Electrically regulated cell-based intervention for viral infections.

Area of Science:

• Synthetic Biology
• Cell Engineering
• Antiviral Therapeutics

Background:

• Emerging pandemics necessitate rapid, broad-spectrum antiviral interventions.
• Existing viral countermeasures can be hindered by viral interference with natural pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a mammalian cell-based platform (ES-Biofactory) for rapid, inducible protein synthesis.
• To develop a universal antiviral therapy using engineered interferon-beta (IFN-β).

Main Methods:

• Mammalian cells engineered with synthetic elements: voltage-gated Ca2+ channel, Ca2+-mediated signaling pathway, and engineered IFN-β transgene.
• Electrical stimulation to activate the synthetic pathway and induce IFN-β production.
• Validation of antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2 and assessment of oncogenic capacity.

Main Results:

• The ES-Biofactory successfully synthesized IFN-β upon electrical stimulation.
• Engineered IFN-β demonstrated antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2.
• Irradiated ES-Biofactory cells retained antiviral activity and showed no oncogenic capacity.

Conclusions:

• The ES-Biofactory platform provides a novel, inducible system for producing antiviral proteins.
• This cell therapy offers a potentially rapid and deployable pan-viral intervention.
• The platform shows promise for treating viral infections, cancer, and autoimmune disorders.