Tunicamycin, an anticancer drug and inhibitor of N- linked glycosylation proteins is reliable to treat COVID-19

Ali AdelDawood^aMahmood AbduljabarAltobje^b

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104586

PDF: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882401020309529/pdfft?md5=301dbd0e595a00e986bb5513c0bfd512&pid=1-s2.0-S0882401020309529-main.pdf

Highlights

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Tunicamycin an anticancer drug inhibits the N- linked glycans. Nucleocapsid phosphoprotein is one of the most structural protein of the virus.

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The growth of coronavirus in the presence inhibitor tunicamycin resulted in the production of spikeless.

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Tunicamycin inhibits E2, S, and M glycoproteins of coronaviruses.

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Tunicamycin is also diminish glycosylation od PTMs such as HE, and 8 ab of SARS-CoV.

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We recommend to use this drug to treat the SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks remains a medical and economic challenge, due to the lack of a suitable drug or vaccine. The glycans in some proteins play a pivotal role in protein folding, oligomerization, quality control, sorting, and transport so the hindering of N-linked glycosylation of glycoproteins will prevent assembly of the virion. Tunicamycin and anticancer drug inhibit the N- linked glycans. Our study aimed to find out the mechanism action of tunicamycin on the viral glycoproteins. The growth of coronavirus in the presence inhibitor tunicamycin resulted in the production of spikeless, non-infectious virions which were devoid of S protein. We concluded that tunicamycin inhibits E2, S, and M glycoproteins of coronaviruses. Tunicamycin is also diminished glycosylation od PTMs such as HE, and 8 ab of SARS-CoV. Finally, we recommend using this drug to treat the SARS-CoV-2.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882401020309529