Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein (HN) (NDV HN)

The Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein is a multifunctional surface glycoprotein essential for the life cycle of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV), an avian paramyxovirus (UniProt: P04842). It serves three primary roles: recognizing and binding to sialic acid-containing receptors on the host cell surface, promoting membrane fusion in conjunction with the fusion (F) protein, and acting as a neuraminidase to remove sialic acid from progeny virions to prevent self-aggregation (A. Nishikawa et al., 2003, Journal of Virology). Because of its central role in viral entry and egress, the HN protein is a primary target for the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines for poultry (Z. He et al., 2022, Frontiers in Microbiology). Additionally, the HN protein's ability to recognize specific sialic acid linkages often overexpressed on tumor cells makes NDV a candidate for oncolytic virotherapy, where the protein mediates tumor-selective binding and immune stimulation (V.C. Diraviyam et al., 2014, Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics). Therapeutic strategies targeting HN include small-molecule neuraminidase inhibitors like BCX-2798 and neutralizing antibodies that block receptor attachment or fusion activation.

Other names

HN proteinHemagglutinin-neuraminidaseNDV-HNNewcastle disease virus HN

Competitive inhibition of the sialic acid binding site and neuraminidase enzymatic activity to prevent viral attachment, entry, and egress.