Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2)is the receptor of COVID-19 pathogen SARS-CoV-2,but the transcription factors(TFs)that regulate the expression of the gene encoding ACE2(ACE2)have not been systematically dissected.In this study we evaluated TFs that control ACE2 expression,and screened for small molecule compounds that could modulate ACE2 expression to block SARS-CoV-2 from entry into lung epithelial cells.By searching the online datasets we found that 24 TFs might be ACE2 regulators with signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(Stat3)as the most significant one.In human normal lung tissues,the expression of ACE2 was positively correlated with phosphorylated Stat3(p-Stat3).We demonstrated that Stat3 bound ACE2 promoter,and controlled its expression in 16HBE cells stimulated with interleukin 6(IL-6).To screen for medicinal compounds that could modulate ACE2 expression,we conducted luciferase assay using HLF cells transfected with ACE2 promoter-luciferase constructs.Among the 64 compounds tested,6-O-angeloylplenolin(6-OAP),a sesquiterpene lactone in Chinese medicinal herb Centipeda minima(CM),represented the most potent ACE2 repressor.6-OAP(2.5 μM)inhibited the interaction between Stat3 protein and ACE2 promoter,thus suppressed ACE2 transcription.6-OAP(1.25-5 μM)and its parental medicinal herb CM(0.125％-0.5％)dose-dependently downregulated ACE2 in 16HBE and Beas-2B cells;similar results were observed in the lung tissues of mice following administration of 6-OAP or CM for one month.In addition,6-OAP/CM dose-dependently reduced IL-6 production and downregulated chemokines including CXCL13 and CX3CL1 in 16HBE cells.Moreover,we found that 6-OAP/CM inhibited the entry of SARS-CoV-2 S protein pseudovirus into target cells.These results suggest that 6-OAP/CM are ACE2 inhibitors that may potentially protect lung epithelial cells from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Li-jun Liang;Di Wang;Hong Yu;Jun Wang;Hui Zhang;Bei-bei Sun;Fu-ying Yang;Zheng Wang;Da-wei Xie;Rui-e Feng;Kai-feng Xu;Gui-zhen Wang;Guang-biao Zhou

State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology,National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College,Beijing 100021,China;Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine,Peking Union Medical College Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,Beijing 100730,China;Department of Pathology,Peking Union Medical College Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,Beijing 100730,China

中国药理学报（英文版）

[1]Li-jun Liang;Di Wang;Hong Yu;Jun Wang;Hui Zhang;Bei-bei Sun;Fu-ying Yang;Zheng Wang;Da-wei Xie;Rui-e Feng;Kai-feng Xu;Gui-zhen Wang;Guang-biao Zhou-.Transcriptional regulation and small compound targeting of ACE2 in lung epithelial cells)[J].中国药理学报（英文版）,2022(11):2895-2904

angeloylplenolin,Centipeda

Transcriptional,regulation,small,targeting,ACE2,lung,epithelial,cells,Angiotensin,converting,enzyme,receptor,pathogen,SARS,CoV,but,transcription,factors,TFs,that,expression,gene,encoding,have,not,been,systematically,dissected,In,this,study,evaluated,screened,molecule,compounds,could,modulate,block,from,entry,into,By,searching,online,datasets,found,might,regulators,signal,transducer,activator,Stat3,most,significant,human,normal,tissues,was,positively,correlated,phosphorylated,We,demonstrated,bound,promoter,controlled,its,16HBE,stimulated,interleukin,To,medicinal,conducted,luciferase,assay,using,HLF,transfected,constructs,Among,tested,OAP,sesquiterpene,lactone,Chinese,herb,minima,CM,represented,repressor,inhibited,interaction,between,protein,thus,suppressed,parental,dose,dependently,downregulated,Beas,2B,similar,results,were,observed,mice,following,administration,month,addition,reduced,production,chemokines,including,CXCL13,CX3CL1,Moreover,pseudovirus,These,suggest,inhibitors,may,potentially,protect,infection

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