The citrus flavanone naringenin impairs dengue virus replication in human cells.
Dengue is one of the most significant health problems in tropical and sub-tropical regions throughout the world. Nearly 390 million cases are reported each year. Although a vaccine was recently approved in certain countries, an anti-dengue virus drug is still needed. Fruits and vegetables may be sources of compounds with medicinal properties, such as flavonoids. This study demonstrates the anti-dengue virus activity of the citrus flavanone naringenin, a class of flavonoid. Naringenin prevented infection with four dengue virus serotypes in Huh7.5 cells. Additionally, experiments employing subgenomic RepDV-1 and RepDV-3 replicon systems confirmed the ability of naringenin to inhibit dengue virus replication. Antiviral activity was observed even when naringenin was used to treat Huh7.5 cells 24 h after dengue virus exposure. Finally, naringenin anti-dengue virus activity was demonstrated in primary human monocytes infected with dengue virus sertoype-4, supporting the potential use of naringenin to control dengue virus replication. In conclusion, naringenin is a suitable candidate molecule for the development of specific dengue virus treatments.
Sección Virologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La República, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay.|Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, ICC/FIOCRUZ/PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
Sandra
S
Frabasile
Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, ICC/FIOCRUZ/PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
Andrea Cristine
AC
Koishi
Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, ICC/FIOCRUZ/PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
Diogo
D
Kuczera
Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, ICC/FIOCRUZ/PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
Guilherme Ferreira
GF
Silveira
Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
Waldiceu Aparecido
WA
Verri
Sección Virologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La República, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Claudia Nunes
CN
Duarte Dos Santos
Sección Virologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La República, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Juliano
J
Bordignon
D002460:Cell Line; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D014779:Virus Replication
D044950:Flavanones; C005273:naringenin