Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41137718›Full record

ArticleJournal of molecular cell biology2026

MEK1/2 inhibition prevents DENV and ZIKV infection via disrupting the cytoskeletal vimentin cage required for viral replication.

Yuhan Huang, Jiageng Lu, Shuzhi Cui, Shuangshuang Zhao, Shengming Sun, Yaming Jiu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of molecular cell biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

6 authors.

Yuhan HuangUnit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Jiageng LuUnit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Shuzhi CuiUnit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Shuangshuang ZhaoUnit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Shengming SunInternational Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
Yaming JiuUnit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8601-8820

Funding

Key Research and Development Program, Ministry of Science and Technology of China 2022YFC2303502Key Research and Development Program, Ministry of Science and Technology of China 2024YFC2310003National Natural Science Foundation of China 32222022National Natural Science Foundation of China 92354301
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Flaviviridae Dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) have posed significant threats to global public health in the past decades. Despite extensive study on therapeutic strategies against these viruses, effective treatment options are still lacking. Within host cells, the cytoskeletal vimentin intermediate filament network facilitates viral replication during DENV and ZIKV infection by shrinking and forming a cage-like structure. Our previous work indicated that MEK1/2 inhibitors can induce the dispersion of vimentin, but their potential impact on flavivirus infection remains unclear. Here, we observed that the MEK1/2 signaling pathway is activated in host cells infected with DENV and ZIKV. Treatment with MEK1/2 inhibitors significantly impaired the replication of both viruses. Further mechanistic studies revealed that MEK1/2 inhibitors prevent viral infection by promoting the dispersion of intracellular vimentin network, thereby disrupting the cytoskeletal structure required for viral replication. Our findings not only expand the understanding of vimentin regulatory mechanisms from a cellular biology perspective but also provide a new perspective on MEK1/2 inhibition as a potential anti-DENV and anti-ZIKV strategy.

Indexed as

CytoskeletonDengueDengue VirusMAP Kinase Kinase 1MAP Kinase Kinase 2Protein Kinase InhibitorsVimentinVirus ReplicationZika VirusZika Virus InfectionAnimalsChlorocebus aethiopsHumansMAP Kinase Signaling SystemVero CellsMAP2K1 protein, humanMAP2K2 protein, humanMAP Kinase Kinase 1MAP Kinase Kinase 2Protein Kinase InhibitorsVimentinanti-viral effectMEK1/2vimentinviral infection

Identifiers

PMID41137718
PMCPMC12968617

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.