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Chen JY, Huang TR, Hsu SY, Huang CC, Wang HS, Chang JS. Effect and mechanism of quercetin or quercetin-containing formulas against COVID-19: From bench to bedside. Phytother Res 2024; 38:2597-2618. [PMID: 38479376 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic since 2019. Immunopathogenesis and thromboembolic events are central to its pathogenesis. Quercetin exhibits several beneficial activities against COVID-19, including antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidative, and antithrombotic effects. Although several reviews have been published, these reviews are incomplete from the viewpoint of translational medicine. The authors comprehensively evaluated the evidence of quercetin against COVID-19, both basically and clinically, to apply quercetin and/or its derivatives in the future. The authors searched the PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases without any restrictions. The search terms included COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, quercetin, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, thrombosis, embolism, oxidative, and microbiota. The references of relevant articles were also reviewed. All authors independently screened and reviewed the quality of each included manuscript. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, version 2 (RoB 2) was used to assess the quality of the included randomized controlled trials (RCTs). All selected studies were discussed monthly. The effectiveness of quercetin against COVID-19 is not solid due to methodological flaws in the clinical trials. High-quality studies are also required for quercetin-containing traditional Chinese medicines. The low bioavailability and highly variable pharmacokinetics of quercetin hinder its clinical applications. Its positive impact on immunomodulation through reverting dysbiosis of gut microbiota still lacks robust evidence. Quercetin against COVID-19 does not have tough clinical evidence. Strategies to improve its bioavailability and/or to develop its effective derivatives are needed. Well-designed RCTs are also crucial to confirm their effectiveness in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhong Yuan Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tsung Rung Huang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Shih Yun Hsu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ching Chun Huang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Huei Syun Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jung San Chang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- PhD Program in Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Spiegel M, Prejanò M, Russo N, Marino T. Primary Antioxidant Power and M pro SARS-CoV-2 Non-Covalent Inhibition Capabilities of Miquelianin. Chem Asian J 2024; 19:e202400079. [PMID: 38415945 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202400079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The antioxidant power of quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (miquelianin) has been studied, at the density functional level of theory, in both lipid-like and aqueous environments. In the aqueous phase, the computed pKa equilibria allowed the identification of the neutral and charged species present in solution that can react with the ⋅OOH radical. The Hydrogen Atom Transfer (HAT), Single Electron Transfer (SET) and Radical Adduct Formation (RAF) mechanisms were considered, and the individual, total and fraction corrected rate constants were obtained. Potential non-covalent inhibition of Mpro from SARS-CoV-2 by miquelianin has been also evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Spiegel
- Department of Organic Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556, Wroclaw, Poland
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università della Calabria, I-87136, Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Mario Prejanò
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università della Calabria, I-87136, Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Nino Russo
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università della Calabria, I-87136, Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Tiziana Marino
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università della Calabria, I-87136, Rende (CS), Italy
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Liu L, Kapralov M, Ashton M. Plant-derived compounds as potential leads for new drug development targeting COVID-19. Phytother Res 2024; 38:1522-1554. [PMID: 38281731 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8105] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
COVID-19, which was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China, is a respiratory illness caused by a virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although some patients infected with COVID-19 can remain asymptomatic, most experience a range of symptoms that can be mild to severe. Common symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of taste or smell and muscle aches. In severe cases, complications can arise including pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, organ failure and even death, particularly in older adults or individuals with underlying health conditions. Treatments for COVID-19 include remdesivir, which has been authorised for emergency use in some countries, and dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used to reduce inflammation in severe cases. Biological drugs including monoclonal antibodies, such as casirivimab and imdevimab, have also been authorised for emergency use in certain situations. While these treatments have improved the outcome for many patients, there is still an urgent need for new treatments. Medicinal plants have long served as a valuable source of new drug leads and may serve as a valuable resource in the development of COVID-19 treatments due to their broad-spectrum antiviral activity. To date, various medicinal plant extracts have been studied for their cellular and molecular interactions, with some demonstrating anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in vitro. This review explores the evaluation and potential therapeutic applications of these plants against SARS-CoV-2. This review summarises the latest evidence on the activity of different plant extracts and their isolated bioactive compounds against SARS-CoV-2, with a focus on the application of plant-derived compounds in animal models and in human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingxiu Liu
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Maxim Kapralov
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Mark Ashton
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
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Zhou B, Chen D, Zhang T, Song C, Zhang X, Lin L, Huang J, Peng X, Liu Y, Wu G, Li J, Chen W. Recent advancements in the discovery of small-molecule non-nucleoside inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116180. [PMID: 38266622 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a pivotal role in the life cycle of the novel coronavirus and stands as a significant and promising target for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs. Non-nucleoside inhibitors (NNIs), as a category of compounds directed against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, exhibit a unique and highly effective mechanism, effectively overcoming various factors contributing to drug resistance against nucleoside inhibitors (NIs). This review investigates various NNIs, including both natural and synthetic inhibitors, that closely interacting with the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp with valid evidences from in vitro and in silico studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bangdi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Dianming Chen
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Tingyan Zhang
- School of Nusing, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Chenggui Song
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Xianwu Zhang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Leying Lin
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Jiuzhong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Xiaopeng Peng
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Yuanchang Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Gaorong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Jingyuan Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Weiming Chen
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China.
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Roy AV, Chan M, Banadyga L, He S, Zhu W, Chrétien M, Mbikay M. Quercetin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection and prevents syncytium formation by cells co-expressing the viral spike protein and human ACE2. Virol J 2024; 21:29. [PMID: 38273400 PMCID: PMC10811921 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02299-w] [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: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several in silico studies have determined that quercetin, a plant flavonol, could bind with strong affinity and low free energy to SARS-CoV-2 proteins involved in viral entry and replication, suggesting it could block infection of human cells by the virus. In the present study, we examined the ex vivo ability of quercetin to inhibit of SARS-CoV-2 replication and explored the mechanisms of this inhibition. METHODS Green monkey kidney Vero E6 cells and in human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cells were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and incubated in presence of quercetin; the amount of replicated viral RNA was measured in spent media by RT-qPCR. Since the formation of syncytia is a mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 propagation, a syncytialization model was set up using human embryonic kidney HEK293 co-expressing SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein and human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), [HEK293(S + ACE2) cells], to assess the effect of quercetin on this cytopathic event by microscopic imaging and protein immunoblotting. RESULTS Quercetin inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cells and Caco-2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner with a half inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 166.6 and 145.2 µM, respectively. It also inhibited syncytialization of HEK293(S + ACE2) cells with an IC50 of 156.7 µM. Spike and ACE2 co-expression was associated with decreased expression, increased proteolytic processing of the S protein, and diminished production of the fusogenic S2' fragment of S. Furin, a proposed protease for this processing, was inhibited by quercetin in vitro with an IC50 of 116 µM. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that at low 3-digit micromolar concentrations of quercetin could impair SARS-CoV-2 infection of human cells partly by blocking the fusion process that promotes its propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie V Roy
- Functional Endoproteolysis Laboratory, Montreal Clinical Research Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michael Chan
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Logan Banadyga
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Shihua He
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Wenjun Zhu
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Michel Chrétien
- Functional Endoproteolysis Laboratory, Montreal Clinical Research Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Majambu Mbikay
- Functional Endoproteolysis Laboratory, Montreal Clinical Research Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Pennisi R, Gentile D, Rescifina A, Napoli E, Trischitta P, Piperno A, Sciortino MT. An Integrated In Silico and In Vitro Approach for the Identification of Natural Products Active against SARS-CoV-2. Biomolecules 2023; 14:43. [PMID: 38254643 PMCID: PMC10813393 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010043] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has provoked a global health crisis due to the absence of a specific therapeutic agent. 3CLpro (also known as the main protease or Mpro) and PLpro are chymotrypsin-like proteases encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome, and play essential roles during the virus lifecycle. Therefore, they are recognized as a prospective therapeutic target in drug discovery against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, this work aims to collectively present potential natural 3CLpro and PLpro inhibitors by in silico simulations and in vitro entry pseudotype-entry models. We screened luteolin-7-O-glucuronide (L7OG), cynarin (CY), folic acid (FA), and rosmarinic acid (RA) molecules against PLpro and 3CLpro through a luminogenic substrate assay. We only reported moderate inhibitory activity on the recombinant 3CLpro and PLpro by L7OG and FA. Afterward, the entry inhibitory activity of L7OG and FA was tested in cell lines transduced with the two different SARS-CoV-2 pseudotypes harboring alpha (α) and omicron (o) spike (S) protein. The results showed that both compounds have a consistent inhibitory activity on the entry for both variants. However, L7OG showed a greater degree of entry inhibition against α-SARS-CoV-2. Molecular modeling studies were used to determine the inhibitory mechanism of the candidate molecules by focusing on their interactions with residues recognized by the protease active site and receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike SARS-CoV-2. This work allowed us to identify the binding sites of FA and L7OG within the RBD domain in the alpha and omicron variants, demonstrating how FA is active in both variants. We have confidence that future in vivo studies testing the safety and effectiveness of these natural compounds are warranted, given that they are effective against a variant of concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosamaria Pennisi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (A.P.); (M.T.S.)
| | - Davide Gentile
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Antonio Rescifina
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Edoardo Napoli
- Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare—Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 95126 Catania, Italy;
| | - Paola Trischitta
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (A.P.); (M.T.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Anna Piperno
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (A.P.); (M.T.S.)
| | - Maria Teresa Sciortino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (A.P.); (M.T.S.)
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Comunale BA, Larson RJ, Jackson-Ward E, Singh A, Koback FL, Engineer LD. The Functional Implications of Broad Spectrum Bioactive Compounds Targeting RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRp) in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Viruses 2023; 15:2316. [PMID: 38140557 PMCID: PMC10747147 DOI: 10.3390/v15122316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As long as COVID-19 endures, viral surface proteins will keep changing and new viral strains will emerge, rendering prior vaccines and treatments decreasingly effective. To provide durable targets for preventive and therapeutic agents, there is increasing interest in slowly mutating viral proteins, including non-surface proteins like RdRp. METHODS A scoping review of studies was conducted describing RdRp in the context of COVID-19 through MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE. An iterative approach was used with input from content experts and three independent reviewers, focused on studies related to either RdRp activity inhibition or RdRp mechanisms against SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS Of the 205 records screened, 43 studies were included in the review. Twenty-five evaluated RdRp activity inhibition, and eighteen described RdRp mechanisms of existing drugs or compounds against SARS-CoV-2. In silico experiments suggested that RdRp inhibitors developed for other RNA viruses may be effective in disrupting SARS-CoV-2 replication, indicating a possible reduction of disease progression from current and future variants. In vitro, in vivo, and human clinical trial studies were largely consistent with these findings. CONCLUSIONS Future risk mitigation and treatment strategies against forthcoming SARS-CoV-2 variants should consider targeting RdRp proteins instead of surface proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A. Comunale
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Robin J. Larson
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
- Department of Palliative Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Erin Jackson-Ward
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Aditi Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92161, USA
| | | | - Lilly D. Engineer
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Wu W, Wang W, Liang L, Chen J, Sun S, Wei B, Zhong Y, Huang XR, Liu J, Wang X, Yu X, Lan HY. SARS-CoV-2 N protein induced acute kidney injury in diabetic db/db mice is associated with a Mincle-dependent M1 macrophage activation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1264447. [PMID: 38022581 PMCID: PMC10655021 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1264447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
"Cytokine storm" is common in critically ill COVID-19 patients, however, mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we reported that overexpression of SARS-CoV-2 N protein in diabetic db/db mice significantly increased tubular death and the release of HMGB1, one of the damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), to trigger M1 proinflammatory macrophage activation and production of IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 via a Mincle-Syk/NF-κB-dependent mechanism. This was further confirmed in vitro that overexpression of SARS-CoV-2 N protein caused the release of HMGB1 from injured tubular cells under high AGE conditions, which resulted in M1 macrophage activation and production of proinflammatory cytokines via a Mincle-Syk/NF-κB-dependent mechanism. This was further evidenced by specifically silencing macrophage Mincle to block HMGB1-induced M1 macrophage activation and production of IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 in vitro. Importantly, we also uncovered that treatment with quercetin largely improved SARS-CoV-2 N protein-induced AKI in db/db mice. Mechanistically, we found that quercetin treatment significantly inhibited the release of a DAMP molecule HMGB1 and inactivated M1 pro-inflammatory macrophage while promoting reparative M2 macrophage responses by suppressing Mincle-Syk/NF-κB signaling in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 N protein-induced AKI in db/db mice is associated with Mincle-dependent M1 macrophage activation. Inhibition of this pathway may be a mechanism through which quercetin inhibits COVID-19-associated AKI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Wu
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Immunological and Genetic Kidney Disease, Departments of Nephrology and Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- The First Clinical College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
- Department of Nephrology, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenbiao Wang
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Immunological and Genetic Kidney Disease, Departments of Nephrology and Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liying Liang
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junzhe Chen
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Nephrology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sifan Sun
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Nephrology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Biao Wei
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Zhong
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiao-Ru Huang
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Immunological and Genetic Kidney Disease, Departments of Nephrology and Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Nephrology, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- The First Clinical College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
- Department of Nephrology, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Xueqing Yu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Immunological and Genetic Kidney Disease, Departments of Nephrology and Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui-Yao Lan
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Immunological and Genetic Kidney Disease, Departments of Nephrology and Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Zaa CA, Espitia C, Reyes-Barrera KL, An Z, Velasco-Velázquez MA. Neuroprotective Agents with Therapeutic Potential for COVID-19. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1585. [PMID: 38002267 PMCID: PMC10669388 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 patients can exhibit a wide range of clinical manifestations affecting various organs and systems. Neurological symptoms have been reported in COVID-19 patients, both during the acute phase of the illness and in cases of long-term COVID. Moderate symptoms include ageusia, anosmia, altered mental status, and cognitive impairment, and in more severe cases can manifest as ischemic cerebrovascular disease and encephalitis. In this narrative review, we delve into the reported neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19, as well as the underlying mechanisms contributing to them. These mechanisms include direct damage to neurons, inflammation, oxidative stress, and protein misfolding. We further investigate the potential of small molecules from natural products to offer neuroprotection in models of neurodegenerative diseases. Through our analysis, we discovered that flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and other natural compounds exhibit neuroprotective effects by modulating signaling pathways known to be impacted by COVID-19. Some of these compounds also directly target SARS-CoV-2 viral replication. Therefore, molecules of natural origin show promise as potential agents to prevent or mitigate nervous system damage in COVID-19 patients. Further research and the evaluation of different stages of the disease are warranted to explore their potential benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- César A. Zaa
- School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM), Lima 15081, Peru;
| | - Clara Espitia
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (C.E.); (K.L.R.-B.)
| | - Karen L. Reyes-Barrera
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (C.E.); (K.L.R.-B.)
| | - Zhiqiang An
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Marco A. Velasco-Velázquez
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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Mushebenge AGA, Ugbaja SC, Mbatha NA, B. Khan R, Kumalo HM. Assessing the Potential Contribution of In Silico Studies in Discovering Drug Candidates That Interact with Various SARS-CoV-2 Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15518. [PMID: 37958503 PMCID: PMC10647470 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115518] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred intense research efforts to identify effective treatments for SARS-CoV-2. In silico studies have emerged as a powerful tool in the drug discovery process, particularly in the search for drug candidates that interact with various SARS-CoV-2 receptors. These studies involve the use of computer simulations and computational algorithms to predict the potential interaction of drug candidates with target receptors. The primary receptors targeted by drug candidates include the RNA polymerase, main protease, spike protein, ACE2 receptor, and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). In silico studies have identified several promising drug candidates, including Remdesivir, Favipiravir, Ribavirin, Ivermectin, Lopinavir/Ritonavir, and Camostat Mesylate, among others. The use of in silico studies offers several advantages, including the ability to screen a large number of drug candidates in a relatively short amount of time, thereby reducing the time and cost involved in traditional drug discovery methods. Additionally, in silico studies allow for the prediction of the binding affinity of the drug candidates to target receptors, providing insight into their potential efficacy. This study is aimed at assessing the useful contributions of the application of computational instruments in the discovery of receptors targeted in SARS-CoV-2. It further highlights some identified advantages and limitations of these studies, thereby revealing some complementary experimental validation to ensure the efficacy and safety of identified drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aganze Gloire-Aimé Mushebenge
- Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, Durban 4000, South Africa;
- Drug Research and Innovation Unit, Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Samuel Chima Ugbaja
- Drug Research and Innovation Unit, Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
- Africa Health Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Nonkululeko Avril Mbatha
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Rene B. Khan
- Drug Research and Innovation Unit, Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Hezekiel M. Kumalo
- Drug Research and Innovation Unit, Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
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11
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Zhu J, Yan H, Shi M, Zhang M, Lu J, Wang J, Chen L, Wang Y, Li L, Miao L, Zhang H. Luteolin inhibits spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. Phytother Res 2023; 37:3508-3521. [PMID: 37166054 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory illness that poses a serious threat to global public health. In an essential step during infection, SARS-CoV-2 uses the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein to engage with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in host cells. Chinese herbal medicines and their active components exhibit antiviral activity, with luteolin being a flavonoid that can significantly inhibit SARS-CoV infection. However, whether it can block the interaction between the S-protein RBD of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 has not yet been elucidated. Here, we investigated the effects of luteolin on the binding of the S-protein RBD to ACE2. By employing a competitive binding assay in vitro, we found that luteolin significantly blocked the binding of S-protein RBD to ACE2 with IC50 values of 0.61 mM, which was confirmed by the neutralized infection with SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in vivo. A surface plasmon resonance-based competition assay revealed that luteolin significantly affects the binding of the S-protein RBD to the ACE2 receptor. Molecular docking was performed to predict the binding sites of luteolin to the S-protein RBD-ACE2 complex. The active binding sites were defined based on published literature, and we found that luteolin might interfere with the mixture at residues including LYS353, ASP30, and TYR83 in the cellular ACE2 receptor and GLY496, GLN498, TYR505, LEU455, GLN493, and GLU484 in the S-protein RBD. These residues may together form attractive charges and destroy the stable interaction of S-protein RBD-ACE2. Luteolin also inhibits SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-induced platelet spreading, thereby inhibiting the binding of the spike protein to ACE2. Our results are the first to provide evidence that luteolin is an anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent associated with interference between viral S-protein RBD-ACE2 interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Huimin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Mengyao Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Min Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Jia Lu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiabao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Lu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Lin Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Han Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
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12
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Liu C, Wu X, Yang H, Xu X, Chen C, Wu L, Zhang W, Shi H, Fei Y, Sun Y, Wu H, Zhou S, Fang B. A retrospective study of Reyanning mixture in elderly patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1185122. [PMID: 37547325 PMCID: PMC10399593 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1185122] [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: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Reyanning mixture has been demonstrated to be effective in treating infected patients during the outbreak pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Shanghai 2022. The aim of this study is to further investigate the role of Reyanning mixture specifically in the treatment of elderly patients. Methods: This study enrolled 1,102 elderly patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Of these, 291 patients received Reyanning mixture in conjunction with conventional Western medicine treatment were assigned to the treatment group, while 811 patients only received conventional Western medicine treatment were assigned to the control group. Clinical parameters including hospitalization duration, viral shedding time, and Cycle Threshold (Ct) values of novel coronavirus nucleic acid tests, as well as adverse events were recorded and analyzed in both groups. Results: There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between two groups. In comparison to the control group, the treatment group demonstrated a substantial difference in hospitalization duration (median: 8 days vs. 10 days, HR: 0.638, 95% CI: 0.558-0.731, p < 0.001). The treatment group also showed a significantly shorter viral shedding time compared to the control group (median: 7 days vs. 8 days, HR: 0.754, 95% CI: 0.659-0.863, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model analysis indicated that the use of Reyanning mixture was closely associated with a reduction in hospitalization duration (HR: 1.562, 95% CI: 1.364-1.789, p < 0.001) and viral shedding time (HR: 1.335, 95% CI: 1.166-1.528, p < 0.001). In addition, during the treatment process, no serious adverse event occurred in either group. Conclusion: The improvement of clinical parameters in the treatment group indicate a promising therapeutic benefit of Reyanning mixture for elderly patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the present study. Further investigations are required to validate this finding by examining the underlying mechanism and function of Reyanning mixture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changya Liu
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinxin Wu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University Skin Disease Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongqiang Yang
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangru Xu
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Caiyu Chen
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Linguangjin Wu
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haimei Shi
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuerong Fei
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Sun
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongze Wu
- Jiangxi Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Nephropathy Clinical Research Center, Jiujiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shuang Zhou
- Acupuncture and Massage College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bangjiang Fang
- Department of Emergency, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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13
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Hakem A, Desmarets L, Sahli R, Malek RB, Camuzet C, François N, Lefèvre G, Samaillie J, Moureu S, Sahpaz S, Belouzard S, Ksouri R, Séron K, Rivière C. Luteolin Isolated from Juncus acutus L., a Potential Remedy for Human Coronavirus 229E. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28114263. [PMID: 37298740 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28114263] [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: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, addressed the lack of specific antiviral drugs against coronaviruses. In this study, bioguided fractionation performed on both ethyl acetate and aqueous sub-extracts of Juncus acutus stems led to identifying luteolin as a highly active antiviral molecule against human coronavirus HCoV-229E. The apolar sub-extract (CH2Cl2) containing phenanthrene derivatives did not show antiviral activity against this coronavirus. Infection tests on Huh-7 cells, expressing or not the cellular protease TMPRSS2, using luciferase reporter virus HCoV-229E-Luc showed that luteolin exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of infection. Respective IC50 values of 1.77 µM and 1.95 µM were determined. Under its glycosylated form (luteolin-7-O-glucoside), luteolin was inactive against HCoV-229E. Time of addition assay showed that utmost anti-HCoV-229E activity of luteolin was achieved when added at the post-inoculation step, indicating that luteolin acts as an inhibitor of the replication step of HCoV-229E. Unfortunately, no obvious antiviral activity for luteolin was found against SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV in this study. In conclusion, luteolin isolated from Juncus acutus is a new inhibitor of alphacoronavirus HCoV-229E.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Hakem
- Joint Research Unit 1158, BioEcoAgro, Univ. Lille, INRAE, Univ. Liège, UPJV, JUNIA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
- Laboratory of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, Biotechnology Centre of Borj-Cedria (CBBC), Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia
| | - Lowiese Desmarets
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Univ. Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Ramla Sahli
- Joint Research Unit 1158, BioEcoAgro, Univ. Lille, INRAE, Univ. Liège, UPJV, JUNIA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
- Laboratory of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, Biotechnology Centre of Borj-Cedria (CBBC), Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia
| | - Rawen Ben Malek
- Joint Research Unit 1158, BioEcoAgro, Univ. Lille, INRAE, Univ. Liège, UPJV, JUNIA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
| | - Charline Camuzet
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Univ. Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Nathan François
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Univ. Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Gabriel Lefèvre
- Joint Research Unit 1158, BioEcoAgro, Univ. Lille, INRAE, Univ. Liège, UPJV, JUNIA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
| | - Jennifer Samaillie
- Joint Research Unit 1158, BioEcoAgro, Univ. Lille, INRAE, Univ. Liège, UPJV, JUNIA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
| | - Sophie Moureu
- Joint Research Unit 1158, BioEcoAgro, Univ. Lille, INRAE, Univ. Liège, UPJV, JUNIA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
| | - Sevser Sahpaz
- Joint Research Unit 1158, BioEcoAgro, Univ. Lille, INRAE, Univ. Liège, UPJV, JUNIA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
| | - Sandrine Belouzard
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Univ. Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Riadh Ksouri
- Laboratory of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, Biotechnology Centre of Borj-Cedria (CBBC), Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia
| | - Karin Séron
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Univ. Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Céline Rivière
- Joint Research Unit 1158, BioEcoAgro, Univ. Lille, INRAE, Univ. Liège, UPJV, JUNIA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
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14
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Campos MF, Mendonça SC, Peñaloza EMC, de Oliveira BAC, Rosa AS, Leitão GG, Tucci AR, Ferreira VNS, Oliveira TKF, Miranda MD, Allonso D, Leitão SG. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Activity of Ampelozizyphus amazonicus (Saracura-Mirá): Focus on the Modulation of the Spike-ACE2 Interaction by Chemically Characterized Bark Extracts by LC-DAD-APCI-MS/MS. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28073159. [PMID: 37049921 PMCID: PMC10095690 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional medicine shows several treatment protocols for COVID-19 based on natural products, revealing its potential as a possible source of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Ampelozizyphus amazonicus is popularly used in the Brazilian Amazon as a fortifier and tonic, and recently, it has been reported to relieve COVID-19 symptoms. This work aimed to investigate the antiviral potential of A. amazonicus, focusing on the inhibition of spike and ACE2 receptor interaction, a key step in successful infection. Although saponins are the major compounds of this plant and often reported as its active principles, a polyphenol-rich extract was the best inhibitor of the spike and ACE2 interaction. Chemical characterization of A. amazonicus bark extracts by LC-DAD-APCI-MS/MS before and after clean-up steps for polyphenol removal showed that the latter play an essential role in maintaining this activity. The effects of the extracts on viral replication were also assessed, and all samples (aqueous and ethanol extracts) demonstrated in vitro activity, inhibiting viral titers in the supernatant of Calu-3 cells after 24 hpi. By acting both in the SARS-CoV-2 cell entry process and its replication, A. amazonicus bark extracts stand out as a multitarget agent, highlighting the species as a promising candidate in the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Freire Campos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia Vegetal e Bioprocessos, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
- Departamento de Produtos Naturais e Alimentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Simony Carvalho Mendonça
- Departamento de Produtos Naturais e Alimentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Evelyn Maribel Condori Peñaloza
- Departamento de Produtos Naturais e Alimentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Beatriz A. C. de Oliveira
- Departamento de Produtos Naturais e Alimentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Alice S. Rosa
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, IOC-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gilda Guimarães Leitão
- Instituto de Pesquisas de Produtos Naturais, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Amanda R. Tucci
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, IOC-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vivian Neuza S. Ferreira
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Thamara Kelcya F. Oliveira
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, IOC-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Milene Dias Miranda
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, IOC-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Diego Allonso
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Suzana Guimarães Leitão
- Departamento de Produtos Naturais e Alimentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, RJ, Brazil
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15
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Yang JY, Ma YX, Liu Y, Peng XJ, Chen XZ. A Comprehensive Review of Natural Flavonoids with Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Activity. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28062735. [PMID: 36985705 PMCID: PMC10054335 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has majorly impacted public health and economies worldwide. Although several effective vaccines and drugs are now used to prevent and treat COVID-19, natural products, especially flavonoids, showed great therapeutic potential early in the pandemic and thus attracted particular attention. Quercetin, baicalein, baicalin, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), and luteolin are among the most studied flavonoids in this field. Flavonoids can directly or indirectly exert antiviral activities, such as the inhibition of virus invasion and the replication and inhibition of viral proteases. In addition, flavonoids can modulate the levels of interferon and proinflammatory factors. We have reviewed the previously reported relevant literature researching the pharmacological anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of flavonoids where structures, classifications, synthetic pathways, and pharmacological effects are summarized. There is no doubt that flavonoids have great potential in the treatment of COVID-19. However, most of the current research is still in the theoretical stage. More studies are recommended to evaluate the efficacy and safety of flavonoids against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Yu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Yi-Xuan Ma
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Xiang-Jun Peng
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Biomaterials and Biofabrication for Tissue Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Xiang-Zhao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Biomaterials and Biofabrication for Tissue Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
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16
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Giordano D, Facchiano A, Carbone V. Food Plant Secondary Metabolites Antiviral Activity and Their Possible Roles in SARS-CoV-2 Treatment: An Overview. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28062470. [PMID: 36985442 PMCID: PMC10058909 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural products and plant extracts exhibit many biological activities, including that related to the defense mechanisms against parasites. Many studies have investigated the biological functions of secondary metabolites and reported evidence of antiviral activities. The pandemic emergencies have further increased the interest in finding antiviral agents, and efforts are oriented to investigate possible activities of secondary plant metabolites against human viruses and their potential application in treating or preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this review, we performed a comprehensive analysis of studies through in silico and in vitro investigations, also including in vivo applications and clinical trials, to evaluate the state of knowledge on the antiviral activities of secondary metabolites against human viruses and their potential application in treating or preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a particular focus on natural compounds present in food plants. Although some of the food plant secondary metabolites seem to be useful in the prevention and as a possible therapeutic management against SARS-CoV-2, up to now, no molecules can be used as a potential treatment for COVID-19; however, more research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Giordano
- Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, via Roma 64, 83100 Avellino, Italy
| | - Angelo Facchiano
- Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, via Roma 64, 83100 Avellino, Italy
| | - Virginia Carbone
- Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, via Roma 64, 83100 Avellino, Italy
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17
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Triratapiban C, Lueangaramkul V, Phecharat N, Pantanam A, Lekcharoensuk P, Theerawatanasirikul S. First study on in vitro antiviral and virucidal effects of flavonoids against feline infectious peritonitis virus at the early stage of infection. Vet World 2023; 16:618-630. [PMID: 37041840 PMCID: PMC10082729 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.618-630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), one of the most important infectious diseases in cats is caused by FIP virus (FIPV), a mutated variant of feline coronavirus. Feline infectious peritonitis has a negative impact on feline health, with extremely high mortality in clinical FIP-infected cats, particularly young cats. There are no approved drugs for FIP treatment, and therapeutic possibilities for FIP treatment are limited. This study aimed to utilize nature-derived bioactive flavonoids with antiviral properties to inhibit FIPV infection in Crandell–Rees feline kidney (CRFK) cells.
Materials and Methods: The cytotoxicity of 16 flavonoids was evaluated on CRFK cells using a colorimetric method (MTS) assay. Viral kinetics of FIPV at 50 tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50)/well was determined during the first 24-h post-infection (HPI). Antiviral activity was evaluated based on the replication steps of the virus life cycle, including pre-compound, attachment, penetration, post-viral entry, and virucidal assays. The antiviral efficacy of flavonoids against FIPV was determined based on positive FIPV-infected cells with the immunoperoxidase monolayer assay and viral load quantification using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
Results: Two flavonoids, namely, isoginkgetin and luteolin, inhibited FIPV replication during post-viral entry in a dose-dependent manner, with 50% maximal effective concentrations = 4.77 ± 0.09 and 36.28 ± 0.03 μM, respectively. Based on viral kinetics, both flavonoids could inhibit FIPV replication at the early stage of infection at 0–6-HPI for isoginkgetin and 2–6-HPI for luteolin using a time-of-addition assay. Isoginkgetin exerted a direct virucidal effect that reduced the viral titers by 2 and 1.89 log10 TCID50/mL at 60 and 120 min, respectively.
Conclusion: Isoginkgetin interfered with FIPV replication during both post-viral infection and virucidal experiments on CRFK cells, whereas luteolin inhibited the virus after infection. These results demonstrate the potential of herbal medicine for treating FIP.
Keywords: antiviral, feline coronavirus, feline infectious peritonitis virus, flavonoids, infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanittha Triratapiban
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Varanya Lueangaramkul
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Nantawan Phecharat
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Achiraya Pantanam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Porntippa Lekcharoensuk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food, Kasetsart University Institute for Advanced Studies, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Sirin Theerawatanasirikul
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Corresponding author: Sirin Theerawatanasirikul, e-mail: Co-authors: CT: , VL: , NP: , AP: , PL:
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18
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England C, TrejoMartinez J, PerezSanchez P, Karki U, Xu J. Plants as Biofactories for Therapeutic Proteins and Antiviral Compounds to Combat COVID-19. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:617. [PMID: 36983772 PMCID: PMC10054913 DOI: 10.3390/life13030617] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) had a profound impact on the world's health and economy. Although the end of the pandemic may come in 2023, it is generally believed that the virus will not be completely eradicated. Most likely, the disease will become an endemicity. The rapid development of vaccines of different types (mRNA, subunit protein, inactivated virus, etc.) and some other antiviral drugs (Remdesivir, Olumiant, Paxlovid, etc.) has provided effectiveness in reducing COVID-19's impact worldwide. However, the circulating SARS-CoV-2 virus has been constantly mutating with the emergence of multiple variants, which makes control of COVID-19 difficult. There is still a pressing need for developing more effective antiviral drugs to fight against the disease. Plants have provided a promising production platform for both bioactive chemical compounds (small molecules) and recombinant therapeutics (big molecules). Plants naturally produce a diverse range of bioactive compounds as secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, terpenoids/terpenes and polyphenols, which are a rich source of countless antiviral compounds. Plants can also be genetically engineered to produce valuable recombinant therapeutics. This molecular farming in plants has an unprecedented opportunity for developing vaccines, antibodies, and other biologics for pandemic diseases because of its potential advantages, such as low cost, safety, and high production volume. This review summarizes the latest advancements in plant-derived drugs used to combat COVID-19 and discusses the prospects and challenges of the plant-based production platform for antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corbin England
- Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
- Molecular Biosciences Program, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | | | - Paula PerezSanchez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | - Uddhab Karki
- Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
- Molecular Biosciences Program, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | - Jianfeng Xu
- Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
- College of Agriculture, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
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19
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Brindani N, Munafò F, Menichetti A, Donati E, Nigro M, Ottonello G, Armirotti A, De Vivo M. Design, synthesis, docking, and biochemical characterization of non-nucleoside SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 80:117179. [PMID: 36716583 PMCID: PMC9862713 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a worldwide pandemic. The identification of effective antiviral drugs remains an urgent medical need. In this context, here we report 17 new 1,4-benzopyrone derivatives, which have been designed, synthesized, and characterized for their ability to block the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme, a promising target for antiviral drug discovery. This compound series represents a good starting point for developing non-nucleoside inhibitors of RdRp. Compounds 4, 5, and 8 were the most promising drug-like candidates with good potency in inhibiting RdRp, improved in vitro pharmacokinetics compared to the initial hits, and no cytotoxicity effects on normal cell (HEK-293). Compound 8 (ARN25592) stands out as the most promising inhibitor. Our results indicate that this new chemical class of 1,4-benzopyrone derivatives deserves further exploration towards novel and potent antiviral drugs for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and potentially other viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Brindani
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Federico Munafò
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Andrea Menichetti
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Elisa Donati
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Michela Nigro
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Giuliana Ottonello
- Analytical Chemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Andrea Armirotti
- Analytical Chemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Marco De Vivo
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
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20
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Treatment with quercetin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 N protein-induced acute kidney injury by blocking Smad3-dependent G1 cell-cycle arrest. Mol Ther 2023; 31:344-361. [PMID: 36514292 PMCID: PMC9743779 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence shows that SARS-CoV-2 can infect kidneys and cause acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill COVID-19 patients. However, mechanisms through which COVID-19 induces AKI are largely unknown, and treatment remains ineffective. Here, we report that kidney-specific overexpressing SARS-CoV-2 N gene can cause AKI, including tubular necrosis and elevated levels of serum creatinine and BUN in 8-week-old diabetic db/db mice, which become worse in those with older age (16 weeks) and underlying diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Treatment with quercetin, a purified product from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that shows effective treatment of COVID-19 patients, can significantly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 N protein-induced AKI in diabetic mice with or without underlying DKD. Mechanistically, quercetin can block the binding of SARS-CoV-2 N protein to Smad3, thereby inhibiting Smad3 signaling and Smad3-mediated cell death via the p16-dependent G1 cell-cycle arrest mechanism in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 N protein is pathogenic and can cause severe AKI in diabetic mice, particularly in those with older age and pre-existing DKD, via the Smad3-dependent G1 cell-cycle arrest mechanism. Importantly, we identify that quercetin may be an effective TCM compound capable of inhibiting COVID-19 AKI by blocking SARS-CoV-2 N-Smad3-mediated cell death pathway.
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21
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Ujjan ID, Khan S, Nigar R, Ahmed H, Ahmad S, Khan A. The possible therapeutic role of curcumin and quercetin in the early-stage of COVID-19-Results from a pragmatic randomized clinical trial. Front Nutr 2023; 9:1023997. [PMID: 36742008 PMCID: PMC9889936 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1023997] [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: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Curcumin (CUR) and quercetin (QUE), two natural polyphenols, possess diverse biological activities including broad-spectrum antiviral, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. Both CUR and QUE have shown inhibition of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in in vitro assays. Objective In the present study we aimed to assess the possible treatment benefits of a combined curcumin and quercetin (CUR-QUE) oral supplement, alongside standard of care (SOC), in the early-stage COVID-19 infection. Methods This was an exploratory, pragmatic, open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial, conducted at the Department of Pathology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, PK. The study compared the treatment effect of an oral CUR-QUE supplement plus SOC vs. SOC alone, in the early-stage/mild to moderately symptomatic COVID-19 outpatients. Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to CUR-QUE (n = 25) and control (n = 25) treatment groups. The CUR-QUE supplementation consisted of a daily intake of 168 mg curcumin and 260 mg quercetin, as two soft capsules, to be taken twice a day at home for 14 days. Results After one-week of treatment, most of the patients in the CUR-QUE group showed an expedited clearance of the viral infection i.e., 18 (72.0%) vs. 6 (24.0%) patients in the control group tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 in the nasal-oropharyngeal swab reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis (p = 0.0002). In addition, COVID-19-associated acute symptoms were also speedily resolved in the CUR-QUE treated patients, i.e., 10 (40.0%) vs. 4 (16.0%) patients in the control group (p = 0.061). The CUR-QUE supplementation therapy was well-tolerated by all 25 patients and no treatment-emergent effects or serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion The results revealed in this exploratory study suggest a possible therapeutic role of curcumin and quercetin in the early-stage of COVID-19. It is proposed that the two agents possibly acting in synergy, interfere the SARS-CoV-2 replication, and thus help a speedy recovery in the early-stage of COVID-19. Further research is highly encouraged. Clinical trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier NCT04603690.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikram Din Ujjan
- Department of Pathology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Pakistan
| | - Saeed Khan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Roohi Nigar
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Bilawal Medical College, LUMHS, Jamshoro, Pakistan
| | | | - Sagheer Ahmad
- Shifa College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Amjad Khan
- Nuffield Division of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Amjad Khan,
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22
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Natural Compounds as Non-Nucleoside Inhibitors of Zika Virus Polymerase through Integration of In Silico and In Vitro Approaches. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15121493. [PMID: 36558945 PMCID: PMC9788182 DOI: 10.3390/ph15121493] [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: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the past epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) resulted in severe neurological consequences for infected infants and adults, there are still no approved drugs to treat ZIKV infection. In this study, we applied computational approaches to screen an in-house database of 77 natural and semi-synthetic compounds against ZIKV NS5 RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (NS5 RdRp), an essential protein for viral RNA elongation during the replication process. For this purpose, we integrated computational approaches such as binding-site conservation, chemical space analysis and molecular docking. As a result, we prioritized nine virtual hits for experimental evaluation. Enzymatic assays confirmed that pedalitin and quercetin inhibited ZIKV NS5 RdRp with IC50 values of 4.1 and 0.5 µM, respectively. Moreover, pedalitin also displayed antiviral activity on ZIKV infection with an EC50 of 19.28 µM cell-based assays, with low toxicity in Vero cells (CC50 = 83.66 µM) and selectivity index of 4.34. These results demonstrate the potential of the natural compounds pedalitin and quercetin as candidates for structural optimization studies towards the discovery of new anti-ZIKV drug candidates.
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23
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Chen C, Liang H, Deng Y, Yang X, Li X, Hou C. Analysis and Identification of Bioactive Compounds of Cannabinoids in Silico for Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121729. [PMID: 36551156 PMCID: PMC9775500 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the approval of multiple vaccinations in different countries, the majority of the world's population remains unvaccinated due to discrepancies in vaccine distribution and limited production capacity. The SARS-CoV-2 RBD-ACE2 complex (receptor binding domain that binds to ACE2) could be a suitable target for the development of a vaccine or an inhibitor. Various natural products have been used against SARS-CoV-2. Here, we docked 42 active cannabinoids to the active site of the SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV complex of RBD-ACE2. To ensure the flexibility and stability of the complex produced after docking, the top three ligand molecules with the best overall binding energies were further analyzed through molecular dynamic simulation (MDS). Then, we used the webserver Swissadme program and binding free energy to calculate and estimate the MMPBSA and ADME characteristics. Our results showed that luteolin, CBGVA, and CBNA were the top three molecules that interact with the SARS-CoV-2 RBD-ACE2 complex, while luteolin, stigmasterol, and CBNA had the strongest contact with that SARS-CoV. Our findings show that luteolin may be a potential inhibitor of infections caused by coronavirus-like pathogens such as COVID-19, although further in vivo and in vitro research is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxiao Chen
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops and Center of Southern Economic Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
| | - Hao Liang
- National Engineering Research Center for Vegetables, Institute of Vegetable Science, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
- Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (North China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Yanchun Deng
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops and Center of Southern Economic Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
| | - Xiushi Yang
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops and Center of Southern Economic Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Bioengineering Research Center, Institute of Advanced Technology, Guangzhou 510000, China
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (C.H.); Tel.: +86-731-88998569 (C.H.)
| | - Chunsheng Hou
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops and Center of Southern Economic Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (C.H.); Tel.: +86-731-88998569 (C.H.)
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24
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Diniz LRL, Elshabrawy HA, Souza MTS, Duarte ABS, Madhav N, de Sousa DP. Renoprotective Effects of Luteolin: Therapeutic Potential for COVID-19-Associated Acute Kidney Injuries. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1544. [PMID: 36358895 PMCID: PMC9687696 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been increasingly reported in critically-ill COVID-19 patients. Moreover, there was significant positive correlation between COVID-19 deaths and renal disorders in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with underlying comorbidities who required renal replacement therapy. It has suggested that death in COVID-19 patients with AKI is 3-fold higher than in COVID-19 patients without AKI. The pathophysiology of COVID-19-associated AKI could be attributed to unspecific mechanisms, as well as COVID-19-specific mechanisms such as direct cellular injury, an imbalanced renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, pro-inflammatory cytokines elicited by the viral infection and thrombotic events. To date, there is no specific treatment for COVID-19 and its associated AKI. Luteolin is a natural compound with multiple pharmacological activities, including anticoronavirus, as well as renoprotective activities against kidney injury induced by sepsis, renal ischemia and diverse nephrotoxic agents. Therefore, in this review, we mechanistically discuss the anti-SARS-CoV-2 and renoprotective activities of luteolin, which highlight its therapeutic potential in COVID-19-AKI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hatem A. Elshabrawy
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, TX 77304, USA
| | | | | | - Nikhil Madhav
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, TX 77304, USA
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25
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Gasmi A, Mujawdiya PK, Lysiuk R, Shanaida M, Peana M, Gasmi Benahmed A, Beley N, Kovalska N, Bjørklund G. Quercetin in the Prevention and Treatment of Coronavirus Infections: A Focus on SARS-CoV-2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:1049. [PMID: 36145270 PMCID: PMC9504481 DOI: 10.3390/ph15091049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak seems to be the most dangerous challenge of the third millennium due to its highly contagious nature. Amongst natural molecules for COVID-19 treatment, the flavonoid molecule quercetin (QR) is currently considered one of the most promising. QR is an active agent against SARS and MERS due to its antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and some other beneficial effects. QR may hold therapeutic potential against SARS-CoV-2 due to its inhibitory effects on several stages of the viral life cycle. In fact, QR inhibits viral entry, absorption, and penetration in the SARS-CoV virus, which might be at least partly explained by the ability of QR and its derivatives to inhibit 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro). QR is a potent immunomodulatory molecule due to its direct modulatory effects on several immune cells, cytokines, and other immune molecules. QR-based nanopreparations possess enhanced bioavailability and solubility in water. In this review, we discuss the prospects for the application of QR as a preventive and treatment agent for COVID-19. Given the multifactorial beneficial action of QR, it can be considered a very valid drug as a preventative, mitigating, and therapeutic agent of COVID-19 infection, especially in synergism with zinc, vitamins C, D, and E, and other polyphenols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Gasmi
- Société Francophone de Nutrithérapie et de Nutrigénétique Appliquée, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Roman Lysiuk
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Botany, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, 79010 Lviv, Ukraine
- CONEM Ukraine Life Science Research Group, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, 79010 Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Mariia Shanaida
- I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, 46001 Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Massimiliano Peana
- Department of Chemical, Physics, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Asma Gasmi Benahmed
- Académie Internationale de Médecine Dentaire Intégrative, 75000 Paris, France
| | - Nataliya Beley
- I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, 46001 Ternopil, Ukraine
| | | | - Geir Bjørklund
- Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (CONEM), Toften 24, 8610 Mo i Rana, Norway
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