Life Sciences & Biotechnology
Title : | Disruption of Nipah Virus V Protein Interaction with NLRP3 to Develop Anti-Nipah Virus Drugs for Pandemic Preparedness. |
Area of research : | Life Sciences & Biotechnology |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Rajaneesh Anupam, Pondicherry University, Puducherry |
Timeline Start Year : | 2024 |
Timeline End Year : | 2026 |
Contact info : | rajaneeshanupam@gmail.com |
Equipments : | Biosafety Cabinet Class II A2
Bacteriological shaking Incubator |
Details
Executive Summary : | Nipah virus (NiV) is a deadly virus with a mortality rate of 40-70% and is on the World Health Organization's list of epidemic threat pathogens. India is a hotspot for NiV outbreaks, with three occurring in the past (2001, 2007 in West Bengal, 2018 in Kerala). Transmission can occur through contact with infected animals or individuals, and consumption of virus-contaminated food. V protein, an accessory protein of NiV, is a major molecular determinant of infection, persistence, and pathogenesis. The interaction between V protein and NLRP3 is crucial for NiV infection, as it inhibits NLRP3-inflammasome assembly, resulting in decreased production of IL-1β. This interaction makes it an attractive target for developing anti-NiV drugs. The hypothesis is that a detailed understanding of this interaction is required to develop small molecules that could disrupt this interaction to impede viral infection by restoring normal production of IL-1β. Proposed objectives include determining the region(s) of the V protein required to bind NLRP3 and screening a library of small molecules for the ability to restore IL-1β and inflammatory cytokine production by disrupting the interaction of V protein with NLRP3. Experiments will involve V protein deletion mutants, co-immunoprecipitation assays, and ELIsA quantification of IL-1β production. The results of this project will provide insights into the interaction of V protein and NLRP3 interaction in the context of NiV pathogenesis and evaluate the druggability of V protein. |
Total Budget (INR): | 25,85,000 |
Organizations involved