Development of a novel peptide to prevent entry of SARS-CoV-2 into lung and olfactory bulb cells of hACE2 expressing mice

Ping Su; Dongxu Zhai; Albert H C Wong; Fang Liu

doi:10.1186/s13041-022-00956-1

Development of a novel peptide to prevent entry of SARS-CoV-2 into lung and olfactory bulb cells of hACE2 expressing mice

Mol Brain. 2022 Aug 9;15(1):71. doi: 10.1186/s13041-022-00956-1.

Authors

Ping Su^#¹, Dongxu Zhai^#¹, Albert H C Wong^{1

2

3

4}, Fang Liu^{5

6

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
² Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
³ Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
⁴ Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
⁵ Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada. fang.liu@camh.ca.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada. fang.liu@camh.ca.
⁷ Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada. fang.liu@camh.ca.
⁸ Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada. fang.liu@camh.ca.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus that has caused a global pandemic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Currently, there are no effective treatments specifically for COVID-19 infection. The initial step in SARS-CoV-2 infection is attachment to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the cell surface. We have developed a protein peptide that effectively disrupts the binding between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2. When delivered by nasal spray, our peptide prevents SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from entering lung and olfactory bulb cells of mice expressing human ACE2. Our peptide represents a potential novel treatment and prophylaxis against COVID-19.

Keywords: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2); COVID-19; Interfering peptide; SARS-CoV-2; Viral entry.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
Animals
COVID-19*
Humans
Lung / metabolism
Mice
Olfactory Bulb / metabolism
Peptides / metabolism
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
Protein Binding
SARS-CoV-2*
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus

Substances

Peptides
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2