Newly Discovered Anticoagulants Offer Hope for Sepsis and Covid Patients

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin discovered new anticoagulants that could help treat COVID and sepsis. The findings published in Nature Communications demonstrate that dimethyl sulfate can stop coagulation during infections, offering hope for its use in the treatment of blood clotting disorders like Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). 

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Use of Dimethyl Sulfate as an Anticoagulant  

The group of scientists uncovered that dimethyl sulfate (DMF), a drug used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, and the related drug 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI) are able to decrease the blood’s ability to clot. The team was able to identify both DMF and 4-OI as inhibitors of inflammation-associated coagulation. They found that these drugs act by suppressing IFN-TF, a critical mediator of coagulation, in macrophages. Dr. Trsitam Ryan from the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute said, “DIC is one of the leading causes of death worldwide so we hope our findings might lead to new therapies that save lives.” 

Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy is a life-threatening condition that can develop in patients with bacterial or viral infections like COVID-19. DIC creates small blood clots, which affect circulation to major organs like the heart. This can then result in uncontrollable bleeding. Current treatment for DIC consists of transfusions of plasma and red blood cells and the use of anticoagulation medication. 

The researchers hope their findings will bring about new therapies for treating clotting disorders like DIC. These disorders are the leading cause of death in patients in intensive care units. The need for innovation in anticoagulation drugs is highlighted by the problems faced with current anticoagulation therapies. The existing therapies have an increased bleeding risk for patients, which is significantly enhanced in septic patients. The discovery of the use of dimethyl sulfate as an anticoagulant is opening new avenues in the treatment of these disorders.

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GeneOnline Team