Antiviral Activity of Benzavir-2 against Emerging Flaviviruses

Gwon, Yong-Dae; Strand, Mårten; Lindqvist, Richard; Nilsson, Emma; Saleeb, Michael; Elofsson, Mikael; Överby, Anna K.; Evander, Magnus

The reduction of wt ZIKV plaque formation by benzavir-2 was further investigated by analyzing the production of infectious progeny particles in the supernatant of infected cells. The supernatants from cells infected with the two wt ZIKV lineages, Asian and African, treated with 2.5 µM benzavir-2 (see above), were collected and used to infect Vero B4 cell layers. Infection efficiency was determined by observing the CPE, plaque formation, and qRT-PCR (see schematic diagram in Figure 4A ). On day 2 of the post-progeny virus transfer, cells infected with progeny virus from benzavir-2 treated cells, displayed minor CPE. At day 4, the cells were fixed and stained with crystal violet to visualize the infection and plaque formation. Cells infected with progeny virus from benzavir-2-treated cells displayed only a few visible plaques. (Figure 4C ).