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Antiviral effects of ferric ammonium citrate

Hongbin Wang1, Zheng Li1, Junling Niu1

  • 11CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031 Shanghai, China.

Cell Discovery
|April 6, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) effectively inhibits viral infections like Influenza A and HIV. This iron compound works by disrupting viral fusion and release, suggesting iron

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Iron is vital for cellular functions, including DNA replication and energy production.
  • The specific role of iron in viral immunity remains largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the antiviral properties of iron compounds.
  • To elucidate the mechanism of iron-mediated viral inhibition.

Main Methods:

  • Tested ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) against Influenza A, HIV, Zika, and Enterovirus 71 (EV71).
  • Assessed the necessity of iron and citrate ions for antiviral activity.
  • Investigated FAC's impact on viral fusion, endosomal release, and cellular processes like vesicle fusion and cell death.

Main Results:

  • FAC demonstrated broad-spectrum antiviral activity against tested viruses.
  • Both iron and citrate components of FAC were essential for its antiviral effect.
  • FAC inhibited viral entry and release by inducing viral and cellular membrane fusion, leading to iron-dependent cell death.

Conclusions:

  • Ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) possesses significant antiviral properties.
  • The findings reveal a novel mechanism of iron-mediated viral control.
  • Iron compounds like FAC show therapeutic potential for managing viral infections.

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