified effective conditions of combined antiherpesviral drug treatment (cAHT), such as ABE + LDC4297, as demonstrated for all three viruses. Thus, the study provides new information about antiherpesviral potency and characteristics of a selection of four antiviral prototype inhibitors. Especially, examples of broadness in synergistic combination treatment suggested options to improve antiherpesviral therapy strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13595758/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149026054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulatory roles of G-quadruplexes and G-quadruplex-binding proteins across the enhancer and promoter of the HBV genome.","authors":"Lina He, Baoyue Huang, Haiyang Ma, Lin Wang, Qingsi Wu, Junling Zhang, Li Yu, Shujuan Lv","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03132-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03132-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a global threat to human health due to the limited availability of effective treatment options. Recent studies have shown that the structures of G-quadruplex (G4) are related to the pathogenesis of the virus and potential targets for antiviral therapy. G-quadruplex-binding proteins (G4BPs) play a key role in regulating the G4 landscape and its associated functions by anchoring, stabilizing, or unwinding G4 structures. Researchers have actively pursued the identification of G4 structures within the HBV genome, yet a comprehensive, genome-wide analysis revealing their regulatory role and that of G4BPs has remained largely elusive. Consequently, our understanding of the intricate interactions between HBV G4 and G4BPs remains quite limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Biophysical and molecular biology approaches were employed to investigate HBV G4, focusing on core promoter and enhancer (CP/EN) activities. Mass spectrometry, DNA pull-down, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) characterized interactions between G4 and G4BPs. Employing the dual luciferase reporter system and HBV infection model, this study utilized binding assays designed for the G4 mutant, alongside overexpression and knockdown experiments, to delve into the regulatory functions of G4 and G4BPs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified two functional G4 elements located at positions 1204 and 1732 within the HBV CP/EN regulatory region. Reporter assays containing the CP/EN sequences showed that disruption of either the 1204 or 1732 G4 structure significantly reduced promoter activity. In the HBV 1.3-mer system, disruption of the 1732 G4 markedly decreased HBsAg, HBeAg and HBcAg expression, whereas total HBV RNA and 3.5 kb RNA levels were not significantly affected. Both G4 elements selectively recruited multiple host proteins in vitro, among which the 1732 displayed stronger binding to HNF4A. Functional assays further demonstrated that HNF4A enhanced CP/EN-driven reporter activity in a G4-dependent manner, and stabilization of G4 structures by BRACO-19 further promoted the interaction between G4 and HNF4A. In addition, CNBP, the most highly enriched G4-binding protein, positively regulated HBV antigen and RNA expression; however, CNBP did not enhance CP/EN promoter activity, indicating a regulatory mechanism independent of CP/EN activation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study reveals that two G4 structures within the HBV CP/EN regulatory region function as structural platforms for host factor recruitment and play distinct roles in regulating viral gene expression. In particular, the 1732 G4 facilitates HNF4A-dependent activation of CP/EN activity, thereby supporting efficient viral protein production, whereas CNBP promotes HBV expression through a CP/EN-independent mechanism.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13589349/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149008504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Tunisia during the omicron era: insights from the national influenza & other respiratory viruses laboratory.","authors":"Zaineb Hamzaoui, Sana Ferjani, Takoua Bouchouicha, Latifa Charaa, Ichrak Landolsi, Ines Medini, Roua Ben Ali, Sarra Chammam, Salma Abid, Lamia Kanzari, Mouna Ben Sassi, Sameh Trabelsi, Ilhem Boutiba Ben Boubaker","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03262-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03262-7","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Omicron sublineages have dominated global SARS-CoV-2 circulation since late 2021, but there aren't enough multi-year datasets that detail lineage dynamics and genomic surveillance performance in North Africa. The National Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Laboratory in Tunisia has been conducting integrated SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance for four years.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Between 1 November 2021 and 30 September 2025, 8,635 nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) received through the national sentinel network were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time RT-PCR, of which 1,020 (11.8%) were positive. A total of 669 (65.6%) positive samples were successfully sequenced using Illumina RNA Prep with Enrichment and a respiratory virus panel. Pango lineages and GISAID clades were assigned with standard tools, and sequencing coverage, geographic representativeness, turnaround times, temporal trends, lineage diversity, mutational profiles, and phylogenetic placement were summarized descriptively.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The overall SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was 11.8%. Median governorate-level sequencing coverage among RT-PCR-positive samples was 60.0% (IQR 28.6-88.9), and the share of sequences closely matched the share of positives (r = 0.992), indicating near-proportional sampling.While SARS-CoV-2-positive NPS displayed several waves, including substantial peaks in mid-2022 and mid-2023 and subsequent winter peaks, each linked to the establishment or replacement of dominant Omicron lineages, testing volumes indicated recurrent winter rises. Among the 669 sequenced SARS-CoV-2-positive samples, 92 (13.8%) showed co-detection with at least one other respiratory virus, including 16 (2.4%) involving influenza viruses.XBB* lineages accounted for 25.0% of genomes, followed by BA.4/BA.5* (22.1%), JN.1* and descendants (13.6%), BA.2* (12.6%), and BA.1* (9.0%), while Delta represented 8.7% of genomes; the remaining 9.1% belonged to other lineages, including pre-Omicron variants and non-XBB recombinants. Almost all genomes belonged to Omicron-associated GISAID clades GK and GRA. Overall, sequencing quality was high (mapped reads typically ≥0.9), while Tunisian SARS-CoV-2 genomes showed a progressive increase in amino acid changes-from ~30-50 substitutions in early Delta/BA.1/BA.2 to &gt;70-80 in later XBB and JN.1* sublineages, with some recombinants approaching 100 substitutions. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Tunisian genomes clustered within globally circulating Delta and Omicron clades.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Rapid Omicron sublineage turnover and co-detections with other respiratory viruses, including influenza, were captured by genomic monitoring integrated into Tunisia's influenza-based sentinel network, which achieved broad sequencing coverage and overall near-proportional sampling despite subnational heterogeneity.This integrated, multi-pathogen approach provides a scalable model for sustained genomic ","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13579714/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148983538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incidence, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and pharmacological management of the 2026 Andes virus outbreak.","authors":"Parisa Ghasemiyeh, Soliman Mohammadi-Samani","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03298-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03298-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hantavirus is considered as a fatal zoonotic pathogen that can be commonly transmitted from rodents to humans. However, the Andes virus (ANDV), a type of New World hantavirus, can also be transmitted from human to human. It is the cause of the 2026 hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. Hantavirus can rapidly progress to a severe respiratory distress, known as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Since there is no specific treatment or approved vaccine for hantavirus infection, early diagnosis and critical care support are essential. In cases of HCPS, depending on the severity of the infection, it is important to administer antipyretics, vasopressors, fluid therapy, cardiopulmonary support, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy (RRT) in a timely manner. Currently, there is no approved vaccine in the United States or Europe. However, various vaccine technologies, including inactivated, DNA, mRNA, viral vector and protein-based vaccines, are in the preclinical and clinical phases. Preventive actions, including patient isolation and physical distancing, are crucial to avoiding widespread transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13546504/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148901265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: Full genome sequencing, evolutionary dynamics, and pathogenicity evaluation of chicken infectious anemia virus with emphasis on Upper Egypt reveals genetic variability linked to vaccinal strains.","authors":"Eman Abd Elmenum Shosha, Ibrahim Eldaghayes, Ali Mahmoud Zanaty, Mohammed A Gamaleldin, Mervat Masoud Mohamed, A N Gamal Maha, Doha Abd Alrahman Ahmed","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03291-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03291-2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13525651/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148857659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drivers of the paradigm shift in norovirus diagnostics: technological innovation, contextual demands, and collaborative synergy.","authors":"Zhou Peng, Xinlan Zhang, Xiyan Deng, Defu Hou, Rushi Liu","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03278-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03278-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper systematically reviews paradigm shifts in diagnostic technologies for norovirus. Given the substantial burden of acute gastroenteritis caused by this virus and the current lack of licensed antiviral therapies, early and accurate diagnosis is of paramount importance. Diagnostic technologies have evolved from electron microscopy and immunological assays to molecular detection methods, with reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) currently recognized as the gold standard for molecular diagnostics. However, RT-qPCR is constrained by complex operational procedures, the need for specialized equipment, and limited suitability for rapid point-of-care applications. Emerging technologies, including isothermal amplification and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based technologies, have significantly improved diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and turnaround time. Nevertheless, challenges related to standardization, quality control, and contamination prevention remain to be addressed before their widespread implementation. Furthermore, this review proposes a stratified, scenario-adaptive diagnostic framework in which rapid immunochromatographic assays are used for preliminary screening in community settings, highly sensitive PCR-based or multiplex molecular methods are employed for clinical diagnosis in healthcare facilities, and digital PCR (dPCR) is applied for precise quantification in food safety and environmental monitoring. Looking ahead,, advances in norovirus diagnostics will increasingly rely on interdisciplinary collaboration to accelerate the development of integrated and intelligent point-of-care testing (POCT) platforms. In particular, biosensors based on molecular recognition technologies and microfluidic platforms, which offer advantages such as, simple operation, rapid processing and high stability, are among the promising approaches for achieving instrument-free, on-site \"sample-in, result-out\" diagnostics.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13508226/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In silico, in vitro, and in vivo evaluation of the antiviral potential of glycyrrhizic acid and chitosan nanoparticles against foot and mouth disease virus.","authors":"Asmaa R F Eweis, Khodeir M Hassan, Sahar A H Shoman, Hoda A Taha, Ehab E Ibrahim, Tahsin Shoala","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03271-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-026-03271-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) considers as one of the extremely infectious diseases with major economic impact on cloven-hoofed animals globally. The causative agent of the disease, Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), comprises seven serotypes designated as; O, A, SAT1, SAT2, SAT3, C, and Asia1. Over the past decades, studies have shown that glycyrrhizic acid, the primary bioactive compound of licorice root, and chitosan, as a biodegradable and biocompatible natural polymer derived from crustacean shells, are potent candidates for inhibition of FMDV activity. The current work evaluated the potential antiviral efficacy of glycyrrhizic acid nanoparticles (GA-NPs) and chitosan nanoparticles (Ch-NPs) against different FMDV serotypes through computational (molecular docking), in vitro and in vivo assays.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The study included the use of field isolates from local FMD viral outbreaks (O PanAsia-2, A Iran 05, A Africa 2020, A Africa G IV Egypt 2022, A Venezuela, and SAT2/EGY/2012); Glycyrrhizic acid and chitosan nanoparticles were prepared and characterized; antiviral activity was assessed by molecular docking analysis, BHK-21 cell assays, and experimental animal studies using representative FMDV serotypes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Molecular docking showed that GA-NPs exhibited stronger binding affinity toward the FMDV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (3D^pol) with binding energies of -8.974 kcal/mol while Ch-NPs demonstrated superior binding affinity toward the FMDV VP3 protein with binding energies of -7.173 kcal/mol, respectively. At a concentration of 2 × 10^- 1 mg/ml, both nanoparticles significantly suppressed viral replication, yielding a reduction in viral titers 8, 7.5, 7, 7, 7.5, and 6.5 log₁₀ TCID₅₀/ml for O PanAsia-2, A Iran 05, A Africa 2020, A Africa G IV Egypt 2022, A Venezuela, and SAT2/EGY/2012, respectively which can aid in the disease restriction during outbreaks. Otherwise, at 2 × 10^- 2 mg/ml, treatment markedly reduced viral dissemination in treated guinea pigs, providing protection rates of 66.7%; 44.4%; 66.7%; 100%; and 77.8% and 100% against serotype O; A Iran 05; A Africa 2020; A Africa G IV Egypt 2022; A Venezuela; and SAT2, compared with untreated controls.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings highlighted that GA-NPs and Ch-NPs possess broad-spectrum antiviral activity against six FMDV serotypes, supporting their further development as nanoparticle-based antiviral agents for the control of FMD.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13476927/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148763964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}