4.7 Article

Multidisciplinary Approaches Identify Compounds that Bind to Human ACE2 or SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein as Candidates to Block SARS-CoV-2-ACE2 Interactions

Journal

MBIO
Volume 12, Issue 2, Pages -

Publisher

AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY
DOI: 10.1128/mBio.03681-20

Keywords

ACE2; SARS-CoV-2; drug screening

Categories

Funding

  1. city of Gold Coast
  2. National Health and Medical Research Principal Research Fellowship [1138466]
  3. Investigator Grant [1196520]
  4. NHMRC Peter Doherty Biomedical Early Career Fellowship [1157150]
  5. Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship [AQIRS0502020]
  6. Queensland government
  7. National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia [1157150] Funding Source: NHMRC

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This study identified compounds that bind to human ACE2 or the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain through molecular docking and SPR screening, with three compounds demonstrating dose-dependent antiviral potency in vitro.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a recently emerged virus that causes coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, like SARS-CoV-1, uses the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a cellular receptor to initiate infection. Compounds that interfere with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain protein (RBD)-ACE2 receptor interaction may function as entry inhibitors. Here, we used a dual strategy of molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) screening of compound libraries to identify those that bind to human ACE2 or the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD). Molecular modeling screening interrogated 57,641 compounds and focused on the region of ACE2 that is engaged by RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and vice versa. SPR screening used immobilized human ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein to evaluate the binding of these proteins to a library of 3,141 compounds. These combined screens identified compounds from these libraries that bind at KD (equilibrium dissociation constant) ,3mM affinity to their respective targets, 17 for ACE2 and 6 for SARS-CoV-2 RBD. Twelve ACE2 binders and six of the RBD binders compete with the RBD-ACE2 interaction in an SPR-based competition assay. These compounds included registered drugs and dyes used in biomedical applications. A Vero-E6 cell-based SARS-CoV-2 infection assay was used to evaluate infection blockade by candidate entry inhibitors. Three compounds demonstrated dose-dependent antiviral in vitro potency?Evans blue, sodium lifitegrast, and lumacaftor. This study has identified potential drugs for repurposing as SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors or as chemical scaffolds for drug development.

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