The Discovery of Naringenin as Endolysosomal Two-Pore Channel Inhibitor and Its Emerging Role in SARS-CoV-2 Infection

The flavonoid naringenin (Nar), present in citrus fruits and tomatoes, has been identified as a blocker of an emerging class of human intracellular channels, namely the two-pore channel (TPC) family, whose role has been established in several diseases. Indeed, Nar was shown to be effective against neoangiogenesis, a process essential for solid tumor progression, by specifically impairing TPC activity. The goal of the present review is to illustrate the rationale that links TPC channels to the mechanism of coronavirus infection, and how their inhibition by Nar could be an efficient pharmacological strategy to fight the current pandemic plague COVID-19.

Automated summary

Naringenin, a flavonoid found in citrus fruits and tomatoes, has been identified as a blocker of the two-pore channel (TPC) family, which has a role in various diseases. It has been shown to impair new blood vessel formation in solid tumors by specifically targeting TPC activity. The inhibition of TPC by naringenin could be an effective pharmacological strategy in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.