An airway organoid-based screen identifies a role for the HIF1α-glycolysis axis in SARS-CoV-2 infection

It is urgent to develop disease models to dissect mechanisms regulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Here, we derive airway organoids from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC-AOs). The hPSC-AOs, particularly ciliated-like cells, are permissive to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using this platform, we perform a high content screen and identify GW6471, which blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection. GW6471 can also block infection of the B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 variant. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis suggests that GW6471 blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection at least in part by inhibiting hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1a), which is further validated by chemical inhibitor and genetic perturbation targeting HIF1a. Metabolic profiling identifies decreased rates of glycolysis upon GW6471 treatment, consistent with transcriptome profiling. Finally, xanthohumol, 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid, and ND-646, three com-pounds that suppress fatty acid biosynthesis, also block SARS-CoV-2 infection. Together, a high content screen coupled with transcriptome and metabolic profiling reveals a key role of the HIF1a-glycolysis axis in mediating SARS-CoV-2 infection of human airway epithelium.

Automated summary

Developing disease models to study SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial, and research using airway organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells has identified compounds that can block the virus. Further investigation reveals that these compounds inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection by targeting the HIF1a-glycolysis axis.