Journal
REDOX BIOLOGY
Volume 36, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101682
Keywords
Coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; HCoV-OC43; Cholesterol; Oxysterols; 27-Hydroxycholesterol
Categories
Funding
- Beneficentia Stiftung, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
- SNAM Foundation, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
- University of Turin, Italy [RILO19, LEMB_RIC_COMP_20_01]
- CRT Foundation, Turin, Italy [CIVA_CRT_20_01]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
There is an urgent need to identify antivirals against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in the current COVID-19 pandemic and to contain future similar emergencies early on. Specific side-chain cholesterol oxidation products of the oxysterols family have been shown to inhibit a large variety of both enveloped and non-enveloped human viral pathogens. Here we report on the in vitro inhibitory activity of the redox active oxysterol 27-hydroxycholesterol against SARS-CoV-2 and against one of the common cold agents HCoV-OC43 human coronavirus without significant cytotoxicity. Interestingly, physiological serum levels of 27-hydroxycholesterol in SARS-CoV2 positive subjects were significantly decreased compared to the matched control group, reaching a marked 50% reduction in severe COVID-19 cases. Moreover, no correlation at all was observed between 24-hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol serum levels and the severity of the disease. Opposite to that of 27-hydroxycholesterol was the behaviour of two recognized markers of redox imbalance, i.e. 7-ketocholesterol and 7 beta hydroxycholesterol, whose serum levels were significantly increased especially in severe COVID-19. The exogenous administration of 27-hydroxycholesterol may represent in the near future a valid antiviral strategy in the worsening of diseases caused by present and emerging coronaviruses.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available