Use of preconditioned human phagocytes for extracorporeal adsorption of viruses

Conventional treatment of severe viral disease is limited by the narrow choice as well as the often-significant side effects or lack of clear efficacy of antiviral chemotherapy. At the same time, however, it is known that a reduction in viral load leads to significant clinical improvement in a number of important viral diseases. In this paper we discuss the possibility of using preconditioned human phagocytes in an extracorporeal biohybrid system for adsorption of viral pathogens. We present data from in vitro experiments testing adsorption of an enterovirus and of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by a preconditioned human promyelocytic cell line. While no clearance of HBV could be detected, the results revealed a near elimination of enterovirus with the cell line displaying robust viability. Enterovirus titers of 1000 (reciprocal) were reduced to a mean titer of 100.6 CCID50 with no virus detectable after adsorption in two out of five samples. Titers of 10 000 (reciprocal) were in turn reduced to a mean of 101.4 CCID50. The kinetics of the process was remarkable with this near elimination of the pathogen occurring within only 15 min. Extracorporeal viral adsorption by a cellular biohybrid system appears feasible. Pairing target pathogens with suitable cell lines may offer a versatile antiviral technology.