Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40802690›Full record

ArticleProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2025

Mechanistic insights into the small-molecule inhibition of influenza A virus entry.

Yan Xu, Varada Anirudhan, Irina N Gaisina, Haijuan Du, Saad Alqarni, Terry W Moore, Michael Caffrey, Balaji Manicassamy, Tongqing Zhou, Lijun Rong and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Viruses · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Yan Xu *Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210.
Varada Anirudhan *Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612.ORCID 0000-0002-5370-1092
Irina N GaisinaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences and UICentre, Retzky College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612.ORCID 0000-0002-8668-3222
Haijuan DuVaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Saad AlqarniDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Ha'il, Hail 55473, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0002-0931-0529
Terry W MooreDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences and UICentre, Retzky College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612.ORCID 0000-0002-5410-306X
Michael CaffreyDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607.
Balaji ManicassamyDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242.ORCID 0000-0003-1964-0967
Tongqing ZhouVaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Lijun RongDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612.ORCID 0000-0003-3938-0445
Kai XuDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210.ORCID 0000-0001-5412-6942

Funding

Development of 4-(aroylamino)piperidine-based entry inhibitors as anti-influenza therapeuticsR42AI155039 · NIAID · CHICAGO BIOSOLUTIONS, INC. · PI RONG, LIJUN · 2021 to 2024
$3.3M
Structure, function, and antigenicity of emerging henipavirus surface glycoproteinsU01AI173348 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI Kai Xu · 2023 to 2026
$2.4M
Development of group 2 influenza A virus entry inhibitorsR41AI145727 · NIAID · CHICAGO BIOSOLUTIONS, INC. · PI RONG, LIJUN · 2019 to 2020
$600k
Targeting glycoprotein (G) domain-III for pan-lyssavirus nanobody therapeuticsUH2AI171611 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI XU, KAI · 2023 to 2024
$423k
HHS | NIH | National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) R41AI145727HHS | NIH | National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) R42AI155039NIAID NIH HHS R41 AI145727NIAID NIH HHS R42 AI155039NIAID NIH HHS U01 AI173348NIAID NIH HHS UH2 AI171611OSU | Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Ohio State University (CCTS, OSU) Path to K award
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Influenza A virus (IAV) is a zoonotic pathogen responsible for seasonal and pandemic flu. The extensive genetic and antigenic diversity within and between IAV phylogenetic groups presents major challenges for developing universal vaccines and broad-spectrum antiviral therapies. Current interventions provide limited protection due to the virus's high mutation rate and capacity for immune evasion. Recent advancements in viral hemagglutinin (HA)-targeting small-molecule entry inhibitors offer a promising avenue to overcome these limitations. Here, we present structural and functional analyses of two group 2 HA-specific small-molecule inhibitors recently identified by our team. Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures revealed that these inhibitors bind a conserved pocket within the HA stalk, likely interfering with the conformational rearrangements necessary for membrane fusion and viral entry. Structure-guided mutagenesis confirmed the critical roles of key interacting residues and uncovered distinct resistance profiles between the two compounds, as well as in comparison to Arbidol, a previously reported HA inhibitor. Notably, our structural analysis highlights intrinsic barriers to achieving cross-group inhibition with current small-molecule designs. To address this, we propose an alternative strategy for broadening antiviral coverage. Together, these findings provide mechanistic insights into IAV entry inhibition and a foundation for the rational design of next-generation anti-influenza therapeutics.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsHemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza VirusInfluenza A virusSmall Molecule LibrariesVirus InternalizationAnimalsCryoelectron MicroscopyDogsHumansInfluenza, HumanMadin Darby Canine Kidney CellsAntiviral AgentsHemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza VirusSmall Molecule Librariesantiviralcryo-electron microscopyhemagglutininInfluenza A virussmall molecule inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID40802690
PMCPMC12377760

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.