Enteropathogenic coronavirus (ECoV)

Enteropathogenic coronaviruses (ECoVs) are a diverse group of viruses within the Coronaviridae family that primarily infect the epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract in humans and animals [PubMed: 29769351]. These viruses, including Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) and Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus (TGEV), are characterized by their ability to cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration, often leading to high mortality rates in neonatal livestock [PubMed: 26038515]. The infection process is mediated by the viral Spike (S) protein, which frequently targets the host cell surface enzyme Aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) to facilitate entry into enterocytes [UniProt: P15144]. From a therapeutic perspective, the term 'Enteropathogenic coronavirus' refers to a pathogen class rather than a single molecular target. However, drug discovery efforts focus on highly conserved viral proteins such as the Main Protease (Mpro) and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) [PubMed: 32272481]. Broad-spectrum antivirals like Remdesivir and Nirmatrelvir have shown efficacy in inhibiting these enzymes across various coronavirus species [NIH]. Additionally, neutralizing antibodies and vaccines targeting the Spike protein are critical for preventing infection and mitigating the economic and clinical impact of enteric outbreaks [PubMed: 33806177].

Other names

Enteric coronavirusGastrointestinal coronavirusPorcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV)Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV)Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV)Bovine coronavirus (BCoV)

Inhibition of viral replication via targeting the Main Protease (Mpro/3CLpro) to prevent polyprotein processing, or the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) to halt genome synthesis. Additionally, some strategies focus on blocking the viral Spike (S) protein from binding to host-cell receptors like Aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) [PubMed: 29769351, 32272481].