Roles of membrane lipids and lipid synthesis inhibitors in the propagation of coronavirus disease

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness in Wuhan in 2019. Some of the antivirals presently being tried are known anti-HIV (combination of lopinavir and ritonavir) and the rejected antiebola virus (remdesivir) drugs. Others are chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and azithromycin. Till date, there is no specific antiviral treatment that has proven effective in the management of the pandemic. The infected victims primarily rely on symptomatic treatments and supportive care. This COVID-19 outbreak has triggered researchers worldwide to embark on more high-quality research, in addition to enacting preventive measures to manage the public health emergency in both the short and long term. Membrane lipids like cholesterol, glycerophospholipids, and sphingolipids play a key role in the modification of intracellular membrane structures for virus replication. This chapter discusses the roles of membrane lipids in coronavirus replication and inhibition of lipids biosynthesis for possible management of coronavirus disease. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.