Inhibitory effects of quercetin on porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in vitro and in vivo

• Published in: Virology (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 589; p. 109923
• Main Authors: Gong, Ting, Wu, Dongdong, Feng, Yongzhi, Liu, Xing, Gao, Qi, Zheng, Xiaoyu, Song, Zebu, Wang, Heng, Zhang, Guihong, Gong, Lang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Animals; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Chlorocebus aethiops; confocal microscopy; Coronavirus Infections - drug therapy; Coronavirus Infections - veterinary; Diarrhea; immune response; Infectious Disease; interleukin-6; interleukin-8; intestines; Lipid droplets; lipids; mutation; NF-κB signaling pathway; Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus; Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus - physiology; Quercetin; Quercetin - pharmacology; Quercetin - therapeutic use; Swine; Swine Diseases; therapeutics; transmission electron microscopy; Vero Cells; Virus Replication; viruses; Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus; Lipid droplets; NF-κB signaling pathway; Quercetin
• ISSN: 0042-6822; 1096-0341; 1096-0341
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.109923

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is an acute, severe, highly contagious disease. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) strains are prone to mutation, and the immune response induced by traditional vaccines may not be strong enough to be effective against the virus. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel anti-PEDV drugs. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of quercetin in PEDV infections in vitro (Vero cells) and in vivo (suckling piglets). Using transmission electron microscopy and laser confocal microscopy, we found that PEDV infection promotes the accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs). In vitro, studies showed that quercetin inhibits LD accumulation by down-regulating NF-κB signaling and IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-6 levels, thereby inhibiting viral replication. In vivo, studies in pigs demonstrated that quercetin can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms and intestinal injury caused by PEDV. Collectively, our findings suggest that quercetin inhibits PEDV replication both in vivo and in vitro, which provides a new direction for the development of PED antiviral drugs. •Quercetin inhibits PEDV replication by inhibiting LD accumulation and the NF-κB pathway.•Quercetin reduces the increase of IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-6 induced by PEDV.•Quercetin relieves the clinical symptoms of piglets caused by PEDV.