Cell protection, immunomodulation and inhibition of viruses by endogenous substances
by Jan Grabowski, TWINCORE – Zentrum für Experimentelle und Klinische Infektionsforschung The isomeric structure of itaconic acid. Credit: CC-BY F. Chen et al. The endogenous itaconic acid molecule has antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects, as recently demonstrated by researchers from TWINCORE. In collaboration with scientists from the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig and the Helmholtz Saarland Pharmaceutical Research Institute, they have now investigated the closely related substance citric acid. The result: Citraconic acid protects cells through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also inhibits the release of flu viruses from human cells. They published these results in the journal Natural Metabolism . “Itaconic acid has two isomers, natural relatives that differ only slightly in their chemical structure, mesaconic