Efficacy of Plant-Made Human Recombinant ACE2 against COVID-19 in a Golden Syrian Hamster Model.

ABSTRACT: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel infectious respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated the efficacy of a plant-based human recombinant angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hrACE2) and hrACE2-foldon (hrACE2-Fd) protein against COVID-19. In addition, we analyzed the antiviral activity of hrACE2 and hrACE2-Fd against SARS-CoV-2 using real-time reverse-transcription PCR and plaque assays. The therapeutic efficacy was detected using the Golden Syrian hamster model infected with SARS-CoV-2. Both hrACE2 and hrACE2-Fd inhibited SARS-CoV-2 by 50% at concentrations below the maximum plasma concentration, with EC₅₀ of 5.8 μg/mL and 6.2 μg/mL, respectively. The hrACE2 and hrACE2-Fd injection groups showed a tendency for decreased viral titers in nasal turbinate tissues

SUBMITTER: Kim CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10146983 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature