title: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus entry as a target of antiviral therapies.
abstract: The identification in 2003 of a coronavirus as the aetiological agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) intensified efforts to understand the biology of coronaviruses in general and SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in particular. Rapid progress was made in describing the SARS-CoV genome, evolution and lifecycle. Identification of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as an obligate cellular receptor for SARS-CoV contributed to understanding of the SARS-CoV entry process, and helped to characterize two targets of antiviral therapeutics: the SARS-CoV spike protein and ACE2. Here we describe the role of these proteins in SARS-CoV replication and potential therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing entry of SARS-CoV into target cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, New England Primate Research Center, Southborough, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jens H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Wenhui
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sheli R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Radoshitzky
authors.forename: Hyeryun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farzan
mesh_terms: D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002415:Cats; D002417:Cattle; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C578557:spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; C000705307:ACE2 protein, human; C000705329:Ace2 protein, rat; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2