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Duan H, Zhang E, Ren G, Cheng Y, Yang B, Liu L, Jolicoeur N, Hu H, Xu Y, Liu B. Exploring immune evasion of SARS-CoV-2 variants using a pseudotyped system. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29939. [PMID: 38699727 PMCID: PMC11063423 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In the United States, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases have consistently been linked to the prevailing variant XBB.1.5 of SARS-CoV-2 since late 2022. A system has been developed for producing and infecting cells with a pseudovirus (PsV) of SARS-CoV-2 to investigate the infection in a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) laboratory. This system utilizes a lentiviral vector carrying ZsGreen1 and Firefly luciferase (Fluc) dual reporter genes, facilitating the analysis of experimental results. In addition, we have created a panel of PsV variants that depict both previous and presently circulating mutations found in circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains. A series of PsVs includes the prototype SARS-CoV-2, Delta B.1.617.2, BA.5, XBB.1, and XBB.1.5. To facilitate the study of infections caused by different variants of SARS-CoV-2 PsV, we have developed a HEK-293T cell line expressing mCherry and human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). To validate whether different SARS-CoV-2 PsV variants can be used for neutralization assays, we employed serum from rats immunized with the PF-D-Trimer protein vaccine to investigate its inhibitory effect on the infectivity of various SARS-CoV-2 PsV variants. According to our observations, the XBB variant, particularly XBB.1.5, exhibits stronger immune evasion capabilities than the prototype SARS-CoV-2, Delta B.1.617.2, and BA.5 PsV variants. Hence, utilizing the neutralization test, this study has the capability to forecast the effectiveness in preventing future SARS-CoV-2 variants infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixiao Duan
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ershuai Zhang
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ge Ren
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yining Cheng
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Binfeng Yang
- Wuhan Binhui Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Lirong Liu
- Wuhan Binhui Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | | | - Han Hu
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Wuhan Binhui Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Binlei Liu
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, College of Bioengineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
- Wuhan Binhui Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
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Zak AJ, Hoang T, Yee CM, Rizvi SM, Prabhu P, Wen F. Pseudotyping Improves the Yield of Functional SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles (VLPs) as Tools for Vaccine and Therapeutic Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14622. [PMID: 37834067 PMCID: PMC10572262 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914622] [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] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) have been proposed as an attractive tool in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development, both as (1) a vaccine candidate with high immunogenicity and low reactogenicity and (2) a substitute for live virus in functional and neutralization assays. Though multiple SARS-CoV-2 VLP designs have already been explored in Sf9 insect cells, a key parameter ensuring VLPs are a viable platform is the VLP spike yield (i.e., spike protein content in VLP), which has largely been unreported. In this study, we show that the common strategy of producing SARS-CoV-2 VLPs by expressing spike protein in combination with the native coronavirus membrane and/or envelope protein forms VLPs, but at a critically low spike yield (~0.04-0.08 mg/L). In contrast, fusing the spike ectodomain to the influenza HA transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail and co-expressing M1 increased VLP spike yield to ~0.4 mg/L. More importantly, this increased yield translated to a greater VLP spike antigen density (~96 spike monomers/VLP) that more closely resembles that of native SARS-CoV-2 virus (~72-144 Spike monomers/virion). Pseudotyping further allowed for production of functional alpha (B.1.1.7), beta (B.1.351), delta (B.1.617.2), and omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 VLPs that bound to the target ACE2 receptor. Finally, we demonstrated the utility of pseudotyped VLPs to test neutralizing antibody activity using a simple, acellular ELISA-based assay performed at biosafety level 1 (BSL-1). Taken together, this study highlights the advantage of pseudotyping over native SARS-CoV-2 VLP designs in achieving higher VLP spike yield and demonstrates the usefulness of pseudotyped VLPs as a surrogate for live virus in vaccine and therapeutic development against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Fei Wen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (P.P.)
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Koval A, Xu J, Williams N, Schmolke M, Krause KH, Katanaev VL. Wnt-Independent SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pulmonary Epithelial Cells. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0482722. [PMID: 37367224 PMCID: PMC10433849 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04827-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway within host cells regulates infections by several pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Recent studies suggested that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection depends on β-catenin and can be inhibited by the antileprotic drug clofazimine. Since clofazimine has been identified by us as a specific inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, these works could indicate a potential role of the Wnt pathway in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we show that the Wnt pathway is active in pulmonary epithelial cells. However, we find that in multiple assays, SARS-CoV-2 infection is insensitive to Wnt inhibitors, including clofazimine, acting at different levels within the pathway. Our findings assert that endogenous Wnt signaling in the lung is unlikely required or involved in the SARS-CoV-2 infection and that pharmacological inhibition of this pathway with clofazimine or other compounds is not a universal way to develop treatments against the SARS-CoV-2 infection. IMPORTANCE The development of inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 infection remains a need of utmost importance. The Wnt signaling pathway in host cells is often implicated in infections by bacteria and viruses. In this work, we show that, despite previous indications, pharmacological modulation of the Wnt pathway does not represent a promising strategy to control SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung epithelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Koval
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jiabin Xu
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nathalia Williams
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mirco Schmolke
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Karl-Heinz Krause
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vladimir L. Katanaev
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia
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Chen C, Liang J, Hu H, Li X, Wang L, Wang Z. Research progress in methods for detecting neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Anal Biochem 2023:115199. [PMID: 37257735 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2023.115199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has seriously affected the lives of people worldwide. Clarifying the attenuation rule of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody (NAb) in vivo is the key to prevent reinfection and recurrence of virus. Currently, the commonly used methods for detecting NAb include virus neutralization tests, pseudovirus neutralization assays, lateral flow immunochromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The detection of NAb not only can be used to evaluate the level of immunity after vaccination or infection but also can provide important theoretical support for virus reinfection, recurrence and vaccine iteration. In this research, the related technologies of SARS-CoV-2 NAb detection were reviewed, aiming to provide better research ideas for SARS-CoV-2 epidemic prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxia Chen
- Joint National Laboratory for Antibody Drug Engineering, Clinical Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Jiahui Liang
- Joint National Laboratory for Antibody Drug Engineering, Clinical Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Hangzhan Hu
- Joint National Laboratory for Antibody Drug Engineering, Clinical Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China; Heze Municipal Hospital, Heze, 274000, China
| | - Xiaoquan Li
- Heze Municipal Hospital, Heze, 274000, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
| | - Zhizeng Wang
- Center of Smart Laboratory and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China; Joint National Laboratory for Antibody Drug Engineering, Clinical Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
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Strobelt R, Broennimann K, Adler J, Shaul Y. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Specific Mutations Affecting Infectivity, Fusogenicity, and Partial TMPRSS2-Independency. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051129. [PMID: 37243215 DOI: 10.3390/v15051129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted from the global spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since its first appearance in 2019, new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) have emerged frequently, changing the infection's dynamic. SARS-CoV-2 infects cells via two distinct entry routes; receptor-mediated endocytosis or membrane fusion, depending on the absence or presence of transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), respectively. In laboratory conditions, the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 strain inefficiently infects cells predominantly via endocytosis and is phenotypically characterized by decreased syncytia formation compared to the earlier Delta variant. Thus, it is important to characterize Omicron's unique mutations and their phenotypic manifestations. Here, by utilizing SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirions, we report that the specific Omicron Spike F375 residue decreases infectivity, and its conversion to the Delta S375 sequence significantly increases Omicron infectivity. Further, we identified that residue Y655 decreases Omicron's TMPRSS2 dependency and entry via membrane fusion. The Y655H, K764N, K856N and K969N Omicron revertant mutations, bearing the Delta variant sequence, increased the cytopathic effect of cell-cell fusion, suggesting these Omicron-specific residues reduced the severity of SARS-CoV-2. This study of the correlation of the mutational profile with the phenotypic outcome should sensitize our alertness towards emerging VOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romano Strobelt
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Karin Broennimann
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Julia Adler
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Yosef Shaul
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
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Wang Z, Zhong K, Wang G, Lu Q, Li H, Wu Z, Zhang Z, Yang N, Zheng M, Wang Y, Nie C, Zhou L, Tong A. Loss of furin site enhances SARS-CoV-2 spike protein pseudovirus infection. Gene X 2023; 856:147144. [PMID: 36577450 PMCID: PMC9790109 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.147144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 has a significant impact on healthcare systems all around the world. Due to its high pathogenicity, live SARS-CoV-2 must be handled under biosafety level 3 conditions. Pseudoviruses are useful virological tools because of their safety and versatility, but the low titer of these viruses remains a limitation for their more comprehensive applications. METHOD Here, we constructed a Luc/eGFP based on a pseudotyped lentiviral HIV-1 system to transduce SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein to detect cell entry properties and cellular tropism. RESULTS The furin cleavage site deletion of the S protein removed (SFko) can help SARS-CoV-2 S to be cleaved during viral packaging to improve infection efficiency. The furin cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2-S mediates membrane fusion and SFko leads to an increased level of S protein and limits S1/S2 cleavage to enhance pseudovirus infection in cells. Full-length S (SFL) pseudotyped with N, M, and E helper packaging can effectively help SFL infect cells. Finally, pseudotyped SFko particles were successfully used to detect neutralizing antibodies in RBD protein-immunized mouse serum. CONCLUSION Overall, our study indicates a series of modifications that result in the production of relatively high-titer SARS-COV-2 pseudo-particles that may be suitable for the detection of neutralizing antibodies from COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kunhong Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guoqing Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Medical School, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qizhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hexian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiguo Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zongliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Nian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meijun Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yuelong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Medical School, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chunlai Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liangxue Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Medical School, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Aiping Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Validation and Establishment of the SARS-CoV-2 Lentivirus Surrogate Neutralization Assay as a Prescreening Tool for the Plaque Reduction Neutralization Test. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0378922. [PMID: 36602312 PMCID: PMC9927366 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03789-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutralization assays are important for understanding and quantifying neutralizing antibody responses toward severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The SARS-CoV-2 lentivirus surrogate neutralization assay (SCLSNA) can be used in biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) laboratories and has been shown to be a reliable alternative approach to the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). In this study, we optimized and validated the SCLSNA to assess its ability as a comparator and prescreening method to support the PRNT. Comparability between the PRNT and SCLSNA was determined through clinical sensitivity and specificity evaluations. Clinical sensitivity and specificity assays produced acceptable results, with 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 94% to 100%) specificity and 100% (95% CI, 94% to 100%) sensitivity against ancestral Wuhan spike-pseudotyped lentivirus. The sensitivity and specificity against B.1.1.7 spike-pseudotyped lentivirus were 88.3% (95% CI, 77.8% to 94.2%) and 100% (95% CI, 94% to 100%), respectively. Assay precision measuring intra-assay variability produced acceptable results for high (50% PRNT [PRNT50], 1:≥640), mid (PRNT50, 1:160), and low (PRNT50, 1:40) antibody titer concentration ranges based on the PRNT50, with coefficients of variation (CVs) of 14.21%, 12.47%, and 13.28%, respectively. Intermediate precision indicated acceptable ranges for the high and mid concentrations, with CVs of 15.52% and 16.09%, respectively. However, the low concentration did not meet the acceptance criteria, with a CV of 26.42%. Acceptable ranges were found in the robustness evaluation for both intra-assay and interassay variability. In summary, the validation parameters tested met the acceptance criteria, making the SCLSNA method fit for its intended purpose, which can be used to support the PRNT. IMPORTANCE Neutralization studies play an important role in providing guidance and justification for vaccine administration and helping prevent the spread of diseases. The neutralization data generated in our laboratory have been included in the decision-making process of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) in Canada. During the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) has been the gold standard for determining neutralization of SARS-CoV-2. We validated a SARS-CoV-2 lentivirus surrogate neutralization assay (SCLSNA) as an alternative method to help support the PRNT. The advantages of using the SCLSNA is that it can process more samples, is less tedious to perform, and can be used in laboratories with a lower biosafety level. The use of the SCLSNA can further expand our capabilities to help fulfill the requirements for NACI and other important collaborations.
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