Figure 12. POPG and PI inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection of VeroE6 cells and human primary differentiated tracheal cells in air-liquid interface cultures.

Panel A) Histological images in Vero E6 cell monolayers with Hematoxylin-Eosin staining of 1) untreated (CONL), 2) SARS-CoV-2 challenged, alone (SARS-CoV-2), 3) SARS-CoV-2 challenge and pretreated with POPG (SARS-CoV-2+POPG), 4) SARS-CoV-2 challenge + PI (SARS-CoV-2+PI) and 5) SARS-CoV-2 challenge +POPC (SARS-CoV2 +PC). The cells were pretreated with lipids for 30 mins, prior to the time of infection. The white bar indicates 50 μm.² SARS-COV-2 infection causes significant cell damage, cell lysis, and cell hypertrophy and hypochromic changes consistent with apoptosis. Panel B) viral loads in VeroE6 cells quantified by plaque assays. POPG and PI reduced viral loads by 65% and 80%, respectively. The figure and images were adapted from² Panel C) shows viral mRNA expression of SARS-CoV-2, using human primary differentiated tracheal cells, in ALI with viral challenge alone, or with viral challenge +lipid treatments; virus +POPG (SARS-CoV-2 + POPG), virus+PI (SARS-CoV-2 + PI), and virus +POPC (SARS-CoV-2 + PC). POPG and PI treatment reduced viral mRNA expression by 72% and 84%, respectively. The data are shown as mean ± SD from three different cell donors. § indicates p<0.01, §§ indicates p<0.001 by paired t-test. The data and figures are from published abstract, Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2022;205: A1196, Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023, in press.