Multi-omics dissection of Zika virus pathogenesis reveals repurposed drugs as antiviral candidates

Zika virus (ZIKV) received worldwide attention over the past decade when outbreaks of the disease were found to be associated with neurological complications. There are currently no approved antiviral drugs or vaccines with proven efficacy. Yeast two-hybrid screening and transcriptomic profiling were employed to identify ZIKV interacting human proteins and key pathways. This multi-omics study identified host factors and pathways involved in inflammation, immune response, mitotic processes, and central nervous system development. Additionally, repurposed drugs targeting ZIKV interacting host factors were identified. Among these, Zafirlukast exhibited potent antiviral activity against ZIKV by modulating host immune and inflammatory responses.