A Feasible Alternative Strategy Targeting Furin Disrupts SARS-CoV-2 Infection Cycle.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 causing coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) remains a public health threat worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 enters human lung cells via its spike glycoprotein binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Notably, the cleavage of the spike by the host cell protease furin in virus-producing cells is critical for subsequent spike-driven entry into lung cells. Thus, effective targeted therapies blocking the spike cleavage and activation in viral producing cells may provide an alternate strategy to break the viral transmission cycle and to overcome disease pathology. Here we engineered and described an antibody-based targeted strategy, which directly competes with the furin mediated proteolytic activation of the spike in virus-producing cells. The described approach involves engineering competitiv

SUBMITTER: Mondal T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8826744 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature