TY - JOUR
T1 - Fangchinoline inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV entry
AU - Sadhu, Srikanth
AU - Dandotiya, Jyotsna
AU - Dalal, Rajdeep
AU - Khatri, Ritika
AU - Mykytyn, Anna Z.
AU - Batra, Aashima
AU - Kaur, Manpreet
AU - Chandwaskar, Rucha
AU - Singh, Virendra
AU - Kamboj, Aarzoo
AU - Srivastava, Mitul
AU - Mani, Shailendra
AU - Asthana, Shailendra
AU - Samal, Sweety
AU - Rizvi, Zaigham Abbas
AU - Salunke, Deepak B.
AU - Haagmans, Bart L.
AU - Awasthi, Amit
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, lead to mild to severe respiratory illness and resulted in 6.9 million deaths worldwide. Although vaccines are effective in preventing COVID-19, they may not be sufficient to protect immunocompromised individuals from this respiratory illness. Moreover, novel emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 pose a risk of new COVID-19 waves. Therefore, identification of effective antivirals is critical in controlling SARS and other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV. We show that Fangchinoline (Fcn), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, inhibits replication of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV in a range of in vitro assays, by blocking entry. Therapeutic use of Fcn inhibited viral loads in the lungs, and suppressed associated airway inflammation in hACE2. Tg mice and Syrian hamster infected with SARS-CoV-2. Combination of Fcn with remdesivir (RDV) or an anti-leprosy drug, Clofazimine, exhibited synergistic antiviral activity. Compared to Fcn, its synthetic derivative, MK-04-003, more effectively inhibited SARS-CoV-2 and its variants B.1.617.2 and BA.5 in mice. Taken together these data demonstrate that Fcn is a pan beta coronavirus inhibitor, which possibly can be used to combat novel emerging coronavirus diseases.
AB - The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, lead to mild to severe respiratory illness and resulted in 6.9 million deaths worldwide. Although vaccines are effective in preventing COVID-19, they may not be sufficient to protect immunocompromised individuals from this respiratory illness. Moreover, novel emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 pose a risk of new COVID-19 waves. Therefore, identification of effective antivirals is critical in controlling SARS and other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV. We show that Fangchinoline (Fcn), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, inhibits replication of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV in a range of in vitro assays, by blocking entry. Therapeutic use of Fcn inhibited viral loads in the lungs, and suppressed associated airway inflammation in hACE2. Tg mice and Syrian hamster infected with SARS-CoV-2. Combination of Fcn with remdesivir (RDV) or an anti-leprosy drug, Clofazimine, exhibited synergistic antiviral activity. Compared to Fcn, its synthetic derivative, MK-04-003, more effectively inhibited SARS-CoV-2 and its variants B.1.617.2 and BA.5 in mice. Taken together these data demonstrate that Fcn is a pan beta coronavirus inhibitor, which possibly can be used to combat novel emerging coronavirus diseases.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85177750665&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105743
DO - 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105743
M3 - Article
C2 - 37949319
AN - SCOPUS:85177750665
SN - 0166-3542
VL - 220
JO - Antiviral Research
JF - Antiviral Research
M1 - 105743
ER -