Dual action of epigallocatechin-3-gallate in virus-induced cell Injury

Ahmed Mostafa; Gomaa Mostafa-Hedeab; Hany Abdelfattah Elhady; Esraa Ahmed Mohamed; Abozer Y Eledrdery; Sager Holyl Alruwaili; Ahmed Mohamed Al-Abd; Abdou Kamal Allayeh

doi:10.1186/s43141-023-00624-4

Dual action of epigallocatechin-3-gallate in virus-induced cell Injury

J Genet Eng Biotechnol. 2023 Nov 28;21(1):145. doi: 10.1186/s43141-023-00624-4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, 78227, USA. AElsayed@txbiomed.org.
² Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, 12622, Egypt. AElsayed@txbiomed.org.
³ Pharmacology Department and Health Research Unit, Medical College, Jouf University, 11564, Skaka, Saudi Arabia. gomaa@ju.edu.sa.
⁴ Surgery Department, Medical College, Jouf University, 11564, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Virology Department, Nawah Scientific Co, Almokattam Mall, Street 9, Egypt, 11562, El Mokattam, Egypt.
⁶ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf Uni-Versity, 11564, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Surgery, Orthopedic Division, College of Medicine, Jouf University, 11564, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Pharmacology Department, Medical and Clinical Research Institute, National Research Centre, Giza, 12622, Egypt.
⁹ Water Pollution Department, Virology Laboratory, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Giza, Egypt.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Viral infections cause damage and long-term injury to infected human tissues, demanding therapy with antiviral and wound healing medications. Consequently, safe phytochemical molecules that may control viral infections with an ability to provide wound healing to viral-induced tissue injuries, either topically or systemically, are advantageous. Herein, we hypothesized that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant polyphenol in green tea, might be effective as a wound healing, antiviral, and antifibrotic therapy.

Results: The antiviral activities of EGCG against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) as well as its wound healing activities against different monolayer tissue (continuous and primary) systems were investigated. Consider its possible wound-healing advantages as well. To determine the safe concentrations of EGCG in green monkey kidney (Vero) and Vero-E6 cell lines, MTT assay was performed and showed high CC₅₀ values of 405.1 and 322.9 μM, respectively. The antiviral activities of EGCG against SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-2, measured as half-maximal concentration 50 (IC₅₀) concentrations, were 36.28 and 59.88 μM, respectively. These results confirm that the EGCG has remarkable viral inhibitory activities and could successfully suppress the replication of SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-2 in vitro with acceptable selectivity indices (SI) of 11.16 and 5.39, respectively. In parallel, the EGCG exhibits significant and dose/time-dependent anti-migration effects in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7), its resistant variation (MCF-7^adr), and human skin fibroblast (HSF) indicating their potential to heal injuries in different internal and topical mammalian systems.

Conclusions: The EGCG has proven to be an efficient antiviral against SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-2, as well as a wound-healing phytochemical. We assume that EGCG may be a promising option for slowing the course of acute cellular damage induced by systemic (Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)) or topical (HSV-2) viral infections.

Keywords: Antiviral activity; COVID-19; Cellular injury; EGCG; Green tea extract; Herpes simplex virus; Wound healing.

Grants and funding

DSR2022-RG-0152/Al Jouf University