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Fahnøe U, Madsen LW, Christensen PB, Sølund CS, Mollerup S, Pinholt M, Weis N, Øvrehus A, Bukh J. Effect of direct-acting antivirals on the titers of human pegivirus 1 during treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients. Microbiol Spectr 2024:e0064124. [PMID: 39051781 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00641-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Coinfections with human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) are common in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. However, little is known about whether HPgV-1 is affected by direct-acting antivirals during HCV treatment. Metagenomic analysis and reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were performed on RNA from the plasma of 88 selected chronic HCV patients undergoing medical treatment. Twenty (23%) of these HCV patients had HPgV-1 coinfections and were followed by RT-qPCR during treatment and follow-up to investigate HPgV-1 RNA titers. Recovered sequences could be assembled to complete HPgV-1 genomes, and most formed a genotype 2 subclade. All HPgV-1 viral genomic regions were under negative purifying selection. Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir treatment in five patients did not consistently lower the genome titers of HPgV-1. In contrast, a one log10 drop of HPgV-1 titers at week 2 was observed in 10 patients during treatment with sofosbuvir-containing regimens, sustained to the end of treatment (EOT) and in two cases decreasing to below the detection limit of the assay. For the five patients treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with the inclusion of pegylated interferon, titers decreased to below the detection limit at week 2 and remained undetectable to EOT. Subsequently, the HPgV-1 titer rebounded to pretreatment levels for all patients. In conclusion, we found that HCV treatment regimens that included the polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir resulted in decreases in HPgV-1 titers, and the addition of pegylated interferon increased the effect on patients with coinfections. This points to the high specificity of protease and NS5A inhibitors toward HCV and the more broad-spectrum activity of sofosbuvir and especially pegylated interferon. IMPORTANCE Human pegivirus 1 coinfections are common in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, persisting for years. However, little is known about how pegivirus coinfections are affected by treatment with pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) against HCV. We identified human pegivirus by metagenomic analysis of chronic HCV patients undergoing protease, NS5A, and polymerase inhibitor treatment, in some patients with the addition of pegylated interferon, and followed viral kinetics of both viruses to investigate treatment effects. Only during HCV DAA treatment regimens that included the more broad-spectrum drug sofosbuvir could we detect a consistent decline in pegivirus titers that, however, rebounded to pretreatment levels after treatment cessation. The addition of pegylated interferon gave the highest effect with pegivirus titers decreasing to below the assay detection limit, but without clearance. These results reveal the limited effect of frontline HCV drugs on the closest related human virus, but sofosbuvir appeared to have the potential to be repurposed for other viral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lone Wulff Madsen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Institute for Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Research Unit for Internal Medicine Kolding Hospital, Kolding, Denmark
| | - Peer Brehm Christensen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Christina Søhoel Sølund
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Sarah Mollerup
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Mette Pinholt
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Nina Weis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Anne Øvrehus
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Carmona RDCC, Cilli A, da Costa AC, Reis FC, Leal É, dos Santos FCP, Machado BC, Lopes CS, Afonso AMS, Timenetsky MDCST. Pegivirus Detection in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Patients with Central Nervous System Infections of Unknown Etiology in Brazil by Viral Metagenomics. Microorganisms 2023; 12:19. [PMID: 38257846 PMCID: PMC10818654 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) methodology serves as an excellent supplement in cases where diagnosis is challenging to establish through conventional laboratory tests, and its usage is increasingly prevalent. Examining the causes of infectious diseases in the central nervous system (CNS) is vital for understanding their spread, managing outbreaks, and effective patient care. In a study conducted in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 500 patients with CNS diseases of indeterminate etiology, collected between 2017 and 2021, were analyzed. Employing a mNGS approach, we obtained the complete coding sequence of Pegivirus hominis (HPgV) genotype 2 in a sample from a patient with encephalitis (named IAL-425/BRA/SP/2019); no other pathogen was detected. Subsequently, to determine the extent of this virus's presence, both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or real-time PCR assays were utilized on the entire collection. The presence of the virus was identified in 4.0% of the samples analyzed. This research constitutes the first report of HPgV detection in CSF samples in South America. Analysis of the IAL-425 genome (9107 nt) revealed a 90% nucleotide identity with HPgV strains from various countries. Evolutionary analyses suggest that HPgV is both endemic and extensively distributed. The direct involvement of HPgV in CNS infections in these patients remains uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Audrey Cilli
- Enteric Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (A.C.); (F.C.R.); (B.C.M.)
| | | | - Fabricio Caldeira Reis
- Enteric Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (A.C.); (F.C.R.); (B.C.M.)
| | - Élcio Leal
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belem 66075-000, Brazil;
| | | | - Bráulio Caetano Machado
- Enteric Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (A.C.); (F.C.R.); (B.C.M.)
| | - Cristina Santiago Lopes
- Respiratory Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (F.C.P.d.S.); (C.S.L.); (A.M.S.A.)
| | - Ana Maria Sardinha Afonso
- Respiratory Disease Laboratory, Virology Center, Adolfo Lutz Institute, Sao Paulo 01246-900, Brazil; (F.C.P.d.S.); (C.S.L.); (A.M.S.A.)
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3
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Bakal JA, Rivera R, Charlton C, Plitt S, Power C. Evolving etiologies, comorbidities, survival, and costs of care in adult encephalitis. J Neurovirol 2023; 29:605-613. [PMID: 37581843 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-023-01165-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Encephalitis is a central nervous system disorder, often caused by infectious agents or aberrant immune responses. We investigated causes, comorbidities, costs, and outcomes of encephalitis in a population-based cohort. ICD-10 codes corresponding to encephalitis were used to identify health services records for all adults from 2004 to 2019. Data were cross-validated for identified diagnoses based on laboratory confirmation using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. We identified persons with a diagnosis of encephalitis and abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results (n = 581) in whom viral genome was detected (n = 315) in a population of 3.2 million adults from 2004 to 2019. Viral genome-positive CSF samples included HSV-1 (n = 133), VZV (n = 116), HSV-2 (n = 34), enterovirus (n = 4), EBV (n = 5), and CMV (n = 3) with the remaining viruses included JCV (n = 12) and HHV-6 (n = 1). The mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (2.0) and mortality rate (37.6%) were significantly higher in the CSF viral genome-negative encephalitis group although the mean costs of care were significantly higher for the CSF viral genome-positive group. Cumulative incidence rates showed increased CSF VZV detection in persons with encephalitis, which predominated in persons over 65 years with a higher mean Charlson index. We detected HSV-2 and VZV more frequently in CSF from encephalitis cases with greater material-social deprivation. The mean costs of care were significantly greater for HSV-1 encephalitis group. Encephalitis remains an important cause of neurological disability and death with a viral etiology in 54.2% of affected adults accompanied by substantial costs of care and mortality. Virus-associated encephalitis is evolving with increased VZV detection, especially in older persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Bakal
- Provincial Research Data Services-Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - R Rivera
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - C Charlton
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - S Plitt
- Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - C Power
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Medical Research Centre, University of Alberta, 6-11 Heritage, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Valyraki N, Maillart E, Pourcher V, Shor N, Tran S, Boudot de la Motte M, Houiller C, Domont F, Morvan E, Touat M, Del Mar Amador M, Aboab J, Mathon B, Hesters A, Vignal-Clermont C, Dehais C, Bonnin S, Lafitte F, Villain N, Varnous S, Gout O, Eloit M, Rodriguez C, Deschamps R. Human pegivirus identified in severe myelitis and optic neuritis in immunocompromised patients: A pathogenic role for a forgotten virus? Rev Neurol (Paris) 2022; 179:361-367. [PMID: 36302709 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2022.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The role of Human pegivirus (HPgV) in patients with encephalitis has been recently questioned. We present cases of 4 patients with similar clinical, biological, and radiological characteristics, including a past history of transplantation with long-term immunosuppression and a progressive course of severe and predominantly myelitis, associated in 3 cases with optic neuropathy causing blindness. Extensive workup was negative but analysis of the CSF by use of pan-microorganism DNA- and RNA-based shotgun metagenomics was positive for HPgV. This case series further supports the hypothesis of HPgV CNS infection and highlights the utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing of CSF in immunocompromised patients.
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5
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Stapleton JT. Human Pegivirus Type 1: A Common Human Virus That Is Beneficial in Immune-Mediated Disease? Front Immunol 2022; 13:887760. [PMID: 35707535 PMCID: PMC9190258 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.887760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Two groups identified a novel human flavivirus in the mid-1990s. One group named the virus hepatitis G virus (HGV) and the other named it GB Virus type C (GBV-C). Sequence analyses found these two isolates to be the same virus, and subsequent studies found that the virus does not cause hepatitis despite sharing genome organization with hepatitis C virus. Although HGV/GBV-C infection is common and may cause persistent infection in humans, the virus does not appear to directly cause any other known disease state. Thus, the virus was renamed “human pegivirus 1” (HPgV-1) for “persistent G” virus. HPgV-1 is found primarily in lymphocytes and not hepatocytes, and several studies found HPgV-1 infection associated with prolonged survival in people living with HIV. Co-infection of human lymphocytes with HPgV-1 and HIV inhibits HIV replication. Although three viral proteins directly inhibit HIV replication in vitro, the major effects of HPgV-1 leading to reduced HIV-related mortality appear to result from a global reduction in immune activation. HPgV-1 specifically interferes with T cell receptor signaling (TCR) by reducing proximal activation of the lymphocyte specific Src kinase LCK. Although TCR signaling is reduced, T cell activation is not abolished and with sufficient stimulus, T cell functions are enabled. Consequently, HPgV-1 is not associated with immune suppression. The HPgV-1 immunomodulatory effects are associated with beneficial outcomes in other diseases including Ebola virus infection and possibly graft-versus-host-disease following stem cell transplantation. Better understanding of HPgV-1 immune escape and mechanisms of inflammation may identify novel therapies for immune-based diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack T. Stapleton
- Medicine Service, Iowa City Veterans Administration Healthcare, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Departments of Internal Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jack T. Stapleton,
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Samadi M, Salimi V, Haghshenas MR, Miri SM, Mohebbi SR, Ghaemi A. Clinical and molecular aspects of human pegiviruses in the interaction host and infectious agent. Virol J 2022; 19:41. [PMID: 35264187 PMCID: PMC8905790 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-022-01769-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) is a Positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ ssRNA) virus, discovered in 1995 as a Flaviviridae member, and the closest human virus linked to HCV. In comparison to HCV, HPgV-1 seems to be lymphotropic and connected to the viral group that infects T and B lymphocytes. HPgV-1 infection is not persuasively correlated to any known human disease; nevertheless, multiple studies have reported a connection between chronic HPgV-1 infection and improved survival in HPgV-1/HIV co-infected patients with a delayed and favorable impact on HIV infection development. While the process has not been thoroughly clarified, different mechanisms for these observations have been proposed. HPgV-1 is categorized into seven genotypes and various subtypes. Infection with HPgV-1 is relatively common globally. It can be transferred parenterally, sexually, and through vertical ways, and thereby its co-infection with HIV and HCV is common. In most cases, the clearance of HPgV-1 from the body can be achieved by developing E2 antibodies after infection. Main body In this review, we thoroughly discuss the current knowledge and recent advances in understanding distinct epidemiological, molecular, and clinical aspects of HPgV-1. Conclusion Due to the unique characteristics of the HPgV-1, so advanced research on HPgV-1, particularly in light of HIV co-infection and other diseases, should be conducted to explore the essential mechanisms of HIV clearance and other viruses and thereby suggest novel strategies for viral therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Samadi
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Microbiology, Molecular and Cell-Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Vahid Salimi
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Haghshenas
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular and Cell-Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Miri
- Department of Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O. Box: 1316943551, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Mohebbi
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Ghaemi
- Department of Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O. Box: 1316943551, Tehran, Iran.
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7
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Castro M, Matas IM, Silva E, Barradas PF, Amorim I, Gomes H, Monteiro Á, Nascimento MSJ, Mesquita JR. Occurrence and molecular characterization of human pegivirus-1 (HPgV-1) viraemia in healthy volunteer blood donors from northern Portugal. J Med Virol 2022; 94:3442-3447. [PMID: 35229315 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Human Pegivirus-1 (HPgV-1) is a member of the Flaviviridae family and the Pegivirus genus. Despite having been discovered 25 years ago, there is still much to know regarding HPgV-1 clinical impact, as this virus is currently not associated with any pathology. Yet, HPgV-1 prevalence and molecular characterization is still unknown in many countries, including Portugal. To fill in this knowledge gap, this study aimed to determine the occurrence and molecular characterization of HPgV-1 in a group of healthy blood donors from the north of Portugal. Blood samples from 465 Portuguese blood donors were collected from a major Hospital Center in the north of Portugal. RNA was extracted and an initial nested RT-PCR was performed targeting the conserved 5'-UTR region of HPgV-1 genome. A second nested RT-PCR targeting the E2 region was performed for genotyping. Only one sample tested positive for HPgV-1 RNA, resulting in a prevalence of approximately 0.22%. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the characterization as genotype 2, the most prevalent in Europe. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda Castro
- Faculty of Sciences (FCUP), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel M Matas
- Institute of Sciences, Technology and Agro-environment (ICETA), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Eliane Silva
- Institute of Sciences, Technology and Agro-environment (ICETA), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Irina Amorim
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology (IPATIMUP), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Helena Gomes
- Hospital Center of Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, E.P.E., Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Álvaro Monteiro
- Hospital Center of Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, E.P.E., Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | | | - João R Mesquita
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Public Health Institute (ISPUP), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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8
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Yu Y, Wan Z, Wang JH, Yang X, Zhang C. Review of human pegivirus: Prevalence, transmission, pathogenesis, and clinical implication. Virulence 2022; 13:324-341. [PMID: 35132924 PMCID: PMC8837232 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2029328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pegivirus (HPgV-1), previously known as GB virus C (GBV-C) or hepatitis G virus (HGV), is a single-stranded positive RNA virus belonging to the genus Pegivirus of the Flaviviridae family. It is transmitted by percutaneous injuries (PIs), contaminated blood and/or blood products, sexual contact, and vertical mother-to-child transmission. It is widely prevalent in general population, especially in high-risk groups. HPgV-1 viremia is typically cleared within the first 1–2 years of infection in most healthy individuals, but may persist for longer periods of time in immunocompromised individuals and/or those co-infected by other viruses. A large body of evidences indicate that HPgV-1 persistent infection has a beneficial clinical effect on many infectious diseases, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and hepatitis C. The beneficial effects seem to be related to a significant reduction of immune activation, and/or the inhabitation of co-infected viruses (e.g. HIV-1). HPgV-1 has a broad cellular tropism for lymphoid and myeloid cells, and preferentially replicates in bone marrow and spleen without cytopathic effect, implying a therapeutic potential. The paper aims to summarize the natural history, prevalence and distribution characteristics, and pathogenesis of HPgV-1, and discuss its association with other human viral diseases, and potential use in therapy as a biovaccine or viral vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China.,Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenzhou Wan
- Medical Laboratory of Taizhou Fourth People's Hospital, Taizhou, China
| | - Jian-Hua Wang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianguang Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Chiyu Zhang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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9
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Infection of Glia by Human Pegivirus Suppresses Peroxisomal and Antiviral Signaling Pathways. J Virol 2021; 95:e0107421. [PMID: 34524914 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01074-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Human pegivirus (HPgV) infects peripheral leukocytes but was recently shown to be a neurotropic virus associated with leukoencephalitis in humans. In the present study, we investigated the neural cell tropism of HPgV as well as its effects on host immune responses. HPgV wild type (WT) and a mutant virus with a deletion in the HPgV NS2 gene (ΔNS2) were able to productively infect human astrocytes and microglia but not neurons or an oligodendrocyte-derived cell line. Of note, the ΔNS2 virus replicated better than WT pegivirus in astrocytes, with both viruses being able to subsequently infect and spread in fresh human astrocyte cultures. Infection of human glia by HPgV WT and ΔNS2 viruses resulted in suppression of peroxisome-associated genes, including PEX11B, ABCD1, PEX7, ABCD3, PEX3, and PEX5L, during peak viral production, which was accompanied by reduced expression of IFNB, IRF3, IRF1, and MAVS, particularly in ΔNS2-infected cells. These data were consistent with analyses of brain tissue from patients infected with HPgV in which we observed suppression of peroxisome and type I interferon gene transcripts, including PEX11B, ABCD3, IRF1, and IRF3, with concurrent loss of PMP70 immunoreactivity in glia. Our data indicate that human astrocytes and microglia are permissive to HPgV infection, resulting in peroxisome injury and suppressed antiviral signaling that is influenced by viral diversity. IMPORTANCE Human pegiviruses are detected in 1 to 5% of the general population, principally infecting leukocytes, although their effects on human health remain uncertain. Here, we show that human pegivirus infects specific neural cell types in culture and human brain and, like other neurotropic flaviviruses, causes suppression of peroxisome and antiviral signaling pathways, which could favor ongoing viral infection and perhaps confer susceptibility to the development of neurological disease.
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10
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Human pegivirus 1 infection in lung transplant recipients: Prevalence, clinical relevance and kinetics of viral replication under immunosuppressive therapy. J Clin Virol 2021; 143:104937. [PMID: 34416522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2021.104937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human pegivirus 1 (HPgV1) may cause persistent infections in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed individuals. Its clinical relevance, however, has not been determined. Previous studies have described a higher prevalence of HPgV1 infection in organ transplant recipients compared to healthy controls, but its occurrence in lung transplant recipients (LTRs) and its association with immunosuppressive therapy has not been assessed. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical significance of HPgV1 infection in LTRs, and to compare HPgV1 loads and kinetics to Torque Teno Virus (TTV) kinetics, which reflects the level of immunosuppression. STUDY DESIGN From each of 110 LTRs, five consecutive plasma samples were collected within the first year after transplantation and tested for HPgV1 RNA and TTV DNA loads by quantitative PCR. Data were related to demographic data and clinical parameters followed up for 3 years post transplantation. RESULTS HPgV1 prevalence in LTRs was 18,2%. HPgV1 detection was significantly associated with younger age, but not with graft rejections or other microbial infections. The viral replication level remained unaffected by immunosuppressive therapy. This was in contrast to TTV loads which increased after initiation of immunosuppressive therapy, independent of the patients' HPgV1 infection status. CONCLUSIONS In contrast to TTV, HPgV1 kinetics do not reflect the level of immunosuppression after lung transplantation, and there is no correlation between the replication of both persistent viruses in the post transplantation follow up. Thus the individual virus host interactions seem to differ substantially and require further investigation.
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Towards an Ensemble Vaccine against the Pegivirus Using Computational Modelling Approaches and Its Validation through In Silico Cloning and Immune Simulation. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9080818. [PMID: 34451943 PMCID: PMC8402528 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9080818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pegivirus, HPgV, which was earlier known as Gb virus and hepatitis G virus, is an enveloped, positive-stranded RNA and lymphotropic virus classified into the Flaviviridae family. The transmission routes primarily involve blood products, and infections are worldwide, leading up to 25% of persistent infections. To date, no effective therapeutic means are available to clear Pegivirus infections. Effective vaccine therapeutics is the best alternative to manage this disease and any associated potential pandemic. Thus, whole proteome-based mining of immunogenic peptides, i.e., CTL (cytotoxic T lymphocytes), HTL (helper T lymphocytes), and B cell epitopes, was mapped to design a vaccine ensemble. Our investigation revealed that 29 different epitopes impart a critical role in immune response induction, which was also validated by exploring its physiochemical properties and experimental feasibility. In silico expression and host immune simulation were examined using an agent-based modeling approach and confirmed the induction of both primary and secondary immune factors such as IL, cytokines, and antibodies. The current study warrants further lab experiments to demonstrate its efficacy and safety.
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12
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de Bernadi Schneider A, Jacob Machado D, Guirales S, Janies DA. FLAVi: An Enhanced Annotator for Viral Genomes of Flaviviridae. Viruses 2020; 12:E892. [PMID: 32824044 PMCID: PMC7472247 DOI: 10.3390/v12080892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Responding to the ongoing and severe public health threat of viruses of the family Flaviviridae, including dengue, hepatitis C, West Nile, yellow fever, and Zika, demands a greater understanding of how these viruses emerge and spread. Updated phylogenies are central to this understanding. Most cladograms of Flaviviridae focus on specific lineages and ignore outgroups, hampering the efficacy of the analysis to test ingroup monophyly and relationships. This is due to the lack of annotated Flaviviridae genomes, which has gene content variation among genera. This variation makes analysis without partitioning difficult. Therefore, we developed an annotation pipeline for the genera of Flaviviridae (Flavirirus, Hepacivirus, Pegivirus, and Pestivirus, named "Fast Loci Annotation of Viruses" (FLAVi; http://flavi-web.com/), that combines ab initio and homology-based strategies. FLAVi recovered 100% of the genes in Flavivirus and Hepacivirus genomes. In Pegivirus and Pestivirus, annotation efficiency was 100% except for one partition each. There were no false positives. The combined phylogenetic analysis of multiple genes made possible by annotation has clear impacts over the tree topology compared to phylogenies that we inferred without outgroups or data partitioning. The final tree is largely congruent with previous hypotheses and adds evidence supporting the close phylogenetic relationship between dengue and Zika.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano de Bernadi Schneider
- AntiViral Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92103, USA;
| | - Denis Jacob Machado
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, College of Computing and Informatics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (S.G.); (D.A.J.)
| | - Sayal Guirales
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, College of Computing and Informatics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (S.G.); (D.A.J.)
| | - Daniel A. Janies
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, College of Computing and Informatics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (S.G.); (D.A.J.)
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de Lima ABF, de Sá KSG, Torres MKDS, da Silva Soares L, Resques HR, Azevedo VN, Martins Feitosa RN, Monteiro JC, Rangel da Silva ANM, Ribeiro ALR, de Oliveira-Filho AB, Vallinoto ACR, Machado LFA. Low prevalence of human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) in HTLV-1 carriers from Belém, Pará, North Region of Brazil. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232783. [PMID: 32369533 PMCID: PMC7199934 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family with limited cause-effect evidence of the causation of human diseases. However, studies have shown a potential beneficial impact of HPgV-1 coinfection in HIV disease progression. Human T lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus known for causing diseases, especially in muscle and white blood cells, in approximately 5% of patients. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential effects of an HPgV-1 infection in patients carrying HTLV-1 in the state of Pará in the North Region of Brazil. Methods A group of HTLV-1 carriers was compared to healthy controls. Blood samples were collected, data from medical regards were collected, and a questionnaire was administered. HPgV-1 and HTLV-1 positivity was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The data were analyzed to correlate the effects of HPgV-1 coinfection in HTLV-1 carriers. Results A total of 158 samples were included in the study: 74 HTLV-1-positive patients (46,8%) and 84 healthy controls (53,2%). The overall HPgV-1 positivity rate was 7.6% (12/158), resulting in a prevalence of 5.4% (4/74) and 9.5% (8/84) in HTLV-1 carriers and healthy controls, respectively. No significant differences were found when comparing any clinical or demographic data between groups. Conclusion This study indicated that the prevalence of HPgV-1 infection is low in HTLV-1 carriers in Belém, Pará, and probably does not alter the clinical course of HTLV-1 infection, however, further studies are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Figueiredo de Lima
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Agentes Infecciosos e Parasitários, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Keyla Santos Guedes de Sá
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Agentes Infecciosos e Parasitários, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Maria Karoliny da Silva Torres
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Agentes Infecciosos e Parasitários, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Luana da Silva Soares
- Laboratório de Virologia, Serviço de Vigilância em Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil
| | - Hugo Reis Resques
- Laboratório de Virologia, Serviço de Vigilância em Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil
| | - Vânia Nakauth Azevedo
- Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Andre Luis Ribeiro Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Aldemir Branco de Oliveira-Filho
- Grupo de Estudo e Pesquisa em Populações Vulneráveis, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros, Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | | | - Luiz Fernando Almeida Machado
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Agentes Infecciosos e Parasitários, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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14
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Yang N, Dai R, Zhang X. Global prevalence of human pegivirus-1 in healthy volunteer blood donors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Vox Sang 2019; 115:107-119. [PMID: 31845353 DOI: 10.1111/vox.12876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The local prevalence of HPgV-1 has been reported from different countries worldwide, but the global prevalence of HPgV-1 remains unknown. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to gather data from the literature to estimate the prevalence of HPgV-1 in healthy volunteer blood donors in the world. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Google Scholar databases for records up to January 2019 and included studies reporting HPgV-1 virus prevalence amongst healthy volunteer blood donors based on the detection of HPgV-1 RNA. RESULTS In all, we included 79 studies for the systematic review and 63 for the meta-analysis. Based on the random effect meta-analysis of 35 468 volunteer blood donors, we found the global prevalence of HPgV-1 to be 3·1% (95% CI, 2·4-4·1). The pooled prevalences of HPgV-1 were 1·7% (95% CI, 1·1-2·6) in North America, 9·1% (95% CI, 6·4-12·7) in South America, 2·3% (95% CI, 2%, 2·8) in Europe and 2·4% (95% CI, 1·4-4) in Asia. Subgroup analyses based on age, gender or risk factors were not possible. CONCLUSION Approximately 3 in 100 blood donations worldwide are positive for HPgV-1 increasing the risk of infection from transfusion of their components to subsequent recipients. Further research on virus pathogenicity is required before recommending routine screening of HPgV-1 for healthy volunteer blood donors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Yang
- Yantai Central Blood Station, Yantai, China
| | - Run Dai
- Yantai Central Blood Station, Yantai, China
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Tuddenham R, Eden JS, Gilbey T, Dwyer DE, Jennings Z, Holmes EC, Branley JM. Human pegivirus in brain tissue of a patient with encephalitis. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2019; 96:114898. [PMID: 31753519 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2019.114898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We describe a case of meningoencephalitis in which meta-transcriptomic (RNA) sequencing detected human pegivirus (HPgV) in brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, and serum in the absence of other pathogens. This is the first detection of HPgV in antemortem brain tissue, although it is uncertain whether HPgV is responsible for the observed encephalitis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John-Sebastian Eden
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Centre for Virus Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Timothy Gilbey
- NSW Health Pathology-Nepean, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Dominic E Dwyer
- NSW Health Pathology-Institute for Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Zoe Jennings
- Nepean Hospital, PO Box 63, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Edward C Holmes
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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