New perspectives for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 infection. The role of polyam ine-dependent mechanisms in the life cycle of RNA and DNA viruses in mammals
prev
next
prev
next
Author(s)
Author(s)
New perspectives for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 infection. The role of polyam ine-dependent mechanisms in the life cycle of RNA and DNA viruses in mammals Arto Zilfyan
In the classification of pathogenic viruses proposed by Baltimore in 1971, the leading role is given to the presence of RNA and DNA of genetic material in them, which provided new opportunities in the study of infectious diseases.
In recent years, many virologists, bacteriologists and infectious disease specialists around the world have focused their attention on the newly discovered facts of coexistence and interaction of viruses, mammalian cells and positively charged aliphatic polyamines.
In addition to numerous functions in the mammalian organism, polyamines also play an important role in stabilizing the negative charges of DNA and RNA, RNA transcription, and viral protein synthesis. According to the new data of many advanced specialists in various fields of modern medicine and biology, the significance and role of polyamines in the vital activity of pathogenic viruses in mammals are involved in the processes of penetration of viruses into host cells, where they perform transcription, replication and
packing of their own genetic material.
The presence of polyamines is also found in a number of viruses: enteroviruses, flaviviruses, bunyaviruses, etc. The specific role of polyamines in them is still controversial and largely incomprehensible.
There is a point of view that the presence of polyamines in viral capsids is due to the processes of packing the genetic material. For many viruses, including coronaviruses, there is no information about the presence of polyamines in virions.
Among the new functions of polyamines, namely, facilitating the attachment of the virus to virus-sensitive cells, as well as the penetration of the virus into target cells, are polyamine-dependent.
The fact that the binding of RNA viruses to virus-sensitive cells is regulated by polyamines indicates that the binding of RNA viruses to virus-sensitive cells is suppressed by the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor (synthesizes putrescine from ornithine) (ODC) - difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). It has been established that human viruses, including the pandemic SARS-CoV-2, are sensitive to polyamine depletion and require polyamines primarily for effective cellular attachment.
Thus, depletion of polyamines is a strategy by which mammalian cells can partially suppress viral infection. On the other hand, since the temporary depletion of polyamine reserves is relatively “painless” tolerated by most host cells, it becomes necessary to develop a qualitatively new strategy, by using effective therapeutic agents and/or by including polyamine-deficient products in the diet of patients, to block the level
of polyamines in body, which can be the reason for the limitation of the development of a viral infection.
DOI: https://ysmu.am/v2/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/cd41d8e7-1.pdf The New Armenian Medical Journal Vol.14 (2020), Nо 4 108-122
