Replication of human coronaviruses SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-229E is inhibited by the drug FK506

Publication

Replication of human coronaviruses SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-229E is inhibited by the drug FK506

Journal Paper/Review - Feb 10, 2012

Carbajo-Lozoya Javier, Müller Marcel A, Kallies Stephan, Thiel Volker, Drosten Christian, von Brunn Albrecht

Citation

Carbajo-Lozoya J, Müller M, Kallies S, Thiel V, Drosten C, von Brunn A. Replication of human coronaviruses SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-229E is inhibited by the drug FK506. Virus Res 2012; 165:112-7.

Type

Journal Paper/Review (English)

Journal

Virus Res 2012; 165

Publication Date

Feb 10, 2012

Issn Electronic

1872-7492

Pages

112-7

Brief description/objective

Recent research has shown that Coronavirus (CoV) replication depends on active immunophilin pathways. Here we demonstrate that the drug FK506 (Tacrolimus) inhibited strongly the growth of human coronaviruses SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-229E at low, non-cytotoxic concentrations in cell culture. As shown by plaque titration, qPCR, Luciferase- and green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene expression, replication was diminished by several orders of magnitude. Knockdown of the cellular FK506-binding proteins FKBP1A and FKBP1B in CaCo2 cells prevented replication of HCoV-NL63, suggesting the requirement of these members of the immunophilin family for virus growth.