Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Chang Chung University Academic Capacity Ensemble

Research Directions and Laboratory Features

Research Topic: Drug Discovery Against RNA Viruses

Research Directions:

1. Our laboratory focuses on the development of antiviral traditional Chinese medicines and small-molecule drugs. We aim to develop and screen inhibitory agents against influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2, and enteroviruses from clinically used traditional Chinese medicine formulas or single-herb medicines. We also investigate their mechanisms of action in order to prepare for potential future outbreaks.
2. We utilize quantitative proteomics techniques and high-throughput next-generation sequencing to identify the target proteins of potential drugs. By analyzing differential expression of miRNAs and lncRNAs and their roles in inducing signaling pathways, we seek to understand host–virus interactions and further investigate the related antiviral mechanisms.

Publication

1. Tang, W. F., Huang, R. T., Chien, K. Y., Huang, J. Y., Lau, K. S., Jheng, J. R., Chiu, C. H., Wu, T. Y., Chen, C. Y., and Horng*, J. T. (2016) Host MicroRNA miR-197 Plays a Negative Regulatory Role in the Enterovirus 71 Infectious Cycle by Targeting the RAN Protein. Journal of virology 90, 1424-1438

2. Jheng, J. R., Wang, S. C., Jheng, C. R., and Horng*, J. T. (2016) Enterovirus 71 induces dsRNA/PKR-dependent cytoplasmic redistribution of GRP78/BiP to promote viral replication. Emerg Microbes Infect 5, e23

3. Ho, J. Y., Chern, J. H., Hsieh, C. F., Liu, S. T., Liu, C. J., Wang, Y. S., Kuo, T. W., Hsu, S. J., Yeh, T. K., Shih, S. R., Hsieh, P. W., Chiu, C. H., and Horng*, J. T. (2016) In vitro and in vivo studies of a potent capsid-binding inhibitor of enterovirus 71. The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy 71, 1922-1932

4. Lin, T. J., Lin, C. F., Chiu, C. H., Lee, M. C., and Horng*, J. T. (2016) Inhibition of endosomal fusion activity of influenza virus by Rheum tanguticum (da-huang). Sci Rep 6, 27768

5. Hsieh, C. F., Chen, Y. L., Lin, C. F., Ho, J. Y., Huang, C. H., Chiu, C. H., Hsieh, P. W., and Horng*, J. T. (2016) An extract from Taxodium distichum targets hemagglutinin- and neuraminidase-related activities of influenza virus in vitro. Sci Rep 6, 36015

6. Chang, Y. H., Lau, K. S., Kuo, R. L., and Horng*, J. T. (2017) dsRNA Binding Domain of PKR Is Proteolytically Released by Enterovirus A71 to Facilitate Viral Replication. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 7, 284

7. Chen, S. G., Cheng, M. L., Chen, K. H., Horng, J. T., Liu, C. C., Wang, S. M., Sakurai, H., Leu, Y. L., Wang, S. D., and Ho, H. Y. (2017) Antiviral activities of Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. against enterovirus 71 in vitro and in vivo. Sci Rep 7, 935

8. Jheng, J. R., Lau, K. S., Lan, Y. W., and Horng, J. T. (2018) A novel role of ER stress signal transducer ATF6 in regulating enterovirus A71 viral protein stability. Journal of biomedical science 25, 9

9. Huang, C. G., Lee, L. A., Wu, Y. C., Hsiao, M. J., Horng, J. T., Kuo, R. L., Huang, C. H., Lin, Y. C., Tsao, K. C., Chen, M. C., Chen, T. C., and Shih, S. R. (2018) A pilot study on primary cultures of human respiratory tract epithelial cells to predict patients' responses to H7N9 infection. Oncotarget 9, 14492-14508

10. Sethy, B., Hsieh, C. F., Yeh, C., Horng, J. T., and Hsieh, P. W. (2018) Design, synthesis & structure-activity relationships of a new class of antihuman enterovirus D68 & A71 agents. Future Med Chem 10, 1333-1347

11. Tang, W. F., Huang, R. T., Chien, K. Y., Tang, P., and Horng*, J. T. (2018) Large-Scale Proteomic Identification of Targets of Cellular miR-197 Downregulated by Enterovirus A71. Journal of proteome research

12. Sethy, B., Hsieh, C. F., Lin, T. J., Hu, P. Y., Chen, Y. L., Lin, C. Y., Tseng, S. N., Horng*, J. T., and Hsieh*, P. W. (2019) Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Itaconic Acid Derivatives as Potential Anti-Influenza Agents. Journal of medicinal chemistry 62, 2390-2403

13. Hsieh, C.F., Jheng, J.R., Lin, G.H., Chen, Y.L., Ho, J.Y., Liu, C.J., Hsu, K.Y., Chen, Y.S., Chan, Y.F., Yu, H.M., Hsieh, P.W., Chern, J.H., Horng*, J.T., 2020. Rosmarinic acid exhibits broad anti-enterovirus A71 activity by inhibiting the interaction between the five-fold axis of capsid VP1 and cognate sulfated receptors. Emerg Microbes Infect 9, 1194-1205.