2D MXenes with antiviral and immunomodulatory properties: A pilot study against SARS-CoV-2

•Ti3C2Tx and Mo2Ti2C3Tx MXene showed antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 as evident by the viability of Vero E6 cells and quantification of viral load following infection.•By testing 4 different SARS-Cov-2 viral genotypes, we highlighted the importance of considering viral genotypes and mutations while testing anti-viral activities of any nanomaterial.•We revealed the mechanisms of Ti3C2Tx MXene dependent viral inhibition by proteomic analysis and functional annotation.•Ti3C2Tx MXene, the most potent of the tested materials against SARS-CoV-2 particles, were shown to be not cytotoxic in any peripheral blood mononuclear cell population, demonstrating the high biocompatibility of this material.•It is well-known that immune system and cytokine storm play a critical role in COVID-19 progression. Therefore, we used a high-dimensional approach to dissect its effects on 17 distinct immune subpopulations by single cell mass cytometry; Ti3C2Tx was able to reduce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.