Unveiling the Neuropathogenesis of Enterovirus D68 Molecular Pathways and Potential Therapeutics

RNA sequencing was performed to understand the neuropathogenesis of Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). Result shows upregulation of immune pathways in EV-D68 infected neuronal cells and found correlation with cytokine profiles in acute flaccid myelitis patients. Yeast two-hybrid analysis was performed to identify viral-host protein interaction. The results identified six potential host protein targets interacting with EV-D68 capsid proteins, and LGALS1 was selected. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), targeting LGALS1, showed limited efficacy in reducing EV-D68 infection. These findings underscore the need for further research into viral-host protein interactions and the mechanisms of EV-D68-induced neurological diseases to develop more effective therapeutic agents.