著者

Itsuro Kazama

出版者

International Research and Cooperation Association for Bio & Socio-Sciences Advancement

雑誌

Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics (ISSN:18817831)

巻号頁・発行日

pp.2020.03095, (Released:2020-10-29)

参考文献数

30

被引用文献数

21

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Regardless of the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a high proportion of patients struggle with persistent respiratory or systemic symptoms after recovery. This is called "postCOVID syndrome", for which pulmonary fibrosis is one of the pathogenesis. Besides T-lymphocytes and macrophages, mast cells also contribute to the development of cytokine storm and thus stimulate the activity of fibroblasts. Additionally, by the exocytotic release of fibroblast-activating factors, mast cells directly facilitate the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. In our previous basic studies, anti-allergic drugs (olopatadine, ketotifen), antibiotics (clarithromycin) and corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, dexamethasone) inhibited the process of exocytosis and showed their potency as highly effective mast cell stabilizers. Given such pharmacological properties of these commonly used drugs, they may be useful in the treatment of post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis and in relieving the symptoms of post-COVID syndrome.

著者

Itsuro Kazama

出版者

International Research and Cooperation Association for Bio & Socio-Sciences Advancement

雑誌

Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics (ISSN:18817831)

巻号頁・発行日

pp.2020.03046, (Released:2020-06-25)

参考文献数

18

被引用文献数

3 17

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In the midst of a pandemic, finding effective treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the urgent issue. In "chronic inflammatory diseases", the overexpression of delayed rectifier K+-channels (Kv1.3) in leukocytes is responsible for the overactivation of cellular immunity and the subsequent cytokine storm. In our previous basic studies, drugs including chloroquine and azithromycin strongly suppressed the channel activity and pro-inflammatory cytokine production from lymphocytes. These findings suggest a novel pharmacological mechanism by which chloroquine, with or without azithromycin, is effective for severe cases of COVID-19, in which the overactivation of cellular immunity and the subsequent cytokine storm are responsible for the pathogenesis.

著者

Itsuro Kazama Momono Senzaki

出版者

International Research and Cooperation Association for Bio & Socio-Sciences Advancement

雑誌

Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics (ISSN:18817831)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.15, no.5, pp.278-280, 2021-10-31 (Released:2021-11-21)

参考文献数

20

被引用文献数

10

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To help stop the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, vaccines are currently the most critical tool. However, the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines frequently cause systemic side effects shortly after the injection, such as fever, headache and generalized fatigue. In our survey, after receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 80% developed fever, 62% headache and 69% generalized fatigue. Among people who required antipyretics, the average durations of fever and headache were significantly shorter in those who took non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, loxoprofen and ibuprofen, than those who took acetaminophen. In our patch-clamp studies, NSAIDs effectively suppressed the delayed rectifier K+-channel (Kv1.3) currents in T-lymphocytes and thus exerted immunosuppressive effects. Because of this pharmacological property, the use of NSAIDs should be more effective in reducing the vaccine-induced systemic side effects that are caused primarily by the enhanced cellular immunity.