ACE2-Decorated Virus-Like Particles Effectively Block SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Abstract

Canan Bayraktar,1,* Alisan Kayabolen,1,* Arda Odabas,1 Aysegul Durgun,1 Ipek Kok,1 Kenan Sevinc,1 Aroon Supramaniam,2 Adi Idris,2,3 Tugba Bagci-Onder1 1Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey; 2Menzies Health Institute Queensland, School of Medical Science Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 3Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Tugba Bagci-Onder; Alisan Kayabolen, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Over the past three years, extensive research has been dedicated to understanding and combating COVID-19. Targeting the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and the ACE2 receptor has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy against SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to develop ACE2-coated virus-like particles (ACE2-VLPs), which can be utilized to prevent viral entry into host cells and efficiently neutralize the virus.Methods: Virus-like particles were generated through the utilization of a packaging plasmid in conjunction with a plasmid containing the ACE2 envelope sequence. Subsequently, ACE2-VLPs and ACE2-EVs were purified via ultracentrifugation. The quantification of VLPs was validated through multiple methods, including Nanosight 3000, TEM imaging, and Western blot analysis. Various packaging systems were explored to optimize the ACE2-VLP configuration for enhanced neutralization capabilities. The evaluation of neutralization effectiveness was conducted using pseudoviruses bearing different spike protein variants. Furthermore, the study assessed the neutralization potential against the Omicron BA.1 variant in Vero E6 cells.Results: ACE2-VLPs showed a high neutralization capacity even at low doses and demonstrated superior efficacy in in vitro pseudoviral assays compared to extracellular vesicles carrying ACE2. ACE2-VLPs remained stable under various environmental temperatures and effectively blocked all tested variants of concern in vitro. Notably, they exhibited significant neutralization against Omicron BA.1 variant in Vero E6 cells. Given their superior efficacy compared to extracellular vesicles and proven success against live virus, ACE2-VLPs stand out as crucial candidates for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections.Conclusion: This novel therapeutic approach of coating VLPs with receptor particles provides a proof-of-concept for designing effective neutralization strategies for other viral diseases in the future.Keywords: ACE2, virus like particles, SARS-CoV-2, neutralization, VLP, neutralization, escape mutations, spike protein

Keywords

• ace2
• virus-like particles
• sars-cov-2
• neutralization
• vlp
• escape mutations
• spike protein