Bronchial epithelial IB3-1 cells exposed to the anti-SARS-CoV2 BNT162b2 vaccine: induction of apoptosis is partially reversed by S-allyl-cysteine and S-1-propenyl-l-cysteine, two bioactive components of Aged Garlic Extract

The SARS-CoV2 Spike protein (S-protein) exhibits important effects on human cells, including induction of apoptosis. Accordingly, the adverse effects of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines could be at least in part due to the presence of circulating spike. The main purpose of the present study was to determine (a) whether treatment of the IB3-1 bronchial epithelia cells with the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine is associated with activation of the apoptotic pathway and (b) whether SAC (S-allyl-cysteine) and S1PC (S-1-propenyl-l-cysteine), two natural products present in Aged Garlic Extract, have any effect of therapeutic relevance on this experimental model system. We have previously reported inhibitory activities of AGE, SAC and S1PC on the expression of proinflammatory genes in IB3-1 cells. In the present study, we have exposed IB3-1 cells to BNT162b2 (0.7, 1.25, 2.5 and 3,5 ug/mL) and after 3 days of culture apoptosis was assessed using the Annex V and Caspase 3/7 apoptosis kits. The results demonstrated highly significant increase of apoptotic cells after treatment of IB3-1 cells with the BNT162b2 vaccine. In order to verify whether treatment of IB3-1 cells with SAC and S1PC alters the BNT162b2-induced apoptosis, cells have been treated with the BNT162b2 vaccine in the absence or in the presence of 50 and 100 uM SAC and 50 and 100 uM S1PC. The results, obtained employing both Annex V and Caspase 3/7 kits, demonstrated that the proportion of apoptotic cells was significantly reduced in cells treated with the BNT162b2 vaccine in the presence of the AGE constituents SAC and S1PC, suggesting that these natural products are able to mitigate the pro-apoptotic effects induced by the BNT162b2 vaccine on IB3-1 cells. The efficacy of the reversion of BNT162b2 induced apoptosis suggests that SAC and S1PC should be considered for the development of protocols for counteracting apoptosis induced by the Spike mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. This might be of potential clinical relevance, since one of the biological adverse effects of Spike protein (and, indirectly, of the Spike-producing vaccines) is high induction of apoptosis in different cellular systems.