An integrated in-silico Pharmaco-BioInformatics approaches to identify synergistic effects of COVID-19 to HIV patients

Abstract

Background

With high inflammatory states from both COVID-19 and HIV conditions further result in complications. The ongoing confrontation between these two viral infections can be avoided by adopting suitable management measures.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to figure out the pharmacological mechanism behind apigenin's role in the synergetic effects of COVID-19 to the progression of HIV patients.

Method

We employed computer-aided methods to uncover similar biological targets and signaling pathways associated with COVID-19 and HIV, along with bioinformatics and network pharmacology techniques to assess the synergetic effects of apigenin on COVID-19 to the progression of HIV, as well as pharmacokinetics analysis to examine apigenin's safety in the human body.

Result

Stress-responsive, membrane receptor, and induction pathways were mostly involved in gene ontology (GO) pathways, whereas apoptosis and inflammatory pathways were significantly associated in the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG). The top 20 hub genes were detected utilizing the shortest path ranked by degree method and protein-protein interaction (PPI), as well as molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were performed, revealing apigenin's strong interaction with hub proteins (MAPK3, RELA, MAPK1, EP300, and AKT1). Moreover, the pharmacokinetic features of apigenin revealed that it is an effective therapeutic agent with minimal adverse effects, for instance, hepatoxicity.

Conclusion

Synergetic effects of COVID-19 on the progression of HIV may still be a danger to global public health. Consequently, advanced solutions are required to give valid information regarding apigenin as a suitable therapeutic agent for the management of COVID-19 and HIV synergetic effects. However, the findings have yet to be confirmed in patients, suggesting more in vitro and in vivo studies.