Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
DDC
Special Issues
Fighting SARS-CoV-2 and Related Viruses
share announcement

Fighting SARS-CoV-2 and Related Viruses

A special issue of Drugs and Drug Candidates (ISSN 2813-2998).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 8083

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jean Jacques Vanden Eynde

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Collection Editor
Formerly Head, Department of Organic Chemistry (FS), University of Mons-UMONS, 7000 Mons, Belgium
Interests: heterocycles; medicinal chemistry; green chemistry; microwave-induced synthesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Annie Mayence

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Formerly Professor, Haute Ecole Provinciale de Hainaut-Condorcet, 7330 Saint-Ghislain, Belgium
Interests: medicinal chemistry; organic synthesis; parasitic diseases; orphan drugs
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, the entire scientific community has mobilized to find ways to combat SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the disease. Studies began with assays involving repurposable drugs; since then, there have been thousands of clinical trials. Molecular modeling methods and artificial intelligence enabled the selection of numerous potentially effective agents. Screening of libraries of small molecules, more complex biomolecules, or extracts from natural sources remains the focus of many studies, whereas vaccines have emerged as the most widely employed weapon in response to the epidemic.

This Topical Collection will cover all aspects involved in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses. Reviews and research articles are preferred; however, hypotheses, opinions, and reports on clinical trials will also be considered.

Dr. Jean Jacques Vanden Eynde
Dr. Annie Mayence
Collection Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Drugs and Drug Candidates is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antibodies
  • antiviral
  • coronavirus
  • MERS
  • repurposing
  • SARS
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • spike protein
  • vaccine

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

15 pages, 2986 KiB  
Article
Bioactive Components of Myracrodruon urundeuva against SARS-CoV-2: A Computational Study
by Sabrina Kelly Silva Alves, Cássio Silva Sousa, Edilanne Katrine Amparo Viana, Hellen Cris Araújo Souza, Maycon Douglas Araújo Souza, Arthur Serejo Neves Ribeiro, Vanessa de Sousa do Vale, Muhammad Torequl Islam, Joabe Lima Araújo and Jefferson Almeida Rocha
Drugs Drug Candidates 2023, 2(4), 781-795; https://doi.org/10.3390/ddc2040039 - 27 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1702
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2) is the causative agent for the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It raises serious biosecurity questions due to its high contagious potential, thereby triggering rapid and efficient responses by the scientific community to take necessary [...] Read more.
SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2) is the causative agent for the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It raises serious biosecurity questions due to its high contagious potential, thereby triggering rapid and efficient responses by the scientific community to take necessary actions against viral infections. Cumulative scientific evidence suggests that natural products remain one of the main sources for pharmaceutical consumption. It is due to their wide chemical diversity that they are able to fight against almost all kinds of diseases and disorders in humans and other animals. Knowing the overall facts, this study was carried out to investigate the chemical interactions between the active constituents of a promising medicinal plant, Myracrodruon urundeuva, and some specific proteins of SARS-CoV-2. For this, we used molecular docking to predict the most appropriate orientation by binding a molecule (a ligand) to its receptor (a protein). The best results were evaluated by screening their pharmacokinetic properties using the online tool pkCSM. Findings suggest that among 44 chemical compounds of M. urundeuva, agathisflavone, which is abundantly present in its leaf, exhibited excellent molecular affinity (−9.3 to −9.7 kcal.mol−1) with three functional proteins, namely, Spike, MPro, and RBD of SARS-CoV-2. In conclusion, M. urundeuva might be a good source of antiviral agents. Further studies are required to elucidate the exact mechanism of action of the bioactive compounds of M. urundeuva acting against SARS-CoV-2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fighting SARS-CoV-2 and Related Viruses)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

22 pages, 2582 KiB  
Review
Harnessing Bacillus subtilis Spore Surface Display (BSSD) Technology for Mucosal Vaccines and Drug Delivery: Innovations in Respiratory Virus Immunization
by Howra Bahrulolum, Parisa Beyranvand and Gholamreza Ahmadian
Drugs Drug Candidates 2024, 3(4), 774-795; https://doi.org/10.3390/ddc3040044 - 11 Nov 2024
Viewed by 895
Abstract
Respiratory viruses present significant global health challenges due to their rapid evolution, efficient transmission, and zoonotic potential. These viruses primarily spread through aerosols and droplets, infecting respiratory epithelial cells and causing diseases of varying severity. While traditional intramuscular vaccines are effective in reducing [...] Read more.
Respiratory viruses present significant global health challenges due to their rapid evolution, efficient transmission, and zoonotic potential. These viruses primarily spread through aerosols and droplets, infecting respiratory epithelial cells and causing diseases of varying severity. While traditional intramuscular vaccines are effective in reducing severe illness and mortality, they often fail to induce sufficient mucosal immunity, thereby limiting their capacity to prevent viral transmission. Mucosal vaccines, which specifically target the respiratory tract’s mucosal surfaces, enhance the production of secretory IgA (sIgA) antibodies, neutralize pathogens, and promote the activation of tissue-resident memory B cells (BrMs) and local T cell responses, leading to more effective pathogen clearance and reduced disease severity. Bacillus subtilis spore surface display (BSSD) technology is emerging as a promising platform for the development of mucosal vaccines. By harnessing the stability and robustness of Bacillus subtilis spores to present antigens on their surface, BSSD technology offers several advantages, including enhanced stability, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to induce strong local immune responses. Furthermore, the application of BSSD technology in drug delivery systems opens new avenues for improving patient compliance and therapeutic efficacy in treating respiratory infections by directly targeting mucosal sites. This review examines the potential of BSSD technology in advancing mucosal vaccine development and explores its applications as a versatile drug delivery platform for combating respiratory viral infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fighting SARS-CoV-2 and Related Viruses)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3152 KiB  
Review
In Silico Therapeutic Study: The Next Frontier in the Fight against SARS-CoV-2 and Its Variants
by Calvin R. Wei, Zarrin Basharat and Godwin C. Lang’at
Drugs Drug Candidates 2024, 3(1), 54-69; https://doi.org/10.3390/ddc3010005 - 5 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1785
Abstract
COVID-19 has claimed around 7 million lives (from December 2019–November 2023) worldwide and continues to impact global health. SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 disease, is characterized by a high rate of mutations, which contributes to its rapid spread, virulence, and vaccine escape. While [...] Read more.
COVID-19 has claimed around 7 million lives (from December 2019–November 2023) worldwide and continues to impact global health. SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 disease, is characterized by a high rate of mutations, which contributes to its rapid spread, virulence, and vaccine escape. While several vaccines have been produced to minimize the severity of the coronavirus, and diverse treatment regimens have been approved by the US FDA under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), SARS-CoV-2 viral mutations continue to derail the efforts of scientists as the emerging variants evade the recommended therapies. Nonetheless, diverse computational models exist that offer an opportunity for the swift development of new drugs or the repurposing of old drugs. In this review, we focus on the use of various virtual screening techniques like homology modeling, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, QSAR, pharmacophore modeling, etc., in repurposing SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics against major variants of SARS-CoV-2 (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron). The results have been promising from the computer-aided drug design (CADD) studies in suggesting potential compounds for the treatment of COVID-19 variants. Hence, in silico therapeutic studies represent a transformative approach that holds great promise in advancing our fight against the ever-evolving landscape of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fighting SARS-CoV-2 and Related Viruses)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

7 pages, 460 KiB  
Opinion
Failed Repurposing of Lysosomotropic Drugs for COVID-19 Treatment or Prevention
by François Marceau
Drugs Drug Candidates 2022, 1(1), 22-28; https://doi.org/10.3390/ddc1010003 - 2 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1888
Abstract
The hope for the rapid discovery of an effective drug therapy for COVID-19 has led to several efforts to repurpose drugs approved for other indications. Lysosomotropic drugs, organic amines such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, amiodarone and many others, were found to interfere with the [...] Read more.
The hope for the rapid discovery of an effective drug therapy for COVID-19 has led to several efforts to repurpose drugs approved for other indications. Lysosomotropic drugs, organic amines such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, amiodarone and many others, were found to interfere with the viral life cycle in vitro but have failed in clinical trials. The properties of lysosomotropic drugs and the vacuolar cytopathology induced by them are briefly reviewed, including the critical role of lipophilicity, the central role of vacuolar (V)-ATPase for their concentration in acidic organelles, the altered function of these organelles including impaired endocytosis and secretion, macroautophagic accumulation and secondary phospholipidosis. The apparent preferential uptake of lysosomotropic drugs by phagocytic leukocytes (macrophages, neutrophils) and the high concentrations needed for a sustained disruption of vacuolar trafficking may have contributed to the failure of lysosomotropic drug repurposing for COVID-19. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fighting SARS-CoV-2 and Related Viruses)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop