Protective role of protease-activated-receptor 2 against influenza viruses occurs through an ERK independent pathway: implication for new influenza therapy

作者：Foucault Marie Laure^*; Moules Vincent; Ferraris Olivier; Lina Bruno; Rosa Calatrava Manuel; Riteau Beatrice

来源：Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, 2011, 5: 243-245.

• Influenza
• new therapeutics
• protease-activated-receptor

To date there is an urgent need to develop new antivirals against influenza. Most of the molecules reported target influenza proteins that acquire rapid mutations of resistance. The development of new molecules that have a broad antiviral activity and are not subjected to influenza mutation is of particular interest. Our laboratory and others recently showed that proteases can participate to the innate immune response in the airways through the activation of a family of receptors called PAR. In particular, through the release of interferon, PAR2 agonists curbed viral replication significantly in infected cells. In this study, since ERK activation is crucial for virus replication, we investigated whether PAR2 could inhibit virus replication through inhibition of the ERK pathway. Results showed that while influenza A infection alone or PAR2 stimulation alone induced ERK activation, PAR2 stimulation does not inhibit ERK activation in influenza infected cells. Thus, PAR2 agonists may be a potential new drug against influenza viruses that could be used in combination with other anti flu therapy such as the inhibition of the ERK pathway.

• 出版日期2011-5