UV-4B potently inhibits replication of multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains in clinically relevant human cell lines

Evelyn J Franco; Kelly L Warfield; Ashley N Brown

doi:10.31083/j.fbl2701003

UV-4B potently inhibits replication of multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains in clinically relevant human cell lines

Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2022 Jan 5;27(1):3. doi: 10.31083/j.fbl2701003.

Authors

Evelyn J Franco^{1

2}, Kelly L Warfield³, Ashley N Brown^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA.
² Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA.
³ Emergent BioSolutions, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA.

PMID: 35090308
DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2701003

Abstract

Background: SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it poses a substantial public health threat, antiviral regimens against SARS-CoV-2 remain scarce. Here, we evaluated the antiviral potential of UV-4B, a host targeting antiviral, against SARS-CoV-2 in clinically relevant human cell lines.

Methods: Cells derived from human lung (A549 cells transfected with human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2; ACE2-A549)) and colon (Caco-2) were infected with either a wild type or beta variant strain of SARS-CoV-2 and exposed to various concentrations of UV-4B. Supernatant was sampled daily and viral burden was quantified by plaque assay on Vero E6 cells.

Results: Therapeutically feasible concentrations of UV-4B inhibited the replication of the wild type strain in ACE2-A549 and Caco-2 cells yielding EC50 values of 2.694 and 2.489 μM, respectively. UV-4B's antiviral effect was also robust against the beta variant in both cell lines (ACE2-A549 EC50: 4.369 μM; Caco-2 EC50: 6.816 μM).

Conclusions: These results highlight UV-4B's antiviral potential against several strains of SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: Antiviral; COVID-19; Host targeting; SARS-CoV-2; UV-4B; Variant.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Caco-2 Cells
Humans
Pandemics
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / genetics
SARS-CoV-2*

Substances

Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A

Supplementary concepts

SARS-CoV-2 variants