Multiple cranial nerve palsies revealing blast crisis in patient with chronic myeloid leukemia in the accelerated phase under nilotinib during severe infection with SARS-COV-19 virus: Case report and review of literature

Molecular Modeling of Viral Type I Fusion Proteins: Inhibitors of Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin and the Spike Protein of Coronavirus

The fusion of viral and cell membranes is one of the basic processes in the life cycles of viruses. A number of enveloped viruses confer fusion of the viral envelope and the cell membrane using surface viral fusion proteins. Their conformational rearrangements lead to the unification of lipid bilayers of cell membranes and viral envelopes and the formation of fusion pores through which the viral genome enters the cytoplasm of the cell. A deep understanding of all the stages of conformational transitions preceding the fusion of viral and cell membranes is necessary for the development of specific inhibitors of viral reproduction. This review systematizes knowledge about the results of molecular modeling aimed at finding and explaining the mechanisms of antiviral activity of entry inhibitors. The first section of this review describes types of viral fusion proteins and is followed by a comparison of the structural features of class I fusion proteins, namely influenza virus hemagglutinin and the S-protein of the human coronavirus.

Bioinformatics-based investigation on the genetic influence between SARS-CoV-2 infections and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diseases, and drug repurposing

Some recent studies showed that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) disease might stimulate each other through the shared genes. Therefore, in this study, an attempt was made to explore common genomic biomarkers for SARS-CoV-2 infections and IPF disease highlighting their functions, pathways, regulators and associated drug molecules. At first, we identified 32 statistically significant common differentially expressed genes (cDEGs) between disease (SARS-CoV-2 and IPF) and control samples of RNA-Seq profiles by using a statistical r-package (edgeR). Then we detected 10 cDEGs (CXCR4, TNFAIP3, VCAM1, NLRP3, TNFAIP6, SELE, MX2, IRF4, UBD and CH25H) out of 32 as the common hub genes (cHubGs) by the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The cHubGs regulatory network analysis detected few key TFs-proteins and miRNAs as the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators of cHubGs. The cDEGs-set enrichment analysis identified some crucial SARS-CoV-2 and IPF causing common molecular mechanisms including biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and signaling pathways. Then, we suggested the cHubGs-guided top-ranked 10 candidate drug molecules (Tegobuvir, Nilotinib, Digoxin, Proscillaridin, Simeprevir, Sorafenib, Torin 2, Rapamycin, Vancomycin and Hesperidin) for the treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infections with IFP diseases as comorbidity. Finally, we investigated the resistance performance of our proposed drug molecules compare to the already published molecules, against the state-of-the-art alternatives publicly available top-ranked independent receptors by molecular docking analysis. Molecular docking results suggested that our proposed drug molecules would be more effective compare to the already published drug molecules. Thus, the findings of this study might be played a vital role for diagnosis and therapies of SARS-CoV-2 infections with IPF disease as comorbidity risk.

Identification of host genomic biomarkers from multiple transcriptomics datasets for diagnosis and therapies of SARS-CoV-2 infections

The pandemic of COVID-19 is a severe threat to human life and the global economy. Despite the success of vaccination efforts in reducing the spread of the virus, the situation remains largely uncontrolled due to the random mutation in the RNA sequence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which demands different variants of effective drugs. Disease-causing gene-mediated proteins are usually used as receptors to explore effective drug molecules. In this study, we analyzed two different RNA-Seq and one microarray gene expression profile datasets by integrating EdgeR, LIMMA, weighted gene co-expression network and robust rank aggregation approaches, which revealed SARS-CoV-2 infection causing eight hub-genes (HubGs) including HubGs; REL, AURKA, AURKB, FBXL3, OAS1, STAT4, MMP2 and IL6 as the host genomic biomarkers. Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment analyses of HubGs significantly enriched some crucial biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and signaling pathways that are associated with the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Regulatory network analysis identified top-ranked 5 TFs (SRF, PBX1, MEIS1, ESR1 and MYC) and 5 miRNAs (hsa-miR-106b-5p, hsa-miR-20b-5p, hsa-miR-93-5p, hsa-miR-106a-5p and hsa-miR-20a-5p) as the key transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators of HubGs. Then, we conducted a molecular docking analysis to determine potential drug candidates that could interact with HubGs-mediated receptors. This analysis resulted in the identification of top-ranked ten drug agents, including Nilotinib, Tegobuvir, Digoxin, Proscillaridin, Olysio, Simeprevir, Hesperidin, Oleanolic Acid, Naltrindole and Danoprevir. Finally, we investigated the binding stability of the top-ranked three drug molecules Nilotinib, Tegobuvir and Proscillaridin with the three top-ranked proposed receptors (AURKA, AURKB, OAS1) by using 100 ns MD-based MM-PBSA simulations and observed their stable performance. Therefore, the findings of this study might be useful resources for diagnosis and therapies of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Special case of a patient in the blast phase of chronic myeloid leukemia successfully treated with tocilizumab during critical SARS-CoV-2 infection

The medical care of patients with hematological malignancies who develop coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a major challenge during the current pandemic. We herein describe a patient in the blast phase of chronic myeloid leukemia who was hospitalized for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The patient was successfully treated with tocilizumab, and intubation was avoided. The severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection is mostly related to a severe acute respiratory distress syndrome that develops secondary to cytokine release syndrome, and interleukin 6 is the main cytokine involved in cytokine release syndrome. Very few reports have described the use of tocilizumab in patients with hematologic malignancies who develop SARS-CoV-2 infection, although a few cases of patients with multiple myeloma have been reported. To our knowledge, however, this is the first report of a SARS-CoV-2–infected patient in the blast phase of chronic myeloid leukemia who had a favorable response to treatment with tocilizumab. The management of patients with hematological malignancies who become infected with SARS-CoV-2 is a major challenge for practitioners, necessitating more specific research in this direction.

Purpura as a late complication of covid-19 infection that should not be ignored: Case report and brief review

Introduction and importance

The SARS COV2 infection is a challenging pandemic that has affected millions of people with a very high mortality rate. In addition to the typical respiratory symptoms, it can also cause variable skin lesions, such as vascular purpura in some exceptional cases.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 60-year-old woman who was admitted for a SARS COV2 infection, the evolution was marked by the appearance of a vascular purpura at D20 after the beginning of the symptoms.

Discussion

The cutaneous manifestations associated with the SARS COV2 infection are polymorphic. Vascular purpura is one of them. Its diagnosis is retained in the light of a combination of arguments, which makes it a real challenge for the physician to diagnose it. The management of the disease is based on a symptomatic treatment. The clinical evolution is, in general, favorable.

Conclusion

Although rare and still not fully explained, skin involvement during SARS COV2 infection has been described. It should not be neglected and it should be diagnosed early and treated appropriately, especially in asymptomatic patients.

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Infection with the COVID-19 virus can be manifested by clinical signs of varying severity, sometimes fatal.

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Being a systemic disease, SARS COV2 infection may be revealed, in addition to respiratory symptoms, by skin lesions including vascular purpura

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We report a case of vascular purpura occurring post-infection

Cardiogenic shock revealing myocarditis after mRNA vaccination against covid-19: Case report and brief review for the first case in Morocco

Introduction

and importance: After its unexpected effectiveness in the clinical trials, the anti-COVID-19 vaccine type mRNA was launched on December 11, 2020, but a few months later, several reports of post-mRNA vaccination myocarditis were published, but without any proven causal link.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 14-year-old teenager admitted to the emergency department for a cardiogenic shock, the patient mentioned that he had an anti-COVID 19 vaccination 10 days before his admission. First, the vasoactive drugs had stabilized the patient; the troponins came back highly favorable but later confirmed myocarditis by magnetic resonance imaging. In this sense an etiological analysis was made and it came back without any particularities, leaving us relating the myocarditis to the vaccination.

Clinical discussion

Post-vaccination myocarditis is a rare event, with very few reports in the literature. After the introduction of COVID vaccination, several reports were published, mostly after the mRNA vaccine. Until now, no causal link has been proven, so we need to have more reports in this sense to have a better knowledge of this phenomenon.

Conclusion

Until we obtain a more precise explanation of the mechanism of myocarditis after vaccination with the anti-COVID-19 vaccine, all symptoms suggesting myocarditis should be systematically monitored during the first 7 days after vaccination.

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Myocarditis after COVID 19 vaccination is currently a controversial issue.

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Cardiac MRI is the gold standard for diagnosis.

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Cardiogenic shock is a serious complication of acute myocarditis.

Association of pulmonary embolism and acute coronary syndrome during COVID-19 infection: Case report and a brief review

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

COVID 19 infection is considered a potentially serious disease since it is responsible for important respiratory and cardiovascular complications with a high morbid-mortality.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report the case of a 54-year-old diabetic patient with hypertension who was admitted for heart failure with a reduced LVEF of 23% triggered by a pulmonary embolism and an acute coronary syndrome in the context of COVID-19 infection.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Indeed, these complications may be secondary to a prothrombotic and hypercoagulable state as well as endothelial dysfunction caused by the vascular and systemic inflammation and cytokine storm induced by SARS-CoV-2. Although the clinical polymorphism of COVID 19 infection is recognized, the association of myocardial ischemia with pulmonary embolism is uncommon and of adverse prognosis. This justifies a rapid and adapted multidisciplinary management.

CONCLUSION

In the absence of contraindication, thromboprohylaxis should be initiated for all hospitalized patients with COVID-19 to minimize the risk of thromboembolic complications.

SARS-CoV-2 infection presenting as rhabdomyolysis: case report and review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the health crisis of our time and a great challenge we face, requiring the implementation of worldwide general containment. The symptoms and complications of COVID-19 are diverse, and rhabdomyolysis is an atypical manifestation. We report a case of a 63-year-old patient, admitted to the emergency room for myalgia and fever evolving over 5 days, in whom laboratory and other examinations indicated rhabdomyolysis complicated by renal insufficiency. During the diagnostic workup, the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result for COVID-19 was positive, revealing infection with sudden acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although the severity of COVID-19 infection relates mainly to acute respiratory syndrome, other complications can be prognostic, and these complications make the management of this disease difficult. Rhabdomyolysis is one of the fatal complications; first, because the pathophysiological mechanism is not yet understood, and second, because rhabdomyolysis, itself, is usually complicated by acute renal failure. This complication makes the disease management difficult, especially in patients with SARS. Rhabdomyolysis during COVID-19 infection represents a significant challenge, given the few reported cases, and further research is required to develop a therapeutic consensus.