Biology subjects

Rajoriya, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Rajoriya, S..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

RIG-I-MAVS-NOXA axis coordinates antiviral defense and apoptosis during parahenipavirus infection

The Gamak virus (GAKV) is a recently identified shrew-borne paramyxovirus belonging to the genus Parahenipavirus, which also includes the zoonotic Langya virus (LayV). Despite the growing recognition of shrew-associated paramyxoviruses, the host pathways that detect infection and regulate antiviral responses remain poorly understood. In this study, we characterized host responses to GAKV infection using integrated in vitro and in vivo approaches. GAKV infection induced robust innate immune responses in A549 cells, characterized by activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), together with induction of type I interferon (IFN) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Transcriptomic analysis further revealed coordinated enrichment of antiviral and intrinsic apoptosis-associated pathways, suggesting a link between innate immune signaling and apoptosis during GAKV infection. Genetic analyses identified retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) as essential mediators of antiviral signaling and apoptosis during GAKV infection. Furthermore, disruption of type I IFN-STAT1 signaling attenuated apoptosis. NOXA knockdown reduced apoptosis and enhanced viral replication, identifying NOXA as a downstream effector linking innate immune activation to apoptosis. Consistent with these in vitro findings, intranasal GAKV infection in six-week-old female wild-type BALB/c mice was associated with lung-restricted viral RNA detection and induction of antiviral responses without overt disease. Together, these findings identify a RIG-I-MAVS-IFN-NOXA signaling axis that integrates antiviral and apoptotic responses during GAKV infection, providing a mechanistic framework for understanding host defense against parahenipaviruses.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects of Tabamide A derivative, TA25, against human rhinovirus and multiple zoonotic viruses in vitro and in silico

Human rhinovirus (HRV), first isolated in 1956, belongs to the family Piconaviridae containing a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome. HRV causes mild cold and severe respiratory disease, such as asthma, COPD, and pneumonia. To date, no Food and Drug Administration-approved antiviral or anti-inflammatory drugs are available for HRV. TA25 is a phenolic amide derivative extracted from the leaves of Nicotiana tabacum. To investigate the potential candidate for antiviral therapeutics against zoonotic viruses, we evaluated the antiviral potency of TA25 for HRV and multiple zoonotic viruses. The antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects of TA25 were evaluated using RT-qPCR and RNA-seq. Strand-specific RT-qPCR was performed to measure genomic and anti-genomic RNA expression after TA25 treatment. In addition, an AI-based docking test was conducted to investigate the binding affinity of TA25 with viral target proteins. TA25 induced a significant reduction in viral replication and suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Inhibition of viral replication by TA25 treatment was confirmed by strand-specific RT-qPCR. TA25 showed broad-spectrum antiviral activity against multiple viruses, including HRV-1A, Zika virus, Dengue virus, Vaccinia virus, and Influenza B virus Victoria. Using an AI-driven structure-based docking analysis, TA25 showed the strongest binding affinity with the HRV 2B protein. This study demonstrates that TA25 confers the broad antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity against HRV and multiple zoonotic viruses. These findings provide valuable insights into antiviral strategies of TA25 for a promising therapeutic candidate in response to emerging RNA and DNA viruses.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Detection and characterization of Langya virus in Crocidura lasiura, Republic of Korea

This study reports the identification of Langya virus Korea (LayV KOR) during the surveillance of shrews in the Republic of Korea. LayV KOR represents the first identification of LayV outside of China, exhibiting approximately 80% and 95.5% homologies at nucleotide and amino acid levels.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

In vitro broad-spectrum antiviral activity of MIT-001, a mitochondria-targeted reactive oxygen species scavenger, against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and multiple zoonotic viruses

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 becomes a serious threat to global health and requires the development of effective antiviral therapies. Current therapies that target viral proteins have limited efficacy with side effects. In this study, we investigated the antiviral activity of MIT-001, a small molecule reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger targeting mitochondria, against SARS-CoV-2 and other zoonotic viruses in vitro. The antiviral activity of MIT-001 was quantified by RT-qPCR and plaque assay. We also evaluated the functional analysis of MIT-001 by JC-1 staining to measure mitochondrial depolarization, total RNA sequencing to investigate gene expression changes, and immunoblot to quantify protein expression levels. The results showed that MIT-001 effectively inhibited the replication of B.1.617.2 and BA.1 strains, Zika virus, Seoul virus, and Vaccinia virus. Treatment with MIT-001 restored the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NqO1) genes, anti-oxidant enzymes reduced by SARS-CoV-2, to normal levels. The presence of MIT-001 also alleviated mitochondrial depolarization caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings highlight the potential of MIT-001 as a broad-spectrum antiviral compound that targets for zoonotic RNA and DNA viruses, providing a promising therapeutic approach to combat viral infection.

microbiology↗