Echinochrome A, a pigment from sea urchins and Cytokine Storm Syndrome

RUBILAR, TAMARA; BARBIERI, E.S.; GAZQUEZ, AYELEN; AVARO, MARISA; ACOSTA, DENISE

MARINE DRUGS

MOLECULAR DIVERSITY PRESERVATION INTERNATIONAL-MDPI

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2021

1660-3397

Background: Echinochrome A (EchA) is a pigment fromsea urchins belonging to the polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinone family. Thesemolecules have a chemical structure that includes a number of hydroxyl groupsappropriate for free-radical scavenging, and for diminishing ROS and preventingredox imbalance. EchA is the most studied molecule of this family and is acommercial drug approved to be used in humans, usually for cardiopathies,glaucoma and as a pharmaceutical drug. Methods:A comprehensive literature and patent search review was undertaken usingPubMed, as well as Google Scholar and Espacenet engines to review on theseareas. Conclusions: In thebloodstream, EchA can mediate cellular responses, act as a radical scavengerand also activate the glutathione pathway, thereby diminishing reactive oxygenspecies imbalance, preventing and limiting lipid peroxidation and enhancingmitochondrial functions. Most remarkably, EchA improves the immune system to ahigh level of functioning. EchA diminishes inflammation by reducing theproduction of proinflammatory cytokines Interlukin-1β and Interlukin-6 but alsoslightly reduces Iinterlukin-8, Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α), Interferon(INF-α) and Natural Killer T (NKT). As a result, EchA is a candidate drug totreat Cytokine Storm Syndrome (CSS). Many viruses are known to trigger the CSSwhich in patients with comorbidities can be lethal. Consequently, the possiblealleviation of CSS via EchA should be further analyzed in these cases, withSARS-CoV-2 being of particular interest.