2-Aminophenylboronic acid-functionalized carbon dots show broad-spectrum antiviral activity against respiratory viruses.

Authors

Musbahu Adam Ahmad, Tufael Ahmed, Mochamad Zakki Fahmi, Adi Idris

Published in

Nanoscale advances. Jun 26, 2026. Epub Jun 26, 2026.

Abstract

Respiratory viruses such as influenza A virus (IAV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) impose a persistent global health burden, yet current antivirals are often limited by toxicity and side effects. This highlights the urgent need for broad-spectrum antiviral agents that can safely block viral infections. Carbon dots (cDots) provide an ideal scaffold for this strategy due to their ultra-small size, tuneable surface chemistry, and inherent biocompatibility. Notably, we previously demonstrated that 2-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA)-derived cDots have virus-binding capabilities by inhibiting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 entry. Herein, we synthesize APBA-functionalized cDots via pyrolysis, yielding cDots densely decorated with boronic acid and boroxine groups. These non-toxic APBA-cDots demonstrate potent antiviral activity against RSV, IAV, and hMPV in vitro. Competitive inhibition by N-acetylglucosamine and molecular docking analyses are consistent with a proposed boronic acid-mediated interaction with glycan-rich viral surfaces, although this mechanism has not yet been definitively proven by direct loss-of-function chemistry. Overall, these findings identify APBA-cDots as a promising antiviral nanoplatform and provide preliminary support for a glycan-targeting mechanism that warrants further validation.

PMID:
42405194
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 06 Jul 2026.

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