New antiviral compound blocks coronavirus from entering cells: Study

Scientists have developed a chemical compound that they say could prevent infection from SARSCoV2 virus or reduce the severity of Covid19 if given early in the course of an infectionThe compound called MM3122 interferes with a key feature of many viruses that allows them to invade human cells according to the researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in the USThe compound described in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences targets a key human protein called transmembrane serine protease 2 TMPRSS2 that coronaviruses harness to enter and infect human cellsGreat vaccines are now available for SARSCoV2 but we still need effective antiviral medications to help curb the severity of this pandemic said study senior author James W Janetka a professor at Washington UniversityThe compound we are developing prevents the virus from entering cells Janetka saidAlso Read High Covid19 rate in 019 age group in India frequent postjab infections with Delta variant StudyJanet said the ultimate goal of the study is to advance the molecules into an inhibitor that can be taken by mouth and that could become an effective part of drug inhibitors against Covid19The new drug compound potently blocks TMPRSS2 and another related protein called matriptase which are found on the surface of the lung and other cells according to the researchersMany viruses including SARSCoV2 which causes Covid19 as well as other coronaviruses and influenza depend on these proteins to infect cells and spread throughout the lung they saidAfter the virus latches onto a cell in the airway epithelia the human protein TMPRSS2 cuts the viruss spike protein activating the spike protein to mediate fusion of the viral and cellular membranes initiating the process of infectionMM3122 blocks the enzymatic activity of human protein TMPRSS2 which perturbs the activation of the spike protein and suppresses membrane fusionThe SARSCoV2 virus hijacks our own lung cells machinery to activate its spike protein which enables it to bind to and invade lung cells Janetka saidIn blocking TMPRSS2 the drug prevents the virus from entering other cells within the body or from invading the lung cells in the first place if in theory it could be taken as a preventiverdquo he addedThe researchers are testing the compound in mice in combination with other treatments that target other key parts of the virusThis may help develop an effective broadspectrum antiviral therapy that would be useful in Covid19 and other viral infections they addedStudying cells growing in the lab that were infected with SARSCoV2 MM3122 protected the cells from viral damage much better than remdesivir a treatment already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for patients with Covid19 the researchers saidAn acute safety test in mice showed that large doses of the compound given for seven days did not cause any noticeable problems they saidThe researchers also showed that the compound was as effective against the original Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus SARSCoV and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus MERSCoVThe majority of inhibitors of viral infection work by blocking steps of replication once the virus is inside the cell said study coauthor Sean Whelan a professor at Washington UniversityDr Janetka has identified and refined a molecule that stops the virus from entering the cell in the first place As the target of MM3122 is a host protein this may also pose a larger barrier to the emergence of viruses that are resistant to the inhibitor Whelan addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever