Enzalutamide, a Prostate Cancer Therapeutic, Downregulates TMPRSS2 in Lung and Reduces Cellular Entry of SARS-CoV-2
January 2021
in “
Research Square (Research Square)
”
TLDR Enzalutamide, a prostate cancer drug, may help prevent COVID-19 by blocking the virus from entering lung cells.
The document from January 2021 presented research on the use of enzalutamide, a prostate cancer drug, in reducing the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into lung cells. The study found that SARS-CoV-2 requires two host cell surface proteins, ACE2 and TMPRSS2, to enter lung cells. TMPRSS2, a target of the androgen receptor, can be downregulated by enzalutamide, thus potentially inhibiting the virus's entry. The researchers demonstrated that enzalutamide treatment reduced TMPRSS2 levels in human lung cells and significantly decreased viral entry and infection. The study suggested that antiandrogens like enzalutamide could be a potential treatment option for COVID-19, warranting further clinical trials.
