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Statins: Could an old friend help the fight against COVID-19?
  • +8
  • Raúl Rodrigues Díez,
  • Antonio Tejera-Muñoz,
  • Laura Marquez-Exposito,
  • Sandra Rayego Mateos,
  • Laura Santos-Sanchez,
  • Vanessa Marchant,
  • Lucía Tejedor-Santamaria,
  • ADRIÁN RAMOS,
  • Alberto Ortiz,
  • Jesús Egido,
  • Marta Ruiz-Ortega
Raúl Rodrigues Díez
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Antonio Tejera-Muñoz
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz
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Laura Marquez-Exposito
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz
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Sandra Rayego Mateos
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz
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Laura Santos-Sanchez
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz
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Vanessa Marchant
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz
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Lucía Tejedor-Santamaria
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz
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ADRIÁN RAMOS
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD)
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Alberto Ortiz
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz
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Jesús Egido
IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz
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Marta Ruiz-Ortega
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD)
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Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has overwhelmed Healthcare Systems requiring the rapid development of treatments, at least, to reduce COVID-19 severity. Drug repurposing offers a fast track. Here, we discuss the potential beneficial effects of statins in COVID-19 patients based on evidence that they may target virus receptors, replication, degradation and downstream responses in infected cells, addressing both basic research and epidemiological information. Briefly, statins could act modulating virus entry, acting on the SARS-CoV-2 receptors, ACE2 and CD147, and/or lipid rafts engagement. Statins, by inducing autophagy activation, could regulate virus replication or degradation, exerting protective effects. The well-known anti-inflammatory properties of statins, by blocking several molecular mechanisms, including NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome, could limit the “cytokine storm” in severe COVID-19 patients which is linked to fatal outcome. Finally, statin moderation of coagulation response activation may also contribute to improve COVID-19 outcomes.
22 May 2020Submitted to British Journal of Pharmacology
25 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
25 May 2020Assigned to Editor
25 May 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
27 May 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
28 May 20201st Revision Received
02 Jun 2020Submission Checks Completed
02 Jun 2020Assigned to Editor
09 Jun 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
10 Jun 2020Editorial Decision: Accept