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Scientific Projects

Recent studies by our group show that TMPRSS2 is the major activating-protease of influenza A virus in the respiratory tract and essential for proteolytic activation of influenza B virus in human lung cells. TMPRSS2 also activates the envelope proteins of other respiratory viruses, including the F protein of human metapneumovirus and the spike protein of several coronaviruses (CoV).
The surface proteins of numerous other viruses are activated by the ubiquitous proprotein convertase (PC) furin and other PCs. These include highly pathogenic avian influenza A viruses of subtype H5 and H7, flaviviruses such as dengue, yellow fever or Zika virus, Ebola virus or HIV. In turn, the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 must be cleaved by both furin and TMPRSS2 for the virus to enter the host cell.  TMPRSS2 and furin thus represent promising drug targets for the treatment of viral diseases with a broad spectrum of activity.

• Proteolytic activation of influenza viruses and coronaviruses by host cell proteases
• Inhibition of virus-activating host proteases as a new approach for the treatment of viral infections
• Studies on the role of virus activation by host cell proteases in species transmission and adaptation to a new host
• The role of virus-activating proteases in the progression of viral respiratory infections in comorbidities
• Characterization of the "virus activating" protease TMPRSS2 and its physiological function