17 beta-estradiol reduces SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro

Author(s):Show less -

Rodrigues Lemes, Robertha Mariana ^{[1, 2]} ; Costa, Angelica Jardim ^[3] ; Bartolomeo, Cynthia Silva ^{[4, 5]} ; Bassani, Taysa Bervian ^{[1, 2]} ; Nishino, Michelle Sayuri ^{[1, 2]} ; da Silva Pereira, Gustavo Jose ^[3] ; Smaili, Soraya Soubhi ^[3] ; de Barros Maciel, Rui Monteiro ^{[6, 2]} ; Braconi, Carla Torres ^[7] ; da Cruz, Edgar Ferreira ^[7] ; Ramirez, Ana Lopez ^[8] ; Maricatto, Juliana Terzi ^[7] ; Ramos Janini, Luiz Mario ^[7] ; Prado, Carla Maximo ^[4] ; Stilhano, Roberta Sessa ^[5] ; Ureshino, Rodrigo Portes ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, Diadema, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Lab Mol & Translat Endocrinol, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Biosci, Santos, SP - Brazil

^[5] Fac Ciencias Med Santa Casa Sao Paulo, Dept Physiol Sci, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[6] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Med, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[7] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[8] Cambridge Inst Med Res, Cambridge - England

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PHYSIOLOGICAL REPORTS; v. 9, n. 2 JAN 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The COVID-19 has originated from Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and has been affecting the public health system, society, and economy in an unheard-of manner. There is no specific treatment or vaccine available for COVID-19. Previous data showed that men are more affected than women by COVID-19, then we hypothesized whether sex hormones could be protecting the female organism against the infection. VERO E6 cells have been commonly used as in vitro model for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In our experimental approach, we have treated VERO E6 cells with 17 beta-estradiol to evaluate the modulation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this cell line. Here we demonstrated that estrogen protein receptors ER alpha, ER beta, and GPER1 are expressed by VERO E6 cells and could be used to study the effects of this steroid hormone. Previous and 24-hours post-infection, cells treated with 17 beta-estradiol revealed a reduction in the viral load. Afterward, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection per se results in ACE2 and TMPRSS2 increased gene expression in VERO E6-cell, which could be generating a cycle of virus infection in host cells. The estrogen treatment reduces the levels of the TMPRSS2, which are involved with SARS-CoV-2 infectiveness capacity, and hence, reducing the pathogenicity/genesis. These data suggest that estrogen could be a potential therapeutic target promoting cell protection against SARS-CoV-2. This opens new possibilities for further studies on 17 beta-estradiol in human cell lines infected by SARS-CoV-2 and at least in part, explain why men developed a more severe COVID-19 compared to women. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/20796-2 - Study of estrogen receptors mediated autophagy against tau toxicity in cell and zebrafish models
• Grantee: Rodrigo Portes Ureshino
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 06/60402-1 - Medular carcinoma of the thyroid: revisiting the clinical, molecular biological, biochemical and biological aspects following findings of molecular genetics
• Grantee: Rui Monteiro de Barros Maciel
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/06088-0 - Effects of eugenol and dehidrodieugenol isolated from Nectandra leucantha (Lauraceae) treatments in experimental models of acute and chronic lung disease
• Grantee: Carla Máximo Prado
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/06153-7 - Evaluation of estrogen-related compounds and autophagy modulators seeking for therapeutic targets against SARS-CoV-2
• Grantee: Robertha Mariana Rodrigues Lemes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 19/10922-9 - Gene and cell therapy via alginate microgels for muscle injuries
• Grantee: Roberta Sessa Stilhano Yamaguchi
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/04709-8 - Evaluation of potential therapeutically compounds for SARS-CoV-2: focus on estrogen-related compounds, autophagy modulators and ACE2
• Grantee: Rodrigo Portes Ureshino
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants