scholarly journals Interplay of Opposing Effects of the WNT/β-Catenin Pathway and PPARγ and Implications for SARS-CoV2 Treatment

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Vallée ◽  
Yves Lecarpentier ◽  
Jean-Noël Vallée

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), has quickly reached pandemic proportions. Cytokine profiles observed in COVID-19 patients have revealed increased levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α and increased NF-κB pathway activity. Recent evidence has shown that the upregulation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway is associated with inflammation, resulting in a cytokine storm in ARDS (acute respire distress syndrome) and especially in COVID-19 patients. Several studies have shown that the WNT/β-catenin pathway interacts with PPARγ in an opposing interplay in numerous diseases. Furthermore, recent studies have highlighted the interesting role of PPARγ agonists as modulators of inflammatory and immunomodulatory drugs through the targeting of the cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV2 infection presents a decrease in the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) associated with the upregulation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway. SARS-Cov2 may invade human organs besides the lungs through the expression of ACE2. Evidence has highlighted the fact that PPARγ agonists can increase ACE2 expression, suggesting a possible role for PPARγ agonists in the treatment of COVID-19. This review therefore focuses on the opposing interplay between the canonical WNT/β-catenin pathway and PPARγ in SARS-CoV2 infection and the potential beneficial role of PPARγ agonists in this context.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingyi Guo ◽  
Zhishan Chen ◽  
Yumin Xia ◽  
Weiqiang Lin ◽  
Hongzhi Li

Abstract Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), through its surface spike glycoprotein (S-protein) recognition on the receptor Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in humans. However, it remains unclear how genetic variations in ACE2 may affect its function and structure, and consequently alter the recognition by SARS-CoV-2. Methods: We have systemically characterized missense variants in the gene ACE2 using data from the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD; N = 141,456). To investigate the putative deleterious role of missense variants, six existing functional prediction tools were applied to evaluate their impact. We further analyzed the structural flexibility of ACE2 and its protein-protein interface with the S-protein of SARS-CoV-2 using our developed Legion Interfaces Analysis (LiAn) program.Results: Here, we characterized a total of 12 ACE2 putative deleterious missense variants. Of those 12 variants, we further showed that p.His378Arg could directly weaken the binding of catalytic metal atom to decrease ACE2 activity and p.Ser19Pro could distort the most important helix to the S-protein. Another seven missense variants may affect secondary structures (i.e. p.Gly211Arg; p.Asp206Gly; p.Arg219Cys; p.Arg219His, p.Lys341Arg, p.Ile468Val, and p.Ser547Cys), whereas p.Ile468Val with AF = 0.01 is only present in Asian.Conclusions: We provide strong evidence of putative deleterious missense variants in ACE2 that are present in specific populations, which could disrupt the function and structure of ACE2. These findings provide novel insight into the genetic variation in ACE2 which may affect the SARS-CoV-2 recognition and infection, and COVID-19 susceptibility and treatment.


Endocrinology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 161 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck Mauvais-Jarvis ◽  
Sabra L Klein ◽  
Ellis R Levin

Abstract Severe outcomes and death from the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appear to be characterized by an exaggerated immune response with hypercytokinemia leading to inflammatory infiltration of the lungs and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes is consistently lower in women than men worldwide, suggesting that female biological sex is instrumental in protection. This mini-review discusses the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory actions of high physiological concentrations of the steroids 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4). We review how E2 and P4 favor a state of decreased innate immune inflammatory response while enhancing immune tolerance and antibody production. We discuss how the combination of E2 and P4 may improve the immune dysregulation that leads to the COVID-19 cytokine storm. It is intended to stimulate novel consideration of the biological forces that are protective in women compared to men, and to therapeutically harness these factors to mitigate COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Alexander Kamyshnyi ◽  
Inna Krynytska ◽  
Victoriya Matskevych ◽  
Mariya Marushchak ◽  
Oleh Lushchak

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an ongoing global public health challenge. Current clinical data suggest that, in COVID-19 patients, arterial hypertension (AH) is one of the most common cardiovascular comorbidities; it can worsen outcomes and increase the risk of admission to intensive care unit (ICU). The exact mechanisms through which AH contributes to the poor prognosis in COVID-19 are not yet clear. The putative relationship between AH and COVID-19 may be linked to the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a key element of the AH pathophysiology. Another mechanism connecting AH and COVID-19 is the dysregulation of the immune system resulting in a cytokine storm, mediated by an imbalanced response of T helper cells subtypes. Therefore, it is essential to optimize blood pressure control in hypertensive patients and monitor them carefully for cardiovascular and other complications for the duration of COVID-19 infection. The question whether AH-linked ACE2 gene polymorphisms increase the risk and/or worsen the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection should also receive further consideration.


2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 27-37
Author(s):  
A. V. Ershov ◽  
V. D. Surova ◽  
V. T. Dolgikh ◽  
T. I. Dolgikh

The aim of the study was to identify the role of cytokine storm in COVID-19, that emerged at the end of 2019, based on the analysis of 80 publications, including 17.4% Russian and 82.6% foreign publications for 2014–2020 with an average impact factor of 11.94 and a maximum of 74.699. This review includes an in-depth discussion of the possible causes and pathogenetic factors of cytokine storm syndrome development caused by COVID-19. The results of research on the use of various principles of cytokine storm correction are provided. It has been established that lung damage and the development of a fatal outcome are caused not by the virus itself, but by the hyperreaction of the body's immune system. The leading role in this process belongs to the cytokine storm, including the action of IL-6.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan D. Geiger ◽  
Nabab Khan ◽  
Madhuvika Murugan ◽  
Detlev Boison

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) requires urgent clinical interventions. Crucial clinical needs are: 1) prevention of infection and spread of the virus within lung epithelia and between people, 2) attenuation of excessive lung injury in Advanced Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which develops during the end stage of the disease, and 3) prevention of thrombosis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Adenosine and the key adenosine regulators adenosine deaminase (ADA), adenosine kinase (ADK), and equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 may play a role in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Here, we highlight 1) the non-enzymatic role of ADA by which it might out-compete the virus (SARS-CoV-2) for binding to the CD26 receptor, 2) the enzymatic roles of ADK and ADA to increase adenosine levels and ameliorate Advanced Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and 3) inhibition of adenosine transporters to reduce platelet activation, thrombosis and improve COVID-19 outcomes. Depending on the stage of exposure to and infection by SARS-CoV-2, enhancing adenosine levels by targeting key adenosine regulators such as ADA, ADK and equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 might find therapeutic use against COVID-19 and warrants further investigation.


Author(s):  
Nikita Jatai ◽  
Tanu Sharma ◽  
Karan Veer

All over the world, there is a new target of public health emergency looming the world along with an appearance and distribution of the novel coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) also known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This Virus initially generated in bats and then after transferred to a human being over unknown animal playing the role of mediator in Wuhan, China in December 2019. This virus is passed by breathing or in contact with an infected person’s droplets. The Incubation period is between 2 to 14 days for COVID-19, that is the time between exposure of the virus (person becoming infected) and symptom on that person, is on an average of 5-6 days, however it can goes up to 14 days. Throughout this period, which can be also known as “pre-symptomatic” period, some of the infected patients or persons can be contagious. That is why, transferal from a pre-symptomatic case can happen before the symptoms onset. Where there is few number of case studies and reports, pre-symptomatic transferal has been documented via contact with someone who is diagnosed with virus and increase investigation of that particular clusters of total confirmed cases. The main problem is that the symptoms are just like the regular flu that are cough, fever, sore throat, fatigue and breathlessness. This virus is moderate or mild in most of the people, but in elder ones, it may proceed to pneumonia, multi-organ dysfunction and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Coronavirus has significant consequences on the Health system, mainly on cardiovascular diseases and on the environment.


2022 ◽  
pp. 127-140
Author(s):  
Aaron Lelo Pambu ◽  
Abdellah Zinedine

The current outbreak of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus disease 2019; previously 2019- nCoV), epi-centered in Hubei Province of the People's Republic of China, has spread to many other countries caused an extreme burden for healthcare systems globally. Coronaviruses are traditionally considered nonlethal pathogens to humans, mainly causing approximately 15% of common colds. In this century, we have encountered highly pathogenic human CoVs twice. In this chapter, the authors propose to focus the gastrointestinal physiopathology of the infection of SARS-Cov2. This chapter will develop subject like the gastrointestinal manifestations of the infection to SARS-Cov2. The second part of this chapter will develop the role of the gut microbiome in the SARS-Cov2 diseases susceptibilities. And then the authors will show the etiopathogenesis of SARS-Cov2 associated diarrhea. As reported by previous studies, the SARS-Cov virus entry into host cell is mediated by the interaction between the envelop-anchored viral spike protein and the host receptor named angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).


Author(s):  
Stefan Bittmann

According to the latest research, the novel coronavirus uses the protein angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) as a receptor for docking to the host cell. Essential for entry is the priming of the spike (S) protein of the virus by host cell proteases. A broadly based team led by infection biologists from the German Primate Centre and with the participation of the Charité Hospital in Berlin, the Hanover Veterinary University Foundation, the BG-UnfallklinikMurnau, the LMU Munich, the Robert Koch Institute and the German Centre for Infection Research wanted to find out how SARS-CoV-2 enters host cells and how this process can be blocked [1]. They have published their findings in the journal "Cell" [1]. The team of scientists was initially able to confirm that SARS-CoV-2 docks to the host cell via the ACE-2 receptor. They also identified Transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) as the cellular protein responsible for entry into the cell [1-3].


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 205031212110140
Author(s):  
Linda Bui ◽  
Zahra Zhu ◽  
Stephanie Hawkins ◽  
Alonso Cortez-Resendiz ◽  
Alfredo Bellon

The novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is at the origin of the current pandemic, predominantly manifests with severe respiratory symptoms and a heightened immune response. One characteristic of SARS-CoV-2 is its capacity to induce cytokine storm leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome. Consequently, agents with the ability to regulate the immune response, such as vitamin D, could become tools either for the prevention or the attenuation of the most severe consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Vitamin D has shown antimicrobial as well as anti-inflammatory properties. While SARS-CoV-2 promotes the release of proinflammatory cytokines, vitamin D attenuates the release of at least some of these same molecules. Inflammatory cytokines have been associated with the clinical phenomena of COVID-19 and in particular with its most dangerous complications. Therefore, the goals of this article are as follows: first, present the numerous roles vitamin D plays in modulating the immune response; second, gather data currently available on COVID-19 clinical presentation and its relation to cytokines and similar molecules; third, expose what it is known about how coronaviruses elicit an inflammatory reaction; and fourth, discuss the potential contribution of vitamin D in reducing the risk and severity of COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Joe Alcock ◽  
Alix Masters

Abstract Since the identification of severe illness caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the role of the host immune system in causing disease has attracted widespread attention, along with intense interest in medical interventions that target the host immune response. A wide variety of agents have been proposed to treat a cytokine storm in COVID-19, but so far, only one class of medications, corticosteroids, has proved useful. In recent decades, experimental therapies for cytokine storms have been tried and mostly failed to help patients with severe sepsis and other infections. We summarize this history in order to frame expectations for novel interventions in COVID-19 and to bring an evolutionary medicine perspective to the concept of cytokine storms and their treatment.


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