Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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HIGH SKIN MELANIN CONTENT, VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY AND IMMUNITY: POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE FOR SEVERITY OF COVID-19

MUHAMMAD TOREQUL ISLAM 1,2#, BAHARE SALEHI 3#, OANA KARAMPELAS 4#, JAVAD SHARIFI-RAD 5,6*, ANCA OANA DOCEA 7, MIQUEL MARTORELL 8, DANIELA CALINA 9

1.Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Biophysics, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2 .Faculty of Pharmacy, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
3 .Medical Ethics and Law Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 .Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
5 .Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador
6 .Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
7 .Department of Toxicology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania
8 .Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Centre for Healthy Living, University of Concepción, 4070386 Concepción, Chile
9 .Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349. Craiova, Romania

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Due to the strong immunomodulatory effects, vitamin D (Vit-D) may be an option in COVID-19 disease. The skin pigment melanin has the photoprotective capacity, by inhibiting the synthesis of Vit-D in human. Dark skin contains a high level of melanin, which inhibits vit-D synthesis, leading to deficiency of this vitamin in certain people worldwide. It has been reported that the angiotensin II stimulates melanogenesis process. The SARS-CoV-2 uses the ACE2 receptor for the entrance into the human lung epithelial cells. Therefore, there is an interconnection between the ACE2, angiotensin II, melanogenesis and Vit-D levels in our body. An upregulation of angiotensin II is inversely co-related to the Vit-D synthesis in human. Taken together, SARS-CoV-2 may rule over the peoples having high skin melanin contents and its consequence of Vit-D deficiency. This review aims to highlight a correlation between skin melanin content, Vit-D status, immunity and the potential effects on SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in COVID-19 patients. As a novelty of this review, clinical trials on Vit-D aiming to fight against SARS-CoV-2 related pathological conditions or comorbidities in COVID-19 were included. The results of the analysed data showed that there is scientific evidence that a potential synergistic treatment with Vit-D could reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 deaths.