Angiotensin News and Research

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Angiotensin is an oligopeptide in the blood that causes vasoconstriction, increased blood pressure, and release of aldosterone from the adrenal cortex. It is a powerful dipsogen. It is derived from the precursor molecule angiotensinogen, a serum globulin produced in the liver. It plays an important role in the renin-angiotensin system.

COVID-19 pandemic and nanotechnology

Writing in the International Journal of Nanomedicine, Professor Dongki Yang, from the Department of Physiology, Gachon University, South Korea, has reviewed the available knowledge on the coronaviruses, current approaches to tackle the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the innovative application of nanotechnology in the COVID-19 pandemic.

8 Feb 2021

Subdominant SARS-CoV-2 epitopes key to understanding emerging variants

Researchers in the UK have conducted a study showing the importance of considering subdominant epitopes within severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) when investigating neutralizing antibodies that target the virus.

7 Feb 2021

How does SARS-CoV-2 infect the pancreas?

To understand how SARS-CoV-2 infects the pancreas and investigate its effects, a team of researchers used the human iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cells)-derived pancreatic cultures and analyzed the post-infection cellular and molecular changes.

5 Feb 2021

Alpaca nanobodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

A new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv server reports the development of highly effective neutralizing nanobodies targeting the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD), thus disrupting its engagement with the host cell angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor.

4 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 N501Y mutation adversely affects cellular immune response

Among these is the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant, with its characteristic N501Y mutation. A new preprint on the bioRxiv server reports the impact of this mutation on CD4 T cell responses, including antigen presentation on cells expressing Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II molecules.

4 Feb 2021

Pfizer vaccine and Eli Lilly monoclonal antibodies successfully neutralize SARS-CoV-2 UK variant, finds study

A new study reports the underlying basis of increased transmissibility in the N501Y UK variant and provides reassuring data on the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine and Eli Lilly monoclonal antibodies in neutralizing it.

4 Feb 2021

Monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike's N-terminal prove highly protective in vivo

A new study server reports highly protective neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2.

4 Feb 2021

Predicting future mamalian hosts of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers at the Beijing Computational Science Research Center and Peking University analyzed sequences of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) proteins from 16 mammals and predicted the structures of ACE2- receptor-binding domain (RBD) complexes.

4 Feb 2021

Nasodine antiseptic nasal spray shows potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2

A team of international scientists has recently investigated the efficacy of PVP-1, a complex of polyvinylpyrrolidone and iodine, in preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Using in vitro cell culture settings, the scientists observe that PVP-1 formulation used in a commercially available nasal spray (Nasodine) readily inactivates SARS-CoV-2 within a short period of time.

3 Feb 2021

Researchers engineer "Nanotraps" that block SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers at Chicago University have developed an innovative new anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapy called “Nanotraps” – a family of nano-enabled virus-trapping particles – which have shown positive results in vitro, in vivo, and in human ex vivo trials.

3 Feb 2021

Researchers survey repurposed drugs that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro

A new study by researchers at the University of Manchester, UK, reports on the compounds of interest that were identified as having potential for the treatment of COVID-19, from a library of almost 2,000 compounds from the APExBIO DiscoveryProbe library.

3 Feb 2021

Highly conserved neutralizing epitope identified on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

A recent study conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, has identified a highly conserved neutralizing antibody binding site on the spike S2 domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The study findings might help develop novel spike-targeting antibodies for widespread protection. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

2 Feb 2021

What is the structure and function of SARS-CoV-2’s D614G spike mutation?

A team of researchers use a computational approach to integrate available data D614G SARS-CoV-2 spike mutation, exploring its structure and molecular mechanisms.

2 Feb 2021

Zinc supplementation bolsters repurposed antivirals against SARS-CoV-2

A new preprint reports the efficacy of two repurposed drugs that could be useful against SARS-CoV-2 when supplemented with zinc.

2 Feb 2021

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine shows promise against new SARS-CoV-2 variants

A team of researchers in the U.S. studied the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine candidate - currently being rolled out in many parts of the world to high-risk individuals - to see if it still holds up against mutant strains of the virus and yielded encouraging results.

2 Feb 2021

ACE2 agonist C21 relieves respiratory difficulty in COVID-19

A new study describes a pilot study on the efficacy of a molecule called C21, which enhances the activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the host cell receptor that facilitates viral entry.

2 Feb 2021

Antiviral compound GC-376 shows efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in vivo

Over the past months, many potential antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 have been identified as deserving further development to target several viral proteins. A new study deals with one such molecule, the viral main protease (Mpro) inhibitor GC-376, and describes its efficacy in inhibiting virus-host interaction.

2 Feb 2021

Why SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 is more virulent

A new preprint research paper by scientists from Sweden and India attempts to provide a preliminary answer to these questions using computational modeling. The research, which appears on the bioRxiv* server, predicts increased virulence with the new variant. If validated, this could help public health authorities prepare for new variants' possible impact as they emerge.

2 Feb 2021

Elevated ACE2 and inflammation levels increase risk for pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2

Among the hundred million or so cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that have occurred since the pandemic began, pregnant women have been a conspicuous risk group. However, the exact nature of the risk they and their fetuses face, and the mechanism by which it operates, is far from clear.

2 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 triggers development of new-onset IgG autoantibodies in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is associated with several clinical features common in autoimmune diseases as myalgias, arthralgias, fatigue, and rashes. COVID-19 patients also exhibit less common autoimmunity manifestations such as myositis, thrombosis, myocarditis, encephalitis, vasculitis, and arthritis.

1 Feb 2021