biostudies-literatureUnknown2(1)Becker KABundesministerium für Bildung und ForschungDeutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftThis protocol enables the testing of drugs against infection of epithelial cells with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2), using pseudo-typed replication deficient vesicular stomatitis virus particles (pp-VSV) presenting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. After treating human volunteers with amitriptyline, an approved antidepressant and inhibitor of the acid sphingomyelinase, freshly isolated nasal epithelial cells were infected <i>ex vivo</i> and infection levels were quantified. This protocol offers the possibility to rapidly test the efficacy of potential drugs in the fight against COVID-19. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Carpinteiro et al. (2020).STAR protocols100356https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7857112biostudies-literature<i>Ex vivo</i> assay to evaluate the efficacy of drugs targeting sphingolipids in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection of nasal epithelial cells.PMC7857112Becker KAGulbins ECarpinteiro AHoffmann MKornhuber JPohlmann Sfalse<i>Ex vivo</i> assay to evaluate the efficacy of drugs targeting sphingolipids in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection of nasal epithelial cells.This protocol enables the testing of drugs against infection of epithelial cells with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2), using pseudo-typed replication deficient vesicular stomatitis virus particles (pp-VSV) presenting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. After treating human volunteers with amitriptyline, an approved antidepressant and inhibitor of the acid sphingomyelinase, freshly isolated nasal epithelial cells were infected <i>ex vivo</i> and infection levels were quantified. This protocol offers the possibility to rapidly test the efficacy of potential drugs in the fight against COVID-19. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Carpinteiro et al. (2020).2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2025-06-01T12:18:01.169Z2021-02-22T08:09:08ZS-EPMC78571123355886210.1016/j.xpro.2021.100356