Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 News and Research

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Monoclonal antibody HB27 shows potent neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2

A new study reports a very promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody, HB27, that appears to have two distinct mechanisms of action inhibiting the virus-host cell interaction and subsequent infection.

27 Nov 2020

N439K mutation of SARS-CoV-2 may be more infectious and antibody resistant than Wuhan strain

Researchers from the Harbin Institute of Technology, China, modeled the complexes formed between the RBD and the human ACE2 and monoclonal antibodies.

27 Nov 2020

Ipom-F inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro

An international team of researchers showed the small molecule inhibitor, ipomoeassin F (Ipom-F), blocks the translocation/insertion of the three protein targets for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

27 Nov 2020

Novel cannabis plant extracts could protect against COVID-19

Researchers in Canada have conducted a study suggesting that novel Cannabis sativa extracts may decrease levels of the host cell receptor that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses to gain viral entry to target tissues.

26 Nov 2020

Transgenic mouse model could recapitulate severe COVID-19 in humans

Researchers in the United States and Canada have described the potential for a transgenic mouse model to serve as an effective platform for the study of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and severe disease course in humans.

26 Nov 2020

Antihypertensive drugs may reduce COVID-19 mortality in at-risk patients

A new multicenter study that recently appeared on the medRxiv* preprint server in November 2020 has found a lower or equal risk of fatal COVID-19 in hypertensive patients, depending on the type of medication they are on.

26 Nov 2020

Early interferon therapy may mitigate COVID-19 severity

A recent review of COVID-19 therapies explores the utility of interferons in the battle against severe COVID-19, and concludes that they deserve further development.

26 Nov 2020

Researchers discover close SARS-CoV-2-relative in animal hosts outside China

In a major new discovery that might deepen our understanding of SARS-CoV-2’s animal origins and its genetic evolution, coronaviruses very closely related to SARS-CoV-2 have been discovered in two horseshoe bats outside of China.

25 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies can persist up to 200 days after symptom onset

Researchers report SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to the spike protein (S protein) can persist 200 days after symptom onset, but that antibodies to the nucleoprotein (N protein) can reduce much more rapidly.

25 Nov 2020

Is COVID-19 severity mediated by higher antibody response?

A new study indicates that patients with more severe COVID-19 have a stronger antibody response.

25 Nov 2020

Austrian study shows robust antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 for over 6 months

In the face of discouraging news about the resurgence of COVID-19, some reports offer hope of protection in the face of a robust and persistent immune response. In an encouraging report, an Austrian preprint appearing on the medRxiv server in November 2020 suggests a high level of durable immunity to SARS-CoV-2 over at least six months.

24 Nov 2020

Mefloquine shows potential as anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug

A team of scientists from Japan has identified the approved anti-material drug, mefloquine, as a potential candidate to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Specifically, mefloquine has been shown to prevent the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells and reduce the viral load in vitro.

24 Nov 2020

Scientists show SARS-CoV-2's viral replication with 3D integrative imaging

A team of researchers at Heidelberg University in Germany have performed a detailed imaging analysis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection to determine how the virus reprograms infected cells.

24 Nov 2020

Aprotinin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication in cells cultures

Researchers at the University of Kent in the UK and the Hannover Medical School and Goethe University in Germany have observed that the protease inhibitor aprotinin can inhibit viral replication by preventing SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells.

24 Nov 2020

Researchers recommend antibody cocktail to tackle SARS-CoV-2 mutations

A new study released on the medRxiv* preprint server indicates that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent responsible for the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic – is developing multiple mutations that affect neutralization by antibodies.

24 Nov 2020

Biosensor assay SARS-CoV-2 antibody test may predict COVID-19 severity in patients

Researchers in New York, USA, have found an association of mortality with an early humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 infection within the first few days after onset of symptoms (DAOS), using a highly sensitive and automated testing-on-a-probe (TOP) biosensor assays for SARS-CoV-2.

24 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2's spike protein mutations have slowed, study finds

A team of researchers at the School of Information Sciences in Illinois, USA, has revealed the rate of mutation in the 29 proteins that make up the SARS-CoV-2 microbe.

23 Nov 2020

Nasal dryness could be an early warning sign of COVID-19

A new study published by an international team of researchers on the preprint medRxiv* server in November 2020 details the nasal symptoms that are associated with anosmia and ageusia (loss of smell and taste) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including the early warning signs of infection.

23 Nov 2020

Modified SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain could increase vaccine efficacy, says study

A team of researchers from the USA and China have engineered a receptor-binding domain (RBD) that they claim improves the immunogenicity of multivalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Their study, which was released on the bioRxiv* in November 2020, may help advance even more efficacious SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates in the future.

23 Nov 2020