Investigation of the therapeutic potential of oxysterols in SARS-CoV-2 infection

National Institute Of Environmental Health Sciences

Investigators

Abstract

New accomplishments to date: 1) Avanti Lipids synthesized enantiomeric 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC), which will be used as a control for 25HC to help distinguish protein-targeted vs. non-protein-targeted (membrane) effects of this oxysterol in our studies. 2) We have completed several in vivo infections of K18-hACE2-tg mice in which we have treated the mice with 25-OH-cholesterol, infected them with SARS-CoV-2 and then monitored body weight, temperature, survival, and collected specimens that will be analyzed (e.g., lung cDNA, BAL fluid, serum). We do not yet have definitive results on the extent to which 25-OH-cholesterol may be therapeutic against SARS-CoV-2. Further in vivo studies and sample analyses are pending, and we expect clarity within the next few months. We plan to publish our results. 3) We have done preliminary studies in collaboration with the NIAID SARS-CoV-2 Virology Core in which they have tested the therapeutic potential of a panel of oxysterols against in vitro infection of Vero E6 cells with authentic SARS CoV-2 virus. They are still optimizing conditions, and we plan to send them fresh oxysterol plus enantiomeric 25HC.