Wang C, Wang S, Chen Y, Zhao J, Han S, Zhao G, Kang J, Liu Y, Wang L, Wang X, Xu Y, Wang S, Huang Y, Wang J, Zhao J

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic worldwide necessitates the development of therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2. ACE2 is the main receptor of SARS-CoV-2 S1 and mediates viral entry into host cells. Herein, membrane nanoparticles (NPs) prepared from ACE2-rich cells were discovered to have potent capacity to block SARS-CoV-2 infection. The membranes of human embryonic ...

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kidney-239T cells highly expressing ACE2 were applied to prepare NPs using an extrusion method. The nanomaterials, termed ACE2-NPs, contained 265.1 ng mg-1 ACE2 on the surface and acted as baits to trap S1 in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in reduced recruitment of the viral ligand to HK-2 human renal tubular epithelial cells. Aside from affecting receptor recongnition, S1 translocated to the cytoplasm and induced apoptosis by reducing optic atrophy 1 expression and increasing cytochrome c release, which was also inhibited by ACE2-NPs. Further investigations revealed that ACE2-NPs efficiently suppressed SARS-CoV-2 S pseudovirions entry into host cells and blocked viral infection in vitro and in vivo. This study characterizes easy-to-produce memrbane nanoantagonists of SARS-CoV-2 that enrich the existing antiviral arsenal and provide possibilities for COVID-19 treatment.

Date: Mar. 18, 2021

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