Open AccessFurin Protease: From SARS CoV-2 to Anthrax, Diabetes, and Hypertension
Author(s) -
Kara Fitzgerald
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the permanente journal/permanente journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.445
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1552-5775
pISSN - 1552-5767
DOI - 10.7812/tpp/20.187
Subject(s) - furin , medicine , virology , covid-19 , protease , coronavirus , diabetes mellitus , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , biology , enzyme , endocrinology , biochemistry
Furin is a protease that is ubiquitous in mammalian metabolism. One of the innovations that make sudden acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) more infectious than its ancestor viruses is the addition of a furin cleavage site. Conditions associated with elevated furin levels, including diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, overlap greatly with vulnerability to the severe form of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We suggest that diet and lifestyle modifications that reduce the associated comorbidities may prevent the development of severe COVID-19 by, in part, lowering circulating furin levels. Likewise, natural and pharmaceutical inhibitors of furin may be candidate prophylactic interventions or, if used early in the COVID-19, may prevent the development of critical symptoms.