An effective inactivant based on singlet oxygen-mediated lipid oxidation implicates a new paradigm for broad-spectrum antivirals

Emerging viral pathogens cause substantial morbidity and pose a severe threat to health worldwide. However, a universal antiviral strategy for producing safe and immunogenic inactivated vaccines is lacking. Here, we report an antiviral strategy using the novel singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 )-generating agent LJ002 to inactivate enveloped viruses and provide effective protection against viral infection. Our results demonstrated that LJ002 efficiently generated 1 O 2 in solution and living cells. Nevertheless, LJ002 exhibited no signs of acute toxicity in vitro or in vivo . The 1 O 2 produced by LJ002 oxidized lipids in the viral envelope and consequently destroyed the viral membrane structure, thus inhibiting the viral and cell membrane fusion necessary for infection. Moreover, the 1 O 2 -based inactivated pseudorabies virus (PRV) vaccine had no effect on the content of the viral surface proteins. Immunization of mice with LJ002-inactiviated PRV vaccine harboring comparable antigen induced more neutralizing antibody responses and efficient protection against PRV infection than conventional formalin-inactivated vaccine. Additionally, LJ002 inactivated a broad spectrum of enveloped viruses. Together, our results may provide a new paradigm of using broad-spectrum, highly effective inactivants functioning through 1 O 2 -mediated lipid oxidation for developing antivirals that target the viral membrane fusion process.