mTOR inhibition in COVID-19: A commentary and review of efficacy in RNA viruses

Basil S Karam; Rachel S Morris; Carolyn T Bramante; Michael Puskarich; Emily J Zolfaghari; Sahar Lotfi-Emran; Nicholas E Ingraham; Anthony Charles; David J Odde; Christopher J Tignanelli

doi:10.1002/jmv.26728

mTOR inhibition in COVID-19: A commentary and review of efficacy in RNA viruses

J Med Virol. 2021 Apr;93(4):1843-1846. doi: 10.1002/jmv.26728. Epub 2020 Dec 17.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
² Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
³ Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
⁴ University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
⁵ Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
⁶ Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
⁷ Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
⁸ School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
⁹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
¹¹ Institute for Health Informatics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

Abstract

In this commentary, we shed light on the role of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in viral infections. The mTOR pathway has been demonstrated to be modulated in numerous RNA viruses. Frequently, inhibiting mTOR results in suppression of virus growth and replication. Recent evidence points towards modulation of mTOR in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We discuss the current literature on mTOR in SARS-CoV-2 and highlight evidence in support of a role for mTOR inhibitors in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019.

Keywords: COVID-19; mTOR; mTORi.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
COVID-19 / virology
COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
Humans
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / genetics
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / pathogenicity
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / physiology
RNA Viruses / genetics
RNA Viruses / pathogenicity
RNA Viruses / physiology*
SARS-CoV-2 / genetics
SARS-CoV-2 / pathogenicity
SARS-CoV-2 / physiology*
Signal Transduction / drug effects
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
Virus Replication

Substances

Antiviral Agents
MTOR protein, human
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding