Sodium Ferrous Citrate

An amino acid called 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) might be key to reduce the expression of ACE2, a cell membrane receptor that SARS-CoV-2 uses to infect cells. New insights have clarified the relationship between ACE2, ALA, and the production of heme, which could pave the way to anti-viral drugs to cure COVID-19. An amino acid called 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) might be key to reduce the expression of ACE2, a cell membrane receptor that SARS-CoV-2 uses to infect cells. New insights gained by scientists at Tokyo Tech have clarified the relationship between ACE2, ALA, and the production of heme, which could pave the way to anti-viral drugs to cure COVID-19. After more than two years since its discovery, six million deaths, and half a billion reported cases, there is still no effective cure for COVID-19. Even though vaccines have lowered the impact of outbreaks, patients that contract the disease can only receive supportive care while they wait for their own body to clear the infection. A promising COVID-19 treatment strategy that has been gaining traction lately is targeting angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This is a receptor found on the cell membrane that allows entry of the virus into the cell due to its high affinity for SARS-CoV-2's spike protein. The idea is that reducing the levels of ACE2 on the membrane of cells could be a way to prevent the virus from entering them and replicating, thereby lowering its infectious capabilities. In a recent study published in PLOS ONE, a team of scientists including Associate Professor Shun-Ichiro Ogura from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, analyzed the potential of a natural amino acid called 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) to reduce the expression of ACE2. This research was performed in collaboration with SBI Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. As the researchers explain in their paper, ALA had been identified in 2021 as a compound that seemed to reduce the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2. However, the underlying mechanisms that led to this phenomenon remained unknown, until now. The team hypothesized that the results of the 2021 study could be explained by an effect of ALA on the expression of ACE2. To test their hypothesis, they prepared human cell cultures, administered ACE2 on some of them, and compared the levels of ACE2 in treated cells versus control cells. As expected, the amount of available ACE2 in treated cells was significantly lower than in control cells. But the story doesn't end there. Upon uptake, cells transform ALA into a molecule called protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and subsequently into heme -- a precursor of hemoglobin and other useful proteins. This hinted that the expression of ACE2 could be linked to the production of either of these compounds. Thus, the team checked the levels of PpIX and heme in cells treated with ALA. "We observed significant increases in the concentration of intracellular PpIX, suggesting that ALA was uptaken into the cell and converted into PpIX," remarks Ogura, "However, only a slight increase in heme concentration was observed, which might be due to the lack of an iron source to convert PpIX into heme." After introducing an iron source in the form of sodium ferrous citrate, the intracellular levels of heme increased significantly and the expression of ACE2 became even lower. These results suggest ACE2 expression is kept in check by heme production, the latter of which can be boosted by the co-administration of ALA and an iron source. Overall, this study sheds light on how ALA and the heme production pathway could form the basis of a cure for COVID-19. "We believe ALA could be developed into a potential anti-viral agent for SARS-CoV-2, which may play an important role in the eradication of the disease in a global scale in the near future," concludes Dr. Ogura.

Cooking a delicious risotto and making plastics are actually very similar processes. In both, ingredients come together and are heated to create a product, but current recipes for synthesizing bioplastics often fall flat, producing flimsy materials. So, taking a hint from chefs, researchers now report on a way to 'season' biodegradable plastics to make them stronger. It just takes a 'pinch' of cream of tartar (tartaric acid) or citric acid. Cooking a delicious risotto and making plastics are actually very similar processes. In both, ingredients come together and are heated to create a product, but current recipes for synthesizing bioplastics often fall flat, producing flimsy materials. So, taking a hint from chefs, researchers now report in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering a way to "season" biodegradable plastics to make them stronger. It just takes a "pinch" of cream of tartar (tartaric acid) or citric acid. To help reduce the amount of plastic waste, some companies are adopting biodegradable plastics that eventually disintegrate. However, it's often the case that the more easily these materials break down, the flimsier they are, tearing apart from the slightest pressure. One solution could be to sprinkle in additives, similar to salt and pepper seasonings in cooking, to increase strength and toughness. Some researchers have used petroleum-based additives, but they can slow down degradation and are unappealing to consumers who desire products made from natural, biologically sourced ingredients. So, Jeyoung Park, Dongyeop Oh, Hyeonyeol Jeon, Jun Mo Koo and colleagues wanted to see if "seasoning" a biodegradable bioplastic called poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) with fruit-derived tartaric acid or citric acid could improve the plastic's mechanical properties. The researchers made seasoned PBS by first heating succinic acid and 1,4-butanediol with small amounts of either tartaric or citric acid. Then, they added titanium(IV) butoxide and dried the products. In tests, the two new films stretched more than twice as far before breaking and let through less oxygen compared to pure PBS. These results indicate that, unlike the original version, the new materials could be successfully used for bags or food packaging, say the researchers. Additionally, the two seasoned materials were stronger than many conventional biodegradable plastics and some petroleum-based products. One potential downside is that it took the new additive-containing polymers slightly longer to break down in water compared to pure PBS over 14 weeks, though that could be beneficial for food packaging applications in humid environments. Because the "seasoning" approach is relatively simple, the researchers say the new plastics could be made using current industrial processes, potentially replacing petroleum-based polymers. The authors acknowledge funding from the Technology Development Program funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea.