Now more than ever we are aware of the need of development of new antiviral materials to fight off unknown virus and overcome the multidrug resistance shown by different pathogens. Such resistance is considered a public health threat and the WHO predicted millions of deaths during the next years caused by resistant microorganisms. Carbon based nanomaterials hold promise for alternative and innovative approaches as they are biodegradable and biocompatible materials with unique tunable optical, electronic and mechanical properties.

Many biological recognition processes take advantage of multivalency to enhance weak ligand-receptor affinities. Typical important multivalent interactions are the protein-carbohydrate recognition involved in viral entry, cell surface adhesion, and host-pathogen interactions. Among the carbon based nanomaterials, [60]fullerene constitutes a privileged scaffold with a highly symmetrical and rigid nanosized structure. We have modified it to form hexakis-adducts with octahedral geometry for the multivalent presentation of carbohydrates or amino acids.^1,2 Tridecafullerenes constructed by a central [60]fullerene scaffold surrounded by other twelve fullerene units endowed with up to 360 disaccharides have been synthesized and studied in viral infection inhibition biological assays. These systems have shown a remarkable efficiency in the inhibition of the infectious process by Ebola, Zika and Dengue viruses, with IC₅₀ values in the picomolar range.³

New multivalent nanostructures with different topology and/or fluorescent platforms are currently being synthesized and evaluated in our group. The latest results will be presented.

References:

[1] Muñoz, A.; Sigwalt, D.; Illescas, B. M.; Luczkowiak, J.; Rodríguez-Pérez, L.; Nierengarten, I.; Holler, M.; Remy, J.-S.; Buffet, K.; Vincent, S. P.; Rojo, J.; Delgado, R.; Nierengarten, J.-F.; Martín, N. Nat. Chem., 2016, 8, 50-57.

[2] Ruiz-Santaquiteria, M.; Illescas, B. M.; Abdelnabi, R.; Boonen, A.; Mills, A.; Martí-Marí, O.; Noppen, S.; Neyts, J.; Schols, D.; Gago, F.; San-Félix, A.; Camarasa, M. J., Martín, N. Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27, 10700–10710.

[3] Ramos-Soriano, J.; Reina, J. J.; Illescas, B. M.; De La Cruz, N.; Rodríguez-Pérez, L.; Lasala, F.; Rojo, J.; Delgado, R.; Martín, N. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 15403-15412.