Methylene Blue Is a Nonspecific Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitor with Potential for Repurposing as an Antiviral for COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: We have previously identified methylene blue, a tricyclic phenothiazine dye approved for clinical use for the treatment of methemoglobinemia and for other medical applications as a small-molecule inhibitor of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) between the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and ACE2, the first critical step of the attachment and entry of this coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we show that methylene blue concentration dependently inhibits this PPI for the spike protein of the original strain as well as for those of variants of concern such as the D614G mutant and delta (B.1.617.2) with IC₅₀ in the low micromolar range (1-5 μM). Methylene blue also showed promiscuous activity and inhibited several other PPIs of viral proteins (e.g

SUBMITTER: Chuang ST 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9144480 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature