scholarly journals The Hyperlipidaemic Drug Fenofibrate Significantly Reduces Infection by SARS-CoV-2 in Cell Culture Models

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott P. Davies ◽  
Courtney J. Mycroft-West ◽  
Isabel Pagani ◽  
Harriet J. Hill ◽  
Yen-Hsi Chen ◽  
...  

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has caused a significant number of fatalities and worldwide disruption. To identify drugs to repurpose to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections, we established a screen to measure the dimerization of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the primary receptor for the virus. This screen identified fenofibric acid, the active metabolite of fenofibrate. Fenofibric acid also destabilized the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein and inhibited RBD binding to ACE2 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and whole cell-binding assays. Fenofibrate and fenofibric acid were tested by two independent laboratories measuring infection of cultured Vero cells using two different SARS-CoV-2 isolates. In both settings at drug concentrations, which are clinically achievable, fenofibrate and fenofibric acid reduced viral infection by up to 70%. Together with its extensive history of clinical use and its relatively good safety profile, this study identifies fenofibrate as a potential therapeutic agent requiring an urgent clinical evaluation to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott P. Davies ◽  
Courtney J. Mycroft-West ◽  
Isabel Pagani ◽  
Harriet J. Hill ◽  
Yen-Hsi Chen ◽  
...  

AbstractThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused a significant number of fatalities and worldwide disruption. To identify drugs to repurpose to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections, we established a screen to measure dimerization of ACE2, the primary receptor for the virus. This screen identified fenofibric acid, the active metabolite of fenofibrate. Fenofibric acid also destabilized the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein and inhibited RBD binding to ACE2 in ELISA and whole cell binding assays. Fenofibrate and fenofibric acid were tested by two independent laboratories measuring infection of cultured Vero cells using two different SARS-CoV-2 isolates. In both settings at drug concentrations which are clinically achievable, fenofibrate and fenofibric acid reduced viral infection by up to 70%. Together with its extensive history of clinical use and its relatively good safety profile, these studies identify fenofibrate as a potential therapeutic agent requiring urgent clinical evaluation to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.TeaserThe approved drug fenofibrate inhibits infection by SARS-COV-2


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Rustichelli ◽  
Elisa Bellei ◽  
Stefania Bergamini ◽  
Emanuela Monari ◽  
Flavia Lo Castro ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Neurosteroids affect the balance between neuroexcitation and neuroinhibition but have been little studied in migraine. We compared the serum levels of pregnenolone sulfate, pregnanolone and estradiol in women with menstrually-related migraine and controls and analysed if a correlation existed between the levels of the three hormones and history of migraine and age. Methods Thirty women (mean age ± SD: 33.5 ± 7.1) with menstrually-related migraine (MM group) and 30 aged- matched controls (mean age ± SD: 30.9 ± 7.9) participated in the exploratory study. Pregnenolone sulfate and pregnanolone serum levels were analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, while estradiol levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum levels of pregnenolone sulfate and pregnanolone were significantly lower in the MM group than in controls (pregnenolone sulfate: P = 0.0328; pregnanolone: P = 0.0271, Student’s t-test), while estradiol levels were similar. In MM group, pregnenolone sulfate serum levels were negatively correlated with history of migraine (R2 = 0.1369; P = 0.0482) and age (R2 = 0.2826, P = 0.0025) while pregnenolone sulfate levels were not age-related in the control group (R2 = 0.04436, P = 0.4337, linear regression analysis). Conclusion Low levels of both pregnanolone, a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor, and pregnenolone sulfate, a positive allosteric modulator of the NMDA receptor, involved in memory and learning, could contribute either to headache pain or the cognitive dysfunctions reported in migraine patients. Overall, our results agree with the hypothesis that migraine is a disorder associated with a loss of neurohormonal integrity, thus supporting the therapeutic potential of restoring low neurosteroid levels in migraine treatment.


Author(s):  
Terry Riss ◽  
O. Joseph Trask

AbstractAlong with the increased use of more physiologically relevant three-dimensional cell culture models comes the responsibility of researchers to validate new assay methods that measure events in structures that are physically larger and more complex compared to monolayers of cells. It should not be assumed that assays designed using monolayers of cells will work for cells cultured as larger three-dimensional masses. The size and barriers for penetration of molecules through the layers of cells result in a different microenvironment for the cells in the outer layer compared to the center of three-dimensional structures. Diffusion rates for nutrients and oxygen may limit metabolic activity which is often measured as a marker for cell viability. For assays that lyse cells, the penetration of reagents to achieve uniform cell lysis must be considered. For live cell fluorescent imaging assays, the diffusion of fluorescent probes and penetration of photons of light for probe excitation and fluorescent emission must be considered. This review will provide an overview of factors to consider when implementing assays to interrogate three dimensional cell culture models.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 175628482199990
Author(s):  
Sonia Facchin ◽  
Andrea Buda ◽  
Romilda Cardin ◽  
Nada Agbariah ◽  
Fabiana Zingone ◽  
...  

Anti-drug antibodies can interfere with the activity of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents by increasing drug clearance via direct neutralization. The presence of anti-drug antibodies is clinically relevant when trough drug concentrations are undetectable or sub-therapeutic. However, traditional immunoassay is not easily and rapidly accessible, making the translation of the results into treatment adjustment difficult. The availability of a point-of-care (POC) test for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) might represent an important step forward for improving the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in clinical practice. In this pilot study, we compared the results obtained with POC tests with those obtained by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a group of IBD patients treated with Infliximab (IFX). We showed that POC test can reliably detect presence of antibody-to-IFX with 100% of specificity and 76% sensitivity, in strong agreement with the ELISA test ( k-coefficient = 0.84).


2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (17) ◽  
pp. 6425-6434 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Jameel Shah ◽  
Tony Hunter

ABSTRACT The TSC1-TSC2/Rheb/Raptor-mTOR/S6K1 cell growth cassette has recently been shown to regulate cell autonomous insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) sensitivity by transducing a negative feedback signal that targets insulin receptor substrates 1 and 2 (IRS1 and -2). Using two cell culture models of the familial hamartoma syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, we show here that Raptor-mTOR and S6K1 are required for phosphorylation of IRS1 at a subset of serine residues frequently associated with insulin resistance, including S307, S312, S527, S616, and S636 (of human IRS1). Using loss- and gain-of-function S6K1 constructs, we demonstrate a requirement for the catalytic activity of S6K1 in both direct and indirect regulation of IRS1 serine phosphorylation. S6K1 phosphorylates IRS1 in vitro on multiple residues showing strong preference for RXRXXS/T over S/T,P sites. IRS1 is preferentially depleted from the high-speed pellet fraction in TSC1/2-deficient mouse embryo fibroblasts or in HEK293/293T cells overexpressing Rheb. These studies suggest that, through serine phosphorylation, Raptor-mTOR and S6K1 cell autonomously promote the depletion of IRS1 from specific intracellular pools in pathological states of insulin and IGF-I resistance and thus potentially in lesions associated with tuberous sclerosis.


2005 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margit Hornof ◽  
Elisa Toropainen ◽  
Arto Urtti

Author(s):  
Yunlong Li ◽  
Zhijiang Miao ◽  
Pengfei Li ◽  
Ruyi Zhang ◽  
Denis E. Kainov ◽  
...  

AbstractWe show that ivermectin, an FDA-approved anti-parasitic drug, effectively inhibits infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes 1 and 3 in a range of cell culture models, including hepatic and extrahepatic cells. Long-term treatment showed no clear evidence of the development of drug resistance. Gene silencing of importin-α1, a cellular target of ivermectin and a key member of the host nuclear transport complex, inhibited viral replication and largely abolished the anti-HEV effect of ivermectin.


Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen C Kolwicz ◽  
Rong Tian

Introduction: Previous studies using cell culture models identified cyto-toxic effects of palmitate and that supplementation with oleate was protective by redirecting palmitate into triacylglycerol (TAG) stores. However, other cull culture studies reported that diacylglycerol transferase 1 (DGAT1), the last enzyme in TAG synthesis, demonstrated a preference for oleate. At present, it is not clear whether the supply of exogenous fatty acids (FA) to the heart is differentially allocated into the endogenous TAG pool. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to examine the influence of palmitate and/or oleate on cardiac TAG incorporation. METHODS/RESULTS: Hearts were isolated from DGAT1-transgenic (DGAT) and control littermates (CON) and perfused in Langendorff mode with a mixed substrate buffer consisting of glucose, lactate, insulin, and FAs. The FA supply was varied with 0.2mM of both labeled (13C) and unlabeled (12C) FAs in 4 different experiments: 1) 13C/12C palmitate; 2) 13C/12C oleate; 3) 13C palmitate/12C oleate; 4) 13C oleate/12C palmitate. The incorporation of 13C palmitate or 13C oleate into the TAG pool was monitored by 13C NMR spectroscopy. In CON hearts (n=3), the incorporation of palmitate was ~65% higher than oleate when the perfusate contained a homogenous supply of FA. This was also observed in DGAT hearts (n=4) although the incorporation of both palmitate and oleate was ~75% higher compared to CON (P <0.05). In the presence of oleate, palmitate incorporation decreased 25-30% in both CON and DGAT hearts. In contrast, oleate incorporation was diminished by ~50% and ~100% in CON and DGAT hearts, respectively, in the presence of palmitate. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that when palmitate and oleate are provided in equal concentrations, palmitate is more readily utilized in the synthesis of endogenous TAG stores in the heart. Furthermore, although overexpression of DGAT increases both oleate and palmitate incorporation, the DGAT1 enzyme demonstrates a preference for palmitate. These findings provide insight into the relationship between exogenous FA supply and endogenous TAG dynamics in the contracting heart.


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