2. Academic Validation
  3. Small Molecule Inhibitors of Influenza Virus Entry

Small Molecule Inhibitors of Influenza Virus Entry

  • Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2021 Jun 18;14(6):587. doi: 10.3390/ph14060587.
Zhaoyu Chen 1,  Qinghua Cui 1 2 3,  Michael Caffrey 4,  Lijun Rong 5,  Ruikun Du 1 2 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China.
  • 2 Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China.
  • 3 Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266122, China.
  • 4 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
  • 5 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
PMID: 34207368 DOI: 10.3390/ph14060587
Abstract

Hemagglutinin (HA) plays a critical role during Influenza Virus receptor binding and subsequent membrane fusion process, thus HA has become a promising drug target. For the past several decades, we and other researchers have discovered a series of HA inhibitors mainly targeting its fusion machinery. In this review, we summarize the advances in HA-targeted development of small molecule inhibitors. Moreover, we discuss the structural basis and mode of action of these inhibitors, and speculate upon future directions toward more potent inhibitors of membrane fusion and potential anti-influenza drugs.

Keywords

fusion machinery; hemagglutinin; influenza virus; small molecule inhibitor.

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