Novel derivatives of usnic acid effectively inhibiting reproduction of influenza A virus

Influenza virus is serious human pathogen leading to high morbidity and mortality all over the world. Due to high rate of mutation, it is able to fast development of drug resistance that makes necessary to search novel antivirals with broad range and alternative targets. In the present study we describe synthesis and anti-viral activity of novel derivatives of usnic acid (2,6-diacetyl-7,9-dihydroxy-8,9b-dimethyl-1,3(2H,9bH)-dibenzo-furandione). It is shown that anti-viral activity of usnic acid can be increased by side moieties introduction. The modification with chalcones appeared to be the most effective. Our study revealed that (−)-usnic acid exhibited higher antiviral activity than its (+)-enantiomer, but in the pairs of enantiomer derivatives such as enamines, pyrazoles and chalcones, the (+)-enantiomers were more potent inhibitors of the virus. For other groups of compounds the inhibiting activities of the enantiomers were comparable. Further optimization of the structure could therefore result in development of novel anti-influenza compound with alternative target and mechanism of virus-inhibiting action.     

Effect of adenovirus and influenza virus infection on obesity

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the effects of adenovirus and influenza virus infections on obesity in various experimental models. We reviewed studies that were conducted within the past 10 years and were related to virus infection and obesity prevalence. Here, we discuss a different causal relationship between adenovirus and influenza infections with obesity. Adenovirus infection can cause obesity, whereas obesity can be a risk factor for increasing influenza virus infection and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of obesity due to adenovirus infections may be due to an increase in glucose uptake and reduction in lipolysis caused by an increase in corticosterone secretion. Adenovirus infections may lead to increases in appetite by decreasing norepinephrine and leptin levels and also cause immune dysfunction. The relationship between obesity and influenza virus infection could be summarized by the following features: decreases in memory T-cell functionality and interferon (IFN)-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ mRNA expression, increases in viral titer and infiltration, and impaired dendritic cell function in obese individuals. Moreover, leptin resistance may play an important role in increasing influenza virus infections in obese individuals. In conclusion, prevention of adenovirus infections could be a good approach for reducing obesity prevalence, and prevention of obesity could reduce influenza virus infections from the point of view of viral infections and obesity.     

流行性感冒病毒重组株京生75-29 R2 T1及冷适应株31-广的基因分析

用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳方法分析了流行性感冒病毒重组株京生75-29R2 T1(H3N2)及冷适应株31-广(H3N2)的RNA及多肽。重组株京生75-29R2 T1的HA及M基因系来自流行病毒亲本株/甲/北京/29/75(H3N2),而P_2、NA、NP及NS基因则来自温度敏感母株福R3(H2N2)。流行病毒株甲/穗/03/68(H3N2)在低温条件下经鸡胚尿囊腔传递24代而获得的冷适应疫苗毒株31-广(H3N2)其基因型与野毒株一致。     

甲型流感病毒自然温度敏感株的宿主依赖性

用鸡胚细胞(CEC)和Madin-Darby Canine Kidney(MDCK)两个宿主细胞系统,检查甲型流感病毒各亚型不同时期流行株的温度敏感性状(ts),发现自然界存在许多宿主依赖的温度敏感性突变株(hd-ts)。它们在CEC上是ts,在MDCK上却是ts~ 。检出的hd-ts株中有些曾经过人体接种观察证明为减毒株。这表明在CEC中鉴定的ts表型与对人减毒性状密切相关。     

Interaction of influenza virus proteins with planar bilayer lipid membranes II. Effects of rimantadine and amantadine

The dependence of the surface potential difference (ΔU), transversal elasticity module (E₁) and membrane conductivity (G₀) on the concentrations of the antiviral drugs, rimantadine and amantadine was studied in the planar bilayer lipid membrane system. The method used was based on independent measurements of the second and third harmonics of the membrane capacitance current. The binding constants of bilayer lipid membranes obtained from the drug adsorption isotherms were 2.1 · 10⁵ M^?1 and 1.3 · 10⁴ M^?1 for rimantadine and amantadine, respectively. The changes in G₀ took place only after drug adsorption saturation had been achieved. The influence of rimantadine and amantadine on the interaction of bilayer lipid membranes with matrix protein from influenza virus was also investigated. The presence of 70 μg/ml rimantadine in the bathing solution resulted in an increase in the concentration of M-protein at which the adsorption and conductance changes were observed. The effects of amantadine were similar to those of rimantadine but required a higher critical concentration of amantadine. The results obtained suggest that the antiviral properties of rimantadine and amantadine may be related to the interaction of these drugs with the cell membrane, which can affect virus penetration into the cell as well as maturation of the viral particle at the cell membrane.     

Comparative review of respiratory diseases caused by coronaviruses and influenza A viruses during epidemic season

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to sweep the world, causing infection of millions and death of hundreds of thousands. The respiratory disease that it caused, COVID-19 (stands for coronavirus disease in 2019), has similar clinical symptoms with other two CoV diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome (SARS and MERS), of which causative viruses are SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, respectively. These three CoVs resulting diseases also share many clinical symptoms with other respiratory diseases caused by influenza A viruses (IAVs). Since both CoVs and IAVs are general pathogens responsible for seasonal cold, in the next few months, during the changing of seasons, clinicians and public heath may have to distinguish COVID-19 pneumonia from other kinds of viral pneumonia. This is a discussion and comparison of the virus structures, transmission characteristics, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, pathological changes, treatment and prevention of the two kinds of viruses, CoVs and IAVs. It hopes to provide information for practitioners in the medical field during the epidemic season.     

海南省2016-2018年A(H1N1)pdm09亚型流感病毒基因特性分析

2009年A(H1N1)pdm09亚型流感病毒在墨西哥暴发,之后在全世界流行。为了解海南省2016-2018年A(H1N1)pdm09亚型流感病毒流行态势,分析血凝素(HA)与神经氨酸酶(NA)基因遗传进化特征与变异情况,本研究从中国流感监测信息系统获取海南省2016-2018年流感病毒病原学监测数据,选取5家流感监测网络实验室分离鉴定的37株A(H1N1)pdm09亚型流感毒株进行HA与NA基因测序,利用MEGA 10.1.8构建HA与NA基因种系进化树,并分析其氨基酸变异情况。结果显示,2016-2018年共出现3次A(H1N1)pdm09亚型流感病毒活动高峰。2017年10月份以后的分离株(4/8)与2018年大部分分离株(21/22)独立于疫苗株A/Michigan/45/2015聚为一个小支,发生20余处HA与NA氨基酸位点变异。与疫苗株A/California/7/2009(2010-2016)相比,2016-2018年流感病毒分离株在HA基因抗原决定簇上发生7处氨基酸变异并有一个潜在糖基化位点,未发现HA基因受体结合位点变异与NA基因耐药性变异。本研究提示,2016-2018年,A(H1N1)pdm09亚型流感病毒逐步发生规律性进化,氨基酸变异频率有增加趋势,今后应持续加强流感病毒病原学监测,密切追踪A(H1N1)pdm09亚型流感病毒基因变异情况,为科学防控提供理论依据。     

基于Web服务的流感病毒基因组自动化翻译注释系统

随着流感病毒基因组测序数据的急剧增加,深入挖掘流感病毒基因组大数据蕴含的生物学信息成为研究热点。基于中国流感病毒流行特征数据,建设一个集自动化、一体化和信息化的序列库系统,对于实现流感病毒基因组批量快速翻译、注释、存储、查询、分析具有重要的应用价值。本课题组通过集成一系列软件和工具包,并结合自主研发的其他功能,在底层维护的2个关键的参考数据集基础上另外追加了翻译注释信息最佳匹配的精细化筛选规则,构建具有流感病毒基因组信息存储、自动化翻译、蛋白序列精准注释、同源序列比对和进化树分析等功能的自动化系统。结果显示,通过Web端输入fasta格式的流感病毒基因序列,本系统可针对参考序列片段数据集(blastdb.fasta)进行Blast同源性检索,可以鉴定流感病毒的型别(A、B或C)、亚型和基因片段(1~8片段);在此基础上,通过查询数据库底层用于翻译、注释的基因片段参考数据集,可以获得一组肽段数据集,然后通过循环调用ProSplign软件对其进行预测。结合精细化的筛选准入规则,选出与输入序列匹配最好的翻译后产物,作为该输入序列的预测蛋白,输出为gbk,asn和fasta等通用格式的文件,给出序列长度、是否全长、病毒型别、亚型、片段等信息。基于以上工作,另外自主研发了系统其他的附加功能如进化树分析展示、基因组数据存储等功能,构建成基于Web服务的流感病毒基因组自动化翻译注释系统。本研究提示,系统高度集成系列软件以及自有的注释翻译数据库文件,实现从序列存储、翻译、注释到序列分析和展示的功能,可全面满足我国高通量基因检测数据共享化、本土化、一体化、自动化的需求。