ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Viral Immunology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1576069
This article is part of the Research TopicNovel Natural Therapies for Infectious Diseases Using Computational and Pharmacological ApproachesView all 4 articles
Cordycepin, lactoferrin, and Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides (CLS) Protects Against RSV via M2-like Macrophage Polarization
Provisionally accepted
- 1Dongguan People's Hospital Xiegang Branch, Dongguan, China
- 2Dongguan People's Hospital, Dongguan, China
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Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of respiratory tract infections, particularly in infants and the older population, with limited effective treatments available. Cordycepin, lactoferrin, and Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides (CLS) are natural compounds with antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of CLS in RSV infection. Methods: A murine model of RSV infection was used to evaluate the effects of CLS. Lung pathology was assessed by lung index, histology, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) albumin and LDH levels. Viral load was measured by RSV mRNA and protein expression. Alveolar macrophage depletion was achieved using clodronate liposomes, and macrophage polarization was analyzed via flow cytometry and RT-qPCR. Results: CLS treatment improved lung pathology, reduced BALF injury markers, and decreased viral load. The therapeutic effects of CLS were abrogated by macrophage depletion, indicating a reliance on alveolar macrophages. CLS promoted M2-like macrophage polarization, increasing M2 markers and reducing M1 markers. In vitro, CLS reduced RSV-induced apoptosis and enhanced macrophage proliferation. Conclusions: CLS protects against RSV-induced lung injury by promoting M2-like macrophage polarization and reducing viral load. These findings support CLS as a potential therapeutic for RSV infections.
Keywords: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Macrophage polarization, Cordycepin, Lactoferin, Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharide, Lung pathology
Received: 13 Feb 2025; Accepted: 28 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Fu, Huang, Zhang, Li and Hu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Shichang Hu, Dongguan People's Hospital Xiegang Branch, Dongguan, China
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