Ivermectin effectively inhibits hepatitis E virus replication, requiring the host nuclear transport protein importin α1.

Yunlong Li, Zhijiang Miao, Pengfei Li, Ruyi Zhang, Denis E Kainov, Zhongren Ma, Robert A de Man, Maikel P Peppelenbosch, Qiuwei Pan

Archives of virology 2021 Jul

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We show that ivermectin, an FDA-approved anti-parasitic drug, effectively inhibits infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes 1 and 3 in a range of cell culture models, including hepatic and extrahepatic cells. Long-term treatment showed no clear evidence of the development of drug resistance. Gene silencing of importin-α1, a cellular target of ivermectin and a key member of the host nuclear transport complex, inhibited viral replication and largely abolished the anti-HEV effect of ivermectin.

Citation

Yunlong Li, Zhijiang Miao, Pengfei Li, Ruyi Zhang, Denis E Kainov, Zhongren Ma, Robert A de Man, Maikel P Peppelenbosch, Qiuwei Pan. Ivermectin effectively inhibits hepatitis E virus replication, requiring the host nuclear transport protein importin α1. Archives of virology. 2021 Jul;166(7):2005-2010