Allicin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication, abrogates antiviral host response

 Authors: Kirstin Mösbauer1,2# , Verena Nadin Fritsch3#, Lorenz Adrian4,5, Jörg Bernhardt6 , Martin Clemens Horst Gruhlke7 , Alan John Slusarenko7 , Daniela Niemeyer1,2 and Haike Antelmann

doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.15.444275

PDF: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.15.444275v1.full.pdf

ABSTRACT 

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is a major health burden. Volatile garlic organosulfur compounds, such as the thiol-reactive allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate) exert strong antimicrobial activity against various respiratory pathogens. Here, we investigated the antiviral activity of allicin against SARS-CoV-2 in infected Vero E6 and Calu-3 lung cells. Allicin efficiently inhibited viral replication and infectivity in both cell lines. Proteome analyses of infected Calu-3 cells revealed a strong induction of the antiviral interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) signature (e.g. cGAS, Mx1, IFIT, IFIH, IFI16, IFI44, 2’5’OAS and ISG15), pathways of vesicular transport, tight junctions (KIF5A/B/C, OSBPL2, CLTC1, ARHGAP17) and ubiquitin modification (UBE2L3/5), as well as reprogramming of host metabolism, transcription and translation. Allicin abrogated the ISG host response and reverted the host cellular pathways to levels of uninfected Calu-3 cells, confirming the antiviral and immunomodulatory activity of allicin in the host proteome. Thus, biocompatible doses of garlic could be promising for protection of lung cells against SARS-CoV-2.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.15.444275v1.full.pdf