Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: The hyperlipidaemic drug fenofibrate significantly reduces infection by SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture models

doi: 10.1101/2021.01.10.426114

Figure Lengend Snippet: A. Schematic showing ACE2 tagged with LgBIT and SmBIT. B. HEK-293 cells were transfected with combinations of plasmids encoding LgBIT or SmBIT fused to either protein kinase A regulatory subunit (PRKAR2) or catalytic subunit (PRKACA), ATG5 or ACE2. The results (mean ± S.D., n = 5) were normalized to the luminescence measured in cells transfected with protein kinase A reporters (positive control). C. HEK-293 cells were transfected with plasmids encoding ACE2 nanoBIT reporters under the control of the HSV TK promoter and ACE2 or prolactin (PRL) under the control of the CMV promoter. The results (mean ± S.D., n = 4) were normalized to the luminescence measured in cells transfected with protein kinase A reporters and prolactin. D. HEK-293 cells were transfected with NanoBIT-tagged ACE2 reporters and incubated with sodium valproate or clofibrate at a concentration equal to 1x, 2x or 3x the reported C max of the drug. After 1 hour, luminescence was measured and normalized (mean ± S.D., n =4) to that measured in cells treated with DMSO. E. A series of other fibrates were similarly evaluated in the assay. The luminescence measured (mean ± S.D., n = 5-11, solid bars) was significantly different to that measured in cells treated with solvent where shown. When these fibrates were incubated with purified LgBIT and HiBIT-RBD to create a constitutively active nanoluc, each of these fibrates were found to inhibit nanoluciferase (bezafibrate 35 ± 7 %, ciprofibrate 55 ± 6 %, fenofibric acid 46 ± 3 %, fenofibrate 69 ± 5 %, gemfibrozil 61 ± 2 % of the activity measured in the presence of DMSO). To correct for this, the luminescence measurements from cells treated with fibrates in cells were divided by these latter values to estimate the effect of the drugs on dimerization (hatched bars). Significant difference from control is shown as *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.005.

Article Snippet: The plasmid pcDNA3 encoding ACE2 was obtained from GenScript (OHu20260); the plasmid encoding prolactin (PRL) was obtained from Sino Biological (HG10275-CY).

Techniques: Transfection, Positive Control, Incubation, Concentration Assay, Purification, Activity Assay