Ethacridine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by inactivating viral particles.

The respiratory disease COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Here we report the discovery of ethacridine as a potent drug against SARS-CoV-2 (EC50 ~ 0.08 μM). Ethacridine was identified via high-throughput screening of an FDA-approved drug library in living cells using a fluorescence as...

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Main Authors: Xiaoquan Li, Peter V Lidsky, Yinghong Xiao, Chien-Ting Wu, Miguel Garcia-Knight, Junjiao Yang, Tsuguhisa Nakayama, Jayakar V Nayak, Peter K Jackson, Raul Andino, Xiaokun Shu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-09-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1009898&type=printable
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author Xiaoquan Li
Peter V Lidsky
Yinghong Xiao
Chien-Ting Wu
Miguel Garcia-Knight
Junjiao Yang
Tsuguhisa Nakayama
Jayakar V Nayak
Peter K Jackson
Raul Andino
Xiaokun Shu
author_facet Xiaoquan Li
Peter V Lidsky
Yinghong Xiao
Chien-Ting Wu
Miguel Garcia-Knight
Junjiao Yang
Tsuguhisa Nakayama
Jayakar V Nayak
Peter K Jackson
Raul Andino
Xiaokun Shu
author_sort Xiaoquan Li
collection DOAJ
description The respiratory disease COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Here we report the discovery of ethacridine as a potent drug against SARS-CoV-2 (EC50 ~ 0.08 μM). Ethacridine was identified via high-throughput screening of an FDA-approved drug library in living cells using a fluorescence assay. Plaque assays, RT-PCR and immunofluorescence imaging at various stages of viral infection demonstrate that the main mode of action of ethacridine is through inactivation of viral particles, preventing their binding to the host cells. Consistently, ethacridine is effective in various cell types, including primary human nasal epithelial cells that are cultured in an air-liquid interface. Taken together, our work identifies a promising, potent, and new use of the old drug via a distinct mode of action for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2.
format Article
id doaj-art-552d796afa0a42e6b7dcd1f4fccebbef
institution Kabale University
issn 1553-7366
1553-7374
language English
publishDate 2021-09-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Pathogens
spelling doaj-art-552d796afa0a42e6b7dcd1f4fccebbef2025-08-20T03:47:04ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742021-09-01179e100989810.1371/journal.ppat.1009898Ethacridine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by inactivating viral particles.Xiaoquan LiPeter V LidskyYinghong XiaoChien-Ting WuMiguel Garcia-KnightJunjiao YangTsuguhisa NakayamaJayakar V NayakPeter K JacksonRaul AndinoXiaokun ShuThe respiratory disease COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Here we report the discovery of ethacridine as a potent drug against SARS-CoV-2 (EC50 ~ 0.08 μM). Ethacridine was identified via high-throughput screening of an FDA-approved drug library in living cells using a fluorescence assay. Plaque assays, RT-PCR and immunofluorescence imaging at various stages of viral infection demonstrate that the main mode of action of ethacridine is through inactivation of viral particles, preventing their binding to the host cells. Consistently, ethacridine is effective in various cell types, including primary human nasal epithelial cells that are cultured in an air-liquid interface. Taken together, our work identifies a promising, potent, and new use of the old drug via a distinct mode of action for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2.https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1009898&type=printable
spellingShingle Xiaoquan Li
Peter V Lidsky
Yinghong Xiao
Chien-Ting Wu
Miguel Garcia-Knight
Junjiao Yang
Tsuguhisa Nakayama
Jayakar V Nayak
Peter K Jackson
Raul Andino
Xiaokun Shu
Ethacridine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by inactivating viral particles.
PLoS Pathogens
title Ethacridine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by inactivating viral particles.
title_full Ethacridine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by inactivating viral particles.
title_fullStr Ethacridine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by inactivating viral particles.
title_full_unstemmed Ethacridine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by inactivating viral particles.
title_short Ethacridine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by inactivating viral particles.
title_sort ethacridine inhibits sars cov 2 by inactivating viral particles
url https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1009898&type=printable
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