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Berg C, Rosenkilde MM. Therapeutic targeting of HCMV-encoded chemokine receptor US28: Progress and challenges. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1135280. [PMID: 36860859 PMCID: PMC9968965 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1135280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The pervasive human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes significant morbidity in immunocompromised individuals. Treatment using the current standard-of-care (SOC) is limited by severe toxic adverse effects and anti-viral resistance development. Furthermore, they only affect HCMV in its lytic phase, meaning viral disease is not preventable as latent infection cannot be treated and the viral reservoirs persist. The viral chemokine receptor (vCKR) US28 encoded by HCMV has received much attention in recent years. This broad-spectrum receptor has proven to be a desirable target for development of novel therapeutics through exploitation of its ability to internalize and its role in maintaining latency. Importantly, it is expressed on the surface of infected cells during both lytic and latent infection. US28-targeting small molecules, single-domain antibodies, and fusion toxin proteins have been developed for different treatment strategies, e.g. forcing reactivation of latent virus or using internalization of US28 as a toxin shuttle to kill infected cells. These strategies show promise for providing ways to eliminate latent viral reservoirs and prevent HCMV disease in vulnerable patients. Here, we discuss the progress and challenges of targeting US28 to treat HCMV infection and its associated diseases.
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Perera MR, Wills MR, Sinclair JH. HCMV Antivirals and Strategies to Target the Latent Reservoir. Viruses 2021; 13:817. [PMID: 34062863 PMCID: PMC8147263 DOI: 10.3390/v13050817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous human herpesvirus. In healthy people, primary infection is generally asymptomatic, and the virus can go on to establish lifelong latency in cells of the myeloid lineage. However, HCMV often causes severe disease in the immunosuppressed: transplant recipients and people living with AIDS, and also in the immunonaive foetus. At present, there are several antiviral drugs licensed to control HCMV disease. However, these are all faced with problems of poor bioavailability, toxicity and rapidly emerging viral resistance. Furthermore, none of them are capable of fully clearing the virus from the host, as they do not target latent infection. Consequently, reactivation from latency is a significant source of disease, and there remains an unmet need for treatments that also target latent infection. This review briefly summarises the most common HCMV antivirals used in clinic at present and discusses current research into targeting the latent HCMV reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John H. Sinclair
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; (M.R.P.); (M.R.W.)
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De Groof TWM, Elder EG, Siderius M, Heukers R, Sinclair JH, Smit MJ. Viral G Protein-Coupled Receptors: Attractive Targets for Herpesvirus-Associated Diseases. Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:828-846. [PMID: 33692148 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Herpesviruses are ubiquitous pathogens that establish lifelong, latent infections in their host. Spontaneous reactivation of herpesviruses is often asymptomatic or clinically manageable in healthy individuals, but reactivation events in immunocompromised or immunosuppressed individuals can lead to severe morbidity and mortality. Moreover, herpesvirus infections have been associated with multiple proliferative cardiovascular and post-transplant diseases. Herpesviruses encode viral G protein-coupled receptors (vGPCRs) that alter the host cell by hijacking cellular pathways and play important roles in the viral life cycle and these different disease settings. In this review, we discuss the pharmacological and signaling properties of these vGPCRs, their role in the viral life cycle, and their contribution in different diseases. Because of their prominent role, vGPCRs have emerged as promising drug targets, and the potential of vGPCR-targeting therapeutics is being explored. Overall, these vGPCRs can be considered as attractive targets moving forward in the development of antiviral, cancer, and/or cardiovascular disease treatments. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: In the last decade, herpesvirus-encoded G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have emerged as interesting drug targets with the growing understanding of their critical role in the viral life cycle and in different disease settings. This review presents the pharmacological properties of these viral receptors, their role in the viral life cycle and different diseases, and the emergence of therapeutics targeting viral GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo W M De Groof
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory (ICMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium (T.W.M.D.G.); Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (E.G.E., J.H.S.); Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.S., R.H., M.J.S.); and QVQ Holding B.V., Utrecht, The Netherlands (R.H.)
| | - Elizabeth G Elder
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory (ICMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium (T.W.M.D.G.); Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (E.G.E., J.H.S.); Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.S., R.H., M.J.S.); and QVQ Holding B.V., Utrecht, The Netherlands (R.H.)
| | - Marco Siderius
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory (ICMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium (T.W.M.D.G.); Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (E.G.E., J.H.S.); Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.S., R.H., M.J.S.); and QVQ Holding B.V., Utrecht, The Netherlands (R.H.)
| | - Raimond Heukers
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory (ICMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium (T.W.M.D.G.); Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (E.G.E., J.H.S.); Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.S., R.H., M.J.S.); and QVQ Holding B.V., Utrecht, The Netherlands (R.H.)
| | - John H Sinclair
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory (ICMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium (T.W.M.D.G.); Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (E.G.E., J.H.S.); Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.S., R.H., M.J.S.); and QVQ Holding B.V., Utrecht, The Netherlands (R.H.)
| | - Martine J Smit
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory (ICMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium (T.W.M.D.G.); Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (E.G.E., J.H.S.); Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (M.S., R.H., M.J.S.); and QVQ Holding B.V., Utrecht, The Netherlands (R.H.)
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