
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 requires new treatments both to alleviate the symptoms and to prevent the spread of this disease. Previous studies demonstrated good antiviral and virucidal activity of phospholipase A2s (PLA2s) from snake venoms against viruses from different families but there was no data for coronaviruses. Here we show that PLA2s from snake venoms protect Vero E6 cells against SARS-CoV-2 cytopathic effects. PLA2s showed low cytotoxicity to Vero E6 cells with some activity at micromolar concentrations, but strong antiviral activity at nanomolar concentrations. Dimeric PLA2 from the viper Vipera nikolskii and its subunits manifested especially potent virucidal effects, which were related to their phospholipolytic activity, and inhibited cell-cell fusion mediated by the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Moreover, PLA2s interfered with binding both of an antibody against ACE2 and of the receptor-binding domain of the glycoprotein S to 293T/ACE2 cells. This is the first demonstration of a detrimental effect of PLA2s on β-coronaviruses. Thus, snake PLA2s are promising for the development of antiviral drugs that target the viral envelope, and could also prove to be useful tools to study the interaction of viruses with host cells.
Models, Molecular, Antibody Affinity, Virus Attachment, Viper Venoms, Antiviral Agents, Cell Line, Cell Fusion, Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral, Protein Domains, Surface plasmon resonance, Chlorocebus aethiops, Animals, Humans, Vero Cells, Time-of-drug-addition assay, SARS-CoV-2, Surface Plasmon Resonance, Pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 virus, COVID-19 Drug Treatment, Phospholipases A2, HEK293 Cells, Replication cycle, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus, Original Article, Molecular modelling, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2, Receptor binding domain
Models, Molecular, Antibody Affinity, Virus Attachment, Viper Venoms, Antiviral Agents, Cell Line, Cell Fusion, Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral, Protein Domains, Surface plasmon resonance, Chlorocebus aethiops, Animals, Humans, Vero Cells, Time-of-drug-addition assay, SARS-CoV-2, Surface Plasmon Resonance, Pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 virus, COVID-19 Drug Treatment, Phospholipases A2, HEK293 Cells, Replication cycle, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus, Original Article, Molecular modelling, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2, Receptor binding domain
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 31 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
