# Validation of Recombinant Type I Interferon Antiviral Activity Against Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus In Vitro and In Vivo

## TL;DR

This study shows that porcine interferon-alpha can effectively reduce the effects of a virus causing diarrhea in piglets, offering a potential treatment for the swine industry.

## Contribution

The study validates the antiviral activity of recombinant porcine interferon-alpha against PEDV in both cell and animal models.

## Key findings

- Porcine interferon-alpha shows strong antiviral activity against PEDV in cell experiments.
- In piglets, interferon-alpha reduces diarrhea symptoms and intestinal viral loads.
- Prophylactic effects of interferon-alpha are more effective than therapeutic ones.

## Abstract

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus currently causes significant economic losses to the global swine industry. By exploring the antiviral potential of porcine interferon-alpha against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, this study aims to develop effective preventive and therapeutic measures. Evaluations using cell experiments and piglet infection models revealed that porcine interferon-alpha exhibits potent antiviral activity at the cellular level, with prophylactic effects being superior to therapeutic outcomes. In virus-infected piglets, it significantly alleviated diarrhea symptoms and reduced intestinal viral loads. The research findings confirm that porcine interferon-alpha holds promise as an effective antiviral agent against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. This not only provides a foundation for new treatment strategies to control the virus but also helps reduce agricultural economic losses, carrying clear social significance for maintaining the stable development of the livestock industry.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a coronavirus responsible for severe watery diarrhea in neonatal piglets, leads to significant economic losses globally. Effective prevention and treatment of PEDV infection is critical to the swine industry. Currently, there are no available therapeutic drugs for PEDV. Porcine interferons (poIFNs) have been identified as promising molecules against a series of swine viruses due to their broad-spectrum antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. In this study, we demonstrated that type I interferon-α (IFN-α) offered both prophylactic and therapeutic benefits against PEDV infection. Recombinant poIFN-α produced by a prokaryotic expression system was purified through affinity chromatography, and its prophylactic and therapeutic effects against PEDV infection were evaluated in vitro and in vivo through RT-qPCR, clinical symptom monitoring, and pathological examination. In vitro studies revealed a strong antiviral activity of poIFN-α against PEDV in Vero E6 cells, with a more pronounced prophylactic effect compared to therapeutic outcomes. In vivo studies showed that poIFN-α significantly alleviated clinical diarrhea in PEDV-infected piglets and reduced intestinal viral loads. These findings suggest that poIFN-α holds considerable promise as an antiviral agent for PEDV and provides a foundation for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting this virus.