Molecular targets for COVID-19 drug development:Enlightening Nigerians about the pandemic and future treatment  

作　　者：Yusuf Muhammed 

机构地区：[1]Department of Biochemistry,Federal University Gusau,Along Zaria-Sokoto Road,PMB,1001 Gusau,Zamfara State,Nigeria

出　　处：《Biosafety and Health》2020年第4期210-216,共7页生物安全与健康（英文）

摘　　要：There is little or no research initiated on enlightening Nigerians about the pathogenesis,targets for drug development and repositioning for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection.Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a viral infection causing symptoms like dry cough,sore throat,nasal congestion,tiredness,fever,loss of taste,and smell etc.The disease was first reported in Wuhan,China,in December 2019.The infection is caused by SARS-CoV-2,which is the third introduction of a highly pathogenic coronavirus into the human population.Coronaviruses are viruses with a positive RNA envelope assigned toα,β,γ,andδgenera.Moreover,SARS-CoV-2 belongs to theβgenus.The four structural proteins ofβcoronavirus are membrane(M),envelope(E),spike(S),and nucleocapsid(N)protein,mediation of coronavirus host infection is established by spike(S)protein.Therefore,the search for drug development targets and repositioning of existing therapeutics is essential for fighting the present pandemic.It was reviewed that therapeutics targeting SARS-CoV-2 binding to ACE2 receptor,viral RNA synthesis and replication,3CLpro,RdRp,and helicase will play a crucial role in the development of treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection.Furthermore,the RdRp and spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 are the most promising targets for drug development and repositioning and vaccine development.Remdesivir combination with chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine are promising drug repositioning for the treatment of COVID-19,and mRNA-1273 targeting spike protein is the promising vaccine.However,as patient management and drug repositioning are taking place,it is imperative to identify other promising targets used by SARS-CoV-2 to establish infection,to develop novel therapeutics.

关 键 词：SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 Molecular pathogenesis Acute respiratory disease Drug development targets 

分 类 号：R563.1[医药卫生—呼吸系统]