5-amino levulinic acid inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro

Yasuteru Sakurai; Mya Myat Ngwe Tun; Yohei Kurosaki; Takaya Sakura; Daniel Ken Inaoka; Kiyotaka Fujine; Kiyoshi Kita; Kouichi Morita; Jiro Yasuda

doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.01.091

5-amino levulinic acid inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2021 Mar 19:545:203-207. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.01.091. Epub 2021 Jan 29.

Authors

Yasuteru Sakurai¹, Mya Myat Ngwe Tun², Yohei Kurosaki³, Takaya Sakura⁴, Daniel Ken Inaoka⁵, Kiyotaka Fujine⁶, Kiyoshi Kita⁷, Kouichi Morita⁸, Jiro Yasuda⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan. Electronic address: ysakurai@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
² Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
³ Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan.
⁴ Department of Molecular Infection Dynamics, Shionogi Global Infectious Diseases Division, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
⁵ Department of Molecular Infection Dynamics, Shionogi Global Infectious Diseases Division, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
⁶ Pharmaceutical Research Department, Global Pharmaceutical R&D Division, Neopharma Japan Co., Ltd, Tokyo, 102-0071, Japan.
⁷ School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; Department of Host - Defense Biochemistry, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan. Electronic address: kitak@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
⁸ Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan. Electronic address: moritak@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
⁹ Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan. Electronic address: j-yasuda@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.

Abstract

The current COVID-19 pandemic requires urgent development of effective therapeutics. 5-amino levulinic acid (5-ALA) is a naturally synthesized amino acid and has been used for multiple purposes including as an anticancer therapy and as a dietary supplement due to its high bioavailability. In this study, we demonstrated that 5-ALA treatment potently inhibited infection of SARS-CoV-2, a causative agent of COVID-19, in cell culture. The antiviral effects could be detected in both human and non-human cells, without significant cytotoxicity. Therefore, 5-ALA is worth to be further investigated as an antiviral drug candidate for COVID-19.

Keywords: 5-ALA; Antiviral drug; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aminolevulinic Acid
Animals
Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage
Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
COVID-19 / prevention & control
COVID-19 / virology
COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
Caco-2 Cells
Chlorocebus aethiops
Citric Acid
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
Ferrous Compounds / pharmacology
Humans
Levulinic Acids / administration & dosage
Levulinic Acids / pharmacology*
Vero Cells

Substances

Antiviral Agents
Ferrous Compounds
Levulinic Acids
Citric Acid
ferrous citrate