{"title":"Depriving Iron Supply to the Virus Represents a Promising Adjuvant Therapeutic Against Viral Survival.","authors":"Wei Liu, Shuping Zhang, Sergei Nekhai, Sijin Liu","doi":"10.1007/s40588-020-00140-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of the review: </strong>The ongoing outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in China is lifting widespread concerns. Thus, therapeutic options are urgently needed, and will be discussed in this review.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Iron-containing enzymes are required for viruses most likely including coronaviruses (CoVs) to complete their replication process. Moreover, poor prognosis occurred in the conditions of iron overload for patients upon infections of viruses. Thus, limiting iron represents a promising adjuvant strategy in treating viral infection through oral uptake or venous injection of iron chelators, or through the manipulation of the key iron regulators. For example, treatment with iron chelator deferiprone has been shown to prolong the survival of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Increasing intracellular iron efflux via increasing iron exporter ferroportin expression also exhibits antiviral effect on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The implications of other metals besides iron are also briefly discussed.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>For even though we know little about iron regulation in COVID-19 patients thus far, it could be deduced from other viral infections that iron chelation might be an alternative beneficial adjuvant in treating COVID-19.</p>","PeriodicalId":45506,"journal":{"name":"Current Clinical Microbiology Reports","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7169647/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current Clinical Microbiology Reports","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40588-020-00140-w","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2020/4/20 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MICROBIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose of the review: The ongoing outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in China is lifting widespread concerns. Thus, therapeutic options are urgently needed, and will be discussed in this review.
Recent findings: Iron-containing enzymes are required for viruses most likely including coronaviruses (CoVs) to complete their replication process. Moreover, poor prognosis occurred in the conditions of iron overload for patients upon infections of viruses. Thus, limiting iron represents a promising adjuvant strategy in treating viral infection through oral uptake or venous injection of iron chelators, or through the manipulation of the key iron regulators. For example, treatment with iron chelator deferiprone has been shown to prolong the survival of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Increasing intracellular iron efflux via increasing iron exporter ferroportin expression also exhibits antiviral effect on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The implications of other metals besides iron are also briefly discussed.
Summary: For even though we know little about iron regulation in COVID-19 patients thus far, it could be deduced from other viral infections that iron chelation might be an alternative beneficial adjuvant in treating COVID-19.
期刊介绍:
Current Clinical Microbiology Reports commissions expert reviews from leading scientists at the forefront of research in microbiology. The journal covers this broad field by dividing it into four key main areas of study: virology, bacteriology, parasitology, and mycology. Within each of the four sections, experts from around the world address important aspects of clinical microbiology such as immunology, diagnostics, therapeutics, antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, and vaccines. Some of the world’s foremost authorities in the field of microbiology serve as section editors and editorial board members. Section editors select topics for which leading researchers are invited to contribute comprehensive review articles that emphasize new developments and recently published papers of major importance, which are highlighted in annotated reference lists. These timely reviews of the literature examine the latest scientific discoveries and controversies as they emerge and are indispensable to both researchers and clinicians. The editorial board, composed of more than 20 internationally diverse members, reviews the annual table of contents, ensures that topics address all aspects of emerging research, and where applicable suggests topics of critical importance to various countries/regions.