Title:Can We Use mTOR Inhibitors for COVID-19 Therapy?
Volume: 25
Issue: 11
Author(s): Ina Y. Aneva *, Solomon Habtemariam, Maciej Banach, Parames C. Sil , Kasturi Sarkar, Adeleh Sahebnasagh , Mohammad Amjad Kamal, Maryam Khayatkashani and Hamid Reza Khayat Kashani*
Affiliation:
- 1Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Science, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria
- Department of Neurosurgery, Imam
Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Keywords:
mTOR inhibitors, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, sirolimus, everolimus, temsirolimus, rapamycin.
Abstract:
Infection by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) provokes
acute inflammation due to extensive replication of the virus in the epithelial cells of the upper
and lower respiratory system.
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a l signalling protein with critical functions in cell
growth, metabolism, and proliferation. It is known for its regulatory functions in protein synthesis and
angiogenesis cascades. The structure of mTOR consists of two distinct complexes (mTORC1 and
mTORC2) with diverse functions at different levels of the signalling pathway. By activating mRNA
translation, the mTORC1 plays a key role in regulating protein synthesis and cellular growth. On the
other hand, the functions of mTORC2 are mainly associated with cell proliferation and survival.
By using an appropriate inhibitor at the right time, mTOR modulation could provide immunosuppressive
opportunities as antirejection regimens in organ transplantation as well as in the treatment
of autoimmune diseases and solid tumours. The mTOR also has an important role in the inflammatory
process. Inhibitors of mTOR might indeed be promising agents in the treatment of viral infections.
They have further been successfully used in patients with severe influenza A/H1N1 pneumonia
and acute respiratory failure. The officially accepted mTOR inhibitors that have undergone
clinical testing are sirolimus, everolimus, temsirolimus, and tacrolimus. Thus, further studies on
mTOR inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 therapy are well merited.
