The FDA-Approved Oral Drug Nitazoxanide Amplifies Host Antiviral Responses and Inhibits Ebola Virus.

ABSTRACT: Here, we show that the US Food and Drug Administration-approved oral drug nitazoxanide (NTZ) broadly amplifies the host innate immune response to viruses and inhibits Ebola virus (EBOV) replication. We find that NTZ enhances retinoic-acid-inducible protein I (RIG-I)-like-receptor, mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein, interferon regulatory factor 3, and interferon activities and induces transcription of the antiviral phosphatase GADD34. NTZ significantly inhibits EBOV replication in human cells through its effects on RIG-I and protein kinase R (PKR), suggesting that it counteracts EBOV VP35 protein's ability to block RIG-I and PKR sensing of EBOV. NTZ also inhibits a second negative-strand RNA virus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), through RIG-I and GADD34, but not PKR, consistent w

SUBMITTER: Jasenosky LD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6831822 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature