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Review
. 2020 Aug 1;319(2):C244-C249.
doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00187.2020. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

H2S as a potential defense against COVID-19?

Guangdong Yang  1   2
Affiliations
Review

H2S as a potential defense against COVID-19?

Guangdong Yang. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. .

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2) is posing a global health emergency and has led to more than 380,000 deaths worldwide. The cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 depends on two host proteins angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). There is currently no vaccine available and also no effective drug for the treatment of COVID-19. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a novel gasotransmitter has been shown to protect against lung damage via its anti-inflammation, antioxidative stress, antiviral, prosurvival, and antiaging effects. In light of the research advances on H2S signaling in biology and medicine, this review proposed H2S as a potential defense against COVID-19. It is suggested that H2S may block SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells by interfering with ACE2 and TMPRSS2, inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication by attenuating virus assembly/release, and protect SARS-CoV-2-induced lung damage by suppressing immune response and inflammation development. Preclinical studies and clinical trials with slow-releasing H2S donor(s) or the activators of endogenous H2S-generating enzymes should be considered as a preventative treatment or therapy for COVID-19.

Keywords: ACE2; COVID-19; H2S; SARS-CoV-2; TMPRSS2.

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Conflict of interest statement

No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the authors.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
The proposed pathways underlying the protective roles of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) against COVID-19. H2S as a novel gasotransmitter regulates a variety of physiological functions and provides protection against organ damages (box 1). H2S also displays beneficial roles in preventing lung disorders (box 2) and viral replication (box 3). Cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE)-derived H2S (box 4) or exogenously applied H2S may block severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) entry into the host cells by interrupting angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), inhibit virus replication by attenuating syncytium formation and virus assembly/release, and protect SARS-CoV-2-induced lung damage by suppressing the immune response and inflammation development. The dotted line indicates the prediction, and the red line means the blockage of the pathway. CVB3, coxsackie virus B3; PPG, dl-propargylglycine; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus.
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