Extracellular vimentin as a target against SARS-CoV-2 host cell invasion

Pathogens infect cells by targeting receptors on the surface of host cells. SARS-CoV-2 does this by specifically binding the viral spike protein to host cell's angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors, however different cell types expressing ACE2 are shown to be infected at unequal rates, suggesting other factors are contributing to infection. Vimentin is a cytoskeletal polymer that gives the cell's interior its strength, however there is a growing body of evidence indicating presence and function of vimentin on the cell surface. Extracellular vimentin is a cell surface protein that may serve as a binding partner to ACE2, facilitating the interaction with the spike protein. Here we present results indicating that extracellular vimentin may serves as an important binding partner for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by showing that antibodies against vimentin reduced SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviral infection of ACE2-expressing cells. These results provide new strategies for therapeutic treatments for SARS-CoV-2 by focusing on targeting extracellular vimentin in host cells.