2. Academic Validation
  3. Protoporphyrin IX and verteporfin potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in a mouse model expressing human ACE2

Protoporphyrin IX and verteporfin potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in a mouse model expressing human ACE2

  • Sci Bull (Beijing). 2021 May 15;66(9):925-936. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2020.12.005.
Chenjian Gu 1,  Yang Wu 1,  Huimin Guo 1,  Yuanfei Zhu 1,  Wei Xu 1,  Yuyan Wang 1,  Yu Zhou 2,  Zhiping Sun 3,  Xia Cai 3,  Yutang Li 1,  Jing Liu 1,  Zhong Huang 2,  Zhenghong Yuan 1,  Rong Zhang 1,  Qiang Deng 1,  Di Qu 1 3,  Youhua Xie 1 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
  • 2 CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
  • 3 BSL-3 Laboratory of Fudan University, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
  • 4 Children's Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China.
PMID: 33318880 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2020.12.005
Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 Infection is spreading rapidly worldwide. Efficacious Antiviral therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 is urgently needed. Here, we discovered that protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and verteporfin, two Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, completely inhibited the cytopathic effect produced by SARS-CoV-2 Infection at 1.25 μmol/L and 0.31 μmol/L, respectively, and their EC50 values of reduction of viral RNA were at nanomolar concentrations. The selectivity indices of PpIX and verteporfin were 952.74 and 368.93, respectively, suggesting a broad margin of safety. Importantly, PpIX and verteporfin prevented SARS-CoV-2 Infection in mice adenovirally transduced with human angiotensin-converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). The compounds, sharing a porphyrin ring structure, were shown to bind viral receptor ACE2 and interfere with the interaction between ACE2 and the receptor-binding domain of viral S protein. Our study suggests that PpIX and verteporfin are potent Antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 Infection and sheds new LIGHT on developing novel chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapy against SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords

ACE2; Protoporphyrin IX; SARS-CoV-2; Verteporfin.

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