Resveratrol as an epigenetic therapy for flavivirus infection: A narrative review

Abstract

Flaviviruses are a group of positive-stranded RNA viruses that cause a broad spectrum of severe illnesses in humans worldwide. Clinical manifestations of flavivirus infections range from mild febrile illness to hemorrhage, shock, and neurological manifestations. Flavivirus infections cause a substantial global health impact, with an estimated more than 400 million cases of infections annually. Hence, an understanding of flavivirus-host interaction is urgently needed for new antiviral therapeutic strategies. In recent years, many aspects concerning epigenetic therapy for viral infections have been addressed, including methylation of the genome, acetylation/deacetylation of histone complex and microRNA regulation. In this context, we surveyed and reviewed the literature and summarized the epigenetic effects of resveratrol, a natural polyphenol with potential anti-viral properties, on flavivirus infections.