Dengue virus and lipid metabolism: unravelling the interplay for future therapeutic approaches

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2025 Dec;14(1):2477647. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2025.2477647. Epub 2025 Apr 9.

Abstract

In recent years, Dengue virus (DENV) has continued to pose significant health risks in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, raising health alerts worldwide. It can cause hyperviremia in humans and can even lead to fatal clinical diseases. The life cycle of DENV is intricately linked to cellular lipids, and the virus selectively utilizes relevant enzymes involved in lipid metabolism to modulate the existing metabolic system in host cells during entry, replication, assembly, and other stages, thereby creating an environment conducive to its complete replication cycle. At present, there is a lack of effective and specific anti-DENV treatment measures. This review summarizes the recently identified lipid metabolism molecules and metabolic related diseases that affect DENV infection, explores the dependence of DENV on lipid metabolism and provides potential targets for the treatment of dengue fever (DF).

Keywords: Dengue virus; antiviral; cholesterol; fatty acid; lipid metabolism; metabolic disorders; phospholipid; sphingolipid.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Dengue Virus* / drug effects
  • Dengue Virus* / genetics
  • Dengue Virus* / metabolism
  • Dengue Virus* / physiology
  • Dengue* / drug therapy
  • Dengue* / metabolism
  • Dengue* / virology
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Humans
  • Lipid Metabolism*
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents