Research progress in non-structural proteins NS2B-NS3 and NS5 of tick-borne encephalitis virus

Abstract:

Tick-borne encephalitis virus is the pathogen of tick-borne encephalitis, which causes severe central nervous system symptoms. The number of tick-borne encephalitis cases reported annually in Europe, Russian Far East, Japan, and northern China reaches 10 000- 12 000, and the incidence is gradually increasing in China and several European countries. This disease is becoming a potential hazard to human. Active immunization is an effective measure to prevent infection, and vaccines with high safety have been developed in multiple countries including China. However, the vaccination is limited in the provinces where tick-borne encephalitis is popular. The design of specific antivirals may be a feasible way for the treatment of this disease. The non-structural proteins NS2B-NS3 and NS5 of tick-borne encephalitis virus play key roles in viral genome replication, capping, and host immunomodulation, thus becoming key targets for antiviral development. In this review, we outlined the three-dimensional structures and the development of inhibitors of NS2B-NS3 and NS5 of tick-borne encephalitis virus. This review provides a reference for probing into the molecular mechanism of tick-borne encephalitis virus infection and the development of antivirals.