Statins: Could an old friend help in the fight against COVID‐19?

• Published in: British journal of pharmacology 2020-11, Vol.177 (21), p.4873-4886
• Main Authors: Rodrigues‐Diez, Raul R., Tejera‐Muñoz, Antonio, Marquez‐Exposito, Laura, Rayego‐Mateos, Sandra, Santos Sanchez, Laura, Marchant, Vanessa, Tejedor Santamaria, Lucía, Ramos, Adrian M., Ortiz, Alberto, Egido, Jesus, Ruiz‐Ortega, Marta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACE2; Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Animals; Autophagy; Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification; CD147 antigen; Coronavirus Infections - drug therapy; Coronavirus Infections - immunology; Coronavirus Infections - virology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 Drug Treatment; Cytokine storm; Cytokines - immunology; Drug Repositioning; Epidemiology; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Inflammasomes; Inflammation; Lipid rafts; Molecular modelling; Pandemics; Phagocytosis; Pneumonia, Viral - drug therapy; Pneumonia, Viral - immunology; Pneumonia, Viral - virology; Replication; Review; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Statins; Themed Issue: Review; Virus Internalization - drug effects
• ISSN: 0007-1188; 1476-5381; 1476-5381
• DOI: 10.1111/bph.15166

The 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 modulate 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 inflammasomes, 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 improving COVID‐19 outcomes. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed issue on The Pharmacology of COVID‐19. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v177.21/issuetoc