Is sitagliptin effective for the treatment of COVID-19?

Abstract

Cluster of differantiation 26 (CD26) plays an important role in chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD), psoriasis, diabetes, haematological and solid cancers. In addition, S1, the spike protein of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, has been shown to enter human host cells using CD26, also known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4), as a functional receptor.1 In a molecular docking study, it was determined that the S1 domain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein could potentially interact with CD26, an important immunoregulatory factor for hijacking and virulence.2