Journal: bioRxiv
Article Title: Human Galectin-9 Potently Enhances SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Inflammation In Airway Epithelial Cells
doi: 10.1101/2022.03.18.484956
Figure Lengend Snippet: (A) Attached SARS-CoV-2 virions on the cell surface were detected by RT-qPCR. Calu-3 cells were pretreated with Gal-9 for one hour, then cells were incubated with SARS-CoV-2 (MOI=0.01) in solutions with or without Gal-9 at the indicated concentrations at 4°C for two hours. Cells were washed three times with PBS and harvested for RNA isolation and RT-qPCR measurement of SARS-CoV-2 N gene expression. (B) Relative infectivity of SARS-2-S pseudotyped virus and VSV-G pseudotyped virus in Calu-3 treated with Gal-9 at the indicated concentrations. Calu-3 cells were exposed to Gal-9 for six hours and then infected with SARS-2-S pseudotyped virus or VSV-G pseudotyped virus in solutions containing Gal-9 at the indicated concentrations. Pseudotyped viral entry was analyzed by luciferase activity 24 hpi. Positive serum predetermined to possess anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing activity was used as a negative control. Luciferase signals obtained in the absence of Gal-9 were used for normalization. (C) Relative infectivity of SARS-2-S pseudotyped virus and VSV-G pseudotyped virus in Calu-3 cells treated with anti-ACE2 Ab at the indicated concentrations. Calu-3 cells pre-incubated with anti-ACE2 Ab (R&D Systems, AF933) at the indicated concentrations, or control antibody (anti-goat IgG (R&D Systems, AB-108-C), 50 μg/ml) were co-administered with SARS-2-S pseudotyped and VSV-G pseudotyped virus. At 24 hpi, pseudotyped viral entry was analyzed by luciferase activity. Luciferase signals obtained using the control antibody (anti-goat IgG, 50 μg/ml) were used for normalization. (D) The effect of anti-ACE2 Ab on Gal-9-enhanced cell entry of SARS-2-S was evaluated by measuring luciferase activity. Calu-3 cells were pretreated with Gal-9 for six hours and then pre-incubated with anti-ACE2 Ab (25 μg/ml) or control antibody for one hour, and cells were inoculated with SARS-2-S pseudotyped or VSV-G pseudotyped virus in a solution containing Gal-9 at the indicated concentrations. At 24 hpi, pseudotyped viral entry was analyzed by luciferase activity. Luciferase signals obtained in the absence of both Gal-9 and anti-ACE2 Ab were used for normalization. Data are representative of the results of three independent experiments (mean ± SEM). Statistical significance was analyzed by t test. p>0.05 [ns], p≤0.05 [*], p≤ 0.01 [**], p≤0.001 [***], p≤0.0001 [****].
Article Snippet: Assessment of Gal-9 effects on the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike to human ACE2 was performed using a commercially available spike-ACE2 binding assay kit (CoviDrop SARS-CoV-2 Spike-ACE2 Binding Activity/Inhibition Assay Kit, EPIGENTEK, D-1005-48) following the protocol provided by the manufacturer.
Techniques: Quantitative RT-PCR, Incubation, Isolation, Expressing, Infection, Luciferase, Activity Assay, Negative Control