GSH-ZnS Nanoparticles Exhibit High-Efficiency and Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Activities via Multistep Inhibition Mechanisms

Despite
the good biocompatibility and antibacterial activity of
zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs), whether they possess antiviral
activity is still unclear. Here, GSH-modified ZnS NPs (GSH-ZnS NPs)
were synthesized and their significant antiviral activity was demonstrated
using the Arteriviridae family RNA virus, porcine
reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), as a model. Mechanistically,
GSH-ZnS NPs were shown to reduce PRRSV-induced ROS production to prevent
PRRSV multiplication, with no activating effect on the interferon
(IFN) signal pathway, the first defense line against virus infection.
Furthermore, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification
(iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomic analysis of GSH-ZnS NP-treated
cells revealed the involvement of numerous crucial proteins in virus
proliferation, with vitronectin (VTN) being confirmed as an efficient
PRRSV antagonist here. Furthermore, GSH-ZnS NPs were found to have
potent antiviral effects on the Herpesviridae family
DNA virus, pseudorabies virus (PRV), the Coronaviridae family positive-sense RNA virus, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus
(PEDV), and the Rhabdoviridae family negative-stranded
RNA virus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), indicating their broad-spectrum
antiviral activity against viruses from different families with various
genome types. Overall, GSH-ZnS NP is a prospective candidate for the
development of antiviral nanomaterials and may serve as a model for
investigation of potential host restriction factors in combination
with proteomics.