Vitamin D and lumisterol novel metabolites can inhibit SARS-COV-2 replication machinery enzymes.

Vitamin D deficiency significantly correlates with the severity of SARS-COV-2 infection. Molecular docking-based virtual screening studies predict that novel vitamin D and related lumisterol hydroxymetabolites are able to bind to the active sites of two SARS-COV-2 transcription machinery enzymes with high affinity. These enzymes are the main protease (Mpro) and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) which play important roles in viral replication and establishing infection. Based on predicted binding affinities and specific interactions, we identified ten D3 and lumisterol analogs as likely binding partners of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and RdRP and therefore tested their ability to inhibit these enzymes. Activity measurements demonstrated that 25(OH)L3, 24(OH)L3 and 20(OH)7DHC are the most effective of the hydroxymetabolites tested at inhibiting the activity of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, causing 10-19% inhibition. These same derivatives as well as other hydroxylumisterols and hydroxyvitamin D3 metabolites inhibited RdRP by 50-60%. Thus, inhibition of these enzymes by vitamin D and lumisterol metabolites may provide a novel approach to hindering the SARS-COV-2 infection.