39th Annual Student Research Conference
Neutralization Efficacy of Soluble Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Against SARS-CoV-2
Byeonguk Choi
Dr. Yohei Norimatsu (A. T. Still University) and Dr. Andrew Kauffmann, Faculty Mentors
SARS-CoV-2 is a highly transmissible virus that utilizes Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) on host cells for entry. Due to its rapid accumulation of mutations, antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein can quickly lose effectiveness. As an alternative, engineered “decoy proteins” with high affinity for the RBD have demonstrated promising neutralizing activity both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the efficacy of soluble ACE2 (sACE2) as a competitive decoy was evaluated. Mouse melanoma cells expressing human ACE2 were treated with a fixed concentration of fluorophore-tagged RBD that had been pre-incubated with varying concentrations of sACE2. Following a washing step, fluorescence on the cell membrane was quantified via fluorescence microscopy to assess the extent of RBD binding. The results showed that sACE2 exhibited strong inhibitory activity, with IC50 achieved at a decoy-to-RBD molar ratio of 0.9.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD), Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), Decoy Proteins, Viral Neutralization, Immunofluorescence Imaging
Topic(s):Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Session: -1
Location: MG 1098
Time: 10:00