title: Broad-spectrum antivirals against viral fusion.
abstract: Effective antivirals have been developed against specific viruses, such as HIV, Hepatitis C virus and influenza virus. This 'one bug-one drug' approach to antiviral drug development can be successful, but it may be inadequate for responding to an increasing diversity of viruses that cause significant diseases in humans. The majority of viral pathogens that cause emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are membrane-enveloped viruses, which require the fusion of viral and cell membranes for virus entry. Therefore, antivirals that target the membrane fusion process represent new paradigms for broad-spectrum antiviral discovery. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms responsible for the fusion between virus and cell membranes and explore how broad-spectrum antivirals target this process to prevent virus entry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, #1124, New York, New York 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vigant
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, #1124, New York, New York 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Benhur
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000187:drug effects; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D053586:Virus Internalization / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents