Resveratrol, sirtuins, and viruses

Resveratrol is a natural phenolic product found in some plants in response to stress and has been linked to the many health benefits of red wine. Over the past several decades, a great deal of research has identified diverse biological roles associated with resveratrol, including anti-oxidant, anti-proliferation, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, anti-fungal, and antiviral activities. Such biological activities of resveratrol are likely mediated through multiple cellular targets or pathways, such as sirtuins, a family of NAD(+)-dependent deacetylases. In this treatise, the literatures focusing on the roles of resveratrol and sirtuins in modulating infections by a broad-spectrum of viruses are reviewed, with an emphasis on its potential antiviral mechanisms. A working model about the effects of resveratrol on virus infection is proposed to stimulate further researches on this exciting topic.