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PubMed · 42726897

Small molecule inhibition of the mitochondrial lipid transfer protein STARD7 attenuates influenza viral replication.

Shipra Sharma·Oyahida Khatun·Jihaan Adonis·Shaochen You·Kevin Hartenbower·Vedita Anand Singh·Namir Shaabani·Saikat De·Emi R Matsuo·Rachel Y Sattler·Jonathan A Covel·Kris M White·Laura Martin-Sancho·Malina A Bakowski·Dylan J Mendonsa·Ayush Mehta·Noura S Yassir·Steven H Olson·Naoko Matsunaga·Adolfo García-Sastre·Michael J Bollong·Nisar A Farhat·Megan L Shaw·Sumit K Chanda
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Abstract

The increasing appearance of drug-resistant and zoonotic influenza strains highlights an urgent need for host-directed antivirals that offer broad-spectrum activity and a higher barrier to resistance. Here, we describe the characterization of M4, a small-molecule identified from a high-throughput screen that potently inhibits influenza A and B viruses. Mechanistic studies reveal that M4 suppresses influenza virus replication by preventing formation of export-competent viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes in the nucleus. Chemoproteomic profiling identified the lipid transfer protein STARD7 as the primary cellular target, and genetic depletion of STARD7 phenocopies the antiviral effects of M4. Additional studies localized the M4 binding site to cysteine 302 within the lipid-binding domain of STARD7, supporting a model in which STARD7-dependent lipid transfer activity promotes efficient vRNP assembly and nuclear export. Combining M4 with baloxavir enhances antiviral efficacy in a murine infection model, providing in vivo support for a host-directed therapeutic strategy. Together, these results identify STARD7 as a metabolic checkpoint licensing vRNP nuclear export and they establish a proof of concept for therapeutic intervention with small molecule inhibitors.

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Shipra Sharma, Oyahida Khatun, Jihaan Adonis, Shaochen You, Kevin Hartenbower, Vedita Anand Singh, Namir Shaabani, Saikat De, Emi R Matsuo, Rachel Y Sattler, Jonathan A Covel, Kris M White, Laura Martin-Sancho, Malina A Bakowski, Dylan J Mendonsa, Ayush Mehta, Noura S Yassir, Steven H Olson, Naoko Matsunaga, Adolfo García-Sastre, Michael J Bollong, Nisar A Farhat, Megan L Shaw, Sumit K Chanda. 2026-09-11. Small molecule inhibition of the mitochondrial lipid transfer protein STARD7 attenuates influenza viral replication.. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013914

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Effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose influenza vaccines against hospitalisation according to frailty risk: a prespecified analysis of the randomised trial DANFLU-2.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a major risk factor for influenza-related complications and can influence vaccine effectiveness. We aimed to assess the relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) of high-dose (HD-IIV) versus standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (SD-IIV) in older adults aged 65 years or older according to frailty risk. METHODS: This study was a prespecified analysis of DANFLU-2, an open-label, individually randomised trial, conducted in Denmark during three consecutive influenza seasons (2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25). Adults aged 65 years or older were randomised (1:1) to the HD-IIV or SD-IIV group. The primary endpoint was hospitalisation for influenza or pneumonia. Frailty was defined according to the validated Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) based on ICD-10 codes within 10 years before randomisation. Participants were stratified into three HFRS categories, namely low (<5 points), intermediate (5-15 points), and high (>15 points) frailty risk. The rVE of HD-IIV versus SD-IIV against the primary endpoint was assessed across prespecified HFRS categories and treating HFRS as a continuous variable. Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare safety events across frailty risk groups and randomisation groups. FINDINGS: Among 332&#x2009;438 randomised participants (mean age 73&#xb7;7 years [SD 5&#xb7;8]; 161&#x2009;538 [48&#xb7;6%] were female), 276&#x2009;173 (83&#xb7;1%) had low frailty risk, 52&#x2009;395 (15&#xb7;8%) had intermediate frailty risk, and 3861 (1&#xb7;2%) had high frailty risk. The primary endpoint of hospitalisation for influenza or pneumonia occurred in 1424 (0&#xb7;5%) of 276&#x2009;173 participants with low frailty risk, 761 (1&#xb7;5%) of 52&#x2009;395 with intermediate frailty risk, and 163 (4&#xb7;2%) of 3861 with high frailty risk (relative risk [RR] for intermediate vs low frailty risk 2&#xb7;8 [95% CI 2&#xb7;6-3&#xb7;1]; RR for high vs low frailty risk 8&#xb7;2 [7&#xb7;0-9&#xb7;6]). HFRS as a continuous variable significantly modified the effect of HD-IIV versus SD-IIV against the primary endpoint with higher rVE estimates with increasing HFRS (pinteraction=0&#xb7;020). The rVE was 0&#xb7;2% (95% CI -10&#xb7;8 to 10&#xb7;2) among those with low frailty risk, 13&#xb7;1% (-0&#xb7;4 to 24&#xb7;8) among those with intermediate frailty risk, and 19&#xb7;9% (-10&#xb7;3 to 42&#xb7;1) among those with high frailty risk. No significant interaction was observed when HFRS was assessed according to the prespecified categorical frailty groups (pinteraction=0&#xb7;17). The proportion of participants with at least one serious adverse event increased across frailty risk groups (13&#x2009;366 [4&#xb7;8%] of 275&#x2009;795 for low frailty risk, 5475 [10&#xb7;5%] of 52&#x2009;315 for intermediate frailty risk, and 777 [20&#xb7;2%] of 3850 for high frailty risk; p<0&#xb7;0001), with similar proportions of serious adverse events in the HD-IIV and SD-IIV groups for each frailty risk group. INTERPRETATION: Among adults aged 65 years or older in Denmark, frailty risk might modify the effects of HD-IIV versus SD-IIV against hospitalisation for influenza or pneumonia, with higher rVE estimates with increasing frailty risk. These findings might support considering high-dose influenza vaccines for frail older adults. However, effect modification was not evident when frailty was assessed using prespecified categorical subgroups, and subgroup-specific estimates were imprecise, with 95% CIs crossing the null. These results should be considered exploratory, warranting further investigation. FUNDING: The DANFLU-2 trial was funded by Sanofi.

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