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Chiyyeadu A, Asgedom G, Bruhn M, Rocha C, Schlegel TU, Neumann T, Galla M, Vollmer Barbosa P, Hoffmann M, Ehrhardt K, Ha TC, Morgan M, Schoeder CT, Pöhlmann S, Kalinke U, Schambach A. A tetravalent bispecific antibody outperforms the combination of its parental antibodies and neutralizes diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants. Clin Immunol 2024; 260:109902. [PMID: 38218210 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.109902] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The devastating impact of COVID-19 on global health shows the need to increase our pandemic preparedness. Recombinant therapeutic antibodies were successfully used to treat and protect at-risk patients from COVID-19. However, the currently circulating Omicron subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 are largely resistant to therapeutic antibodies, and novel approaches to generate broadly neutralizing antibodies are urgently needed. Here, we describe a tetravalent bispecific antibody, A7A9 TVB, which actively neutralized many SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including early Omicron subvariants. Interestingly, A7A9 TVB neutralized more variants at lower concentration as compared to the combination of its parental monoclonal antibodies, A7K and A9L. A7A9 also reduced the viral load of authentic Omicron BA.1 virus in infected pseudostratified primary human nasal epithelial cells. Overall, A7A9 displayed the characteristics of a potent broadly neutralizing antibody, which may be suitable for prophylactic and therapeutic applications in the clinics, thus highlighting the usefulness of an effective antibody-designing approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Chiyyeadu
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Girmay Asgedom
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Matthias Bruhn
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Cheila Rocha
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tom U Schlegel
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Neumann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Philippe Vollmer Barbosa
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Markus Hoffmann
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Ehrhardt
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Teng-Cheong Ha
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Clara T Schoeder
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America.
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Wildner G, Tucci AR, Prestes ADS, Muller T, Rosa ADS, Borba NRR, Ferreira VN, Rocha JBT, Miranda MD, Barbosa NV. Ebselen and Diphenyl Diselenide Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Replication at Non-Toxic Concentrations to Human Cell Lines. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1222. [PMID: 37515038 PMCID: PMC10384302 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071222] [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: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global public health problem. Despite the numerous studies for drug repurposing, there are only two FDA-approved antiviral agents (Remdesivir and Nirmatrelvir) for non-hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms. Consequently, it is pivotal to search for new molecules with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity and to study their effects in the human immune system. Ebselen (Eb) is an organoselenium compound that is safe for humans and has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Diphenyl diselenide ((PhSe)2) shares several pharmacological properties with Eb and is of low toxicity to mammals. Herein, we investigated Eb and (PhSe)2 anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in a human pneumocytes cell model (Calu-3) and analyzed their toxic effects on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Both compounds significantly inhibited the SARS-CoV-2 replication in Calu-3 cells. The EC50 values for Eb and (PhSe)2 after 24 h post-infection (hpi) were 3.8 µM and 3.9 µM, respectively, and after 48 hpi were 2.6 µM and 3.4 µM. These concentrations are safe for non-infected cells, since the CC50 values found for Eb and (PhSe)2 on Calu-3 were greater than 200 µM. Importantly, the concentration rates tested on viral replication were not toxic to human PBMCs. Therefore, our findings reinforce the efficacy of Eb and demonstrate (PhSe)2 as a new candidate to be tested in future trials against SARS-CoV-2 infection/inflammation conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Wildner
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Amanda Resende Tucci
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Alessandro de Souza Prestes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Talise Muller
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Alice Dos Santos Rosa
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Nathalia Roberto R Borba
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vivian Neuza Ferreira
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - João Batista Teixeira Rocha
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Milene Dias Miranda
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Nilda Vargas Barbosa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
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3
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Saramago LC, Santana MV, Gomes BF, Dantas RF, Senger MR, Oliveira Borges PH, Ferreira VNDS, dos Santos Rosa A, Tucci AR, Dias Miranda M, Lukacik P, Strain-Damerell C, Owen CD, Walsh MA, Ferreira SB, Silva-Junior FP. AI-Driven Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Fragment-like Inhibitors with Antiviral Activity In Vitro. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:2866-2880. [PMID: 37058135 PMCID: PMC10124747 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19 and is responsible for the current global pandemic. The viral genome contains 5 major open reading frames of which the largest ORF1ab codes for two polyproteins, pp1ab and pp1a, which are subsequently cleaved into 16 nonstructural proteins (nsp) by two viral cysteine proteases encoded within the polyproteins. The main protease (Mpro, nsp5) cleaves the majority of the nsp's, making it essential for viral replication and has been successfully targeted for the development of antivirals. The first oral Mpro inhibitor, nirmatrelvir, was approved for treatment of COVID-19 in late December 2021 in combination with ritonavir as Paxlovid. Increasing the arsenal of antivirals and development of protease inhibitors and other antivirals with a varied mode of action remains a priority to reduce the likelihood for resistance emerging. Here, we report results from an artificial intelligence-driven approach followed by in vitro validation, allowing the identification of five fragment-like Mpro inhibitors with IC50 values ranging from 1.5 to 241 μM. The three most potent molecules (compounds 818, 737, and 183) were tested against SARS-CoV-2 by in vitro replication in Vero E6 and Calu-3 cells. Compound 818 was active in both cell models with an EC50 value comparable to its measured IC50 value. On the other hand, compounds 737 and 183 were only active in Calu-3, a preclinical model of respiratory cells, showing selective indexes twice as high as those for compound 818. We also show that our in silico methodology was successful in identifying both reversible and covalent inhibitors. For instance, compound 818 is a reversible chloromethylamide analogue of 8-methyl-γ-carboline, while compound 737 is an N-pyridyl-isatin that covalently inhibits Mpro. Given the small molecular weights of these fragments, their high binding efficiency in vitro and efficacy in blocking viral replication, these compounds represent good starting points for the development of potent lead molecules targeting the Mpro of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Carlos Saramago
- LaBECFar-Laboratório de Bioquímica
Experimental e Computacional de Fármacos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos V. Santana
- LaBECFar-Laboratório de Bioquímica
Experimental e Computacional de Fármacos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Figueira Gomes
- LaBECFar-Laboratório de Bioquímica
Experimental e Computacional de Fármacos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael Ferreira Dantas
- LaBECFar-Laboratório de Bioquímica
Experimental e Computacional de Fármacos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mario R. Senger
- LaBECFar-Laboratório de Bioquímica
Experimental e Computacional de Fármacos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Pedro Henrique Oliveira Borges
- LaBECFar-Laboratório de Bioquímica
Experimental e Computacional de Fármacos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
- LaSOPB-Laboratório de Síntese
Orgânica e Prospecção Biológica, Instituto de Química,
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vivian Neuza dos Santos Ferreira
- LMMV-Laboratório de Morfologia e
Morfogênese Viral (LMMV), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alice dos Santos Rosa
- LMMV-Laboratório de Morfologia e
Morfogênese Viral (LMMV), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Amanda Resende Tucci
- LMMV-Laboratório de Morfologia e
Morfogênese Viral (LMMV), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Milene Dias Miranda
- LMMV-Laboratório de Morfologia e
Morfogênese Viral (LMMV), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Petra Lukacik
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and
Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, U.K.
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science & Innovation Campus, OX11 0FA Didcot,
U.K.
| | - Claire Strain-Damerell
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and
Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, U.K.
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science & Innovation Campus, OX11 0FA Didcot,
U.K.
| | - C. David Owen
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and
Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, U.K.
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science & Innovation Campus, OX11 0FA Didcot,
U.K.
| | - Martin Austin Walsh
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and
Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, U.K.
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science & Innovation Campus, OX11 0FA Didcot,
U.K.
| | - Sabrina Baptista Ferreira
- LaSOPB-Laboratório de Síntese
Orgânica e Prospecção Biológica, Instituto de Química,
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Floriano Paes Silva-Junior
- LaBECFar-Laboratório de Bioquímica
Experimental e Computacional de Fármacos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
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