2-Deoxy-d-glucose: from diagnostics to therapeutics

Abstract

Glucose is the most common source of cellular energy and a substrate for many biochemical processes. Abnormal glucose signalling has been found in many diseases including cancers and inflammatory diseases. A glucose analog, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) which interferes with the cellular glucose metabolism has shown promising results both as a diagnostic and therapeutic agent in certain diseased conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer disease, etc. More recently, Viral-infected cells have also been found to increase their glucose uptake and recently Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval for the therapeutic use of 2DG in managing severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection which has received worldwide attention and has been declared a public health emergency of global concern. An attempt has accordingly been made in this article to review the diagnostic and therapeutic potentials of 2-deoxy-glucose with special emphasis on to its implications in SARS-CoV-2.