Inhibition of sars-cov-2 infection through syndecans

Agents, selected from the groups

• a. anti-syndecan antibodies;
• b. TAT (amino acid sequence YGRKKRRQRRR), penetratin (amino acid sequence RQIKIWFQNRRM;KW), polyarginine (amino acid sequence RRRRRRRR) and their analogs of at least four amino acids in length, synthesized from D-, L- or other amino acid derivatives, or peptides and peptidomimetics interacting with the glycosaminoglycan side chains of SDCs, containing the conserved heparin-binding motif, PRRAR, or analogs of at least four amino acids in length, synthesized from D-, L- or other amino acid derivatives or conjugates of the former with other active agents and carriers (liposomes and other polymeric nanoparticles);
• c. heparin-binding peptides, such as PRRAR derived from fibronectin;
• d. RMKKKDEGEFYA motif synthesized by combining conserved sections of the intracellular domain of SDC4;
• e. syndecan-4 siRNA;
• f. Gö 6976, hexamethylene-amiloride and heparin derivatives,
• that inhibit the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to SDCs or the endocytosis of SARS-CoV-2 with syndecans (SDCs) for the use in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection by inhibiting the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 and/or the SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammatory response.

A method of inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection, the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2, and the SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammatory response, comprising attaching an agent selected from

• a. anti-syndecan antibodies;
• b. TAT (amino acid sequence YGRKKRRQRRR), penetratin (amino acid sequence RQIKIWFQNRRM;KW), polyarginine (amino acid sequence RRRRRRRR) and their analogs of at least four amino acids in length, synthesized from D-, L- or other amino acid derivatives, or peptides and peptidomimetics interacting with the glycosaminoglycan side chains of SDCs, containing the conserved heparin-binding motif, PRRAR, or analogs of at least four amino acids in length, synthesized from D-, L. or other amino acid derivatives or conjugates of the former with other active agents and carriers;
• c. D-, L- or other amino acid derivatives or conjugates of the former with other active agents and carriers (liposomes and other polymeric nanoparticles);
• d. heparin-binding peptides, such as PRRAR derived from fibronectin;
• e. RMKKKDEGEFYA motif synthesized by combining conserved sections of the intracellular domain of SDC4;
• f. syndecan-4 siRNA;
• g. Gö 6976, hexamethylene-amiloride,
• that inhibit the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to SDC or the SDC-mediated endocytosis of SARS-CoV-2 to the target cells of SARS-CoV-2.

A method of treating SARS-CoV-2 infection which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof an agent selected from the groups

• a. anti-syndecan antibodies;
• b. TAT (amino acid sequence YGRKKRRQRRR), penetratin (amino acid sequence RQIKIWFQNRRM;KW), polyarginine (amino acid sequence RRRRRRRR) and their analogs of at least four amino acids in length, synthesized from D-, L- or other amino acid derivatives, or peptides and peptidomimetics interacting with the glycosaminoglycan side chains of SDCs, containing the conserved heparin-binding motif, PRRAR, or analogs of at least four amino acids in length, synthesized from D-, L- or other amino acid derivatives or conjugates of the former with other active agents and carriers (liposomes and other polymeric nanoparticles);
• c. heparin-binding peptides, such as PRRAR derived from fibronectin;
• d. RMKKKDEGEFYA motif synthesized by combining conserved sections of the intracellular domain of SDC4;
• e. syndecan-4 siRNA;
• f. Gö 6976 and hexamethylene-amiloride, that inhibit the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to SDCs or the endocytosis of SARS-CoV-2 with SDCs.