Screening of antiviral activity of synthetic compounds derived from benzoic acids against yellow fever virus

• Grant number: 19/02433-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2019
• End date: July 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Carolina Colombelli Pacca
• Grantee: Isabela Daher Anbar
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina em São José do Rio Preto (FACERES). São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Yellow fever is caused by a virus of the genus Flavivirus (Yellow Fever - YFV) and can be transmitted to non-human primates by the Haemagogus janthinomys mosquito (when in the wild cycle) or transmitted directly to humans by the Aedes aegypti mosquito (in the urban cycle) and remains endemic or enzootic in the rainforests of America causing periodically isolated outbreaks or epidemics of significant public health impact. In the period from July / 2017 to June / 2018, 130 cases were confirmed, where 53 died (40.8% mortality). Such infection generates significant costs to the Federal Government and does not present specific treatment, so the development of drugs against YFV infections would be of great value for public health, since it brings great advances in the treatment of this disease. Therefore, the objective of this study is to search for new molecules that inhibit viral replication, due to the fact that up to the present moment there are no effective molecules against YFV viruses. To do so, the cytotoxic effect of 30 benzoic acid derivatives in Vero E6 cells for in vitro viral inhibition tests will be evaluated and, in sequence, the potential antiviral action of the molecules will be screened by assessing the inhibition of viral replication in cells treated according to TCID50 and molecules with inhibition greater than 70% will be considered promising.