Corilagin inhibits human cytomegalovirus infection and replication via activating the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo

Int Immunopharmacol. 2024 Dec 25;143(Pt 2):113401. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.113401. Epub 2024 Oct 17.

Abstract

Aim: The existence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is extremely widespread, causing serious diseases in patients with low immune function. The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy and mechanism of Corilagin in the control of CMV infection, in order to provide scientific basis for the control of CMV infection.

Methods: Our study employed an animal model in Balb/c mice, infected with MCMV, alongside cellular models in HFF cells and THP-1 cells, stimulated with HCMV. The expression of cGAS-STING signaling pathway molecules was detected in liver tissue, lung tissue, serum, cells and cell supernatant. The liver function and histopathological changes of mice were evaluated.

Results: In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that Corilagin significantly inhibits CMV levels and attenuates pathological damage in liver and lung tissues in vivo, and similarly inhibits viral load in cells in vitro. Corilagin promotes the expression levels of STING and its downstream molecules in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition/down-regulation of STING significantly promotes CMV replication, on the contrary, activation/up-regulation of STING inhibits CMV replication, and Corilagin also promotes the expression levels of molecules related to the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in the above cases.

Conclusion: Corilagin could effectively inhibit the infection and replication of CMV in vitro and in vivo, which may be through the activation of cGAS-STING signaling pathway.

Keywords: Antivirus; Corilagin; Cytomegalovirus; STING; cGAS.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antiviral Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections* / drug therapy
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections* / immunology
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections* / virology
  • Cytomegalovirus* / drug effects
  • Cytomegalovirus* / physiology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Glucosides* / pharmacology
  • Glucosides* / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Hydrolyzable Tannins* / pharmacology
  • Hydrolyzable Tannins* / therapeutic use
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / immunology
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver / virology
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / virology
  • Membrane Proteins* / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C*
  • Muromegalovirus / drug effects
  • Muromegalovirus / physiology
  • Nucleotidyltransferases* / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction* / drug effects
  • THP-1 Cells
  • Virus Replication* / drug effects

Substances

  • Hydrolyzable Tannins
  • corilagin
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Glucosides
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Nucleotidyltransferases
  • STING1 protein, human
  • cGAS protein, human