Old Drugs Effective Against New Viruses

Researchers from the University of Leeds have used common drugs already in use to treat psychosis or depression to prevent a particular virus from infecting cells by blocking the ion channels that regulate potassium levels in those cells.

The research focused on the Bunyavirus family, which includes lethal human pathogens such as Hantaviruses and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, a widespread disease that is becoming more prevalent in Mediterranean countries and endemic in Africa, the Middle East and some Asian countries.

The research team found that drugs that inhibit potassium ion channels were effective against Bunyamwera virus - which is a model for all of the bunyaviruses – but did not have any effect on the ability of unrelated viruses to infect cells.

The viruses tested included Hazara virus, used as a model for CCHFV, and Schmallenberg virus, which causes deformities and neurological defects in unborn lambs and calves.

The common drugs used in the research included the anti-psychotic haloperidol, the anti-depressant fluoxetine, and a local anaesthetic, bupivacaine.

Dr Jamel Mankouri, of the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Leeds, said: “This is a breakthrough finding since bunyaviruses are considered as emerging pathogens with the potential to establish a global disease range with massive importance in healthcare, animal welfare and economics.

“Being able to block these ion channels is an important first step in understanding how we can stop these viruses spreading and causing human disease.”

“We observed that these viruses are highly dependent upon the gradient of potassium that exists across the membranes of the cells.”

The study, involving researchers from the universities of Leeds, Nottingham and Glasgow, has been published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.