Journal of biomedical science · 2026
Targeting a genomic RNA G-quadruplex of dengue virus with small molecules as an alternative to protein-targeted therapeutics.
СтатьяНазвание и аннотация: Перевод в очереди
Обработка статьи · этапы, ошибки и управление
Загрузка состояния…
Ошибки и ограничения
История · было → стало
Состояние обновляется каждые 5 секунд, пока блок открыт. Процент показывается только там, где известен объём работы. Пауза останавливает продолжение этапа; текущий запрос к источнику может завершиться.
Kim Yeong Jun, Das Moumita, Song JunYoung, Das Shreyasi, Kim Han-Jun, Kim Jeong-Ki, Lee Ki-Young, Kim Kyeong Kyu, Lee Hye-Ra
Аннотация
BACKGROUND: Given the increasing global incidence of dengue virus (DENV) infections and the lack of approved antiviral therapies, developing a new antiviral strategy against DENV is urgently required. However, despite considerable efforts to develop protein-targeted antivirals, clinical translation has largely failed, highlighting the need for alternative, non-protein targets.
METHODS: Here, we investigated a novel therapeutic approach that targets RNA G-quadruplexes (G4s), highly conserved secondary structures across viral strains, including all serotypes. Bioinformatic predictions and biophysical analyses identified conserved G4-forming sequences within the DENV genome.
RESULTS: Among the tested representative G4-binding ligands, BRACO-19 showed the highest stabilizing effect on G4 structures, particularly at the G4-3 region corresponding to the NS3 gene with high binding affinity. Functionally, BRACO-19 treatment significantly reduced viral translation resulting in strong antiviral effects in a mouse model of DENV infection. Consistently, recombinant DENV carrying a G4-3-disrupting mutation showed enhanced viral gene expression and attenuated sensitivity to BRACO-19. These findings establish DENV RNA G4 as a druggable structural element and position BRACO-19 as a promising lead compound for dengue therapeutics. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that BRACO-19 exhibits broad-spectrum activity against all DENV serotypes. This RNA structure-based approach offers an alternative to protein-targeted therapeutics, helping to mitigate mutational escape and serotype variability in dengue virus.
CONCLUSION: Collectively, our study highlights a novel therapeutic strategy that directly targets conserved RNA secondary structures, paving the way for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals against flaviviruses by targeting a non-canonical nucleic acid structure.
METHODS: Here, we investigated a novel therapeutic approach that targets RNA G-quadruplexes (G4s), highly conserved secondary structures across viral strains, including all serotypes. Bioinformatic predictions and biophysical analyses identified conserved G4-forming sequences within the DENV genome.
RESULTS: Among the tested representative G4-binding ligands, BRACO-19 showed the highest stabilizing effect on G4 structures, particularly at the G4-3 region corresponding to the NS3 gene with high binding affinity. Functionally, BRACO-19 treatment significantly reduced viral translation resulting in strong antiviral effects in a mouse model of DENV infection. Consistently, recombinant DENV carrying a G4-3-disrupting mutation showed enhanced viral gene expression and attenuated sensitivity to BRACO-19. These findings establish DENV RNA G4 as a druggable structural element and position BRACO-19 as a promising lead compound for dengue therapeutics. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that BRACO-19 exhibits broad-spectrum activity against all DENV serotypes. This RNA structure-based approach offers an alternative to protein-targeted therapeutics, helping to mitigate mutational escape and serotype variability in dengue virus.
CONCLUSION: Collectively, our study highlights a novel therapeutic strategy that directly targets conserved RNA secondary structures, paving the way for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals against flaviviruses by targeting a non-canonical nucleic acid structure.