title: Respiratory syncytial virus entry inhibitors targeting the F protein.
abstract: Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main viral cause of respiratory tract infection in infants as well as some elderly and high-risk adults with chronic pulmonary disease and the severely immunocompromised. So far, no specific anti-RSV therapeutics or effective anti-RSV vaccines have been reported. Only one humanized monoclonal antibody, Palivizumab, has been approved for use in high-risk infants to prevent RSV infection. Ribavirin is the only drug licensed for therapy of RSV infection, but its clinical use is limited by its nonspecific anti-RSV activity, toxic effect, and relatively high cost. Therefore, development of novel effective anti-RSV therapeutics is urgently needed. The RSV envelope glycoprotein F plays an important role in RSV fusion with, and entry into, the host cell and, consequently, serves as an attractive target for developing RSV entry inhibitors. This article reviews advances made in studies of the structure and function of the F protein and the development of RSV entry inhibitors targeting it.
authors: Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education & Health, Shanghai Medical College and Institute of Medical Microbiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. haoyunzhiwu@163.com
authors: Zhiwu
authors: Z
authors: Sun
authors: Yanbin
authors: Y
authors: Pan
authors: Shibo
authors: S
authors: Jiang
authors: Lu
authors: L
authors: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053586:Virus Internalization / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C526850:F protein, human respiratory syncytial virus; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins