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Chittum JE, Thompson A, Desai UR. Glycosaminoglycan microarrays for studying glycosaminoglycan-protein systems. Carbohydr Polym 2024; 335:122106. [PMID: 38616080 PMCID: PMC11032185 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122106] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
More than 3000 proteins are now known to bind to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Yet, GAG-protein systems are rather poorly understood in terms of selectivity of recognition, molecular mechanism of action, and translational promise. High-throughput screening (HTS) technologies are critically needed for studying GAG biology and developing GAG-based therapeutics. Microarrays, developed within the past two decades, have now improved to the point of being the preferred tool in the HTS of biomolecules. GAG microarrays, in which GAG sequences are immobilized on slides, while similar to other microarrays, have their own sets of challenges and considerations. GAG microarrays are rapidly becoming the first choice in studying GAG-protein systems. Here, we review different modalities and applications of GAG microarrays presented to date. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of this technology, explain covalent and non-covalent immobilization strategies using different chemically reactive groups, and present various assay formats for qualitative and quantitative interpretations, including selectivity screening, binding affinity studies, competitive binding studies etc. We also highlight recent advances in implementing this technology, cataloging of data, and project its future promise. Overall, the technology of GAG microarray exhibits enormous potential of evolving into more than a mere screening tool for studying GAG - protein systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E Chittum
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America; Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, United States of America
| | - Ally Thompson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America; Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, United States of America
| | - Umesh R Desai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America; Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, United States of America.
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2
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VanElzakker MB, Bues HF, Brusaferri L, Kim M, Saadi D, Ratai EM, Dougherty DD, Loggia ML. Neuroinflammation in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) as assessed by [ 11C]PBR28 PET correlates with vascular disease measures. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:713-723. [PMID: 38642615 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has triggered a consequential public health crisis of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), sometimes referred to as long COVID. The mechanisms of the heterogeneous persistent symptoms and signs that comprise PASC are under investigation, and several studies have pointed to the central nervous and vascular systems as being potential sites of dysfunction. In the current study, we recruited individuals with PASC with diverse symptoms, and examined the relationship between neuroinflammation and circulating markers of vascular dysfunction. We used [11C]PBR28 PET neuroimaging, a marker of neuroinflammation, to compare 12 PASC individuals versus 43 normative healthy controls. We found significantly increased neuroinflammation in PASC versus controls across a wide swath of brain regions including midcingulate and anterior cingulate cortex, corpus callosum, thalamus, basal ganglia, and at the boundaries of ventricles. We also collected and analyzed peripheral blood plasma from the PASC individuals and found significant positive correlations between neuroinflammation and several circulating analytes related to vascular dysfunction. These results suggest that an interaction between neuroinflammation and vascular health may contribute to common symptoms of PASC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B VanElzakker
- Division of Neurotherapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; PolyBio Research Foundation, Medford, MA, USA.
| | - Hannah F Bues
- Division of Neurotherapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ludovica Brusaferri
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Computer Science And Informatics, School of Engineering, London South Bank University, London, UK
| | - Minhae Kim
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deena Saadi
- Division of Neurotherapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eva-Maria Ratai
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Darin D Dougherty
- Division of Neurotherapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco L Loggia
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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3
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Patel MA, Daley M, Van Nynatten LR, Slessarev M, Cepinskas G, Fraser DD. A reduced proteomic signature in critically ill Covid-19 patients determined with plasma antibody micro-array and machine learning. Clin Proteomics 2024; 21:33. [PMID: 38760690 PMCID: PMC11100131 DOI: 10.1186/s12014-024-09488-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 is a complex, multi-system disease with varying severity and symptoms. Identifying changes in critically ill COVID-19 patients' proteomes enables a better understanding of markers associated with susceptibility, symptoms, and treatment. We performed plasma antibody microarray and machine learning analyses to identify novel proteins of COVID-19. METHODS A case-control study comparing the concentration of 2000 plasma proteins in age- and sex-matched COVID-19 inpatients, non-COVID-19 sepsis controls, and healthy control subjects. Machine learning was used to identify a unique proteome signature in COVID-19 patients. Protein expression was correlated with clinically relevant variables and analyzed for temporal changes over hospitalization days 1, 3, 7, and 10. Expert-curated protein expression information was analyzed with Natural language processing (NLP) to determine organ- and cell-specific expression. RESULTS Machine learning identified a 28-protein model that accurately differentiated COVID-19 patients from ICU non-COVID-19 patients (accuracy = 0.89, AUC = 1.00, F1 = 0.89) and healthy controls (accuracy = 0.89, AUC = 1.00, F1 = 0.88). An optimal nine-protein model (PF4V1, NUCB1, CrkL, SerpinD1, Fen1, GATA-4, ProSAAS, PARK7, and NET1) maintained high classification ability. Specific proteins correlated with hemoglobin, coagulation factors, hypertension, and high-flow nasal cannula intervention (P < 0.01). Time-course analysis of the 28 leading proteins demonstrated no significant temporal changes within the COVID-19 cohort. NLP analysis identified multi-system expression of the key proteins, with the digestive and nervous systems being the leading systems. CONCLUSIONS The plasma proteome of critically ill COVID-19 patients was distinguishable from that of non-COVID-19 sepsis controls and healthy control subjects. The leading 28 proteins and their subset of 9 proteins yielded accurate classification models and are expressed in multiple organ systems. The identified COVID-19 proteomic signature helps elucidate COVID-19 pathophysiology and may guide future COVID-19 treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maitray A Patel
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Mark Daley
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Computer Science, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | | | - Marat Slessarev
- Medicine, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2R5, Canada
| | - Gediminas Cepinskas
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2R5, Canada
- Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Douglas D Fraser
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2R5, Canada.
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 4V3, Canada.
- Pediatrics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- Physiology & Pharmacology, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada.
- London Health Sciences Centre, 800 Commissioners Road East, London, ON, N6A 5W9, Canada.
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4
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Scheim DE, Parry PI, Rabbolini DJ, Aldous C, Yagisawa M, Clancy R, Borody TJ, Hoy WE. Back to the Basics of SARS-CoV-2 Biochemistry: Microvascular Occlusive Glycan Bindings Govern Its Morbidities and Inform Therapeutic Responses. Viruses 2024; 16:647. [PMID: 38675987 PMCID: PMC11054389 DOI: 10.3390/v16040647] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Consistent with the biochemistry of coronaviruses as well established over decades, SARS-CoV-2 makes its initial attachment to host cells through the binding of its spike protein (SP) to sialylated glycans (containing the monosaccharide sialic acid) on the cell surface. The virus can then slide over and enter via ACE2. SARS-CoV-2 SP attaches particularly tightly to the trillions of red blood cells (RBCs), platelets and endothelial cells in the human body, each cell very densely coated with sialic acid surface molecules but having no ACE2 or minimal ACE2. These interlaced attachments trigger the blood cell aggregation, microvascular occlusion and vascular damage that underlie the hypoxia, blood clotting and related morbidities of severe COVID-19. Notably, the two human betacoronaviruses that express a sialic acid-cleaving enzyme are benign, while the other three-SARS, SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-are virulent. RBC aggregation experimentally induced in several animal species using an injected polysaccharide caused most of the same morbidities of severe COVID-19. This glycan biochemistry is key to disentangling controversies that have arisen over the efficacy of certain generic COVID-19 treatment agents and the safety of SP-based COVID-19 vaccines. More broadly, disregard for the active physiological role of RBCs yields unreliable or erroneous reporting of pharmacokinetic parameters as routinely obtained for most drugs and other bioactive agents using detection in plasma, with whole-blood levels being up to 30-fold higher. Appreciation of the active role of RBCs can elucidate the microvascular underpinnings of other health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, and therapeutic opportunities to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E. Scheim
- US Public Health Service, Commissioned Corps, Inactive Reserve, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Peter I. Parry
- Children’s Health Research Clinical Unit, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia;
- Department of Psychiatry, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - David J. Rabbolini
- Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW 2064, Australia
| | - Colleen Aldous
- College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa;
| | - Morimasa Yagisawa
- Satoshi Omura Memorial Research Institute, Kitasato University, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan
- Louis Pasteur Center for Medical Research, Kyoto 606-8225, Japan
| | - Robert Clancy
- Emeritus Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, Australia
| | | | - Wendy E. Hoy
- Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia
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5
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Menke BA, Ryu C, Chundury RV. Superior Ophthalmic Vein Thrombosis Associated With Asymptomatic COVID-19 Infection. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg 2024; 40:e41-e42. [PMID: 38427840 DOI: 10.1097/iop.0000000000002540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis is a rare condition scarcely described in clinical literature with potentially severe consequences including permanent vision loss. This report details the case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with acute binocular horizontal diplopia, relative proptosis of the OD by 4 mm, and pain OD. On exam, visual acuity was 20/20 OD and 20/30 OS with full extraocular movements. CT revealed proptosis OD with a thrombosed superior ophthalmic varix. Evaluation for etiology of hypercoagulability was unremarkable, although the patient did have an asymptomatic COVID-19 infection 1 month prior. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis secondary to an asymptomatic COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryant A Menke
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A
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6
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Scheim DE, Vottero P, Santin AD, Hirsh AG. Sialylated Glycan Bindings from SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to Blood and Endothelial Cells Govern the Severe Morbidities of COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17039. [PMID: 38069362 PMCID: PMC10871123 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317039] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Consistent with well-established biochemical properties of coronaviruses, sialylated glycan attachments between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) and host cells are key to the virus's pathology. SARS-CoV-2 SP attaches to and aggregates red blood cells (RBCs), as shown in many pre-clinical and clinical studies, causing pulmonary and extrapulmonary microthrombi and hypoxia in severe COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 SP attachments to the heavily sialylated surfaces of platelets (which, like RBCs, have no ACE2) and endothelial cells (having minimal ACE2) compound this vascular damage. Notably, experimentally induced RBC aggregation in vivo causes the same key morbidities as for severe COVID-19, including microvascular occlusion, blood clots, hypoxia and myocarditis. Key risk factors for COVID-19 morbidity, including older age, diabetes and obesity, are all characterized by markedly increased propensity to RBC clumping. For mammalian species, the degree of clinical susceptibility to COVID-19 correlates to RBC aggregability with p = 0.033. Notably, of the five human betacoronaviruses, the two common cold strains express an enzyme that releases glycan attachments, while the deadly SARS, SARS-CoV-2 and MERS do not, although viral loads for COVID-19 and the two common cold infections are similar. These biochemical insights also explain the previously puzzling clinical efficacy of certain generics against COVID-19 and may support the development of future therapeutic strategies for COVID-19 and long COVID patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Scheim
- US Public Health Service, Commissioned Corps, Inactive Reserve, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Paola Vottero
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
| | - Alessandro D Santin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208063, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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7
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Hulscher N, Procter BC, Wynn C, McCullough PA. Clinical Approach to Post-acute Sequelae After COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination. Cureus 2023; 15:e49204. [PMID: 38024037 PMCID: PMC10663976 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.49204] [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] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 has been found to exhibit pathogenic characteristics and be a possible cause of post-acute sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines utilize a modified, stabilized prefusion spike protein that may share similar toxic effects with its viral counterpart. The aim of this study is to investigate possible mechanisms of harm to biological systems from SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and vaccine-encoded spike protein and to propose possible mitigation strategies. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and 'grey literature' to find studies that (1) investigated the effects of the spike protein on biological systems, (2) helped differentiate between viral and vaccine-generated spike proteins, and (3) identified possible spike protein detoxification protocols and compounds that had signals of benefit and acceptable safety profiles. We found abundant evidence that SARS-CoV-2 spike protein may cause damage in the cardiovascular, hematological, neurological, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and immunological systems. Viral and vaccine-encoded spike proteins have been shown to play a direct role in cardiovascular and thrombotic injuries from both SARS-CoV-2 and vaccination. Detection of spike protein for at least 6-15 months after vaccination and infection in those with post-acute sequelae indicates spike protein as a possible primary contributing factor to long COVID. We rationalized that these findings give support to the potential benefit of spike protein detoxification protocols in those with long-term post-infection and/or vaccine-induced complications. We propose a base spike detoxification protocol, composed of oral nattokinase, bromelain, and curcumin. This approach holds immense promise as a base of clinical care, upon which additional therapeutic agents are applied with the goal of aiding in the resolution of post-acute sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination. Large-scale, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are warranted in order to determine the relative risks and benefits of the base spike detoxification protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Hulscher
- Epidemiology, Unversity of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, USA
| | | | - Cade Wynn
- Family Medicine, McKinney Family Medicine, McKinney, USA
| | - Peter A McCullough
- Internal Medicine, Cardiology, McKinney Family Medicine, McKinney, USA
- Cardiology, Epidemiology, and Public Health, McCullough Foundation, Dallas, USA
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8
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VanElzakker MB, Bues HF, Brusaferri L, Kim M, Saadi D, Ratai EM, Dougherty DD, Loggia ML. Neuroinflammation in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) as assessed by [ 11C]PBR28 PET correlates with vascular disease measures. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.19.563117. [PMID: 37905031 PMCID: PMC10614970 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.19.563117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has triggered a consequential public health crisis of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), sometimes referred to as long COVID. The mechanisms of the heterogeneous persistent symptoms and signs that comprise PASC are under investigation, and several studies have pointed to the central nervous and vascular systems as being potential sites of dysfunction. In the current study, we recruited individuals with PASC with diverse symptoms, and examined the relationship between neuroinflammation and circulating markers of vascular dysfunction. We used [11C]PBR28 PET neuroimaging, a marker of neuroinflammation, to compare 12 PASC individuals versus 43 normative healthy controls. We found significantly increased neuroinflammation in PASC versus controls across a wide swath of brain regions including midcingulate and anterior cingulate cortex, corpus callosum, thalamus, basal ganglia, and at the boundaries of ventricles. We also collected and analyzed peripheral blood plasma from the PASC individuals and found significant positive correlations between neuroinflammation and several circulating analytes related to vascular dysfunction. These results suggest that an interaction between neuroinflammation and vascular health may contribute to common symptoms of PASC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B VanElzakker
- Division of Neurotherapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- PolyBio Research Foundation, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Hannah F Bues
- Division of Neurotherapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ludovica Brusaferri
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Computer Science And Informatics, School of Engineering, London South Bank University, London, UK
| | - Minhae Kim
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deena Saadi
- Division of Neurotherapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eva-Maria Ratai
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Darin D Dougherty
- Division of Neurotherapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco L Loggia
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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9
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Jones EAV. Mechanism of COVID-19-Induced Cardiac Damage from Patient, In Vitro and Animal Studies. Curr Heart Fail Rep 2023; 20:451-460. [PMID: 37526812 PMCID: PMC10589152 DOI: 10.1007/s11897-023-00618-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Though patient studies have been important for understanding the disease, research done in animals and cell culture complement our knowledge from patient data and provide insight into the mechanism of the disease. Understanding how COVID causes damage to the heart is essential to understanding possible long-term consequences. RECENT FINDINGS COVID-19 is primarily a disease that attacks the lungs; however, it is known to have important consequences in many other tissues including the heart. Though myocarditis does occur in some patients, for most cases of cardiac damage, the injury arises from scarring either due to myocardial infarction or micro-infarction. The main focus is on how COVID affects blood flow through the coronaries. We review how endothelial activation leads to a hypercoagulative state in COVID-19. We also emphasize the effects that the cytokine storm can directly have on the regulation of coronary blood flow. Since the main two cell types that can be infected in the heart are pericytes and cardiomyocytes, we further describe the known effects on pericyte function and how that can further lead to microinfarcts within the heart. Though many of these effects are systemic, this review focuses on the consequences on cardiac tissue of this dysregulation and the role that it has in the formation of myocardial scarring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A V Jones
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Herestraat 49, Bus 911, 3000, KU, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Cardiology, CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, Netherlands.
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10
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Kakoulidis P, Vlachos IS, Thanos D, Blatch GL, Emiris IZ, Anastasiadou E. Identifying and profiling structural similarities between Spike of SARS-CoV-2 and other viral or host proteins with Machaon. Commun Biol 2023; 6:752. [PMID: 37468602 PMCID: PMC10356814 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05076-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Using protein structure to predict function, interactions, and evolutionary history is still an open challenge, with existing approaches relying extensively on protein homology and families. Here, we present Machaon, a data-driven method combining orientation invariant metrics on phi-psi angles, inter-residue contacts and surface complexity. It can be readily applied on whole structures or segments-such as domains and binding sites. Machaon was applied on SARS-CoV-2 Spike monomers of native, Delta and Omicron variants and identified correlations with a wide range of viral proteins from close to distant taxonomy ranks, as well as host proteins, such as ACE2 receptor. Machaon's meta-analysis of the results highlights structural, chemical and transcriptional similarities between the Spike monomer and human proteins, indicating a multi-level viral mimicry. This extended analysis also revealed relationships of the Spike protein with biological processes such as ubiquitination and angiogenesis and highlighted different patterns in virus attachment among the studied variants. Available at: https://machaonweb.com .
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Affiliation(s)
- Panos Kakoulidis
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Ilisia, 157 84, Athens, Greece
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou St., 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis S Vlachos
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Merkin Building, 415 Main St., Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Spatial Technologies Unit, Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Dana Building, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Dimitris Thanos
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou St., 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Gregory L Blatch
- Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Makhanda (Grahamstown) 6140, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Biomedical and Drug Discovery Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Higher Colleges of Technology, PO 25026, Sharjah, UAE
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, PO Box 14428, VIC 8001, Melbourne, Australia
- The Vice Chancellery, The University of Notre Dame Australia, PO Box 1225, WA 6959, Fremantle, Australia
| | - Ioannis Z Emiris
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Ilisia, 157 84, Athens, Greece
- ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Artemidos 6 & Epidavrou 15125, Marousi, Greece
| | - Ema Anastasiadou
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou St., 115 27, Athens, Greece.
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11
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Tsiftsoglou SA. Heme Interactions as Regulators of the Alternative Pathway Complement Responses and Implications for Heme-Associated Pathologies. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:5198-5214. [PMID: 37367079 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45060330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Heme (Fe2+-protoporphyrin IX) is a pigment of life, and as a prosthetic group in several hemoproteins, it contributes to diverse critical cellular processes. While its intracellular levels are tightly regulated by networks of heme-binding proteins (HeBPs), labile heme can be hazardous through oxidative processes. In blood plasma, heme is scavenged by hemopexin (HPX), albumin and several other proteins, while it also interacts directly with complement components C1q, C3 and factor I. These direct interactions block the classical pathway (CP) and distort the alternative pathway (AP). Errors or flaws in heme metabolism, causing uncontrolled intracellular oxidative stress, can lead to several severe hematological disorders. Direct interactions of extracellular heme with alternative pathway complement components (APCCs) may be implicated molecularly in diverse conditions at sites of abnormal cell damage and vascular injury. In such disorders, a deregulated AP could be associated with the heme-mediated disruption of the physiological heparan sulphate-CFH coat of stressed cells and the induction of local hemostatic responses. Within this conceptual frame, a computational evaluation of HBMs (heme-binding motifs) aimed to determine how heme interacts with APCCs and whether these interactions are affected by genetic variation within putative HBMs. Combined computational analysis and database mining identified putative HBMs in all of the 16 APCCs examined, with 10 exhibiting disease-associated genetic (SNPs) and/or epigenetic variation (PTMs). Overall, this article indicates that among the pleiotropic roles of heme reviewed, the interactions of heme with APCCs could induce differential AP-mediated hemostasis-driven pathologies in certain individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos A Tsiftsoglou
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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12
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Patel P, Nandi A, Verma SK, Kaushik N, Suar M, Choi EH, Kaushik NK. Zebrafish-based platform for emerging bio-contaminants and virus inactivation research. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162197. [PMID: 36781138 PMCID: PMC9922160 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Emerging bio-contaminants such as viruses have affected health and environment settings of every country. Viruses are the minuscule entities resulting in severe contagious diseases like SARS, MERS, Ebola, and avian influenza. Recent epidemic like the SARS-CoV-2, the virus has undergone mutations strengthen them and allowing to escape from the remedies. Comprehensive knowledge of viruses is essential for the development of targeted therapeutic and vaccination treatments. Animal models mimicking human biology like non-human primates, rats, mice, and rabbits offer competitive advantage to assess risk of viral infections, chemical toxins, nanoparticles, and microbes. However, their economic maintenance has always been an issue. Furthermore, the redundancy of experimental results due to aforementioned aspects is also in examine. Hence, exploration for the alternative animal models is crucial for risk assessments. The current review examines zebrafish traits and explores the possibilities to monitor emerging bio-contaminants. Additionally, a comprehensive picture of the bio contaminant and virus particle invasion and abatement mechanisms in zebrafish and human cells is presented. Moreover, a zebrafish model to investigate the emerging viruses such as coronaviridae and poxviridae has been suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paritosh Patel
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, 01897 Seoul, South Korea
| | - Aditya Nandi
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar 751024, Odisha, India
| | - Suresh K Verma
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar 751024, Odisha, India; Condensed Matter Theory Group, Materials Theory Division, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Neha Kaushik
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, The University of Suwon, 18323 Hwaseong, Republic of Korea
| | - Mrutyunjay Suar
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar 751024, Odisha, India
| | - Eun Ha Choi
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, 01897 Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Nagendra Kumar Kaushik
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, 01897 Seoul, South Korea.
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13
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Bayrak V. A case report overlapped vaccine and COVID-19 in disseminated atherosclerosis. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2023; 12:172-175. [PMID: 37214139 PMCID: PMC10193108 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2023.12.2.172] [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: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a part of our lives now and we have no more effective way of coping than a vaccine. COVID-19 is a disease that causes severe thrombosis outside the respiratory tract. Vaccines also protect us in this respect, but in some rare cases, thrombosis has been found to develop after vaccination (much less frequently than COVID-19). What was interesting in our case was that it showed how a disaster could happen under three factors that predispose to thrombosis. A 65-year-old female patient with disseminated atherosclerosis was admitted to the intensive care unit with complaints of dyspnea and dysphasia. In the evening of the day, the patient had the vaccination 2 weeks ago, she had active COVID-19. On examination, lower extremity pulses could not be detected. The patient's imaging and blood tests were performed. Multiple complications such as embolic stroke, venous and arterial thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and pericarditis were observed in the patient. This case may give consideration to anticoagulant therapy studies. We give effective anticoagulant therapy in the presence of COVID-19 in patients at risk of thrombosis. Can anticoagulant therapy be considered after vaccination in patients at risk of thrombosis such as disseminated atherosclerosis?
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Affiliation(s)
- Vecihe Bayrak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Nevsehir Hospital, Nevsehir, Turkey
- Department of Intensive Care, Nevsehir Hospital, Nevsehir, Turkey
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14
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COVID-19 Vaccination and Alcohol Consumption: Justification of Risks. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020163. [PMID: 36839435 PMCID: PMC9967163 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, pharmaceutical companies and research institutions have been actively working to develop vaccines, and the mass roll-out of vaccinations against COVID-19 began in January 2021. At the same time, during lockdowns, the consumption of alcoholic beverages increased. During the peak of vaccination, consumption remained at high levels around the world, despite the gradual relaxation of quarantine restrictions. Two of the popular queries on search engines were whether it is safe to drink alcohol after vaccination and whether this will affect the effectiveness of vaccines. Over the past two years, many studies have been published suggesting that excessive drinking not only worsens the course of an acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus but can also exacerbate post-COVID-19 syndrome. Despite all sorts of online speculation, there is no specific scientific data on alcohol-induced complications after vaccination in the literature. Most of the published vaccine clinical trials do not include groups of patients with a history of alcohol-use disorders. This review analyzed the well-known and new mechanisms of action of COVID-19 vaccines on the immune system and the effects of alcohol and its metabolites on these mechanisms.
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15
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Eilts F, Bauer S, Fraser K, Dordick JS, Wolff MW, Linhardt RJ, Zhang F. The diverse role of heparan sulfate and other GAGs in SARS-CoV-2 infections and therapeutics. Carbohydr Polym 2023; 299:120167. [PMID: 36876764 PMCID: PMC9516881 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.120167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In December 2019, the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which infects host cells primarily through the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. In addition to ACE2, several studies have shown the importance of heparan sulfate (HS) on the host cell surface as a co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2-binding. This insight has driven research into antiviral therapies, aimed at inhibiting the HS co-receptor-binding, e.g., by glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), a family of sulfated polysaccharides that includes HS. Several GAGs, such as heparin (a highly sulfated analog of HS), are used to treat various health indications, including COVID-19. This review is focused on current research on the involvement of HS in SARS-CoV-2 infection, implications of viral mutations, as well as the use of GAGs and other sulfated polysaccharides as antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Eilts
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen (THM), Giessen, Germany
| | - Sarah Bauer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Keith Fraser
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan S Dordick
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Michael W Wolff
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen (THM), Giessen, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Giessen, Germany
| | - Robert J Linhardt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.
| | - Fuming Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.
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16
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Berkowitz RL, Ostrov DA. The Elusive Coreceptors for the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein. Viruses 2022; 15:67. [PMID: 36680105 PMCID: PMC9862613 DOI: 10.3390/v15010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interacts with host coreceptors that participate in viral entry. Resolving the identity of coreceptors has important clinical implications as it may provide the basis for the development of antiviral drugs and vaccine candidates. The majority of characteristic mutations in variants of concern (VOCs) have occurred in the NTD and receptor binding domain (RBD). Unlike the RBD, mutations in the NTD have clustered in the most flexible parts of the spike protein. Many possible coreceptors have been proposed, including various sugars such as gangliosides, sialosides, and heparan sulfate. Protein coreceptors, including neuropilin-1 and leucine-rich repeat containing 15 (LRRC15), are also proposed coreceptors that engage the NTD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David A. Ostrov
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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17
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SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Induces Hemagglutination: Implications for COVID-19 Morbidities and Therapeutics and for Vaccine Adverse Effects. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415480. [PMID: 36555121 PMCID: PMC9779393 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental findings for SARS-CoV-2 related to the glycan biochemistry of coronaviruses indicate that attachments from spike protein to glycoconjugates on the surfaces of red blood cells (RBCs), other blood cells and endothelial cells are key to the infectivity and morbidity of COVID-19. To provide further insight into these glycan attachments and their potential clinical relevance, the classic hemagglutination (HA) assay was applied using spike protein from the Wuhan, Alpha, Delta and Omicron B.1.1.529 lineages of SARS-CoV-2 mixed with human RBCs. The electrostatic potential of the central region of spike protein from these four lineages was studied through molecular modeling simulations. Inhibition of spike protein-induced HA was tested using the macrocyclic lactone ivermectin (IVM), which is indicated to bind strongly to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein glycan sites. The results of these experiments were, first, that spike protein from these four lineages of SARS-CoV-2 induced HA. Omicron induced HA at a significantly lower threshold concentration of spike protein than the three prior lineages and was much more electropositive on its central spike protein region. IVM blocked HA when added to RBCs prior to spike protein and reversed HA when added afterward. These results validate and extend prior findings on the role of glycan bindings of viral spike protein in COVID-19. They furthermore suggest therapeutic options using competitive glycan-binding agents such as IVM and may help elucidate rare serious adverse effects (AEs) associated with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, which use spike protein as the generated antigen.
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18
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Chrestia JF, Oliveira AS, Mulholland AJ, Gallagher T, Bermúdez I, Bouzat C. A Functional Interaction Between Y674-R685 Region of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and the Human α7 Nicotinic Receptor. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:6076-6090. [PMID: 35859025 PMCID: PMC9299415 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02947-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is present in neuronal and non-neuronal cells and has anti-inflammatory actions. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that α7 nAChR interacts with a region of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S), and a potential contribution of nAChRs to COVID-19 pathophysiology has been proposed. We applied whole-cell and single-channel recordings to determine whether a peptide corresponding to the Y674-R685 region of the S protein can directly affect α7 nAChR function. The S fragment exerts a dual effect on α7. It activates α7 nAChRs in the presence of positive allosteric modulators, in line with our previous molecular dynamics simulations showing favourable binding of this accessible region of the S protein to the nAChR agonist binding site. The S fragment also exerts a negative modulation of α7, which is evidenced by a profound concentration-dependent decrease in the durations of openings and activation episodes of potentiated channels and in the amplitude of macroscopic responses elicited by ACh. Our study identifies a potential functional interaction between α7 nAChR and a region of the S protein, thus providing molecular foundations for further exploring the involvement of nAChRs in COVID-19 pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Facundo Chrestia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca, Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas (CONICET), Camino La Carrindanga Km 7-8000, Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Ana Sofia Oliveira
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Adrian J Mulholland
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | | | - Isabel Bermúdez
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Cecilia Bouzat
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca, Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas (CONICET), Camino La Carrindanga Km 7-8000, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
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19
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Lo MW, Amarilla AA, Lee JD, Albornoz EA, Modhiran N, Clark RJ, Ferro V, Chhabra M, Khromykh AA, Watterson D, Woodruff TM. SARS-CoV-2 triggers complement activation through interactions with heparan sulfate. Clin Transl Immunology 2022; 11:e1413. [PMID: 35999893 PMCID: PMC9387400 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives To determine whether SARS‐CoV‐2 can trigger complement activation, the pathways that are involved and the functional significance of the resultant effect. Methods SARS‐CoV‐2 was inoculated into a human lepirudin‐anticoagulated whole blood model, which contains a full repertoire of complement factors and leukocytes that express complement receptors. Complement activation was determined by measuring C5a production with an ELISA, and pretreatment with specific inhibitors was used to identify the pathways involved. The functional significance of this was then assessed by measuring markers of C5a signalling including leukocyte C5aR1 internalisation and CD11b upregulation with flow cytometry. Results SARS‐CoV‐2 inoculation in this whole blood model caused progressive C5a production over 24 h, which was significantly reduced by inhibitors for factor B, C3, C5 and heparan sulfate. However, this phenomenon could not be replicated in cell‐free plasma, highlighting the requirement for cell surface interactions with heparan sulfate. Functional analysis of this phenomenon revealed that C5aR1 signalling and CD11b upregulation in granulocytes and monocytes was delayed and only occurred after 24 h. Conclusion SARS‐CoV‐2 is a noncanonical alternative pathway activator that progressively triggers complement activation through interactions with heparan sulfate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin W Lo
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Alberto A Amarilla
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - John D Lee
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Eduardo A Albornoz
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Naphak Modhiran
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Richard J Clark
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Vito Ferro
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia.,Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Mohit Chhabra
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Alexander A Khromykh
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia.,Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Daniel Watterson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia.,Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Trent M Woodruff
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia.,Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence Brisbane QLD Australia
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20
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Trougakos IP, Terpos E, Alexopoulos H, Politou M, Paraskevis D, Scorilas A, Kastritis E, Andreakos E, Dimopoulos MA. Adverse effects of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines: the spike hypothesis. Trends Mol Med 2022; 28:542-554. [PMID: 35537987 PMCID: PMC9021367 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Vaccination is a major tool for mitigating the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and mRNA vaccines are central to the ongoing vaccination campaign that is undoubtedly saving thousands of lives. However, adverse effects (AEs) following vaccination have been noted which may relate to a proinflammatory action of the lipid nanoparticles used or the delivered mRNA (i.e., the vaccine formulation), as well as to the unique nature, expression pattern, binding profile, and proinflammatory effects of the produced antigens - spike (S) protein and/or its subunits/peptide fragments - in human tissues or organs. Current knowledge on this topic originates mostly from cell-based assays or from model organisms; further research on the cellular/molecular basis of the mRNA vaccine-induced AEs will therefore promise safety, maintain trust, and direct health policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis P Trougakos
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 157 84, Greece.
| | - Evangelos Terpos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Alexandra General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 115 28, Greece
| | - Harry Alexopoulos
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 157 84, Greece
| | - Marianna Politou
- Hematology Laboratory-Blood Bank, Aretaieio Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Paraskevis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 157 01, Greece
| | - Efstathios Kastritis
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Alexandra General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 115 28, Greece
| | - Evangelos Andreakos
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, 115 27, Greece
| | - Meletios A Dimopoulos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Alexandra General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 115 28, Greece
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21
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Ling J, Li J, Khan A, Lundkvist Å, Li JP. Is heparan sulfate a target for inhibition of RNA virus infection? Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 322:C605-C613. [PMID: 35196165 PMCID: PMC8977144 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00028.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Heparan sulfate (HS) is a linear polysaccharide attached to a core protein, forming heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) that are ubiquitously expressed on the surface of almost all mammalian cells and the extracellular matrix. HS orchestrates the binding of various signal molecules to their receptors, thus, regulating many biological processes, including homeostasis, metabolism, and various pathological processes. Due to its wide distribution and negatively charged properties, HS is exploited by many viruses as a co-factor to attach to host cells. Therefore, inhibition of the interaction between virus and HS is proposed as a promising approach to mitigate viral infection, including SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we summarize the interaction manners of HS with viruses with focus on significant pathogenic RNA viruses, including alphaviruses, flaviviruses, and coronaviruses. We also provide an overview of the challenges we may face when using HS-mimetics as antivirals for clinical treatment. More studies are needed to provide a further understanding of the interplay between HS and viruses both in vitro and in vivo, which will favor the development of specific antiviral inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Ling
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology & The Biomedical Center; Zoonosis Science Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.,Zoonosis Science Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jinlin Li
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology & The Biomedical Center; Zoonosis Science Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Asifa Khan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology & The Biomedical Center; Zoonosis Science Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Åke Lundkvist
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology & The Biomedical Center; Zoonosis Science Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.,Zoonosis Science Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jin-Ping Li
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology & The Biomedical Center; Zoonosis Science Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.,SciLifeLab Uppsala, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
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22
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Intrauterine Fetal Demise After Uncomplicated COVID-19: What Can We Learn from the Case? Viruses 2021; 13:v13122545. [PMID: 34960815 PMCID: PMC8708385 DOI: 10.3390/v13122545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women can lead to placental damage and transplacental infection transfer, and intrauterine fetal demise is an unpredictable event. Case study: A 32-year-old patient in her 38th week of pregnancy reported loss of fetal movements. She overcame mild COVID-19 with positive PCR test 22 days before. A histology of the placenta showed deposition of intervillous fibrinoid, lympho-histiocytic infiltration, scant neutrophils, clumping of villi, and extant infarctions. Immunohistochemistry identified focal SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike protein in the syncytiotrophoblast and isolated in situ hybridization of the virus’ RNA. Low ACE2 and TMPRSS2 contrasted with strong basigin/CD147 and PDL-1 positivity in the trophoblast. An autopsy of the fetus showed no morphological abnormalities except for lung interstitial infiltrate, with prevalent CD8-positive T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization proved the presence of countless dispersed SARS-CoV-2-infected epithelial and endothelial cells in the lung tissue. The potential virus-receptor protein ACE2, TMPRSS2, and CD147 expression was too low to be detected. Conclusion: Over three weeks’ persistence of trophoblast viral infection lead to extensive intervillous fibrinoid depositions and placental infarctions. High CD147 expression might serve as the dominant receptor for the virus, and PDL-1 could limit maternal immunity in placental tissue virus clearance. The presented case indicates that the SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced changes in the placenta lead to ischemia and consecutive demise of the fetus. The infection of the fetus was without significant impact on its death. This rare complication of pregnancy can appear independently to the severity of COVID-19’s clinical course in the pregnant mother.
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