Open AccessCellular Nanosponges Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity
Author(s) -
Qiangzhe Zhang,
An. Honko,
Jiarong Zhou,
Hua Gong,
Sierra N. Downs,
Jhonatan Henao Vasquez,
Ronnie H. Fang,
Weiwei Gao,
Anthony John Griffiths,
Liangfang Zhang
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
nano letters
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.853
H-Index - 488
eISSN - 1530-6992
pISSN - 1530-6984
DOI - 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c02278
Subject(s) - infectivity , virus , viral entry , covid-19 , virology , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , chemistry , biology , viral replication , biochemistry , medicine , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
We report cellular nanosponges as an effective medical countermeasure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Two types of cellular nanosponges are made of the plasma membranes derived from human lung epithelial type II cells or human macrophages. These nanosponges display the same protein receptors, both identified and unidentified, required by SARS-CoV-2 for cellular entry. It is shown that, following incubation with the nanosponges, SARS-CoV-2 is neutralized and unable to infect cells. Crucially, the nanosponge platform is agnostic to viral mutations and potentially viral species, as well. As long as the target of the virus remains the identified host cell, the nanosponges will be able to neutralize the virus.