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Hassler L, Wysocki J, Ahrendsen JT, Ye M, Gelarden I, Nicolaescu V, Tomatsidou A, Gula H, Cianfarini C, Forster P, Khurram N, Singer BD, Randall G, Missiakas D, Henkin J, Batlle D. Intranasal soluble ACE2 improves survival and prevents brain SARS-CoV-2 infection. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202301969. [PMID: 37041017 PMCID: PMC10098141 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202301969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
A soluble ACE2 protein bioengineered for long duration of action and high affinity to SARS-CoV-2 was administered either intranasally (IN) or intraperitoneally (IP) to SARS-CoV-2-inoculated k18hACE2 mice. This decoy protein (ACE2 618-DDC-ABD) was given either IN or IP, pre- and post-inoculation, or IN, IP, or IN + IP but only post-inoculation. Survival by day 5 was 0% in untreated mice, 40% in the IP-pre, and 90% in the IN-pre group. In the IN-pre group, brain histopathology was essentially normal and lung histopathology significantly improved. Consistent with this, brain SARS-CoV-2 titers were undetectable and lung titers reduced in the IN-pre group. When ACE2 618-DDC-ABD was administered only post-inoculation, survival was 30% in the IN + IP, 20% in the IN, and 20% in the IP group. We conclude that ACE2 618-DDC-ABD results in markedly improved survival and provides organ protection when given intranasally as compared with when given either systemically or after viral inoculation, and that lowering brain titers is a critical determinant of survival and organ protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Hassler
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Wysocki
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jared T Ahrendsen
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Minghao Ye
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ian Gelarden
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Vlad Nicolaescu
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Ricketts Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, University of Chicago, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Anastasia Tomatsidou
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Ricketts Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, University of Chicago, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Haley Gula
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Ricketts Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, University of Chicago, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Cosimo Cianfarini
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Peter Forster
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nigar Khurram
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Benjamin D Singer
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Glenn Randall
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Ricketts Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, University of Chicago, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Dominique Missiakas
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Ricketts Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, University of Chicago, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Jack Henkin
- Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Daniel Batlle
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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