Red Blood Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Display Endogenous Antiviral Effects and Enhance the Efficacy of Antiviral Oligonucleotide Therapy.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a large number of fatalities and, at present, lacks a readily available curative treatment for patients. Here, we demonstrate that unmodified red blood cell-derived extracellular vesicles (RBCEVs) can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in a phosphatidylserine (PS) dependent manner. Using T cell immunoglobulin mucin domain-1 (TIM-1) as an example, we demonstrate that PS receptors on cells can significantly increase the adsorption and infection of authentic and pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 viruses. RBCEVs competitively inhibit this interaction and block TIM-1-mediated viral entry into cells. We further extend the therapeutic efficacy of this antiviral treatment by loading antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) designed to target conserved regions of key SARS-CoV-2 genes

SUBMITTER: Jayasinghe MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10655171 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature