Plant lectins as versatile tools to fight coronavirus outbreaks

• Published in: Glycoconjugate journal Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 109 - 118
• Main Authors: Simplicien, Mathias, Pério, Pierre, Sudor, Jan, Barre, Annick, Benoist, Hervé, Van Damme, Els J.M., Rougé, Pierre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.02.2023; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: ACE2; Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Glycoproteins; Glycosylation; Humans; Lectins; Lectins and Glycosylation in Plants and Fungi; Life Sciences; Mannose; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Mini Review; N-glycans; Pathology; Plant Lectins; Polysaccharides; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Proteins; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - chemistry; Man-specific lectin; lectin (LcA); SARS-CoV; Con A; MERS-CoV; agglutinin (GNA); Beta-coronaviruses; COVID-19; lectin (PsA); SARS-CoV-2; lectin (Morniga-G); lectin (SNA-I); lectin (AAL); Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA); Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL); Sambucus nigra lectin (SNA-I); Lens culinaris lectin (LcA); Pisum sativum lectin (PsA); Morus nigra lectin (Morniga-G)
• ISSN: 0282-0080; 1573-4986; 1573-4986
• DOI: 10.1007/s10719-022-10094-4

The S protein forming the homotrimeric spikes of pathogenic beta-coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, is a highly glycosylated protein containing mainly N -glycans of the complex and high-mannose type, as well as O -glycans. Similarly, the host cell receptors DPP4 for MERS-CoV and ACE2 for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, also represent N - and O -glycosylated proteins. All these glycoproteins share common glycosylation patterns, suggesting that plant lectins with different carbohydrate-binding specificities could be used as carbohydrate-binding agents for the spikes and their receptors, to combat COVID19 pandemics. The binding of plant lectins to the spikes and their receptors could mask the non-glycosylated receptor binding domain of the virus and the corresponding region of the receptor, thus preventing a proper interaction of the spike proteins with their receptors. In this review, we analyze (1) the ability of plant lectins to interact with the N - and O -glycans present on the spike proteins and their receptors, (2) the in vitro and in vivo anti-COVID19 activity already reported for plant lectins and, (3) the possible ways for delivery of lectins to block the spikes and/or their receptors.