Drugs to cure avian influenza infection – multiple ways to prevent cell death

Yuan, S

Neutrophil lysosomes contain a variety of neutral proteases and acid proteases. When neutrophils are activated or destroyed, lysosome lysis occurs and the proteases are released, causing surrounding protein degradation and increasing alveolar/capillary membrane permeability. 44 Thus, the elastase inhibitor has been considered for the AIV infection treatment, such as Sivelestat. 44 However, Sivelestat is very expensive. The broad-spectrum protease inhibitor Ulinastatin, which also inhibits neutrophil elastase and lysosome lysis, may be used as an alternative selection. 45, 46 In H5N1-infected cells, the virus neuraminidase (NA) digests lysosomal membrane glycoproteins and affects lysosomal hydrolase, thereby undermining the integrity of the lysosome. 47 Treatment with the protease inhibitor Ulinastatin could inhibit these destructive processes and could therefore be of potential importance to ARDS prevention and cure (Figure 3 ).