Clinical Trials during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

摘要

In this issue of Nephron, Perico, Benigni, and Remuzzi offer a concise overview of the interactions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) pathway(s), and the cell surface glycoprotein ACE2, and describe the mechanism of cellular SARS-CoV-2 uptake via the endocytosis-lysosomal pathway [1]. There is growing interest in using 4-aminoquinolines to prevent and/or treat COVID-19, which is the clinical syndrome associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This class of drugs has an ancient history starting with the recorded use of quinine in 1640 and in cutaneous lupus in 1894, and development of a large number of congeners (including chloroquinoline and hydroxyquinoline) for malarial prophylaxis during World War II [2]. The use of 4-aminochloroquines for prophylaxis of malaria does not appear to involve the endosomal-lysosomal pathway, while the lipophilicity and pK > 7.4 are central to the antiviral and antibacterial effects of the 4-aminochloroquines [2].