Reduction of extracellular vimentin in blood provides protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

ABSTRACT: In vitro studies have repeatedly showed that extracellular vimentin (eVIM) promotes the penetration of viruses by acting as an adhesion factor, suggesting that reducing eVIM density in the blood could be an effective approach to treat viral infections. However, despite solid evidence, it has not been previously investigated whether eVIM plays a pathogenic role during viral infections in vivo experiments. Here, we provide in vivo evidence that eVIM plays a critical role during viral infections. The severity of COVID-19 in Roborovski SH101 hamsters was positively correlated with blood concentrations of eVIM during the infection period. The reduction of blood eVIM in the SARS-CoV-2-infected Roborovski SH101 hamster through intravenous injection of hzVSF-v13, a humanized a

SUBMITTER: Kim HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12505511 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature