Influenza Virus - Viral entry and fusion inhibitor

Influenza epidemics affect millions of people every winter. The human influenza virus is an enveloped, ellipsoid-shaped virus of the Orthomyxoviridae family. This virus attacks respiratory system cells.

Viruses are simple biological compounds that need to infect cells to replicate. Influenza virus first interacts via its haemagglutinins with sialic acids anchored to the surface of the respiratory epithelial cells.

This interaction initiates virus entry into the targeted cell by endocytosis. A vesicle coated with clathrin is formed and released into the cytoplasm.

Below pH 6, this acidification results in important conformational changes in the haemagglutinin structure.

A fusion pore is created and the viral genome is released into the cell cytoplasm near the nucleus.

New viral particles are synthesized with the help of the cellular machinery. They bud off of the cell and infect new cells.