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Review
. 2020;27(4):421-424.
doi: 10.5603/CJ.a2020.0090. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Ion channel inhibition against COVID-19: A novel target for clinical investigation

Eliano P Navarese  1 , Rita L Musci  2 , Lara Frediani  3 , Paul A Gurbel  4 , Jacek Kubica  5
Affiliations
Review

Ion channel inhibition against COVID-19: A novel target for clinical investigation

Eliano P Navarese et al. Cardiol J. 2020.
No abstract available

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
COVID-19 mechanisms of entry. COVID-19 entrance into the host cell takes place in two phases: ”early entry” and ”late entry”. In the “early entry” the viral S protein-subunit S1 binds the angiotensin converting enzyme 2-receptors (ACE2-receptors) on human cells and transmembrane protease-serine 2 (TMPRSS2) facilitates virus-cell membrane fusion. The Ca2+ ions promote viral membrane fusion and S protein conformational changes which allow the fusion peptide insertion into the lipid bilayer. In the “late entry” COVID-19 is endocytosed and Ca2+ ions have an important role in endocytic vesicles maturation. This process ends with the release of the viral genome into cytoplasm and the subsequent replication of the virus. Amiodarone and verapamil block Ca2+ cell membrane and endosomal/lysosomal channels interfering with the life-cycle of coronavirus; RNA — ribonucleic acid; S protein — spike protein; S1–S2 — subunit 1 and subunit 2 of S protein; ER — endosplamic reticulum.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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