Apelin-potential therapy for COVID-19?

Seyed Soheil Saeedi Saravi; Jürg H Beer

doi:10.1016/j.yjmcc.2020.06.007

Apelin-potential therapy for COVID-19?

J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2020 Aug:145:84-87. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2020.06.007. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Authors

Seyed Soheil Saeedi Saravi¹, Jürg H Beer²

Affiliations

¹ Center for Molecular Cardiology, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
² Center for Molecular Cardiology, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital Baden, Baden, Switzerland. Electronic address: hansjuerg.beer@ksb.ch.

Abstract

We believe that, in parallel to the attempts for direct blockade of the SARS-CoV-2 penetration into host cell and repurposing drugs, finding new therapeutic strategies for patients with lung injury or cardiovascular complications/coagulopathies associated with COVID-19 should be paid particular attention. Apelin or its receptor agonists are of great potential treatment for COVID-19 through suppressing angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin II (Ang-II) production, as well as, down-regulating angiotensin receptor 1 (AT1R) and ACE2 up-regulation. These drugs have potential to improve acute lung injury and cardiovascular/coagulopathy complications in COVID-19 which are associated with elevated Ang-II/Ang(1-7) ratio.

Keywords: Apelin; COVID-19; Renin-angiotensin system.

MeSH terms

Angiotensin I / metabolism
Angiotensin II / biosynthesis
Angiotensin II / blood
Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / therapeutic use*
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
Animals
Apelin / metabolism
Apelin / therapeutic use*
Apelin Receptors / agonists
Apelin Receptors / metabolism
Apelin Receptors / therapeutic use*
Betacoronavirus / metabolism*
COVID-19
COVID-19 Drug Treatment
Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
Coronavirus Infections / virology
Drug Repositioning / methods
Humans
Mice
Pandemics
Peptide Fragments / metabolism
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism*
Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
Pneumonia, Viral / virology
Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / metabolism
Renin-Angiotensin System / drug effects
Renin-Angiotensin System / immunology
SARS-CoV-2

Substances

APLNR protein, human
Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
Apelin
Apelin Receptors
Peptide Fragments
Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1
Angiotensin II
Angiotensin I
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
ACE2 protein, human
Ace2 protein, mouse
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
angiotensin I (1-7)