Use of a Prenylation Inhibitor as a Novel Antiviral Agent

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Abstract
No specific therapy exists for hepatitis delta virus (HDV), which can cause severe liver disease. Molecular genetic studies have implicated the prenylation site of large delta antigen as a critical determinant of HDV particle assembly. We have established a cell culture model which produces HDV-like particles, and we show that delta antigen prenylation can be pharmacologically inhibited by the prenylation inhibitor BZA-5B. Furthermore, BZA-5B specifically abolishes particle production in a dose-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that the use of such a prenylation inhibitor-based antiviral therapy may be feasible and identify a novel class of potential antiviral agents.