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Xian SP, Li ZY, Li W, Yang PF, Huang SH, Liu Y, Tang L, Lai J, Zeng FM, He JZ, Liu Y. Spatial immune landscapes of SARS-CoV-2 gastrointestinal infection: macrophages contribute to local tissue inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1375354. [PMID: 39100091 PMCID: PMC11295004 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1375354] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In some patients, persistent gastrointestinal symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea occur as part of long COVID-19 syndrome following acute respiratory symptoms caused by SARS-CoV-2. However, the characteristics of immune cells in the gastrointestinal tract of COVID-19 patients and their association with these symptoms remain unclear. Methodology Data were collected from 95 COVID-19 patients. Among this cohort, 11 patients who exhibited gastrointestinal symptoms and underwent gastroscopy were selected. Using imaging mass cytometry, the gastrointestinal tissues of these patients were thoroughly analyzed to identify immune cell subgroups and investigate their spatial distribution. Results Significant acute inflammatory responses were found in the gastrointestinal tissues, particularly in the duodenum, of COVID-19 patients. These alterations included an increase in the levels of CD68+ macrophages and CD3+CD4+ T-cells, which was more pronounced in tissues with nucleocapsid protein (NP). The amount of CD68+ macrophages positively correlates with the number of CD3+CD4+ T-cells (R = 0.783, p < 0.001), additionally, spatial neighborhood analysis uncovered decreased interactions between CD68+ macrophages and multiple immune cells were noted in NP-positive tissues. Furthermore, weighted gene coexpression network analysis was employed to extract gene signatures related to clinical features and immune responses from the RNA-seq data derived from gastrointestinal tissues from COVID-19 patients, and we validated that the MEgreen module shown positive correlation with clinical parameter (i.e., Total bilirubin, ALT, AST) and macrophages (R = 0.84, p = 0.001), but negatively correlated with CD4+ T cells (R = -0.62, p = 0.004). By contrast, the MEblue module was inversely associated with macrophages and positively related with CD4+ T cells. Gene function enrichment analyses revealed that the MEgreen module is closely associated with biological processes such as immune response activation, signal transduction, and chemotaxis regulation, indicating its role in the gastrointestinal inflammatory response. Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the role of specific immune cell groups in the gastrointestinal inflammatory response in COVID-19 patients. Gene coexpression network analysis further emphasized the importance of the gene modules in gastrointestinal immune responses, providing potential molecular targets for the treatment of COVID-19-related gastrointestinal symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Ping Xian
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhan-Yu Li
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Peng-Fei Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Shen-Hao Huang
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Ye Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Lei Tang
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Lai
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Fa-Min Zeng
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jian-Zhong He
- Department of Pathology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
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Valipour M, Mohammadi M, Valipour H. CNS-Active p38α MAPK Inhibitors for the Management of Neuroinflammatory Diseases: Medicinal Chemical Properties and Therapeutic Capabilities. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:3911-3933. [PMID: 38041716 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03829-3] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
During the last two decades, many p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38α MAPK) inhibitors have been developed and tested in preclinical/clinical studies for the treatment of various disorders, especially problems with the origin of inflammation. Previous studies strongly suggest the involvement of the p38α MAPK pathway in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the significant progress made in this field, so far no studies have focused on p38α MAPK inhibitors that have the capability to be used for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. In the present review, we evaluated a wide range of well-known p38α MAPK inhibitors (more than 140 small molecules) by measuring key physicochemical parameters to identify those capable of successfully crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). As a result, we identify about 50 naturally occurring and synthetic p38α MAPK inhibitors with high potential to cross the BBB, which can be further explored in the future for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, a detailed analysis of the previously released X-ray crystal structure of the inhibitors in the active site of the p38α MAPK enzyme revealed that some residues such as Met109 play a critical role in the occurrence of effective interactions by constructing strong H-bonds. This study can encourage scientists to focus more on the design, production, and biological evaluation of new central nervous system (CNS)-active p38α MAPK inhibitors in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Maryam Mohammadi
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Habib Valipour
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Valipour M, Zakeri Khatir Z, Abdollahi E, Ayati A. Recent Applications of Protoberberines as Privileged Starting Materials for the Development of Novel Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Agents: A Concise Review (2017-2023). ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:48-71. [PMID: 38230282 PMCID: PMC10789142 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00292] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Berberine is a well-known phytochemical with significant antiviral activity against a wide range of viruses. Due to having a unique backbone consisting of four interconnected rings, it can be used as a platform for the design and development of novel semisynthetic antiviral agents. The question here is whether novel broad-spectrum antiviral drugs with enhanced activity and toxicity potential can be obtained by attempting to modify the structure of this privileged lead compound. The present study aims to review the results of recent studies in which berberine and its close analogues (protoberberine alkaloids) have been used as starting materials for the production of new semisynthetic antiviral structures. For this purpose, relevant studies published in high-quality journals indexed in databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, etc. in the time frame of 2017 to 2023 were collected. Our selection criterion in the current review focuses on the studies in which protoberberines were used as starting materials for the production of semisynthetic agents with antiviral activity during the indicated time period. Correspondingly, studies were identified in which semisynthetic derivatives with significant inhibitory activity against a wide range of viruses including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), enterovirus 71 (EV71), zika virus (ZIKV), influenza A/B, cytomegalovirus (CMV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and coxsackieviruses were designed and synthesized. Our conclusion is that, despite the introduction of diverse semisynthetic derivatives of berberine with improved activity profiles compared to the parent natural leads, sufficient derivatization has not been done yet and more studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi
Drug Research Center, Iran University of
Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Zahra Zakeri Khatir
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari 6964114483, Iran
- Student
Research Committee, Mazandaran University
of Medical Sciences, Sari 6964114483, Iran
| | - Elaheh Abdollahi
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Adileh Ayati
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research Center, Tehran University of Medical
Sciences, Tehran 1416753955, Iran
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4
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Valipour M, Irannejad H, Keyvani H. An Overview on Anti-COVID-19 Drug Achievements and Challenges Ahead. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:1248-1265. [PMID: 37705590 PMCID: PMC10496143 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The appearance of several coronavirus pandemics/epidemics during the last two decades (SARS-CoV-1 in 2002, MERS-CoV in 2012, and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019) indicates that humanity will face increasing challenges from coronaviruses in the future. The emergence of new strains with similar transmission characteristics as SARS-CoV-2 and mortality rates similar to SARS-CoV-1 (∼10% mortality) or MERS-CoV (∼35% mortality) in the future is a terrifying possibility. Therefore, getting enough preparations to face such risks is an inevitable necessity. The present study aims to review the drug achievements and challenges in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 with a combined perspective derived from pharmacology, pharmacotherapy, and medicinal chemistry insights. Appreciating all the efforts made during the past few years, there is strong evidence that the desired results have not yet been achieved and research in this area should still be pursued seriously. By expressing some pessimistic possibilities and concluding that the drug discovery and pharmacotherapy of COVID-19 have not been successful so far, this short essay tries to draw the attention of responsible authorities to be more prepared against future coronavirus epidemics/pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi
Drug Research Center, Iran University of
Medical Sciences, Tehran 1134845764, Iran
| | - Hamid Irannejad
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari 48157-33971, Iran
| | - Hossein Keyvani
- Department
of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University
of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1134845764, Iran
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5
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Valipour M. Therapeutic prospects of naturally occurring p38 MAPK inhibitors tanshinone IIA and pinocembrin for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2-induced CNS complications. Phytother Res 2023; 37:3724-3743. [PMID: 37282807 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway is closely related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication and hyperinflammatory responses in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, blood-brain barrier-penetrating p38 MAPK inhibitors have good potential for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) complications of COVID-19. The aim of the present study is the characterization of the therapeutic potential of tanshinone IIA and pinocembrin for the treatment of CNS complications of COVID-19. Studies published in high-quality journals indexed in databases Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and so forth were used to review the therapeutic capabilities of selected compounds. In continuation of our previous efforts to identify agents with favorable activity/toxicity profiles for the treatment of COVID-19, tanshinone IIA and pinocembrin were identified with a high ability to penetrate the CNS. Considering the nature of the study, no specific time frame was determined for the selection of studies, but the focus was strongly on studies published after the emergence of COVID-19. By describing the association of COVID-19-induced CNS disorders with p38 MAPK pathway disruption, this study concludes that tanshinone IIA and pinocembrin have great potential for better treatment of these complications. The inclusion of these compounds in the drug regimen of COVID-19 patients requires confirmation of their effectiveness through the conduction of high-quality clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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6
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Izbicka E, Streeper RT. Mitigation of Insulin Resistance by Natural Products from a New Class of Molecules, Membrane-Active Immunomodulators. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:913. [PMID: 37513825 PMCID: PMC10386479 DOI: 10.3390/ph16070913] [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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Insulin resistance (IR), accompanied by an impaired cellular glucose uptake, characterizes diverse pathologies that include, but are not limited to, metabolic disease, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Chronic inflammation associated with deranged cellular signaling is thought to contribute to IR. The key molecular players in IR are plasma membrane proteins, including the insulin receptor and glucose transporter 4. Certain natural products, such as lipids, phenols, terpenes, antibiotics and alkaloids have beneficial effects on IR, yet their mode of action remains obscured. We hypothesized that these products belong to a novel class of bioactive molecules that we have named membrane-active immunomodulators (MAIMs). A representative MAIM, the naturally occurring medium chain fatty acid ester diethyl azelate (DEA), has been shown to increase the fluidity of cell plasma membranes with subsequent downstream effects on cellular signaling. DEA has also been shown to improve markers of IR, including blood glucose, insulin and lipid levels, in humans. The literature supports the notion that DEA and other natural MAIMs share similar mechanisms of action in improving IR. These findings shed a new light on the mechanism of IR mitigation using natural products, and may facilitate the discovery of other compounds with similar activities.
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7
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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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8
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Dakpa G, Senthil Kumar KJ, Tsao NW, Wang SY. Antcin A, a phytosterol regulates SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-mediated metabolic alteration in THP-1 cells explored by the 1 H-NMR-based metabolomics approach. Phytother Res 2023; 37:885-902. [PMID: 36411492 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7670] [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: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-mediated perturbations of metabolic pathways and modulation of antcin A, a steroid-like compound isolated from Taiwanofungus camphoratus, are not studied. Here, we investigated the metabolic alteration by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the regulatory effect of antcin A on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-induced metabolic changes in the Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced human monocytes (THP-1) using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H-NMR) and MetaboAnalyst 5.0 software. The cytotoxic potential of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, antcin A, and dexamethasone was assessed by MTT assay. The metabolomic perturbations and their relation to human coronaviruses' receptors were evaluated by qPCR. This study indicated that the altered metabolites mediated by SARS-CoV-2 protein, such as methionine, phosphoenolpyruvic acid, canadine, glutamine, ethanolamine, and phenylalanine, were significantly reversed by antcin A. In addition, antcin A significantly inhibited SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-mediated up-regulation of TLR-4 and ACE2 receptors, while GRP78 inhibition was not statistically significant. This is the first study to use 1 H-NMR to investigate SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-induced metabolomic changes in PMA-induced THP-1 cells. Antcin A significantly reversed metabolomic alters while dexamethasone failed to fix them. Therefore, we believe that antcin A could be a potential candidate for therapeutic agents for viral infections related to a metabolic abnormality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyaltsen Dakpa
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | | | - Nai-Wen Tsao
- Department of Forestry, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Yang Wang
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Bachelor Program of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Forestry, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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9
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Valipour M. Recruitment of chalcone's potential in drug discovery of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Phytother Res 2022; 36:4477-4490. [PMID: 36208000 PMCID: PMC9874432 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7651] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Chalcone is an interesting scaffold found in the structure of many naturally occurring molecules. Medicinal chemists are commonly interested in designing new chalcone-based structures because of having the α, β-unsaturated ketone functional group, which allows these compounds to participate in Michael's reaction and create strong covalent bonds at the active sites of the targets. Some studies have identified several natural chalcone-based compounds with the ability to inhibit the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus proteases. A few years after the advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the publication of many findings in this regard, there is some evidence that suggests chalcone scaffolding has great potential for use in the design and development of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) inhibitors. Artificial placement of this scaffold in the structure of optimized anti-SARS-CoV-2 compounds can potentially provide irreversible inhibition of the viral cysteine proteases 3-chymotrypsin-like protease and papain-like protease by creating Michael interaction. Despite having remarkable capabilities, the use of chalcone scaffold in drug design and discovery of SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors seems to have been largely neglected. This review addresses issues that could lead to further consideration of chalcone scaffolding in the structure of SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitors in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
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10
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Nasa P, Juneja D, Jain R, Nasa R. COVID-19 and hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and thrombocytopenia syndrome in pregnant women - association or causation? World J Virol 2022; 11:310-320. [PMID: 36188744 PMCID: PMC9523323 DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v11.i5.310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnant women are among the high-risk population for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with unfavorable peripartum outcomes and increased incidence of preterm births. Hemolysis, the elevation of liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome and severe preeclampsia are among the leading causes of maternal mortality. Evidence supports a higher odd of pre-eclampsia in women with COVID-19, given overlapping pathophysiology. Involvement of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) for the entry to the host cells and its downregulation cause dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The overexpression of Angiotensin II mediated via p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase pathways can cause vasoconstriction and uninhibited platelet aggregation, which may be another common link between COVID-19 and HELLP syndrome. On PubMed search from January 1, 2020, to July 30, 2022, we found 18 studies on of SARS-COV-2 infection with HELLP Syndrome. Most of these studies are case reports or series, did not perform histopathology analysis of the placenta, or measured biomarkers linked to pre-eclampsia/HELLP syndrome. Hence, the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and HELLP syndrome is inconclusive in these studies. We intend to perform a mini-review of the published literature on HELLP syndrome and COVID-19 to test the hypothesis on association vs causation, and gaps in the current evidence and propose an area of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Nasa
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, NMC Specialty Hospital, Dubai 7832, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain 17666, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Deven Juneja
- Institute of Critical Care Medicine, Max Super Specialty Hospital Saket, New Delhi 110017, India
| | - Ravi Jain
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur 302001, India
| | - Ruchi Nasa
- Department of Pathology, Fakeeh University Hospital, Dubai 00000, United Arab Emirates
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