Journal: Molecular Therapy. Nucleic Acids
Article Title: ACE-2 blockade and TMPRSS2 inhibition mitigate SARS-CoV-2 severity following cigarette smoke exposure in airway epithelial cells in vitro
doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2025.102580
Figure Lengend Snippet: Simultaneous ACE2 blockade and TMPRSS2 inhibition reduces SARS-CoV-2 infection after CSE exposure in FTECs (A) Scheme depicting the approach to ACE2 antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) treatment, cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure, and SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferret tracheal epithelial cells (FTECs). Seven days of treatment with ACE2 ASO (20 μM) or control ASO was followed by a 48-h incubation period in CSE or vehicle control prior to inoculation with SARS-CoV-2 or no virus for 72 h of infection. Assessment of mRNA expression of (B) ACE-2 and (C) TMPRSS2 following the scheme depicted in (A). (D) Scheme depicting the approach to ACE2 ASO and camostat mesylate treatment, CSE exposure, and SARS-CoV-2 infection in FTECs. Camostat mesylate (100 mM) was added for 2 h on day 9, prior to inoculation with SARS-CoV-2. Assessment of (E) viral load and mRNA expression of (F) ACE-2 and (G) SARS-Cov2 infection for a shorter duration following the scheme depicted in (D). Viral load following shorter duration of infection (H) and (I). Real-time qPCR was used for mRNA quantification in all studies. ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗ p < 0.01, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001, ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001.
Article Snippet: Primary HBE cells were isolated from lung explants at the time of organ transplantation from COPD patients, healthy donors without lung disease, and healthy donors, expanded in submerged culture for one or two passages in bronchial epithelial growth medium (BEGM, Lonza, Walksville, MD), and then seeded on Transwell membranes (Corning, New York, NY) as described previously., , Cells were grown at ALI in PneumaCult-ALI media (Stem Cell Technology) for 3–4 weeks until terminally differentiated.
Techniques: Inhibition, Infection, Control, Incubation, Virus, Expressing