The clinically approved antiviral drug sofosbuvir inhibits Zika virus replication

Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 18:7:40920. doi: 10.1038/srep40920.

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family, along with other agents of clinical significance such as dengue (DENV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses. Since ZIKV causes neurological disorders during fetal development and in adulthood, antiviral drugs are necessary. Sofosbuvir is clinically approved for use against HCV and targets the protein that is most conserved among the members of the Flaviviridae family, the viral RNA polymerase. Indeed, we found that sofosbuvir inhibits ZIKV RNA polymerase, targeting conserved amino acid residues. Sofosbuvir inhibited ZIKV replication in different cellular systems, such as hepatoma (Huh-7) cells, neuroblastoma (SH-Sy5y) cells, neural stem cells (NSC) and brain organoids. In addition to the direct inhibition of the viral RNA polymerase, we observed that sofosbuvir also induced an increase in A-to-G mutations in the viral genome. Together, our data highlight a potential secondary use of sofosbuvir, an anti-HCV drug, against ZIKV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / metabolism
  • Genome, Viral
  • Humans
  • Mutation
  • Sofosbuvir / pharmacology*
  • Sofosbuvir / therapeutic use
  • Viral Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism
  • Virus Replication / drug effects*
  • Zika Virus / genetics
  • Zika Virus / isolation & purification
  • Zika Virus / physiology*
  • Zika Virus Infection / drug therapy
  • Zika Virus Infection / pathology
  • Zika Virus Infection / virology

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Viral Proteins
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
  • Sofosbuvir