Engineered Hydroxyapatite-Baicalin Nanorods with Sharp Edges for Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Virology

Background:

• Inorganic nanomaterials with sharp edges show potential for broad-spectrum antiviral properties.
• Hydroxyapatite-based nanostructures are being explored for their biological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize hydroxyapatite-balance-based (HA-B) nanorods.
• To investigate the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of HA-B nanorods against enveloped viruses.
• To elucidate the antiviral mechanisms of HA-B nanorods against extracellular and intracellular viruses.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of HA-B nanorods with controlled aspect ratios.
• Antiviral assays against pseudorabies virus (PRV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV).
• Mechanism studies involving viral envelope disruption, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assessment, and innate immune response activation.
• In vivo efficacy evaluation in a PRV-infected mouse model.

Main Results:

• HA-B_0.05wt% nanorods exhibited the highest aspect ratio (11.7 ± 4.7).
• HA-B_0.05wt% demonstrated potent antiviral activity against PRV, TGEV, and PEDV.
• Extracellular antiviral activity involved physical disruption of viral envelopes.
• Intracellular antiviral activity involved ROS attenuation and innate immune activation.
• In vivo studies showed reduced viral load and improved survival rates in PRV-infected mice.

Conclusions:

• HA-B_0.05wt% nanorods possess significant broad-spectrum antiviral properties.
• The sharp-edged nanostructure is crucial for the physical disruption of viral envelopes.
• HA-B_0.05wt% effectively combats intracellular viral infections by modulating host responses.
• HA-B_0.05wt% shows promise for biosecurity and infectious disease control applications.