Advances in anti-EV-A71 drug development research

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Infectious Diseases
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) causes severe hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), posing risks of neurological complications and mortality.
• EV-A71's environmental resistance and rapid mutation necessitate urgent development of effective treatments and vaccines.
• Existing antiviral research for HFMD has spanned over five decades, highlighting the ongoing challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review current and potential drugs targeting EV-A71 infection.
• To summarize progress in host-targeting antiviral strategies for EV-A71.
• To provide recommendations for managing enterovirus infections, including EV-A71.

Main Methods:

• Identification of EV-A71 inhibitors through drug repurposing, structural design, and drug modification.
• Analysis of viral inhibitors targeting key EV-A71 components (capsid, RdRp, 2C, IRES, 3Cpro, 2Apro) across its life cycle.
• Review of host-targeting strategies including immune modulation, autophagy/apoptosis regulation, and redox environment control.

Main Results:

• Hundreds of EV-A71 inhibitors have been identified using various drug development strategies.
• Antiviral drugs target specific viral proteins and stages of the EV-A71 life cycle.
• Host-targeting drugs focus on modulating host immunity, cellular processes, and the redox environment.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive understanding of EV-A71 inhibitors and host-targeting strategies is crucial for developing new therapies.
• Further research and clinical evaluation are needed to translate these findings into effective treatments for HFMD.
• This review offers valuable insights for public health strategies against enterovirus infections.