A novel logical model of COVID-19 intracellular infection to support therapies development

PLoS Comput Biol. 2022 Aug 29;18(8):e1010443. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010443. eCollection 2022 Aug.

Abstract

In this paper, a logical-based mathematical model of the cellular pathways involved in the COVID-19 infection has been developed to study various drug treatments (single or in combination), in different illness scenarios, providing insights into their mechanisms of action. Drug simulations suggest that the effects of single drugs are limited, or depending on the scenario counterproductive, whereas better results appear combining different treatments. Specifically, the combination of the anti-inflammatory Baricitinib and the anti-viral Remdesivir showed significant benefits while a stronger efficacy emerged from the triple combination of Baricitinib, Remdesivir, and the corticosteroid Dexamethasone. Together with a sensitivity analysis, we performed an analysis of the mechanisms of the drugs to reveal their impact on molecular pathways.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Monophosphate / therapeutic use
  • Alanine / pharmacology
  • Alanine / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • Humans
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Adenosine Monophosphate
  • Alanine

Grants and funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.