Therapeutic Potential of Iron Chelators in Viral Diseases: A Systematic Review

Overview

Journal Curr Med Chem

Publisher Bentham Science Publishers

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2024 Feb 7

PMID 38321902

Authors

Maryam Shamseddini Lori

Azade Kalantari Khandani

Gholamreza Dehghannoudeh

Mandana Ohadi

Mehdi Ansari

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Iron chelators (ICs) have recently emerged as one of the new methods of treatment for viral infections. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency and safety of natural ICs compared to synthetic ICs. Natural and synthetic ICs are the most common therapeutic agents tested for the treatment of viral infections. When evaluated against synthetic ICs, natural ICs are probably favored owing to their lower toxicity and safer properties. The main objective of the present systematic review was to assess the current evidence on the role of pharmacological mechanisms in the treatment of viral infections.

Methods: This study was designed as a systematic review in which search strategies were focused on two electronic databases, PubMed, and Scopus, between 2017 and 2021. A search filter with two subjects, "iron chelators" and "viral infection", was employed.

Results: According to the results, both natural and synthetic chelators had a considerable impact on the treatment of viral infections various mechanisms, with natural ICs being the most extensively used.

Conclusion: Natural and synthetic ICs exert their effects through different pharmacological mechanisms. Among these compounds, natural chelators are more widely used due to their safety, efficacy, and a wider range of applications.

References

Mirza A, Shamshad H, Osra F, Habeebullah T, Morad M . An overview of viruses discovered over the last decades and drug development for the current pandemic. Eur J Pharmacol. 2020; 890:173746. PMC: 8711773. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173746. View

Wu F, Zhao S, Yu B, Chen Y, Wang W, Song Z . A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China. Nature. 2020; 579(7798):265-269. PMC: 7094943. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2008-3. View

Schmidt S . The role of iron in viral infections. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2019; 25(5):893-911. DOI: 10.2741/4839. View

Aslam N, Iqbal M, Hussain S, Rizwan M, Naseer Q, Afzal M . Effects of chelating agents on heavy metals in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) patients. Math Biosci Eng. 2019; 16(3):1138-1149. DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2019054. View

Meyer D . Iron chelation as therapy for HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis co-infection under conditions of iron overload. Curr Pharm Des. 2006; 12(16):1943-7. DOI: 10.2174/138161206777442164. View

Hatcher H, Singh R, Torti F, Torti S . Synthetic and natural iron chelators: therapeutic potential and clinical use. Future Med Chem. 2011; 1(9):1643-70. PMC: 3821171. DOI: 10.4155/fmc.09.121. View

Buss J, Torti F, Torti S . The role of iron chelation in cancer therapy. Curr Med Chem. 2003; 10(12):1021-34. DOI: 10.2174/0929867033457638. View

Dalamaga M, Karampela I, Mantzoros C . Commentary: Could iron chelators prove to be useful as an adjunct to COVID-19 Treatment Regimens?. Metabolism. 2020; 108:154260. PMC: 7207125. DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2020.154260. View

Williams A, Meyer D . Desferrioxamine as immunomodulatory agent during microorganism infection. Curr Pharm Des. 2009; 15(11):1261-8. DOI: 10.2174/138161209787846801. View

10.

Liu W, Zhang S, Nekhai S, Liu S . Depriving Iron Supply to the Virus Represents a Promising Adjuvant Therapeutic Against Viral Survival. Curr Clin Microbiol Rep. 2020; 7(2):13-19. PMC: 7169647. DOI: 10.1007/s40588-020-00140-w. View

11.

Saxena D, Spino M, Tricta F, Connelly J, Cracchiolo B, Hanauske A . Drug-Based Lead Discovery: The Novel Ablative Antiretroviral Profile of Deferiprone in HIV-1-Infected Cells and in HIV-Infected Treatment-Naive Subjects of a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Exploratory Trial. PLoS One. 2016; 11(5):e0154842. PMC: 4871512. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154842. View

12.

Habib H, Ibrahim S, Zaim A, Ibrahim W . The role of iron in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and possible treatment with lactoferrin and other iron chelators. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021; 136:111228. PMC: 7836924. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111228. View

13.

Khan N, Chen X, Geiger J . Role of Divalent Cations in HIV-1 Replication and Pathogenicity. Viruses. 2020; 12(4). PMC: 7232465. DOI: 10.3390/v12040471. View

14.

Farkas E, Enyedy E, Zekany L, Deak G . Interaction between iron(II) and hydroxamic acids: oxidation of iron(II) to iron(III) by desferrioxamine B under anaerobic conditions. J Inorg Biochem. 2001; 83(2-3):107-14. DOI: 10.1016/s0162-0134(00)00197-5. View

15.

Shankaran P, Madlenakova M, Hajkova V, Jilich D, Svobodova I, Horinek A . Effects of heme degradation products on reactivation of latent HIV-1. Acta Virol. 2017; 61(1):86-96. DOI: 10.4149/av_2017_01_86. View

16.

Muhoberac B . What Can Cellular Redox, Iron, and Reactive Oxygen Species Suggest About the Mechanisms and Potential Therapy of COVID-19?. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020; 10:569709. PMC: 7767833. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.569709. View

17.

Abobaker A . Can iron chelation as an adjunct treatment of COVID-19 improve the clinical outcome?. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2020; 76(11):1619-1620. PMC: 7325475. DOI: 10.1007/s00228-020-02942-9. View

18.

Abobaker A . Reply: Iron chelation may harm patients with COVID-19. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2020; 77(2):267-268. PMC: 7459945. DOI: 10.1007/s00228-020-02988-9. View

19.

Zou D, Rong D, Zhao H, Su L, Sun W . Improvement of chronic hepatitis B by iron chelation therapy in a patient with iron overload: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018; 96(52):e9566. PMC: 6392519. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000009566. View

20.

Masson P, Heremans J . Lactoferrin in milk from different species. Comp Biochem Physiol B. 1971; 39(1):119-29. DOI: 10.1016/0305-0491(71)90258-6. View