Cinnamic acid inhibits Zika virus by inhibiting RdRp activity

Antiviral Res. 2021 Aug:192:105117. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105117. Epub 2021 Jun 24.

Abstract

In recent years, Zika virus (ZIKV), which causes severe diseases such as congenital microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome, bringing serious harm to humans, has spread throughout the world. However, there are currently no effective drugs against the virus, and the need to develop anti-ZIKV drugs is thus urgent. In this study, we evaluated the antiviral efficacy of cinnamic acid against ZIKV by using reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), plaque--forming, immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Additionally, Cinnamic acid possessed anti-ZIKV properties against the post-entry stage of the ZIKV replication cycle, and inhibited RdRp activity. In vivo, we found that cinnamic acid reduced the mortality of mice, viral load in the blood and ZIKV protein levels in the brain. Based on our experiments, cinnamic acid was found to be a potential effective anti-ZIKV drug.

Keywords: Cinnamic acid; In vitro; In vivo; RdRp; ZIKV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / virology
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cinnamates / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / metabolism
  • Vero Cells
  • Viral Load / drug effects
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / metabolism
  • Virus Replication / drug effects
  • Zika Virus / drug effects*
  • Zika Virus Infection / drug therapy
  • Zika Virus Infection / virology

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Cinnamates
  • NS5 protein, zika virus
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • cinnamic acid
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase