Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Identifying Caspases and their Motifs that Cleave Proteins During Influenza A Virus Infection
08:16

Identifying Caspases and their Motifs that Cleave Proteins During Influenza A Virus Infection

Published on: July 21, 2022

Drugs to cure avian influenza infection--multiple ways to prevent cell death

S Yuan1

  • 1College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.

Cell Death & Disease
|October 5, 2013
PubMed

Insights

New treatments for avian influenza virus (AIV) infection are insufficient. This review proposes a combination therapy including vitamin C, immunomodulators, Cyclosporin A, and Ulinastatin to reduce high mortality rates in AIV and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Pharmacology
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Avian influenza virus (AIV) infections continue to have high mortality rates despite ongoing treatment development.
  • Current therapies may fail to block all cell death pathways induced by AIV, contributing to poor outcomes.
  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with AIV poses significant clinical challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing and potential drug treatments for AIV infection and associated ARDS.
  • To explore the roles of specific compounds like vitamin C, immunomodulators, Cyclosporin A, and Ulinastatin in managing AIV-induced ARDS.
  • To propose a novel combination drug therapy to potentially reduce mortality rates.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of drugs for AIV and ARDS.
  • Analysis of the mechanisms of action for antioxidants, immunomodulators, and other therapeutic agents.
  • Hypothetical modeling of a combined drug treatment strategy.

Main Results:

  • Vitamin C (antioxidant) and immunomodulators (Celecoxib, Mesalazine, Eritoran) show potential benefits.
  • Cyclosporin A may prevent ischemia reperfusion injury in alveolar cells during ARDS clinical care.
  • Ulinastatin could preserve lysosome integrity post-AIV infection.

Conclusions:

  • A comprehensive drug combination, including the discussed agents, is proposed.
  • This multi-drug approach may significantly decrease mortality in patients with virus-induced ARDS.
  • Further research and clinical trials are warranted to validate this therapeutic strategy.

More Related Videos

Using Zebrafish Models of Human Influenza A Virus Infections to Screen Antiviral Drugs and Characterize Host Immune Cell Responses09:07

Using Zebrafish Models of Human Influenza A Virus Infections to Screen Antiviral Drugs and Characterize Host Immune Cell Responses

Published on: January 20, 2017

Rapid Diagnosis of Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Birds: Use of a Portable rRT-PCR and Freeze-dried Reagents in the Field08:46

Rapid Diagnosis of Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Birds: Use of a Portable rRT-PCR and Freeze-dried Reagents in the Field

Published on: August 2, 2011

Related Concept Videos

Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis01:30

Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis

Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Leaky Scanning02:28

Leaky Scanning

During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA.  Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R stands for...
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...