Inhibitors of Nucleotide Biosynthesis as Candidates for a Wide Spectrum of Antiviral Chemotherapy

Emerging and re-emerging viruses have been a challenge in public health in recent decades. Host-targeted antivirals (HTA) directed at cellular molecules or pathways involved in virus multiplication represent an interesting strategy to combat viruses presently lacking effective chemotherapy. HTA coul...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Claudia Soledad Sepúlveda, Cybele Carina García, Elsa Beatriz Damonte
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-08-01
Series:Microorganisms
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/8/1631
Description
Summary:Emerging and re-emerging viruses have been a challenge in public health in recent decades. Host-targeted antivirals (HTA) directed at cellular molecules or pathways involved in virus multiplication represent an interesting strategy to combat viruses presently lacking effective chemotherapy. HTA could provide a wide range of agents with inhibitory activity against current and future viruses that share similar host requirements and reduce the possible selection of antiviral-resistant variants. Nucleotide metabolism is one of the more exploited host metabolic pathways as a potential antiviral target for several human viruses. This review focuses on the antiviral properties of the inhibitors of pyrimidine and purine nucleotide biosynthesis, with an emphasis on the rate-limiting enzymes dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) and inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) for which there are old and new drugs active against a broad spectrum of pathogenic viruses.
ISSN:2076-2607