Progress in role of Niemann-Pick C1 protein in Ebola virus infection and its targeted drugs / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

ABSTRACT

Ebola viruses belong to the Filoviridae family,which is highly contagious and likely to cause a variety of symptoms,including severe haemorrhagic fever in humans and primates,with a case fatality rate of up to 90%.Niemann-Pick C1(NPC1)protein is an important receptor expressed in the endosomal membrane of host cells during Ebola virus infection,and its interaction with the glycoprotein(GP)cleaved by cathepsin of Ebola virus is a key link in the viral infection host,mediating the fusion of the viral envelope and endosomal membrane before releasing the viral genome to the host cell.Recent years have seen some small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibody gene therapy drugs devel-oped by using NPC1 protein as a target of broad-spectrum anti-filovirus drugs.This article introduces the structure of NPC1 and its role in Ebola virus infection,and summarizes small molecule inhibitors,monoclonal antibody drugs and gene therapy drugs targeting NPC1.