0000000000780318
AUTHOR
Stephan Becker
The sphingosine kinase 1 activator, K6PC-5, attenuates Ebola virus infection
Summary Ebola virus (EBOV) is responsible for outbreaks with case fatality rates of up to 90% and for an epidemic in West Africa with more than ten thousand deaths. EBOV glycoprotein (EBOV-GP) is the only viral surface protein and is responsible for viral entry into cells. Here, by employing pseudotyped EBOV-GP viral particles, we uncover a critical role for sphingolipids in inhibiting viral entry. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) catalyzes the phosphorylation of sphingosine to sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). The administration of the SphK1 activator, K6PC-5, or S1P, or the overexpression of SphK1 consistently exhibited striking inhibitory effects in EBOV-GP-driven entry in diverse cell lines. F…
The Sphingosine Kinase-1 Activator, K6PC-5, Attenuates the Ebola Virus Infection and the Virus Induced Cell Death
Ebola virus (EBOV) is responsible for outbreaks with case-fatality rates of up to 90% and for an epidemic in West Africa with more than ten thousand deaths. EBOV glycoprotein (EBOV-GP) is the only viral surface protein and is responsible for viral entry into cells. It has been suggested to play a role in the cytopathic effects induced by the virus. Here we uncover a critical role for sphingolipids in inhibiting viral entry and virus-mediated cytotoxicity. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) catalyzes the phosphorylation of sphingosine to sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). The administration of the SphK1 activator, K6PC-5, or S1P, or the overexpression of SphK1 consistently exhibited striking inhibito…