A human genome-wide loss-of-function screen identifies effective chikungunya antiviral drugs.

Alexander Karlas (1, 2) , Stefano Berre (3) , Thérèse Couderc (3) , Margus Varjak (4) , Peter Braun (1, 2) , Michael Meyer (5, 2) , Nicolas Gangneux (3) , Liis Karo-Astover (4) , Friderike Weege (1) , Martin Raftery (6) , Günther Schönrich (6) , Uwe Klemm (1) , Anne Wurzlbauer (7) , Franz Bracher (7) , Andres Merits (4) , Thomas F Meyer (1, 2) , Marc Lecuit (8, 3, 9)

1 Department of Molecular Biology [MPIIB Berlin]
2 Steinbeis Innovation gGmbH [Falkensee]
3 Biologie des Infections - Biology of Infection
4 University of Tartu
5 ULB - Université libre de Bruxelles
6 Charité - UniversitätsMedizin = Charité - University Hospital [Berlin]
7 LMU - Ludwig Maximilian University [Munich] = Ludwig Maximilians Universität München
8 UPD5 - Université Paris Descartes - Paris 5
9 Hôpital Necker - Enfants Malades [AP-HP]

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a globally spreading alphavirus against which there is no commercially available vaccine or therapy. Here we use a genome-wide siRNA screen to identify 156 proviral and 41 antiviral host factors affecting CHIKV replication. We analyse the cellular pathways in which human proviral genes are involved and identify druggable targets. Twenty-one small-molecule inhibitors, some of which are FDA approved, targeting six proviral factors or pathways, have high antiviral activity in vitro, with low toxicity. Three identified inhibitors have prophylactic antiviral effects in mouse models of chikungunya infection. Two of them, the calmodulin inhibitor pimozide and the fatty acid synthesis inhibitor TOFA, have a therapeutic effect in vivo when combined. These results demonstrate the value of loss-of-function screening and pathway analysis for the rational identification of small molecules with therapeutic potential and pave the way for the development of new, host-directed, antiviral agents.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]

Alexander Karlas, Stefano Berre, Thérèse Couderc, Margus Varjak, Peter Braun, et al.. A human genome-wide loss-of-function screen identifies effective chikungunya antiviral drugs.. Nature Communications, 2016, 7, pp.11320. ⟨10.1038/ncomms11320⟩. ⟨pasteur-01515939⟩