Could Endogenous Glucocorticoids Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity?
Endogenous glucocorticoids and their synthetic analogues, such as dexamethasone, stimulate receptor-mediated signal transduction mechanisms on target cells. Some of these mechanisms result in beneficial outcomes whereas others are deleterious in the settings of pathogen infections and immunological...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/19/2955 |
| _version_ | 1797480080973234176 |
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| author | Eugenio Hardy Carlos Fernandez-Patron |
| author_facet | Eugenio Hardy Carlos Fernandez-Patron |
| author_sort | Eugenio Hardy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Endogenous glucocorticoids and their synthetic analogues, such as dexamethasone, stimulate receptor-mediated signal transduction mechanisms on target cells. Some of these mechanisms result in beneficial outcomes whereas others are deleterious in the settings of pathogen infections and immunological disorders. Here, we review recent studies by several groups, including our group, showing that glucocorticoids can directly interact with protein components on SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. We postulate an antiviral defence mechanism by which endogenous glucocorticoids (e.g., cortisol produced in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection) can bind to multiple sites on SARS-CoV-2 surface protein, Spike, inducing conformational alterations in Spike subunit 1 (S1) that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 interaction with the host SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE2. We suggest that glucocorticoids-mediated inhibition of S1 interaction with ACE2 may, consequently, affect SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Further, glucocorticoids interactions with Spike could protect against a broad spectrum of coronaviruses and their variants that utilize Spike for infection of the host. These notions may be useful for the design of new antivirals for coronavirus diseases. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:55:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0862a42b82841c6bbb7978fe52c2ef3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:55:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0862a42b82841c6bbb7978fe52c2ef32023-11-23T20:00:08ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092022-09-011119295510.3390/cells11192955Could Endogenous Glucocorticoids Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity?Eugenio Hardy0Carlos Fernandez-Patron1Center of Molecular Immunology, P.O. Box 16040, Havana 11600, CubaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, CanadaEndogenous glucocorticoids and their synthetic analogues, such as dexamethasone, stimulate receptor-mediated signal transduction mechanisms on target cells. Some of these mechanisms result in beneficial outcomes whereas others are deleterious in the settings of pathogen infections and immunological disorders. Here, we review recent studies by several groups, including our group, showing that glucocorticoids can directly interact with protein components on SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. We postulate an antiviral defence mechanism by which endogenous glucocorticoids (e.g., cortisol produced in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection) can bind to multiple sites on SARS-CoV-2 surface protein, Spike, inducing conformational alterations in Spike subunit 1 (S1) that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 interaction with the host SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE2. We suggest that glucocorticoids-mediated inhibition of S1 interaction with ACE2 may, consequently, affect SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Further, glucocorticoids interactions with Spike could protect against a broad spectrum of coronaviruses and their variants that utilize Spike for infection of the host. These notions may be useful for the design of new antivirals for coronavirus diseases.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/19/2955COVID-19SARS-CoV-2dexamethasonecortisolglucocorticoidsspike protein |
| spellingShingle | Eugenio Hardy Carlos Fernandez-Patron Could Endogenous Glucocorticoids Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity? Cells COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 dexamethasone cortisol glucocorticoids spike protein |
| title | Could Endogenous Glucocorticoids Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity? |
| title_full | Could Endogenous Glucocorticoids Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity? |
| title_fullStr | Could Endogenous Glucocorticoids Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Could Endogenous Glucocorticoids Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity? |
| title_short | Could Endogenous Glucocorticoids Influence SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity? |
| title_sort | could endogenous glucocorticoids influence sars cov 2 infectivity |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 dexamethasone cortisol glucocorticoids spike protein |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/19/2955 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT eugeniohardy couldendogenousglucocorticoidsinfluencesarscov2infectivity AT carlosfernandezpatron couldendogenousglucocorticoidsinfluencesarscov2infectivity |