Lipid compartments and lipid metabolism as therapeutic targets against coronavirus

Front Immunol. 2023 Dec 1:14:1268854. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1268854. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Lipids perform a series of cellular functions, establishing cell and organelles' boundaries, organizing signaling platforms, and creating compartments where specific reactions occur. Moreover, lipids store energy and act as secondary messengers whose distribution is tightly regulated. Disruption of lipid metabolism is associated with many diseases, including those caused by viruses. In this scenario, lipids can favor virus replication and are not solely used as pathogens' energy source. In contrast, cells can counteract viruses using lipids as weapons. In this review, we discuss the available data on how coronaviruses profit from cellular lipid compartments and why targeting lipid metabolism may be a powerful strategy to fight these cellular parasites. We also provide a formidable collection of data on the pharmacological approaches targeting lipid metabolism to impair and treat coronavirus infection.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; caveolae; caveolin; coronavirus; inflammation; lipid droplets; lipid metabolism; lipid nanodomains.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Coronavirus Infections* / drug therapy
  • Coronavirus*
  • Humans
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Lipids
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Lipids

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research was funded by Oswaldo Cruz Foundation/FIOCRUZ Inova Program, by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), and by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.