Vitamin D and lumisterol novel metabolites can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication machinery enzymes
Qayyum et al.,
Vitamin D and lumisterol novel metabolites can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication machinery enzymes,
Endocrinology and Metabolism, doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00174.2021
In Silico analysis showing that vitamin D and lumisterol metabolites may inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and RdRP.
Qayyum et al., 27 Jul 2021, peer-reviewed, 7 authors.
In Silico studies are an important part of preclinical research, however results may be very different in vivo.
Abstract: Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 321: E246–E251, 2021.
First published June 28, 2021; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00174.2021
RAPID REPORT
Translational Physiology
Vitamin D and lumisterol novel metabolites can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication
machinery enzymes
Shariq Qayyum,1 Taj Mohammad,2 Radomir M. Slominski,1
Chander Raman,1 and Andrzej T. Slominski1,4
Md Imtaiyaz Hassan,2 Robert C. Tuckey,3
1
Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; 2Centre for Interdisciplinary
Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India; 3School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western
Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; and 4Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service, VA Medical Center,
Birmingham, Alabama
Abstract
Vitamin D deficiency significantly correlates with the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Molecular docking-based virtual screening
studies predict that novel vitamin D and related lumisterol hydroxymetabolites are able to bind to the active sites of two SARSCoV-2 transcription machinery enzymes with high affinity. These enzymes are the main protease (Mpro) and RNA-dependent
RNA polymerase (RdRP), which play important roles in viral replication and establishing infection. Based on predicted binding
affinities and specific interactions, we identified 10 vitamin D3 (D3) and lumisterol (L3) analogs as likely binding partners of SARSCoV-2 Mpro and RdRP and, therefore, tested their ability to inhibit these enzymes. Activity measurements demonstrated that 25
(OH)L3, 24(OH)L3, and 20(OH)7DHC are the most effective of the hydroxymetabolites tested at inhibiting the activity of SARSCoV-2 Mpro causing 10%–19% inhibition. These same derivatives as well as other hydroxylumisterols and hydroxyvitamin D3
metabolites inhibited RdRP by 50%–60%. Thus, inhibition of these enzymes by vitamin D and lumisterol metabolites may provide
a novel approach to hindering the SARS-CoV-2 infection.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY Active forms of vitamin D and lumisterol can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication machinery enzymes, which
indicates that novel vitamin D and lumisterol metabolites are candidates for antiviral drug research.
COVID-19; lumisterol; RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; SARS-CoV-2 main protease; vitamin D metabolites
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