Baicalin Inhibits FIPV Infection In Vitro by Modulating the PI3K-AKT Pathway and Apoptosis Pathway

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a significant disease in cats, lacking effective prevention and treatment options.
• Natural compounds are increasingly recognized for their antiviral properties, presenting opportunities for novel therapeutic development.
• Investigating natural compounds for anti-FIPV activity is crucial for addressing this unmet medical need.

Purpose of the Study:

• To screen nine natural compounds for in vitro anti-FIPV activity.
• To investigate the mechanism of action of effective compounds against FIPV infection.
• To evaluate the potential of baicalin as a novel therapeutic agent for FIP.

Main Methods:

• In vitro antiviral screening using CCK-8 and Annexin V-FITC/PI assays.
• Mechanism of action studies employing network pharmacology, molecular docking, and 4D-LFQ proteomics.
• Validation of findings using Western blotting.

Main Results:

• Baicalin demonstrated significant anti-FIPV activity (MIR > 50%, SI > 3) and inhibited FIPV-induced apoptosis.
• Network pharmacology and molecular docking identified AKT1 as a key target for baicalin.
• Proteomic and Western blot analyses revealed baicalin modulates the PI3K-AKT and apoptosis pathways, upregulating EGFR, PI3K, Bcl-2 and downregulating cleaved caspase 9, Bax.

Conclusions:

• Baicalin exhibits potent in vitro anti-FIPV effects by inhibiting viral replication and FIPV-induced apoptosis.
• The PI3K-AKT and apoptosis pathways are key targets for baicalin's antiviral action against FIPV.
• Baicalin represents a promising natural compound for the development of novel FIP treatments.