Xiaofang Li, Kenji Nakashima, Masahiko Ito, Mami Matsuda, Takeshi Chida, Kazumasa Sekihara, Hirotaka Takahashi, Takanobu Kato, Tatsuya Sawasaki, Tetsuro Suzuki
New antiviral agents are needed for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection because currently available drugs do not completely eradicate chronic HBV in patients. Phosphorylation dynamics of the HBV core protein (HBc) regulate several processes in the HBV life cycle, including nucleocapsid formation, cell trafficking, and virus uncoating after entry. In this study, the SRPK inhibitors SPHINX31, SRPIN340, and SRPKIN-1 showed concentration-dependent anti-HBV activity. Detailed analysis of the effects of SRPKIN-1, which exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity, on the HBV replication process showed that it inhibits the formation of infectious particles by inhibiting pregenomic RNA packaging into capsids and nucleocapsid envelopment...
November 20, 2023: Antiviral Research