Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a virus belonging to the Coronavirus family, is now known to cause Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) which was first recognized in December 2019. Covid-19 leads to respiratory illnesses ranging from mild infections to pneumonia and lung failure. Strikingly, within a few months of its first report, Covid-19 has spread worldwide at an exceptionally high speed and it has caused enormous human casualties. As yet, there is no specific treatment for Covid-19. Designing inhibitory drugs that can interfere with the viral entry process constitutes one of the main preventative therapies that could combat SARS-CoV-2 infection at an early stage. In this review, we provide a brief introduction of the main features of coronaviruses, discuss the entering mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 into human host cells and review small molecules that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells. Specifically, we focus on small molecules, identified by experimental validation and/or computational prediction, that target the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and the different host cell proteases that activate viral fusion. Given the persistent rise in Covid-19 cases to date, efforts should be directed towards validating the therapeutic effectiveness of these identified small molecule inhibitors.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, angiotensin converting enzyme 2, inhibitors, Spike protein, small molecule, 【초록키워드】 ACE2, Coronaviruses, therapy, Pneumonia, SARS-COV-2 infection, Respiratory illness, drug, virus, coronavirus 2, Spread, therapeutic, Effectiveness, Small molecules, receptor, respiratory, early stage, mechanism, mild infection, Small molecule inhibitors, host cells, enzyme, experimental validation, effort, specific treatment, inhibitory, lung failure, viral entry process, feature, caused, interfere, activate, host cell protease, human host cell, inhibit SARS-CoV-2, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 inhibition, molecule,