Preliminary steps in the analysis of the protective potential of plant extracts against SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung cells

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is without doubt one of the greatest challenges modern medicine has ever faced. To date there is still no cure and effective treatments are desperately required to combat both the viral infection and the wide variety of consequent pathologies displayed in COVID-19 patients. One of the most severe pathologies seen in patients with COVID-19 is pulmonary fibrosis resulting from the cytokine storm generated, which activates fibroblasts leading to the progressive accumulation of collagen fibres in the lungs. Pulmonary fibrosis compromises lung function and can ultimately lead to respiratory failure. Type II pneumocytes (ATII) are particularly susceptible to Sars-CoV-2 infection. ATII cells are responsible for the production of surfactant Protein C (SPC) and other surfactant components fundamental to lung integrity. In this study ATII cells were isolated from non-covid patient´s lungs and characterized by a specific enzymatic test. The expression of SPC in ATII cells was tested under different conditions mimicking those of COVID-19 disease. Many plants possess a variety of secondary metabolites with antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral properties and are the basis for many traditional and modern medicines. In this study, we analysed the effect of different plant extracts from Marchantia and Arabidopsis mutants on SPC expression in the presence of Transforming Growth Factor ß (TGF- ß) as a representative cytokine of the cytokine storm. Preliminary results indicated that some of the tested plant extracts could provide some protection against a reduction in SPC expression in conditions mimicking the cytokine storm in COVID-19 disease.