Despite the intense research work since the beginning of the pandemic, the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is not yet clearly understood. The previous mechanism of COVID-19, based on ACE2 tropism and explained through a single receptor, is insufficient to explain the pathogenesis due to the absence of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors in most of the affected organs. In the current study, we used the PatchDock server to run a molecular docking study of both the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR) and G-protein-coupled-receptor (GPCR) with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations were run to analyze the stability of the complexes using the GROMACS package. The docking results showed a high affinity between the spike protein with the GnRHR (−1424.9 kcal/mol) and GPCR (−1451.8 kcal/mol). The results of the MD simulations revealed the significant stability of the spike protein with the GnRHR and GPCR up to 100 ns. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein had strong binding interactions with the GPCRs and GnRHRs, which are highly expressed in the brain, endocrine organs, and olfactory neurons. This study paves the way towards understanding the complex mechanism of neuroendocrine involvement and peripheral organ involvement, may explain the changing symptoms in patients due to new variants, and may lead to the discovery of new drug targets for COVID-19. In vitro studies involving genetic engineering or gene knockdown of the GPCRs and GnRHRs are needed to further investigate the role of these receptors in COVID-19 pathogenesis.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected over 100 million people causing over 2.4 million deaths over the world, and it is still expanding. Given the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinical investigation of approved drugs is a promising alternative to find a timely effective treatment. In this randomized trial, we investigated the activity of both oral and aerosolized 13 cis retinoic acid in the treatment of SARS-COV-2 added to standard of care treatment in patients with COVID-19 versus standard of care treatment alone. This was a randomized controlled trial conducted at Kafrelsheikh University’s Quarantine Hospitals, Egypt. After obtaining informed consent, forty patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were enrolled in the study. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group I; 20 patients received aerosolized and oral 13 cis retinoic acid plus standard of care treatment (13 cis RA group) and Group II; 20 patients received only standard care treatment as a control group. The two groups were age and gender matched. There was no statistically significant difference between them in any of the baseline characteristics or laboratory parameters. The results showed that there was a high significant difference between the two groups regarding intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mortality and improvement (P<0.05). Only 10.52 % of patients in the 13 cis retinoic acid group needed ICU admission compared to 28.57 % in the control arm. There was no mortality in the 13 cis retinoic acid group, whereas about 14.35% were died in the group II. All patients who received 13 cis retinoic acid noticed a high improvement (P<0.001), and the mean value for clinical improvement was 16.3±4.5 days. There was no significant difference regarding the laboratory parameters before and after 14 days of treatment in the group of patients received the standard of care treatment (P=0.66). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed overall mortality was significantly related to the patient’s age, serum ferritin, C-reactive protein, oxygen saturation, the presence of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and abdominal pain. We conclude that 13 cis retinoic acid is a promising drug in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 infection, when added to the standard of care treatment.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a type of interleukin that functions as both a pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine. It is encoded by the IL6 gene in humans. Both COVID-19 infection and S-Protein Based Vaccines for COVID-19 were found to induce the production of proinflammatory IL-6, and also, strenuous exercise was found to induce IL-6 secretion by the skeletal muscles via lactate. Exercise causes skeletal muscle cells to release IL-6, and it raises the plasma concentration of IL-6 100 times higher than at rest . Exercise-induced IL-6 release is highly correlated with exercise intensity and duration; thus, IL-6 is regarded as an energy sensor released by contracting muscles. but It was found that rare adverse effects such as myocardial infarction and coagulation abnormalities , are rarely associated with S-Protein Based Vaccines for COVID-19. Recently, it was showed in a study that most patients who experienced myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccine were young male youth aged 16 to 29 years had the highest incidence of myocarditis. Interestingly, It was observed that IL-6 was linked to adverse effects such as thrombosis and myocarditis, both of which are similar to that was caused by COVID-19 infection, and that S-Protein Based Vaccines for COVID-19. Here, we propose a testable hypothesis that strenuous exercise could be a risk and cofactor helping in the existing of these adverse effects in young people such as myocarditis and thrombosis via induction the secretion of proinflammatory IL-6. In our prospective observational study we will assess the possible correlation among the strenuous exercise , IL-6, myocarditis and thrombosis. The study will be multi-center and will involve young patient who will be vaccinated with first ,second and third dose of S-Protein Based Vaccines for COVID-19 (Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine). Pfizer and BioNTech have successfully developed the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, which consists of the full-length S glycoprotein with the K986P and V987P mutation sites. Also, Moderna's mRNA-1273 vaccine contains the coding sequence for a S glycoprotein stabilized by a pair of proline substitutions (K986P/V987P), a transmembrane anchor, and an intact S1-S2 cleavage site

BackgroundA global pandemic of pneumonia caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019. Although, the ACE2 receptor has been demonstrated to be the main entry receptor of COVID-19, but our docking analysis , predicted and discovered a novel receptor termed STRA6 that may play a critical role in the pathogenicity of COVID-19 and explain the common pre and post COVID-19 symptoms with unknown etiology. STRA6 receptor expressed in many organs and immune cells, upregulated by retinoic acid jm6 (STRA6) was the first protein to be identified in a novel category of proteins, cytokine signaling transporters, due to its ability to function as both a cell surface receptor and a membrane protein that binds to retinol binding protein facilitating cellular uptake of retinol. The primary ligand of STRA6 (vitamin/retinol) was shown to be drastically reduced during COVID-19 infection, which agrees with our findings.Methods The STRA6 receptor protein were submitted to the server for functional interaction associated network between partners for the STRING (Research Online of Interacting Genes/Proteins Data Basis version 10.0)13 .Docking study of each Spike -ACE 2 and STRA6 receptor protein were carried out using HDOCK server (http://hdock.phys.hust.edu.cn/). The binding mode of Spike -ACE 2 and STRA6 receptor protein is retrieved form the PDB https://www.rcsb.org/ with accession number (7DMU , 5sy1)ResultsSurprisingly, our molecular docking based analysis showed that spike protein Receptor Binding Domain(RDB) of COVID-19 strongly and efficiently binds to STRA6 receptor, definitely to the RDB vital residues of RBP-binding motif located in STRA6 receptor. STRA6 receptor is a membrane receptor responsible for signaling and transporting of Vitamin A(Retinol) from plasma retinol binding protein (RBP) to our cells. In an outstanding manner, COVID-19 Spike protein exhibited high docking score with human STRA6 with low binding energy . The docking score of COVID-19 spike protein was stronger than the docking score of spike protein with ACE2.The surface view of complex reveals that the binding pocket of STRA6- Spike protein and Spike ACE 2 complexes with RMSD (189.44 Å , 1.00 Å ) representatively and docking score (-341.21 ,-354.68) kcal/mol the quality of the receptor and the ligand are LGscore and MaxSub ( 2.416 , 0.147 ). The spike to bind to RDB of the STRA 6 protein in the ILE 131C , MET 145C , HIS 86A with interface residue( 4.961 , 4.953 and 3.271) representatively.In conclusionSTRA6 mutations results in a broad spectrum of complication related to malformations including congenital heart defects , anophthalmia, alveolar capillary dysplasia, diaphragmatic hernia, lung hypoplasia and mental retardation. Moreover, Retinoic acid metabolism is defective in COVID-19 (cytokine storm), sepsis, ARDS and SIRS. Therefore, we believe that this novel discovery that STRA6 receptor acts as a novel binding receptor for COVID-19 will shed new light on effective treatments against COVID-19 and may explain many pre and post-covid-91 symptoms with unknown etiology . Therefore, reconstitution of the signaling of retinoid may prove to be a valid strategy for COVID-19 management. According to our findings Vitamin A supplements and retinoic acid will be promising and effective treatments for COVID-19 infection and its unknown aetiology symptoms. it worth mentioning that aerosolized all- trans retinoic acid is currently under clinical investigation (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05002530)

Cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) is a life-threatening consequence of inflammatory immunological illnesses; it can also occur with COVID-19 infection. CSS is characterized by a disruption in cytokine synthesis, including regulatory, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in pathologic stimulation of innate in addition to adaptive (Th17 and Th1 mediated) response. In the pathophysiology of CSS, interleukin-6 could play a key role. The significant role of IL-6 in COVID-19 pathogenesis was established in a wide variety of researches, which reported that the plasma concentration of IL-6 was raised in COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms. COVID-19 spike protein binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the virus's cellular receptor, causes a cascade of molecular processes that could result in hyperinflammation which may lead to cytokine storm. Therefore, the development of new natural therapies and repurposing some drugs such as Phenformin and Docosahexaenoic acid that could compete with COVID-19 for ACE2 binding or inhibit IL-6 activity may possibly help COVID-19 patients avoid a cytokine storm and save their lives through inhibiting IL-6 and preventing SARS-CoV-2 RBD attachment to ACE2. Herein we made a docking based screening for some natural phytochemicals and drugs that could be repurposed according to our findings to counter COVID-19 cell entry and inhibit the hyper activation of IL-6. Our results revealed that a five phytochemicals including Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), bromelain, luteolin, vitexin and isovitexin) showed a high binding affinities with best interactions with the active sites of IL-6. The binding affinities of these phytochemicals including, EGCG, bromelain, luteolin, vitexin and isovitexin with IL-6 were (-7.7, -6.7, -7.4, -7.2 and − 7.3 ), respectively. In addition to, phenformin showed a high binding affinity with best interactions with the active sites of IL-6 and ACE2. The binding affinity of phenformin with IL-6 was (-7.4) and with ACE 2 ( -7.2). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) had a moderate binding affinity and moderate interactions with the active sites of IL-6 and had a high binding affinity with best interactions with ACE2 active sites. The binding affinity of Docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) with IL-6 was (-5.3) and with AC2 (-6.3).ConclusionProposing possible IL-6 inhibitors with less adverse effects has been suggested as a way to aid COVID-19 patients who are suffering from severe cytokine storms. This study has been designed to elucidate the potential of potent antiviral phytocompounds as well as phenformin and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as a potent ACE2 and IL-6 inhibitors. The compounds interact with different active sites of IL6 and ACE2 which are involved in direct or indirect contacts with the ACE2 and IL-6 receptors which might act as potential blockers of functional ACE2 and IL-6 receptor complex. It worth mentioning that phenformin which showed high binding affinity with both ACE2 and IL-6 is currently under investigation for treating COVID-19 ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05003492

Zinc is a trace metal ion that has a role in both physiological and pathological processes, making it one of the most common and necessary components involved in brain function. Besides, zinc is required for cell proliferation control in a variety of mechanisms, including hormonal regulation of cell division. Also, zinc serves as a biochemical signal to immune cells and transcription factors involved in the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines. On the other hand, zinc has a variety of crucial roles in neurogenesis and also acts as a neuromodulator on a wide range of membrane receptors, ion channels, and transporters. Zinc is produced by neurons under several conditions to activate microglia. The link between zinc dysregulation and psychiatric disorder was that zinc acts as an inhibitory modulator at the N-methyl-D aspartic acid (NMDA) glutamate receptor. Ionophores are ion carrier molecules that reversibly bind and transport ions through biological membranes. Ionophores can be natural or synthetic products. Zinc ionophores such as quercetin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), hinokitol, and proanthocyanidins have been shown to protect brain health, particularly in depression clinically significant depression and depressive symptoms in post-COVID-19 syndrome may have severe implications as it relates to life outcomes quality, herein according to previous research studies, we showed zinc deficiency as a possible risk factor for depression symptoms, which were commonly observed following severe infection of COVID-19.