Researcher: Bayraktar, Canan
Name Variants
Bayraktar, Canan
Email Address
Birth Date
2 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Publication Open Access ACE2-decorated virus-like particles effectively block SARS-CoV-2 infection(Dove Medical Press Ltd, 2024) Supramaniam, Aroon; Idris, Adi; Bayraktar, Canan; Kayabölen, Alişan; Odabaş, Arda; Durgun, Ayşegül; Kök, İpek; Sevinç, Kenan; Önder, Tuğba Bağcı; Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM) / Koç Üniversitesi Translasyonel Tıp Araştırma Merkezi (KUTTAM); Graduate School of Health Sciences; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; School of MedicinePurpose: Over the past three years, extensive research has been dedicated to understanding and combating COVID-19. Targeting the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and the ACE2 receptor has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy against SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to develop ACE2-coated virus-like particles (ACE2-VLPs), which can be utilized to prevent viral entry into host cells and efficiently neutralize the virus. Methods: Virus-like particles were generated through the utilization of a packaging plasmid in conjunction with a plasmid containing the ACE2 envelope sequence. Subsequently, ACE2-VLPs and ACE2-EVs were purified via ultracentrifugation. The quantification of VLPs was validated through multiple methods, including Nanosight 3000, TEM imaging, and Western blot analysis. Various packaging systems were explored to optimize the ACE2-VLP configuration for enhanced neutralization capabilities. The evaluation of neutralization effectiveness was conducted using pseudoviruses bearing different spike protein variants. Furthermore, the study assessed the neutralization potential against the Omicron BA.1 variant in Vero E6 cells. Results: ACE2-VLPs showed a high neutralization capacity even at low doses and demonstrated superior efficacy in in vitro pseudoviral assays compared to extracellular vesicles carrying ACE2. ACE2-VLPs remained stable under various environmental temperatures and effectively blocked all tested variants of concern in vitro. Notably, they exhibited significant neutralization against Omicron BA.1 variant in Vero E6 cells. Given their superior efficacy compared to extracellular vesicles and proven success against live virus, ACE2-VLPs stand out as crucial candidates for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections. Conclusion: This novel therapeutic approach of coating VLPs with receptor particles provides a proof-of-concept for designing effective neutralization strategies for other viral diseases in the future.Publication Open Access Protein scaffold-based multimerization of soluble ACE2 efficiently blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in vivo(Wiley, 2022) Ulbegi Polat, Hivda; Yıldırım, İsmail Selim; Kayabölen, Alişan; Akcan, Uğur; Özturan, Doğancan; Şahin, Gizem Nur; Değirmenci, Nareg Pınarbaşı; Bayraktar, Canan; Söyler, Gizem; Sarayloo, Ehsan; Nurtop, Elif; Özer, Berna; Esken, Gülen Güney; Barlas, Tayfun; Doğan, Özlem; Karahüseyinoğlu, Serçin; Lack, Nathan Alan; Kaya, Mehmet; Albayrak, Cem; Can, Füsun; Solaroğlu, İhsan; Önder, Tuğba Bağcı; PhD Student; PhD Student; Master Student; Faculty Member; Faculty Member; Faculty Member; Faculty Member; Faculty Member; Faculty Member; Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM) / Koç Üniversitesi Translasyonel Tıp Araştırma Merkezi (KUTTAM); Graduate School of Health Sciences; School of Medicine; Koç University Hospital; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; 170418; 110772; 120842; 10486; N/A; 103165; 102059; 184359Soluble ACE2 (sACE2) decoys are promising agents to inhibit SARS-CoV-2, as their efficiency is unlikely to be affected by escape mutations. However, their success is limited by their relatively poor potency. To address this challenge, multimeric sACE2 consisting of SunTag or MoonTag systems is developed. These systems are extremely effective in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 in pseudoviral systems and in clinical isolates, perform better than the dimeric or trimeric sACE2, and exhibit greater than 100-fold neutralization efficiency, compared to monomeric sACE2. SunTag or MoonTag fused to a more potent sACE2 (v1) achieves a sub-nanomolar IC50, comparable with clinical monoclonal antibodies. Pseudoviruses bearing mutations for variants of concern, including delta and omicron, are also neutralized efficiently with multimeric sACE2. Finally, therapeutic treatment of sACE2(v1)-MoonTag provides protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in an in vivo mouse model. Therefore, highly potent multimeric sACE2 may offer a promising treatment approach against SARS-CoV-2 infections.