Skip to main content
Fig. 3 | BMC Medicine

Fig. 3

From: Antiviral activity and mechanism of the antifungal drug, anidulafungin, suggesting its potential to promote treatment of viral diseases

Fig. 3

Anidulafungin inhibits SFTSV infection by interfering with virus internalization. A The binding assay under a temperature shift was performed to determine the inhibitory effect of anidulafungin on SFTSV binding to Vero cells. B The inhibitory effect of anidulafungin on SFTSV internalization into Vero cells was characterized based on the internalization assay under a temperature shift with the treatment of NH4Cl. All qRT-PCR tests were performed in triplicates for each sample. C The inhibitory effects of anidulafungin on SFTSV internalization into Vero cells were investigated in the presence of inhibitors suppressing the clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CPZ), caveola-mediated endocytosis (nystatin), or macropinocytosis (IPA3). IFAs were performed to characterize the efficiencies of SFTSV infection with the treatment of inhibitors together with or without anidulafungin during the entry stage. Inhibition (%) on SFTSV was calculated by the number of non-infected cells over the number of total nuclei. Each test was performed in triplicate. D SFTSV protein expression levels in Vero cells infected with SFTSV were characterized by Western blot with the treatment of inhibitors together with or without anidulafungin (left). The detection of β-actin expression was set as the inner control. Viral protein expression levels were quantified by ImageJ and normalized to the levels of β-actin (right). E SFTSV NP expression levels in Vero cells infected with or without SFTSV, treated with or without anidulafungin, or CPZ (upper). SFTSV NP expression levels were quantified by ImageJ and normalized to the levels of β-actin (bottom). F Fluorescence images of Vero cells overexpressing clathrin were taken to determine the intracellular distributions in cells with or without treatment of anidulafungin. Cells were transfected with clathrin expressing plasmid. At 24 h post-transfection, these cells were incubated with SFTSV (MOI = 1) together with or without treatment of anidulafungin at 37 °C. Images were taken at 30 min post-virus incubation. Bars, 5 μm. G SFTSV NP was detected by Western blot in Vero cells transfected with the Rab5 or Rab7 expression plasmids. Cells were transfected with Rab5 or Rab7 expressing plasmids. At 24 h post-transfection, these cells were incubated with SFTSV (MOI = 1) together with or without treatment of anidulafungin at 37 °C for 1 h. Then, cells were harvested, and Western blot was performed to detect SFTSV NP expression. H Fluorescence images of Vero cells overexpressing Rab5 or Rab7 were taken at 30 min post-SFTSV incubation to determine their intracellular distributions in cells with or without treatment of anidulafungin as described in G. Bars, 5 μm

Back to article page