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Ahmed S, Hossain MA, Bristy SA, Ali MS, Rahman MH. Adopting Integrated Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Approaches to Pinpoint the COVID-19 Patients' Risk Factors That Uplift the Onset of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Bioinform Biol Insights 2024; 18:11779322241274958. [PMID: 39281421 PMCID: PMC11402063 DOI: 10.1177/11779322241274958] [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: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Owing to the recent emergence of COVID-19, there is a lack of published research and clinical recommendations for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk factors in patients who contracted or received treatment for the virus. This research aims to identify potential molecular targets to inform therapeutic strategies for this patient population. RNA sequence data for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and PTSD (from the National Center for Biotechnology Information [NCBI]) were processed using the GREIN database. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, pathway enrichment analyses, miRNA interactions, gene regulatory network (GRN) studies, and identification of linked drugs, chemicals, and diseases were conducted using STRING, DAVID, Enrichr, Metascape, ShinyGO, and NetworkAnalyst v3.0. Our analysis identified 15 potentially unique hub proteins within significantly enriched pathways, including PSMB9, MX1, HLA-DOB, HLA-DRA, IFIT3, OASL, RSAD2, and so on, filtered from a pool of 201 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) terms and metabolic pathway analyses revealed the significance of the extracellular region, extracellular space, extracellular exosome, adaptive immune system, and interleukin (IL)-18 signaling pathways. In addition, we discovered several miRNAs (hsa-mir-124-3p, hsa-mir-146a-5p, hsa-mir-148b-3p, and hsa-mir-21-3p), transcription factors (TF) (WRNIP1, FOXC1, GATA2, CREB1, and RELA), a potentially repurposable drug carfilzomib and chemicals (tetrachlorodibenzodioxin, estradiol, arsenic trioxide, and valproic acid) that could regulate the expression levels of hub proteins at both the transcription and posttranscription stages. Our investigations have identified several potential therapeutic targets that elucidate the probability that victims of COVID-19 experience PTSD. However, they require further exploration through clinical and pharmacological studies to explain their efficacy in preventing PTSD in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabbir Ahmed
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Md Arju Hossain
- Department of Microbiology, Primeasia University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sadia Afrin Bristy
- Bioinformatics and Biomedical Research Network of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Shahjahan Ali
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Md Habibur Rahman
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
- Center for Advanced Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence Research, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
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2
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Jena NR, Pant S. Peptide inhibitors derived from the nsp7 and nsp8 cofactors of nsp12 targeting different substrate binding sites of nsp12 of the SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:7077-7089. [PMID: 37434315 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2235012] [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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
SARS-COV-2 is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 767 million people worldwide including about 7 million deaths till 5 June 2023. Despite the emergency use of certain vaccines, deaths due to COVID-19 have not yet stopped completed. Therefore, it is imperative to design and develop drugs that can be used to treat patients suffering from COVID-19. Here, two peptide inhibitors derived from nsp7 and nsp8 cofactors of nsp12 have been shown to block different substrate binding sites of nsp12 that are mainly responsible for the replication of the viral genome of SARS-CoV-2. By using the docking, molecular dynamics (MD), and MM/GBSA techniques, it is shown that these inhibitors can bind to multiple binding sites of nsp12, such as the interface of nsp7 and nsp12, interface of nsp8 and nsp12, RNA primer entry site, and nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) entry site. The relative binding free energies of the most stable protein-peptide complexes are found to lie between ∼-34.20 ± 10.07 to -59.54 ± 9.96 kcal/mol. Hence, it is likely that these inhibitors may bind to different sites of nsp12 to block the access of its cofactors and the viral genome, thereby affecting the replication. It is thus proposed that these peptide inhibitors may be further developed as potential drug candidates to suppress the viral loads in COVID-19 patients.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- N R Jena
- Discipline of Natural Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design, and Manufacturing, Jabalpur, India
| | - Suyash Pant
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
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Bastos RS, de Aguiar CPO, Cruz JN, Ramos RS, Kimani NM, de Souza JSN, Chaves MH, de Freitas HF, Pita SSR, dos Santos CBR. Rational Approach toward COVID-19's Main Protease Inhibitors: A Hierarchical Biochemoinformatics Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6715. [PMID: 38928422 PMCID: PMC11204165 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126715] [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: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the potential of selected compounds as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro through pharmacokinetic and toxicological analyses, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. In silico molecular docking simulations revealed promising ligands with favorable binding affinities for Mpro, ranging from -6.2 to -9.5 kcal/mol. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated the stability of protein-ligand complexes over 200 ns, maintaining protein secondary structures. MM-PBSA analysis revealed favorable interactions between ligands and Mpro, with negative binding energy values. Hydrogen bond formation capacity during molecular dynamics was confirmed, indicating consistent interactions with Mpro catalytic residues. Based on these findings, selected ligands show promise for future studies in developing COVID-19 treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruan S. Bastos
- Graduate Program in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Modeling, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil
- Laboratory of Modeling and Computational Chemistry, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapa 68903-419, AP, Brazil
| | - Christiane P. O. de Aguiar
- Graduate Program in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Modeling, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil
| | - Jorddy N. Cruz
- Laboratory of Modeling and Computational Chemistry, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapa 68903-419, AP, Brazil
| | - Ryan S. Ramos
- Laboratory of Modeling and Computational Chemistry, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapa 68903-419, AP, Brazil
| | - Njogu M. Kimani
- Department of Physical Sciences, University of Embu, Embu P.O. Box 6-60100, Kenya
- Natural Product Chemistry and Computational Drug Discovery Laboratory, Embu P.O. Box 6-60100, Kenya
| | - João S. N. de Souza
- Chemistry Department, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina 64049-550, PI, Brazil
| | - Mariana H. Chaves
- Chemistry Department, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina 64049-550, PI, Brazil
| | - Humberto F. de Freitas
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular Modeling (LaBiMM), Federal University of Bahia, Av. Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Pharmacy College, Ondina, Salvador 40170-115, BA, Brazil; (H.F.d.F.); (S.S.R.P.)
| | - Samuel S. R. Pita
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular Modeling (LaBiMM), Federal University of Bahia, Av. Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Pharmacy College, Ondina, Salvador 40170-115, BA, Brazil; (H.F.d.F.); (S.S.R.P.)
| | - Cleydson B. R. dos Santos
- Graduate Program in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Modeling, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil
- Laboratory of Modeling and Computational Chemistry, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapa 68903-419, AP, Brazil
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Arman M, Alam S, Maruf RA, Shams Z, Islam MN. Molecular modeling of some commercially available antiviral drugs and their derivatives against SARS-CoV-2 infection. NARRA J 2024; 4:e319. [PMID: 38798846 PMCID: PMC11125382 DOI: 10.52225/narra.v4i1.319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Numerous prior studies have identified therapeutic targets that could effectively combat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, including the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and Main protease (Mpro). In parallel, antiviral compounds like abacavir, acyclovir, adefovir, amantadine, amprenavir, darunavir, didanosine, oseltamivir, penciclovir, and tenofovir are under investigation for their potential in drug repurposing to address this infection. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of modifying the functional groups of the aforementioned antivirals in silico. Using the genetic optimization for ligand docking algorithm on software Maestro (version 11.1), the modified antivirals were docked onto ACE2 receptor, RdRp, and Mpro. Using QuickProp (Maestro v11.1), PASS (prediction of activity spectra for the substances), and altogether with SwissADME, the ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) of the modified antivirals, as well as their bioavailability and the predicted activity spectra, were determined. Discovery studio software was used to undertake post-docking analysis. Among the 10 antivirals, N(CH3)2 derivative of darunavir, N(CH3)2 derivative of amprenavir and NCH3 derivative of darunavir exhibited best binding affinities with ACE2 receptor (docking scores: -10.333, -9.527 and -9.695 kJ/mol, respectively). Moreover, NCH3 derivative of abacavir (-6.506 kJ/mol), NO2 derivative of didanosine (-6.877 kJ/mol), NCH3 derivative of darunavir (-7.618 kJ/mol) exerted promising affinity to Mpro. In conclusion, the results of the in silico screenings can serve as a useful information for future experimental works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Arman
- Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Safaet Alam
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Division, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rifat A. Maruf
- Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Ziaus Shams
- Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad N. Islam
- Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Šenigl F, Soikkeli A, Prost S, Schatz DG, Slavková M, Hejnar J, Alinikula J. The SV40 virus enhancer functions as a somatic hypermutation-targeting element with potential oncogenic activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.09.574829. [PMID: 38260396 PMCID: PMC10802419 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.09.574829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Simian virus 40 (SV40) is a monkey virus associated with several types of human cancers. SV40 is most frequently detected in mesotheliomas, brain and bone tumors and lymphomas, but the mechanism for SV40 tumorigenesis in humans is not clear. SV40 relative Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) causes Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) in humans by expressing truncated large tumor antigen (LT) caused by APOBEC cytidine deaminase family enzymes induced mutations. AID (activation-induced cytidine deaminase), a member of the APOBEC family, is the initiator of the antibody diversification process known as somatic hypermutation (SHM) and its aberrant expression and targeting is a frequent source of lymphomagenesis. In this study, we investigated whether AID-induced mutations could cause truncation of SV40 LT. We demonstrate that the SV40 enhancer has strong SHM targeting activity in several cell types and that AID-induced mutations accumulate to SV40 LT in B cells and kidney cells and cause truncated LT expression in B cells. Our results argue that the ability of the SV40 enhancer to target SHM to LT is a potential source of LT truncation events in various cell types that could contribute to carcinogenesis.
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6
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Reagin KL, Lee RL, Cocciolone L, Funk KE. Antigen non-specific CD8 + T cells accelerate cognitive decline in aged mice following respiratory coronavirus infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.02.573675. [PMID: 38260669 PMCID: PMC10802364 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.02.573675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Primarily a respiratory infection, numerous patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 present with neurologic symptoms, some continuing long after viral clearance as a persistent symptomatic phase termed "long COVID". Advanced age increases the risk of severe disease, as well as incidence of long COVID. We hypothesized that perturbations in the aged immune response predispose elderly individuals to severe coronavirus infection and post-infectious sequelae. Using a murine model of respiratory coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 (MHV-A59), we found that aging increased clinical illness and lethality to MHV infection, with aged animals harboring increased virus in the brain during acute infection. This was coupled with an unexpected increase in activated CD8+ T cells within the brains of aged animals but reduced antigen specificity of those CD8+ T cells. Aged animals demonstrated spatial learning impairment following MHV infection, which correlated with increased neuronal cell death and reduced neuronal regeneration in aged hippocampus. Using primary cell culture, we demonstrated that activated CD8+ T cells induce neuronal death, independent of antigen-specificity. Specifically, higher levels of CD8+ T cell-derived IFN-γ correlated with neuronal death. These results support the evidence that CD8+ T cells in the brain directly contribute to cognitive dysfunction following coronavirus infection in aged individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L. Reagin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
| | - Rae-Ling Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
| | - Loren Cocciolone
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
| | - Kristen E. Funk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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7
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Grijaldo SB, Alvarez MR, Heralde FM, Nacario RC, Lebrilla CB, Rabajante JF, Completo GC. Integrating Computational Methods in Network Pharmacology and In Silico Screening to Uncover Multi-targeting Phytochemicals against Aberrant Protein Glycosylation in Lung Cancer. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:20303-20312. [PMID: 37332828 PMCID: PMC10268607 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c07542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Glycoproteins are an underexploited drug target for cancer therapeutics. In this work, we integrated computational methods in network pharmacology and in silico docking approaches to identify phytochemical compounds that could potentially interact with several cancer-associated glycoproteins. We first created a database of phytochemicals from selected plant species, Manilkara zapota (sapodilla/chico), Mangifera indica (mango), Annona muricata (soursop/guyabano), Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit/langka), Lansium domesticum (langsat/lanzones), and Antidesma bunius (bignay), and performed pharmacokinetic analysis to determine their drug-likeness properties. We then constructed a phytochemical-glycoprotein interaction network and characterized the degree of interactions between the phytochemical compounds and with cancer-associated glycoproteins and other glycosylation-related proteins. We found a high degree of interactions from α-pinene (Mangifera indica), cyanomaclurin (Artocarpus heterophyllus), genistein (Annona muricata), kaempferol (Annona muricata and Antidesma bunius), norartocarpetin (Artocarpus heterophyllus), quercetin (Annona muricata, Antidesma bunius, Manilkara zapota, Mangifera indica), rutin (Annona muricata, Antidesma bunius, Lansium domesticum), and ellagic acid (Antidesma bunius and Mangifera indica). Subsequent docking analysis confirmed that these compounds could potentially bind to EGFR, AKT1, KDR, MMP2, MMP9, ERBB2, IGF1R, MTOR, and HRAS proteins, which are known cancer biomarkers. In vitro cytotoxicity assays of the plant extracts showed that the n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol leaf extracts from A. muricata, L. domesticum and M. indica gave the highest growth inhibitory activity against A549 lung cancer cells. These may help further explain the reported cytotoxic activities of select compounds from these plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheryl
Joyce B. Grijaldo
- Institute
of Chemistry, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Philippines 4031
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | | | - Francisco M. Heralde
- Lung
Center of the Philippines, Quezon
City, Philippines 1100
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College
of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Philippines 1000
| | - Ruel C. Nacario
- Institute
of Chemistry, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Philippines 4031
| | - Carlito B. Lebrilla
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Jomar F. Rabajante
- Institute
of Mathematical Sciences and Physics, University
of the Philippines, Los Baños, Philippines 4031
| | - Gladys C. Completo
- Institute
of Chemistry, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Philippines 4031
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di Flora DC, Dionizio A, Pereira HABS, Garbieri TF, Grizzo LT, Dionisio TJ, Leite ADL, Silva-Costa LC, Buzalaf NR, Reis FN, Pereira VBR, Rosa DMC, Dos Santos CF, Buzalaf MAR. Analysis of Plasma Proteins Involved in Inflammation, Immune Response/Complement System, and Blood Coagulation upon Admission of COVID-19 Patients to Hospital May Help to Predict the Prognosis of the Disease. Cells 2023; 12:1601. [PMID: 37371071 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of new approaches allowing for the early assessment of COVID-19 cases that are likely to become critical and the discovery of new therapeutic targets are urgently required. In this prospective cohort study, we performed proteomic and laboratory profiling of plasma from 163 COVID-19 patients admitted to Bauru State Hospital (Brazil) between 4 May 2020 and 4 July 2020. Plasma samples were collected upon admission for routine laboratory analyses and shotgun quantitative label-free proteomics. Based on the course of the disease, the patients were divided into three groups: (a) mild (n = 76) and (b) severe (n = 56) symptoms, whose patients were discharged without or with admission to an intensive care unit (ICU), respectively, and (c) critical (n = 31), a group consisting of patients who died after admission to an ICU. Based on our data, potential therapies for COVID-19 should target proteins involved in inflammation, the immune response and complement system, and blood coagulation. Other proteins that could potentially be employed in therapies against COVID-19 but that so far have not been associated with the disease are CD5L, VDBP, A1BG, C4BPA, PGLYRP2, SERPINC1, and APOH. Targeting these proteins' pathways might constitute potential new therapies or biomarkers of prognosis of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Castro di Flora
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru 17012-901, Brazil
- Therapy and Diagnosis Unit, Bauru State Hospital, Bauru 17033-360, Brazil
| | - Aline Dionizio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru 17012-901, Brazil
| | | | - Thais Francini Garbieri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru 17012-901, Brazil
| | - Larissa Tercilia Grizzo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru 17012-901, Brazil
| | - Thiago José Dionisio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru 17012-901, Brazil
| | - Aline de Lima Leite
- Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68503, USA
| | - Licia C Silva-Costa
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, Institute of Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Nathalia Rabelo Buzalaf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru 17012-901, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Navas Reis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru 17012-901, Brazil
| | | | | | - Carlos Ferreira Dos Santos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru 17012-901, Brazil
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Camps J, Iftimie S, Arenas M, Castañé H, Jiménez-Franco A, Castro A, Joven J. Paraoxonase-1: How a xenobiotic detoxifying enzyme has become an actor in the pathophysiology of infectious diseases and cancer. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 380:110553. [PMID: 37201624 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Both infectious and non-infectious diseases can share common molecular mechanisms, including oxidative stress and inflammation. External factors, such as bacterial or viral infections, excessive calorie intake, inadequate nutrients, or environmental factors, can cause metabolic disorders, resulting in an imbalance between free radical production and natural antioxidant systems. These factors may lead to the production of free radicals that can oxidize lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, causing metabolic alterations that influence the pathogenesis of the disease. The relationship between oxidation and inflammation is crucial, as they both contribute to the development of cellular pathology. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a vital enzyme in regulating these processes. PON1 is an enzyme that is bound to high-density lipoproteins and protects the organism against oxidative stress and toxic substances. It breaks down lipid peroxides in lipoproteins and cells, enhances the protection of high-density lipoproteins against different infectious agents, and is a critical component of the innate immune system. Impaired PON1 function can affect cellular homeostasis pathways and cause metabolically driven chronic inflammatory states. Therefore, understanding these relationships can help to improve treatments and identify new therapeutic targets. This review also examines the advantages and disadvantages of measuring serum PON1 levels in clinical settings, providing insight into the potential clinical use of this enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Meritxell Arenas
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
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10
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Rashidi S, Mansouri R, Ali-Hassanzadeh M, Muro A, Nguewa P, Manzano-Román R. The most prominent modulated annexins during parasitic infections. Acta Trop 2023; 243:106942. [PMID: 37172709 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Annexins (ANXs) exert different functions in cell biological and pathological processes and are thus known as double or multi-faceted proteins. These sophisticated proteins might express on both parasite structure and secretion and in parasite-infected host cells. In addition to the characterization of these pivotal proteins, describing their mechanism of action can be also fruitful in recognizing their roles in the pathogenesis of parasitic infections. Accordingly, this study presents the most prominent ANXs thus far identified and their relevant functions in parasites and infected host cells during pathogenesis, especially in the most important intracellular protozoan parasitic infections including leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis, malaria and trypanosomiasis. The data provided in this study demonstrate that the helminth parasites most probably express and secret ANXs to develop pathogenesis while the modulation of the host-ANXs could be employed as a crucial strategy by intracellular protozoan parasites. Moreover, such data highlight that the use of analogs of both parasite and host ANX peptides (which mimic or regulate ANXs physiological functions through various strategies) might suggest novel therapeutic insights into the treatment of parasitic infections. Furthermore, due to the prominent immunoregulatory activities of ANXs during most parasitic infections and the expression levels of these proteins in some parasitic infected tissues, such multifunctional proteins might be also potentially relevant as vaccine and diagnostic biomarkers. We also suggest some prospects and insights that could be useful and applicable to form the basis of future experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Rashidi
- Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
| | - Reza Mansouri
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali-Hassanzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
| | - Antonio Muro
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Paul Nguewa
- University of Navarra, ISTUN Institute of Tropical Health, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology. IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), c/ Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain.
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11
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Sandhu HS, Lambert J, Steckler Z, Park L, Stromberg A, Ramirez J, Yang CFJ. Outpatient medications associated with protection from COVID-19 hospitalization. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282961. [PMID: 37000808 PMCID: PMC10065249 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic remains the pre-eminent global health problem, and yet after more than three years there is still no prophylactic agent against the disease aside from vaccines. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether pre-existing, outpatient medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reduce the risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients from across the United States infected with COVID-19 in the year 2020. The main outcome was adjusted odds of hospitalization for COVID-19 amongst those positive for the infection. Outcomes were adjusted for known risk factors for severe disease. 3,974,272 patients aged 18 or older with a diagnosis of COVID-19 in 2020 met our inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Mean age was 50.7 (SD 18). Of this group, 290,348 patients (7.3%) were hospitalized due to COVID-19, similar to the CDC's reported estimate (7.5%). Four drugs showed protective effects against COVID-19 hospitalization: rosuvastatin (aOR 0.91, p = 0.00000024), empagliflozin-metformin (aOR 0.69, p = 0.003), metformin (aOR 0.97, p = 0.017), and enoxaparin (aOR 0.88, p = 0.0048). Several pre-existing medications for outpatient use may reduce severity of disease and protect against COVID-19 hospitalization. Well-designed clinical trials are needed to assess the efficacy of these agents in a therapeutic or prophylactic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harpal Singh Sandhu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville Speed School of Engineering, Louisville, KY, United States of America
| | - Joshua Lambert
- University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Zach Steckler
- Dr. Bing Zhang Department of Statistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States of America
| | - Lee Park
- Dr. Bing Zhang Department of Statistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States of America
| | - Arnold Stromberg
- Norton Infectious Diseases Institute, Norton Hospital, Louisville, KY, United States of America
| | - Julio Ramirez
- Norton Infectious Diseases Institute, Norton Hospital, Louisville, KY, United States of America
| | - Chi-fu Jeffrey Yang
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
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12
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Chang J, Parent LJ. HIV-1 Gag colocalizes with euchromatin histone marks at the nuclear periphery. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.24.529990. [PMID: 36865288 PMCID: PMC9980143 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.24.529990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The retroviral Gag protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) plays a central role in the selection of unspliced viral genomic RNA for packaging into new virions. Previously, we demonstrated that full-length HIV-1 Gag undergoes nuclear trafficking where it associates with unspliced viral RNA (vRNA) at transcription sites. To further explore the kinetics of HIV-1 Gag nuclear localization, we used biochemical and imaging techniques to examine the timing of HIV-1 entry into the nucleus. We also aimed to determine more precisely Gag's subnuclear distribution to test the hypothesis that Gag would be associated with euchromatin, the transcriptionally active region of the nucleus. We observed that HIV-1 Gag localized to the nucleus shortly after its synthesis in the cytoplasm, suggesting that nuclear trafficking was not strictly concentration-dependent. Furthermore, we found that HIV-1 Gag preferentially localized to the transcriptionally active euchromatin fraction compared to the heterochromatin-rich region in a latently-infected CD4+ T cell line (J-Lat 10.6) treated with latency-reversal agents. Interestingly, HIV-1 Gag was more closely associated with transcriptionally-active histone markers near the nuclear periphery, where the HIV-1 provirus was previously shown to integrate. Although the precise function of Gag's association with histones in transcriptionally-active chromatin remains uncertain, together with previous reports, this finding is consistent with a potential role for euchromatin-associated Gag molecules to select newly transcribed unspliced vRNA during the initial stage of virion assembly. Importance The traditional view of retroviral assembly posits that HIV-1 Gag selection of unspliced vRNA begins in the cytoplasm. However, our previous studies demonstrated that HIV-1 Gag enters the nucleus and binds to unspliced HIV-1 RNA at transcription sites, suggesting that genomic RNA selection may occur in the nucleus. In the present study, we observed nuclear entry of HIV-1 Gag and co-localization with unspliced viral RNA within 8 hours post-expression. In CD4+ T cells (J-Lat 10.6) treated with latency reversal agents, as well as a HeLa cell line stably expressing an inducible Rev-dependent provirus, we found that HIV-1 Gag preferentially localized with histone marks associated with enhancer and promoter regions of transcriptionally active euchromatin near the nuclear periphery, which favors HIV-1 proviral integration sites. These observations support the hypothesis that HIV-1 Gag hijacks euchromatin-associated histones to localize to active transcription sites, promoting capture of newly synthesized genomic RNA for packaging.
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13
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Devi PB, Asthana Y, Sumitha A, Sagayaraj IR. Molecular Docking and the Pharmacokinetic Properties of the Anti-Viral Compounds Towards SARS-CoV- An In-silico Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH AND ALLIED SCIENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.51847/z2mkwovoqc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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14
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Fayyazi N, Mostashari-Rad T, Ghasemi JB, Ardakani MM, Kobarfard F. Molecular dynamics simulation, 3D-pharmacophore and scaffold hopping analysis in the design of multi-target drugs to inhibit potential targets of COVID-19. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:11787-11808. [PMID: 34405765 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1965914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has posed serious threat to the health and has inflicted huge costs in the world. Discovering potent compounds is a critical step to inhibit coronavirus. 3CLpro and RdRp are the most conserved targets associated with COVID-19. In this study, three-dimensional pharmacophore modeling, scaffold hopping, molecular docking, structure-based virtual screening, QSAR-based ADMET predictions and molecular dynamics analysis were used to identify inhibitors for these targets. Binding free energies estimated by molecular docking for each ligand in different binding sites of RdRp were used to predict the active site. Previously reported active 3CLpro and RdRp inhibitors were used to build a pharmacophore model to develop different scaffolds. Structure-based simulations and pharmacophore modeling based on Hip Hop algorithm converged in a state that suggest hydrogen bond acceptor and donor features have a critical role in the two binding sites. Further validations indicated that the best pharmacophore model has fairly good correlation values compared with approved inhibitors. Structure-based simulation results approved that GLu166 and Gln189 in 3CLpro and Lys551 and Glu811 in RdRp, are critical residues for dual activities. Ten compounds were extracted from pharmacophore-based virtual screening in six databases. The results, gained by repurposing approach, suggest the effectiveness of these ten compounds with different scaffolds as possible inhibitors of the two targets. Some quinoline-based hybrid derivatives also were designed. QSAR descriptors plot predicted that the scaffolds have had accepted pharmacokinetic profiles. Multiple molecular dynamics simulations in 100 ns and MM/PBSA studies of some reference inhibitors and the novel compounds in complex with both targets demonstrated stable complexes and confirmed the interaction modes. Based on different computational methods, COVID-19 multi-target inhibitors are proposed. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Fayyazi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.,Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tahereh Mostashari-Rad
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.,Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jahan B Ghasemi
- College of Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehran Mirabzadeh Ardakani
- Department of Traditional Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Kobarfard
- Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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15
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Chauhan S, Saini D, Madan K. Screening of Phytoconstituents from Traditional Plants against SARSCoV-
2 using Molecular Docking Approach. LETT DRUG DES DISCOV 2022. [DOI: 10.2174/1570180819666220307163058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
The emergence of COVID-19 as a fatal viral disease encourages researchers to
develop effective and efficient therapeutic agents. The intervention of in silico studies has led to revolutionary
changes in the conventional method of testing the bioactivity of plant constituents.
Objective:
The current study deals with the investigation of some traditional immunomodulators of plant
origin to combat this ailment.
Materials and Methods:
A total of 151 phytomolecules of 12 immunomodulatory plants were evaluated
for their inhibitory action against the main protease (PDB ID: 7D1M) and NSP15 endoribonuclease (PDB
ID: 6WLC) by structure-based virtual screening. In addition, the promising molecules with ligand efficiency
of more than -0.3(kcal/mol)/heavy atoms were further predicted for pharmacokinetic properties
and druggability using the SwissADME web server, and their toxicity was also evaluated using Protox-II.
Result:
Myricetin-3-O-arabinofuranoside of cranberry plant was found to be the most potential candidate
against both enzymes: main protease (–14.2 kcal/mol) and NSP15 endoribonuclease (–12.2 kcal/mol).
Conclusion:
The promising outcomes of the current study may be implemented in future drug development
against coronavirus. The findings also help in the development of lead candidates of plant origin
with a better ADMET profile in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpi Chauhan
- Department of Pharmacy, Lloyd Institute of Management and Technology, Plot No.-11, Knowledge Park-I1, Greater
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201306, India
| | - Deepika Saini
- Department of Pharmacy, Lloyd Institute of Management and Technology, Plot No.-11, Knowledge Park-I1, Greater
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201306, India
| | - Kumud Madan
- Department of Pharmacy, Lloyd Institute of Management and Technology, Plot No.-11, Knowledge Park-I1, Greater
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201306, India
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16
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Rieder AS, Deniz BF, Netto CA, Wyse ATS. A Review of In Silico Research, SARS-CoV-2, and Neurodegeneration: Focus on Papain-Like Protease. Neurotox Res 2022; 40:1553-1569. [PMID: 35917086 PMCID: PMC9343570 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-022-00542-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Since the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic, the search for new approaches to treat this disease took place in the scientific community. The in silico approach has gained importance at this moment, once the methodologies used in this kind of study allow for the identification of specific protein-ligand interactions, which may serve as a filter step for molecules that can act as specific inhibitors. In addition, it is a low-cost and high-speed technology. Molecular docking has been widely used to find potential viral protein inhibitors for structural and non-structural proteins of the SARS-CoV-2, aiming to block the infection and the virus multiplication. The papain-like protease (PLpro) participates in the proteolytic processing of SARS-CoV-2 and composes one of the main targets studied for pharmacological intervention by in silico methodologies. Based on that, we performed a systematic review about PLpro inhibitors from the perspective of in silico research, including possible therapeutic molecules in relation to this viral protein. The neurological problems triggered by COVID-19 were also briefly discussed, especially relative to the similarities of neuroinflammation present in Alzheimer's disease. In this context, we focused on two molecules, curcumin and glycyrrhizinic acid, given their PLpro inhibitory actions and neuroprotective properties and potential therapeutic effects on COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra S Rieder
- Laboratory of Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases, Wyse's Lab, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Bruna F Deniz
- Laboratory of Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases, Wyse's Lab, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alexandre Netto
- Laboratory of Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases, Wyse's Lab, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Angela T S Wyse
- Laboratory of Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases, Wyse's Lab, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil.
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17
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Mousavi S, Zare S, Mirzaei M, Feizi A. Novel Drug Design for Treatment of COVID-19: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Studies. THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY = JOURNAL CANADIEN DES MALADIES INFECTIEUSES ET DE LA MICROBIOLOGIE MEDICALE 2022; 2022:2044282. [PMID: 36199815 PMCID: PMC9527439 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2044282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Background Since the beginning of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) disease outbreak, there has been an increasing interest in discovering potential therapeutic agents for this disease. In this regard, we conducted a systematic review through an overview of drug development (in silico, in vitro, and in vivo) for treating COVID-19. Methods A systematic search was carried out in major databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar from December 2019 to March 2021. A combination of the following terms was used: coronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, drug design, drug development, In silico, In vitro, and In vivo. A narrative synthesis was performed as a qualitative method for the data synthesis of each outcome measure. Results A total of 2168 articles were identified through searching databases. Finally, 315 studies (266 in silico, 34 in vitro, and 15 in vivo) were included. In studies with in silico approach, 98 article study repurposed drug and 91 studies evaluated herbal medicine on COVID-19. Among 260 drugs repurposed by the computational method, the best results were observed with saquinavir (n = 9), ritonavir (n = 8), and lopinavir (n = 6). Main protease (n = 154) following spike glycoprotein (n = 62) and other nonstructural protein of virus (n = 45) was among the most studied targets. Doxycycline, chlorpromazine, azithromycin, heparin, bepridil, and glycyrrhizic acid showed both in silico and in vitro inhibitory effects against SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion The preclinical studies of novel drug design for COVID-19 focused on main protease and spike glycoprotein as targets for antiviral development. From evaluated structures, saquinavir, ritonavir, eucalyptus, Tinospora cordifolia, aloe, green tea, curcumin, pyrazole, and triazole derivatives in in silico studies and doxycycline, chlorpromazine, and heparin from in vitro and human monoclonal antibodies from in vivo studies showed promised results regarding efficacy. It seems that due to the nature of COVID-19 disease, finding some drugs with multitarget antiviral actions and anti-inflammatory potential is valuable and some herbal medicines have this potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Mousavi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Shima Zare
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Mirzaei
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Awat Feizi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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18
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Jena NR, Pant S, Srivastava HK. Artificially expanded genetic information systems (AEGISs) as potent inhibitors of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of the SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:6381-6397. [PMID: 33565387 PMCID: PMC7885727 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1883112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The recent outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 infection has affected the lives and economy of more than 200 countries. The unavailability of virus-specific drugs has created an opportunity to identify potential therapeutic agents that can control the rapid transmission of this pandemic. Here, the mechanisms of the inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), responsible for the replication of the virus in host cells, are examined by different ligands, such as Remdesivir (RDV), Remdesivir monophosphate (RMP), and several artificially expanded genetic information systems (AEGISs) including their different sequences by employing molecular docking, MD simulations, and MM/GBSA techniques. It is found that the binding of RDV to RdRp may block the RNA binding site. However, RMP would acquire a partially flipped conformation and may allow the viral RNA to enter into the binding site. The internal dynamics of RNA and RdRp may help RMP to regain its original position, where it may inhibit the RNA-chain elongation reaction. Remarkably, AEGISs are found to obstruct the binding site of RNA. It is shown that dPdZ, a two-nucleotide sequence containing P and Z would bind to RdRp very strongly and may occupy the positions of two nucleotides in the RNA strand, thereby denying access of the substrate-binding site to the viral RNA. Thus, it is proposed that the AEGISs may act as novel therapeutic candidates against the SARS-CoV-2. However, in vivo evaluations of their potencies and toxicities are needed before using them against COVID-19.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. R. Jena
- Discipline of Natural Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design, and Manufacturing, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Suyash Pant
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Hemant Kumar Srivastava
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Changsari, Guwahati, Assam, India
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19
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Rabie AM. Efficacious Preclinical Repurposing of the Nucleoside Analogue Didanosine against COVID-19 Polymerase and Exonuclease. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:21385-21396. [PMID: 35785294 PMCID: PMC9244909 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c07095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Analogues and derivatives
of natural nucleosides/nucleotides are
considered among the most successful bioactive species of drug-like
compounds in modern medicinal chemistry, as they are well recognized
for their diverse and efficient pharmacological activities in humans,
especially as antivirals and antitumors. Coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) is still almost incurable, with its infectious viral microbe,
the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2),
continuing to wreak devastation around the world. This global crisis
pushed all involved scientists, including drug discoverers and clinical
researchers, to try to find an effective and broad-spectrum anti-COVID-19
drug. Didanosine (2′,3′-dideoxyinosine, DDI) is a synthetic
inosine/adenosine/guanosine analogue and highly active antiretroviral
therapeutic agent used for the treatment of human immunodeficiency
virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
This potent reverse-transcriptase inhibitor is characterized by proven
strong pharmacological effects against the viral genome, which may
successfully take part in the effective treatment of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19.
Additionally, targeting the pivotal SARS-CoV-2 replication enzyme,
RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), is a very successful tactic to
combat COVID-19 irrespective of the SARS-CoV-2 variant type because
RdRps are broadly conserved among all SARS-CoV-2 strains. Herein,
the current study proved for the first time, using the in
vitro antiviral evaluation, that DDI is capable of potently
inhibiting the replication of the novel virulent progenies of SARS-CoV-2
with quite tiny in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-RdRp
EC50 values of around 3.1 and 0.19 μM, respectively,
surpassing remdesivir together with its active metabolite (GS-441524).
Thereafter, the in silico computational interpretation
of the biological results supported that DDI strongly targets the
key pocket of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp main catalytic active site. The
ideal pharmacophoric characteristics of the ligand DDI make it a typical
inhibiting agent of SARS-CoV-2 multiplication processes (including
high-fidelity proofreading), with its elastic structure open for many
kinds of derivatization. In brief, the present results further uphold
and propose the repurposing potentials of DDI against the different
types of COVID-19 and convincingly motivate us to quickly launch its
extensive preclinical/clinical pharmacological evaluations, hoping
to combine it in the COVID-19 therapeutic protocols soon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amgad M. Rabie
- Dr. Amgad Rabie’s Research Lab. for Drug Discovery (DARLD), Mansoura 35511, Egypt
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
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20
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Fajiculay E, Hsu CP. BioSANS: A software package for symbolic and numeric biological simulation. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0256409. [PMID: 35436294 PMCID: PMC9015124 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Modeling biochemical systems can provide insights into behaviors that are difficult to observe or understand. It requires software, programming, and understanding of the system to build a model and study it. Softwares exist for systems biology modeling, but most support only certain types of modeling tasks. Desirable features including ease in preparing input, symbolic or analytical computation, parameter estimation, graphical user interface, and systems biology markup language (SBML) support are not seen concurrently in one software package. In this study, we developed a python-based software that supports these features, with both deterministic and stochastic propagations. The software can be used by graphical user interface, command line, or as a python import. We also developed a semi-programmable and intuitively easy topology input method for the biochemical reactions. We tested the software with semantic and stochastic SBML test cases. Tests on symbolic solution and parameter estimation were also included. The software we developed is reliable, well performing, convenient to use, and compliant with most of the SBML tests. So far it is the only systems biology software that supports symbolic, deterministic, and stochastic modeling in one package that also features parameter estimation and SBML support. This work offers a comprehensive set of tools and allows for better availability and accessibility for studying kinetics and dynamics in biochemical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erickson Fajiculay
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Bioinformatics Program, Institute of Information Science, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structure Biology, National Tsinghua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Ping Hsu
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Physics Division, National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Taipei, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree program, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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21
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Kuchi A, Wu J, Fuloria J, Hicks C. Landscape of Molecular Crosstalk Perturbation between Lung Cancer and COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:3454. [PMID: 35329141 PMCID: PMC8953719 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lung cancer patients have the worst outcomes when affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The molecular mechanisms underlying the association between lung cancer and COVID-19 remain unknown. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether there is crosstalk in molecular perturbation between COVID-19 and lung cancer, and to identify a molecular signature, molecular networks and signaling pathways shared by the two diseases. METHODS We analyzed publicly available gene expression data from 52 severely affected COVID-19 human lung samples, 594 lung tumor samples and 54 normal disease-free lung samples. We performed network and pathways analysis to identify molecular networks and signaling pathways shared by the two diseases. RESULTS The investigation revealed a signature of genes associated with both diseases and signatures of genes uniquely associated with each disease, confirming crosstalk in molecular perturbation between COVID-19 and lung cancer. In addition, the analysis revealed molecular networks and signaling pathways associated with both diseases. CONCLUSIONS The investigation revealed crosstalk in molecular perturbation between COVID-19 and lung cancer, and molecular networks and signaling pathways associated with the two diseases. Further research on a population impacted by both diseases is recommended to elucidate molecular drivers of the association between the two diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Kuchi
- Department of Genetics and the Bioinformatics and Genomics Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 533 Bolivar Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Jiande Wu
- Department of Genetics and the Bioinformatics and Genomics Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 533 Bolivar Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Jyotsna Fuloria
- University Medical Center New Orleans, 2000 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Chindo Hicks
- Department of Genetics and the Bioinformatics and Genomics Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 533 Bolivar Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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22
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Yu W, Bai Y, Raha A, Su Z, Geng F. Integrative In Silico Investigation Reveals the Host-Virus Interactions in Repurposed Drugs Against SARS-CoV-2. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 1:763540. [PMID: 36303774 PMCID: PMC9580895 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2021.763540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak have posed a significant threat to public health worldwide. Recently Toll-like receptor (TLR) has been proposed to be the drug target of SARS-CoV-2 treatment, the specificity and efficacy of such treatments remain unknown. In the present study we performed the investigation of repurposed drugs via a framework comprising of Search Tool for Interacting Chemicals (STITCH), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), molecular docking, and virus-host-drug interactome mapping. Chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) were utilized as probes to explore the interaction network that is linked to SARS-CoV-2. 47 drug targets were shown to be overlapped with SARS-CoV-2 network and were enriched in TLR signaling pathway. Molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamics simulation determined the direct binding affinity of TLR9 to CQ and HCQ. Furthermore, we established SARS-CoV-2-human-drug protein interaction map and identified the axis of TLR9-ERC1-Nsp13 and TLR9-RIPK1-Nsp12. Therefore, the elucidation of the interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with TLR9 axis will not only provide pivotal insights into SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis but also improve the treatment against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Yu
- Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Yuxin Bai
- Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Arjun Raha
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Zhi Su
- W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Fei Geng
- W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Fei Geng,
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23
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Abodunrin OP, Onifade OF, Adegboyega AE. Therapeutic capability of five active compounds in typical African medicinal plants against main proteases of SARS-CoV-2 by computational approach. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2022; 31:100964. [PMID: 35647264 PMCID: PMC9125996 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2022.100964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a pandemic cause of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), that has claimed numerous human lives across the globe. Main protease being the active protein of SARS-CoV-2 requires urgent mitigating effect against the spread of the virus. The therapeutic roles of the active compounds present in ten typical African medicinal plants were investigated in this study. Five active compounds Curcuma longa (Curcumin and Bisdethoxy curcumin), Garcinia kola (kolaviron), Zingiber officinale (Gingerol) and Vernonia amygdalina (Artemisinin) were selected and docked against Main protease through receptor grid generation, protein ligand docking, receptor ligand complex pharmacophore and binding free energy. The results obtained revealed Curcumin had the highest binding score of -8.628 kcal/mol while artermisinin presented the least with -4.123 kcal/mol. The outcome of the pharmacokinetic prediction in this study revealed high transport capacity across the gastrointestinal tract and high blood brain barrier permeability for curcumin, bisdemethoxy curcumin, gingerol and artemisinin. The exemption is gingerol with low LD50 value (250 mg/kg), the LD50 of all active compounds ranged from 2000 to 4228 mg/kg. Adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) properties exhibited by all compounds portrayed them as non-hepatotoxic, non-cytotoxic, non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic. The active compounds exhibited drug-likeness features against Main protease of Covid-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwasayo Peter Abodunrin
- Radiation and Health Physics, Physical Sciences Department, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria
| | - Olayinka Fisayo Onifade
- Phytomedicine, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, Chemical Sciences Department, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria
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24
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Pant S, Jena NR. Inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase of the SARS-CoV-2 by Short Peptide Inhibitors. Eur J Pharm Sci 2021; 167:106012. [PMID: 34543728 PMCID: PMC8445883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2021.106012] [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: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The rapid proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patients has become detrimental to their lives. However, blocking the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 will help in suppressing the viral loads in patients, which would ultimately help in the early recovery. To discover such drugs, molecular docking, MD-simulations, and MM/GBSA approaches have been used herein to examine the role of several short ionic peptides in inhibiting the RNA binding site of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Out of the 49 tri- and tetrapeptide inhibitors studied, 8 inhibitors were found to bind RdRp strongly as revealed by the docking studies. Among these inhibitors, the Ala1-Arg2-Lys3-Asp4 and Ala1-Lys2-Lys3-Asp4 are found to make the most stable complexes with RdRp and possess the ΔGbind of -17.41 and -14.21 kcal/mol respectively as revealed by the MD and MM/GBSA studies. Hence these peptide inhibitors would be highly potent in inhibiting the activities of RdRp. It is further found that these inhibitors can occupy the positions of the nucleotide triphosphate (NTP) insertion site, thereby inhibiting the replication of the viral genome by obstructing the synthesis of new nucleotides. Structural and energetic comparisons of these inhibitors with Remdesivir and similar nucleotide drugs show that these peptides would be more specific and hence may act as promiscuous antiviral agents against RdRp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyash Pant
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Kolkata, Maniktala Main Road, 700054, Kolkata, WB, India
| | - N R Jena
- Discipline of Natural Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design, and Manufacturing, Dumna Airport Road, Jabalpur-482005, India.
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25
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Bejan CA, Cahill KN, Staso PJ, Choi L, Peterson JF, Phillips EJ. DrugWAS: Drug-wide Association Studies for COVID-19 Drug Repurposing. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2021; 110:1537-1546. [PMID: 34314511 PMCID: PMC8426999 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to systematically investigate if any of the available drugs in the electronic health record (EHR) can be repurposed as potential treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Based on a retrospective cohort analysis of EHR data, drug-wide association studies (DrugWAS) were performed on 9,748 patients with COVID-19 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). For each drug study, multivariable logistic regression with overlap weighting using propensity score was applied to estimate the effect of drug exposure on COVID-19 disease outcomes. Patient exposure to a drug between 3-months prior to the pandemic and the COVID-19 diagnosis was chosen as the exposure of interest. All-cause of death was selected as the primary outcome. Hospitalization, admission to the intensive care unit, and need for mechanical ventilation were identified as secondary outcomes. Overall, 17 drugs were significantly associated with decreased COVID-19 severity. Previous exposure to two types of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, PCV13 (odds ratio (OR), 0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.12-0.81 and OR, 0.33, 95% CI, 0.15-0.73), diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid vaccine (OR, 0.38, 95% CI, 0.15-0.93) were significantly associated with a decreased risk of death (primary outcome). Secondary analyses identified several other significant associations showing lower risk for COVID-19 outcomes: acellular pertussis vaccine, 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), flaxseed extract, ethinyl estradiol, estradiol, turmeric extract, ubidecarenone, azelastine, pseudoephedrine, dextromethorphan, omega-3 fatty acids, fluticasone, and ibuprofen. In conclusion, this cohort study leveraged EHR data to identify a list of drugs that could be repurposed to improve COVID-19 outcomes. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to investigate the efficacy of the proposed drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosmin A. Bejan
- Department of Biomedical InformaticsVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Katherine N. Cahill
- Department of MedicineDivision of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Patrick J. Staso
- Department of MedicineDivision of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Leena Choi
- Department of BiostatisticsVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Josh F. Peterson
- Department of Biomedical InformaticsVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
- Department of MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Elizabeth J. Phillips
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and ImmunologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
- Department of MedicineDivision of Infectious DiseasesVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
- Department of PharmacologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
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26
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Aronskyy I, Masoudi-Sobhanzadeh Y, Cappuccio A, Zaslavsky E. Advances in the computational landscape for repurposed drugs against COVID-19. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:2800-2815. [PMID: 34339864 PMCID: PMC8323501 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths and massive societal distress worldwide. Therapeutic solutions are urgently needed, but de novo drug development remains a lengthy process. One promising alternative is computational drug repurposing, which enables the prioritization of existing compounds through fast in silico analyses. Recent efforts based on molecular docking, machine learning, and network analysis have produced actionable predictions. Some predicted drugs, targeting viral proteins and pathological host pathways are undergoing clinical trials. Here, we review this work, highlight drugs with high predicted efficacy and classify their mechanisms of action. We discuss the strengths and limitations of the published methodologies and outline possible future directions. Finally, we curate a list of COVID-19 data portals and other repositories that could be used to accelerate future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Illya Aronskyy
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yosef Masoudi-Sobhanzadeh
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Antonio Cappuccio
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Elena Zaslavsky
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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27
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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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Nopsopon T, Pongpirul K, Chotirosniramit K, Hiransuthikul N. COVID-19 seroprevalence among hospital staff and preprocedural patients in Thai community hospitals: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e046676. [PMID: 34716155 PMCID: PMC8559109 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to explore the seroprevalence of hospital staff comparing to preprocedural patients in Thai community hospitals to shed light on the situation of COVID-19 infection of frontline healthcare workers in low infection rate countries where mass screening was not readily available. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING 52 community hospitals in 35 provinces covered all regions of Thailand. PARTICIPANTS 857 participants consisted of 675 hospital staff and 182 preprocedural patients. OUTCOME MEASURE COVID-19 seroprevalence using a locally developed rapid IgM/IgG test kit RESULTS: Overall, 5.5% of the participants (47 of 857) had positive IgM, 0.2% (2 of 857) had positive IgG which both of them also had positive IgM. Hospitals located in the central part of Thailand had the highest IgM seroprevalence (11.9%). Preprocedural patients had a higher rate of positive IgM than the hospital staff (12.1% vs 3.7%). Participants with present upper respiratory tract symptoms had a higher rate of positive IgM than those without (9.6% vs 4.5%). Three quarters (80.5%, 690 of 857) of the participants were asymptomatic, of which, 31 had positive IgM (4.5%) which consisted of 20 of 566 healthcare workers (3.5%) and 11 of 124 preprocedural patients (8.9%). CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 antibody test could detect a substantial number of potential silent spreaders in Thai community hospitals where the nasopharyngeal PCR was not readily available, and the antigen test was prohibited. Antibody testing should be encouraged for mass screening in a limited resource setting, especially in asymptomatic individuals. TRIAL REGISTRATION TCTR20200426002.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanawin Nopsopon
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Krit Pongpirul
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand
- School of Global Health, Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of International Health and Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Korn Chotirosniramit
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Narin Hiransuthikul
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand
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29
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Sur VP, Sen MK, Komrskova K. In Silico Identification and Validation of Organic Triazole Based Ligands as Potential Inhibitory Drug Compounds of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. Molecules 2021; 26:6199. [PMID: 34684780 PMCID: PMC8541586 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26206199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is highly contagious to humans and has caused a pandemic of global proportions. Despite worldwide research efforts, efficient targeted therapies against the virus are still lacking. With the ready availability of the macromolecular structures of coronavirus and its known variants, the search for anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics through in silico analysis has become a highly promising field of research. In this study, we investigate the inhibiting potentialities of triazole-based compounds against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is known to play a prominent role in the processing of polyproteins that are translated from the viral RNA. Compounds were pre-screened from 171 candidates (collected from the DrugBank database). The results showed that four candidates (Bemcentinib, Bisoctrizole, PYIITM, and NIPFC) had high binding affinity values and had the potential to interrupt the main protease (Mpro) activities of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The pharmacokinetic parameters of these candidates were assessed and through molecular dynamic (MD) simulation their stability, interaction, and conformation were analyzed. In summary, this study identified the most suitable compounds for targeting Mpro, and we recommend using these compounds as potential drug molecules against SARS-CoV-2 after follow up studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishma Pratap Sur
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV—Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre of the Academy of Sciences and Charles University, Prumyslova 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic;
| | - Madhab Kumar Sen
- Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 1176, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Katerina Komrskova
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV—Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre of the Academy of Sciences and Charles University, Prumyslova 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic;
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
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30
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Kleandrova VV, Scotti MT, Speck-Planche A. Indirect-Acting Pan-Antivirals vs. Respiratory Viruses: A Fresh Perspective on Computational Multi-Target Drug Discovery. Curr Top Med Chem 2021; 21:2687-2693. [PMID: 34636311 DOI: 10.2174/1568026621666211012110819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Respiratory viruses continue to afflict mankind. Among them, pathogens such as coronaviruses [including the current pandemic agent known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)] and the one causing influenza A (IAV) are highly contagious and deadly. These can evade the immune system defenses while causing a hyperinflammatory response that can damage different tissues/organs. Simultaneously targeting immunomodulatory proteins is a plausible antiviral strategy since it could lead to the discovery of indirect-acting pan-antiviral (IAPA) agents for the treatment of diseases caused by respiratory viruses. In this context, computational approaches, which are an essential part of the modern drug discovery campaigns, could accelerate the identification of multi-target immunomodulators. This perspective discusses the usefulness of computational multi-target drug discovery for the virtual screening (drug repurposing) of IAPA agents capable of boosting the immune system through the activation of the toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and/or the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) while inhibiting key pro-inflammatory proteins, such as caspase-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α).
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria V Kleandrova
- Laboratory of Fundamental and Applied Research of Quality and Technology of Food Production, Moscow State University of Food Production, Volokolamskoe shosse 11, 125080, Moscow. Russian Federation
| | - Marcus T Scotti
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, 58051-900, João Pessoa. Brazil
| | - Alejandro Speck-Planche
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, 58051-900, João Pessoa. Brazil
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31
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Le Corre P, Loas G. Repurposing functional inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (fiasmas): an opportunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection? J Clin Pharm Ther 2021; 46:1213-1219. [PMID: 33645763 PMCID: PMC8014536 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.13390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE Infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible of COVID-19, is associated with limited treatment options. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rationale for repurposing functional inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs), several of which are approved medicines, for the treatment of SAR-CoV-2 infections. COMMENT We propose and discuss the FIASMAs' lysosomotropism as a possible explanation for their observed in vitro activities against viruses, and more specifically against infections caused by coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2. Successful in vitro-to-in vivo translation of FIASMAs requires that their pharmacokinetics (dosing regimen and drug-drug interactions) are matched with viral kinetics. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION Drug repurposing to ensure rapid patient access to effective treatment has garnered much attention in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The observed lysosomotropic activity of small-molecule FIASMA compounds suggests that their repurposing as potential drugs against SARS-CoV-2 is promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Le Corre
- Pôle PharmacieService Hospitalo‐Universitaire de PharmacieCHU de RennesRennesFrance
- Univ RennesCHU RennesInsermEHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé environnement et travail) ‐ UMR_S 1085RennesFrance
- Laboratoire de Biopharmacie et Pharmacie CliniqueFaculté de PharmacieUniversité de Rennes 1RennesFrance
| | - Gwenolé Loas
- Department of PsychiatryHôpital ErasmeUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
- Research Unit (ULB 266)Hôpital ErasmeUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
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32
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Luo L, Qiu Q, Huang F, Liu K, Lan Y, Li X, Huang Y, Cui L, Luo H. Drug repurposing against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A review. J Pharm Anal 2021; 11:683-690. [PMID: 34513115 PMCID: PMC8416689 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Since December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has been found to be the culprit in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), causing a global pandemic. Despite the existence of many vaccine programs, the number of confirmed cases and fatalities due to COVID-19 is still increasing. Furthermore, a number of variants have been reported. Because of the absence of approved anti-coronavirus drugs, the treatment and management of COVID-19 has become a global challenge. Under these circumstances, drug repurposing is an effective method to identify candidate drugs with a shorter cycle of clinical trials. Here, we summarize the current status of the application of drug repurposing in COVID-19, including drug repurposing based on virtual computer screening, network pharmacology, and bioactivity, which may be a beneficial COVID-19 treatment. Mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection and drug targets were reviewed. Drug repurposing against COVID-19 based on computer virtual screening, network pharmacology, bioactivity were summarized. The use of drug repurposing in COVID-19 was addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianxiang Luo
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China.,Marine Medical Research Institute of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Qin Qiu
- Graduate School, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Fangfang Huang
- Graduate School, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Kaifeng Liu
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongqi Lan
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoling Li
- Animal Experiment Center, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuge Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
| | - Liao Cui
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524023, China
| | - Hui Luo
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524023, Guangdong, China
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33
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Iyer K, Chand K, Mitra A, Trivedi J, Mitra D. Diversity in heat shock protein families: functional implications in virus infection with a comprehensive insight of their role in the HIV-1 life cycle. Cell Stress Chaperones 2021; 26:743-768. [PMID: 34318439 PMCID: PMC8315497 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-021-01223-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of cellular proteins that are induced during stress conditions such as heat stress, cold shock, UV irradiation and even pathogenic insult. They are classified into families based on molecular size like HSP27, 40, 70 and 90 etc, and many of them act as cellular chaperones that regulate protein folding and determine the fate of mis-folded or unfolded proteins. Studies have also shown multiple other functions of these proteins such as in cell signalling, transcription and immune response. Deregulation of these proteins leads to devastating consequences, such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other life threatening diseases suggesting their potential importance in life processes. HSPs exist in multiple isoforms, and their biochemical and functional characterization still remains a subject of active investigation. In case of viral infections, several HSP isoforms have been documented to play important roles with few showing pro-viral activity whereas others seem to have an anti-viral role. Earlier studies have demonstrated that HSP40 plays a pro-viral role whereas HSP70 inhibits HIV-1 replication; however, clear isoform-specific functional roles remain to be established. A detailed functional characterization of all the HSP isoforms will uncover their role in cellular homeostasis and also may highlight some of them as potential targets for therapeutic strategies against various viral infections. In this review, we have tried to comprehend the details about cellular HSPs and their isoforms, their role in cellular physiology and their isoform-specific functions in case of virus infection with a specific focus on HIV-1 biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kruthika Iyer
- Laboratory for HIV Research, National Centre for Cell Science, SP Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Kailash Chand
- Laboratory for HIV Research, National Centre for Cell Science, SP Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Alapani Mitra
- Laboratory for HIV Research, National Centre for Cell Science, SP Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Jay Trivedi
- Laboratory for HIV Research, National Centre for Cell Science, SP Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India
| | - Debashis Mitra
- Laboratory for HIV Research, National Centre for Cell Science, SP Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India.
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Muratov EN, Amaro R, Andrade CH, Brown N, Ekins S, Fourches D, Isayev O, Kozakov D, Medina-Franco JL, Merz KM, Oprea TI, Poroikov V, Schneider G, Todd MH, Varnek A, Winkler DA, Zakharov AV, Cherkasov A, Tropsha A. A critical overview of computational approaches employed for COVID-19 drug discovery. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:9121-9151. [PMID: 34212944 PMCID: PMC8371861 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs01065k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has resulted in huge numbers of infections and deaths worldwide and brought the most severe disruptions to societies and economies since the Great Depression. Massive experimental and computational research effort to understand and characterize the disease and rapidly develop diagnostics, vaccines, and drugs has emerged in response to this devastating pandemic and more than 130 000 COVID-19-related research papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals or deposited in preprint servers. Much of the research effort has focused on the discovery of novel drug candidates or repurposing of existing drugs against COVID-19, and many such projects have been either exclusively computational or computer-aided experimental studies. Herein, we provide an expert overview of the key computational methods and their applications for the discovery of COVID-19 small-molecule therapeutics that have been reported in the research literature. We further outline that, after the first year the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears that drug repurposing has not produced rapid and global solutions. However, several known drugs have been used in the clinic to cure COVID-19 patients, and a few repurposed drugs continue to be considered in clinical trials, along with several novel clinical candidates. We posit that truly impactful computational tools must deliver actionable, experimentally testable hypotheses enabling the discovery of novel drugs and drug combinations, and that open science and rapid sharing of research results are critical to accelerate the development of novel, much needed therapeutics for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene N. Muratov
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North CarolinaChapel HillNCUSA
| | - Rommie Amaro
- University of California in San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
| | | | | | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations PharmaceuticalsRaleighNCUSA
| | - Denis Fourches
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
| | - Olexandr Isayev
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Melon UniversityPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Dima Kozakov
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookNYUSA
| | | | - Kenneth M. Merz
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
| | - Tudor I. Oprea
- Department of Internal Medicine and UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, AlbuquerqueNMUSA
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Gothenburg UniversitySweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of CopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Gisbert Schneider
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of TechnologyZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Alexandre Varnek
- Department of Chemistry, University of StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance
- Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - David A. Winkler
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneVICAustralia
- School of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityBundooraAustralia
- School of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamNottinghamUK
| | | | - Artem Cherkasov
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
| | - Alexander Tropsha
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North CarolinaChapel HillNCUSA
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Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the Context of Respiratory Diseases and Its Importance in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14080805. [PMID: 34451902 PMCID: PMC8398530 DOI: 10.3390/ph14080805] [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: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) is an 805 amino acid protein encoded by the ACE2 gene expressed in various human cells, especially in those located in the epithelia. The primary function of ACE2 is to produce angiotensin (1–7) from angiotensin II (Ang II). The current research has described the importance of ACE2 and Ang (1–7) in alternative routes of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) that promote the downregulation of fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress processes in a great variety of diseases, such as hypertension, acute lung injury, liver cirrhosis, and kidney abnormalities. Investigations into the recent outbreak of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have revealed the importance of ACE2 during infection and its role in recognizing viral binding proteins through interactions with specific amino acids of this enzyme. Additionally, the ACE2 expression in several organs has allowed us to understand the clinical picture related to the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2. This review aims to provide context for the functions and importance of ACE2 with regards to SARS-CoV-2 in the general clinical aspect and its impact on other diseases, especially respiratory diseases.
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Karami H, Derakhshani A, Ghasemigol M, Fereidouni M, Miri-Moghaddam E, Baradaran B, Tabrizi NJ, Najafi S, Solimando AG, Marsh LM, Silvestris N, De Summa S, Paradiso AV, Racanelli V, Safarpour H. Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Combined with Machine Learning Validation to Identify Key Modules and Hub Genes Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection. J Clin Med 2021; 10:3567. [PMID: 34441862 PMCID: PMC8397209 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10163567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an enormous loss of lives. Various clinical trials of vaccines and drugs are being conducted worldwide; nevertheless, as of today, no effective drug exists for COVID-19. The identification of key genes and pathways in this disease may lead to finding potential drug targets and biomarkers. Here, we applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis and LIME as an explainable artificial intelligence algorithm to comprehensively characterize transcriptional changes in bronchial epithelium cells (primary human lung epithelium (NHBE) and transformed lung alveolar (A549) cells) during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Our study detected a network that significantly correlated to the pathogenicity of COVID-19 infection based on identified hub genes in each cell line separately. The novel hub gene signature that was detected in our study, including PGLYRP4 and HEPHL1, may shed light on the pathogenesis of COVID-19, holding promise for future prognostic and therapeutic approaches. The enrichment analysis of hub genes showed that the most relevant biological process and KEGG pathways were the type I interferon signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, cytokine-mediated signaling pathway, and defense response to virus categories, all of which play significant roles in restricting viral infection. Moreover, according to the drug-target network, we identified 17 novel FDA-approved candidate drugs, which could potentially be used to treat COVID-19 patients through the regulation of four hub genes of the co-expression network. In conclusion, the aforementioned hub genes might play potential roles in translational medicine and might become promising therapeutic targets. Further in vitro and in vivo experimental studies are needed to evaluate the role of these hub genes in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Karami
- Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran;
| | - Afshin Derakhshani
- Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, IRCCS-Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, 70124 Bari, Italy;
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 516615731, Iran; (B.B.); (N.J.T.); (S.N.)
| | - Mohammad Ghasemigol
- Department of Computer Engineering, University of Birjand, Birjand 9717434765, Iran;
| | - Mohammad Fereidouni
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran;
| | - Ebrahim Miri-Moghaddam
- Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center & Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran;
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 516615731, Iran; (B.B.); (N.J.T.); (S.N.)
- Pharmaceutical Analysis Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 516615731, Iran
| | - Neda Jalili Tabrizi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 516615731, Iran; (B.B.); (N.J.T.); (S.N.)
| | - Souzan Najafi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 516615731, Iran; (B.B.); (N.J.T.); (S.N.)
| | - Antonio Giovanni Solimando
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.G.S.); (N.S.)
| | - Leigh M. Marsh
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6/VI, 8010 Graz, Austria;
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.G.S.); (N.S.)
- Medical Oncology Unit, IRCCS-Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II” of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Simona De Summa
- Molecular Diagnostics and Pharmacogenetics Unit, IRCCS-Istituto Tumori ‘Giovanni Paolo II’, 70124 Bari, Italy;
| | | | - Vito Racanelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.G.S.); (N.S.)
| | - Hossein Safarpour
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran;
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MohammadiPeyhani H, Chiappino-Pepe A, Haddadi K, Hafner J, Hadadi N, Hatzimanikatis V. NICEdrug.ch, a workflow for rational drug design and systems-level analysis of drug metabolism. eLife 2021; 10:e65543. [PMID: 34340747 PMCID: PMC8331181 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of a drug requires over a decade of intensive research and financial investments - and still has a high risk of failure. To reduce this burden, we developed the NICEdrug.ch resource, which incorporates 250,000 bioactive molecules, and studied their enzymatic metabolic targets, fate, and toxicity. NICEdrug.ch includes a unique fingerprint that identifies reactive similarities between drug-drug and drug-metabolite pairs. We validated the application, scope, and performance of NICEdrug.ch over similar methods in the field on golden standard datasets describing drugs and metabolites sharing reactivity, drug toxicities, and drug targets. We use NICEdrug.ch to evaluate inhibition and toxicity by the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil, and suggest avenues to alleviate its side effects. We propose shikimate 3-phosphate for targeting liver-stage malaria with minimal impact on the human host cell. Finally, NICEdrug.ch suggests over 1300 candidate drugs and food molecules to target COVID-19 and explains their inhibitory mechanism for further experimental screening. The NICEdrug.ch database is accessible online to systematically identify the reactivity of small molecules and druggable enzymes with practical applications in lead discovery and drug repurposing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Homa MohammadiPeyhani
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFLLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Anush Chiappino-Pepe
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFLLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Kiandokht Haddadi
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFLLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Jasmin Hafner
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFLLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Noushin Hadadi
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFLLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Vassily Hatzimanikatis
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFLLausanneSwitzerland
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Durojaiye AB, Clarke JRD, Stamatiades GA, Wang C. Repurposing cefuroxime for treatment of COVID-19: a scoping review of in silico studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2021; 39:4547-4554. [PMID: 32538276 PMCID: PMC7298880 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1777904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), is a novel human Coronavirus that is responsible for about 300,000 deaths worldwide. To date, there is no confirmed treatment or vaccine prevention strategy against COVID-19. Due to the urgent need for effective treatment, drug repurposing is regarded as the immediate option. Potential drugs can often be identified via in silico drug screening experiments. Consequently, there has been an explosion of in silico experiments to find drug candidates or investigate anecdotal claims. One drug with several anecdotal accounts of benefit is Cefuroxime. The aim of this study was to identify and summarize in silico evidence for possible activity of Cefuroxime against SARS-CoV-2.To this end, we performed a scoping review of literature of in silico drug repurposing experiments for SARS-CoV-2 using PRISMA-ScR. We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar for original studies published between 1st Feb, 2020 and 15th May, 2020 that screened drug libraries, and identified Cefuroxime as a top-ranked potential inhibitor drug against SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Six studies were identified. These studies reported Cefuroxime as a potential inhibitor of 3 key SARS-CoV-2 proteins; main protease, RNA dependent RNA polymerase, and ACE2-Spike complex. We provided a summary of the methodology and findings of the identified studies. Our scoping review identified significant in silico evidence that Cefuroxime may be a potential multi-target inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to evaluate the potential of Cefuroxime for COVID-19.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashimiyu B. Durojaiye
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA
| | - John-Ross D. Clarke
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA
| | - George A. Stamatiades
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA
| | - Can Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA
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Loas G, Le Corre P. Update on Functional Inhibitors of Acid Sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs) in SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:691. [PMID: 34358117 PMCID: PMC8308787 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak is characterized by the need of the search for curative drugs for treatment. In this paper, we present an update of knowledge about the interest of the functional inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs) in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Forty-nine FIASMAs have been suggested in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection using in silico, in vitro or in vivo studies. Further studies using large-sized, randomized and double-blinded controlled clinical trials are needed to evaluate FIASMAs in SARS-CoV-2 infection as off-label therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwenolé Loas
- Department of Psychiatry, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Research Unit (ULB 266), Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pascal Le Corre
- Pôle Pharmacie, Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Pharmacie, CHU de Rennes, 35033 Rennes, France;
- Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail)-Inserm UMR 1085, University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, INSERM, EHESP, 35000 Rennes, France
- Laboratoire de Biopharmacie et Pharmacie Clinique, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Rennes 1, 35043 Rennes, France
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Sarangi MK, Padhi S, Dheeman S, Karn SK, Patel LD, Yi DK, Nanda SS. Diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of coronavirus disease: a review. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2021; 20:243-266. [PMID: 34151679 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2021.1944103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first reported in Wuhan, China, in late December 2019 and subsequently, declared a pandemic. As of 3 June 2021, 172,493,290 individuals have acquired COVID-19 and 3,708,334 patients have died worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.Areas covered: This review explores epidemiology; virology; pathogenesis; genomic variations; mode of transmission; clinical occurrence; diagnosis; and treatment with antiviral agents, antibiotics, and supportive therapies. It covers a nanotechnology-based treatment approach and emphasizes the importance of herbal and marine antiviral drugs. The review attempts to explain current advances in research, prevention, and control of COVID-19 spread through artificial intelligence and vaccine development status under cosmopolitan consideration.Expert opinion: While COVID-19 research is advancing at full capacity, the discovery of drugs or vaccines that can fight the pandemic is necessary. Human survival in such a critical situation will be possible only with the development of strong immunity by opting for exercise, yoga, and consumption of hygienic food and beverages. Therefore, education about COVID-19 lethality and its impact on livelihood is important. The pandemic has also shown positive effects on the environment, such as a significant reduction in environmental pollution and global warming and improvement in river water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Kumar Sarangi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Sardar Bhagwan Singh University, Balawala, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Sasmita Padhi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Sardar Bhagwan Singh University, Balawala, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Shrivardhan Dheeman
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Sardar Bhagwan Singh University, Balawala, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Karn
- Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Sardar Bhagwan Singh University, Balawala, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - L D Patel
- Department of Pharmacy, Sharda School of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Dong Kee Yi
- Department of Chemistry, Myongji University, Yongin, South Korea
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Ramesh M, Anand K, Shahbaaz M, Abdellattif MH. Current Perspectives in the Discovery of Newer Medications Against the Outbreak of COVID-19. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:648232. [PMID: 34322517 PMCID: PMC8310954 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.648232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A rapid and increasing spread of COVID-19 pandemic disease has been perceived worldwide in 2020. The current COVID-19 disease outbreak is due to the spread of SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is a new strain of coronavirus that has spike protein on the envelope. The spike protein of the virus binds with the ACE-2 receptor of the human lungs surface for entering into the host. Therefore, the blocking of viral entry into the host by targeting the spike protein has been suggested to be a valid strategy to treat COVID-19. The patients of COVID-19 were found to be asymptomatic, cold, mild to severe respiratory illness, and leading to death. The severe illness has been noted mainly in old age people, cardiovascular disease patients, and respiratory disease patients. However, the long-term health effects due to COVID-19 are not yet known. Recently, the vaccines were authorized to protect from COVID-19. However, the researchers have put an effort to discover suitable targets and newer medications in the form of small molecules or peptides, based on in-silico methods and synthetic approaches. This manuscript describes the current perspectives of the causative agent, diagnostic procedure, therapeutic targets, treatment, clinical trials, and development of potential clinical candidates of COVID-19. The study will be useful to identify the potential newer medications for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Ramesh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Omega College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, India
| | - Krishnan Anand
- Department of Chemical Pathology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences and National Health Laboratory Service, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Mohd Shahbaaz
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Magda H. Abdellattif
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
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Kumavath R, Barh D, Andrade BS, Imchen M, Aburjaile FF, Ch A, Rodrigues DLN, Tiwari S, Alzahrani KJ, Góes-Neto A, Weener ME, Ghosh P, Azevedo V. The Spike of SARS-CoV-2: Uniqueness and Applications. Front Immunol 2021; 12:663912. [PMID: 34305894 PMCID: PMC8297464 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.663912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Spike (S) protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is critical for its ability to attach and fuse into the host cells, leading to infection, and transmission. In this review, we have initially performed a meta-analysis of keywords associated with the S protein to frame the outline of important research findings and directions related to it. Based on this outline, we have reviewed the structure, uniqueness, and origin of the S protein of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the interactions of the Spike protein with host and its implications in COVID-19 pathogenesis, as well as drug and vaccine development, are discussed. We have also summarized the recent advances in detection methods using S protein-based RT-PCR, ELISA, point-of-care lateral flow immunoassay, and graphene-based field-effect transistor (FET) biosensors. Finally, we have also discussed the emerging Spike mutants and the efficacy of the Spike-based vaccines against those strains. Overall, we have covered most of the recent advances on the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and its possible implications in countering this virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjith Kumavath
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, India
| | - Debmalya Barh
- Centre for Genomics and Applied Gene Technology, Institute of Integrative Omics and Applied Biotechnology (IIOAB), Nonakuri, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Genetica, Ecologia e Evolucao, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Bruno Silva Andrade
- Laboratório de Bioinformática e Química Computacional, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia (UESB), Jequié, Brazil
| | - Madangchanok Imchen
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, India
| | - Flavia Figueira Aburjaile
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Genetica, Ecologia e Evolucao, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Athira Ch
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, India
| | - Diego Lucas Neres Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Genetica, Ecologia e Evolucao, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Sandeep Tiwari
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Genetica, Ecologia e Evolucao, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Khalid J Alzahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aristóteles Góes-Neto
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Computacional de Fungos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Preetam Ghosh
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Vasco Azevedo
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Genetica, Ecologia e Evolucao, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Chakrabarty B, Das D, Bulusu G, Roy A. Network-Based Analysis of Fatal Comorbidities of COVID-19 and Potential Therapeutics. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2021; 18:1271-1280. [PMID: 33891554 DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv.12136470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The case-fatality rate is significantly higher in older patients and those with diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disorders. The human proteins, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and basigin (BSG), are involved in high-confidence host-pathogen interactions with SARS-CoV-2 proteins. We considered these three proteins as seed nodes and applied the random walk with restart method on the human interactome to construct a protein-protein interaction sub-network, which captures the effects of viral invasion. We found that 'Insulin resistance', 'AGE-RAGE signaling in diabetic complications' and 'adipocytokine signaling' were the common pathways associated with diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. The association of these critical pathways with aging and its related diseases explains the molecular basis of COVID-19 fatality. We further identified drugs that have effects on these proteins/pathways based on gene expression studies. We particularly focused on drugs that significantly downregulate ACE2 along with other critical proteins identified by the network-based approach. Among them, COL-3 had earlier shown activity against acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress, while entinostat and mocetinostat have been investigated for non-small-cell lung cancer. We propose that these drugs can be repurposed for COVID-19.
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Cava C, Bertoli G, Castiglioni I. Potential drugs against COVID-19 revealed by gene expression profile, molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation. Future Virol 2021; 16:10.2217/fvl-2020-0392. [PMID: 34306168 PMCID: PMC8293696 DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2020-0392] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aim: SARS-CoV-2, an emerging betacoronavirus, is the causative agent of COVID-19. Currently, there are few specific and selective antiviral drugs for the treatment and vaccines to prevent contagion. However, their long-term effects can be revealed after several years, and new drugs for COVID-19 should continue to be investigated. Materials & methods: In the first step of our study we identified, through a gene expression analysis, several drugs that could act on the biological pathways altered in COVID-19. In the second step, we performed a docking simulation to test the properties of the identified drugs to target SARS-CoV-2. Results: The drugs that showed a higher binding affinity are bardoxolone (-8.78 kcal/mol), irinotecan (-8.40 kcal/mol) and pyrotinib (-8.40 kcal/mol). Conclusion: We suggested some drugs that could be efficient in treating COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Cava
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging & Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), Via F. Cervi 93, Segrate-Milan, Milan, 20090, Italy
| | - Gloria Bertoli
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging & Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), Via F. Cervi 93, Segrate-Milan, Milan, 20090, Italy
| | - Isabella Castiglioni
- Department of Physics “Giuseppe Occhialini”, University of Milan-Bicocca Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, Milan, 20126, Italy
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On the Role of Paraoxonase-1 and Chemokine Ligand 2 (C-C motif) in Metabolic Alterations Linked to Inflammation and Disease. A 2021 Update. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11070971. [PMID: 34356595 PMCID: PMC8301931 DOI: 10.3390/biom11070971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious and many non-infectious diseases share common molecular mechanisms. Among them, oxidative stress and the subsequent inflammatory reaction are of particular note. Metabolic disorders induced by external agents, be they bacterial or viral pathogens, excessive calorie intake, poor-quality nutrients, or environmental factors produce an imbalance between the production of free radicals and endogenous antioxidant systems; the consequence being the oxidation of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Oxidation and inflammation are closely related, and whether oxidative stress and inflammation represent the causes or consequences of cellular pathology, both produce metabolic alterations that influence the pathogenesis of the disease. In this review, we highlight two key molecules in the regulation of these processes: Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2). PON1 is an enzyme bound to high-density lipoproteins. It breaks down lipid peroxides in lipoproteins and cells, participates in the protection conferred by HDL against different infectious agents, and is considered part of the innate immune system. With PON1 deficiency, CCL2 production increases, inducing migration and infiltration of immune cells in target tissues and disturbing normal metabolic function. This disruption involves pathways controlling cellular homeostasis as well as metabolically-driven chronic inflammatory states. Hence, an understanding of these relationships would help improve treatments and, as well, identify new therapeutic targets.
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Chakrabarty B, Das D, Bulusu G, Roy A. Network-Based Analysis of Fatal Comorbidities of COVID-19 and Potential Therapeutics. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2021; 18:1271-1280. [PMID: 33891554 PMCID: PMC8791434 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2021.3075299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The case-fatality rate is significantly higher in older patients and those with diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disorders. The human proteins, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and basigin (BSG), are involved in high-confidence host-pathogen interactions with SARS-CoV-2 proteins. We considered these three proteins as seed nodes and applied the random walk with restart method on the human interactome to construct a protein-protein interaction sub-network, which captures the effects of viral invasion. We found that 'Insulin resistance', 'AGE-RAGE signaling in diabetic complications' and 'adipocytokine signaling' were the common pathways associated with diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. The association of these critical pathways with aging and its related diseases explains the molecular basis of COVID-19 fatality. We further identified drugs that have effects on these proteins/pathways based on gene expression studies. We particularly focused on drugs that significantly downregulate ACE2 along with other critical proteins identified by the network-based approach. Among them, COL-3 had earlier shown activity against acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress, while entinostat and mocetinostat have been investigated for non-small-cell lung cancer. We propose that these drugs can be repurposed for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Broto Chakrabarty
- TCS Innovation Labs (Life Sciences Division)Tata Consultancy Services LimitedHyderabadTelangana500032India
| | - Dibyajyoti Das
- TCS Innovation Labs (Life Sciences Division)Tata Consultancy Services LimitedHyderabadTelangana500032India
| | - Gopalakrishnan Bulusu
- TCS Innovation Labs (Life Sciences Division)Tata Consultancy Services LimitedHyderabadTelangana500032India
| | - Arijit Roy
- TCS Innovation Labs (Life Sciences Division)Tata Consultancy Services LimitedHyderabadTelangana500032India
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Rodríguez-Tomàs E, Iftimie S, Castañé H, Baiges-Gaya G, Hernández-Aguilera A, González-Viñas M, Castro A, Camps J, Joven J. Clinical Performance of Paraoxonase-1-Related Variables and Novel Markers of Inflammation in Coronavirus Disease-19. A Machine Learning Approach. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10060991. [PMID: 34205807 PMCID: PMC8234277 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10060991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection produces a response of the innate immune system causing oxidative stress and a strong inflammatory reaction termed ‘cytokine storm’ that is one of the leading causes of death. Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) protects against oxidative stress by hydrolyzing lipoperoxides. Alterations in PON1 activity have been associated with pro-inflammatory mediators such as the chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), and the glycoprotein galectin-3. We aimed to investigate the alterations in the circulating levels of PON1, CCL2, and galectin-3 in 126 patients with COVID-19 and their interactions with clinical variables and analytical parameters. A machine learning approach was used to identify predictive markers of the disease. For comparisons, we recruited 45 COVID-19 negative patients and 50 healthy individuals. Our approach identified a synergy between oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrogenesis in positive patients that is not observed in negative patients. PON1 activity was the parameter with the greatest power to discriminate between patients who were either positive or negative for COVID-19, while their levels of CCL2 and galectin-3 were similar. We suggest that the measurement of serum PON1 activity may be a useful marker for the diagnosis of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Rodríguez-Tomàs
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (E.R.-T.); (H.C.); (G.B.-G.); (A.H.-A.); (J.J.)
| | - Simona Iftimie
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (S.I.); (M.G.-V.); (A.C.)
| | - Helena Castañé
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (E.R.-T.); (H.C.); (G.B.-G.); (A.H.-A.); (J.J.)
| | - Gerard Baiges-Gaya
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (E.R.-T.); (H.C.); (G.B.-G.); (A.H.-A.); (J.J.)
| | - Anna Hernández-Aguilera
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (E.R.-T.); (H.C.); (G.B.-G.); (A.H.-A.); (J.J.)
| | - María González-Viñas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (S.I.); (M.G.-V.); (A.C.)
| | - Antoni Castro
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (S.I.); (M.G.-V.); (A.C.)
| | - Jordi Camps
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (E.R.-T.); (H.C.); (G.B.-G.); (A.H.-A.); (J.J.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-977-310-300
| | - Jorge Joven
- Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain; (E.R.-T.); (H.C.); (G.B.-G.); (A.H.-A.); (J.J.)
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Le BL, Andreoletti G, Oskotsky T, Vallejo-Gracia A, Rosales R, Yu K, Kosti I, Leon KE, Bunis DG, Li C, Kumar GR, White KM, García-Sastre A, Ott M, Sirota M. Transcriptomics-based drug repositioning pipeline identifies therapeutic candidates for COVID-19. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12310. [PMID: 34112877 PMCID: PMC8192542 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91625-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged in December 2019 and has few effective treatments. We applied a computational drug repositioning pipeline to SARS-CoV-2 differential gene expression signatures derived from publicly available data. We utilized three independent published studies to acquire or generate lists of differentially expressed genes between control and SARS-CoV-2-infected samples. Using a rank-based pattern matching strategy based on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Statistic, the signatures were queried against drug profiles from Connectivity Map (CMap). We validated 16 of our top predicted hits in live SARS-CoV-2 antiviral assays in either Calu-3 or 293T-ACE2 cells. Validation experiments in human cell lines showed that 11 of the 16 compounds tested to date (including clofazimine, haloperidol and others) had measurable antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. These initial results are encouraging as we continue to work towards a further analysis of these predicted drugs as potential therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian L Le
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gaia Andreoletti
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tomiko Oskotsky
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Romel Rosales
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katharine Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Idit Kosti
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kristoffer E Leon
- Gladstone Institute of Virology, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel G Bunis
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christine Li
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Shanghai American School, Shanghai, China
| | - G Renuka Kumar
- Gladstone Institute of Virology, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kris M White
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melanie Ott
- Gladstone Institute of Virology, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marina Sirota
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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49
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Coronavirus Disease 2019: An Overview of the Complications and Management. Pharmacol Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.36922/itps.v4i1.1037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since the first report of COVID-19 emerging in Wuhan, China, authorities in 216 countries and territories have reported about 47.3 million COVID-19 cases and 1.2 million deaths. The WHO guidelines for the management of COVID-19 are very limited to recommendations for managing symptoms and advice on careful management of pediatric patients, pregnant women, and patients with underlying comorbidities. There is no approved treatment for COVID-19 and guidelines vary between countries. In this review, first, a brief overview is provided on the basic knowledge about the virus, clinical features of the disease, and different diagnostic methods. Then, the relationship between COVID-19, various body systems, and other complications is discussed. Finallly, different management strategies are discussed, including those drawn on computational chemistry analyses, pre-clinical investigations, and clinical trials which involve pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. In conclusion, despite the recent approval of different vaccine candidates, more virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 are required to be explored, which may result in the discovery of more potential therapeutic targets leading to safer and more effective treatment to COVID-19.
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50
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Sakr MM, Elsayed NS, El-Housseiny GS. Latest updates on SARS-CoV-2 genomic characterization, drug, and vaccine development; a comprehensive bioinformatics review. Microb Pathog 2021; 154:104809. [PMID: 33647446 PMCID: PMC7910145 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104809] [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: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, several bioinformatic analyses have been conducted on SARS-CoV-2 virus genome. Numerous studies rushed to fill the gap about this novel virus. Comparison with other related sequences, structural predictions of the produced proteins, determination of variations in amino acid residues and depiction of possible drug and vaccine targets have been the focus of scientific research from the beginning of this year. In addition to discussing the viral taxonomy, clinical features, life cycle, and genome organization, this review will focus on the recent updates in genome and viral proteins characterization and potential therapeutic and vaccine candidates developed so far. Comparative studies with related genomes and proteins provide understanding for the viral molecular mechanisms and suggest targets for therapeutics and vaccinology trials to stop the escalation of this new virus. This pandemic, with its resulting social and economic afflictions, will definitely have significant marks on our lives in the following years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masarra M Sakr
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Organization of African Unity St., 11566, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Noha S Elsayed
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Organization of African Unity St., 11566, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Ghadir S El-Housseiny
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Organization of African Unity St., 11566, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt
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