Inhibitors of Nucleotide Biosynthesis as Candidates for a Wide Spectrum of Antiviral Chemotherapy

SEPÚLVEDA CS; GARCÍA CC; DAMONTE EB

Microorganisms

MDPI

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2022

Emerging and re-emerging viruses have been a challenge in public health in recent decades.Host-targeted antivirals (HTA) directed at cellular molecules or pathways involved in virus multiplicationrepresent an interesting strategy to combat viruses presently lacking effective chemotherapy.HTA could provide a wide range of agents with inhibitory activity against current and future virusesthat share similar host requirements and reduce the possible selection of antiviral-resistant variants.Nucleotide metabolism is one of the more exploited host metabolic pathways as a potential antiviraltarget for several human viruses. This review focuses on the antiviral properties of the inhibitorsof pyrimidine and purine nucleotide biosynthesis, with an emphasis on the rate-limiting enzymesdihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) and inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) forwhich there are old and new drugs active against a broad spectrum of pathogenic viruses.