Drug Repurposing Campaigns for Human Cytomegalovirus Identify a Natural Compound Targeting the Immediate-Early 2 (IE2) Protein: A Comment on “The Natural Flavonoid Compound Deguelin Inhibits HCMV Lytic Replication within Fibroblasts”

Apoptotic Control in HCMV Retinitis Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Mediates the The Immediate Early 2 Protein of Human

The 6-Aminoquinolone WC5 inhibits different functions of the immediate-early 2 (IE2) protein of human cytomegalovirus that are essential for viral replication.

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) immediate-early 2 (IE2) protein is a multifunctional factor essential for viral replication. IE2 modulates both viral and host gene expression, deregulates cell cycle progression, acts as an immunomodulator, and antagonizes cellular antiviral responses. Based on these facts, IE2 has been proposed as an important target for the development of innovative antiviral...

Negative regulation of a heterologous promoter by human cytomegalovirus immediate-early protein IE2.

The HCMV IE2 protein promiscuously activates transcription of many viral and cellular genes. IE2 also negatively autoregulates its own expression by binding to a strategically positioned IE2 binding site, called CRS, located immediately downstream of the TATA box of the HCMV major IE promoter. Here we show that IE2 is able to repress transcription driven by a heterologous promoter, RSV LTR. Rep...

Phosphorylation of the human cytomegalovirus 86-kilodalton immediate-early protein IE2.

We have investigated the phosphorylation state of the human cytomegalovirus 86-kDa immediate-early (IE) protein IEP86 from transfected and infected cells. We show that multiple domains of IEP86 are phosphorylated by cellular kinases, both in vitro and in vivo. Our data suggest that serum-inducible kinases play a significant role in cell-mediated IE protein phosphorylation and that a member of t...

Screening of a natural compound library identifies emodin, a natural compound from Rheum palmatum Linn that inhibits DPP4

Historically, Chinese herbal medicines have been widely used in the treatment of hyperglycemia, but the mechanisms underlying their effectiveness remain largely unknown. Here, we screened a compound library primarily comprised of natural compounds extracted from herbs and marine organisms. The results showed that emodin, a natural compound from Rheum palmatum Linn, inhibited DPP4 activity with ...