1
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Bajpai PS, Collignon L, Sølund C, Madsen LW, Christensen PB, Øvrehus A, Weis N, Holmbeck K, Fahnøe U, Bukh J. Full-length sequence analysis of hepatitis C virus genotype 3b strains and development of an in vivo infectious 3b cDNA clone. J Virol 2023; 97:e0092523. [PMID: 38092564 PMCID: PMC10734419 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00925-23] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE HCV genotype 3b is a difficult-to-treat subtype, associated with accelerated progression of liver disease and resistance to antivirals. Moreover, its prevalence has significantly increased among persons who inject drugs posing a serious risk of transmission in the general population. Thus, more genetic information and antiviral testing systems are required to develop novel therapeutic options for this genotype 3 subtype. We determined the complete genomic sequence and complexity of three genotype 3b isolates, which will be beneficial to study its biology and evolution. Furthermore, we developed a full-length in vivo infectious cDNA clone of genotype 3b and showed its robustness and genetic stability in human-liver chimeric mice. This is, to our knowledge the first reported infectious cDNA clone of HCV genotype 3b and will provide a valuable tool to evaluate antivirals and neutralizing antibodies in vivo, as well as in the development of infectious cell culture systems required for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Shukla Bajpai
- 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
| | - Laura Collignon
- 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
| | - Christina 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
| | - Lone Wulff Madsen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Peer Brehm Christensen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Anne Øvrehus
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 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, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kenn Holmbeck
- 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
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2
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Chen S, Harris M. Mutational analysis reveals a novel role for hepatitis C virus NS5A domain I in cyclophilin-dependent genome replication. J Gen Virol 2023; 104:10.1099/jgv.0.001886. [PMID: 37672027 PMCID: PMC7615712 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A protein is comprised of three domains (D1-3). Previously, we observed that two alanine substitutions in D1 (V67A, P145A) abrogated replication of a genotype 2a isolate (JFH-1) sub-genomic replicon (SGR) in Huh7 cells, but this phenotype was partially restored in Huh7.5 cells. Here we demonstrate that five additional residues, surface-exposed and proximal to V67 or P145, exhibited the same phenotype. In contrast, the analogous mutants in a genotype 3a isolate (DBN3a) SGR exhibited different phenotypes in each cell line, consistent with fundamental differences in the functions of genotypes 2 and 3 NS5A. The difference between Huh7 and Huh7.5 cells was reminiscent of the observation that cyclophilin inhibitors are more potent against HCV replication in the former and suggested a role for D1 in cyclophilin dependence. Consistent with this, all JFH-1 and DBN3a mutants exhibited increased sensitivity to cyclosporin A treatment compared to wild-type. Silencing of cyclophilin A (CypA) in Huh7 cells inhibited replication of both JFH-1 and DBN3a. However, in Huh7.5 cells CypA silencing did not inhibit JFH-1 wild-type, but abrogated replication of all the JFH-1 mutants, and both DBN3a wild-type and all mutants. CypB silencing in Huh7 cells had no effect on DBN3a, but abrogated replication of JFH-1. CypB silencing in Huh7.5 cells had no effect on either SGR. Lastly, we confirmed that JFH-1 NS5A D1 interacted with CypA in vitro. These data demonstrate both a direct involvement of NS5A D1 in cyclophilin-dependent genome replication and functional differences between genotype 2 and 3 NS5A.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Harris
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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3
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Sherwood AV, Rivera-Rangel LR, Ryberg LA, Larsen HS, Anker KM, Costa R, Vågbø CB, Jakljevič E, Pham LV, Fernandez-Antunez C, Indrisiunaite G, Podolska-Charlery A, Grothen JER, Langvad NW, Fossat N, Offersgaard A, Al-Chaer A, Nielsen L, Kuśnierczyk A, Sølund C, Weis N, Gottwein JM, Holmbeck K, Bottaro S, Ramirez S, Bukh J, Scheel TKH, Vinther J. Hepatitis C virus RNA is 5'-capped with flavin adenine dinucleotide. Nature 2023:10.1038/s41586-023-06301-3. [PMID: 37407817 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06301-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
RNA viruses have evolved elaborate strategies to protect their genomes, including 5' capping. However, until now no RNA 5' cap has been identified for hepatitis C virus1,2 (HCV), which causes chronic infection, liver cirrhosis and cancer3. Here we demonstrate that the cellular metabolite flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is used as a non-canonical initiating nucleotide by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, resulting in a 5'-FAD cap on the HCV RNA. The HCV FAD-capping frequency is around 75%, which is the highest observed for any RNA metabolite cap across all kingdoms of life4-8. FAD capping is conserved among HCV isolates for the replication-intermediate negative strand and partially for the positive strand. It is also observed in vivo on HCV RNA isolated from patient samples and from the liver and serum of a human liver chimeric mouse model. Furthermore, we show that 5'-FAD capping protects RNA from RIG-I mediated innate immune recognition but does not stabilize the HCV RNA. These results establish capping with cellular metabolites as a novel viral RNA-capping strategy, which could be used by other viruses and affect anti-viral treatment outcomes and persistence of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V Sherwood
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Lizandro R Rivera-Rangel
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Line A Ryberg
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Helena S Larsen
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Klara M Anker
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Rui Costa
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Cathrine B Vågbø
- Proteomics and Modomics Experimental Core (PROMEC), Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Central Norway Regional Health Authority, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eva Jakljevič
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Long V Pham
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Carlota Fernandez-Antunez
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Gabriele Indrisiunaite
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Agnieszka Podolska-Charlery
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Julius E R Grothen
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Nicklas W Langvad
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Nicolas Fossat
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anna Offersgaard
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Amal Al-Chaer
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Louise Nielsen
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anna Kuśnierczyk
- Proteomics and Modomics Experimental Core (PROMEC), Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Central Norway Regional Health Authority, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Christina Sølund
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Nina Weis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Judith M Gottwein
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Kenn Holmbeck
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Sandro Bottaro
- Section for Biomolecular Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Santseharay Ramirez
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
| | - Troels K H Scheel
- 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, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jeppe Vinther
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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4
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Abstract
Recent advances aid the development of vaccines to prevent chronic liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Offersgaard
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
- CO-HEP, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
- CO-HEP, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Judith M Gottwein
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
- CO-HEP, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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5
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Castruita JAS, Schneider UV, Mollerup S, Leineweber TD, Weis N, Bukh J, Pedersen MS, Westh H. SARS-CoV-2 spike mRNA vaccine sequences circulate in blood up to 28 days after COVID-19 vaccination. APMIS 2023; 131:128-132. [PMID: 36647776 PMCID: PMC10107710 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In Denmark, vaccination against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been with the Pfizer-BioNTech (BTN162b2) or the Moderna (mRNA-1273) mRNA vaccines. Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection followed in our clinic received mRNA vaccinations according to the Danish roll-out vaccination plan. To monitor HCV infection, RNA was extracted from patient plasma and RNA sequencing was performed on the Illumina platform. In 10 of 108 HCV patient samples, full-length or traces of SARS-CoV-2 spike mRNA vaccine sequences were found in blood up to 28 days after COVID-19 vaccination. Detection of mRNA vaccine sequences in blood after vaccination adds important knowledge regarding this technology and should lead to further research into the design of lipid-nanoparticles and the half-life of these and mRNA vaccines in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Uffe Vest Schneider
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager-Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Sarah Mollerup
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager-Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Thomas Daell Leineweber
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager-Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Nina Weis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager-Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager-Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Schou Pedersen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager-Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henrik Westh
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager-Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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6
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Mechanisms and Consequences of Genetic Variation in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2023; 439:237-264. [PMID: 36592248 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-15640-3_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important contributor to the global incidence of liver diseases, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although common for single-stranded RNA viruses, HCV displays a remarkable high level of genetic diversity, produced primarily by the error-prone viral polymerase and host immune pressure. The high genetic heterogeneity of HCV has led to the evolution of several distinct genotypes and subtypes, with important consequences for pathogenesis, and clinical outcomes. Genetic variability constitutes an evasion mechanism against immune suppression, allowing the virus to evolve epitope escape mutants that avoid immune recognition. Thus, heterogeneity and variability of the HCV genome represent a great hindrance for the development of vaccines against HCV. In addition, the high genetic plasticity of HCV allows the virus to rapidly develop antiviral resistance mutations, leading to treatment failure and potentially representing a major hindrance for the cure of chronic HCV patients. In this chapter, we will present the central role that genetic diversity has in the viral life cycle and epidemiology of HCV. Incorporation errors and recombination, both the result of HCV polymerase activity, represent the main mechanisms of HCV evolution. The molecular details of both mechanisms have been only partially clarified and will be presented in the following sections. Finally, we will discuss the major consequences of HCV genetic diversity, namely its capacity to rapidly evolve antiviral and immunological escape variants that represent an important limitation for clearance of acute HCV, for treatment of chronic hepatitis C and for broadly protective vaccines.
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7
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Pham LV, Velázquez-Moctezuma R, Fahnøe U, Collignon L, Bajpai P, Sølund C, Weis N, Holmbeck K, Prentoe J, Bukh J. Novel HCV Genotype 4d Infectious Systems and Assessment of Direct-Acting Antivirals and Antibody Neutralization. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112527. [PMID: 36423136 PMCID: PMC9698709 DOI: 10.3390/v14112527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 is highly prevalent in the Middle East and parts of Africa. Subtype 4d has recently spread among high-risk groups in Europe. However, 4d infectious culture systems are not available, hampering studies of drugs, as well as neutralizing antibodies relevant for HCV vaccine development. We determined the consensus 4d sequence from a chronic hepatitis C patient by next-generation sequencing, generated a full-length clone thereof (pDH13), and demonstrated that pDH13 RNA-transcripts were viable in the human-liver chimeric mouse model, but not in Huh7.5 cells. However, a JFH1-based DH13 Core-NS5A 4d clone encoding A1671S, T1785V, and D2411G was viable in Huh7.5 cells, with efficient growth after inclusion of 10 additional substitutions [4d(C5A)-13m]. The efficacies of NS3/4A protease- and NS5A- inhibitors against genotypes 4a and 4d were similar, except for ledipasvir, which is less potent against 4d. Compared to 4a, the 4d(C5A)-13m virus was more sensitive to neutralizing monoclonal antibodies AR3A and AR5A, as well as 4a and 4d patient plasma antibodies. In conclusion, we developed the first genotype 4d infectious culture system enabling DAA efficacy testing and antibody neutralization assessment critical to optimization of DAA treatments in the clinic and for vaccine design to combat the HCV epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long V. Pham
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rodrigo Velázquez-Moctezuma
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Laura Collignon
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Priyanka Bajpai
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christina Sølund
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, DK-2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Nina Weis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, DK-2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kenn Holmbeck
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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8
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Heuss C, Rothhaar P, Burm R, Lee JY, Ralfs P, Haselmann U, Ströh LJ, Colasanti O, Tran CS, Schäfer N, Schnitzler P, Merle U, Bartenschlager R, Patel AH, Graw F, Krey T, Laketa V, Meuleman P, Lohmann V. A Hepatitis C virus genotype 1b post-transplant isolate with high replication efficiency in cell culture and its adaptation to infectious virus production in vitro and in vivo. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010472. [PMID: 35763545 PMCID: PMC9273080 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly diverse and grouped into eight genotypes (gts). Infectious cell culture models are limited to a few subtypes and isolates, hampering the development of prophylactic vaccines. A consensus gt1b genome (termed GLT1) was generated from an HCV infected liver-transplanted patient. GLT1 replicated to an outstanding efficiency in Huh7 cells upon SEC14L2 expression, by use of replication enhancing mutations or with a previously developed inhibitor-based regimen. RNA replication levels almost reached JFH-1, but full-length genomes failed to produce detectable amounts of infectious virus. Long-term passaging led to the adaptation of a genome carrying 21 mutations and concomitant production of high levels of transmissible infectivity (GLT1cc). During the adaptation, GLT1 spread in the culture even in absence of detectable amounts of free virus, likely due to cell-to-cell transmission, which appeared to substantially contribute to spreading of other isolates as well. Mechanistically, genome replication and particle production efficiency were enhanced by adaptation, while cell entry competence of HCV pseudoparticles was not affected. Furthermore, GLT1cc retained the ability to replicate in human liver chimeric mice, which was critically dependent on a mutation in domain 3 of nonstructural protein NS5A. Over the course of infection, only one mutation in the surface glycoprotein E2 consistently reverted to wildtype, facilitating assembly in cell culture but potentially affecting CD81 interaction in vivo. Overall, GLT1cc is an efficient gt1b infectious cell culture model, paving the road to a rationale-based establishment of new infectious HCV isolates and represents an important novel tool for the development of prophylactic HCV vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Heuss
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Section virus-host interactions, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul Rothhaar
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Section virus-host interactions, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rani Burm
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Ji-Young Lee
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Ralfs
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Section virus-host interactions, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uta Haselmann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luisa J. Ströh
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ombretta Colasanti
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Section virus-host interactions, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cong Si Tran
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Section virus-host interactions, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Noemi Schäfer
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Section virus-host interactions, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul Schnitzler
- Department of Infectious Diseases Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uta Merle
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arvind H. Patel
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Frederik Graw
- BioQuant – Center for Quantitative Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Krey
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Center of Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Lübeck, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Vibor Laketa
- Department of Infectious Diseases Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philip Meuleman
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Volker Lohmann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Section virus-host interactions, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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9
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Pihl AF, Feng S, Offersgaard A, Alzua GP, Augestad EH, Mathiesen CK, Jensen TB, Krarup H, Law M, Prentoe J, Christensen JP, Bukh J, Gottwein JM. Inactivated whole hepatitis C virus vaccine employing a licensed adjuvant elicits cross-genotype neutralizing antibodies in mice. J Hepatol 2022; 76:1051-1061. [PMID: 34990750 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS A prophylactic vaccine is required to eliminate HCV as a global public health threat. We developed whole virus inactivated HCV vaccine candidates employing a licensed adjuvant. Further, we investigated the effects of HCV envelope protein modifications (to increase neutralization epitope exposure) on immunogenicity. METHODS Whole virus vaccine antigen was produced in Huh7.5 hepatoma cells, processed using a multistep protocol and formulated with adjuvant (MF-59 analogue AddaVax or aluminium hydroxide). We investigated the capacity of IgG purified from the serum of immunized BALB/c mice to neutralize genotype 1-6 HCV (by virus neutralization assays) and to bind homologous envelope proteins (by ELISA). Viruses used for immunizations were (i) HCV5aHi with strain SA13 envelope proteins and modification of an O-linked glycosylation site in E2 (T385P), (ii) HCV5aHi(T385) with reversion of T385P to T385, featuring the original E2 sequence determined in vivo and (iii) HCV5aHi(ΔHVR1) with deletion of HVR1. For these viruses, epitope exposure was investigated using human monoclonal (AR3A and AR4A) and polyclonal (C211 and H06) antibodies in neutralization assays. RESULTS Processed HCV5aHi formulated with AddaVax induced antibodies that efficiently bound homologous envelope proteins and broadly neutralized cultured genotype 1-6 HCV, with half maximal inhibitory concentrations of between 14 and 192 μg/ml (mean of 36 μg/ml against the homologous virus). Vaccination with aluminium hydroxide was less immunogenic. Compared to HCV5aHi(T385) with the original E2 sequence, HCV5aHi with a modified glycosylation site and HCV5aHi(ΔHVR1) without HVR1 showed increased neutralization epitope exposure but similar immunogenicity. CONCLUSION Using an adjuvant suitable for human use, we developed inactivated whole HCV vaccine candidates that induced broadly neutralizing antibodies, which warrant investigation in further pre-clinical studies. LAY SUMMARY A vaccine against hepatitis C virus (HCV) is needed to prevent the estimated 2 million new infections and 400,000 deaths caused by this virus each year. We developed inactivated whole HCV vaccine candidates using adjuvants licensed for human use, which, following immunization of mice, induced antibodies that efficiently neutralized all HCV genotypes with recognized epidemiological importance. HCV variants with modified envelope proteins exhibited similar immunogenicity as the virus with the original envelope proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Finne Pihl
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Shan Feng
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anna Offersgaard
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Garazi Peña Alzua
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elias Honerød Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Kjaerulff Mathiesen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tanja Bertelsen Jensen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henrik Krarup
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Aalborg University Hospital and Clinical Institute, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Mansun Law
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jan Pravsgaard Christensen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Judith Margarete Gottwein
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiolgy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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10
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Binding of GS-461203 and Its Halogen Derivatives to HCV Genotype 2a RNA Polymerase Drug Resistance Mutants. Sci Pharm 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/scipharm90020026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is reported to develop GS-461203 resistance because of multiple mutations within the RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRp) of HCV. The lack of a high-resolution structure of these RdRp mutants in complex with GS-461203 hinders efforts to understand the drug resistance. Here we decipher the binding differences of GS-461203 in the wild type and mutated systems T179A or M289L of HCV RdRp Genotype 2a using homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. Key residues responsible for GS-461203 binding were identified to be Arg48, Arg158, Asp318, Asp319, and Asp220, and that mutations T179A or M289L have caused conformational changes of GS-461203 in the RdRp active site. The affinities of GS-461203 were reduced in T179A system, but it became slightly stronger in the M289L system. Furthermore, we designed two new analogues of GS-461203 which encouragingly induced more stable interactions than GS-461203, and thus resulted in much better binding energies. This present study reveals how a single mutation, T179A or M289L, will modulate GS-461203 binding in HCV RdRp Genotype 2a, while introducing two novel analogues to overcome the drug resistance which may be good candidate for further experimental verification.
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11
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Pham LV, Pedersen MS, Fahnøe U, Fernandez-Antunez C, Humes D, Schønning K, Ramirez S, Bukh J. HCV genome-wide analysis for development of efficient culture systems and unravelling of antiviral resistance in genotype 4. Gut 2022; 71:627-642. [PMID: 33833066 PMCID: PMC8862099 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-323585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE HCV-genotype 4 infections are a major cause of liver diseases in the Middle East/Africa with certain subtypes associated with increased risk of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment failures. We aimed at developing infectious genotype 4 cell culture systems to understand the evolutionary genetic landscapes of antiviral resistance, which can help preserve the future efficacy of DAA-based therapy. DESIGN HCV recombinants were tested in liver-derived cells. Long-term coculture with DAAs served to induce antiviral-resistance phenotypes. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the entire HCV-coding sequence identified mutation networks. Resistance-associated substitutions (RAS) were studied using reverse-genetics. RESULT The in-vivo infectious ED43(4a) clone was adapted in Huh7.5 cells, using substitutions identified in ED43(Core-NS5A)/JFH1-chimeric viruses combined with selected NS5B-changes. NGS, and linkage analysis, permitted identification of multiple genetic branches emerging during culture adaptation, one of which had 31 substitutions leading to robust replication/propagation. Treatment of culture-adapted ED43 with nine clinically relevant protease-DAA, NS5A-DAA and NS5B-DAA led to complex dynamics of drug-target-specific RAS with coselection of genome-wide substitutions. Approved DAA combinations were efficient against the original virus, but not against variants with RAS in corresponding drug targets. However, retreatment with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir remained efficient against NS5A inhibitor and sofosbuvir resistant variants. Recombinants with specific RAS at NS3-156, NS5A-28, 30, 31 and 93 and NS5B-282 were viable, but NS3-A156M and NS5A-L30Δ (deletion) led to attenuated phenotypes. CONCLUSION Rapidly emerging complex evolutionary landscapes of mutations define the persistence of HCV-RASs conferring resistance levels leading to treatment failure in genotype 4. The high barrier to resistance of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir could prevent persistence and propagation of antiviral resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long V. Pham
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Schou Pedersen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carlota Fernandez-Antunez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daryl Humes
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristian Schønning
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Santseharay Ramirez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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12
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Bukh J. Neutralizing Antibodies Against Hepatitis C Virus and Their Role in Vaccine Immunity. Gastroenterology 2022; 162:396-398. [PMID: 34863787 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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13
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Galli A, Fahnøe U, Bukh J. High Recombination Rate of Hepatitis C Virus Revealed by a Green Fluorescent Protein Reconstitution Cell System. Virus Evol 2021; 8:veab106. [PMID: 35223082 PMCID: PMC8865082 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veab106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic recombination is an important evolutionary mechanism for RNA viruses and can facilitate escape from immune and drug pressure. Recombinant hepatitis C virus (HCV) variants have rarely been detected in patients, suggesting that HCV has intrinsic low recombination rate. Recombination of HCV has been demonstrated in vitro between non-functional genomes, but its frequency and relevance for viral evolution and life cycle has not been clarified. We developed a cell-based assay to detect and quantify recombination between fully viable HCV genomes, using the reconstitution of green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a surrogate marker for recombination. Here, two GFP-expressing HCV genomes carrying different inactivating GFP mutations can produce a virus carrying a functional GFP by recombining within the GFP region. Generated constructs allowed quantification of recombination rates between markers spaced 603 and 553 nucleotides apart by flow cytometry and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Viral constructs showed comparable spread kinetics and reached similar infectivity titers in Huh7.5 cells, allowing their use in co-transfections and co-infections. Single-cycle co-transfection experiments, performed in CD81-deficient S29 cells, showed GFP expression in double-infected cells, demonstrating genome mixing and occurrence of recombination. Quantification of recombinant genomes by NGS revealed an average rate of 6.1 per cent, corresponding to 49 per cent of maximum detectable recombination (MDR). Experiments examining recombination during the full replication cycle of HCV, performed in Huh7.5 cells, demonstrated average recombination rates of 5.0 per cent (40.0 per cent MDR) and 3.6 per cent (28.8 per cent MDR) for markers spaced by 603 and 553 nucleotides, respectively, supporting a linear relationship between marker distance and recombination rates. First passage infections using recombinant virus supernatant resulted in comparable recombination rates of 5.9 per cent (47.2 per cent MDR) and 3.5 per cent (28.0 per cent MDR), respectively, for markers spaced by 603 and 553 nucleotides. We developed a functional cell-based assay that, to the best of our knowledge, allows for the first time detailed quantification of recombination rates using fully viable HCV constructs. Our data indicate that HCV recombines at high frequency between highly similar genomes and that the frequency of recombination increases with the distance between marker sites. These results have implication for our understanding of HCV evolution and emphasize the importance of recombination in the reassortment of mutations in the HCV genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Galli
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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14
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Echeverría N, Comas V, Aldunate F, Perbolianachis P, Moreno P, Cristina J. In the era of rapid mRNA-based vaccines: Why is there no effective hepatitis C virus vaccine yet? World J Hepatol 2021; 13:1234-1268. [PMID: 34786164 PMCID: PMC8568586 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i10.1234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is responsible for no less than 71 million people chronically infected and is one of the most frequent indications for liver transplantation worldwide. Despite direct-acting antiviral therapies fuel optimism in controlling HCV infections, there are several obstacles regarding treatment accessibility and reinfection continues to remain a possibility. Indeed, the majority of new HCV infections in developed countries occur in people who inject drugs and are more plausible to get reinfected. To achieve global epidemic control of this virus the development of an effective prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine becomes a must. The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic led to auspicious vaccine development against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, which has renewed interest on fighting HCV epidemic with vaccination. The aim of this review is to highlight the current situation of HCV vaccine candidates designed to prevent and/or to reduce HCV infectious cases and their complications. We will emphasize on some of the crossroads encountered during vaccine development against this insidious virus, together with some key aspects of HCV immunology which have, so far, hampered the progress in this area. The main focus will be on nucleic acid-based as well as recombinant viral vector-based vaccine candidates as the most novel vaccine approaches, some of which have been recently and successfully employed for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Finally, some ideas will be presented on which methods to explore for the design of live-attenuated vaccines against HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Echeverría
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Victoria Comas
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Fabián Aldunate
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Paula Perbolianachis
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Pilar Moreno
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Juan Cristina
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
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15
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Bukh J. Vaccines against hepatitis C: a travel into neutralisation space. Gut 2021; 70:1609-1610. [PMID: 33495269 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-323377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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16
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Augestad EH, Bukh J, Prentoe J. Hepatitis C virus envelope protein dynamics and the link to hypervariable region 1. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 50:69-75. [PMID: 34403905 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Conformational dynamics of viral envelope proteins seem to be involved in mediating evasion from neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) by mechanisms that limit exposure of conserved protein motifs. For hepatitis C virus (HCV), molecular studies have only recently begun to unveil how such dynamics of the envelope protein heterodimer, E1/E2, are linked to viral entry and NAb evasion. Here, we review data suggesting that E1/E2 exists in an equilibrium between theoretical 'open' (NAb-sensitive) and 'closed' (NAb-resistant) conformational states. We describe how this equilibrium is influenced by viral sequence polymorphisms and that it is critically dependent on the N-terminal region of E2, termed hypervariable region 1 (HVR1). Finally, we discuss how it appears that the virus binding site for the HCV entry co-receptor CD81 is less available in 'closed' E1/E2 states and that NAb-resistant viruses require a more intricate entry pathway involving also the entry co-receptor, SR-BI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias H Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, 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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17
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Overcoming Culture Restriction for SARS-CoV-2 in Human Cells Facilitates the Screening of Compounds Inhibiting Viral Replication. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0009721. [PMID: 33903110 PMCID: PMC8406809 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00097-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Efforts to mitigate the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic include the screening of existing antiviral molecules that could be repurposed to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. Although SARS-CoV-2 replicates and propagates efficiently in African green monkey kidney (Vero) cells, antivirals such as nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs) often show decreased activity in these cells due to inefficient metabolization. SARS-CoV-2 exhibits low viability in human cells in culture. Here, serial passages of a SARS-CoV-2 isolate (original-SARS2) in the human hepatoma cell clone Huh7.5 led to the selection of a variant (adapted-SARS2) with significantly improved infectivity in human liver (Huh7 and Huh7.5) and lung cancer (unmodified Calu-1 and A549) cells. The adapted virus exhibited mutations in the spike protein, including a 9-amino-acid deletion and 3 amino acid changes (E484D, P812R, and Q954H). E484D also emerged in Vero E6-cultured viruses that became viable in A549 cells. Original and adapted viruses were susceptible to scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1) receptor blocking, and adapted-SARS2 exhibited significantly less dependence on ACE2. Both variants were similarly neutralized by COVID-19 convalescent-phase plasma, but adapted-SARS2 exhibited increased susceptibility to exogenous type I interferon. Remdesivir inhibited original- and adapted-SARS2 similarly, demonstrating the utility of the system for the screening of NUCs. Among the tested NUCs, only remdesivir, molnupiravir, and, to a limited extent, galidesivir showed antiviral effects across human cell lines, whereas sofosbuvir, ribavirin, and favipiravir had no apparent activity. Analogously to the emergence of spike mutations in vivo, the spike protein is under intense adaptive selection pressure in cell culture. Our results indicate that the emergence of spike mutations will most likely not affect the activity of remdesivir.
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Galli A, Ramirez S, Bukh J. Lipid Droplets Accumulation during Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Cell-Culture Varies among Genotype 1-3 Strains and Does Not Correlate with Virus Replication. Viruses 2021; 13:389. [PMID: 33671086 PMCID: PMC7999684 DOI: 10.3390/v13030389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver steatosis is a common complication of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, which can result in accelerated liver fibrosis development, especially in patients infected with genotype 3a. The precise mechanisms of HCV-induced liver steatosis remain unclear, but it is often posited that increased intracellular lipid accumulation is the underlying cause of steatosis. To study experimentally how HCV infection in human liver derived cells by different genotypes and subtypes might affect lipid accumulation, we performed detailed cytofluorimetric and microscopy analyses of intracellular lipid droplets (LDs) in relation to the viral Core and to cell endoplasmic reticulum proteins. Following culture infection with HCV genotype 1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, and 3a strains, we found variable levels of intracellular LDs accumulation, associated to the infecting strain rather than to the specific genotype. Although two genotype 3a strains showed high levels of lipid accumulation, as previously observed, some strains of other genotypes displayed a similar phenotype. Moreover, the analyses of LDs size, number, and shape indicated that the apparent increase in lipid accumulation is due to an increase in the overall number rather than in the size of droplets. Finally, differences in total lipid content across genotypes did not correlate to differences in Core distribution nor Core levels. In conclusion, our study provides a quantitative in-depth analysis of the effect of HCV infection on LDs accumulation in cell-culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Galli
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; (A.G.); (S.R.)
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Santseharay Ramirez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; (A.G.); (S.R.)
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; (A.G.); (S.R.)
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Sokolova TM. [Hepatitis C virus (Flaviviridae: Hepacivirus: Hepacivirus C): regulation of signaling reactions of innate immunity]. Vopr Virusol 2021; 65:307-316. [PMID: 33533227 DOI: 10.36233/0507-4088-2020-65-6-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Studying the regulation of signaling reactions of innate immunity by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) will help to reveal the causes of the transition of the acute form of the disease to a chronic course. The molecular mechanisms of activation by HCV RNA of innate immunity receptors TLR and RLR and signal transduction processes leading to the synthesis of IFN and inflammatory cytokines are considered. The inhibitory effects of non-structural and structural HCV proteins on immune signaling reactions are analyzed in detail. The information presented is the result of an analysis of literature data published in international databases mainly over the past 5 years. In conclusion, signaling receptors are proposed as targets for the development of new antiviral drugs with immunotherapeutic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Sokolova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after the honorary academician N.F. Gamaleya
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20
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Lu C, Feng Y, Sun X, Li N, Kuang D, Wang W, Tong P, Han Y, Xia X, Dai J. Tree shrew bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells express CD81, OCLN, and miR-122, facilitating the entire hepatitis C virus life cycle. J Med Virol 2020; 92:3465-3474. [PMID: 32056224 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease and associated cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. At present, there is no prophylactic vaccine against HCV due to the lack of in vivo and in vitro model systems. Although most recombinants of all major HCV genotypes replicate in Huh-7 cell line and derivatives, these cells are human hepatoma-derived cell line. Therefore, the development of un-tumor-derived cell systems facilitating the entire HCV life cycle is urgently needed. In this study, we aimed to establish a novel tree shrew-derived bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) system to reconstruct the HCV life cycle. We transduction cluster of differentiation 81 (CD81), occludin (OCLN), and microRNA-122 (miR-122) into BM-MSCs, then used a well-established HCV, produced from the J6/JFH1-Huh7.5.1 culture system, to infect the cells. We observed that BM-MSCs transduction with CD81/OCLN or CD81/OCLN/miR-122 support HCV RNA replication and infectious virus production. We also found that the addition of exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can enhance HCV infectivity in BM-MSCs, with HCV virus load up to 105 copies/mL. In conclusion, we identified the minimum essential factors required for HCV replication in tree shrew-derived nonhuman nonhepatic BM-MSCs. Further, we identified that exogenous addition of VEGF, and exogenous expression of CD81, OCLN, and miR-122, facilitates efficient viral replication and production of infectious particles. Our results describe a novel cell system capable of supporting the entire HCV life cycle, which may provide an essential tool for anti-HCV drug discovery, vaccine development, and study of pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caixia Lu
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
| | - Yue Feng
- Yunnan Provincial Center for Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Xiaomei Sun
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
| | - Na Li
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, China
| | - Dexuan Kuang
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
| | - Wenguang Wang
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, China
| | - Pinfen Tong
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, China
| | - Yuanyuan Han
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, China
| | - Xueshan Xia
- Yunnan Provincial Center for Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Jiejie Dai
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, China
- Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
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21
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Mutations Identified in the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Polymerase of Patients with Chronic HCV Treated with Ribavirin Cause Resistance and Affect Viral Replication Fidelity. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.01417-20. [PMID: 32928732 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01417-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribavirin has been used for 25 years to treat patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; however, its antiviral mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we studied virus evolution in a subset of samples from a randomized 24-week trial of ribavirin monotherapy versus placebo in chronic HCV patients, as well as the viral resistance mechanisms of the observed ribavirin-associated mutations in cell culture. Thus, we performed next-generation sequencing of the full-length coding sequences of HCV recovered from patients at weeks 0, 12, 20, 32 and 40 and analyzed novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), diversity, and mutation-linkage. At week 20, increased genetic diversity was observed in 5 ribavirin-treated compared to 4 placebo-treated HCV patients due to new synonymous SNPs, particularly G-to-A and C-to-U ribavirin-associated transitions. Moreover, emergence of 14 nonsynonymous SNPs in HCV nonstructural 5B (NS5B) occurred in treated patients, but not in placebo controls. Most substitutions located close to the NS5B polymerase nucleotide entry site. Linkage analysis showed that putative resistance mutations were found in the majority of genomes in ribavirin-treated patients. Identified NS5B mutations from genotype 3a patients were further introduced into the genotype 3a cell-culture-adapted DBN strain for studies in Huh7.5 cells. Specific NS5B substitutions, including DBN-D148N+I363V, DBN-A150V+I363V, and DBN-T227S+S183P, conferred resistance to ribavirin in long-term cell culture treatment, possibly by reducing the HCV polymerase error rate. In conclusion, prolonged exposure of HCV to ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients induces NS5B resistance mutations leading to increased polymerase fidelity, which could be one mechanism for ribavirin resistance.
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22
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Ward JC, Bowyer S, Chen S, Fernandes Campos GR, Ramirez S, Bukh J, Harris M. Insights into the unique characteristics of hepatitis C virus genotype 3 revealed by development of a robust sub-genomic DBN3a replicon. J Gen Virol 2020; 101:1182-1190. [PMID: 32897181 PMCID: PMC7879556 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important human pathogen causing 400 000 chronic liver disease-related deaths annually. Until recently, the majority of laboratory-based investigations into the biology of HCV have focused on the genotype 2 isolate, JFH-1, involving replicons and infectious cell culture systems. However, genotype 2 is one of eight major genotypes of HCV and there is great sequence variation among these genotypes (>30 % nucleotide divergence). In this regard, genotype 3 is the second most common genotype and accounts for 30 % of global HCV cases. Further, genotype 3 is associated with both high levels of inherent resistance to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy, and a more rapid progression to chronic liver diseases. Neither of these two attributes are fully understood, thus robust genotype 3 culture systems to unravel viral replication are required. Here we describe the generation of robust genotype 3 sub-genomic replicons (SGRs) based on the adapted HCV NS3-NS5B replicase from the DBN3a cell culture infectious clone. Such infectious cell culture-adaptive mutations could potentially promote the development of robust SGRs for other HCV strains and genotypes. The novel genotype 3 SGRs have been used both transiently and to establish stable SGR-harbouring cell lines. We show that these resources can be used to investigate aspects of genotype 3 biology, including NS5A function and DAA resistance. They will be useful tools for these studies, circumventing the need to work under the biosafety level 3 (BSL3) containment required in many countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph C. Ward
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sebastian Bowyer
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Shucheng Chen
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Guilherme Rodrigues Fernandes Campos
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Present address: São Paulo State University, Institute of Biosciences, Languages and Exact Sciences, Cristóvão Colombo Street, 2265, Post Code 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Santseharay Ramirez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegård Allé 30, DK-2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegård Allé 30, DK-2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Mark Harris
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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23
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Development of a downstream process for the production of an inactivated whole hepatitis C virus vaccine. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16261. [PMID: 33004836 PMCID: PMC7530675 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72328-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a large unmet need for a prophylactic hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine to control the ongoing epidemic with this deadly pathogen. Many antiviral vaccines employ whole viruses as antigens. For HCV, this approach became feasible following the development of infectious cell culture systems for virus production. However, the lack of efficient downstream processes (DSP) for HCV purification poses a roadblock for the development of a whole virus vaccine. Using cell culture-derived genotype 1a HCV we developed a scalable and efficient DSP train, employing commonly used clarification and ultrafiltration techniques, followed by two membrane-based chromatography steps. For virus capture, steric exclusion chromatography using cellulose membranes was established, resulting in a virtually complete virus recovery with > 99% protein and 84% DNA depletion. Virus polishing was achieved by sulphated cellulose membrane adsorbers with ~ 50% virus recovery and > 99% protein and 90% DNA depletion. Additional nuclease digestion resulted in 99% overall DNA depletion with final DNA concentrations of 2 ng/mL. Process results were comparable for cell culture-derived HCV of another major genotype (5a). This study provides proof-of-concept for establishment of an efficient and economically attractive DSP with potential application for production of an inactivated whole virus vaccine against HCV for human use.
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24
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Khan S, Soni S, Veerapu NS. HCV Replicon Systems: Workhorses of Drug Discovery and Resistance. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:325. [PMID: 32714881 PMCID: PMC7344236 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has revolutionized the state-of-the art treatment of HCV infections, with sustained virologic response rates above 90%. However, viral variants harboring substitutions referred to as resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) may be present in baseline levels and confer resistance to DAAs, thereby posing a major challenge for HCV treatment. HCV replicons have been the primary tools for discovering and evaluating the inhibitory activity of DAAs against viral replication. Interest in replicon systems has further grown as they have become indispensable for discovering genotype-specific and cross-genotype RASs. Here, we review functional replicon systems for HCV, how these replicon systems have contributed to the development of DAAs, and the characteristics and distribution of RASs for DAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaheen Khan
- Virology Section, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Gautam Buddha Nagar, India
| | - Shalini Soni
- Virology Section, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Gautam Buddha Nagar, India
| | - Naga Suresh Veerapu
- Virology Section, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Gautam Buddha Nagar, India
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25
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Jiang X, Tan J, Wang Y, Chen J, Li J, Jiang Z, Quan Y, Jin J, Li Y, Cen S, Li Y, Peng Z, Li Z. 2-((4-Arylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)benzonitrile Derivatives as Orally Available Inhibitors of Hepatitis C Virus with a Novel Mechanism of Action. J Med Chem 2020; 63:5972-5989. [PMID: 32378892 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Although the direct-acting antivirals revolutionized the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection treatment in the last decade, more efforts are needed to reach the elimination of HCV in the absence of a vaccine. 4-(Piperazin-1-yl)-2-((p-tolylamino)methyl)-benzonitrile (1) is a modest HCV inhibitor identified from an in-house screening using a HCV-infected Huh7.5 cell culture. Starting from it, the chemical optimization afforded a new 2-((4-arylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)benzonitrile scaffold with significantly increased antiviral activity against HCV. A highly effective HCV inhibitor, 35 (L0909, EC50 = 0.022 μM, SI > 600), was identified by the structure-activity relationship study. The biological study revealed that L0909 could block HCV replication by acting on the HCV entry stage. The high sensitivity to clinical resistant HCV mutants and synergistic effect with clinical drugs were observed for this compound. The further pharmaceutical studies demonstrated that L0909 is long-lasting, is orally available, and has low toxicity in vivo. These results show L0909 as a promising HCV entry inhibitor for single or combinational therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinbei Jiang
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jiali Tan
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jinhua Chen
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jianrui Li
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zhi Jiang
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yanni Quan
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jie Jin
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yuhuan Li
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Shan Cen
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yanping Li
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zonggen Peng
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zhuorong Li
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
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26
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Romero-López C, Berzal-Herranz A. The Role of the RNA-RNA Interactome in the Hepatitis C Virus Life Cycle. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041479. [PMID: 32098260 PMCID: PMC7073135 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA virus genomes are multifunctional entities endowed with conserved structural elements that control translation, replication and encapsidation, among other processes. The preservation of these structural RNA elements constraints the genomic sequence variability. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome is a positive, single-stranded RNA molecule with numerous conserved structural elements that manage different steps during the infection cycle. Their function is ensured by the association of protein factors, but also by the establishment of complex, active, long-range RNA-RNA interaction networks-the so-called HCV RNA interactome. This review describes the RNA genome functions mediated via RNA-RNA contacts, and revisits some canonical ideas regarding the role of functional high-order structures during the HCV infective cycle. By outlining the roles of long-range RNA-RNA interactions from translation to virion budding, and the functional domains involved, this work provides an overview of the HCV genome as a dynamic device that manages the course of viral infection.
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27
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Cell Culture Studies of the Efficacy and Barrier to Resistance of Sofosbuvir-Velpatasvir and Glecaprevir-Pibrentasvir against Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes 2a, 2b, and 2c. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.01888-19. [PMID: 31818814 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01888-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of highly efficient therapies with direct-acting antivirals (DAA) for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection offers exceptional opportunities to globally control this deadly disease. For achieving this ambitious goal, it is essential to prevent antiviral resistance against the most optimal first-line and retreatment DAA choices. We performed independent comparisons of the efficacy and barrier to resistance of pangenotypic DAA regimens for HCV genotype 2 infections, using previously and newly developed efficient cell culture-adapted strains of subtypes 2a, 2b, and 2c. With the applied experimental cell culture conditions, combination treatment with the sofosbuvir-velpatasvir or glecaprevir-pibrentasvir DAA regimen was efficient in eradicating HCV infections; in contrast, single-drug treatments frequently led to viral escape. Sequence analysis of drug targets from recovered viruses revealed known resistance-associated substitutions (RAS) emerging in the NS3 protease or NS5A after treatment failure. These RAS were genetically stable after viral passage, and viruses with these RAS exhibited significant phenotypic resistance. After sofosbuvir treatment failure, only a genotype 2a virus harbored NS5B RAS S282T and thus had decreased susceptibility to nucleotide analogs (nucs). However, in most cases, viral escape from sofosbuvir led to other NS5B substitutions but drug susceptibility was maintained, and in one case, no changes in NS5B were detected. For a genotype 2b virus, after treatment failure with sofosbuvir-velpatasvir, the efficacy of retreatment with glecaprevir-pibrentasvir was maintained due to the high barrier to resistance and low cross-resistance of pibrentasvir. Our findings suggest the slight superiority of glecaprevir-pibrentasvir against genotype 2b in culture, which could have potential therapeutic interest meriting more definitive investigations in the clinic.
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28
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El-Safty S, Shenashen M. Nanoscale dynamic chemical, biological sensor material designs for control monitoring and early detection of advanced diseases. Mater Today Bio 2020; 5:100044. [PMID: 32181446 PMCID: PMC7066237 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2020.100044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Early detection and easy continuous monitoring of emerging or re-emerging infectious, contagious or other diseases are of particular interest for controlling healthcare advances and developing effective medical treatments to reduce the high global cost burden of diseases in the backdrop of lack of awareness regarding advancing diseases. Under an ever-increasing demand for biosensor design reliability for early stage recognition of infectious agents or contagious diseases and potential proteins, nanoscale manufacturing designs had developed effective nanodynamic sensing assays and compact wearable devices. Dynamic developments of biosensor technology are also vital to detect and monitor advanced diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), diabetes, cancers, liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), tuberculosis, and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In particular, nanoscale biosensor designs have indispensable contribution to improvement of health concerns by early detection of disease, monitoring ecological and therapeutic agents, and maintaining high safety level in food and cosmetics. This review reports an overview of biosensor designs and their feasibility for early investigation, detection, and quantitative determination of many advanced diseases. Biosensor strategies are highlighted to demonstrate the influence of nanocompact and lightweight designs on accurate analyses and inexpensive sensing assays. To date, the effective and foremost developments in various nanodynamic designs associated with simple analytical facilities and procedures remain challenging. Given the wide evolution of biosensor market requirements and the growing demand in the creation of early stage and real-time monitoring assays, precise output signals, and easy-to-wear and self-regulating analyses of diseases, innovations in biosensor designs based on novel fabrication of nanostructured platforms with active surface functionalities would produce remarkable biosensor devices. This review offers evidence for researchers and inventors to focus on biosensor challenge and improve fabrication of nanobiosensors to revolutionize consumer and healthcare markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.A. El-Safty
- National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukubashi, Ibaraki-ken, 305-0047, Japan
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29
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Wakita T. Cell Culture Systems of HCV Using JFH-1 and Other Strains. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2019; 9:cshperspect.a036806. [PMID: 31501261 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a036806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is seen worldwide and is a significant cause of severe chronic liver diseases. Recently, a large number of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have been developed against HCV infection, resulting in significant improvements in treatment efficacy. Rapid progress in HCV research has been largely dependent on the development of HCV culture systems and small animal infection models. In the development of HCV cell culture systems, the discovery of the JFH-1 clone, an HCV strain isolated from a fulminant hepatitis C patient, was a key finding. The JFH-1 strain was the first infectious HCV strain belonging to genotype 2a. JFH-1 replicated efficiently in cultured cell lines without acquiring adaptive mutations, providing the secretion of infectious viral particles into the culture medium. Recently, other HCV strains also were reported to be infectious in cultured cells with adaptive viral mutations, but genotype-1b infectious HCV clones and virus culture systems for clinical isolates are still missing. These infectious HCV systems have provided powerful tools to study the viral life cycle, to construct antiviral strategies, and to develop effective vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takaji Wakita
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
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30
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Mejer N, Galli A, Ramirez S, Fahnøe U, Benfield T, Bukh J. Ribavirin inhibition of cell-culture infectious hepatitis C genotype 1-3 viruses is strain-dependent. Virology 2019; 540:132-140. [PMID: 31778898 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.09.014] [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: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Ribavirin remains relevant for successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in low-income settings, as well as for therapy of difficult-to-treat HCV patients. We studied the effect of ribavirin against cell-culture adapted HCV of genotypes 1, 2 and 3, representing ~80% of global infections. TNcc(1a) was the most sensitive to ribavirin, while J6/JFH1(2a) was the most resistant. EC50s ranged from 21 μM (95%CI: 20-22 μM) to 189 μM (95%CI: 173-207 μM). Substitutions at position 415 of NS5B resulted in little or no change to ribavirin sensitivity (0.7-0.9 fold) but conferred moderate drug resistance during extended treatment of genotype 1 (1.8-fold). NS5A and NS5B sequences could alter ribavirin sensitivity 2-4-fold, although their contribution was not simply additive. Finally, we detected limited accumulation of mutations associated with ribavirin treatment. Our findings show that the antiviral effect of ribavirin on HCV is strain-dependent and is influenced by the specific sequence of multiple HCV nonstructural proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Mejer
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Andrea Galli
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Santseharay Ramirez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Thomas Benfield
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.
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31
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Leila AR, Mousa MHA, Frakolaki E, Vassilaki N, Bartenschlager R, Zoidis G, Abdel-Halim M, Abadi AH. Symmetric Anti-HCV Agents: Synthesis, Antiviral Properties, and Conformational Aspects of Core Scaffolds. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:11440-11454. [PMID: 31460249 PMCID: PMC6682128 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b01242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
As hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the major health problems in many countries, interest has been aroused in the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel NS5A inhibitors, outside the chemical space of currently available direct acting antivirals (DAAs). Two series of symmetric molecules with core scaffold 3,3'-(buta-1,3-diyne-1,4-diyl)dianiline or 4,4'-(buta-1,3-diyne-1,4-diyl)dianiline, coupled on its nitrogen as amide with different end caps, were synthesized and tested for their activities against HCV by using cell-based antiviral assays. Molecules with the 3,3'-(buta-1,3-diyne-1,4-diyl)dianiline core were more active than their 4,4'-congeners. Only the 3,3'-derivatives showed noncoplanarity of core phenyls that mostly led to a better interaction with the target protein and appears to be a crucial element for efficient inhibition of HCV replication. Compounds 2f and 2q exhibited potent inhibition of genotype (GT) 1b HCV replication with EC50 values in the picomolar range and selectivity index greater than 6 orders of magnitude. The compounds seem more selective toward GT 1b and 4a. In conclusion, novel symmetric molecules with a 3,3'-(buta-1,3-diyne-1,4-diyl)dianiline core are potent and selective inhibitors that provide new extension to explore the structure-activity relationship of NS5A targeting DAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa R.
S. Leila
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Mai H. A. Mousa
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Efseveia Frakolaki
- Molecular
Virology Laboratory, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Vas. Sofias Avenue, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Niki Vassilaki
- Molecular
Virology Laboratory, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Vas. Sofias Avenue, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Department
of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- German
Center for Infection Research, Heidelberg
Partner Site, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Grigoris Zoidis
- School
of Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical
Chemistry, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, GR-15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Mohammad Abdel-Halim
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Ashraf H. Abadi
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo 11835, Egypt
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Keck ZY, Pierce BG, Lau P, Lu J, Wang Y, Underwood A, Bull RA, Prentoe J, Velázquez-Moctezuma R, Walker MR, Luciani F, Guest JD, Fauvelle C, Baumert TF, Bukh J, Lloyd AR, Foung SKH. Broadly neutralizing antibodies from an individual that naturally cleared multiple hepatitis C virus infections uncover molecular determinants for E2 targeting and vaccine design. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007772. [PMID: 31100098 PMCID: PMC6542541 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cumulative evidence supports a role for neutralizing antibodies contributing to spontaneous viral clearance during acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Information on the timing and specificity of the B cell response associated with clearance is crucial to inform vaccine design. From an individual who cleared three sequential HCV infections with genotypes 1b, 1a and 3a strains, respectively, we employed peripheral B cells to isolate and characterize neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies (HMAbs) to HCV after the genotype 1 infections. The majority of isolated antibodies, designated as HMAbs 212, target conformational epitopes on the envelope glycoprotein E2 and bound broadly to genotype 1–6 E1E2 proteins. Further, some of these antibodies showed neutralization potential against cultured genotype 1–6 viruses. Competition studies with defined broadly neutralizing HCV HMAbs to epitopes in distinct clusters, designated antigenic domains B, C, D and E, revealed that the selected HMAbs compete with B, C and D HMAbs, previously isolated from subjects with chronic HCV infections. Epitope mapping studies revealed domain B and C specificity of these HMAbs 212. Sequential serum samples from the studied subject inhibited the binding of HMAbs 212 to autologous E2 and blocked a representative domain D HMAb. The specificity of this antibody response appears similar to that observed during chronic infection, suggesting that the timing and affinity maturation of the antibody response are the critical determinants in successful and repeated viral clearance. While additional studies should be performed for individuals with clearance or persistence of HCV, our results define epitope determinants for antibody E2 targeting with important implications for the development of a B cell vaccine. Studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected individuals spontaneously clearing acute infections provide an opportunity to characterize the specificities of associated protective antibody responses. In an individual who resolved three separate HCV infections with different HCV genotypes, the antibodies induced during these acute infection episodes were similar to those induced during chronic infection. Surprisingly, the earliest detected antibodies were directed against conformational HCV epitopes on the envelope glycoprotein E2 (including polyprotein residues 434–446) known to be targeted by broadly neutralizing antibodies. Taken together, the key B-cell determinants in spontaneous clearance are the timing and affinity maturation of broadly neutralizing antibody responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Yong Keck
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Brian G. Pierce
- University of Maryland Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Patrick Lau
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Janine Lu
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Alexander Underwood
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, The Kirby Institute and School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rowena A. Bull
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, The Kirby Institute and School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rodrigo Velázquez-Moctezuma
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Melanie R. Walker
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, The Kirby Institute and School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Fabio Luciani
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, The Kirby Institute and School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Johnathan D. Guest
- University of Maryland Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Catherine Fauvelle
- Inserm U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies et Hépatiques, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas F. Baumert
- Inserm U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies et Hépatiques, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Pole Hépato-digestif, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire, Hopitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrew R. Lloyd
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, The Kirby Institute and School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Steven K. H. Foung
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Giannakopoulou E, Pardali V, Frakolaki E, Siozos V, Myrianthopoulos V, Mikros E, Taylor MC, Kelly JM, Vassilaki N, Zoidis G. Scaffold hybridization strategy towards potent hydroxamate-based inhibitors of Flaviviridae viruses and Trypanosoma species. MEDCHEMCOMM 2019; 10:991-1006. [PMID: 31303998 DOI: 10.1039/c9md00200f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Infections with Flaviviridae viruses, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) and dengue virus (DENV) pose global health threats. Infected individuals are at risk of developing chronic liver failure or haemorrhagic fever respectively, often with a fatal outcome if left untreated. Diseases caused by tropical parasites of the Trypanosoma species, T. brucei and T. cruzi, constitute significant socioeconomic burden in sub-Saharan Africa and continental Latin America, yet drug development is under-funded. Anti-HCV chemotherapy is associated with severe side effects and high cost, while dengue has no clinically approved therapy and antiparasitic drugs are outdated and difficult to administer. Moreover, drug resistance is an emerging concern. Consequently, the need for new revolutionary chemotherapies is urgent. By utilizing a molecular framework combination approach, we combined two distinct chemical entities with proven antiviral and trypanocidal activity into a novel hybrid scaffold attached by an acetohydroxamic acid group (CH2CONHOH), aiming at derivatives with dual activity. The novel spiro-carbocyclic substituted hydantoin analogues were rationally designed, synthesized and evaluated for their potency against three HCV genotypes (1b, 3a, 4a), DENV and two Trypanosoma species (T. brucei, T. cruzi). They exhibited significant EC50 values and remarkable selectivity indices. Several modifications were undertaken to further explore the structure activity relationships (SARs) and confirm the pivotal role of the acetohydroxamic acid metal binding group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erofili Giannakopoulou
- School of Health Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Panepistimiopolis-Zografou , GR-15771 Athens , Greece .
| | - Vasiliki Pardali
- School of Health Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Panepistimiopolis-Zografou , GR-15771 Athens , Greece .
| | - Efseveia Frakolaki
- Molecular Virology Laboratory , Hellenic Pasteur Institute , Vas. Sofias Avenue , GR-11521 , Athens , Greece
| | - Vasileios Siozos
- Molecular Virology Laboratory , Hellenic Pasteur Institute , Vas. Sofias Avenue , GR-11521 , Athens , Greece
| | - Vassilios Myrianthopoulos
- School of Health Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Panepistimiopolis-Zografou , GR-15771 Athens , Greece .
| | - Emmanuel Mikros
- School of Health Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Panepistimiopolis-Zografou , GR-15771 Athens , Greece .
| | - Martin C Taylor
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology , London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , Keppel Street , London WC1E 7HT , UK
| | - John M Kelly
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology , London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , Keppel Street , London WC1E 7HT , UK
| | - Niki Vassilaki
- Molecular Virology Laboratory , Hellenic Pasteur Institute , Vas. Sofias Avenue , GR-11521 , Athens , Greece
| | - Grigoris Zoidis
- School of Health Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Panepistimiopolis-Zografou , GR-15771 Athens , Greece .
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Pham LV, Jensen SB, Fahnøe U, Pedersen MS, Tang Q, Ghanem L, Ramirez S, Humes D, Serre SBN, Schønning K, Bukh J, Gottwein JM. HCV genotype 1-6 NS3 residue 80 substitutions impact protease inhibitor activity and promote viral escape. J Hepatol 2019; 70:388-397. [PMID: 30395912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Protease inhibitors (PIs) are of central importance in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. HCV NS3 protease (NS3P) position 80 displays polymorphisms associated with resistance to the PI simeprevir for HCV genotype 1a. We investigated the effects of position-80-substitutions on fitness and PI-resistance for HCV genotypes 1-6, and analyzed evolutionary mechanisms underlying viral escape mediated by pre-existing Q80K. METHODS The fitness of infectious NS3P recombinants of HCV genotypes 1-6, with engineered position-80-substitutions, was studied by comparison of viral spread kinetics in Huh-7.5 cells in culture. Median effective concentration (EC50) and fold resistance for PIs simeprevir, asunaprevir, paritaprevir, grazoprevir, glecaprevir and voxilaprevir were determined in short-term treatment assays. Viral escape was studied by long-term treatment of genotype 1a recombinants with simeprevir, grazoprevir, glecaprevir and voxilaprevir and of genotype 3a recombinants with glecaprevir and voxilaprevir, next generation sequencing, NS3P substitution linkage and haplotype analysis. RESULTS Among tested PIs, only glecaprevir and voxilaprevir showed pan-genotypic activity against the original genotype 1-6 culture viruses. Variants with position-80-substitutions were all viable, but fitness depended on the specific substitution and the HCV isolate. Q80K conferred resistance to simeprevir across genotypes but had only minor effects on the activity of the remaining PIs. For genotype 1a, pre-existing Q80K mediated accelerated escape from simeprevir, grazoprevir and to a lesser extent glecaprevir, but not voxilaprevir. For genotype 3a, Q80K mediated accelerated escape from glecaprevir and voxilaprevir. Escape was mediated by rapid and genotype-, PI- and PI-concentration-dependent co-selection of clinically relevant resistance associated substitutions. CONCLUSIONS Position-80-substitutions had relatively low fitness cost and the potential to promote HCV escape from clinically relevant PIs in vitro, despite having a minor impact on results in classical short-term resistance assays. LAY SUMMARY Among all clinically relevant hepatitis C virus protease inhibitors, voxilaprevir and glecaprevir showed the highest and most uniform activity against cell culture infectious hepatitis C virus with genotype 1-6 proteases. Naturally occurring amino acid changes at protease position 80 had low fitness cost and influenced sensitivity to simeprevir, but not to other protease inhibitors in short-term treatment assays. Nevertheless, the pre-existing change Q80K had the potential to promote viral escape from protease inhibitors during long-term treatment by rapid co-selection of additional resistance changes, detected by next generation sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long V Pham
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sanne Brun Jensen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Schou Pedersen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Qi Tang
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lubna Ghanem
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Santseharay Ramirez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daryl Humes
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stéphanie B N Serre
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristian Schønning
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Judith M Gottwein
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Hepatitis C virus cell culture models: an encomium on basic research paving the road to therapy development. Med Microbiol Immunol 2018; 208:3-24. [PMID: 30298360 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-018-0566-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections affect 71 million people worldwide, often resulting in severe liver damage. Since 2014 highly efficient therapies based on directly acting antivirals (DAAs) are available, offering cure rates of almost 100%, if the infection is diagnosed in time. It took more than a decade to discover HCV in 1989 and another decade to establish a cell culture model. This review provides a personal view on the importance of HCV cell culture models, particularly the replicon system, in the process of therapy development, from drug screening to understanding of mode of action and resistance, with a special emphasis on the contributions of Ralf Bartenschlager's group. It summarizes the tremendous efforts of scientists in academia and industry required to achieve efficient DAAs, focusing on the main targets, protease, polymerase and NS5A. It furthermore underpins the importance of strong basic research laying the ground for translational medicine.
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Prentoe J, Bukh J. Hypervariable Region 1 in Envelope Protein 2 of Hepatitis C Virus: A Linchpin in Neutralizing Antibody Evasion and Viral Entry. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2146. [PMID: 30319614 PMCID: PMC6170631 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the cause of about 400,000 annual liver disease-related deaths. The global spread of this important human pathogen can potentially be prevented through the development of a vaccine, but this challenge has proven difficult, and much remains unknown about the multitude of mechanisms by which this heterogeneous RNA virus evades inactivation by neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). The N-terminal motif of envelope protein 2 (E2), termed hypervariable region 1 (HVR1), changes rapidly in immunoglobulin-competent patients due to antibody-driven antigenic drift. HVR1 contains NAb epitopes and is directly involved in protecting diverse antibody-specific epitopes on E1, E2, and E1/E2 through incompletely understood mechanisms. The ability of HVR1 to protect HCV from NAbs appears linked with modulation of HCV entry co-receptor interactions. Thus, removal of HVR1 increases interaction with CD81, while altering interaction with scavenger receptor class B, type I (SR-BI) in a complex fashion, and decreasing interaction with low-density lipoprotein receptor. Despite intensive efforts this modulation of receptor interactions by HVR1 remains incompletely understood. SR-BI has received the most attention and it appears that HVR1 is involved in a multimodal HCV/SR-BI interaction involving high-density-lipoprotein associated ApoCI, which may prime the virus for later entry events by exposing conserved NAb epitopes, like those in the CD81 binding site. To fully elucidate the multifunctional role of HVR1 in HCV entry and NAb evasion, improved E1/E2 models and comparative studies with other NAb evasion strategies are needed. Derived knowledge may be instrumental in the development of a prophylactic HCV vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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