{
  "abstract": "Defective interfering particles (DIPs) represent promising antivirals against influenza A virus (IAV), yet strategies to further enhance their antiviral activity remain largely unexplored. Here, we engineered a next-generation OP7 DIP by truncating the viral interferon (IFN) antagonist non-structural protein 1 (NS1) to enhance IFN-mediated antiviral activity. A previously validated mathematical multiscale model predicted that loss of NS1 function would enhance antiviral activity, providing a mechanistic rationale for this design. We engineered OP7-trNS1 DIP, established a cell culture-based production process yielding infectious virus-free material, and evaluated its antiviral activity in human lung epithelial cells in vitro. OP7-trNS1 inhibited IAV replication by approx. two orders of magnitude more effectively than the parental OP7 DIP while inducing a stronger IFN response, consistent with the model predictions. Together, these findings demonstrate that reducing viral IFN antagonism is a viable strategy for rationally enhancing DIP antiviral activity and establish OP7-trNS1 as a promising candidate for further preclinical development.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Bioprocess Engineering, Magdeburg, Germany"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "J. Piasecka"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Ruediger"
    },
    {
      "name": "U. Reichl"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "S. Y. Kupke"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/752psbgw505kh.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.18.752587",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.752587v1.full",
  "id": "752psbgw505kh",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.752587v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "molecular biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2713|Influenza Virus Research Studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214299764",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.752587v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-18",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/752psbgw505kh.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:23:46Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.18.752587",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.752587v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "biorxiv:molecular biology",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Model-Guided Engineering of NS1-Truncated Influenza OP7 Particles with Enhanced Interferon-Mediated Antiviral Activity",
  "title_text": "Model-Guided Engineering of NS1-Truncated Influenza OP7 Particles with Enhanced Interferon-Mediated Antiviral Activity",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:23:46Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/752psbgw505kh",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}