Research Information System
Bezmiâlem Science, vol.8, pp.79-83, 2020 (ESCI)
Several repurposing drugs and ongoing vaccine researches to
combat Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) are testing clinically,
worldwide. COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory failure
syndrome-CoV-2, uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-
2) as a functional receptor for entry into the cells, followed by its
priming by transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). Most of
the ACE-2 expressing cells are alveolar type II pneumocytes. Viral
S-glycoprotein, TMPRSS2 and ACE-2 inhibition, as extracellular
media components, are potential targets of future therapy. ACE-
2 and/or TMPRSS2 blockade is thought to be beneficial in the
prevention or treating of this infection which will be the most
convenient for pharmacoeconomics and effectiveness, regarding
similar future pandemics. Despite substrate-based design and
synthesis of ACE-2 inhibitor compounds were presented almost
two decades ago, data on renin angiotensin system activation or
its blockers, especially ACE-2, are limited by now. Priority must
be given to design a convenient vaccine soon, but due to the high
mutation ability of such viruses mean that new vaccines may need
to be developed for each outbreak. So, de novo drugs such as ACE-2
or TMPRSS2 blockers need to be developed which can specifically
block spike binding sites of the target cells and prevent virus
intrusion, especially at the extracellular media, for future pandemics.