The FDA-approved drug Auranofin has a dual inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 entry and NF-κB signaling

Patients with severe COVID-19 show an altered immune response that fails to control the viral spread and suffer from exacerbated inflammatory response, which eventually can lead to death. A major challenge is to develop an effective treatment for COVID-19. NF-kappa B is a major player in innate immunity and inflammatory process. By a high-throughput screening approach, we identified FDA-approved compounds that inhibit the NF-kappa B pathway and thus dampen inflammation. Among these, we show that Auranofin prevents post-translational modifications of NF-kappa B effectors and their recruitment into activating complexes in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection or cytokine stimulation. In addition, we demonstrate that Auranofin counteracts several steps of SARS-CoV-2 infection. First, it inhibits a raft-dependent endocytic pathway involved in SARS-CoV-2 en-try into host cells; Second, Auranofin alters the ACE2 mobility at the plasma mem-brane. Overall, Auranofin should prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and inflammatory damages, offering new opportunities as a repurposable drug candidate to treat COVID-19.

Automated summary

This study highlights the potential of Auranofin in inhibiting NF-kappa B pathway to alleviate inflammation, prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, and counteract key steps of viral entry into host cells.