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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.05.15.444275

Allicin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication and abrogates the antiviral host response in the Calu-3 proteome

Mösbauer, K.·Fritsch, V. N.·Adrian, L.·Bernhardt, J.·Gruhlke, M. C. H.·Slusarenko, A. J.·Niemeyer, D.·Antelmann, H.
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Abstract

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is a major health burden. Volatile garlic organosulfur compounds, such as the thiol-reactive allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate) exert strong antimicrobial activity against various respiratory pathogens. Here, we investigated the antiviral activity of allicin against SARS-CoV-2 in infected Vero E6 and Calu-3 lung cells. Calu-3 cells showed greater allicin tolerance due >4-fold increased GSH levels compared to Vero E6. However, biocompatible allicin doses efficiently inhibited viral replication in both cell lines. Proteome analyses of SARS-CoV-2 infected Calu-3 cells revealed a strong induction of the antiviral interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) signature (e.g. cGAS, Mx1, IFIT, IFIH, IFI16, IFI44, 25OAS and ISG15), pathways of vesicular transport, tight junctions (KIF5A/B/C, OSBPL2, CLTC1, ARHGAP17) and ubiquitin modification (UBE2L3/5), as well as reprogramming of host metabolism, transcription and translation. Allicin abrogated the ISG host response and reverted the host cellular pathways to levels of uninfected Calu-3 cells, confirming the antiviral and immunomodulatory activity of allicin in the host proteome. Thus, biocompatible doses of allicin could be promising for protection of lung cells against SARS-CoV-2.

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Mösbauer, K., Fritsch, V. N., Adrian, L., Bernhardt, J., Gruhlke, M. C. H., Slusarenko, A. J., Niemeyer, D., Antelmann, H.. 2021-05-16. Allicin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication and abrogates the antiviral host response in the Calu-3 proteome. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.15.444275

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