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.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Betacoronavirus/drug effects , Coronavirus Infections/drug therapy , Hydrogen Sulfide/therapeutic use , Pneumonia, Viral/drug therapy , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Virus Replication/drug effects , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 , Animals , Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/metabolism , Coronavirus Infections/virology , Host-Pathogen Interactions , Humans , Hydrogen Sulfide/metabolism , Lung/drug effects , Lung/metabolism , Lung/virology , Pandemics , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/metabolism , Pneumonia, Viral/metabolism , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , SARS-CoV-2 , Serine Endopeptidases/metabolism , Signal Transduction , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
The outbreak of COVID-19 pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus (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 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, anti-oxidative stress, anti-viral, pro-survival, and anti-aging effects. In light of the research advances on H2S signalling in biology and medicine, this review proposed H2S as a potential defence 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.