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Amidei A, Dobrovolny HM. Virus-mediated cell fusion of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Math Biosci 2024; 369:109144. [PMID: 38224908 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2024.109144] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has the ability to form large multi-nucleated cells known as syncytia. Little is known about how syncytia affect the dynamics of the infection or severity of the disease. In this manuscript, we extend a mathematical model of cell-cell fusion assays to estimate both the syncytia formation rate and the average duration of the fusion phase for five strains of SARS-CoV-2. We find that the original Wuhan strain has the slowest rate of syncytia formation (6.4×10-4/h), but takes only 4.0 h to complete the fusion process, while the Alpha strain has the fastest rate of syncytia formation (0.36 /h), but takes 7.6 h to complete the fusion process. The Beta strain also has a fairly fast syncytia formation rate (9.7×10-2/h), and takes the longest to complete fusion (8.4 h). The D614G strain has a fairly slow syncytia formation rate (2.8×10-3/h), but completes fusion in 4.0 h. Finally, the Delta strain is in the middle with a syncytia formation rate of 3.2×10-2/h and a fusing time of 6.1 h. We note that for these SARS-CoV-2 strains, there appears to be a tradeoff between the ease of forming syncytia and the speed at which they complete the fusion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ava Amidei
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Hana M Dobrovolny
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
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Chan YT, Cheok YY, Cheong HC, Tang TF, Sulaiman S, Hassan J, Looi CY, Tan KK, AbuBakar S, Wong WF. Immune Recognition versus Immune Evasion Systems in Zika Virus Infection. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020642. [PMID: 36831177 PMCID: PMC9952926 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The reemergence of the Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in recent years has posed a serious threat to global health. Despite being asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic in a majority of infected individuals, ZIKV infection can result in severe manifestations including neurological complications in adults and congenital abnormalities in newborns. In a human host, ZIKV is primarily recognized by RIG-like receptors and Toll-like receptors that elicit anti-viral immunity through the secretion of type I interferon (IFN) to limit viral survival, replication, and pathogenesis. Intriguingly, ZIKV evades its host immune system through various immune evasion strategies, including suppressing the innate immune receptors and signaling pathways, mutation of viral structural and non-structural proteins, RNA modulation, or alteration of cellular pathways. Here, we present an overview of ZIKV recognition by the host immune system and the evasion strategies employed by ZIKV. Characterization of the host-viral interaction and viral disease mechanism provide a platform for the rational design of novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies against ZIKV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Teng Chan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Yi Ying Cheok
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Heng Choon Cheong
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Ting Fang Tang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Sofiah Sulaiman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Jamiyah Hassan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Chung Yeng Looi
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor’s University, 1, Jalan Taylors, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Kim-Kee Tan
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Higher Education Center of Excellence (HICoE), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Higher Education Center of Excellence (HICoE), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Won Fen Wong
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +60-(3)-7967-6672
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