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Velikova T, Valkov H, Aleksandrova A, Peshevska-Sekulovska M, Sekulovski M, Shumnalieva R. Harnessing immunity: Immunomodulatory therapies in COVID-19. World J Virol 2024; 13:92521. [PMID: 38984079 PMCID: PMC11229839 DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v13.i2.92521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
An overly exuberant immune response, characterized by a cytokine storm and uncontrolled inflammation, has been identified as a significant driver of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Consequently, deciphering the intricacies of immune dysregulation in COVID-19 is imperative to identify specific targets for intervention and modulation. With these delicate dynamics in mind, immunomodulatory therapies have emerged as a promising avenue for mitigating the challenges posed by COVID-19. Precision in manipulating immune pathways presents an opportunity to alter the host response, optimizing antiviral defenses while curbing deleterious inflammation. This review article comprehensively analyzes immunomodulatory interventions in managing COVID-19. We explore diverse approaches to mitigating the hyperactive immune response and its impact, from corticosteroids and non-steroidal drugs to targeted biologics, including anti-viral drugs, cytokine inhibitors, JAK inhibitors, convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, cell-based therapies (i.e., CAR T, etc.). By summarizing the current evidence, we aim to provide a clear roadmap for clinicians and researchers navigating the complex landscape of immunomodulation in COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsvetelina Velikova
- Medical Faculty, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
| | - Hristo Valkov
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital “Tsaritsa Yoanna-ISUL”, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia 1527, Bulgaria
| | | | - Monika Peshevska-Sekulovska
- Medical Faculty, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Lozenetz, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
| | - Metodija Sekulovski
- Medical Faculty, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital Lozenetz, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
| | - Russka Shumnalieva
- Medical Faculty, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
- Department of Rheumatology, Clinic of Rheumatology, University Hospital "St. Ivan Rilski", Medical University-Sofia, Sofia 1612, Bulgaria
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Arjuman A. A perspective on new dilemmas in scientific publishing in the time of a pandemic. Indian J Med Microbiol 2023; 45:100366. [PMID: 37019728 PMCID: PMC10069637 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2023.100366] [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: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic exerted manifold pressures on the public health framework globally, but it also in a way unified different genres and allowed for strategizing and implementing regulatory decisions as best as possible, especially in India. There is an unmet need for such a unified and integrative approach in the area of scientific publishing which has also been touched by various dilemmas, either emergent or propagated during this pandemic. OBJECTIVES This article intends to re-visit some of the dilemmas in scientific publishing, which have taken centre stage owing to a healthcare emergency, with the objective of highlighting an unmet need for developing unified criteria for research conduction and publishing from a futuristic view point, as one is not without the other. CONTENT While a fast track delivery of research data has been a priority for research journals, the due pressures in the process management of the same while skimming the ethical boundaries of responsible mediation through a Journal platform has remained a challenge globally for various reasons. Furthermore, the inevitability of a healthcare emergency inadvertently led to some cumulative off-target effects including accumulation of research waste, diminishing validity of academic metrics, short data set publications, hasty zombie clinical trials publishing merely an overview of the actual data, etc, which are major issues not only for journal Editors or the research community as a whole, but also for regulatory authorities and policy makers. As a step towards future pandemic preparedness, strategizing and streamlining research and publication processes ensuing responsible reporting should be treated as a topic of paramount significance. Hence, through debating on these dilemmas as well as potential integrative approaches, unified guiding criteria in the area of scientific publishing may be developed in lieu of preparedness for such future pandemic scenarios.
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Das S, Babu A, Medha T, Ramanathan G, Mukherjee AG, Wanjari UR, Murali R, Kannampuzha S, Gopalakrishnan AV, Renu K, Sinha D, George Priya Doss C. Molecular mechanisms augmenting resistance to current therapies in clinics among cervical cancer patients. Med Oncol 2023; 40:149. [PMID: 37060468 PMCID: PMC10105157 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-01997-9] [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: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death (~ 324,000 deaths annually) among women internationally, with 85% of these deaths reported in developing regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is considered the major driver of CC, and with the availability of the prophylactic vaccine, HPV-associated CC is expected to be eliminated soon. However, female patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer demonstrated a high recurrence rate (50-70%) within two years of completing radiochemotherapy. Currently, 90% of failures in chemotherapy are during the invasion and metastasis of cancers related to drug resistance. Although molecular target therapies have shown promising results in the lab, they have had little success in patients due to the tumor heterogeneity fueling resistance to these therapies and bypass the targeted signaling pathway. The last two decades have seen the emergence of immunotherapy, especially immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies, as an effective treatment against metastatic tumors. Unfortunately, only a small subgroup of patients (< 20%) have benefited from this approach, reflecting disease heterogeneity and manifestation with primary or acquired resistance over time. Thus, understanding the mechanisms driving drug resistance in CC could significantly improve the quality of medical care for cancer patients and steer them to accurate, individualized treatment. The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning has also been a pivotal factor in cancer drug discovery. With the advancement in such technology, cervical cancer screening and diagnosis are expected to become easier. This review will systematically discuss the different tumor-intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms CC cells to adapt to resist current treatments and scheme novel strategies to overcome cancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumik Das
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Achsha Babu
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Tamma Medha
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Gnanasambandan Ramanathan
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Anirban Goutam Mukherjee
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Uddesh Ramesh Wanjari
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Reshma Murali
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Sandra Kannampuzha
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | | | - Kaviyarasi Renu
- Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Debottam Sinha
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - C George Priya Doss
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India.
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Amra B, Ashrafi F, Torki M, Hashemi M, Shirzadi M, Soltaninejad F, Sadeghi S, Salmasi M, Sami R, Darakhshandeh A, Nasirian M, Pourajam S. Thalidomide for the Treatment of COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Adv Biomed Res 2023; 12:14. [PMID: 36926422 PMCID: PMC10012021 DOI: 10.4103/abr.abr_248_21] [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: 08/08/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Coronavirus disease 2019 has become a public health concern with a high number of fatalities. Thalidomide can target inflammatory mediators and decrease inflammation in SARS-CoV-2. Materials and Methods An open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted on patients with compatible lung high-resolution computed tomography scan for COVID-19 pneumonia and moderate involvement. Childbearing-age women were excluded. A total of 20 patients in the control group receiving usual treatment were compared with 26 patients in the case group who in addition to the same regimen also received thalidomide. The primary outcome was time for clinical recovery (TTCR) and intensive-care unit (ICU) admission. Results From April 25 to August 8, 2020, based on the inclusion criteria, 47 patients were assigned to the study. Patients receiving thalidomide had a mean TTCR of days 5.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7-10.3), as compared with days 5.3 (95% CI, 1.7-8.9) with control (odds ratio 0.01; 95% CI, -1.58-1.59, P = 0.807). The incidence of ICU admission was 27% in the thalidomide group compared with 20% in the control group (odds ratio 3.89; 95% CI, 0.55-27.4, P = 0.425). The mean length of stay in hospital in both groups was 10 days. Progressive improvement in respiratory rate, fever, and O2 saturation during the study was seen in both groups without a significant difference between the thalidomide and control group (P > 0.05). Conclusion This study investigated the effects of thalidomide to treat moderate COVID-19 clinical outcomes. The results established that this drug regimen did not add more effect to usual treatment for moderate COVID-19 pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Amra
- Bamdad Respiratory and Sleep Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Sleep Ward, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Ashrafi
- Department of Hematology Oncology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Torki
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Marzieh Hashemi
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohamad Shirzadi
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Forogh Soltaninejad
- Bamdad Respiratory and Sleep Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Sleep Ward, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Somayeh Sadeghi
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mehrzad Salmasi
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Ramin Sami
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Ali Darakhshandeh
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Nasirian
- Department of Epidemiology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Samaneh Pourajam
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Nayek U, Basheer Ahamed SI, Mansoor Hussain UH, Unnikrishnan MK, Abdul Salam AA. Computational investigations of indanedione and indanone derivatives in drug discovery: Indanone derivatives inhibits cereblon, an E3 ubiquitin ligase component. Comput Biol Chem 2022; 101:107776. [PMID: 36252444 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2022.107776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cereblon, an extensively studied multifunctional protein, is a Cullin 4-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complex component. Cereblon is a well-known target of thalidomide and its derivatives. Cereblon is involved in multiple myeloma cell apoptosis. When ligands such as thalidomide and lenalidomide bind to cereblon, it recognizes various neosubstrates based on the ligand shape and properties. We have identified novel CRBN inhibitors, namely DHFO and its analogs, with structural features that are slightly different from thalidomide but stronger cereblon-binding affinity. We selected indanedione and indanone derivatives from the literature to understand and compare their cereblon-mediated substrate recognition potential. METHODS Computational investigations of possible CRBN inhibitors were investigated by molecular docking with Autodock Vina and DockThor programs. The properties of the compounds' ADME/T and drug-likeness were investigated. A molecular dynamics study was carried out for four selected molecules, and the molecular interactions were analyzed using PCA-based FEL methods. The binding affinity was calculated using the MM/PBSA method. RESULTS We conducted computational investigations on 68 indanedione and indanone derivatives binding with cereblon. Ten molecules showed better CRBN binding affinity than thalidomide. We studied the drug-likeness properties of the selected ten molecules, and four of the most promising molecules (DHFO, THOH, DIMS, and DTIN) were chosen for molecular dynamics studies. The MM/PBSA calculations showed that the DHFO, already shown to be a 5-LOX/COX2 inhibitor, has the highest binding affinity of - 163.16 kJ/mol with cereblon. CONCLUSION The selected CRBN inhibitor DHFO has demonstrated the highest binding affinity with cereblon protein compared to other molecules. Thalidomide and its derivatives have a new substitute in the form of DHFO, which produces an interaction hotspot on the surface of the cereblon. Ease of chemical synthesis, low toxicity, versatile therapeutic options, and pleiotropism of DHFO analogs provide an opportunity for exploring clinical alternatives with versatile therapeutic potential for a new category of indanedione molecules as novel modulators of E3 ubiquitin ligases.
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Arumugam GS, Damodharan K, Doble M, Thennarasu S. Significant perspectives on various viral infections targeted antiviral drugs and vaccines including COVID-19 pandemicity. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2022; 3:21. [PMID: 35838929 PMCID: PMC9283561 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-022-00078-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
A virus enters a living organism and recruits host metabolism to reproduce its own genome and proteins. The viral infections are intricate and cannot be completely removed through existing antiviral drugs. For example, the herpes, influenza, hepatitis and human immunodeficiency viruses are a few dreadful ones amongst them. Significant studies are needed to understand the viral entry and their growth in host cells to design effective antivirals. This review emphasizes the range of therapeutical antiviral drugs, inhibitors along with vaccines to fight against viral pathogens, especially for combating COVID-19. Moreover, we have provided the basic and in depth information about viral targets, drugs availability, their mechanisms of action, method of prevention of viral diseases and highlighted the significances of anticoagulants, convalescent plasma for COVID-19 treatment, scientific details of airborne transmission, characteristics of antiviral drug delivery using nanoparticles/carriers, nanoemulsions, nanogels, metal based nanoparticles, alike the future nanosystems through nanobubbles, nanofibers, nanodiamonds, nanotraps, nanorobots and eventually, the therapeutic applications of micro- and nanoparticulates, current status for clinical development against COVID-19 together with environmental implications of antivirals, gene therapy etc., which may be useful for repurposing and designing of novel antiviral drugs against various dreadful diseases, especially the SARS-CoV-2 and other associated variants.
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Hussein AD, Bakr EA, Al-Jumaili MHA. Association between ABO blood groups and the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in Iraq. J Int Med Res 2022; 50:3000605221133147. [PMID: 36329597 PMCID: PMC9638682 DOI: 10.1177/03000605221133147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The primary goals of this research were to analyze the relationship between
ABO blood types and the severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and investigate the effect of
vaccination in Iraq. Methods Data and outcomes were gathered from the medical records of 200 patients.
Patients were categorized by blood group and vaccination status in the
analysis. Results In total, 200 hospitalized patients (125 men and 75 women) with confirmed
SARS-CoV-2 infection and blood group (ABO) and clinical data were enrolled.
Of the 200 patients, 155 (77.5%) were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. The
results illustrated that 25 patients died, which might have been
attributable to a lack of vaccination or older age. Our analysis revealed
that blood group O individuals were much less likely to be infected by
SARS-CoV-2 than non-O subjects, whereas blood group A individuals carried a
higher risk of infection. Conclusions Our findings illustrated that immunization significantly reduces COVID-19
risk across all age groups, but there has been an increase in the number of
cases because of decreased vaccine efficacy in older patients and persons
with comorbidities. However, 45% vaccination coverage lowered the outbreak’s
peak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulhakeem D Hussein
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Applied Science, University of Fallujah, Al-Anbar, Iraq
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Nagarajan S, Priyadharsini G, Pattabiraman K. QSPR Modeling of Status-Based Topological Indices with COVID-19 Drugs. Polycycl Aromat Compd 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/10406638.2022.2127803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kannan Pattabiraman
- Department of Mathematics, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Kumbakonam, India
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Weekly Nowcasting of New COVID-19 Cases Using Past Viral Load Measurements. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071414. [PMID: 35891394 PMCID: PMC9317659 DOI: 10.3390/v14071414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 has imposed clinical and financial burdens on hospitals and governments attempting to provide patients with medical care and implement disease-controlling policies. The transmissibility of the disease was shown to be correlated with the patient’s viral load, which can be measured during testing using the cycle threshold (Ct). Previous models have utilized Ct to forecast the trajectory of the spread, which can provide valuable information to better allocate resources and change policies. However, these models combined other variables specific to medical institutions or came in the form of compartmental models that rely on epidemiological assumptions, all of which could impose prediction uncertainties. In this study, we overcome these limitations using data-driven modeling that utilizes Ct and previous number of cases, two institution-independent variables. We collected three groups of patients (n = 6296, n = 3228, and n = 12,096) from different time periods to train, validate, and independently validate the models. We used three machine learning algorithms and three deep learning algorithms that can model the temporal dynamic behavior of the number of cases. The endpoint was 7-week forward number of cases, and the prediction was evaluated using mean square error (MSE). The sequence-to-sequence model showed the best prediction during validation (MSE = 0.025), while polynomial regression (OLS) and support vector machine regression (SVR) had better performance during independent validation (MSE = 0.1596, and MSE = 0.16754, respectively), which exhibited better generalizability of the latter. The OLS and SVR models were used on a dataset from an external institution and showed promise in predicting COVID-19 incidences across institutions. These models may support clinical and logistic decision-making after prospective validation.
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Eshraghi M, Ahmadi M, Afshar S, Lorzadeh S, Adlimoghaddam A, Rezvani Jalal N, West R, Dastghaib S, Igder S, Torshizi SRN, Mahmoodzadeh A, Mokarram P, Madrakian T, Albensi BC, Łos MJ, Ghavami S, Pecic S. Enhancing autophagy in Alzheimer's disease through drug repositioning. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 237:108171. [PMID: 35304223 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the biggest human health threats due to increases in aging of the global population. Unfortunately, drugs for treating AD have been largely ineffective. Interestingly, downregulation of macroautophagy (autophagy) plays an essential role in AD pathogenesis. Therefore, targeting autophagy has drawn considerable attention as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of AD. However, developing new therapeutics is time-consuming and requires huge investments. One of the strategies currently under consideration for many diseases is "drug repositioning" or "drug repurposing". In this comprehensive review, we have provided an overview of the impact of autophagy on AD pathophysiology, reviewed the therapeutics that upregulate autophagy and are currently used in the treatment of other diseases, including cancers, and evaluated their repurposing as a possible treatment option for AD. In addition, we discussed the potential of applying nano-drug delivery to neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD, to overcome the challenge of crossing the blood brain barrier and specifically target molecules/pathways of interest with minimal side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Eshraghi
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba College of Medicine, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
| | - Mazaher Ahmadi
- Faculty of Chemistry, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran; Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Saeid Afshar
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Shahrokh Lorzadeh
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba College of Medicine, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
| | - Aida Adlimoghaddam
- Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Winnipeg, MB R2H2A6, Canada
| | | | - Ryan West
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, United States of America
| | - Sanaz Dastghaib
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz Iran
| | - Somayeh Igder
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | | | - Amir Mahmoodzadeh
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6734667149, Iran
| | - Pooneh Mokarram
- Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Tayyebeh Madrakian
- Faculty of Chemistry, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran; Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Benedict C Albensi
- St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Winnipeg, MB R2H2A6, Canada; Nova Southeastern Univ. College of Pharmacy, Davie, FL, United States of America; University of Manitoba, College of Medicine, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
| | - Marek J Łos
- Biotechnology Center, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba College of Medicine, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada; Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Research Institutes of Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Care Manitoba-University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada; Biology of Breathing Theme, Children Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada; Faculty of Medicine in Zabrze, University of Technology in Katowice, Academia of Silesia, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Stevan Pecic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, United States of America.
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Significance of Immune Status of SARS-CoV-2 Infected Patients in Determining the Efficacy of Therapeutic Interventions. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12030349. [PMID: 35330349 PMCID: PMC8955701 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12030349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now being investigated for its distinctive patterns in the course of disease development which can be indicated with miscellaneous immune responses in infected individuals. Besides this series of investigations on the pathophysiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), significant fundamental immunological and physiological processes are indispensable to address clinical markers of COVID-19 disease and essential to identify or design effective therapeutics. Recent developments in the literature suggest that deficiency of type I interferon (IFN) in serum samples can be used to represent a severe progression of COVID-19 disease and can be used as the basis to develop combined immunotherapeutic strategies. Precise control over inflammatory response is a significant aspect of targeting viral infections. This account presents a brief review of the pathophysiological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the understanding of the immune status of infected patients. We further discuss the immune system’s interaction with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and their subsequent involvement of dysfunctional immune responses during the progression of the disease. Finally, we highlight some of the implications of the different approaches applicable in developing promising therapeutic interventions that redirect immunoregulation and viral infection.
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Li CX, Noreen S, Zhang LX, Saeed M, Wu PF, Ijaz M, Dai DF, Maqbool I, Madni A, Akram F, Naveed M, Li JH. A critical analysis of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) complexities, emerging variants, and therapeutic interventions and vaccination strategies. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 146:112550. [PMID: 34959116 PMCID: PMC8673752 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus is a family of viruses that can cause diseases such as the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The universal outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS coronaviruses 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global pandemic. The β-Coronaviruses, which caused SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), have spread in more than 213 countries, infected over 81 million people, and caused more than 1.79 million deaths. COVID-19 symptoms vary from mild fever, flu to severe pneumonia in severely ill patients. Difficult breathing, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute kidney disease, liver damage, and multi-organ failure ultimately lead to death. Researchers are working on different pre-clinical and clinical trials to prevent this deadly pandemic by developing new vaccines. Along with vaccines, therapeutic intervention is an integral part of healthcare response to address the ongoing threat posed by COVID-19. Despite the global efforts to understand and fight against COVID-19, many challenges need to be addressed. This article summarizes the current pandemic, different strains of SARS-CoV-2, etiology, complexities, surviving medications of COVID-19, and so far, vaccination for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Xing Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Medical College of Qinghai University, 810000 Xining, China
| | - Sobia Noreen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Li-Xue Zhang
- School of Medicine, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Muhammad Saeed
- The Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur 6300, Pakistan
| | - Pei-Feng Wu
- School of Medicine, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Muhammad Ijaz
- Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Dong-Fang Dai
- Department of Human Anatomy, Medical College of Qinghai University, 810000 Xining, China
| | - Irsah Maqbool
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Asadullah Madni
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Faizan Akram
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Naveed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
| | - Jian-Hua Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Medical College of Qinghai University, 810000 Xining, China.
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13
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Narayan R V, Narang T. Response to "The role of thalidomide in dermatology". Clin Exp Dermatol 2022; 47:982-983. [PMID: 34997621 DOI: 10.1111/ced.15096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vignesh Narayan R
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, -160012
| | - Tarun Narang
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, -160012
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14
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Imami AS, McCullumsmith RE, O’Donovan SM. Strategies to identify candidate repurposable drugs: COVID-19 treatment as a case example. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:591. [PMID: 34785660 PMCID: PMC8594646 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01724-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug repurposing is an invaluable strategy to identify new uses for existing drug therapies that overcome many of the time and financial costs associated with novel drug development. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven an unprecedented surge in the development and use of bioinformatic tools to identify candidate repurposable drugs. Using COVID-19 as a case study, we discuss examples of machine-learning and signature-based approaches that have been adapted to rapidly identify candidate drugs. The Library of Integrated Network-based Signatures (LINCS) and Connectivity Map (CMap) are commonly used repositories and have the advantage of being amenable to use by scientists with limited bioinformatic training. Next, we discuss how these recent advances in bioinformatic drug repurposing approaches might be adapted to identify repurposable drugs for CNS disorders. As the development of novel therapies that successfully target the cause of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders has stalled, there is a pressing need for innovative strategies to treat these complex brain disorders. Bioinformatic approaches to identify repurposable drugs provide an exciting avenue of research that offer promise for improved treatments for CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali S. Imami
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Robert E. McCullumsmith
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA ,grid.422550.40000 0001 2353 4951Neurosciences Institute, Promedica, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Sinead M. O’Donovan
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA
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15
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Hu S, Jiang S, Qi X, Bai R, Ye XY, Xie T. Races of small molecule clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19: An up-to-date comprehensive review. Drug Dev Res 2021; 83:16-54. [PMID: 34762760 PMCID: PMC8653368 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19) pandemic has become a global threat since its first outbreak at the end of 2019. Several review articles have been published recently, focusing on the aspects of target biology, drug repurposing, and mechanisms of action (MOAs) for potential treatment. This review gathers all small molecules currently in active clinical trials, categorizes them into six sub‐classes, and summarizes their clinical progress. The aim is to provide the researchers from both pharmaceutical industries and academic institutes with the handful information and dataset to accelerate their research programs in searching effective small molecule therapy for treatment of COVID‐19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suwen Hu
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal Umiversity, Hangzhou, China.,Hangzhou Huadong Medicine Group, Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co. Ltd., Hangzhou, China.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Los Angeles, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Songwei Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal Umiversity, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Qi
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal Umiversity, Hangzhou, China
| | - Renren Bai
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal Umiversity, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Yang Ye
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal Umiversity, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tian Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal Umiversity, Hangzhou, China
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16
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Sundaresan L, Giri S, Singh H, Chatterjee S. Repurposing of thalidomide and its derivatives for the treatment of SARS-coV-2 infections: Hints on molecular action. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2021; 87:3835-3850. [PMID: 33609410 PMCID: PMC8013920 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.14792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The SARS-coV-2 pandemic continues to cause an unprecedented global destabilization requiring urgent attention towards drug and vaccine development. Thalidomide, a drug with known anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects has been indicated to be effective in treating a SARS-coV-2 pneumonia patient. Here, we study the possible mechanisms through which thalidomide might affect coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). METHODS The present study explores the possibility of repurposing thalidomide for the treatment of SARS-coV-2 pneumonia by reanalysing transcriptomes of SARS-coV-2 infected tissues with thalidomide and lenalidomide induced transcriptomic changes in transformed lung and haematopoietic models as procured from databases, and further comparing them with the transcriptome of primary endothelial cells. RESULTS Thalidomide and lenalidomide exhibited pleiotropic effects affecting a range of biological processes including inflammation, immune response, angiogenesis, MAPK signalling, NOD-like receptor signalling, Toll-like receptor signalling, leucocyte differentiation and innate immunity, the processes that are aberrantly regulated in severe COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSION The present study indicates thalidomide analogues as a better fit for treating severe cases of novel viral infections, healing the damaged network by compensating the impairment caused by the COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suvendu Giri
- Vascular Biology LaboratoryAU‐KBC Research CentreChennaiIndia
- Department of BiotechnologyAnna UniversityChennaiIndia
| | - Himanshi Singh
- Vascular Biology LaboratoryAU‐KBC Research CentreChennaiIndia
- Department of BiotechnologyAnna UniversityChennaiIndia
| | - Suvro Chatterjee
- Vascular Biology LaboratoryAU‐KBC Research CentreChennaiIndia
- Department of BiotechnologyAnna UniversityChennaiIndia
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17
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Santana AC, Andraus W, Silva FMO, Dellê H, Pepineli R, de Moraes EL, Scavone C, de Sá Lima L, Degaspari S, Brasil S, Solla DJF, Ruiz LM, de Oliveira-Braga KA, Nepomuceno NA, Pêgo-Fernandes PM, Tullius SG, Figueiredo EG. Immunomodulatory effects of thalidomide in an experimental brain death liver donor model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19221. [PMID: 34584130 PMCID: PMC8479052 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98538-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain death is characterized by a generalized inflammatory response that results in multiorgan damage. This process is mainly mediated through cytokines, which amplify graft immunogenicity. We investigated the immunological response in a brain death liver donor model and analysed the effects of thalidomide, a drug with powerful immunomodulatory properties. Brain death was induced in male Lewis rats. We studied three groups: Control (sham-operated rats in which trepanation was performed without inserting the balloon catheter), BD (rats subjected to brain death by increasing intracranial pressure) and BD + Thalid (BD rats receiving thalidomide after brain death). After 6 h, serum levels of AST, ALT, LDH, and ALP as well as systemic and hepatic levels of TNF-α, IL1-β, IL-6, and IL-10 were analysed. We also determined the mRNA expression of MHC Class I and Class II, NF-κB, and macrophage infiltration. NF-κB was also examined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Thalidomide treatment significantly reduced serum levels of hepatic enzymes and TNF-α, IL-1-β, and IL-6. These cytokines were evaluated at either the mRNA expression or protein level in liver tissue. In addition, thalidomide administration resulted in a significant reduction in macrophages, MHC Class I and Class II, and NF-κB activation. This study reveals that thalidomide significantly inhibited the immunologic response and graft immunogenicity, possibly through suppression of NF-κB activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Chagas Santana
- Neurological Surgery Department, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Av. Dr. Enéas Carvalho de Aguiar, 255, 5th Floor, São Paulo, CEP: 05402-000, Brazil. .,Organ Procurement Organization Department, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Wellington Andraus
- Gastroenterology Department, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Humberto Dellê
- Medical Science Department, Nove de Julho University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Pepineli
- Medical Science Department, Nove de Julho University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edvaldo Leal de Moraes
- Organ Procurement Organization Department, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristoforo Scavone
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Larissa de Sá Lima
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Degaspari
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sergio Brasil
- Neurological Surgery Department, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Av. Dr. Enéas Carvalho de Aguiar, 255, 5th Floor, São Paulo, CEP: 05402-000, Brazil
| | - Davi Jorge Fontoura Solla
- Neurological Surgery Department, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Av. Dr. Enéas Carvalho de Aguiar, 255, 5th Floor, São Paulo, CEP: 05402-000, Brazil
| | - Liliane Moreira Ruiz
- Cardiopneumology Department, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Stefan Gunther Tullius
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eberval Gadelha Figueiredo
- Neurological Surgery Department, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Av. Dr. Enéas Carvalho de Aguiar, 255, 5th Floor, São Paulo, CEP: 05402-000, Brazil
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18
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Mignani S, Shi X, Karpus A, Lentini G, Majoral JP. Functionalized Dendrimer Platforms as a New Forefront Arsenal Targeting SARS-CoV-2: An Opportunity. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1513. [PMID: 34575589 PMCID: PMC8466088 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) has caused a pandemic. There are currently several marketed vaccines and many in clinical trials targeting SARS-CoV-2. Another strategy is to repurpose approved drugs to decrease the burden of the COVID-19 (official name for the coronavirus disease) pandemic. as the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved antiviral drugs and anti-inflammatory drugs to arrest the cytokine storm, inducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Another view to solve these unprecedented challenges is to analyze the diverse nanotechnological approaches which are able to improve the COVID-19 pandemic. In this original minireview, as promising candidates we analyze the opportunity to develop biocompatible dendrimers as drugs themselves or as nanocarriers against COVID-19 disease. From the standpoint of COVID-19, we suggest developing dendrimers as shields against COVID-19 infection based on their capacity to be incorporated in several environments outside the patients and as important means to stop transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Mignani
- Laboratoire de Chimie et de Biochimie Pharmacologiques et Toxicologique, Université Paris Descartes, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 860, 75006 Paris, France
- CQM—Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Campus da Penteada, Universidade da Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Xiangyang Shi
- CQM—Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Campus da Penteada, Universidade da Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Andrii Karpus
- Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination du CNRS, 205 Route de Narbonne, CEDEX 4, 31077 Toulouse, France;
- Université Toulouse 118 Route de Narbonne, CEDEX 4, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Giovanni Lentini
- Dipartimento di Farmacia—Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy;
| | - Jean-Pierre Majoral
- Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination du CNRS, 205 Route de Narbonne, CEDEX 4, 31077 Toulouse, France;
- Université Toulouse 118 Route de Narbonne, CEDEX 4, 31077 Toulouse, France
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19
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Abstract
No pharmaceutical products have been demonstrated to be safe and effective to specifically treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); therefore, the therapy administered to infected patients remains symptomatic and empiric. Alongside the development of new, often high-cost drugs, a different tactic is being applied in parallel, investigating long-established, inexpensive medications originally designed for a variety of diseases to study their potential in treating COVID-19. The skin is the largest organ of the human body. With more than 3,000 skin conditions identified, the specialty of dermatology offers a rich armamentarium of systemic therapeutic agents aimed to treat the various chronic immunologically mediated, metabolic, infectious, occupational, inherited, or paraneoplastic dermatoses. Dermatologists have extensive experience with many drugs that have demonstrated promising in vitro antiviral action (directly targeting the viral replication). Many of these drugs have been used as nonspecific immunosuppressive strategies, such as glucocorticoids, synthetic antimalarials, colchicine, or other immunomodulators, and a number of targeted therapeutics have been directed at controlling hyperinflammatory processes similar to the "cytokine storm" associated with COVID-19 infection. We discuss several dermatologic drugs that have already been used or may have a promising role in the treatment of COVID-19.
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20
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Khalil A, Dhingra R, Al-Mulki J, Hassoun M, Alexis N. Questioning the sex-specific differences in the association of smoking on the survival rate of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255692. [PMID: 34351990 PMCID: PMC8341532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In the absence of a universally accepted association between smoking and COVID-19 health outcomes, we investigated this relationship in a representative cohort from one of the world’s highest tobacco consuming regions. This is the first report from the Middle East and North Africa that tackles specifically the association of smoking and COVID-19 mortality while demonstrating a novel sex-discrepancy in the survival rates among patients. Methods Clinical data for 743 hospitalized COVID-19 patients was retrospectively collected from the leading centre for COVID-19 testing and treatment in Lebanon. Logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age and stratified by sex were used to assess the association between the current cigarette smoking status of patients and COVID-19 outcomes. Results In addition to the high smoking prevalence among our hospitalized COVID-19 patients (42.3%), enrolled smokers tended to have higher reported ICU admissions (28.3% vs 16.6%, p<0.001), longer length of stay in the hospital (12.0 ± 7.8 vs 10.8 days, p<0.001) and higher death incidences as compared to non-smokers (60.5% vs 39.5%, p<0.001). Smokers had an elevated odds ratio for death (OR = 2.3, p<0.001) and for ICU admission (OR = 2.0, p<0.001) which remained significant in a multivariate regression model. Once adjusted for age and stratified by sex, our data revealed that current smoking status reduces survival rate in male patients ([HR] = 1.9 [95% (CI), 1.029–3.616]; p = 0.041) but it does not affect survival outcomes among hospitalized female patients([HR] = 0.79 [95% CI = 0.374–1.689]; p = 0.551). Conclusion A high smoking prevalence was detected in our hospitalized COVID-19 cohort combined with worse prognosis and higher mortality rate in smoking patients. Our study was the first to highlight potential sex-specific consequences for smoking on COVID-19 outcomes that might further explain the higher vulnerability to death from this disease among men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athar Khalil
- Clinical Research Unit, Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
- * E-mail: (AK); (MH)
| | - Radhika Dhingra
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jida Al-Mulki
- Department of Pulmonary and Intensive Care Unit, Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mahmoud Hassoun
- Department of Pulmonary and Intensive Care Unit, Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
- * E-mail: (AK); (MH)
| | - Neil Alexis
- Center for Environmental Medicine Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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21
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de Jesus SM, Santana RS, Leite SN. Comparative analysis of the use and control of thalidomide in Brazil and different countries: is it possible to say there is safety? Expert Opin Drug Saf 2021; 21:67-81. [PMID: 34232089 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2021.1953467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION One of the biggest drug disasters in history has not prevented thalidomide from being used to treat various clinical conditions. Currently, Brazil has a worrying scenario: high consumption of the drug and, cases of pregnant women using thalidomide, even after adopting restrictive legislation. AREAS COVERED This review of the literature and legislation sought to comparatively analyze the monitoring of thalidomide use in Brazil and other countries that use this drug. Finally, we discuss the differences between the countries. EXPERT OPINION This analysis allows us to think beyond the safe use of thalidomide, but the safety provided by any type of monitoring system. It seems that out-patients that use unsafe drugs are exposed to some degree of risk. To improve safety, more extensive improvements are needed than monitoring systems related to the use of thalidomide. Its safe use depends on a drastic reduction in the incidence of leprosy and Erythema Nodosum Leprosum in the world; investment in research and development of safe and effective therapeutic alternatives to thalidomide; improvement of health systems and their health surveillance systems, particularly in primary health care; awareness of health professionals and patients for greater responsibility in the use of medicines, especially thalidomide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraya Machado de Jesus
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | | | - Silvana Nair Leite
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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22
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Russick J, Foy PE, Josseaume N, Meylan M, Hamouda NB, Kirilovsky A, Sissy CE, Tartour E, Smadja DM, Karras A, Hulot JS, Livrozet M, Fayol A, Arlet JB, Diehl JL, Dragon-Durey MA, Pagès F, Cremer I. Immune Signature Linked to COVID-19 Severity: A SARS-Score for Personalized Medicine. Front Immunol 2021; 12:701273. [PMID: 34322128 PMCID: PMC8312547 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.701273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to a highly variable clinical evolution, ranging from asymptomatic to severe disease with acute respiratory distress syndrome, requiring intensive care units (ICU) admission. The optimal management of hospitalized patients has become a worldwide concern and identification of immune biomarkers predictive of the clinical outcome for hospitalized patients remains a major challenge. Immunophenotyping and transcriptomic analysis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at admission allow identifying the two categories of patients. Inflammation, high neutrophil activation, dysfunctional monocytic response and a strongly impaired adaptive immune response was observed in patients who will experience the more severe form of the disease. This observation was validated in an independent cohort of patients. Using in silico analysis on drug signature database, we identify differential therapeutics that specifically correspond to each group of patients. From this signature, we propose a score-the SARS-Score-composed of easily quantifiable biomarkers, to classify hospitalized patients upon arrival to adapt treatment according to their immune profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules Russick
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Inflammation, Complement and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Emmanuel Foy
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Inflammation, Complement and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Josseaume
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Inflammation, Complement and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Meylan
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Inflammation, Complement and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Nadine Ben Hamouda
- Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, Universite de Paris, Paris, France
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Integrative Cancer Immunology F-75006, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Universite, Paris, France
| | - Amos Kirilovsky
- Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, Universite de Paris, Paris, France
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Integrative Cancer Immunology F-75006, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Universite, Paris, France
| | - Carine El Sissy
- Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, Universite de Paris, Paris, France
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Integrative Cancer Immunology F-75006, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Universite, Paris, France
| | - Eric Tartour
- Department of Immunology, Hôpital Europeen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - David M. Smadja
- Université de Paris, Innovative Therapies in Hemostasis, INSERM, Hematology Department and Biosurgical Research Lab, (Carpentier Foundation) Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre-Université de Paris (APHP-CUP), Paris, France
- F-CRIN INNOVTE, Saint-Étienne, France
| | - Alexandre Karras
- Department of Nephrology, Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France
- Department of Nephrology, Universite de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Sébastien Hulot
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
- CIC1418 and DMU CARTE, AP-HP, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Marine Livrozet
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
- CIC1418 and DMU CARTE, AP-HP, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Fayol
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
- CIC1418 and DMU CARTE, AP-HP, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Benoit Arlet
- Department of Nephrology, Universite de Paris, Paris, France
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Luc Diehl
- Université de Paris, Innovative Therapies in Haemostasis, INSERM, Paris, France
- Intensive Care Unit and Biosurgical Research Lab (Carpentier Foundation), AH-HP, Georges Pompidou European Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Agnès Dragon-Durey
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Inflammation, Complement and Cancer, Paris, France
- Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, Universite de Paris, Paris, France
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Integrative Cancer Immunology F-75006, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Universite, Paris, France
| | - Franck Pagès
- Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, Universite de Paris, Paris, France
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Integrative Cancer Immunology F-75006, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Universite, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Cremer
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Inserm, Universite de Paris, Team Inflammation, Complement and Cancer, Paris, France
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Mukhopadhyay K, Dalai CK, Singh R, Ahmed SN, Banerjee K. Do We have the Evidence to Repurpose Levamisole for Treatment of COVID 19? CURRENT DRUG THERAPY 2021. [DOI: 10.2174/1574885515999201231204530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The human civilization is reeling under the COVID19 pandemic with no promising
news of any effective treatment against the infection to date. A number of drugs have been repurposed
without any remarkable efficacy. Amidst the crisis, utilising immunomodulators for boosting
host immunity to mitigate disease severity and infectivity appears a viable option. In this article,
we have explored the contemporary scientific evidence about levamisole for its potential use in
COVID 19. Though the primary pharmacological use of the drug is as an anthelminthic, its immunostimulatory
action has been shown to increase T-cell function, neutrophilic chemotaxis and
immunoglobulin production both in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, the drug has been used with limited
success in the treatment of herpes and HIV. The potential role of the drug in COVID 19 stems
from the fact that the immunostimulant action can initiate a strong immune response and surmount
the surreptitious virus, which evades host cell immunity. However, great caution has to be exercised
in deciding the dosing schedule because the drug-disease interaction, especially the fatal hyperimmune
response, is unknown and unpredictable. Being a widely available drug, enlisted in the
WHO List of Essential Medicine, without any major safety issue, the drug is already in clinical
trials carrying out worldwide. As the pandemic continues to ravage mankind with unabated intensity,
any favourable outcome is eagerly awaited from the ongoing trials with levamisole and other
drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshab Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and JNM Hospital, The West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741235, India
| | - Chanchal Kumar Dalai
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and JNM Hospital, The West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741235, India
| | - Ritesh Singh
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741235, India
| | - Shah Newaz Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and JNM Hospital, The West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741235, India
| | - Kushal Banerjee
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India
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Srivastava V, Ahmad A. New perspective towards therapeutic regimen against SARS-CoV-2 infection. J Infect Public Health 2021; 14:852-862. [PMID: 34118735 PMCID: PMC8152204 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2021.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing enormous loss of human life owing to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a global crisis ranging from the collapse of health - care systems to socio-economic instability. As SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus, very little information is available from researchers and therefore, a rigorous effort is required to decode its pathogenicity. There are no licenced treatment options available for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections and the development of a new antiviral drug targeting coronavirus cannot happen soon. Consequently, drug repurposing is a promising solution for combating the present pandemic. In this review, we have thoroughly discussed all the proteins encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome; their importance in pathogenicity and their potential role in drug discovery. Also, the budding threat of co-infections by other pathogenic microbes has been highlighted. Furthermore, the advances made in the medicinal field for the treatment and prevention of this viral infection is explained. Altogether, this review will provide some insightful discussions about this infectious disease and will meet certain of the knowledge gaps which exist by presenting an exhaustive and extensive scientific report on the ongoing mission for COVID-19 drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vartika Srivastava
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
| | - Aijaz Ahmad
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa; Infection Control, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa.
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25
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Barbarossa A, Iacopetta D, Sinicropi MS, Franchini C, Carocci A. Recent Advances in the Development of Thalidomide-Related Compounds as Anticancer Drugs. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:19-40. [PMID: 34165402 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210623143526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Thalidomide is an old well-known drug that was first used as morning sickness relief in pregnant women before being withdrawn from the market due to its severe side effects on normal fetal development, However, over the last few decades, the interest in this old drug has been renewed because of its efficacy in several important disorders for instance, multiple myeloma, breast cancer, and HIV-related diseases due to its antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory properties. Unfortunately, even in these cases, many aftereffects as deep vein thrombosis, peripheral neuropathy, constipation, somnolence, pyrexia, pain, and teratogenicity have been reported, showing the requirement of careful and monitored use. For this reason, research efforts are geared toward the synthesis and optimization of new thalidomide analogues lacking in toxic effects to erase these limits and improve the pharmacological profile. AIMS This review aims to examine the state-of-the-art concerning the current studies on thalidomide and its analogues towards cancer diseases (with few hints regarding the antimicrobial activity), focusing the attention on the possible mechanisms of action involved and the lack of toxicity. CONCLUSION In the light of the collected data, thalidomide analogues and their ongoing optimization could lead, in the future, to the realization of a promising therapeutic alternative for cancer-fighting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Barbarossa
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Iacopetta
- Department of Pharmacy, Health, and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Maria Stefania Sinicropi
- Department of Pharmacy, Health, and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Carlo Franchini
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Alessia Carocci
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy
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Kirmani SAK, Ali P, Azam F. Topological indices and QSPR/QSAR analysis of some antiviral drugs being investigated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY 2021; 121:e26594. [PMID: 33612855 PMCID: PMC7883265 DOI: 10.1002/qua.26594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The spread of novel virus SARS-CoV-2, well known as COVID-19 has become a major health issue currently which has turned up to a pandemic worldwide. The treatment recommendations are variable. Lack of appropriate medication has worsened the disease. On the basis of prior research, scientists are testing drugs based on medical therapies for SARS and MERS. Many drugs which include lopinavir, ritonavir and thalidomide are listed in the new recommendations. A topological index is a type of molecular descriptor that simply defines numerical values associated with the molecular structure of a compound that is effectively used in modeling many physicochemical properties in numerous quantitative structure-property/activity relationship (QSPR/QSAR) studies. In this study, several degree-based and neighborhood degree sum-based topological indices for several antiviral drugs were investigated by using a M-polynomial and neighborhood M-polynomial methods. In addition, a QSPR was established between the various topological indices and various physicochemical properties of these antiviral drugs along with remdesivir, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and theaflavin was performed in order to assess the efficacy of the calculated topological indices. The obtained results reveal that topological indices under study have strong correlation with the physicochemical characteristics of the potential antiviral drugs. A biological activity (pIC50) of these compounds were also investigated by using multiple linear regressions (MLR) analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Ajaz K. Kirmani
- Department of Electrical Engineering, College of EngineeringQassim UniversityUnaizahSaudi Arabia
| | - Parvez Ali
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of EngineeringQassim UniversityUnaizahSaudi Arabia
| | - Faizul Azam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Pharmacognosy, Unaizah College of PharmacyQassim UniversityUnaizahSaudi Arabia
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27
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O'Donovan SM, Imami A, Eby H, Henkel ND, Creeden JF, Asah S, Zhang X, Wu X, Alnafisah R, Taylor RT, Reigle J, Thorman A, Shamsaei B, Meller J, McCullumsmith RE. Identification of candidate repurposable drugs to combat COVID-19 using a signature-based approach. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4495. [PMID: 33627767 PMCID: PMC7904823 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84044-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 is more contagious than other coronaviruses and has higher rates of mortality than influenza. Identification of effective therapeutics is a crucial tool to treat those infected with SARS-CoV-2 and limit the spread of this novel disease globally. We deployed a bioinformatics workflow to identify candidate drugs for the treatment of COVID-19. Using an "omics" repository, the Library of Integrated Network-Based Cellular Signatures (LINCS), we simultaneously probed transcriptomic signatures of putative COVID-19 drugs and publicly available SARS-CoV-2 infected cell lines to identify novel therapeutics. We identified a shortlist of 20 candidate drugs: 8 are already under trial for the treatment of COVID-19, the remaining 12 have antiviral properties and 6 have antiviral efficacy against coronaviruses specifically, in vitro. All candidate drugs are either FDA approved or are under investigation. Our candidate drug findings are discordant with (i.e., reverse) SARS-CoV-2 transcriptome signatures generated in vitro, and a subset are also identified in transcriptome signatures generated from COVID-19 patient samples, like the MEK inhibitor selumetinib. Overall, our findings provide additional support for drugs that are already being explored as therapeutic agents for the treatment of COVID-19 and identify promising novel targets that are worthy of further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinead M O'Donovan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - Ali Imami
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - Hunter Eby
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - Nicholas D Henkel
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - Justin Fortune Creeden
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - Sophie Asah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - Xiaojun Wu
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - Rawan Alnafisah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA
| | - R Travis Taylor
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - James Reigle
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Alexander Thorman
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Behrouz Shamsaei
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jarek Meller
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computing Systems, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Health Science Campus, Mail Stop #1007, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614-2598, USA.
- Neurosciences Institute, Promedica, Toledo, OH, USA.
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Majumdar S, Verma R, Saha A, Bhattacharyya P, Maji P, Surjit M, Kundu M, Basu J, Saha S. Perspectives About Modulating Host Immune System in Targeting SARS-CoV-2 in India. Front Genet 2021; 12:637362. [PMID: 33664772 PMCID: PMC7921795 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.637362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus induced disease-2019 (COVID-19), is a type of common cold virus responsible for a global pandemic which requires immediate measures for its containment. India has the world's largest population aged between 10 and 40 years. At the same time, India has a large number of individuals with diabetes, hypertension and kidney diseases, who are at a high risk of developing COVID-19. A vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2, may offer immediate protection from the causative agent of COVID-19, however, the protective memory may be short-lived. Even if vaccination is broadly successful in the world, India has a large and diverse population with over one-third being below the poverty line. Therefore, the success of a vaccine, even when one becomes available, is uncertain, making it necessary to focus on alternate approaches of tackling the disease. In this review, we discuss the differences in COVID-19 death/infection ratio between urban and rural India; and the probable role of the immune system, co-morbidities and associated nutritional status in dictating the death rate of COVID-19 patients in rural and urban India. Also, we focus on strategies for developing masks, vaccines, diagnostics and the role of drugs targeting host-virus protein-protein interactions in enhancing host immunity. We also discuss India's strengths including the resources of medicinal plants, good food habits and the role of information technology in combating COVID-19. We focus on the Government of India's measures and strategies for creating awareness in the containment of COVID-19 infection across the country.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rohit Verma
- Virology Laboratory, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Research Centre, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Avishek Saha
- Ubiquitous Analytical Techniques, CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Pradipta Maji
- Biomedical Imaging and Bioinformatics Lab, Machine Intelligence Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Milan Surjit
- Virology Laboratory, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Research Centre, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | | | - Joyoti Basu
- Department of Chemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Sudipto Saha
- Division of Bioinformatics, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
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Tian D, Liu Y, Liang C, Xin L, Xie X, Zhang D, Wan M, Li H, Fu X, Liu H, Cao W. An update review of emerging small-molecule therapeutic options for COVID-19. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 137:111313. [PMID: 33556871 PMCID: PMC7857046 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and pandemic that began near the end of 2019 has posed a challenge to global health. At present, many candidate small-molecule therapeutics have been developed that can inhibit both the infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 and even potentially relieve cytokine storms and other related complications. Meanwhile, host-targeted drugs that inhibit cellular transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2) can prevent SARS-CoV-2 from entering cells, and its combination with chloroquine and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitors can limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and reduce the morbidity and mortality of patients with COVID-19. The present article provides an overview of these small-molecule therapeutics based on insights from medicinal chemistry research and focuses on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitors, such as the nucleoside analogues remdesivir, favipiravir and ribavirin. This review also covers inhibitors of 3C-like protease (3CLpro), papain-like protease (PLpro) and other potentially innovative active ingredient molecules, describing their potential targets, activities, clinical status and side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengke Tian
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, PR China
| | - Yuzhi Liu
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Chengyuan Liang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, PR China; Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China.
| | - Liang Xin
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Xiaolin Xie
- Shaanxi Panlong Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Xi'an, 710025, PR China
| | - Dezhu Zhang
- Shaanxi Panlong Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Xi'an, 710025, PR China
| | - Minge Wan
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Business & Commerce, Xi'an 712046, PR China
| | - Han Li
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Xueqi Fu
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, PR China
| | - Hong Liu
- Zhuhai Jinan Selenium Source Nanotechnology Co., Ltd., Hengqin New Area, Zhuhai, 519030, PR China.
| | - Wenqiang Cao
- Zhuhai Jinan Selenium Source Nanotechnology Co., Ltd., Hengqin New Area, Zhuhai, 519030, PR China.
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30
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A review of potential suggested drugs for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 895:173890. [PMID: 33482181 PMCID: PMC7816644 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.173890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The latest pandemic, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), is associated with high prevalence and easy transmission, which is expanding globally with no conventional treatment or vaccine. The new virus revealed 79% and 50% genomic similarities with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), respectively. Accordingly, since the disease resists testing and adopting new therapeutics, repositioning pre-existing drugs may present a fast and attractive strategy with known safety, characteristics, and dosage used. However, they are not specific and targeted. Therefore, several drugs have been investigated for their efficacy and safety in the treatment of COVID-19; most of them are undergoing clinical trials. This article summarizes clinical investigations of potential therapeutic drugs used as COVID-19 therapy. Subsequently, it prepares a pattern of results and therapeutic targets to help further experiment designs. We have investigated drugs as classified in the following three groups; 1) The drugs which computationally showed effectiveness (in silico) but needed further lab confirmations; 2) Emetine, Teicoplanin, and Nelfinavir have shown effectiveness in vitro; 3) The drugs currently under clinical trial.
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31
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Tandon S, Aggarwal A, Jain S, Shukla S, Chaudhary S. Perspective on the Role of Antibodies and Potential Therapeutic Drugs to Combat COVID-19. Protein J 2020; 39:631-643. [PMID: 33034824 PMCID: PMC7544555 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-020-09921-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The sudden emergence of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has brought the world to a standstill. Thousands of people across the globe are biting the dust with every passing day and yet more are being tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 infection. In order to dispense this current crisis, numerous treatment options have been tried and tested and many more are still under scrutiny. The development of vaccines may help in the prevention of the global pandemic, however, there is still a need for the development of alternate approaches to combat the disease. In this review we highlight the new discoveries and furtherance in the antibody based therapeutic options and the potent drugs, with special emphasis on the development of the monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies and the repurposed drugs, which may prove to be of significant importance for the treatment of COVID-19, in the days to come. It is an attempt to evaluate the currently presented challenges so as to provide a scope for the ongoing research and assistance in the development of the effective therapeutic options against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhi Tandon
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bennett University, Plot Nos. 8-11, Tech Zone 2, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - Anchal Aggarwal
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bennett University, Plot Nos. 8-11, Tech Zone 2, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - Shubhra Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bennett University, Plot Nos. 8-11, Tech Zone 2, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - Sanjay Shukla
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bennett University, Plot Nos. 8-11, Tech Zone 2, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - Sarika Chaudhary
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bennett University, Plot Nos. 8-11, Tech Zone 2, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India.
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Khalil A, Feghali R, Hassoun M. The Lebanese COVID-19 Cohort; A Challenge for the ABO Blood Group System. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:585341. [PMID: 33330542 PMCID: PMC7715023 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.585341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
A sudden outbreak of pneumonia caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread all over the world facilitating the declaration of the resultant disease as a pandemic on March 2020. Predisposing factors for acquiring COVID-19 and for developing a severe form of this disease were postulated to be related to the epidemiological, clinical, and genetic characteristics of the patients. Biological markers such as the ABO blood group system were amongst these factors that were proposed to be linked to the variability in the disease course and/or the prevalence of the infection among different groups. Herein, we conducted the first retrospective case-control study from the Middle East and North Africa that tackles the association between the blood group types and the susceptibility to, as well as the severity of, SARS-CoV-2 infection. Contrary to the most acknowledged hypothesis, our results challenged the significance of this association and questioned the role of the ABO blood group system in dictating the severity of this disease. For future similar studies, we endorsed analyzing larger cohorts among different populations and we encouraged implementing more rigorous approaches to diminish the potential confounding effect of some underlying comorbidities and genetic variants that are known to be associated with the ABO blood group system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athar Khalil
- Department of Pulmonary and Intensive Care Unit, Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rita Feghali
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mahmoud Hassoun
- Department of Pulmonary and Intensive Care Unit, Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
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33
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Mahato S, Bhattarai S, Singh R. Inequities towards leprosy-affected people: A challenge during COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008537. [PMID: 32706799 PMCID: PMC7380590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sharika Mahato
- Monitoring and Evaluation Department, The Leprosy Mission Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
- * E-mail:
| | - Srijana Bhattarai
- School of Public Health, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Rakesh Singh
- School of Public Health, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal
- Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal
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