title: Oxysterols: An emerging class of broad spectrum antiviral effectors.
abstract: Oxysterols are a family of cholesterol oxidation derivatives that contain an additional hydroxyl, epoxide or ketone group in the sterol nucleus and/or a hydroxyl group in the side chain. The majority of oxysterols in the blood are of endogenous origin, derived from cholesterol via either enzymatic or non-enzymatic mechanisms. A large number of reports demonstrate multiple physiological roles of specific oxysterols. One such role is the inhibition of viral replication. This biochemical/biological property was first characterised against a number of viruses endowed with an external lipid membrane (enveloped viruses), although antiviral activity has since been observed in relation to several non-enveloped viruses. In the present paper, we review the recent findings about the broad antiviral activity of oxysterols against enveloped and non-enveloped human viral pathogens, and provide an overview of their putative antiviral mechnism(s).
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino at San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Torino, Italy. Electronic address: david.lembo@unito.it.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino at San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cagno
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino at San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Civra
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino at San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D000072376:Oxysterols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000072376:Oxysterols; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
keywords: 25-Hydroxycholesterol; 27-Hydroxycholesterol; Antiviral; Enveloped virus; Innate immunity; Non-enveloped viruses; Oxysterols