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Alkafaas SS, Abdallah AM, Hassan MH, Hussien AM, Elkafas SS, Loutfy SA, Mikhail A, Murad OG, Elsalahaty MI, Hessien M, Elshazli RM, Alsaeed FA, Ahmed AE, Kamal HK, Hafez W, El-Saadony MT, El-Tarabily KA, Ghosh S. Molecular docking as a tool for the discovery of novel insight about the role of acid sphingomyelinase inhibitors in SARS- CoV-2 infectivity. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:395. [PMID: 38321448 PMCID: PMC10848368 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17747-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants, caused > 6 million deaths. Symptoms included respiratory strain and complications, leading to severe pneumonia. SARS-CoV-2 attaches to the ACE-2 receptor of the host cell membrane to enter. Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 entry may effectively inhibit infection. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) is a lysosomal protein that catalyzes the conversion of sphingolipid (sphingomyelin) to ceramide. Ceramide molecules aggregate/assemble on the plasma membrane to form "platforms" that facilitate the viral intake into the cell. Impairing the ASMase activity will eventually disrupt viral entry into the cell. In this review, we identified the metabolism of sphingolipids, sphingolipids' role in cell signal transduction cascades, and viral infection mechanisms. Also, we outlined ASMase structure and underlying mechanisms inhibiting viral entry 40 with the aid of inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs). In silico molecular docking analyses of FIASMAs with inhibitors revealed that dilazep (S = - 12.58 kcal/mol), emetine (S = - 11.65 kcal/mol), pimozide (S = - 11.29 kcal/mol), carvedilol (S = - 11.28 kcal/mol), mebeverine (S = - 11.14 kcal/mol), cepharanthine (S = - 11.06 kcal/mol), hydroxyzin (S = - 10.96 kcal/mol), astemizole (S = - 10.81 kcal/mol), sertindole (S = - 10.55 kcal/mol), and bepridil (S = - 10.47 kcal/mol) have higher inhibition activity than the candidate drug amiodarone (S = - 10.43 kcal/mol), making them better options for inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samar Sami Alkafaas
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt.
| | - Abanoub Mosaad Abdallah
- Narcotic Research Department, National Center for Social and Criminological Research (NCSCR), Giza, 11561, Egypt
| | - Mai H Hassan
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Aya Misbah Hussien
- Biotechnology department at Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Sara Samy Elkafas
- Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department, Faculty of Engineering, Menofia University, Menofia, Egypt
- Faculty of Control System and Robotics, ITMO University, Saint-Petersburg, 197101, Russia
| | - Samah A Loutfy
- Virology and Immunology Unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- Nanotechnology Research Center, British University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Abanoub Mikhail
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
- Faculty of Physics, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Omnia G Murad
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Mohamed I Elsalahaty
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Hessien
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Rami M Elshazli
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Horus University - Egypt, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt
| | - Fatimah A Alsaeed
- Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Muhayl, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Ezzat Ahmed
- Biology Department, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hani K Kamal
- Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wael Hafez
- NMC Royal Hospital, 16Th Street, 35233, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Medical Research Division, Department of Internal Medicine, The National Research Centre, 12622, 33 El Buhouth St, Ad Doqi, Dokki, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
| | - Mohamed T El-Saadony
- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
| | - Khaled A El-Tarabily
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Soumya Ghosh
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
- Natural & Medical Science Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
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2
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Mir IH, Thirunavukkarasu C. The relevance of acid sphingomyelinase as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in hepatic disorders: current scenario and anticipated trends. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:2069-2087. [PMID: 37248308 PMCID: PMC10226719 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03529-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) serves as one of the most remarkable enzymes in sphingolipid biology. ASMase facilitates the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin, yielding ceramide and phosphorylcholine via the phospholipase C signal transduction pathway. Owing to its prominent intervention in apoptosis, ASMase, and its product ceramide is now at the bleeding edge of lipid research due to the coalesced efforts of several research institutions over the past 40 years. ASMase-catalyzed ceramide synthesis profoundly alters the physiological properties of membrane structure in response to a broad range of stimulations, orchestrating signaling cascades for endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, and lysosomal membrane permeabilization, which influences the development of hepatic disorders, such as steatohepatitis, hepatic fibrosis, drug-induced liver injury, and hepatocellular carcinoma. As a result, the potential to modulate the ASMase action with appropriate pharmaceutical antagonists has sparked a lot of curiosity. This article emphasizes the fundamental mechanisms of the systems that govern ASMase aberrations in various hepatic pathologies. Furthermore, we present an insight into the potential therapeutic agents used to mitigate ASMase irregularities and the paramountcy of such inhibitors in drug repurposing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishfaq Hassan Mir
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605 014, India
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3
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Puhl AC, Godoy AS, Noske GD, Nakamura AM, Gawriljuk VO, Fernandes RS, Oliva G, Ekins S. Discovery of PL pro and M pro Inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2. ACS Omega 2023; 8:22603-22612. [PMID: 37387790 PMCID: PMC10275482 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
There are very few small-molecule antivirals for SARS-CoV-2 that are either currently approved (or emergency authorized) in the US or globally, including remdesivir, molnupiravir, and paxlovid. The increasing number of SARS-CoV-2 variants that have appeared since the outbreak began over three years ago raises the need for continual development of updated vaccines and orally available antivirals in order to fully protect or treat the population. The viral main protease (Mpro) and the papain-like protease (PLpro) are key for viral replication; therefore, they represent valuable targets for antiviral therapy. We herein describe an in vitro screen performed using the 2560 compounds from the Microsource Spectrum library against Mpro and PLpro in an attempt to identify additional small-molecule hits that could be repurposed for SARS-CoV-2. We subsequently identified 2 hits for Mpro and 8 hits for PLpro. One of these hits was the quaternary ammonium compound cetylpyridinium chloride with dual activity (IC50 = 2.72 ± 0.09 μM for PLpro and IC50 = 7.25 ± 0.15 μM for Mpro). A second inhibitor of PLpro was the selective estrogen receptor modulator raloxifene (IC50 = 3.28 ± 0.29 μM for PLpro and IC50 = 42.8 ± 6.7 μM for Mpro). We additionally tested several kinase inhibitors and identified olmutinib (IC50 = 0.54 ± 0.04 μM), bosutinib (IC50 = 4.23 ± 0.28 μM), crizotinib (IC50 = 3.81 ± 0.04 μM), and dacominitinib (IC50 = IC50 3.33 ± 0.06 μM) as PLpro inhibitors for the first time. In some cases, these molecules have also been tested by others for antiviral activity for this virus, or we have used Calu-3 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. The results suggest that approved drugs can be identified with promising activity against these proteases, and in several cases we or others have validated their antiviral activity. The additional identification of known kinase inhibitors as molecules targeting PLpro may provide new repurposing opportunities or starting points for chemical optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Puhl
- Collaborations
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Andre S. Godoy
- Sao
Carlos Institute of Physics, University
of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao
Dagnone, 1100—Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Gabriela D. Noske
- Sao
Carlos Institute of Physics, University
of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao
Dagnone, 1100—Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Aline M. Nakamura
- Sao
Carlos Institute of Physics, University
of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao
Dagnone, 1100—Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Victor O. Gawriljuk
- Sao
Carlos Institute of Physics, University
of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao
Dagnone, 1100—Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Rafaela S. Fernandes
- Sao
Carlos Institute of Physics, University
of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao
Dagnone, 1100—Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Glaucius Oliva
- Sao
Carlos Institute of Physics, University
of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao
Dagnone, 1100—Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
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Gupta Y, Savytskyi OV, Coban M, Venugopal A, Pleqi V, Weber CA, Chitale R, Durvasula R, Hopkins C, Kempaiah P, Caulfield TR. Protein structure-based in-silico approaches to drug discovery: Guide to COVID-19 therapeutics. Mol Aspects Med 2023; 91:101151. [PMID: 36371228 PMCID: PMC9613808 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2022.101151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
With more than 5 million fatalities and close to 300 million reported cases, COVID-19 is the first documented pandemic due to a coronavirus that continues to be a major health challenge. Despite being rapid, uncontrollable, and highly infectious in its spread, it also created incentives for technology development and redefined public health needs and research agendas to fast-track innovations to be translated. Breakthroughs in computational biology peaked during the pandemic with renewed attention to making all cutting-edge technology deliver agents to combat the disease. The demand to develop effective treatments yielded surprising collaborations from previously segregated fields of science and technology. The long-standing pharmaceutical industry's aversion to repurposing existing drugs due to a lack of exponential financial gain was overrun by the health crisis and pressures created by front-line researchers and providers. Effective vaccine development even at an unprecedented pace took more than a year to develop and commence trials. Now the emergence of variants and waning protections during the booster shots is resulting in breakthrough infections that continue to strain health care systems. As of now, every protein of SARS-CoV-2 has been structurally characterized and related host pathways have been extensively mapped out. The research community has addressed the druggability of a multitude of possible targets. This has been made possible due to existing technology for virtual computer-assisted drug development as well as new tools and technologies such as artificial intelligence to deliver new leads. Here in this article, we are discussing advances in the drug discovery field related to target-based drug discovery and exploring the implications of known target-specific agents on COVID-19 therapeutic management. The current scenario calls for more personalized medicine efforts and stratifying patient populations early on for their need for different combinations of prognosis-specific therapeutics. We intend to highlight target hotspots and their potential agents, with the ultimate goal of using rational design of new therapeutics to not only end this pandemic but also uncover a generalizable platform for use in future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Gupta
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Oleksandr V Savytskyi
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; In Vivo Biosystems, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Matt Coban
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Vasili Pleqi
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Caleb A Weber
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Rohit Chitale
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; The Council on Strategic Risks, 1025 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas R Caulfield
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of QHS Computational Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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5
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Piplani S, Singh P, Petrovsky N, Winkler DA. Identifying SARS-CoV-2 Drugs Binding to the Spike Fatty Acid Binding Pocket Using In Silico Docking and Molecular Dynamics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044192. [PMID: 36835602 PMCID: PMC9966092 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Drugs against novel targets are needed to treat COVID-19 patients, especially as SARS-CoV-2 is capable of rapid mutation. Structure-based de novo drug design and repurposing of drugs and natural products is a rational approach to discovering potentially effective therapies. These in silico simulations can quickly identify existing drugs with known safety profiles that can be repurposed for COVID-19 treatment. Here, we employ the newly identified spike protein free fatty acid binding pocket structure to identify repurposing candidates as potential SARS-CoV-2 therapies. Using a validated docking and molecular dynamics protocol effective at identifying repurposing candidates inhibiting other SARS-CoV-2 molecular targets, this study provides novel insights into the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its potential regulation by endogenous hormones and drugs. Some of the predicted repurposing candidates have already been demonstrated experimentally to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 activity, but most of the candidate drugs have yet to be tested for activity against the virus. We also elucidated a rationale for the effects of steroid and sex hormones and some vitamins on SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakshi Piplani
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
| | - Puneet Singh
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
| | - Nikolai Petrovsky
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - David A. Winkler
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville 3052, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
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Nurdin JA, Kotaki T, Kawagishi T, Sato S, Yamasaki M, Nouda R, Minami S, Kanai Y, Kobayashi T. N-Glycosylation of Rotavirus NSP4 Protein Affects Viral Replication and Pathogenesis. J Virol 2023; 97:e0186122. [PMID: 36598201 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01861-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rotavirus (RV), the most common cause of gastroenteritis in children, carries a high economic and health burden worldwide. RV encodes six structural proteins and six nonstructural proteins (NSPs) that play different roles in viral replication. NSP4, a multifunctional protein involved in various viral replication processes, has two conserved N-glycosylation sites; however, the role of glycans remains elusive. Here, we used recombinant viruses generated by a reverse genetics system to determine the role of NSP4 N-glycosylation during viral replication and pathogenesis. The growth rate of recombinant viruses that lost one glycosylation site was as high as that of the wild-type virus. However, a recombinant virus that lost both glycosylation sites (glycosylation-defective virus) showed attenuated replication in cultured cell lines. Specifically, replications of glycosylation-defective virus in MA104 and HT29 cells were 10- and 100,000-fold lower, respectively, than that of the wild-type, suggesting that N-glycosylation of NSP4 plays a critical role in RV replication. The glycosylation-defective virus showed NSP4 mislocalization, delay of cytosolic Ca2+ elevation, and less viroplasm formation in MA104 cells; however, these impairments were not observed in HT29 cells. Further analysis revealed that assembly of glycosylation-defective virus was severely impaired in HT29 cells but not in MA104 cells, suggesting that RV replication mechanism is highly cell type dependent. In vivo mouse experiments also showed that the glycosylation-defective virus was less pathogenic than the wild-type virus. Taken together, the data suggest that N-glycosylation of NSP4 plays a vital role in viral replication and pathogenicity. IMPORTANCE Rotavirus is the main cause of gastroenteritis in young children and infants worldwide, contributing to 128,500 deaths each year. Here, we used a reverse genetics approach to examine the role of NSP4 N-glycosylation. An N-glycosylation-defective virus showed attenuated and cell-type-dependent replication in vitro. In addition, mice infected with the N-glycosylation-defective virus had less severe diarrhea than mice infected with the wild type. These results suggest that N-glycosylation affects viral replication and pathogenesis. Considering the reduced pathogenicity in vivo and the high propagation rate in MA104 cells, this glycosylation-defective virus could be an ideal live attenuated vaccine candidate.
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Duff C, Baruteau J. Modelling urea cycle disorders using iPSCs. NPJ Regen Med 2022; 7:56. [PMID: 36163209 PMCID: PMC9513077 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-022-00252-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The urea cycle is a liver-based pathway enabling disposal of nitrogen waste. Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are inherited metabolic diseases caused by deficiency of enzymes or transporters involved in the urea cycle and have a prevalence of 1:35,000 live births. Patients present recurrent acute hyperammonaemia, which causes high rate of death and neurological sequelae. Long-term therapy relies on a protein-restricted diet and ammonia scavenger drugs. Currently, liver transplantation is the only cure. Hence, high unmet needs require the identification of effective methods to model these diseases to generate innovative therapeutics. Advances in both induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and genome editing technologies have provided an invaluable opportunity to model patient-specific phenotypes in vitro by creating patients’ avatar models, to investigate the pathophysiology, uncover novel therapeutic targets and provide a platform for drug discovery. This review summarises the progress made thus far in generating 2- and 3-dimensional iPSCs models for UCDs, the challenges encountered and how iPSCs offer future avenues for innovation in developing the next-generation of therapies for UCDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Duff
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Julien Baruteau
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK. .,National Institute of Health Research Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK. .,Metabolic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
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Zadeh VR, Afowowe TO, Abe H, Urata S, Yasuda J. Potential and action mechanism of favipiravir as an antiviral against Junin virus. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010689. [PMID: 35816544 PMCID: PMC9302769 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Favipiravir is a nucleoside analogue that inhibits the replication and transcription of a broad spectrum of RNA viruses, including pathogenic arenaviruses. In this study, we isolated a favipiravir-resistant mutant of Junin virus (JUNV), which is the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever, and analyzed the antiviral mechanism of favipiravir against JUNV. Two amino acid substitutions, N462D in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and A168T in the glycoprotein precursor GPC, were identified in the mutant. GPC-A168T substitution enhanced the efficiency of JUNV internalization, which explains the robust replication kinetics of the mutant in the virus growth analysis. Although RdRp-N462D substitution did not affect polymerase activity levels in a minigenome system, comparisons of RdRp error frequencies showed that the virus with RdRp-D462 possessed a significantly higher fidelity. Our next generation sequence (NGS) analysis showed a gradual accumulation of both mutations as we passaged the virus in presence of favipiravir. We also provided experimental evidence for the first time that favipiravir inhibited JUNV through the accumulation of transition mutations, confirming its role as a purine analogue against arenaviruses. Moreover, we showed that treatment with a combination of favipiravir and either ribavirin or remdesivir inhibited JUNV replication in a synergistic manner, blocking the generation of the drug-resistant mutant. Our findings provide new insights for the clinical management and treatment of Argentine hemorrhagic fever. Development of antivirals requires cautious and extensive assessment of action mechanism as well as potential for emergence of resistant phenotype of the virus. In recent years, favipiravir has been put forward as a promising candidate for the treatment of Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF) caused by Junin virus (JUNV). We, therefore, aimed to provide experimental evidence on action mechanism of favipiravir to help guide its clinical use. Here we show that favipiravir causes lethal mutation that impairs virus infectivity. More importantly, we demonstrate that the virus has the capability to escape favipiravir selective pressure by acquiring two amino acid substitutions on glycoprotein precursor and polymerase proteins. This observation raises concern over the use of only favipiravir in therapeutic regimens. To overcome this risk, we show that combination of favipiravir with other nucleoside analogues demonstrates a synergistic effect and suppresses the ability of JUNV to escape drug pressure. Favipiravir, ribavirin, and remdesivir have a broad spectrum of antiviral activity. Therefore, combination therapies of these drugs would be expected to have potential therapeutic effects for not only AHF but also the diseases caused by a variety of viruses, including emerging RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Rajabali Zadeh
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Tosin Oladipo Afowowe
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Diseases, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Haruka Abe
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Shuzo Urata
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Jiro Yasuda
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Communicable Diseases, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- * E-mail:
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9
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Iaconis D, Bordi L, Matusali G, Talarico C, Manelfi C, Cesta MC, Zippoli M, Caccuri F, Bugatti A, Zani A, Filippini F, Scorzolini L, Gobbi M, Beeg M, Piotti A, Montopoli M, Cocetta V, Bressan S, Bucci EM, Caruso A, Nicastri E, Allegretti M, Beccari AR. Characterization of raloxifene as a potential pharmacological agent against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:498. [PMID: 35614039 PMCID: PMC9130985 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04961-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, which so far has caused over 6 million deaths in 2 years, despite new vaccines and antiviral medications. Drug repurposing, an approach for the potential application of existing pharmaceutical products to new therapeutic indications, could be an effective strategy to obtain quick answers to medical emergencies. Following a virtual screening campaign on the most relevant viral proteins, we identified the drug raloxifene, a known Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM), as a new potential agent to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients. In this paper we report a comprehensive pharmacological characterization of raloxifene in relevant in vitro models of COVID-19, specifically in Vero E6 and Calu-3 cell lines infected with SARS-CoV-2. A large panel of the most common SARS-CoV-2 variants isolated in Europe, United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa and India was tested to demonstrate the drug's ability in contrasting the viral cytopathic effect (CPE). Literature data support a beneficial effect by raloxifene against the viral infection due to its ability to interact with viral proteins and activate protective estrogen receptor-mediated mechanisms in the host cells. Mechanistic studies here reported confirm the significant affinity of raloxifene for the Spike protein, as predicted by in silico studies, and show that the drug treatment does not directly affect Spike/ACE2 interaction or viral internalization in infected cell lines. Interestingly, raloxifene can counteract Spike-mediated ADAM17 activation in human pulmonary cells, thus providing new insights on its mechanism of action. A clinical study in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients (NCT05172050) has been recently completed. Our contribution to evaluate raloxifene results on SARS-CoV-2 variants, and the interpretation of the mechanisms of action will be key elements to better understand the trial results, and to design new clinical studies aiming to evaluate the potential development of raloxifene in this indication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Licia Bordi
- grid.419423.90000 0004 1760 4142National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Matusali
- grid.419423.90000 0004 1760 4142National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Francesca Caccuri
- grid.7637.50000000417571846Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Antonella Bugatti
- grid.7637.50000000417571846Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alberto Zani
- grid.7637.50000000417571846Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Federica Filippini
- grid.7637.50000000417571846Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Scorzolini
- grid.419423.90000 0004 1760 4142National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Gobbi
- grid.4527.40000000106678902Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Marten Beeg
- grid.4527.40000000106678902Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Arianna Piotti
- grid.4527.40000000106678902Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Montopoli
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, VIMM Veneto Institute Molecular Medicine, Padua, Italy
| | - Veronica Cocetta
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, VIMM Veneto Institute Molecular Medicine, Padua, Italy
| | - Silvia Bressan
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, VIMM Veneto Institute Molecular Medicine, Padua, Italy
| | - Enrico M. Bucci
- grid.264727.20000 0001 2248 3398Sbarro Health Research Organization, Biology Department CFT, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Arnaldo Caruso
- grid.7637.50000000417571846Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, University of Brescia Medical School, Brescia, Italy
| | - Emanuele Nicastri
- grid.419423.90000 0004 1760 4142National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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10
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Sfogliarini C, Pepe G, Dolce A, Della Torre S, Cesta MC, Allegretti M, Locati M, Vegeto E. Tamoxifen Twists Again: On and Off-Targets in Macrophages and Infections. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:879020. [PMID: 35431927 PMCID: PMC9006819 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.879020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Beyond the wide use of tamoxifen in breast cancer chemotherapy due to its estrogen receptor antagonist activity, this drug is being assayed in repurposing strategies against a number of microbial infections. We conducted a literature search on the evidence related with tamoxifen activity in macrophages, since these immune cells participate as a first line-defense against pathogen invasion. Consistent data indicate the existence of estrogen receptor-independent targets of tamoxifen in macrophages that include lipid mediators and signaling pathways, such as NRF2 and caspase-1, which allow these cells to undergo phenotypic adaptation and potentiate the inflammatory response, without the induction of cell death. Thus, these lines of evidence suggest that the widespread antimicrobial activity of this drug can be ascribed, at least in part, to the potentiation of the host innate immunity. This widens our understanding of the pharmacological activity of tamoxifen with relevant therapeutic implications for infections and other clinical indications that may benefit from the immunomodulatory effects of this drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Sfogliarini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanna Pepe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Arianna Dolce
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Della Torre
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Massimo Locati
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy.,Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Vegeto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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11
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White JM, Schiffer JT, Bender Ignacio RA, Xu S, Kainov D, Ianevski A, Aittokallio T, Frieman M, Olinger GG, Polyak SJ. Drug Combinations as a First Line of Defense against Coronaviruses and Other Emerging Viruses. mBio 2021; 12:e0334721. [PMID: 34933447 PMCID: PMC8689562 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03347-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The world was unprepared for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and remains ill-equipped for future pandemics. While unprecedented strides have been made developing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, there remains a need for highly effective and widely available regimens for ambulatory use for novel coronaviruses and other viral pathogens. We posit that a priority is to develop pan-family drug cocktails to enhance potency, limit toxicity, and avoid drug resistance. We urge cocktail development for all viruses with pandemic potential both in the short term (<1 to 2 years) and longer term with pairs of drugs in advanced clinical testing or repurposed agents approved for other indications. While significant efforts were launched against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in vitro and in the clinic, many studies employed solo drugs and had disappointing results. Here, we review drug combination studies against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses and introduce a model-driven approach to assess drug pairs with the highest likelihood of clinical efficacy. Where component agents lack sufficient potency, we advocate for synergistic combinations to achieve therapeutic levels. We also discuss issues that stymied therapeutic progress against COVID-19, including testing of agents with low likelihood of efficacy late in clinical disease and lack of focus on developing virologic surrogate endpoints. There is a need to expedite efficient clinical trials testing drug combinations that could be taken at home by recently infected individuals and exposed contacts as early as possible during the next pandemic, whether caused by a coronavirus or another viral pathogen. The approach herein represents a proactive plan for global viral pandemic preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith M. White
- University of Virginia, Department of Cell Biology, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- University of Virginia, Department of Microbiology, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Joshua T. Schiffer
- University of Washington, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rachel A. Bender Ignacio
- University of Washington, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shuang Xu
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Denis Kainov
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, FIMM, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aleksandr Ianevski
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, FIMM, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tero Aittokallio
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, FIMM, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Matthew Frieman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Stephen J. Polyak
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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12
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Mehyar N, Mashhour A, Islam I, Alhadrami HA, Tolah AM, Alghanem B, Alkhaldi S, Somaie BA, Al Ghobain M, Alobaida Y, Alaskar AS, Boudjelal M. Discovery of Zafirlukast as a novel SARS-CoV-2 helicase inhibitor using in silico modelling and a FRET-based assay. SAR QSAR Environ Res 2021; 32:963-983. [PMID: 34818959 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2021.1993995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus helicase is an essential enzyme required for viral replication/transcription pathways. Structural studies revealed a sulphate moiety that interacts with key residues within the nucleotide-binding site of the helicase. Compounds with a sulphoxide or a sulphone moiety could interfere with these interactions and consequently inhibit the enzyme. The molecular operating environment (MOE) was used to dock 189 sulphoxide and sulphone-containing FDA-approved compounds to the nucleotide-binding site. Zafirlukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist used to treat chronic asthma, achieved the lowest docking score at -8.75 kcals/mol. The inhibitory effect of the compounds on the SARS-CoV-2 helicase dsDNA unwinding activity was tested by a FRET-based assay. Zafirlukast was the only compound to inhibit the enzyme (IC50 = 16.3 µM). The treatment of Vero E6 cells with 25 µM zafirlukast prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased the cytopathic effects of SARS-CoV-2 significantly. These results suggest that zafirlukast alleviates SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity by inhibiting the viral helicase and impairing the viral replication/transcription pathway. Zafirlukast could be clinically developed as a new antiviral treatment for SARS-CoV-2 and other coronavirus diseases. This discovery is based on molecular modelling, in vitro inhibition of the SARS-CoV helicase activity and cell-based SARS-CoV-2 viral replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Mehyar
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - A Mashhour
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - I Islam
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - H A Alhadrami
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - A M Tolah
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - B Alghanem
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - S Alkhaldi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - B A Somaie
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - M Al Ghobain
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Y Alobaida
- Sudair Pharmaceutical Co, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - A S Alaskar
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - M Boudjelal
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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13
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Abstract
SARS-CoV2 infection results in a range of symptoms from mild pneumonia to cardiac arrhythmias, hyperactivation of the immune response, systemic organ failure and death. However, the mechanism of action has been hard to establish. Analysis of symptoms associated with COVID-19, the activity of repurposed drugs associated with lower death rates or antiviral activity in vitro and a small number of studies describing interventions, point to the importance of electrolyte, and particularly potassium, homeostasis at both the cellular, and systemic level. Elevated urinary loss of potassium is associated with disease severity, and the response to electrolyte replenishment correlates with progression toward recovery. These findings suggest possible diagnostic opportunities and therapeutic interventions. They provide insights into comorbidities and mechanisms associated with infection by SARS-CoV2 and other RNA viruses that target the ACE2 receptor, and/or activate cytokine-mediated immune responses in a potassium-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen C Causton
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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14
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Tegtmeyer M, Nehme R. Leveraging the Genetic Diversity of Human Stem Cells in Therapeutic Approaches. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167221. [PMID: 34474087 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Since their discovery 15 years ago, human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) technologies have begun to revolutionize science and medicine, rapidly expanding beyond investigative research to drug discovery and development. Efforts to leverage hPSCs over the last decade have focused on increasing both the complexity and in vivo fidelity of human cellular models through enhanced differentiation methods. While these evolutions have fostered novel insights into disease mechanisms and influenced clinical drug discovery and development, there are still several considerations that limit the utility of hPSC models. In this review, we highlight important, yet underexplored avenues to broaden their reach. We focus on (i) the importance of diversifying existing hPSC collections, and their utilization to investigate therapeutic strategies in individuals from different genetic backgrounds, ancestry and sex; (ii) considerations for the selection of therapeutically relevant hPSC-based models; (iii) strategies to adequately increase the scale of cell-based studies; and (iv) the advances and constraints of clinical trials in a dish. Moreover, we advocate for harnessing the translational capabilities of hPSC models along with the use of innovative, scalable approaches for understanding genetic biases and the impact of sex and ancestry on disease mechanisms and drug efficacy and response. The next decade of hPSC innovation is poised to provide vast insights into the genetic basis of human disease and enable rapid advances to develop, repurpose, and ensure the safety of the next generation of disease therapies across diverse human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Tegtmeyer
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ralda Nehme
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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15
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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: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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