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In-Gu Lee 1 Article
Inhibition of KIF20A suppresses the replication of influenza A virus by inhibiting viral entry
Hoyeon Jeon , Younghyun Lim , In-Gu Lee , Dong-In Kim , Keun Pil Kim , So-Hee Hong , Jeongkyu Kim , Youn-Sang Jung , Young-Jin Seo
J. Microbiol. 2022;60(11):1113-1121.   Published online November 1, 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-022-2436-x
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AbstractAbstract
The influenza A virus (IAV) has caused several pandemics, and therefore there are many ongoing efforts to identify novel antiviral therapeutic strategies including vaccines and antiviral drugs. However, influenza viruses continuously undergo antigenic drift and shift, resulting in the emergence of mutated viruses. In turn, this decreases the efficiency of existing vaccines and antiviral drugs to control IAV infection. Therefore, this study sought to identify alternative therapeutic strategies targeting host cell factors rather than viruses to avoid infection by mutated viruses. Particularly, we investigated the role of KIF20A that is one of kinesin superfamily proteins in the replication of IAV. The KIF20A increased viral protein levels in IAV-infected cells by regulating the initial entry stage during viral infection. Furthermore, the KIF20A inhibitor significantly suppressed viral replication, which protected mice from morbidity and mortality. Therefore, our findings demonstrated that KIF20A is highly involved in the viral replication process and viral propagation both in vitro and in vivo, and could thus be used as a target for the development of novel antiviral drugs.

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  • Emerging roles of cytoskeletal transport and scaffold systems in human viral propagation
    Younghyun Lim, Yong-Bin Cho, Young-Jin Seo
    Animal Cells and Systems.2024; 28(1): 506.     CrossRef
In-Gu Lee 1 Article
Inhibiting kinesin family member 20A disrupts Zika virus entry by blocking internalization
Jeonghyeon Lee, Younghyun Lim, Hyeong-Rae Kim, Yong-Bin Cho, In-Gu Lee, Young-Jin Seo
Received March 13, 2025  Accepted May 20, 2025  Published online June 11, 2025  
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2503008
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AbstractAbstract

Zika virus, a mosquito-borne virus, is associated with congenital birth defects and neurological complications. However, despite its significant public health threat, no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments are currently available. Therefore, this study aims to identify kinesin family member 20A as a key host factor promoting Zika virus life cycle. The elevated expression of kinesin family member 20A following Zika virus infection suggests its role in the viral life cycle. Suppressing its expression through gene silencing or inhibiting its function with a small-molecule inhibitor significantly reduced viral infectivity in host cells. Furthermore, kinesin family member 20A is essential for facilitating viral internalization, a key step in the entry step. These findings suggest its significance in the Zika virus life cycle and highlight its potential as a novel therapeutic target for the Zika virus.


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