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Researchers design compounds that prevent SARS-CoV-2 entry in human lung cells

Researchers have designed a new class of TMPRSS2 inhibitors that have shown broad antiviral activity against coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

11 May 2021

Study reports vitamin C inhibits SARS-CoV-2 virus main protease

Based on structural analysis, researchers found that vitamin C binds to 3CLpro, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) main protease essential in viral replication. In vitro cell inhibition studies also showed vitamin C could inhibit 3CLpro, indicating a possible new antiviral treatment method.

6 May 2021

Indian SARS-CoV-2 variant shows enhanced host cell entry and immune evasion

A study conducted by researchers in Germany has found that the B.1.617 variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has emerged in India entered certain types of lung and intestine cells with slightly increased efficiency compared with the original wild-type strain.

6 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 is activated for fusion by a broad range of proteases, finds study

A team of researchers from the University of Virginia, USA, used single-virus fusion experiments with exogenously controlled proteases to investigate the mechanism of activation directly. They found that the subcellular location of entry depends on the protease activity of the various components, and parallel pathways are possible.

6 May 2021

Researchers identify potent small molecule TMPRSS2 inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the USA and Canada has recently identified and characterized a novel small-molecule compound inhibitor of cellular serine protease TMPRSS2, which shows significant antiviral potency against emerging variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

5 May 2021

Pan-COVID-19 vaccine protects mice against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers in the United States have identified short peptide sequences in the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that are immunogenic in a mouse model and may provide protection against viral variants.

5 May 2021

What happens in the first few days of SARS-CoV-2 infection?

New research, published in PLOS Biology, has evaluated SARS-CoV-2 infection in primary cultures of well-differentiated cells to determine how the virus affects the body and how the infection starts. Answers to these questions are essential to forming a general understanding of viral pathogenesis, which helps us develop effective prevention and treatment strategies for COVID-19.

4 May 2021

Furin cleavage site crucial in SARS-CoV-2 for viral transmission in ferrets, finds study

Researchers based at Imperial College London, UK, have recently highlighted the effects of these deleterious CS mutations through a ferret animal model, demonstrating that furin cleavage sites are a necessary component in the virus’ ability to replicate.

30 Apr 2021

NIH to conduct large trial for COVID-19 polyclonal antibody therapies

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the USA are to conduct a large-scale clinical trial to evaluate a new fully-human polyclonal antibody therapy targeted at severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

23 Apr 2021

Immune escape by SARS-CoV-2 mutations acquired in mink

A new study, published in Cell Reports, suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may have acquired such immune evasion mutations during its transmission in farmed mink.

21 Apr 2021

Scientists identify protein that operates closely with a genetic mutation to spur lung cancer growth

Scientists at VCU Massey Cancer Center have identified a protein that operates in tandem with a specific genetic mutation to spur lung cancer growth and could serve as a therapeutic target to treat the disease.

19 Apr 2021

P681 mutation has little impact on transmissibility in the SARS-CoV-2 UK variant, finds study

A new preprint, recently released on the bioRxiv* server, explores the impact of a single mutation, the P681H mutation, on the transmissibility of the virus.

12 Apr 2021

Researchers provide ultrastructural details of SARS-CoV-2-infected respiratory epithelial cells

A team of scientists from the United Kingdom recently investigated the ultrastructural details of the attachment, entry, and budding processes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the human airway epithelium. They have used a highly differentiated air-liquid interface cultures of airway epithelium to thoroughly investigate the viral infection cycle. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

12 Apr 2021

The interaction between blood clotting and SARS-CoV-2 infection

Coagulopathy - a condition in which the blood's ability to clot is impaired, is recognized as a significant aspect of morbidity in COVID-19 patients. In a recent study, Prof Lewis Cantley and a team of researchers explored the role of coagulation factors in the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Their recent study is posted on the bioRxiv server.

7 Apr 2021

Research explores sex differences in placental defenses against SARS-CoV-2 infection

A plethora of earlier studies has reported on the differences between the sexes in susceptibility to the currently circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as well as its severity. A new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv* server extends this to the placenta in pregnancy.

6 Apr 2021

Researchers offer large-scale screening of potential broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 antivirals

A new study describes the identification of new compounds from a library, with inhibitory activity against several coronaviruses. This study shows the utility of this method, besides identifying compounds that not only inhibit viral shedding in SARS-CoV-2 cultures, but have an immunomodulatory effect that may be useful in mitigating the damaging cytokine storm typical of severe or critical COVID-19.

2 Apr 2021

Development of a model of substrate coordination to Zn-bound ACE2

The ongoing coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has claimed more than 2.8 million lives worldwide. Authorities are facing difficulty in preventing the spread of disease due to the highly infectious nature of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, reducing the virus's ability to infect an individual's respiratory epithelial cells could prove an effective measure to prevent disease transmission.

31 Mar 2021

Selecting SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors in human airway epithelial cells

In a recent article currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers from Belgium and the U.S. demonstrated a robust replication model for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) isolates in primary human epithelial cells at the air-liquid interface and appraised the antiviral effect of selected viral replication inhibitors.

28 Mar 2021

Study identifies gene variants that cause metabolic deficiency in the eye

Treatments for a rare retinal disease may be on the horizon after a new study has identified gene variants that cause a metabolic deficiency in the eye.

25 Mar 2021

New covalent and non-covalent SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors discovered in silico

A new study describes the use of a combination of virtual and experimental screening protocols to identify potential inhibitors of the virus, which could lead to rapid drug development.

24 Mar 2021