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Liao Y, Zhang Y, Li H, Hu H, Li M, Liao C. ACE2: the node connecting the lung cancer and COVID-19. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:1466-1481. [PMID: 38726281 PMCID: PMC11076241 DOI: 10.62347/xjve4569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Angiotensin-converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) collaborates with Angiotensin (Ang) 1-7 and Mas receptors to establish the ACE2-Ang (1-7)-Mas receptor axis. ACE2 impacts lung function and can cause lung injury due to its inflammatory effects. Additionally, ACE2 contributes to pulmonary vasculature dysfunction, resulting in pulmonary hypertension. In addition, ACE2 is a receptor for coronavirus entry into host cells, leading to coronavirus infection. Lung cancer, one of the most common respiratory diseases worldwide, has a high rate of infection. Elevated levels of ACE2 in lung cancer patients, which increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe disease, have been demonstrated in clinical studies and by molecular mechanisms. The association between lung cancer and SARS-CoV-2 is closely linked to ACE2. This review examines the basic pathophysiological role of ACE2 in the lung, the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on lung function, the development of pulmonary fibrosis, chronic inflammation in long-term COVID patients, and the clinical research and mechanisms underlying the increased susceptibility of lung cancer patients to the virus. Possible mechanisms of lung cancer in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals and the potential role of ACE2 in this process are also explored in this review. The role of ACE2 as a therapeutic target in the novel coronavirus infection process is also summarized. This will help to inform prevention and treatment of long-term pulmonary complications in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liao
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical UniversityShanghai 200433, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Graduate School, Hebei North UniversityZhangjiakou 075000, Hebei, China
| | - Houfeng Li
- Graduate School, Hebei North UniversityZhangjiakou 075000, Hebei, China
| | - Huixiu Hu
- Graduate School, Hebei North UniversityZhangjiakou 075000, Hebei, China
| | - Mi Li
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical UniversityShanghai 200433, China
| | - Chunhua Liao
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical UniversityShanghai 200433, China
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2
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Zhou H, Fang Y, Zhang J, Xiong T, Peng F. Site-directed immobilization of enzymes on nanoparticles using self-assembly systems. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 397:130505. [PMID: 38423485 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Enzyme immobilization is an effective method for improving the stability and reusability. However, linking at random sites on the enzyme results in low catalytic efficiency due to blockage of the active site or conformational changes. Therefore, controlling the orientation of enzymes on the carrier has been developed. Here, the site-specific mutation and the SpyTag/SpyCatcher systems were used to prepare a site-directed immobilized enzyme. The thermal stability of the immobilized enzyme was better than that of the free enzyme, and ≥80 % of the catalytic activity was retained after 30 days of storage. Furthermore, the Michaelis constant (Km) and the turnover number (kcat) of the immobilized enzyme were 5.23-fold lower and 6.11-fold higher than those of the free enzyme, respectively, which appeared to be related to changes in secondary structure after immobilization. These findings provide a new and effective option for enzyme-directed immobilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haili Zhou
- School of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China
| | - Yuling Fang
- School of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- School of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China
| | - Tao Xiong
- School of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China; State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China
| | - Fei Peng
- School of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China; State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330047, China.
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3
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Li LH, Chiu HW, Wong WT, Huang KC, Lin TW, Chen ST, Hua KF. Antrodia cinnamomea May Interfere with the Interaction Between ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in vitro and Reduces Lung Inflammation in a Hamster Model of COVID-19. J Inflamm Res 2023; 16:4867-4884. [PMID: 37908202 PMCID: PMC10614667 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s431222] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a global health challenge with widespread transmission. Growing concerns about vaccine side effects, diminishing efficacy, and religious-based hesitancy highlight the need for alternative pharmacological approaches. Our study investigates the impact of the ethanol extract of Antrodia cinnamomea (AC), a native medicinal fungus from Taiwan, on COVID-19 in both in vitro and in vivo contexts. Methods We measured the mRNA and protein levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) in human lung cells using real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. Additionally, we determined the enzymatic activity of ACE2 using the fluorogenic peptide substrate Mca-YVADAPK(Dnp)-OH. To assess the impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, we used SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infections in human embryonic kidney 293T cells expressing ACE2 to measure infection rates. Furthermore, we evaluated the in vivo efficacy of AC in mitigating COVID-19 by conducting experiments on hamsters infected with the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. Results AC effectively decreased ACE2 mRNA and protein levels, a critical host receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, in human lung cells. It also prevented the spike protein from binding to human lung cells. Dehydrosulphurenic acid, an isolate from AC, directly inhibited ACE2 protease activity with an inhibitory constant of 1.53 µM. In vitro experiments showed that both AC and dehydrosulphurenic acid significantly reduced the infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. In hamsters infected with the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, oral administration of AC reduced body weight loss and improved lung injury. Notably, AC also inhibited IL-1β expression in both macrophages and the lung tissues of SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters. Conclusion AC shows potential as a nutraceutical for reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by disrupting the interaction between ACE2 and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and for preventing COVID-19-associated lung inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Hui Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linsen, Chinese Medicine and Kunming Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Wen Chiu
- Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yilan, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Ting Wong
- Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yilan, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | - Kuo-Feng Hua
- Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yilan, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Furini G, De Carli A, Fonnesu R, Spezia PG, Scebba F, Pistello M, Lai M, Lionetti V. Gene silencing of endothelial von Willebrand factor reduces the susceptibility of human endothelial cells to SARS-CoV-2 infection. FEBS J 2023; 290:4300-4315. [PMID: 37098810 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying vascular endothelial susceptibility to infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not fully understood. Emerging evidence indicates that patients lacking von Willebrand factor (vWF), an endothelial hallmark, are less severely affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection, yet the precise role of endothelial vWF in modulating coronavirus entry into endothelial cells is unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that effective gene silencing by short interfering RNA (siRNA) for vWF expression in resting human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) significantly reduced by 56% the cellular levels of SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA. Similar reduction in intracellular SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA levels was observed in non-activated HUVECs treated with siRNA targeting angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the cellular gateway to coronavirus. By integrating quantitative information from real-time PCR and high-resolution confocal imaging, we demonstrated that ACE2 gene expression and its plasma membrane localization in HUVECs were both markedly reduced after treatment with siRNA anti-vWF or anti-ACE2. Conversely, siRNA anti-ACE2 did not reduce endothelial vWF gene expression and protein levels. Finally, SARS-CoV-2 infection of viable HUVECs was enhanced by overexpression of vWF, which increased ACE2 levels. Of note, we found a similar increase in interferon-β mRNA levels following transfection with untargeted, anti-vWF or anti-ACE2 siRNA and pcDNA3.1-WT-VWF. We envision that siRNA targeting endothelial vWF will protect against productive endothelial infection by SARS-CoV-2 through downregulation of ACE2 expression and might serve as a novel tool to induce disease resistance by modulating the regulatory role of vWF on ACE2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Furini
- Unit of Translational Critical Care Medicine, Laboratory of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
- UOSVD Anesthesia and Resuscitation, Fondazione Toscana "G. Monasterio", Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro De Carli
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Fonnesu
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Pietro Giorgio Spezia
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Scebba
- BioMedicine Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mauro Pistello
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
- Virology Unit, Pisa University Hospital, Italy
| | - Michele Lai
- Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Retrovirus Center, University of Pisa, Italy
- CISUP - Centre for Instrumentation Sharing - University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Lionetti
- Unit of Translational Critical Care Medicine, Laboratory of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
- UOSVD Anesthesia and Resuscitation, Fondazione Toscana "G. Monasterio", Pisa, Italy
- BioMedicine Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
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5
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Bugatti K, Sartori A, Battistini L, Coppa C, Vanhulle E, Noppen S, Provinciael B, Naesens L, Stevaert A, Contini A, Vermeire K, Zanardi F. Novel Polymyxin-Inspired Peptidomimetics Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Spike:hACE2 Interface. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108765. [PMID: 37240111 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Though the bulk of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind, the search for effective and safe anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs continues to be relevant. A highly pursued approach for antiviral drug development involves targeting the viral spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 to prevent its attachment to the cellular receptor ACE2. Here, we exploited the core structure of polymyxin B, a naturally occurring antibiotic, to design and synthesize unprecedented peptidomimetics (PMs), intended to target contemporarily two defined, non-overlapping regions of the S receptor-binding domain (RBD). Monomers 1, 2, and 8, and heterodimers 7 and 10 bound to the S-RBD with micromolar affinity in cell-free surface plasmon resonance assays (KD ranging from 2.31 μM to 2.78 μM for dimers and 8.56 μM to 10.12 μM for monomers). Although the PMs were not able to fully protect cell cultures from infection with authentic live SARS-CoV-2, dimer 10 exerted a minimal but detectable inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 entry in U87.ACE2+ and A549.ACE2.TMPRSS2+ cells. These results validated a previous modeling study and provided the first proof-of-feasibility of using medium-sized heterodimeric PMs for targeting the S-RBD. Thus, heterodimers 7 and 10 may serve as a lead for the development of optimized compounds, which are structurally related to polymyxin, with improved S-RBD affinity and anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Bugatti
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Sartori
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Lucia Battistini
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Crescenzo Coppa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Venezian 21, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Emiel Vanhulle
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sam Noppen
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Becky Provinciael
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieve Naesens
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annelies Stevaert
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alessandro Contini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Venezian 21, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Kurt Vermeire
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Franca Zanardi
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
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Chatterjee S, Nalla LV, Sharma M, Sharma N, Singh AA, Malim FM, Ghatage M, Mukarram M, Pawar A, Parihar N, Arya N, Khairnar A. Association of COVID-19 with Comorbidities: An Update. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:334-354. [PMID: 36923110 PMCID: PMC10000013 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) which was identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and jeopardized human lives. It spreads at an unprecedented rate worldwide, with serious and still-unfolding health conditions and economic ramifications. Based on the clinical investigations, the severity of COVID-19 appears to be highly variable, ranging from mild to severe infections including the death of an infected individual. To add to this, patients with comorbid conditions such as age or concomitant illnesses are significant predictors of the disease's severity and progression. SARS-CoV-2 enters inside the host cells through ACE2 (angiotensin converting enzyme2) receptor expression; therefore, comorbidities associated with higher ACE2 expression may enhance the virus entry and the severity of COVID-19 infection. It has already been recognized that age-related comorbidities such as Parkinson's disease, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases may lead to life-threatening illnesses in COVID-19-infected patients. COVID-19 infection results in the excessive release of cytokines, called "cytokine storm", which causes the worsening of comorbid disease conditions. Different mechanisms of COVID-19 infections leading to intensive care unit (ICU) admissions or deaths have been hypothesized. This review provides insights into the relationship between various comorbidities and COVID-19 infection. We further discuss the potential pathophysiological correlation between COVID-19 disease and comorbidities with the medical interventions for comorbid patients. Toward the end, different therapeutic options have been discussed for COVID-19-infected comorbid patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayan Chatterjee
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Lakshmi Vineela Nalla
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India.,Department of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh 522302, India
| | - Monika Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Nishant Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Aditya A Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Fehmina Mushtaque Malim
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Manasi Ghatage
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Mohd Mukarram
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Abhijeet Pawar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Nidhi Parihar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Neha Arya
- Department of Translational Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal, Bhopal 462020, India
| | - Amit Khairnar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382355, India.,International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Brno 602 00, Czech Republic.,ICRC-FNUSA Brno 656 91, Czech Republic.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czechia
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7
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Morrison FJ, Su M, Turchin A. COVID-19 outcomes in patients taking cardioprotective medications. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275787. [PMID: 36215288 PMCID: PMC9550077 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275787] [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: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused a worldwide pandemic and has led to over five million deaths. Many cardiovascular risk factors (e.g. obesity or diabetes) are associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes in COVID-19. On the other hand, it has been suggested that medications used to treat cardiometabolic conditions may have protective effects for patients with COVID-19. Objectives To determine whether patients taking four classes of cardioprotective medications—aspirin, metformin, renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) and statins–have a lower risk of adverse outcomes of COVID-19. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of primary care patients at a large integrated healthcare delivery system who had a positive COVID-19 test between March 2020 and March 2021. We compared outcomes of patients who were taking one of the study medications at the time of the COVID-19 test to patients who took a medication from the same class in the past (to minimize bias by indication). The following outcomes were compared: a) hospitalization; b) ICU admission; c) intubation; and d) death. Multivariable analysis was used to adjust for patient demographics and comorbidities. Results Among 13,585 study patients, 1,970 (14.5%) were hospitalized; 763 (5.6%) were admitted to an ICU; 373 (2.8%) were intubated and 720 (5.3%) died. In bivariate analyses, patients taking metformin, RAASi and statins had lower risk of hospitalization, ICU admission and death. However, in multivariable analysis, only the lower risk of death remained statistically significant. Patients taking aspirin had a significantly higher risk of hospitalization in both bivariate and multivariable analyses. Conclusions Cardioprotective medications were not associated with a consistent benefit in COVID-19. As vaccination and effective treatments are not yet universally accessible worldwide, research should continue to determine whether affordable and widely available medications could be utilized to decrease the risks of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fritha J. Morrison
- Division of Endocrinology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Maxwell Su
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Phase V Technologies, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alexander Turchin
- Division of Endocrinology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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8
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Fazekas-Pongor V, Szarvas Z, Nagy ND, Péterfi A, Ungvári Z, Horváth VJ, Mészáros S, Tabák AG. Different patterns of excess all-cause mortality by age and sex in Hungary during the 2 nd and 3 rd waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. GeroScience 2022; 44:2361-2369. [PMID: 35864376 PMCID: PMC9303845 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00622-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well accepted that COVID-19-related mortality shows a strong age dependency. However, temporal changes in the age distribution of excess relative mortality between waves of the pandemic are less frequently investigated. We aimed to assess excess absolute mortality and the age-distribution of all-cause mortality during the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary compared to the same periods of non-pandemic years. Rate ratios for excess all-cause mortality with 95% confidence intervals and the number of excess deaths for the second (week 41 of 2020 through week 4 of 2021) and third waves (weeks 7-21 of 2021) of the COVID pandemic for the whole of Hungary compared to the same periods of the pre-pandemic years were estimated for 10-year age strata using Poisson regression. Altogether, 9771 (95% CI: 9554-9988) excess deaths were recorded during the second wave of the pandemic, while it was lower, 8143 (95% CI: 7953-8333) during the third wave. During the second wave, relative mortality peaked for ages 65-74 and 75-84 (RR 1.37, 95%CI 1.33-1.41, RR 1.38, 95%CI 1.34-1.42). Conversely, during the third wave, relative mortality peaked for ages 35-44 (RR 1.43, 95%CI 1.33-1.55), while those ≥65 had substantially lower relative risks compared to the second wave. The reduced relative mortality among the elderly during the third wave is likely a consequence of the rapidly increasing vaccination coverage of the elderly coinciding with the third wave. The hugely increased relative mortality of those 35-44 could point to non-biological causes, such as less stringent adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vince Fazekas-Pongor
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary.
| | - Zsófia Szarvas
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
| | - Norbert D Nagy
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
| | - Anna Péterfi
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Ungvári
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Departments of Translational Medicine and Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- The Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Viktor J Horváth
- Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Mészáros
- Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
| | - Adam G Tabák
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
- Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest, H-1085, Hungary
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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9
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Pouremamali A, Babaei A, Malekshahi SS, Abbasi A, Rafiee N. Understanding the pivotal roles of ACE2 in SARS-CoV-2 infection: from structure/function to therapeutic implication. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2022; 23:103. [PMID: 37521846 PMCID: PMC9206724 DOI: 10.1186/s43042-022-00314-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In December 2019, a novel respiratory tract infection, from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was detected in China that rapidly spread around the world. This virus possesses spike (S) glycoproteins on the surface of mature virions, like other members of coronaviridae. The S glycoprotein is a crucial viral protein for binding, fusion, and entry into the target cells. Binding the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S protein to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2), a cell-surface receptor, mediates virus entry into cells; thus, understanding the basics of ACE2 and S protein, their interactions, and ACE2 targeting could be a potent priority for inhibition of virus infection. This review presents current knowledge of the SARS-CoV-2 basics and entry mechanism, structure and organ distribution of ACE2, and also its function in SARS-CoV-2 entry and pathogenesis. Furthermore, it highlights ACE2 targeting by recombinant ACE2 (rACE2), ACE2 activators, ACE inhibitor, and angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor blocker to control the SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Pouremamali
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abouzar Babaei
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Ardeshir Abbasi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nastaran Rafiee
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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Risk stratification of patients with SARS-CoV-2 by tissue factor expression in circulating extracellular vesicles. Vascul Pharmacol 2022; 145:106999. [PMID: 35597450 PMCID: PMC9116046 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2022.106999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory response following SARS-CoV-2 infection results in substantial increase of amounts of intravascular pro-coagulant extracellular vesicles (EVs) expressing tissue factor (CD142) on their surface. CD142-EV turned out to be useful as diagnostic biomarker in COVID-19 patients. Here we aimed at studying the prognostic capacity of CD142-EV in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Expression of CD142-EV was evaluated in 261 subjects admitted to hospital for pneumonia and with a positive molecular test for SARS-CoV-2. The study population consisted of a discovery cohort of selected patients (n = 60) and an independent validation cohort including unselected consecutive enrolled patients (n = 201). CD142-EV levels were correlated with post-hospitalization course of the disease and compared to the clinically available 4C Mortality Score as referral. CD142-EV showed a reliable performance to predict patient prognosis in the discovery cohort (AUC = 0.906) with an accuracy of 81.7%, that was confirmed in the validation cohort (AUC = 0.736). Kaplan-Meier curves highlighted a high discrimination power in unselected subjects with CD142-EV being able to stratify the majority of patients according to their prognosis. We obtained a comparable accuracy, being not inferior in terms of prediction of patients' prognosis and risk of mortality, with 4C Mortality Score. The expression of surface vesicular CD142 and its reliability as prognostic marker was technically validated using different immunocapture strategies and assays. The detection of CD142 on EV surface gains considerable interest as risk stratification tool to support clinical decision making in COVID-19.
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11
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A Elrayess M, T Zedan H, A Alattar R, Abusriwil H, Al-Ruweidi MKAA, Almuraikhy S, Parengal J, Alhariri B, Yassine HM, A Hssain A, Nair A, Al Samawi M, Abdelmajid A, Al Suwaidi J, Omar Saad M, Al-Maslamani M, Omrani AS, Yalcin HC. Soluble ACE2 and angiotensin II levels are modulated in hypertensive COVID-19 patients treated with different antihypertension drugs. Blood Press 2022; 31:80-90. [PMID: 35548940 DOI: 10.1080/08037051.2022.2055530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study examines the effect of antihypertensive drugs on ACE2 and Angiotensin II levels in hypertensive COVID-19 patients. INTRODUCTION Hypertension is a common comorbidity among severe COVID-19 patients. ACE2 expression can be modulated by antihypertensive drugs such as ACEis and ARBs, which may affect COVID-19's prognosis. BB and CCB reduce mortality, according to some evidence. Their effect on circulating levels of ACE2 and angiotensin II, as well as the severity of COVID-19, is less well studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS The clinical data were collected from 200 patients in four different antihypertensive medication classes (ACEi, ARB, BB, and CCB). Angiotensin II and ACE2 levels were determined using standard ELISA kits. ACE2, angiotensin II, and other clinical indices were evaluated by linear regression models. RESULTS Patients on ACEi (n = 57), ARB (n = 68), BB (n = 15), or CCB (n = 30) in this study had mild (n = 76), moderate (n = 76), or severe (n = 52) COVID-19. ACE2 levels were higher in COVID-19 patients with severe disease (p = 0.04) than mild (p = 0.07) and moderate (p = 0.007). The length of hospital stay is correlated with ACE2 levels (r = 0.3, p = 0.003). Angiotensin II levels decreased with severity (p = 0.04). Higher ACE2 levels are associated with higher CRP and D-dimer levels. Elevated Angiotensin II was associated with low levels of CRP, D-dimer, and troponin. ACE2 levels increase with disease severity in patients taking an ARB (p = 0.01), patients taking ACEi, the degree of disease severity was associated with a decrease in angiotensin II. BB patients had the lowest disease severity. CONCLUSION We found different levels of soluble ACE2, and angiotensin II are observed among COVID-19 patients taking different antihypertensive medications and exhibiting varying levels of disease severity. COVID-19 severity increases with elevated ACE2 levels and lower angiotensin II levels indicating that BB treatment reduces severity regardless of levels of ACE2 and angiotensin II.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hadeel T Zedan
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.,Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Member of QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Rand A Alattar
- Communicable Diseases Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hatem Abusriwil
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | | | | | - Jabeed Parengal
- Communicable Diseases Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Bassem Alhariri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hadi M Yassine
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ali A Hssain
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Arun Nair
- Communicable Diseases Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Musaed Al Samawi
- Communicable Diseases Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Alaaeldin Abdelmajid
- Communicable Diseases Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | | | | | - Muna Al-Maslamani
- Communicable Diseases Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ali S Omrani
- Communicable Diseases Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
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12
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An insight into the mechanisms of COVID-19, SARS-CoV2 infection severity concerning β-cell survival and cardiovascular conditions in diabetic patients. Mol Cell Biochem 2022; 477:1681-1695. [PMID: 35235124 PMCID: PMC8889522 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04396-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
A significantly high percentage of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) had severe conditions and were admitted to ICU. In this review, we have delineated the plausible molecular mechanisms that could explain why there are increased clinical complications in patients with DM that become critically ill when infected with SARS-CoV2. RNA viruses have been classically implicated in manifestation of new onset diabetes. SARS-CoV2 infection through cytokine storm leads to elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines creating an imbalance in the functioning of T helper cells affecting multiple organs. Inflammation and Th1/Th2 cell imbalance along with Th17 have been associated with DM, which can exacerbate SARS-CoV2 infection severity. ACE-2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis positively modulates β-cell and cardiac tissue function and survival. However, ACE-2 receptors dock SARS-CoV2, which internalize and deplete ACE-2 and activate Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) pathway. This induces inflammation promoting insulin resistance that has positive effect on RAS pathway, causes β-cell dysfunction, promotes inflammation and increases the risk of cardiovascular complications. Further, hyperglycemic state could upregulate ACE-2 receptors for viral infection thereby increasing the severity of the diabetic condition. SARS-CoV2 infection in diabetic patients with heart conditions are linked to worse outcomes. SARS-CoV2 can directly affect cardiac tissue or inflammatory response during diabetic condition and worsen the underlying heart conditions.
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13
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Dysregulated Bradykinin: Mystery in the Pathogenesis of COVID-19. Mediators Inflamm 2022; 2022:7423537. [PMID: 35153624 PMCID: PMC8826266 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7423537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly spreading, and health care systems are being overwhelmed with the huge number of cases, with a good number of cases requiring intensive care. It has become imperative to develop safe and effective treatment strategies to improve survival. In this regard, understanding the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is highly important. Many hypotheses have been proposed, including the ACE/angiotensin-II/angiotensin receptor 1 pathway, the complement pathway, and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2/mitochondrial assembly receptor (ACE2/MasR) pathway. SARS-CoV-2 binds to the ACE2 on the cell surface, downregulating the ACE2, and thus impairs the inactivation of bradykinin and des-Arg9-bradykinin. Bradykinin, a linear nonapeptide, is extensively distributed in plasma and different tissues. Kininogens in plasma and tissue are the main sources of the two vasoactive peptides called bradykinin and kallidin. However, the role of the dysregulated bradykinin pathway is less explored in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Understanding the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is crucial for the development of new effective treatment approaches which interfere with these pathways. In this review, we have tried to explore the interaction between SARS-CoV-2, ACE2, bradykinin, and its metabolite des-Arg9-bradykinin in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.
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14
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Cryo-EM structures of human bradykinin receptor-G q proteins complexes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:714. [PMID: 35132089 PMCID: PMC8821558 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28399-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The type 2 bradykinin receptor (B2R) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in the cardiovascular system, and the dysfunction of B2R leads to inflammation, hereditary angioedema, and pain. Bradykinin and kallidin are both endogenous peptide agonists of B2R, acting as vasodilators to protect the cardiovascular system. Here we determine two cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of human B2R-Gq in complex with bradykinin and kallidin at 3.0 Å and 2.9 Å resolution, respectively. The ligand-binding pocket accommodates S-shaped peptides, with aspartic acids and glutamates as an anion trap. The phenylalanines at the tail of the peptides induce significant conformational changes in the toggle switch W2836.48, the conserved PIF, DRY, and NPxxY motifs, for the B2R activation. This further induces the extensive interactions of the intracellular loops ICL2/3 and helix 8 with Gq proteins. Our structures elucidate the molecular mechanisms for the ligand binding, receptor activation, and Gq proteins coupling of B2R.
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15
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Rezabakhsh A, Sadat-Ebrahimi SR, Ala A, Nabavi SM, Banach M, Ghaffari S. A close-up view of dynamic biomarkers in the setting of COVID-19: Striking focus on cardiovascular system. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 26:274-286. [PMID: 34894069 PMCID: PMC8743667 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on the recent reports, cardiovascular events encompass a large portion of the mortality caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic, which drawn cardiologists into the management of the admitted ill patients. Given that common laboratory values may provide key insights into the illness caused by the life‐threatening SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, it would be more helpful for screening, clinical management and on‐time therapeutic strategies. Commensurate with these issues, this review article aimed to discuss the dynamic changes of the common laboratory parameters during COVID‐19 and their association with cardiovascular diseases. Besides, the values that changed in the early stage of the disease were considered and monitored during the recovery process. The time required for returning biomarkers to basal levels was also discussed. Finally, of particular interest, we tended to abridge the latest updates regarding the cardiovascular biomarkers as prognostic and diagnostic criteria to determine the severity of COVID‐19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysa Rezabakhsh
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Alireza Ala
- Emergency Medicine Research Team, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Nabavi
- Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maciej Banach
- Department of Hypertension, Chair of Nephrology and Hypertension, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.,Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute (PMMHRI), Lodz, Poland
| | - Samad Ghaffari
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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16
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Villa A, Brunialti E, Dellavedova J, Meda C, Rebecchi M, Conti M, Donnici L, De Francesco R, Reggiani A, Lionetti V, Ciana P. DNA aptamers masking angiotensin converting enzyme 2 as an innovative way to treat SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Pharmacol Res 2021; 175:105982. [PMID: 34798263 PMCID: PMC8594078 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
All the different coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 variants isolated so far share the same mechanism of infection mediated by the interaction of their spike (S) glycoprotein with specific residues on their cellular receptor: the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, the steric hindrance on this cellular receptor created by a bulk macromolecule may represent an effective strategy for the prevention of the viral spreading and the onset of severe forms of Corona Virus disease 19 (COVID-19). Here, we applied a systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) procedure to identify two single strand DNA molecules (aptamers) binding specifically to the region surrounding the K353, the key residue in human ACE2 interacting with the N501 amino acid of the SARS-CoV-2 S. 3D docking in silico experiments and biochemical assays demonstrated that these aptamers bind to this region, efficiently prevent the SARS-CoV-2 S/human ACE2 interaction and the viral infection in the nanomolar range, regardless of the viral variant, thus suggesting the possible clinical development of these aptamers as SARS-CoV-2 infection inhibitors. Our approach brings a significant innovation to the therapeutic paradigm of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic by protecting the target cell instead of focusing on the virus; this is particularly attractive in light of the increasing number of viral mutants that may potentially escape the currently developed immune-mediated neutralization strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Villa
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20146, Italy
| | - Electra Brunialti
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20146, Italy
| | | | - Clara Meda
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20146, Italy
| | - Monica Rebecchi
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20146, Italy
| | - Matteo Conti
- INGM - Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Lorena Donnici
- INGM - Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Raffaele De Francesco
- INGM - Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan 20122, Italy; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Angelo Reggiani
- D3 Validation Research Line, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa 16163, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Lionetti
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | - Paolo Ciana
- D3 Validation Research Line, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa 16163, Italy.
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17
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Elyaspour Z, Zibaeenezhad MJ, Razmkhah M, Razeghian-Jahromi I. Is It All About Endothelial Dysfunction and Thrombosis Formation? The Secret of COVID-19. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost 2021; 27:10760296211042940. [PMID: 34693754 PMCID: PMC8543709 DOI: 10.1177/10760296211042940] [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] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The world is in a hard battle against COVID-19. Endothelial cells are among the most critical targets of SARS-CoV-2. Dysfunction of endothelium leads to vascular injury following by coagulopathies and thrombotic conditions in the vital organs increasing the risk of life-threatening events. Growing evidences revealed that endothelial dysfunction and consequent thrombotic conditions are associated with the severity of outcomes. It is not yet fully clear that these devastating sequels originate directly from the virus or a side effect of virus-induced cytokine storm. Due to endothelial dysfunction, plasma levels of some biomarkers are changed and relevant clinical manifestations appear as well. Stabilization of endothelial integrity and supporting its function are among the promising therapeutic strategies. Other than respiratory, COVID-19 could be called a systemic vascular disease and this aspect should be scrutinized in more detail in order to reduce related mortality. In the present investigation, the effects of COVID-19 on endothelial function and thrombosis formation are discussed. In this regard, critical players, laboratory findings, clinical manifestation, and suggestive therapies are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Elyaspour
- 48435Cardiovascular Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Mahboobeh Razmkhah
- 48435Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Iman Razeghian-Jahromi
- 48435Cardiovascular Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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18
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Matarese A, Gambardella J, Sardu C, Santulli G. miR-98 Regulates TMPRSS2 Expression in Human Endothelial Cells: Key Implications for COVID-19. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8110462. [PMID: 33143053 PMCID: PMC7693865 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8110462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The two main co-factors needed by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to enter human cells are angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). Here, we focused on the study of microRNAs that specifically target TMPRSS2. Through a bioinformatic approach, we identified miR-98-5p as a suitable candidate. Since we and others have shown that endothelial cells play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we mechanistically validated miR-98-5p as a regulator of TMPRSS2 transcription in two different human endothelial cell types, derived from the lung and from the umbilical vein. Taken together, our findings indicate that TMPRSS2 represents a valid target in COVID-19 treatment, which may be achieved by specific non-coding-RNA approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Matarese
- Department of Medicine, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Einstein-Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (A.M.); (J.G.)
- AORN “Antonio Cardarelli”, 80100 Naples, Italy
| | - Jessica Gambardella
- Department of Medicine, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Einstein-Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (A.M.); (J.G.)
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Science, “Federico II” University, and International Translational Research and Medical Education Consortium (ITME), 80131 Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism (FIDAM), Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center (ES-DRC), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Celestino Sardu
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy;
- Department of Medical Sciences, International University of Health and Medical Sciences “S. Camillo”, 00131 Rome, Italy
| | - Gaetano Santulli
- Department of Medicine, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Einstein-Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA; (A.M.); (J.G.)
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Science, “Federico II” University, and International Translational Research and Medical Education Consortium (ITME), 80131 Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism (FIDAM), Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center (ES-DRC), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-718-430-3370
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