1. H2S as a potential defense against COVID-19?
- Author
-
Guangdong Yang
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Physiology ,business.industry ,Inflammation ,Cell Biology ,Pharmacology ,medicine.disease_cause ,Entry into host ,TMPRSS2 ,Transmembrane Protease Serine 2 ,Virus ,3. Good health ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,0302 clinical medicine ,Immune system ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,medicine ,Signal transduction ,medicine.symptom ,business ,Coronavirus - Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2) is posing a global health emergency and has led to more than 380,000 deaths worldwide. The cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 depends on two host proteins angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). There is currently no vaccine available and also no effective drug for the treatment of COVID-19. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a novel gasotransmitter has been shown to protect against lung damage via its anti-inflammation, antioxidative stress, antiviral, prosurvival, and antiaging effects. In light of the research advances on H2S signaling in biology and medicine, this review proposed H2S as a potential defense against COVID-19. It is suggested that H2S may block SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells by interfering with ACE2 and TMPRSS2, inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication by attenuating virus assembly/release, and protect SARS-CoV-2-induced lung damage by suppressing immune response and inflammation development. Preclinical studies and clinical trials with slow-releasing H2S donor(s) or the activators of endogenous H2S-generating enzymes should be considered as a preventative treatment or therapy for COVID-19.
- Published
- 2020