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Apostolopoulos V, Georgiou N, Tzeli D, Mavromoustakos T, Moore GJ, Kelaidonis K, Matsoukas MT, Tsiodras S, Swiderski J, Kate Gadanec L, Zulli A, Chasapis CT, Matsoukas JM. Density functional theory and enzyme studies support interactions between angiotensin receptor blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme-2: Relevance to coronavirus 2019. Bioorg Chem 2024; 150:107602. [PMID: 38959647 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The binding affinities and interactions between eight drug candidates, both commercially available (candesartan; losartan; losartan carboxylic acid; nirmatrelvir; telmisartan) and newly synthesized benzimidazole-N-biphenyltetrazole (ACC519T), benzimidazole bis-N,N'-biphenyltetrazole (ACC519T(2) and 4-butyl-N,N-bis([2-(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]) methyl (BV6), and the active site of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) were evaluated for their potential as inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 and regulators of ACE2 function through Density Functional Theory methodology and enzyme activity assays, respectively. Notably, telmisartan and ACC519T(2) exhibited pronounced binding affinities, forming strong interactions with ACE2's active center, favorably accepting proton from the guanidinium group of arginine273. The ordering of candidates by binding affinity and reactivity descriptors, emerged as telmisartan > ACC519T(2) > candesartan > ACC519T > losartan carboxylic acid > BV6 > losartan > nirmatrelvir. Proton transfers among the active center amino acids revealed their interconnectedness, highlighting a chain-like proton transfer involving tyrosine, phenylalanine, and histidine. Furthermore, these candidates revealed their potential antiviral abilities by influencing proton transfer within the ACE2 active site. Furthermore, through an in vitro pharmacological assays we determined that candesartan and the BV6 derivative, 4-butyl-N,N0-bis[20-2Htetrazol-5-yl)bipheyl-4-yl]methyl)imidazolium bromide (BV6(K+)2) also contain the capacity to increase ACE2 functional activity. This comprehensive analysis collectively underscores the promise of these compounds as potential therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2 by targeting crucial protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasso Apostolopoulos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria 3030, Australia; Immunology Program, Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), Melbourne, Victoria 3021, Australia.
| | - Nikitas Georgiou
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, 11571 Athens, Greece.
| | - Demeter Tzeli
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, 11571 Athens, Greece; Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 11635 Athens, Greece.
| | - Thomas Mavromoustakos
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, 11571 Athens, Greece.
| | - Graham J Moore
- Pepmetics Inc., 772 Murphy Place, Victoria, BC V8Y 3H4, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | | | | | - Sotirios Tsiodras
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Jordan Swiderski
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria 3030, Australia.
| | - Laura Kate Gadanec
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria 3030, Australia.
| | - Anthony Zulli
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria 3030, Australia.
| | - Christos T Chasapis
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece.
| | - John M Matsoukas
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria 3030, Australia; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; NewDrug PC, Patras Science Park, Patras, 26504, Greece; Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
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2
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Gupta G, Verkhivker G. Exploring Binding Pockets in the Conformational States of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Trimers for the Screening of Allosteric Inhibitors Using Molecular Simulations and Ensemble-Based Ligand Docking. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4955. [PMID: 38732174 PMCID: PMC11084335 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding mechanisms of allosteric regulation remains elusive for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, despite the increasing interest and effort in discovering allosteric inhibitors of the viral activity and interactions with the host receptor ACE2. The challenges of discovering allosteric modulators of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins are associated with the diversity of cryptic allosteric sites and complex molecular mechanisms that can be employed by allosteric ligands, including the alteration of the conformational equilibrium of spike protein and preferential stabilization of specific functional states. In the current study, we combine conformational dynamics analysis of distinct forms of the full-length spike protein trimers and machine-learning-based binding pocket detection with the ensemble-based ligand docking and binding free energy analysis to characterize the potential allosteric binding sites and determine structural and energetic determinants of allosteric inhibition for a series of experimentally validated allosteric molecules. The results demonstrate a good agreement between computational and experimental binding affinities, providing support to the predicted binding modes and suggesting key interactions formed by the allosteric ligands to elicit the experimentally observed inhibition. We establish structural and energetic determinants of allosteric binding for the experimentally known allosteric molecules, indicating a potential mechanism of allosteric modulation by targeting the hinges of the inter-protomer movements and blocking conformational changes between the closed and open spike trimer forms. The results of this study demonstrate that combining ensemble-based ligand docking with conformational states of spike protein and rigorous binding energy analysis enables robust characterization of the ligand binding modes, the identification of allosteric binding hotspots, and the prediction of binding affinities for validated allosteric modulators, which is consistent with the experimental data. This study suggested that the conformational adaptability of the protein allosteric sites and the diversity of ligand bound conformations are both in play to enable efficient targeting of allosteric binding sites and interfere with the conformational changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Gupta
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA;
| | - Gennady Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA;
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
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3
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Wei Y, Chen AX, Lin Y, Wei T, Qiao B. Allosteric regulation in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:6582-6589. [PMID: 38329233 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00106k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Allosteric regulation is common in protein-protein interactions and is thus promising in drug design. Previous experimental and simulation work supported the presence of allosteric regulation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Here the route of allosteric regulation in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is examined by all-atom explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations, contrastive machine learning, and the Ohm approach. It was found that peptide binding to the polybasic cleavage sites, especially the one at the first subunit of the trimeric spike protein, activates the fluctuation of the spike protein's backbone, which eventually propagates to the receptor-binding domain on the third subunit that binds to ACE2. Remarkably, the allosteric regulation routes starting from the polybasic cleavage sites share a high fraction (39-67%) of the critical amino acids with the routes starting from the nitrogen-terminal domains, suggesting the presence of an allosteric regulation network in the spike protein. Our study paves the way for the rational design of allosteric antibody inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wei
- Department of Computer Science, High Point University, High Point, NC 27268, USA
| | - Amy X Chen
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA 22312, USA
| | - Yuewei Lin
- Computational Science Initiative, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Tao Wei
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
| | - Baofu Qiao
- Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College, City University of New York, New York, NY 10010, USA.
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Ismail CMKH, Abdul Hamid AA, Abdul Rashid NN, Lestari W, Mokhtar KI, Mustafa Alahmad BE, Abd Razak MRM, Ismail A. An ensemble docking-based virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulation of phytochemical compounds from Malaysian Kelulut Honey (KH) against SARS-CoV-2 target enzyme, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2). J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-30. [PMID: 38279932 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2308762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
The human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor is a metalloenzyme that plays an important role in regulating blood pressure by modulating angiotensin II. This receptor facilitates SARS-CoV-2 entry into human cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis, causing the global COVID-19 pandemic and a major health crisis. Kelulut honey (KH), one of Malaysian honey recently gained attention for its distinct flavour and taste while having many nutritional and medicinal properties. Recent study demonstrates the antiviral potential of KH against SARS-CoV-2 by inhibiting ACE-2 in vitro, but the bioactive compound pertaining to the ACE-2 inhibition is yet unknown. An ensemble docking-based virtual screening was employed to screen the phytochemical compounds from KH with high binding affinity against the 10 best representative structures of ACE-2 that mostly formed from MD simulation. From 110 phytochemicals previously identified in KH, 27 compounds passed the ADMET analysis and proceeded to docking. Among the docked compound, SDC and FMN consistently exhibited strong binding to ACE-2's active site (-9.719 and -9.473 kcal/mol) and allosteric site (-7.305 and -7.464 kcal/mol) as compared to potent ACE-2 inhibitor, MLN 4760. Detailed trajectory analysis of MD simulation showed stable binding interaction towards active and allosteric sites of ACE-2. KH's compounds show promise in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 binding to ACE-2 receptors, indicating potential for preventive use or as a supplement to other COVID-19 treatments. Additional research is needed to confirm KH's antiviral effects and its role in SARS-CoV-2 therapy, including prophylaxis and adjuvant treatment with vaccination.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che Muhammad Khairul Hisyam Ismail
- Department of Biotechnology, Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
- Research Unit for Bioinformatics & Computational Biology (RUBIC), Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Azzmer Azzar Abdul Hamid
- Department of Biotechnology, Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
- Research Unit for Bioinformatics & Computational Biology (RUBIC), Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | | | - Widya Lestari
- Department of Fundamental Dental and Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Khairani Idah Mokhtar
- Department of Fundamental Dental and Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Basma Ezzat Mustafa Alahmad
- Department of Fundamental Dental and Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Ridzuan Mohd Abd Razak
- Herbal Medicine Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Azlini Ismail
- Department of Fundamental Dental and Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
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Carvalhal F, Magalhães AC, Rebelo R, Palmeira A, Resende DISP, Durães F, Maia M, Xavier CPR, Pereira L, Sousa E, Correia-da-Silva M, Vasconcelos MH. Evaluation of the Cytotoxic and Antiviral Effects of Small Molecules Selected by In Silico Studies as Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry. Molecules 2023; 28:7204. [PMID: 37894682 PMCID: PMC10609270 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The spike protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) relies on host cell surface glycans to facilitate interaction with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor. This interaction between ACE2 and the spike protein is a gateway for the virus to enter host cells and may be targeted by antiviral drugs to inhibit viral infection. Therefore, targeting the interaction between these two proteins is an interesting strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. A library of glycan mimetics and derivatives was selected for a virtual screening performed against both ACE2 and spike proteins. Subsequently, in vitro assays were performed on eleven of the most promising in silico compounds to evaluate: (i) their efficacy in inhibiting cell infection by SARS-CoV-2 (using the Vero CCL-81 cell line as a model), (ii) their impact on ACE2 expression (in the Vero CCL-81 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines), and (iii) their cytotoxicity in a human lung cell line (A549). We identified five synthetic compounds with the potential to block SARS-CoV-2 infection, three of them without relevant toxicity in human lung cells. Xanthene 1 stood out as the most promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent, inhibiting viral infection and viral replication in Vero CCL-81 cells, without causing cytotoxicity to human lung cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Carvalhal
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4408-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.M.); (C.P.R.X.); (L.P.)
- IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Cristina Magalhães
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.M.); (C.P.R.X.); (L.P.)
- IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita Rebelo
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.M.); (C.P.R.X.); (L.P.)
- IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreia Palmeira
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4408-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Diana I. S. P. Resende
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4408-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Fernando Durães
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4408-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Miguel Maia
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4408-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Cristina P. R. Xavier
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.M.); (C.P.R.X.); (L.P.)
- IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luísa Pereira
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.M.); (C.P.R.X.); (L.P.)
- IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Emília Sousa
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4408-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Marta Correia-da-Silva
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4408-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - M. Helena Vasconcelos
- FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal (R.R.); (A.P.); (D.I.S.P.R.); (F.D.); (M.M.); (E.S.)
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.M.); (C.P.R.X.); (L.P.)
- IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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Vitiello A, Zovi A, Trama U, Ferrara F. Overview of pharmacotherapy targeting COVID-19 disease based on ACE-2: current challenges and future directions. Herz 2023; 48:372-375. [PMID: 36331568 PMCID: PMC9638345 DOI: 10.1007/s00059-022-05142-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The new Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV‑2) triggered the pandemic of COVID-19, which is currently still ongoing. In 2021 a worldwide vaccine campaign was launched, and in parallel the lines of research are continuing to target the most effective drug therapies for the treatment of COVID-19 disease. SARS-CoV‑2 enters host cells via glycoprotein angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), which plays a major role in renin-angiotensin system interactions and undergoes changes in expression during metabolic and viral diseases, including COVID-19. It seems that the severe lung damage that occurs in several cases of COVID-19 disease may be connected to a deregulated expression of ACE‑2. In this manuscript we focus on the line of research that studies the pharmacological modification of ACE‑2 expression, a promising weapon to counter the severe harms caused by COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Zovi
- Ministry of Health, Viale Giorgio Ribotta 5, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Ugo Trama
- General Direction for Health Protection and Coordination of the Campania Regional Health System, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferrara
- Pharmaceutical department, Asl Napoli 3 Sud, Dell’amicizia street 22, 80035 Nola, Naples, Italy
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Boopathi V, Nahar J, Murugesan M, Subramaniyam S, Kong BM, Choi SK, Lee CS, Ling L, Yang DU, Yang DC, Mathiyalagan R, Chan Kang S. In silico and in vitro inhibition of host-based viral entry targets and cytokine storm in COVID-19 by ginsenoside compound K. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19341. [PMID: 37809955 PMCID: PMC10558348 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus that emerged as an epidemic, causing a respiratory disease with multiple severe symptoms and deadly consequences. ACE-2 and TMPRSS2 play crucial and synergistic roles in the membrane fusion and viral entry of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds to the ACE-2 receptor for viral entry, while TMPRSS2 proteolytically cleaves the S protein into S1 and S2 subunits, promoting membrane fusion. Therefore, ACE-2 and TMPRSS2 are potential drug targets for treating COVID-19, and their inhibition is a promising strategy for treatment and prevention. This study proposes that ginsenoside compound K (G-CK), a triterpenoid saponin abundant in Panax Ginseng, a dietary and medicinal herb highly consumed in Korea and China, effectively binds to and inhibits ACE-2 and TMPRSS2 expression. We initially conducted an in-silico evaluation where G-CK showed a high affinity for the binding sites of the two target proteins of SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, we evaluated the stability of G-CK using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 100 ns, followed by MM-PBSA calculations. The MD simulations and free energy calculations revealed that G-CK has stable and favorable energies, leading to strong binding with the targets. Furthermore, G-CK suppressed ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNA expression in A549, Caco-2, and MCF7 cells at a concentration of 12.5 μg/mL and in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells at a concentration of 6.5 μg/mL, without significant cytotoxicity.ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression were significantly lower in A549 and RAW 264.7 cells following G-CK treatment. These findings suggest that G-CK may evolve as a promising therapeutic against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinothini Boopathi
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Jinnatun Nahar
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Mohanapriya Murugesan
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | | | - Byoung Man Kong
- Department of Oriental Medicinal Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Sung-Keun Choi
- Daedong Korea Ginseng Co., Ltd, 86, Gunbuk-ro, Gunbuk-myeon, Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32718 Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Soon Lee
- Daedong Korea Ginseng Co., Ltd, 86, Gunbuk-ro, Gunbuk-myeon, Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32718 Republic of Korea
| | - Li Ling
- Department of Oriental Medicinal Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Dong Uk Yang
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Deok Chun Yang
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
- Department of Oriental Medicinal Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Ramya Mathiyalagan
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Se Chan Kang
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
- Department of Oriental Medicinal Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
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8
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Ren M, Ma Z, Zhao L, Wang Y, An H, Sun F. Self-Association of ACE-2 with Different RBD Amounts: A Dynamic Simulation Perspective on SARS-CoV-2 Infection. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:4423-4432. [PMID: 37382878 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 initially relies on its trimeric Spike-RBDs to tether the ACE-2 on host cells, and enhanced self-association of ACE-2 engaged with Spike facilitates the viral infection. Two primary packing modes of Spike-ACE2 heteroproteins exist potentially due to discrepant amounts of RBDs loading on ACE-2, but the resultant self-association difference is inherently unclear. We used extensive coarse-grained dynamic simulations to characterize the self-association efficiency, the conformation relevance, and the molecular mechanism of ACE-2 with different RBD amounts. It was revealed that the ACE-2 hanging two/full RBDs (Mode-A) rapidly dimerized into the heteroprotein complex in a compact "linear" conformation, while the bare ACE-2 showed weakened self-association and a protein complex. The RBD-tethered ectodomains of ACE-2 presented a more upright conformation relative to the membrane, and the intermolecular ectodomains were predominantly packed by the neck domains, which was obligated to the rapid protein self-association in a compact pattern. Noted is the fact that the ACE-2 tethered by a single RBD (Mode-B) retained considerable self-association efficiency and clustering capability, which unravels the interrelation of ACE-2 colocalization and protein cross-linkage. The molecular perspectives in this study expound the self-association potency of ACE-2 with different RBD amounts and the viral activity implications, which can greatly enhance our comprehension of SARS-CoV-2 infection details.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meina Ren
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Hebei Province, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
| | - Ziyi Ma
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Hebei Province, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
| | - Lina Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Hebei Province, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
| | - Yanjiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Hebei Province, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
| | - Hailong An
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Hebei Province, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
| | - Fude Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Hebei Province, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
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9
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Valipour M, Di Giacomo S, Di Sotto A, Irannejad H. Discovery of Chalcone-Based Hybrid Structures as High Affinity and Site-Specific Inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2: A Comprehensive Structural Analysis Based on Various Host-Based and Viral Targets. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108789. [PMID: 37240149 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies indicated that natural-based chalcones have significant inhibitory effects on the coronavirus enzymes 3CLpro and PLpro as well as modulation of some host-based antiviral targets (HBATs). In this study, a comprehensive computational and structural study was performed to investigate the affinity of our compound library consisting of 757 chalcone-based structures (CHA-1 to CHA-757) for inhibiting the 3CLpro and PLpro enzymes and against twelve selected host-based targets. Our results indicated that CHA-12 (VUF 4819) is the most potent and multi-target inhibitor in our chemical library over all viral and host-based targets. Correspondingly, CHA-384 and its congeners containing ureide moieties were found to be potent and selective 3CLpro inhibitors, and benzotriazole moiety in CHA-37 was found to be a main fragment for inhibiting the 3CLpro and PLpro. Surprisingly, our results indicate that the ureide and sulfonamide moieties are integral fragments for the optimum 3CLpro inhibition while occupying the S1 and S3 subsites, which is fully consistent with recent reports on the site-specific 3CLpro inhibitors. Finding the multi-target inhibitor CHA-12, previously reported as an LTD4 antagonist for the treatment of inflammatory pulmonary diseases, prompted us to suggest it as a concomitant agent for relieving respiratory symptoms and suppressing COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1545913487, Iran
| | - Silvia Di Giacomo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Di Sotto
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Hamid Irannejad
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari 4847116547, Iran
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10
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Bogoyavlenskiy A, Alexyuk M, Alexyuk P, Berezin V, Almalki FA, Ben Hadda T, Alqahtani AM, Ahmed SA, Dall'Acqua S, Jamalis J. Computer Analysis of the Inhibition of ACE2 by Flavonoids and Identification of Their Potential Antiviral Pharmacophore Site. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093766. [PMID: 37175179 PMCID: PMC10179817 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the antiviral activities of 17 flavonoids as natural products. These derivatives were evaluated for their in vitro antiviral activities against HIV and SARS-CoV-2. Their antiviral activity was evaluated for the first time based on POM (Petra/Osiris/Molispiration) theory and docking analysis. POM calculation was used to analyze the atomic charge and geometric characteristics. The side effects, drug similarities, and drug scores were also assumed for the stable structure of each compound. These results correlated with the experimental values. The bioinformatics POM analyses of the relative antiviral activities of these derivatives are reported for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Bogoyavlenskiy
- Research and Production Center for Microbiology and Virology, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
| | - Madina Alexyuk
- Research and Production Center for Microbiology and Virology, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
| | - Pavel Alexyuk
- Research and Production Center for Microbiology and Virology, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
| | - Vladimir Berezin
- Research and Production Center for Microbiology and Virology, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
| | - Faisal A Almalki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Taibi Ben Hadda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
- Laboratory of Applied Chemistry & Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed Premier University, MB 524, Oujda 60000, Morocco
| | - Alaa M Alqahtani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh A Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Stefano Dall'Acqua
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 5, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Joazaizulfazli Jamalis
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM, Johor Bahru 81310, Johor, Malaysia
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11
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Manrique PD, Chakraborty S, Henderson R, Edwards RJ, Mansbach R, Nguyen K, Stalls V, Saunders C, Mansouri K, Acharya P, Korber B, Gnanakaran S. Network analysis uncovers the communication structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein identifying sites for immunogen design. iScience 2023; 26:105855. [PMID: 36590900 PMCID: PMC9791713 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has triggered myriad efforts to understand the structure and dynamics of this complex pathogen. The spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is a significant target for immunogens as it is the means by which the virus enters human cells, while simultaneously sporting mutations responsible for immune escape. These functional and escape processes are regulated by complex molecular-level interactions. Our study presents quantitative insights on domain and residue contributions to allosteric communication, immune evasion, and local- and global-level control of functions through the derivation of a weighted graph representation from all-atom MD simulations. Focusing on the ancestral form and the D614G-variant, we provide evidence of the utility of our approach by guiding the selection of a mutation that alters the spike's stability. Taken together, the network approach serves as a valuable tool to evaluate communication "hot-spots" in proteins to guide design of stable immunogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro D. Manrique
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Srirupa Chakraborty
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
- Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Rory Henderson
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Robert J. Edwards
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Rachael Mansbach
- Physics Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B IR6, Canada
| | - Kien Nguyen
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Victoria Stalls
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Carrie Saunders
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Katayoun Mansouri
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Priyamvada Acharya
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bette Korber
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - S. Gnanakaran
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
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12
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Linjawi M, Shakoor H, Hilary S, Ali HI, Al-Dhaheri AS, Ismail LC, Apostolopoulos V, Stojanovska L. Cancer Patients during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mini-Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11020248. [PMID: 36673615 PMCID: PMC9859465 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11020248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its emergence, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the entire world and all commerce and industries, including healthcare systems. COVID-19 adversely affects cancer patients because they are immunocompromised. Increased COVID-19 infection and shortage of medical supplies, beds and healthcare workers in hospitals affect cancer care. This paper includes a description of the existing research that shows the impact of COVID-19 on the management of cancer patients. Aged people with various chronic conditions such as cancer and comorbidities face more challenges as they have a greater risk of disease severity. COVID-19 has affected care delivery, including patient management, and has been responsible for increased mortality among cancer patients. Cancer patients with severe symptoms require regular therapies and treatment; therefore, they have a higher risk of exposure. Due to the risk of transmission, various steps were taken to combat this disease; however, they have affected the existing operational efficiency. Herein, we present the changing priorities during COVID-19, which also affected cancer care, including delayed diagnosis, treatment, and surgeries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Linjawi
- Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hira Shakoor
- Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Serene Hilary
- Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence: (S.H.); (L.S.)
| | - Habiba I. Ali
- Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ayesha S. Al-Dhaheri
- Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Leila Cheikh Ismail
- Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Vasso Apostolopoulos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia
| | - Lily Stojanovska
- Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia
- Correspondence: (S.H.); (L.S.)
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13
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Kapoor N, Ghorai SM, Khuswaha PK, Bandichhor R, Brogi S. Butein as a potential binder of human ACE2 receptor for interfering with SARS-CoV-2 entry: a computer-aided analysis. J Mol Model 2022; 28:270. [PMID: 36001177 PMCID: PMC9399596 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-022-05270-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Natural products have been included in our dietary supplements and have been shown to have numerous therapeutic properties. With the looming danger of many zoonotic agents and novel emerging pathogens mainly of viral origin, many researchers are launching various clinical trials, testing these compounds for their antiviral activity. The present work deals with some of the available natural compounds from the literature that have demonstrated activity in counteracting pathogen infections. Accordingly, we screened, using in silico methods, this subset of natural compounds for searching potential drug candidates able to interfere in the recognition of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and its target human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor, leading to the viral entry. Disrupting that recognition is crucial for slowing down the entrance of viral particles into host cells. The selected group of natural products was examined, and their interaction profiles against the host cell target protein ACE2 were studied at the atomic level. Based on different computer-based procedures including molecular docking, physicochemical property evaluation, and molecular dynamics, butein was identified as a potential hit molecule able to bind the hACE2 receptor. The results indicate that herbal compounds can be effective for providing possible therapeutics for treating and managing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Kapoor
- Department of Chemistry, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India.
| | - Soma Mondal Ghorai
- Department of Zoology, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Prem Kumar Khuswaha
- Integrated Product Development, Innovation Plaza, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, Bachupally, Quthbullapur, Hyderabad, 500090, Telangana, India
| | - Rakeshwar Bandichhor
- Integrated Product Development, Innovation Plaza, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, Bachupally, Quthbullapur, Hyderabad, 500090, Telangana, India
| | - Simone Brogi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno, 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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14
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Santhosh PB, Genova J, Slavkova Z, Chamati H. Influence of melatonin on the structural and thermal properties of SOPC lipid membranes. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.129081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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15
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Hochuli J, Jain S, Melo-Filho C, Sessions ZL, Bobrowski T, Choe J, Zheng J, Eastman R, Talley DC, Rai G, Simeonov A, Tropsha A, Muratov EN, Baljinnyam B, Zakharov AV. Allosteric Binders of ACE2 Are Promising Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Agents. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2022; 5:468-478. [PMID: 35821746 PMCID: PMC9236207 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had enormous health, economic, and social consequences. Vaccines have been successful in reducing rates of infection and hospitalization, but there is still a need for acute treatment of the disease. We investigate whether compounds that bind the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein can decrease SARS-CoV-2 replication without impacting ACE2's natural enzymatic function. Initial screening of a diversity library resulted in hit compounds active in an ACE2-binding assay, which showed little inhibition of ACE2 enzymatic activity (116 actives, success rate ∼4%), suggesting they were allosteric binders. Subsequent application of in silico techniques boosted success rates to ∼14% and resulted in 73 novel confirmed ACE2 binders with K d values as low as 6 nM. A subsequent SARS-CoV-2 assay revealed that five of these compounds inhibit the viral life cycle in human cells. Further effort is required to completely elucidate the antiviral mechanism of these ACE2-binders, but they present a valuable starting point for both the development of acute treatments for COVID-19 and research into the host-directed therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua
E. Hochuli
- Molecular
Modeling Laboratory, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Curriculum
in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Sankalp Jain
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Cleber Melo-Filho
- Molecular
Modeling Laboratory, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Zoe L. Sessions
- Molecular
Modeling Laboratory, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Tesia Bobrowski
- Molecular
Modeling Laboratory, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jun Choe
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Johnny Zheng
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Richard Eastman
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Daniel C. Talley
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Ganesha Rai
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Anton Simeonov
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Alexander Tropsha
- Molecular
Modeling Laboratory, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Eugene N. Muratov
- Molecular
Modeling Laboratory, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Bolormaa Baljinnyam
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Alexey V. Zakharov
- National
Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
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16
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Vitiello A, Ferrara F. Pharmacotherapy Based on ACE2 Targeting and COVID-19 Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126644. [PMID: 35743089 PMCID: PMC9224264 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. A massive vaccination campaign, which is still ongoing, has averted most serious consequences worldwide; however, lines of research are continuing to identify the best drug therapies to treat COVID-19 infection. SARS-CoV-2 penetrates the cells of the host organism through ACE2. The ACE2 protein plays a key role in the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) and undergoes changes in expression during different stages of COVID-19 infection. It appears that an unregulated RAS is responsible for the severe lung damage that occurs in some cases of COVID-19. Pharmacologically modifying the expression of ACE2 could be an interesting line of research to follow in order to avoid the severe complications of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Vitiello
- Pharmaceutical Department, Usl Umbria 1, Via XIV Settembre, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Francesco Ferrara
- Pharmaceutical Department, Asl Napoli 3 Sud, Dell’amicizia Street 22, 80035 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +39-0813223622
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17
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Valipour M. Different Aspects of Emetine's Capabilities as a Highly Potent SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitor against COVID-19. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2022; 5:387-399. [PMID: 35702393 PMCID: PMC9159504 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In the global movement to find the appropriate agents to fight the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), emetine is one of the strongest anti-SARS-CoV-2 compounds with sub-micromolar EC50 values, identified in several studies and high-throughput screening efforts. The reported anti-SARS-CoV-2 mechanisms indicate the effect of this compound on both virus-based and host-based targets. In addition to having excellent antiviral effects, emetine can relieve COVID-19 patients by reducing inflammation through inhibitory activity against NF-κB by the mechanism of IκBα phosphorylation inhibition; it can also limit the lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6. Emetine also can well reduce pulmonary arterial hypertension as an important COVID-19 complication by modulating a variety of cellular processes such as the Rho-kinase/CyPA/Bsg signaling pathway. The therapeutic value of emetine for combating COVID-19 was highlighted when in vivo pharmacokinetic studies showed that the concentration of this compound in the lungs increases significantly higher than the EC50 of the drug. Despite its valuable therapeutic effects, emetine has some cardiotoxic effects that limit its use in high doses. However, high therapeutic capabilities make emetine a valuable lead compound that can be used for the design and development of less toxic anti-COVID-19 agents in the future. This Review provides a collection of information on the capabilities of emetine and its potential for the treatment of COVID-19, along with structural analysis which could be used for further research in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry,
Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University
of Medical Sciences, 48175-866 Sari, Iran
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