Abstract
BackgroundConsidering the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, there is an urgent need to develop effective treatments. At present, neutralizing antibodies and small-molecule drugs such as remdesivir, the most promising compound to treat this infection, have attracted considerable attention. However, some potential problems need to be concerned including viral resistance to antibody-mediated neutralization caused by selective pressure from a single antibody treatment, the unexpected antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) effect, and the toxic effect of small-molecule drugs.ResultsHere, we constructed a type of programmed nanovesicle (NV) derived from bispecific CAR-T cells that express two single-chain fragment variables (scFv), named CR3022 and B38, to target SARS-CoV-2. Nanovesicles that express both CR3022 and B38 (CR3022/B38 NVs) have a stronger ability to neutralize Spike-pseudovirus infectivity than nanovesicles that express either CR3022 or B38 alone. Notably, the co-expression of CR3022 and B38, which target different epitopes of spike protein, could reduce the incidence of viral resistance. Moreover, the lack of Fc fragments on the surface of CR3022/B38 NVs could prevent ADE effects. Furthermore, the specific binding ability to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the drug loading capacity of CR3022/B38 NVs can facilitate targeted delivery of remdesiver to 293 T cells overexpressing spike protein. These results suggest that CR3022/B38 NVs have the potential ability to target antiviral drugs to the main site of viral infection, thereby enhancing the antiviral ability by inhibiting intracellular viral replication and reducing adverse drug reactions.ConclusionsIn summary, we demonstrate that nanovesicles derived from CAR-T cells targeting the spike protein of SARS-COV-2 have the ability to neutralize Spike-pseudotyped virus and target antiviral drugs. This novel therapeutic approach may help to solve the dilemma faced by neutralizing antibodies and small-molecule drugs in the treatment of COVID-19.Graphical
Highlights
As of October 1, 2021, over 234 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been confirmed, and over 4.7 million deaths have been reported globally
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) cells expressing single-chain fragment variables (scFv) were collected by infecting T cells isolated from peripheral blood with lentiviruses encoding the chimeric antigen receptors (CARs)
The fluorescence of CR3022/B38 CAR-T was slightly lower than that of the other counterparts, possibly due to the longer gene sequence encoding CR3022/B38 CAR, which affects the expression of the downstream green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene
Summary
As of October 1, 2021, over 234 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been confirmed, and over 4.7 million deaths have been reported globally (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/). Neutralizing antibodies and remdesivir are considered promising drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, and many studies have evaluated their safety and effectiveness [1,2,3]. Under the selective pressure of a single neutralizing antibody, the SARS-CoV-2 strain may resist the neutralizing effect through the accumulation of spontaneous mutations [6]. Considering the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, there is an urgent need to develop effective treatments. At present, neutralizing antibodies and small-molecule drugs such as remdesivir, the most promising compound to treat this infection, have attracted considerable attention. Some potential problems need to be concerned including viral resistance to antibody-mediated neutralization caused by selective pressure from a single antibody treatment, the unexpected antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) effect, and the toxic effect of small-molecule drugs
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