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Huq AKMM, Roney M, Dubey A, Nasir MH, Tufail A, Aluwi MFFM, Ishak WMW, Islam MR, Tajuddin SN. Phenolic compounds of Theobroma cacao L. show potential against dengue RdRp protease enzyme inhibition by In-silico docking, DFT study, MD simulation and MMGBSA calculation. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299238. [PMID: 38483871 PMCID: PMC10939188 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, there is no antiviral medication for dengue, a potentially fatal tropical infectious illness spread by two mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The RdRp protease of dengue virus is a potential therapeutic target. This study focused on the in silico drug discovery of RdRp protease inhibitors. METHODS To assess the potential inhibitory activity of 29 phenolic acids from Theobroma cacao L. against DENV3-NS5 RdRp, a range of computational methods were employed. These included docking, drug-likeness analysis, ADMET prediction, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The aim of these studies was to confirm the stability of the ligand-protein complex and the binding pose identified during the docking experiment. RESULTS Twenty-one compounds were found to have possible inhibitory activities against DENV according to the docking data, and they had a binding affinity of ≥-37.417 kcal/mol for DENV3- enzyme as compared to the reference compound panduratin A. Additionally, the drug-likeness investigation produced four hit compounds that were subjected to ADMET screening to obtain the lead compound, catechin. Based on ELUMO, EHOMO, and band energy gap, the DFT calculations showed strong electronegetivity, favouravle global softness and chemical reactivity with considerable intra-molecular charge transfer between electron-donor to electron-acceptor groups for catechin. The MD simulation result also demonstrated favourable RMSD, RMSF, SASA and H-bonds in at the binding pocket of DENV3-NS5 RdRp for catechin as compared to panduratin A. CONCLUSION According to the present findings, catechin showed high binding affinity and sufficient drug-like properties with the appropriate ADMET profiles. Moreover, DFT and MD studies further supported the drug-like action of catechin as a potential therapeutic candidate. Therefore, further in vitro and in vivo research on cocoa and its phytochemical catechin should be taken into consideration to develop as a potential DENV inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. K. M. Moyeenul Huq
- Centre for Bio-Aromatic Research, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Asia Pacific, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Miah Roney
- Centre for Bio-Aromatic Research, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
| | - Amit Dubey
- Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Department of Computational Chemistry and Drug Discovery Division, Quanta Calculus, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Muhammad Hassan Nasir
- Faculty of Medicine, University Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia
| | - Aisha Tufail
- Department of Computational Chemistry and Drug Discovery Division, Quanta Calculus, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mohd Fadhlizil Fasihi Mohd Aluwi
- Centre for Bio-Aromatic Research, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
| | - Wan Maznah Wan Ishak
- Faculty of Chemical and Processing Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
| | | | - Saiful Nizam Tajuddin
- Centre for Bio-Aromatic Research, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
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Shoushtari M, Rismani E, Salehi-Vaziri M, Azadmanesh K. Structure-based evaluation of the envelope domain III-nonstructural protein 1 (EDIII-NS1) fusion as a dengue virus vaccine candidate. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-19. [PMID: 38319049 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2311350] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The lack of effective medicines or vaccines, combined with climate change and other environmental factors, annually subjects a significant proportion of the world's inhabitants to the risk of dengue virus (DENV) infection. These conditions increase the likelihood of exposure to mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever. Hence, many research approaches tend to develop efficient vaccine candidates against the dengue virus. Therefore, we used immunoinformatics and bioinformatics to design a construction for developing a candidate vaccine against dengue virus serotypes. In this study, the in silico structure, containing the non-structural protein 1 region (NS1) (consensus and epitope), the envelope domain III protein (EDIII) as the structural part of the virus construction, and the bc-loop of envelope domain II (EDII) as the neutralizing and protected epitope, were employed. We utilized in silico tools to enhance the immunogenicity and effectiveness of dengue virus vaccine candidates. Evaluations included refining and validating physicochemical characteristics, B and T-cell epitopes, homology modeling, and the three-dimensional structure to assess the designed vaccine's quality. In silico results for tertiary structure prediction and validation revealed high-quality modeling for all vaccine constructs. Additionally, the instructed model demonstrated stability throughout molecular dynamics simulation. The results of the immune simulation suggested that the titers of IgG and IgM could be raised to desirable values following injection into in vivo models. It can be concluded that the designed construct effectively induce humoral and cellular immunity and can be proposed as effective vaccine candidate against four dengue serotypes.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elham Rismani
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Salehi-Vaziri
- Department of Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (National Reference Laboratory), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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Krishna KV, Ulhas RS, Malaviya A. Bioactive compounds from Cordyceps and their therapeutic potential. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2023:1-21. [PMID: 37518188 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2023.2231139] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
The Clavicipitaceae family's largest and most diverse genus is Cordyceps. They are most abundant and diverse in humid temperate and tropical forests and have a wide distribution in: Europe, North America, and East and Southeast Asian countries, particularly: Bhutan, China, Japan, Nepal, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Tibet, and the Himalayan region of India, and Sikkim. It is a well-known parasitic fungus that feeds on insects and other arthropods belonging to 10 different orders. Over 200 bioactive metabolites, that include: nucleotides and nucleosides, polysaccharides, proteins, polypeptides, amino acids, sterols, and fatty acids, among others have been extracted from Cordyceps spp. demonstrating the phytochemical richness of this genus. These components have been associated with a variety of pharmacological effects, including: anti-microbial, anti-apoptotic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory activities. In this paper, the bioactivity of various classes of metabolites produced by Cordyceps spp., and their therapeutic properties have been reviewed in an attempt to update the existing literature. Furthermore, one of its nucleoside and a key bioactive compound, cordycepin has been critically elaborated with regard to its biosynthesis pathway and the recently proposed protector-protégé mechanism as well as various biological and pharmacological effects, such as: suppression of purine and nucleic acid biosynthesis, induction of apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation with their mechanism of action. This review provides current knowledge on the bioactive potential of Cordyceps spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kondapalli Vamsi Krishna
- Applied and Industrial Biotechnology Laboratory, Christ (Deemed-to-be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Rutwick Surya Ulhas
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Jena (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena), Jena, Germany
| | - Alok Malaviya
- Applied and Industrial Biotechnology Laboratory, Christ (Deemed-to-be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Division of Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea
- QuaLife Biotech Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, India
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Lee MF, Wu YS, Poh CL. Molecular Mechanisms of Antiviral Agents against Dengue Virus. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030705. [PMID: 36992414 PMCID: PMC10056858 DOI: 10.3390/v15030705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue is a major global health threat causing 390 million dengue infections and 25,000 deaths annually. The lack of efficacy of the licensed Dengvaxia vaccine and the absence of a clinically approved antiviral against dengue virus (DENV) drive the urgent demand for the development of novel anti-DENV therapeutics. Various antiviral agents have been developed and investigated for their anti-DENV activities. This review discusses the mechanisms of action employed by various antiviral agents against DENV. The development of host-directed antivirals targeting host receptors and direct-acting antivirals targeting DENV structural and non-structural proteins are reviewed. In addition, the development of antivirals that target different stages during post-infection such as viral replication, viral maturation, and viral assembly are reviewed. Antiviral agents designed based on these molecular mechanisms of action could lead to the discovery and development of novel anti-DENV therapeutics for the treatment of dengue infections. Evaluations of combinations of antiviral drugs with different mechanisms of action could also lead to the development of synergistic drug combinations for the treatment of dengue at any stage of the infection.
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Barrera-Vazquez O, Santiago-de-la-Cruz JA, Rivero-Segura NA, Estrella-Parra EA, Morales-Paoli GS, Flores-Soto E, Gomez-Verjan JC. Data-Driven Approaches Used for Compound Library Design for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24. [PMID: 36674652 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021134] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in older individuals worldwide. Pharmacological treatment for such a disease consists of drugs such as monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitors to increase dopamine concentration in the brain. However, such drugs have adverse reactions that limit their use for extended periods; thus, the design of less toxic and more efficient compounds may be explored. In this context, cheminformatics and computational chemistry have recently contributed to developing new drugs and the search for new therapeutic targets. Therefore, through a data-driven approach, we used cheminformatic tools to find and optimize novel compounds with pharmacological activity against MAO-B for treating PD. First, we retrieved from the literature 3316 original articles published between 2015-2021 that experimentally tested 215 natural compounds against PD. From such compounds, we built a pharmacological network that showed rosmarinic acid, chrysin, naringenin, and cordycepin as the most connected nodes of the network. From such compounds, we performed fingerprinting analysis and developed evolutionary libraries to obtain novel derived structures. We filtered these compounds through a docking test against MAO-B and obtained five derived compounds with higher affinity and lead likeness potential. Then we evaluated its antioxidant and pharmacokinetic potential through a docking analysis (NADPH oxidase and CYP450) and physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK modeling). Interestingly, only one compound showed dual activity (antioxidant and MAO-B inhibitors) and pharmacokinetic potential to be considered a possible candidate for PD treatment and further experimental analysis.
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Liu S, Yang L, Fu J, Li T, Zhou B, Wang K, Wei C, Fu J. Comprehensive analysis, immune, and cordycepin regulation for SOX9 expression in pan-cancers and the matched healthy tissues. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1149986. [PMID: 37020558 PMCID: PMC10067558 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1149986] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9) (OMIM 608160) is a transcription factor. The expression of SOX9 in pan-cancers and the regulation by small molecules in cancer cell lines are unclear. In the current study, we comprehensively analyzed the expression of SOX9 in normal tissues, tumor tissues and their matched healthy tissues in pan-cancers. The study examined the correlation between immunomodulators and immune cell infiltrations in normal and tumor tissues. Cordycepin (CD), an adenosine analog for SOX9 expression regulation, was also conducted on cancer cells. The results found that SOX9 protein is expressed in a variety of organs, including high expression in 13 organs and no expression in only two organs; in 44 tissues, there was high expression in 31 tissues, medium expression in four tissues, low expression in two tissues, and no expression in the other seven tissues. In pan-cancers with 33 cancer types, SOX9 expression was significantly increased in fifteen cancers, including CESC, COAD, ESCA, GBM, KIRP, LGG, LIHC, LUSC, OV, PAAD, READ, STAD, THYM, UCES, and UCS, but significantly decreased in only two cancers (SKCM and TGCT) compared with the matched healthy tissues. It suggests that SOX9 expression is upregulated in the most cancer types (15/33) as a proto-oncogene. The fact that the decrease of SOX9 expression in SKCM and the increase of SOX9 in the cell lines of melanoma inhibit tumorigenicity in both mouse and human ex vivo models demonstrates that SOX9 could also be a tumor suppressor. Further analyzing the prognostic values for SOX9 expression in cancer individuals revealed that OS is long in ACC and short in LGG, CESC, and THYM, suggesting that high SOX9 expression is positively correlated with the worst OS in LGG, CESC, and THYM, which could be used as a prognostic maker. In addition, CD inhibited both protein and mRNA expressions of SOX9 in a dose-dependent manner in 22RV1, PC3, and H1975 cells, indicating CD's anticancer roles likely via SOX9 inhibition. Moreover, SOX9 might play an important role in tumor genesis and development by participating in immune infiltration. Altogether, SOX9 could be a biomarker for diagnostics and prognostics for pan-cancers and an emerging target for the development of anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuguang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lisha Yang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Department of Obstetrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jiewen Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Baixu Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chunli Wei
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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7
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He J, Liu S, Tan Q, Liu Z, Fu J, Li T, Wei C, Liu X, Mei Z, Cheng J, Wang K, Fu J. Antiviral Potential of Small Molecules Cordycepin, Thymoquinone, and N6, N6-Dimethyladenosine Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Entry Protein ADAM17. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27249044. [PMID: 36558177 PMCID: PMC9781528 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27249044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 is an acute respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that has spawned a worldwide pandemic. ADAM17 is a sheddase associated with the modulation of the receptor ACE2 of SARS-CoV-2. Studies have revealed that malignant phenotypes of several cancer types are closely relevant to highly expressed ADAM17. However, ADAM17 regulation in SARS-CoV-2 invasion and its role on small molecules are unclear. Here, we evaluated the ADAM17 inhibitory effects of cordycepin (CD), thymoquinone (TQ), and N6, N6-dimethyladenosine (m62A), on cancer cells and predicted the anti-COVID-19 potential of the three compounds and their underlying signaling pathways by network pharmacology. It was found that CD, TQ, and m62A repressed the ADAM17 expression upon different cancer cells remarkably. Moreover, CD inhibited GFP-positive syncytia formation significantly, suggesting its potential against SARS-CoV-2. Pharmacological analysis by constructing CD-, TQ-, and m62A-based drug-target COVID-19 networks further indicated that ADAM17 is a potential target for anti-COVID-19 therapy with these compounds, and the mechanism might be relevant to viral infection and transmembrane receptors-mediated signal transduction. These findings imply that ADAM17 is of potentially medical significance for cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, which provides potential new targets and insights for developing innovative drugs against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kai Wang
- Correspondence: (J.C.); (K.W.); (J.F.)
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Barik S. Inhibition of Viral RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases by Nucleoside Inhibitors: An Illustration of the Unity and Diversity of Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12649. [PMID: 36293509 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012649] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) is essential for the replication and expression of RNA viral genomes. This class of viruses comprise a large number of highly pathogenic agents that infect essentially all species of plants and animals including humans. Infections often lead to epidemics and pandemics that have remained largely out of control due to the lack of specific and reliable preventive and therapeutic regimens. This unmet medical need has led to the exploration of new antiviral targets, of which RdRP is a major one, due to the fact of its obligatory need in virus growth. Recent studies have demonstrated the ability of several synthetic nucleoside analogs to serve as mimics of the corresponding natural nucleosides. These mimics cause stalling/termination of RdRP, or misincorporation, preventing virus replication or promoting large-scale lethal mutations. Several such analogs have received clinical approval and are being routinely used in therapy. In parallel, the molecular structural basis of their inhibitory interactions with RdRP is being elucidated, revealing both traditional and novel mechanisms including a delayed chain termination effect. This review offers a molecular commentary on these mechanisms along with their clinical implications based on analyses of recent results, which should facilitate the rational design of structure-based antiviral drugs.
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Abstract
The devastating COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than six million deaths worldwide during the last 2 years. Effective therapeutic agents are greatly needed, yet promising magic bullets still do not exist. Numerous natural products (cordycepin, gallinamide A, plitidepsin, telocinobufagin, and tylophorine) have been widely studied and play a potential function in treating COVID-19. In this paper, we reviewed published studies (from May 2021 to April 2022) relating closely to bioactive natural products (isolated from medicinal plants, animals products, and marine organisms) in COVID-19 therapy in vitro to provide some essential guidance for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Zhonglei Wang, ; Liyan Yang, ; Xian-qing Song,
| | - Ning Wang
- General Surgery Department, Ningbo Fourth Hospital, Xiangshan, China
| | - Liyan Yang
- School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
- *Correspondence: Zhonglei Wang, ; Liyan Yang, ; Xian-qing Song,
| | - Xian-qing Song
- General Surgery Department, Ningbo Fourth Hospital, Xiangshan, China
- *Correspondence: Zhonglei Wang, ; Liyan Yang, ; Xian-qing Song,
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Zhao Y, Deng S, Bai Y, Guo J, Kai G, Huang X, Jia X. Promising natural products against SARS-CoV-2: Structure, function, and clinical trials. Phytother Res 2022; 36:3833-3858. [PMID: 35932157 PMCID: PMC9538226 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7580] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS‐COV‐2) poses a severe threat to human health and still spreads globally. Due to the high mutation ratio and breakthrough infection rate of the virus, vaccines and anti‐COVID‐19 drugs require continual improvements. Drug screening research has shown that some natural active products can target the critical proteins of SARS‐CoV‐2, including 3CLpro, ACE2, FURIN, and RdRp, which could produce great inhibitory effects on SARS‐COV‐2. In addition, some natural products have displayed activities of immunomodulation, antiinflammatory, and antihepatic failure in COVID‐19 clinical trials, which may relate to their non‐monomeric structures. However, further evaluation and high‐quality assessments, including safety verification tests, drug interaction tests, and clinical trials, are needed to substantiate natural products' multi‐target and multi‐pathway effects on COVID‐19. Here, we review the literature on several promising active natural products that may act as vaccine immune enhancers or provide targeted anti‐COVID‐19 drugs. The structures, mechanisms of action, and research progress of these natural products are analyzed, to hopefully provide effective ideas for the development of targeted drugs that possess better structure, potency, and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shanshan Deng
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Noncoding RNA and Drugs, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yujiao Bai
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Noncoding RNA and Drugs, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinlin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Systematic Research of Distinctive Chinese Medicine Resources in Southwest China, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Guoyin Kai
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinhe Huang
- Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xu Jia
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Noncoding RNA and Drugs, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
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Qu S, Li S, Li D, Zhao P. Metabolites and Their Bioactivities from the Genus Cordyceps. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1489. [PMID: 35893547 PMCID: PMC9330831 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The Cordyceps genus is a group of ascomycete parasitic fungi, and all known species of this genus are endoparasites; they mainly feed on insects or arthropods and a few feed on other fungi. Fungi of this genus have evolved highly specific and complex mechanisms to escape their host’s immune system and coordinate their life cycle coefficients with those of their hosts for survival and reproduction; this mechanism has led to the production of distinctive metabolites in response to the host’s defenses. Herein, we review approximately 131 metabolites discovered in the genus Cordyceps (including mycelium, fruiting bodies and fungal complexes) in the past 15 years, which can be used as an important source for new drug research and development. We summarize chemical structures, bioactivity and the potential application of these natural metabolites. We have excluded some reports that originally belonged to Cordyceps, but whose taxonomic attribution is no longer the Cordyceps genus. This can and will serve as a resource for drug discovery.
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Abstract
Pandemics from various viruses make natural organisms face challenges over and over again. Therefore, new antiviral drugs urgently need to be found to solve this problem. However, drug research and development is a very difficult task, and finding new antiviral compounds is desirable. A range of medicinal fungi such as Ganoderma lucidum and Cordyceps sinensis are widely used all over the world, and they can enhance human immunity and direct anti-virus activities and other aspects to play an antiviral role. Medicinal fungi are used as foods or as food supplements. In this review, the species of medicinal fungi with antiviral activity in recent decades and the mechanism of antiviral components were reviewed from the perspectives of human, animal, and plant viruses to provide a comprehensive theory based on better clinical utilization of medicinal fungi as antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China;
| | - Guoying Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China;
- Correspondence: (G.Z.); (J.L.); Tel.: +86-0531-89628200 (G.Z.); +86-0532-58631501 (J.L.)
| | - Jianya Ling
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China;
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
- Correspondence: (G.Z.); (J.L.); Tel.: +86-0531-89628200 (G.Z.); +86-0532-58631501 (J.L.)
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Rabie AM. Potent Inhibitory Activities of the Adenosine Analogue Cordycepin on SARS-CoV-2 Replication. ACS Omega 2022; 7:2960-2969. [PMID: 35071937 PMCID: PMC8767658 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Nucleoside analogues
are among the most successful bioactive classes
of druglike compounds in pharmaceutical chemistry as they are well-known
for their numerous effective bioactivities in humans, especially as
antiviral and anticancer agents. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
is still untreatable, with its causing virus, the severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continuing to wreak havoc on
the ground everywhere. This complicated international situation urged
all concerned scientists, including medicinal chemists and drug discoverers,
to search for a potent anti-COVID-19 drug. Cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine)
is a known natural adenosine analogue of fungal origin, which could
also be synthetically produced. This bioactive phytochemical compound
is characterized by several proven strong pharmacological actions
that may effectively contribute to the comprehensive treatment of
COVID-19, with the antiviral activities being the leading ones. Some
new studies predicted the possible inhibitory affinities of cordycepin
against the principal SARS-CoV-2 protein targets (e.g., SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein, main protease (Mpro) enzyme,
and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme) based on the computational
approach. Interestingly, the current research showed, for the first
time, that cordycepin is able to potently inhibit the multiplication
of the new resistant strains of SARS-CoV-2 with a very minute in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 EC50 of about 2 μM,
edging over both remdesivir and its active metabolite GS-441524. The
ideal pharmacophoric features of the cordycepin molecule render it
a typical inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 replication, with its flexible structure
open for most types of derivatization in the future. Briefly, the
current findings further support and suggest the repurposing possibility
of cordycepin against COVID-19 and greatly encourage us to confidently
and rapidly begin its preclinical/clinical evaluations for the comprehensive
treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amgad M. Rabie
- Dr. Amgad Rabie’s Research Lab. for Drug Discovery (DARLD), Mansoura 35511, Egypt
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
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14
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Li D, Liu X, Zhang L, He J, Chen X, Liu S, Fu J, Fu S, Chen H, Fu J, Cheng J. COVID-19 disease and malignant cancers: The impact for the furin gene expression in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:3954-3967. [PMID: 34671211 PMCID: PMC8495395 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.63072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Furin is a proprotein convertase that activates different kinds of regulatory proteins, including SARS-CoV-2 spike protein which contains an additional furin-specific cleavage site. It is essential in predicting cancer patients' susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and the disease outcomes due to varying furin expressions in tumor tissues. In this study, we analyzed furin's expression, methylation, mutation rate, functional enrichment, survival rate and COVID-19 outcomes in normal and cancer tissues using online databases, and our IHC. As a result, furin presented with biased expression profiles in normal tissues, showing 12.25-fold higher than ACE2 in the lungs. The furin expression in tumors were significantly increased in ESCA and TGCT, and decreased in DLBC and THYM, indicating furin may play critical mechanistic functions in COVID-19 viral entry into cells in these cancer patients. Line with furin over/downexpression, furin promoter hypo-/hyper-methylation may be the regulatory cause of disease and lead to pathogenesis of ESCA and THYM. Furthermore, presence of FURIN-201 isoform with functional domains (P_proprotein, Peptidase_S8 and S8_pro-domain) is highest in all cancer types in comparison to other isoforms, demonstrating its use in tumorigenesis and SARS-Cov-2 entry into tumor tissues. Furin mutation frequency was highest in UCES, and its mutation might elevate ACE2 expression in LUAD and UCEC, reduce ACE2 expression in COAD, elevate HSPA5 expression in PAAD, and elevate TMPRSS2 expression in BRCA. These results showed that furin mutations mostly increased expression of ACE2, HSPA5, and TMPRSS2 in certain cancers, indicating furin mutations might facilitate COVID-19 cell entry in cancer patients. In addition, high expression of furin was significantly inversely correlated with long overall survival (OS) in LGG and correlated with long OS in COAD and KIRC, indicating that it could be used as a favorable prognostic marker for cancer patients' survival. GO and KEGG demonstrated that furin was mostly enriched in genes for metabolic and biosynthetic processes, retinal dehydrogenase activity, tRNA methyltransferase activity, and genes involving COVID-19, further supporting its role in COVID-19 and cancer metabolism. Moreover, Cordycepin (CD) inhibited furin expression in a dosage dependent manner. Altogether, furin's high expression might not only implies increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and higher severity of COVID-19 symptoms in cancer patients, but also it highlights the need for cancer treatment and therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. CD might have a potential to develop an anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug through inhibiting furin expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dabing Li
- Basic Medical School, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China.,Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lianmei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jiayue He
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xianmao Chen
- Basic Medical School, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China.,Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Shuguang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jiewen Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Shangyi Fu
- School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston 77030, Texas, USA.,Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston 77030, Texas, USA
| | - Hanchun Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China.,Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
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