[Angiotensin II suppression in SARS-CoV-2 infection: a therapeutic approach]

Design and study of bioisosteric analogues of the drug Molnupiravir as potential therapeutics against SARS-COV-2: an in silico approach

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has created an urgent need for effective antiviral drugs that can be rapidly developed and utilized to treat patients infected with the virus. Molnupiravir, a direct-acting oral antiviral, has shown promising results in reducing viral infections with SARS-CoV-2. Nonetheless, there is still a need for the development of more efficacious analogues with enhanced interaction with the specific target, the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and better physico-chemical profile. Our study is based on a rational design strategy, known as "bioisosterism", to design some analogues. The pool of bioisosteric structural analogues was further enriched using the "SwissBioisostere" database. Only structures with a Tanimoto score more than 0.85 (calculated using the Maximum Common Substructure scoring method) and with ΔlogP (lipophilicity) ± 1 and ΔPSA (Polar Surface Area) ± 10 Å were retained. Next, molecular docking studies were conducted using AutoDock Vina®. Ligand and receptor preparation and molecular interaction analysis were performed using UCSF Chimera® and Biovia Discovery Studio®, respectively. The three-dimensional structure of the RdRp of SARS-CoV-2 (6M71) was sourced from RCSB PDB®. Ligands were prepared in 3D, and the receptor underwent solvent removal, elimination of alternative positions, hydrogen atom addition, and partial charge assignment. Binding pocket coordinates were determined, and utilized for AutoDock Vina® docking. Parallelly, the druglikeness of our molecules was predicted using the website ADME-SWISS: http://www.swissadme.ch/, based on Lipinski and Weber scores. Docking outcomes, combined to druglikeness prediction results, identified two fluorinated analogues with superior binding affinity (lowest score and an RMSD ≤ 2 Å) and improved physico-chemical properties (no violation of Lipinsky and Veber rules). This study contributes to the development of more effective antiviral drugs by providing insights into potential uegs with enhanced interactions with RNA polymerase and better druglikeness profile.

Graphical abstract

Complicaciones Cardiovasculares asociadas a infección por SARS-CoV-2. Revisión Sistemática

El COVID-19 es una enfermedad que ha afectado a la población mundial, convirtiéndose en una de las peores pandemias de nuestra generación, representando un reto social y sanitario sin precedentes; afecta principalmente el sistema respiratorio, sin embargo, diversos estudios han demostrado el compromiso cardiovascular, generando preocupación, que se traduce en una mayor vulnerabilidad en los pacientes con patologías cardiovasculares subyacentes. Se ha establecido que la presencia de comorbilidades, como hipertensión, diabetes y enfermedad arterial coronaria, se asocian con tasas de mortalidad elevadas, afectando a pacientes cardiovasculares crónicos y causando alteraciones cardiovasculares en pacientes sin antecedentes, por lo cual es necesario el monitoreo de biomarcadores cardíacos para un mejor abordaje de la enfermedad. Estudios clínicos han evidenciado que la patología cardiovascular que principalmente se asocia al COVID-19 es la insuficiencia cardíaca (IC), que se manifiesta con un aumento en los niveles de troponina, miopericarditis, shock cardiogénico, lesión cardíaca aguda, trastornos de coagulación y trombosis, arritmias, además del síndrome coronario agudo y la enfermedad de Kawasaki. Este artículo es una revisión de las complicaciones cardíacas asociadas al COVID-19 y sus posibles mecanismos de acción, que permitan un mejor entendimiento por parte del personal médico y de salud (PROSPERO ID 316364).

Short-term influence of environmental factors and social variables COVID-19 disease in Spain during first wave (Feb-May 2020)

This study aims to identify the combined role of environmental pollutants and atmospheric variables at short term on the rate of incidence (TIC) and on the hospital admission rate (TIHC) due to COVID-19 disease in Spain. This study used information from 41 of the 52 provinces of Spain (from Feb. 1, 2021 to May 31, 2021). Using TIC and TIHC as dependent variables, and average daily concentrations of PM₁₀ and NO₂ as independent variables. Meteorological variables included maximum daily temperature (Tmax) and average daily absolute humidity (HA). Generalized linear models (GLM) with Poisson link were carried out for each provinces The GLM model controlled for trend, seasonalities, and the autoregressive character of the series. Days with lags were established. The relative risk (RR) was calculated by increases of 10 μg/m³ in PM₁₀ and NO₂ and by 1 °C in the case of Tmax and 1 g/m³ in the case of HA. Later, a linear regression was carried out that included the social determinants of health. Statistically significant associations were found between PM₁₀, NO₂, and the rate of COVID-19 incidence. NO₂ was the variable that showed greater association, both for TIC as well as for TIHC in the majority of provinces. Temperature and HA do not seem to have played an important role. The geographic distribution of RR in the studied provinces was very much heterogeneous. Some of the health determinants considered, including income per capita, presence of airports, average number of diesel cars per inhabitant, average number of nursing personnel, and homes under 30 m² could explain the differential geographic behavior. As findings indicates, environmental factors only could modulate the incidence and severity of COVID-19. Moreover, the social determinants and public health measures could explain some patterns of geographically distribution founded.

Air pollution and meteorological variables' effects on COVID-19 first and second waves in Spain

The aim of this research is to study the influence of atmospheric pollutants and meteorological variables on the incidence rate of COVID-19 and the rate of hospital admissions due to COVID-19 during the first and second waves in nine Spanish provinces. Numerous studies analyze the effect of environmental and pollution variables separately, but few that include them in the same analysis together, and even fewer that compare their effects between the first and second waves of the virus. This study was conducted in nine of 52 Spanish provinces, using generalized linear models with Poisson link between levels of PM₁₀, NO₂ and O₃ (independent variables) and maximum temperature and absolute humidity and the rates of incidence and hospital admissions of COVID-19 (dependent variables), establishing a series of significant lags. Using the estimators obtained from the significant multivariate models, the relative risks associated with these variables were calculated for increases of 10 µg/m³ for pollutants, 1 °C for temperature and 1 g/m³ for humidity. The results suggest that NO₂ has a greater association than the other air pollution variables and the meteorological variables. There was a greater association with O₃ in the first wave and with NO₂ in the second. Pollutants showed a homogeneous distribution across the country. We conclude that, compared to other air pollutants and meteorological variables, NO₂ is a protagonist that may modulate the incidence and severity of COVID-19, though preventive public health measures such as masking and hand washing are still very important.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13762-022-04190-z.

Mortality due to COVID-19 in Spain and its association with environmental factors and determinants of health

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to identify which air pollutants, atmospheric variables and health determinants could influence COVID-19 mortality in Spain. This study used information from 41 of the 52 provinces in Spain (from Feb. 1, to May 31, 2021). Generalized Linear Models (GLM) with Poisson link were carried out for the provinces, using the Rate of Mortality due to COVID-19 (CM) per 1,000,000 inhabitants as dependent variables, and average daily concentrations of PM₁₀ and NO₂ as independent variables. Meteorological variables included maximum daily temperature (Tmax) and average daily absolute humidity (HA). The GLM model controlled for trend, seasonalities and the autoregressive character of the series. Days with lags were established. The relative risk (RR) was calculated by increases of 10 g/m³ in PM₁₀ and NO₂ and by 1 ℃ in the case of Tmax and 1 g/m³ in the case of HA. Later, a linear regression was carried out that included the social determinants of health.

RESULTS

Statistically significant associations were found between PM₁₀, NO₂ and the CM. These associations had a positive value. In the case of temperature and humidity, the associations had a negative value. PM₁₀ being the variable that showed greater association, with the CM followed of NO₂ in the majority of provinces. Anyone of the health determinants considered, could explain the differential geographic behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The role of PM₁₀ is worth highlighting, as the chemical air pollutant for which there was a greater number of provinces in which it was associated with CM. The role of the meteorological variables-temperature and HA-was much less compared to that of the air pollutants. None of the social determinants we proposed could explain the heterogeneous geographical distribution identified in this study.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12302-022-00617-z.

Phytochemicals and Their Possible Mechanisms in Managing COVID-19 and Diabetes

For the writing of this manuscript, we searched information published from 2000 to 2021, through PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, and Science Direct. Focusing on the effects related to respiratory diseases, in addition to possible direct effects towards SARS-CoV-2, coupled with diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disease that is characterized by affecting the function of glucose, in addition to insulin insufficiency. This leads to patients with such pathologies as being at greater risk for developing multiple complications and increase exposure to viruses infections. This is the case of severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 19 (SARS-CoV-2), which gave rise to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), declared an international public health emergency in March of 2020 Currently, several strategies have been applied in order to prevent the majority of the consequences of COVID-19, especially in patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes. Among the possible treatment options, we found that the use of phytochemical compounds has exhibited beneficial effects for the prevention and inhibition of infection by SARS-CoV-2, as well as for the improvement of the manifestations of diabetes.