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Li M, Qing R, Tao F, Xu P, Zhang S. Inhibitory effect of truncated isoforms on GPCR dimerization predicted by combinatorial computational strategy. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:278-286. [PMID: 38173876 PMCID: PMC10762321 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.12.008] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a pivotal role in fundamental biological processes and disease development. GPCR isoforms, derived from alternative splicing, can exhibit distinct signaling patterns. Some highly-truncated isoforms can impact functional performance of full-length receptors, suggesting their intriguing regulatory roles. However, how these truncated isoforms interact with full-length counterparts remains largely unexplored. Here, we computationally investigated the interaction patterns of three human GPCRs from three different classes, ADORA1 (Class A), mGlu2 (Class C) and SMO (Class F) with their respective truncated isoforms because their homodimer structures have been experimentally determined, and they have truncated isoforms deposited and identified at protein level in Uniprot database. Combining the neural network-based AlphaFold2 and two physics-based protein-protein docking tools, we generated multiple complex structures and assessed the binding affinity in the context of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Our computational results suggested all the four studied truncated isoforms showed potent binding to their counterparts and overlapping interfaces with homodimers, indicating their strong potential to block homodimerization of their counterparts. Our study offers insights into functional significance of GPCR truncated isoforms and supports the ubiquity of their regulatory roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengke Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Laboratory of Molecular Architecture, Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Rui Qing
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Fei Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Shuguang Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Architecture, Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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2
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Zheng F, Jiang X, Wen Y, Yang Y, Li M. Systematic investigation of machine learning on limited data: A study on predicting protein-protein binding strength. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:460-472. [PMID: 38235359 PMCID: PMC10792694 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.12.018] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of machine learning techniques in biological research, especially when dealing with limited data availability, poses significant challenges. In this study, we leveraged advancements in method development for predicting protein-protein binding strength to conduct a systematic investigation into the application of machine learning on limited data. The binding strength, quantitatively measured as binding affinity, is vital for understanding the processes of recognition, association, and dysfunction that occur within protein complexes. By incorporating transfer learning, integrating domain knowledge, and employing both deep learning and traditional machine learning algorithms, we mitigated the impact of data limitations and made significant advancements in predicting protein-protein binding affinity. In particular, we developed over 20 models, ultimately selecting three representative best-performing ones that belong to distinct categories. The first model is structure-based, consisting of a random forest regression and thirteen handcrafted features. The second model is sequence-based, employing an architecture that combines transferred embedding features with a multilayer perceptron. Finally, we created an ensemble model by averaging the predictions of the two aforementioned models. The comparison with other predictors on three independent datasets confirms the significant improvements achieved by our models in predicting protein-protein binding affinity. The programs for running these three models are available at https://github.com/minghuilab/BindPPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifan Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China
| | - Xin Jiang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China
| | - Yuhao Wen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China
| | - Yan Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China
| | - Minghui Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China
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Tan C, xiao Y, Liu T, Chen S, Zhou J, Zhang S, Hu Y, Wu A, Li C. Development of multi-epitope mRNA vaccine against Clostridioides difficile using reverse vaccinology and immunoinformatics approaches. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2024; 9:667-683. [PMID: 38817826 PMCID: PMC11137598 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2024.05.008] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile), as the major pathogen of diarrhea in healthcare settings, has become increasingly prevalent within community populations, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. However, the therapeutic options for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) remain limited, and as of now, no authorized vaccine is available to combat this disease. Therefore, the development of a novel vaccine against C. difficile is of paramount importance. In our study, the complete proteome sequences of 118 strains of C. difficile were downloaded and analyzed. We found four antigenic proteins that were highly conserved and can be used for epitope identification. We designed two vaccines, WLcd1 and WLcd2, that contain the ideal T-cell and B-cell epitopes, adjuvants, and the pan HLA DR-binding epitope (PADRE) sequences. The biophysical and chemical assessments of these vaccine candidates indicated that they were suitable for immunogenic applications. Molecular docking analyses revealed that WLcd1 bonded with higher affinity to Toll-like receptors (TLRs) than WLcd2. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, performed using Gmx_MMPBSA v1.56, confirmed the binding stability of WLcd1 with TLR2 and TLR4. The preliminary findings suggested that this multi-epitope vaccine could be a promising candidate for protection against CDI; however, experimental studies are necessary to confirm these predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caixia Tan
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Yuanyuan xiao
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Siyao Chen
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Juan Zhou
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Sisi Zhang
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Yiran Hu
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Anhua Wu
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
| | - Chunhui Li
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (XiangYa Hospital), Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China
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Nguyen TL, Kim H. Discovering peptides and computational investigations of a multiepitope vaccine target Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2024; 9:391-405. [PMID: 38585591 PMCID: PMC10997871 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2024.03.010] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), a prevalent airborne infectious disease. Despite the availability of the Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine, its global efficacy remains modest, and tuberculosis persists as a significant global public health threat. Addressing this challenge and advancing towards the End MTB Strategy, we developed a multiepitope vaccine (MEV) based on immunoinformatics and computational approaches. Immunoinformatics screening of MBT protein identified immune-dominant epitopes based on Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) allele binding, immunogenicity, antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity, and cytokine inducibility. Selected epitopes were integrated into an MEV construct with adjuvant and linkers, forming a fully immunogenic vaccine candidate. Comprehensive analyses encompassed the evaluation of immunological and physicochemical properties, determination of tertiary structure, molecular docking with Toll-Like Receptors (TLR), molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for all atoms, and immune simulations. Our MEV comprises 534 amino acids, featuring 6 cytotoxic T lymphocyte, 8 helper T lymphocyte, and 7 linear B lymphocyte epitopes, demonstrating high antigenicity and stability. Notably, molecular docking studies and triplicate MD simulations revealed enhanced interactions and stability of MEV with the TLR4 complex compared to TLR2. In addition, the immune simulation indicated the capacity to effectively induce elevated levels of antibodies and cytokines, emphasizing the vaccine's robust immunogenic response. This study presents a promising MEV against TB, exhibiting favorable immunological and physicochemical attributes. The findings provide theoretical support for TB vaccine development. Our study aligns with the global initiative of the End MTB Strategy, emphasizing its potential impact on addressing persistent challenges in TB control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Truc Ly Nguyen
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Heebal Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioinformatics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- eGnome, Inc., Seoul, 05836, Republic of Korea
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Nguyen TL, Kim H. Integrating immunoinformatics and computational epitope prediction for a vaccine candidate against respiratory syncytial virus. Infect Dis Model 2024; 9:763-774. [PMID: 38708060 PMCID: PMC11068479 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2024.04.005] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a significant global health threat, especially affecting infants and the elderly. Addressing this, the present study proposes an innovative approach to vaccine design, utilizing immunoinformatics and computational strategies. We analyzed RSV's structural proteins across both subtypes A and B, identifying potential helper T lymphocyte, cytotoxic T lymphocyte, and linear B lymphocyte epitopes. Criteria such as antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity, and cytokine-inducing potential were rigorously examined. Additionally, we evaluated the conservancy of these epitopes and their population coverage across various RSV strains. The comprehensive analysis identified six major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) binding, five MHC-II binding, and three B-cell epitopes. These were integrated with suitable linkers and adjuvants to form the vaccine. Further, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated stable interactions between the vaccine candidate and human Toll-like receptors (TLR4 and TLR5), with a notable preference for TLR4. Immune simulation analysis underscored the vaccine's potential to elicit a strong immune response. This study presents a promising RSV vaccine candidate and offers theoretical support, marking a significant advancement in vaccine development efforts. However, the promising in silico findings need to be further validated through additional in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Truc Ly Nguyen
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Heebal Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioinformatics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- eGnome, Inc., Seoul, 05836, Republic of Korea
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Zhou Y, Kang L, Xu R, Zhao D, Wang J, Wu J, Lin H, Ding Z, Zou Y. Mitochondrial outer membrane protein Samm50 protects against hypoxia-induced cardiac injury by interacting with Shmt2. Cell Signal 2024; 120:111219. [PMID: 38723737 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111219] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Cardiac remodeling is a critical process following myocardial infarction (MI), potentially leading to heart failure if untreated. The significance of mitochondrial homeostasis in MI remains insufficiently understood. Samm50 is an essential component of mitochondria. Our study aimed to investigate its role in hypoxia-induced cardiac injury and the underlying mechanisms. First, we observed that Samm50 was dynamically downregulated in mice with MI compared to the control mice. In vitro, Samm50 was also downregulated in oxygen-glucose-deprived neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. Overexpression and knockdown of Samm50 mitigated and exacerbated cardiac apoptosis and fibrosis, while also improving and worsening mitochondrial homeostasis, respectively. Protein interactions with Samm50 during the protective process were identified via immune-coprecipitation/mass spectroscopy. Mechanistically, serine hydroxymethyltransferase 2 (Shmt2) interacted with Samm50, acting as a crucial element in the protective process by hindering the transfer of Bax from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria and subsequent activation of caspase-3. Inhibition of Shmt2 diminished the protective effect of Samm50 overexpression against cardiac injury. Finally, Samm50 overexpression in vivo mitigated cardiac remodeling and enhanced cardiac function in both acute and chronic MI. In conclusion, Samm50 overexpression mitigated hypoxia-induced cardiac remodeling by inhibiting apoptosis and fibrosis, with Shmt2 acting as a key regulator in this protective process. The Samm50/Shmt2 axis represents a newly discovered mitochondria-related pathway for mitigating hypoxia-induced cardiac injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Zhou
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Le Kang
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ran Xu
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Di Zhao
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jienan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiaying Wu
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hong Lin
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhiwen Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Yunzeng Zou
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Naskar S, Harsukhbhai Chandpa H, Agarwal S, Meena J. Super epitope dengue vaccine instigated serotype independent immune protection in-silico. Vaccine 2024; 42:3857-3873. [PMID: 38616437 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.009] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Dengue becomes the most common life-threatening infectious arbovirus disease globally, with prevalence in the tropical and subtropical areas. The major clinical features include dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), a condition of hypovolemic shock. Four different serotypes of the dengue virus, known as dengue virus serotype (DENV)- 1, 2, 3 and 4 can infect humans. Only one vaccine is available in the market, named Dengvaxia by Sanofi Pasteur, but there is no desired outcome of this treatment due the antibody dependent enhancement (ADE) of the multiple dengue serotypes. As of now, there is no cure against dengue disease. Our goal in this work was to create a subunit vaccine based on several epitopes that would be effective against every serotype of the dengue virus. Here, computational methods like- immunoinformatics and bioinformatics were implemented to find out possible dominant epitopes. A total of 21 epitopes were chosen using various in-silico techniques from the expected 133 major histocompatibility complex (MHC)- I and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)- II epitopes, along with 95 B-cell epitopes which were greatly conserved. Immune stimulant, non-allergenic and non-toxic immunodominant epitopes (super epitopes) with a suitable adjuvant (Heparin-Binding Hemagglutinin Adhesin, HBHA) were used to construct the vaccine. Following the physicochemical analysis, vaccine construct was docked with Toll-like receptors (TLRs) to predict the immune stimulation. Consequently, the optimal docked complex that demonstrated the least amount of ligand-receptor complex deformability was used to conduct the molecular dynamics analysis. By following the codon optimization, the final vaccine molecule was administered into an expressing vector to perform in-silico cloning. The robust immune responses were generated in the in-silico immune simulation analysis. Hence, this study provides a hope to control the dengue infections. For validation of the immune outcomes, in-vitro as well as in-vivo investigations are essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shovan Naskar
- ImmunoEngineering and Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Hitesh Harsukhbhai Chandpa
- ImmunoEngineering and Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Shalini Agarwal
- ImmunoEngineering and Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Jairam Meena
- ImmunoEngineering and Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005, India.
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Agarwal S, Harsukhbhai Chandpa H, Naskar S, Lal Meena C, Kumar Panda A, Meena J. Dominant B cell-T cell epitopes instigated robust immune response in-silico against Scrub Typhus. Vaccine 2024; 42:3899-3915. [PMID: 38719691 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.082] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Scrub typhus, a potentially life-threatening infectious disease, is attributed to bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi (O. tsutsugamushi). The transmission of this illness to humans occurs through the bite of infected chiggers, which are the larval forms of mites belonging to the genus Leptotrombidium. In this research, we developed a subunit vaccine specifically designed to target outer membrane proteins. Immunodominant cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs), B- lymphocytes (BCLs), and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)- II epitopes were identified using machine learning and bioinformatics approaches. These epitopes were arranged in different combinations with the help of suitable linkers like AAY, KK, GPGPG and adjuvant (cholera toxin B) that resulted in a vaccine construct. Physiochemical properties were assessed, where the predicted solubility (0.571) was higher than threshold value. Tertiary structure was predicted using I-TASSER web server and evaluated using Ramachandran plot (94 % residues in most favourable region) and z-score (-6.04), which had shown the structure to have good stability and residue arrangement. Molecular docking with immune receptors, Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and -4 showed good residue interaction with 13 and 5 hydrogen bonds respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations of receptor-ligand complex provided the idea about the strong interaction having 1.524751 × 10-5 eigenvalue. Amino acid sequence of vaccine was converted to nucleotide sequence and underwent codon optimization. The optimized codon sequence was used for in-silico cloning, which provided idea about the possibility of synthesis of vaccine using E. coli as host. Overall, this study provided a promising blueprint for a scrub typhus vaccine, although experimental validation is needed for confirmation. Furthermore, it is crucial to acknowledge that while bioinformatics provides valuable insights, in-vitro and in-vivo studies are imperative for a comprehensive evaluation of vaccine candidate. Thus, the integration of computational predictions with empirical research is essential to validate the efficacy, safety, and real-world applicability of the designed vaccine against Scrub Typhus. Nevertheless, the findings are good to carry forward for in-vitro and in-vivo investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Agarwal
- ImmunoEngineering and Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Hitesh Harsukhbhai Chandpa
- ImmunoEngineering and Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Shovan Naskar
- ImmunoEngineering and Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Chhuttan Lal Meena
- Drug Design Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Amulya Kumar Panda
- Panacea Biotec Limited, Mohan Cooperative Industrial Estate, Badarpur New Delhi 110044, India
| | - Jairam Meena
- ImmunoEngineering and Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005, India.
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Kumar A, Dutt M, Dehury B, Martinez GS, Singh KP, Kelvin DJ. Formulation of next-generation polyvalent vaccine candidates against three important poxviruses by targeting DNA-dependent RNA polymerase using an integrated immunoinformatics and molecular modeling approach. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17:102470. [PMID: 38865776 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.102470] [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: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poxviruses comprise a group of large double-stranded DNA viruses and are known to cause diseases in humans, livestock animals, and other animal species. The Mpox virus (MPXV; formerly Monkeypox), variola virus (VARV), and volepox virus (VPXV) are among the prevalent poxviruses of the Orthopoxviridae genera. The ongoing Mpox infectious disease pandemic caused by the Mpox virus has had a major impact on public health across the globe. To date, only limited repurposed antivirals and vaccines are available for the effective treatment of Mpox and other poxviruses that cause contagious diseases. METHODS The present study was conducted with the primary goal of formulating multi-epitope vaccines against three evolutionary closed poxviruses i.e., MPXV, VARV, and VPXV using an integrated immunoinformatics and molecular modeling approach. DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (DdRp), a potential vaccine target of poxviruses, has been used to determine immunodominant B and T-cell epitopes followed by interactions analysis with Toll-like receptor 2 at the atomic level. RESULTS Three multi-epitope vaccine constructs, namely DdRp_MPXV (V1), DdRp_VARV (V2), and DdRp_VPXV (V3) were designed. These vaccine constructs were found to be antigenic, non-allergenic, non-toxic, and soluble with desired physicochemical properties. Protein-protein docking and interaction profiling analysis depicts a strong binding pattern between the targeted immune receptor TLR2 and the structural models of the designed vaccine constructs, and manifested a number of biochemical bonds (hydrogen bonds, salt bridges, and non-bonded contacts). State-of-the-art all-atoms molecular dynamics simulations revealed highly stable interactions of vaccine constructs with TLR2 at the atomic level throughout the simulations on 300 nanoseconds. Additionally, the outcome of the immune simulation analysis suggested that designed vaccines have the potential to induce protective immunity against targeted poxviruses. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, formulated next-generation polyvalent vaccines were found to have good efficacy against closely related poxviruses (MPXV, VARV, and VPXV) as demonstrated by our extensive immunoinformatics and molecular modeling evaluations; however, further experimental investigations are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuj Kumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Center, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology CCfV, Halifax, Canada; Laboratory of Immunity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; BioForge Canada Limited, Halifax, Canada
| | - Mansi Dutt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Center, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology CCfV, Halifax, Canada; Laboratory of Immunity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; BioForge Canada Limited, Halifax, Canada
| | - Budheswar Dehury
- Department of Bioinformatics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India
| | - Gustavo Sganzerla Martinez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Center, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology CCfV, Halifax, Canada; Laboratory of Immunity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; BioForge Canada Limited, Halifax, Canada
| | - Krishna Pal Singh
- Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - David J Kelvin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Center, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology CCfV, Halifax, Canada; Laboratory of Immunity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; BioForge Canada Limited, Halifax, Canada.
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10
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Ogire E, Perrin-Cocon L, Figl M, Kundlacz C, Jacquemin C, Hubert S, Aublin-Gex A, Toesca J, Ramière C, Vidalain PO, Mathieu C, Lotteau V, Diaz O. Dengue Virus Dependence on Glucokinase Activity and Glycolysis Confers Sensitivity to NAD(H) Biosynthesis Inhibitors. Antiviral Res 2024:105939. [PMID: 38909960 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105939] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Viruses have developed sophisticated strategies to control metabolic activity of infected cells in order to supply replication machinery with energy and metabolites. Dengue virus (DENV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus responsible for dengue fever, is no exception. Previous reports have documented DENV interactions with metabolic pathways and shown in particular that glycolysis is increased in DENV-infected cells. However, underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly characterized and dependence of DENV on this pathway has not been investigated in details yet. Here, we identified an interaction between the non-structural protein 3 (NS3) of DENV and glucokinase regulator protein (GCKR), a host protein that inhibits the liver-specific hexokinase GCK. NS3 expression was found to increase glucose consumption and lactate secretion in hepatic cell line expressing GCK. Interestingly, we observed that GCKR interaction with GCK decreases DENV replication, indicating the dependence of DENV to GCK activity and supporting the role of NS3 as an inhibitor of GCKR function. Accordingly, in the same cells, DENV replication both induces and depends on glycolysis. By targeting NAD(H) biosynthesis with the antimetabolite 6-Amino-Nicotinamide (6-AN), we decreased cellular glycolytic activity and inhibited DENV replication in hepatic cells. Infection of primary organotypic liver cultures (OLiC) from hamsters was also inhibited by 6-AN. Altogether, our results show that DENV has evolved strategies to control glycolysis in the liver, which could account for hepatic dysfunctions associated to infection. Besides, our findings suggest that lowering intracellular availability of NAD(H) could be a valuable therapeutic strategy to control glycolysis and inhibit DENV replication in the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Ogire
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, NeuroInvasion TROpism and VIRal Encephalitis Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Laure Perrin-Cocon
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Marianne Figl
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Cindy Kundlacz
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Clémence Jacquemin
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Sophie Hubert
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Anne Aublin-Gex
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Johan Toesca
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Christophe Ramière
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France; Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Pierre-Olivier Vidalain
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Cyrille Mathieu
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, NeuroInvasion TROpism and VIRal Encephalitis Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Vincent Lotteau
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France; INSERM- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-21 Avenue Tony Garnier, 69365 Lyon, France
| | - Olivier Diaz
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, VIRal Infection Metabolism and Immunity Team, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, F-69007 Lyon, France.
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11
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Seadawy MG, Lotfy MM, Saeed AA, Ageez AM. Novel HER2-based multi-epitope vaccine (HER2-MEV) against HER2-positive breast cancer: In silico design and validation. Hum Immunol 2024; 85:110832. [PMID: 38905717 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2024.110832] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) continues to be the malignancy with the highest diagnosis rate worldwide. Between 15 % and 30 % of BC patients show overexpressed human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which is linked to poor clinical results in terms of invasiveness and recurrence risk. Passive immunity-based therapeutic approaches for treating HER2-enriched BC, are not effective and significant problems need to be tackled. Constructing multi-epitope vaccines is favored over single-epitope vaccines due to its ability to induce immunity against a variety of antigenic targets which will improve the efficacy of the vaccine. The current study describes a multi-epitope vaccine from HER2 protein against HER2-positive BC using several immunoinformatic techniques to achieve a potent and durable immune response. Nine Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and five Helper T lymphocytes (HTL) epitopes were predicted and validated from HER2 protein using in silico tools. The expressed protein of the designed vaccine is predicted to be highly thermostable with better solubility. The predicted vaccine 3D structure was validated by ProSA servers and by the ERRAT server. Molecular docking analysis revealed a high binding affinity and stability of the designed vaccine with MHCI and TLR-2, 4, 7, and 9 receptors. The analysis of the C-ImmSim server revealed that the novel vaccine construct had the ability to elicit robust anti-cancerous innate, humoral, and cell-mediated immune responses. The vaccine can be a suitable option for HER2-positive BC patients and other patients with HER2-positive cancers to evoke immune responses. However, in vitro and in vivo experiments are needed to assess its effectiveness and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed G Seadawy
- Biodefense Center for Infectious and Emerging Diseases, Ministry of Defense, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Mai M Lotfy
- Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
| | - Aya A Saeed
- Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
| | - Amr M Ageez
- Faculty of Biotechnology, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts, MSA University, 6 October City 12451, Giza, Egypt.
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12
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Chaudhuri D, Majumder S, Datta J, Giri K. Repurposing of therapeutic antibodies against dengue virus envelope protein receptor binding domain. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:312. [PMID: 38900285 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-04039-8] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is the leading cause of numerous deaths every year due to its high infectivity. In this study we have tried to target the DENV envelope protein receptor binding domain, the region crucial for binding to host receptors which leads to membrane fusion and entry of the viral genome into the human host cell. We have taken 13 known FDA approved antiviral therapeutic antibodies from therapeutic antibody database and tried to repurpose them against the DENV envelope protein. Based on the humanness analysis, 10 antibodies were selected against the DENV envelope protein. Computational affinity maturation of the 10 selected antibodies was performed to increase their binding affinity and specificity against the DENV envelope protein which ultimately led to 8 mutant antibodies having better binding affinity than the native ones. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation shows that, the stability of the complexes involving both the native and mutant antibodies were found to be the same although the binding energy between the protein and the respective antibodies was seen to improve upon computational affinity maturation. Contact analyses show similar robustness of the interaction for both the mutant and native antibodies during complex formation with the DENV envelope protein. This has led to the selection of total 18 antibodies including 10 natural and 8 affinity matured mutants which have a high probability of interacting with the DENV envelope protein. Finally, based on all these analyses along with heated MD simulation, Bamlanivimab, Etesivimab and Tixagevimab with a mutation of residue 100 of the heavy chain from serine to tyrosine were selected as prospective therapeutic antibodies to combat DENV infection. This study may open a new avenue in designing therapeutics to combat Dengue viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dwaipayan Chaudhuri
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, India
| | - Satyabrata Majumder
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, India
| | - Joyeeta Datta
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, India
| | - Kalyan Giri
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, India.
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13
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Garai S, Raizada A, Kumar V, Sopory SK, Pareek A, Singla-Pareek SL, Kaur C. In silico analysis of fungal prion-like proteins for elucidating their role in plant-fungi interactions. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:308. [PMID: 38896139 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-04040-1] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Prion-like proteins (PrLPs) have emerged as beneficial molecules with implications in adaptive responses. These proteins possess a conserved prion-like domain (PrLD) which is an intrinsically disordered region capable of adopting different conformations upon perceiving external stimuli. Owing to changes in protein conformation, functional characteristics of proteins harboring PrLDs get altered thereby, providing a unique mode of protein-based regulation. Since PrLPs are ubiquitous in nature and involved in diverse functions, through this study, we aim to explore the role of such domains in yet another important physiological process viz. plant-microbe interactions to get insights into the mechanisms dictating cross-kingdom interactions. We have evaluated the presence and functions of PrLPs in 18 different plant-associated fungi of agricultural importance to unravel their role in plant-microbe interactions. Of the 241,997 proteins scanned, 3,820 (~ 1.6%) were identified as putative PrLPs with pathogenic fungi showing significantly higher PrLP density than their beneficial counterparts. Further, through GO enrichment analysis, we could predict several PrLPs from pathogenic fungi to be involved in virulence and formation of stress granules. Notably, PrLPs involved in (retro)transposition were observed exclusively in pathogenic fungi. We even analyzed publicly available data for the expression alterations of fungal PrLPs upon their interaction with their respective hosts which revealed perturbation in the levels of some PrLP-encoding genes during interactions with plants. Overall, our work sheds light into the probable role of prion-like candidates in plant-fungi interaction, particularly in context of pathogenesis, paving way for more focused studies for validating their role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampurna Garai
- Plant Stress Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Avi Raizada
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Vijay Kumar
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Sudhir K Sopory
- Plant Stress Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Ashwani Pareek
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Sneh L Singla-Pareek
- Plant Stress Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Charanpreet Kaur
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, 140306, Punjab, India.
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14
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Pumchan A, Proespraiwong P, Sawatdichaikul O, Phurahong T, Hirono I, Unajak S. Computational design of novel chimeric multiepitope vaccine against bacterial and viral disease in tilapia (Oreochromis sp.). Sci Rep 2024; 14:14048. [PMID: 38890454 PMCID: PMC11189486 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64383-z] [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: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Regarding several infectious diseases in fish, multiple vaccinations are not favorable. The chimeric multiepitope vaccine (CMEV) harboring several antigens for multi-disease prevention would enhance vaccine efficiency in terms of multiple disease prevention. Herein, the immunogens of tilapia's seven pathogens including E. tarda, F. columnare, F. noatunensis, S. iniae, S. agalactiae, A. hydrophila, and TiLV were used for CMEV design. After shuffling and annotating the B-cell epitopes, 5,040 CMEV primary protein structures were obtained. Secondary and tertiary protein structures were predicted by AlphaFold2 creating 25,200 CMEV. Proper amino acid alignment in the secondary structures was achieved by the Ramachandran plot. In silico determination of physiochemical and other properties including allergenicity, antigenicity, glycosylation, and conformational B-cell epitopes were determined. The selected CMEV (OSLM0467, OSLM2629, and OSLM4294) showed a predicted molecular weight (MW) of 70 kDa, with feasible sites of N- and O-glycosylation, and a number of potentially conformational B-cell epitope residues. Molecular docking, codon optimization, and in-silico cloning were tested to evaluate the possibility of protein expression. Those CMEVs will further elucidate in vitro and in vivo to evaluate the efficacy and specific immune response. This research will highlight the new era of vaccines designed based on in silico structural vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansaya Pumchan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand
- Kasetsart Vaccines and Bio-Product Innovation Centre, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Porranee Proespraiwong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand
- Kasetsart Vaccines and Bio-Product Innovation Centre, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Orathai Sawatdichaikul
- Department of Nutrition and Health, Institute of Food Research and Product Development, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thararat Phurahong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand
- Kasetsart Vaccines and Bio-Product Innovation Centre, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ikuo Hirono
- Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan 4-5-7, Minato-KU, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan
| | - Sasimanas Unajak
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Kasetsart Vaccines and Bio-Product Innovation Centre, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand.
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15
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Bai G, Zeng X, Zhang L, Wang Y, Ma B. Computational investigation of the inhibitory interaction of IRF3 and SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein ORF3b. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 712-713:149945. [PMID: 38640732 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149945] [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: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
ORF3b is one of the SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins. Previous experimental study suggested that ORF3b prevents IRF3 translocating to nucleus. However, the biophysical mechanism of ORF3b-IRF3 interaction is elusive. Here, we explored the conformation ensemble of ORF3b using all-atom replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation. Disordered ORF3b has mixed α-helix, β-turn and loop conformers. The potential ORF3b-IRF3 binding modes were searched by docking representative ORF3b conformers with IRF3, and 50 ORF3b-IRF3 complex poses were screened using molecular dynamics simulations ranging from 500 to 1000 ns. We found that ORF3b binds IRF3 predominantly on its CBP binding and phosphorylated pLxIS motifs, with CBP binding site has the highest binding affinity. The ORF3b-IRF3 binding residues are highly conserved in SARS-CoV-2. Our results provided biophysics insights into ORF3b-IRF3 interaction and explained its interferon antagonism mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganggang Bai
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xincheng Zeng
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Linghao Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yanjing Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Buyong Ma
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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16
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Gül A, Erkunt Alak S, Can H, Karakavuk M, Korukluoğlu G, Altaş AB, Gül C, Karakavuk T, Köseoğlu AE, Ülbeği Polat H, Yazıcı Malkoçoğlu H, Taş Ekiz A, Abacı İ, Aksoy Ö, Enül H, Adıay C, Uzar S, Saraç F, Ün C, Gürüz AY, Kantarcı AG, Akbaba H, Erel Akbaba G, Yılmaz H, Değirmenci Döşkaya A, Taşbakan M, Pullukçu H, Karasulu E, Tekin Ş, Döşkaya M. Immunogenicity and protection efficacy of a COVID-19 DNA vaccine encoding spike protein with D614G mutation and optimization of large-scale DNA vaccine production. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13865. [PMID: 38879684 PMCID: PMC11180131 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64690-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 had devastating consequences for human health. Despite the introduction of several vaccines, COVID-19 continues to pose a serious health risk due to emerging variants of concern. DNA vaccines gained importance during the pandemic due to their advantages such as induction of both arms of immune response, rapid development, stability, and safety profiles. Here, we report the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a DNA vaccine encoding spike protein with D614G mutation (named pcoSpikeD614G) and define a large-scale production process. According to the in vitro studies, pcoSpikeD614G expressed abundant spike protein in HEK293T cells. After the administration of pcoSpikeD614G to BALB/c mice through intramuscular (IM) route and intradermal route using an electroporation device (ID + EP), it induced high level of anti-S1 IgG and neutralizing antibodies (P < 0.0001), strong Th1-biased immune response as shown by IgG2a polarization (P < 0.01), increase in IFN-γ levels (P < 0.01), and increment in the ratio of IFN-γ secreting CD4+ (3.78-10.19%) and CD8+ (5.24-12.51%) T cells. Challenging K18-hACE2 transgenic mice showed that pcoSpikeD614G administered through IM and ID + EP routes conferred 90-100% protection and there was no sign of pneumonia. Subsequently, pcoSpikeD614G was evaluated as a promising DNA vaccine candidate and scale-up studies were performed. Accordingly, a large-scale production process was described, including a 36 h fermentation process of E. coli DH5α cells containing pcoSpikeD614G resulting in a wet cell weight of 242 g/L and a three-step chromatography for purification of the pcoSpikeD614G DNA vaccine.
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MESH Headings
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics
- Animals
- Humans
- SARS-CoV-2/immunology
- SARS-CoV-2/genetics
- Mice
- COVID-19/prevention & control
- COVID-19/immunology
- HEK293 Cells
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology
- COVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Mutation
- Antibodies, Viral/immunology
- Antibodies, Viral/blood
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Female
- Immunogenicity, Vaccine
- Immunoglobulin G/blood
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Aytül Gül
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Sedef Erkunt Alak
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Biology, Molecular Biology Section, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Hüseyin Can
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Biology, Molecular Biology Section, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Muhammet Karakavuk
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Ödemiş Vocational School, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Gülay Korukluoğlu
- Republic of Türkiye, General Directorate of Public Health, Ministry of Health, National Virology Reference Central Laboratory, Ankara, Türkiye
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Ayşe Başak Altaş
- Republic of Türkiye, General Directorate of Public Health, Ministry of Health, National Virology Reference Central Laboratory, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Ceren Gül
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Tuğba Karakavuk
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Ahmet Efe Köseoğlu
- Department of Biology, Molecular Biology Section, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Duisburg-Essen University, Essen, Germany
| | - Hivda Ülbeği Polat
- TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center, Vice Presidency of Life Sciences, Kocaeli, Türkiye
| | | | - Arzu Taş Ekiz
- TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center, Vice Presidency of Life Sciences, Kocaeli, Türkiye
| | - İrem Abacı
- TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center, Vice Presidency of Life Sciences, Kocaeli, Türkiye
| | - Özge Aksoy
- TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center, Vice Presidency of Life Sciences, Kocaeli, Türkiye
| | - Hakan Enül
- Pendik Veterinary Control Institute, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Cumhur Adıay
- Pendik Veterinary Control Institute, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Serdar Uzar
- Pendik Veterinary Control Institute, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Fahriye Saraç
- Pendik Veterinary Control Institute, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Cemal Ün
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Biology, Molecular Biology Section, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Adnan Yüksel Gürüz
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Ayşe Gülten Kantarcı
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Hasan Akbaba
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Gülşah Erel Akbaba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, İzmir Katip Çelebi University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Habibe Yılmaz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Trakya University, Edirne, Türkiye
| | - Aysu Değirmenci Döşkaya
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Meltem Taşbakan
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Hüsnü Pullukçu
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Ercüment Karasulu
- Ege University Research and Application Center of Drug Development and Pharmacokinetics, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Şaban Tekin
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Mert Döşkaya
- Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, Ege University, 35100, İzmir, Türkiye.
- Department of Vaccine Studies, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye.
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17
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Wang K, Chen X, Lin P, Wu J, Huang Q, Chen ZN, Tian J, Wang H, Tian Y, Shi M, Qian M, Hui B, Zhu Y, Li L, Yao R, Bian H, Zhu P, Chen R, Chen L. CD147-K148me2-Driven Tumor Cell-Macrophage Crosstalk Provokes NSCLC Immunosuppression via the CCL5/CCR5 Axis. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2400611. [PMID: 38873823 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Immunosuppression is a major hallmark of tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Cluster of differentiation 147 (CD147), an important pro-tumorigenic factor, is closely linked to NSCLC immunosuppression. However, the role of CD147 di-methylation in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. Here, di-methylation of CD147 at Lys148 (CD147-K148me2) is identified as a common post-translational modification (PTM) in NSCLC that is significantly associated with unsatisfying survival outcomes among NSCLC sufferers, especially those in the advanced stages of the disease. The methyltransferase NSD2 catalyzes CD147 to generate CD147-K148me2. Further analysis demonstrates that CD147-K148me2 reestablishes the immunosuppressive TME and promotes NSCLC progression. Mechanistically, this modification promotes the interaction between cyclophilin A (CyPA) and CD147, and in turn, increases CCL5 gene transcription by activating p38-ZBTB32 signaling, leading to increased NSCLC cell-derived CCL5 secretion. Subsequently, CD147-K148me2-mediated CCL5 upregulation facilitates M2-like tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) infiltration in NSCLC tissues via CCL5/CCR5 axis-dependent intercellular crosstalk between tumor cells and macrophages, which is inhibited by blocking CD147-K148me2 with the targeted antibody 12C8. Overall, this study reveals the role of CD147-K148me2-driven intercellular crosstalk in the development of NSCLC immunosuppression, and provides a potential interventional strategy for PTM-targeted NSCLC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Xiaohong Chen
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Peng Lin
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Jiao Wu
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Qiang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Zhi-Nan Chen
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Jiale Tian
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Ye Tian
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Mingyan Shi
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Meirui Qian
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Bengang Hui
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery of Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China
| | - Yumeng Zhu
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Rui Yao
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Huijie Bian
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Ping Zhu
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Ruo Chen
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
| | - Liang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
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18
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Chakraborty G, Patra N. Elucidating the Molecular Basis of 14-3-3 Interaction with α-Synuclein: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations and the Design of a Novel Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitor. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38857533 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a widespread age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain along with the appearance of protein aggregates, termed as "Lewy bodies" in the surviving neuronal cells. The components of Lewy bodies include proteins such as α-synuclein, 14-3-3, Parkin, and LRRK2, along with other cellular organelles, which, in their native state, perform a plethora of vital biological functions within the human biome. Formation of these aggregates renders these components inactive, thereby interfering with homeostasis. In this regard, the current study attempts to investigate the complexation behavior of all human-based 14-3-3 isoforms with α-synuclein via a combination of classical and enhanced sampling techniques and thereby determine the causality of these protein-protein interactions. The study indicated that upon complexation, the aggregation propensity of both 14-3-3 and α-synuclein increases, and this increment is propelled by the interfacial residues on either protein. Furthermore, mutagenesis studies revealed that Lys214 of 14-3-3 (henceforth termed K214A) is crucial for the formation of this binary complex. Principal component analysis combined with clustering studies unveiled the stability of these complexes in terms of their conformational distribution across the entire MD trajectory. For K214A, these clustered states were sparsely located, thereby making the transitions between them slightly difficult. Dynamic cross-correlation maps (DCCM) revealed the role of residues in the range 80-130 of 14-3-3 having a potential allosteric role in driving this complexation process. Finally, a novel peptide-based supramolecular inhibitor was designed, which exhibited higher proficiency in limiting the 14-3-3/α-synuclein interaction compared to the previous inhibitor model. It was also revealed that the presence of this inhibitor induces structural rigidity in α-synuclein, making changes in its conformations extremely difficult, as observed through Umbrella Sampling studies. Based on available information, the current study provides an insight into the molecular-level understanding of protein-protein interactions underlying Parkinson's disease and adds on to the methods of devising novel therapeutic approaches to treat the same.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gourav Chakraborty
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad, Dhanbad 826004, India
| | - Niladri Patra
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad, Dhanbad 826004, India
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19
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Szekeres GP, Dyer DP, Miller RL, Pagel K. Chemokine Oligomers and the Impact of Fondaparinux Binding. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024. [PMID: 38836362 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Heparin, a widely used clinical anticoagulant, is generally well-tolerated; however, approximately 1% of patients develop heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), a serious side effect. While efforts to understand the role of chemokines in HIT development are ongoing, certain aspects remain less studied, such as the stabilization of chemokine oligomers by heparin. Here, we conducted a combined ion mobility-native mass spectrometry study to investigate the stability of chemokine oligomers and their complexes with fondaparinux, a synthetic heparin analog. Collision-induced dissociation and unfolding experiments provided clarity on the specificity and relevance of chemokine oligomers and their fondaparinux complexes with varying stoichiometries, as well as the stabilizing effects of fondaparinux binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergo Peter Szekeres
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Douglas P Dyer
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre University of Manchester, M13 9PT Manchester, U.K
- Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, M6 8FJ Manchester, U.K
| | - Rebecca L Miller
- Center for Glycomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, DK
| | - Kevin Pagel
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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20
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Shankar SS, Banarjee R, Jathar SM, Rajesh S, Ramasamy S, Kulkarni MJ. De novo structure prediction of meteorin and meteorin-like protein for identification of domains, functional receptor binding regions, and their high-risk missense variants. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:4522-4536. [PMID: 37288801 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2220804] [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: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Meteorin (Metrn) and Meteorin-like (Metrnl) are homologous secreted proteins involved in neural development and metabolic regulation. In this study, we have performed de novo structure prediction and analysis of both Metrn and Metrnl using Alphafold2 (AF2) and RoseTTAfold (RF). Based on the domain and structural homology analysis of the predicted structures, we have identified that these proteins are composed of two functional domains, a CUB domain and an NTR domain, connected by a hinge/loop region. We have identified the receptor binding regions of Metrn and Metrnl using the machine-learning tools ScanNet and Masif. These were further validated by docking Metrnl with its reported KIT receptor, thus establishing the role of each domain in the receptor interaction. Also, we have studied the effect of non-synonymous SNPs on the structure and function of these proteins using an array of bioinformatics tools and selected 16 missense variants in Metrn and 10 in Metrnl that can affect the protein stability. This is the first study to comprehensively characterize the functional domains of Metrn and Metrnl at their structural level and identify the functional domains, and protein binding regions. This study also highlights the interaction mechanism of the KIT receptor and Metrnl. The predicted deleterious SNPs will allow further understanding of the role of these variants in modulating the plasma levels of these proteins in disease conditions such as diabetes.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Shiva Shankar
- Proteomics Facility, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Reema Banarjee
- Proteomics Facility, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
| | - Swaraj M Jathar
- Proteomics Facility, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - S Rajesh
- Proteomics Facility, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
| | - Sureshkumar Ramasamy
- Proteomics Facility, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
| | - Mahesh J Kulkarni
- Proteomics Facility, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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21
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Eibauer M, Weber MS, Kronenberg-Tenga R, Beales CT, Boujemaa-Paterski R, Turgay Y, Sivagurunathan S, Kraxner J, Köster S, Goldman RD, Medalia O. Vimentin filaments integrate low-complexity domains in a complex helical structure. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:939-949. [PMID: 38632361 PMCID: PMC11189308 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01261-2] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Intermediate filaments (IFs) are integral components of the cytoskeleton. They provide cells with tissue-specific mechanical properties and are involved in numerous cellular processes. Due to their intricate architecture, a 3D structure of IFs has remained elusive. Here we use cryo-focused ion-beam milling, cryo-electron microscopy and tomography to obtain a 3D structure of vimentin IFs (VIFs). VIFs assemble into a modular, intertwined and flexible helical structure of 40 α-helices in cross-section, organized into five protofibrils. Surprisingly, the intrinsically disordered head domains form a fiber in the lumen of VIFs, while the intrinsically disordered tails form lateral connections between the protofibrils. Our findings demonstrate how protein domains of low sequence complexity can complement well-folded protein domains to construct a biopolymer with striking mechanical strength and stretchability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Eibauer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Miriam S Weber
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Charlie T Beales
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Yagmur Turgay
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Suganya Sivagurunathan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Julia Kraxner
- Institute for X-Ray Physics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- MDC Berlin-Buch, Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Köster
- Institute for X-Ray Physics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Robert D Goldman
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ohad Medalia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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22
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Cho Y, Sukhan ZP, Lee WK, Kho KH. Structural and functional characterization of Hdh-HSBP1 and its involvement in heat stress and early development in Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 151:109660. [PMID: 38830519 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Heat shock factor binding protein 1 (HSBP1) is known to regulate the activity of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) and the early development of organisms. To understand the involvement of HSBP1 in the heat shock response and embryonic and larval development of Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai), the Hdh-HSBP1 gene was sequenced from the digestive gland (DG) tissue. The full-length sequence of Hdh-HSBP1 encompassed 738 nucleotides, encoding an 8.42 kDa protein consisting of 75 deduced amino acids. The protein contains an HSBP1 domain and a coiled-coil domain, which are conserved features in the HSBP1 protein family. Protein-protein molecular docking revealed that the coiled-coil region of Hdh-HSBP1 binds to the coiled-coil region of Hdh-HSF1. Tissue expression analysis demonstrated that the highest Hdh-HSBP1 expression occurred in the DG, whereas seasonal expression analysis revealed that this gene was most highly expressed in summer. In heat-stressed abalone, the highest expression of Hdh-HSBP1 occurred at 30 °C. Moreover, time-series analysis revealed that the expression of this gene began to increase significantly at 6 h post-heat stress, with higher expression observed at 12 h and 24 h post-heat stress. Furthermore, Hdh-HSBP1 mRNA expression showed a link to ROS production. Additionally, the expression of Hdh-HSBP1 showed significantly higher expression in the early stages of embryonic development in Pacific abalone. These results suggest that Hdh-HSBP1 plays a crucial role in the stress physiology of Pacific abalone by interacting with Hdh-HSF1, as well as its embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusin Cho
- Department of Fisheries Science, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, South Korea
| | - Zahid Parvez Sukhan
- Department of Fisheries Science, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, South Korea
| | - Won-Kyo Lee
- Department of Fisheries Science, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, South Korea
| | - Kang Hee Kho
- Department of Fisheries Science, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, South Korea.
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23
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Lakhi A, Fanucchi S. Identification and characterisation of a novel interaction between oestrogen receptor alpha and FOXP2. Biochimie 2024; 221:65-74. [PMID: 38296156 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Forkhead box P2 (FOXP2) regulates expression of various genes and is associated with language, speech and neural development as well as cancer. Since there may be a putative link between sex and language and because transcription factors rarely function in isolation, this study aims to investigate whether FOXP2 directly associates with oestrogen receptor α (ER1), a nuclear receptor responsible for sexual differentiation that is also associated with cancer. Isothermal titration calorimetry and fluorescence anisotropy were used to investigate the interaction between the DNA-binding forkhead domain (FHD) of FOXP2, the N-terminal region (NT) of FOXP2, and the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of ER1. ER1 LBD does not interact with FOXP2 NT but associates with apo-FOXP2 FHD in an enthalpically favourable manner. The affinity of this interaction is inversely correlated to the salt concentration. Additionally, FOXP2 FHD that is bound to ER1 LBD, has reduced ability to interact with its cognate DNA. This research identifies a novel interaction between ER1 LBD and FOXP2 FHD and shows that the interaction is regulated by salt. Moreover, FOXP2 FHD cannot bind to both ER1 LBD and DNA simultaneously, suggesting that this interaction could be involved in regulating the transcriptional pathway of FOXP2 should the interaction be found in vivo. This study could serve as a foundation for uncovering the basis of sexual dimorphism in speech and language development and related disorders and potentially offers an alternate for targeted cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aasiya Lakhi
- Protein Structure-Function Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Jan Smuts Ave, Braamfontein, 2050, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Sylvia Fanucchi
- Protein Structure-Function Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Jan Smuts Ave, Braamfontein, 2050, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
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24
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Gayen A, Mukherjee A, Kumar K, Majumder S, Chakrabarti S, Mukherjee C. The mRNA-capping enzyme localizes to stress granules in the cytoplasm and maintains cap homeostasis of target mRNAs. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261578. [PMID: 38841902 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261578] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The model of RNA stability has undergone a transformative shift with the revelation of a cytoplasmic capping activity that means a subset of transcripts are recapped autonomously of their nuclear counterparts. The present study demonstrates nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of the mRNA-capping enzyme (CE, also known as RNA guanylyltransferase and 5'-phosphatase; RNGTT), traditionally acknowledged for its nuclear localization and functions, elucidating its contribution to cytoplasmic capping activities. A unique nuclear export sequence in CE mediates XPO1-dependent nuclear export of CE. Notably, during sodium arsenite-induced oxidative stress, cytoplasmic CE (cCE) congregates within stress granules (SGs). Through an integrated approach involving molecular docking and subsequent co-immunoprecipitation, we identify eIF3b, a constituent of SGs, as an interactive associate of CE, implying that it has a potential role in guiding cCE to SGs. We measured the cap status of specific mRNA transcripts from U2OS cells that were non-stressed, stressed and recovered from stress, which indicated that cCE-target transcripts lost their caps during stress but remarkably regained cap stability during the recovery phase. This comprehensive study thus uncovers a novel facet of cytoplasmic CE, which facilitates cellular recovery from stress by maintaining cap homeostasis of target mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anakshi Gayen
- RNABio Lab, Institute of Health Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal 700156, India
- CellBio Lab, Institute of Health Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal 700156, India
| | - Avik Mukherjee
- RNABio Lab, Institute of Health Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal 700156, India
| | - Krishna Kumar
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata, West Bengal 700091, India
| | - Shubhra Majumder
- CellBio Lab, Institute of Health Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal 700156, India
| | - Saikat Chakrabarti
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata, West Bengal 700091, India
| | - Chandrama Mukherjee
- RNABio Lab, Institute of Health Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal 700156, India
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25
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Mehrabipour M, Nakhaei-Rad S, Dvorsky R, Lang A, Verhülsdonk P, Ahmadian MR, Piekorz RP. SIRT4 as a novel interactor and candidate suppressor of C-RAF kinase in MAPK signaling. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302507. [PMID: 38499327 PMCID: PMC10948936 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular responses leading to development, proliferation, and differentiation depend on RAF/MEK/ERK signaling, which integrates and amplifies signals from various stimuli for downstream cellular responses. C-RAF activation has been reported in many types of tumor cell proliferation and developmental disorders, necessitating the discovery of potential C-RAF protein regulators. Here, we identify a novel and specific protein interaction between C-RAF among the RAF kinase paralogs, and SIRT4 among the mitochondrial sirtuin family members SIRT3, SIRT4, and SIRT5. Structurally, C-RAF binds to SIRT4 through the N-terminal cysteine-rich domain, whereas SIRT4 predominantly requires the C-terminus for full interaction with C-RAF. Interestingly, SIRT4 specifically interacts with C-RAF in a pre-signaling inactive (serine 259-phosphorylated) state. Consistent with this finding, the expression of SIRT4 in HEK293 cells results in an up-regulation of pS259-C-RAF levels and a concomitant reduction in MAPK signaling as evidenced by strongly decreased phospho-ERK signals. Thus, we propose an additional extra-mitochondrial function of SIRT4 as a cytosolic tumor suppressor of C-RAF-MAPK signaling, besides its metabolic tumor suppressor role of glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamate levels in mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrnaz Mehrabipour
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Saeideh Nakhaei-Rad
- Stem Cell Biology, and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Radovan Dvorsky
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexander Lang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Patrick Verhülsdonk
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mohammad R Ahmadian
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Roland P Piekorz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
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26
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Schmidt B, Hildebrandt A. From GPUs to AI and quantum: three waves of acceleration in bioinformatics. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103990. [PMID: 38663581 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The enormous growth in the amount of data generated by the life sciences is continuously shifting the field from model-driven science towards data-driven science. The need for efficient processing has led to the adoption of massively parallel accelerators such as graphics processing units (GPUs). Consequently, the development of bioinformatics methods nowadays often heavily depends on the effective use of these powerful technologies. Furthermore, progress in computational techniques and architectures continues to be highly dynamic, involving novel deep neural network models and artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators, and potentially quantum processing units in the future. These are expected to be disruptive for the life sciences as a whole and for drug discovery in particular. Here, we identify three waves of acceleration and their applications in a bioinformatics context: (i) GPU computing, (ii) AI and (iii) next-generation quantum computers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertil Schmidt
- Institut für Informatik, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
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Heidarnejad F, Namvar A, Sadat SM, Pordanjani PM, Rezaei F, Namdari H, Arjmand S, Bolhassani A. In silico designing of novel epitope-based peptide vaccines against HIV-1. Biotechnol Lett 2024; 46:315-354. [PMID: 38403788 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-023-03464-x] [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: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The HIV-1 virus has been regarded as a catastrophe for human well-being. The global incidence of HIV-1-infected individuals is increasing. Hence, development of effective immunostimulatory molecules has recently attracted an increasing attention in the field of vaccine design against HIV-1 infection. In this study, we explored the impacts of CD40L and IFN-γ as immunostimulatory adjuvants for our candidate HIV-1 Nef vaccine in human and mouse using immunoinformatics analyses. Overall, 18 IFN-γ-based vaccine constructs (9 constructs in human and 9 constructs in mouse), and 18 CD40L-based vaccine constructs (9 constructs in human and 9 constructs in mouse) were designed. To find immunogenic epitopes, important characteristics of each component (e.g., MHC-I and MHC-II binding, and peptide-MHC-I/MHC-II molecular docking) were determined. Then, the selected epitopes were applied to create multiepitope constructs. Finally, the physicochemical properties, linear and discontinuous B cell epitopes, and molecular interaction between the 3D structure of each construct and CD40, IFN-γ receptor or toll-like receptors (TLRs) were predicted. Our data showed that the full-length CD40L and IFN-γ linked to the N-terminal region of Nef were capable of inducing more effective immune response than multiepitope vaccine constructs. Moreover, molecular docking of the non-allergenic full-length- and epitope-based CD40L and IFN-γ constructs to their cognate receptors, CD40 and IFN-γ receptors, and TLRs 4 and 5 in mouse were more potent than in human. Generally, these findings suggest that the full forms of these adjuvants could be more efficient for improvement of HIV-1 Nef vaccine candidate compared to the designed multiepitope-based constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali Namvar
- Iranian Comprehensive Hemophilia Care Center, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mehdi Sadat
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Rezaei
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Haideh Namdari
- Iranian Tissue Bank Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sina Arjmand
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azam Bolhassani
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
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28
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Trundle J, Lu-Nguyen N, Malerba A, Popplewell L. Targeted Antisense Oligonucleotide-Mediated Skipping of Murine Postn Exon 17 Partially Addresses Fibrosis in D2. mdx Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6113. [PMID: 38892298 PMCID: PMC11172600 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116113] [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: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Periostin, a multifunctional 90 kDa protein, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis across various tissues, including skeletal muscle. It operates within the transforming growth factor beta 1 (Tgf-β1) signalling pathway and is upregulated in fibrotic tissue. Alternative splicing of Periostin's C-terminal region leads to six protein-coding isoforms. This study aimed to elucidate the contribution of the isoforms containing the amino acids encoded by exon 17 (e17+ Periostin) to skeletal muscle fibrosis and investigate the therapeutic potential of manipulating exon 17 splicing. We identified distinct structural differences between e17+ Periostin isoforms, affecting their interaction with key fibrotic proteins, including Tgf-β1 and integrin alpha V. In vitro mouse fibroblast experimentation confirmed the TGF-β1-induced upregulation of e17+ Periostin mRNA, mitigated by an antisense approach that induces the skipping of exon 17 of the Postn gene. Subsequent in vivo studies in the D2.mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) demonstrated that our antisense treatment effectively reduced e17+ Periostin mRNA expression, which coincided with reduced full-length Periostin protein expression and collagen accumulation. The grip strength of the treated mice was rescued to the wild-type level. These results suggest a pivotal role of e17+ Periostin isoforms in the fibrotic pathology of skeletal muscle and highlight the potential of targeted exon skipping strategies as a promising therapeutic approach for mitigating fibrosis-associated complications.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/genetics
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism
- Mice
- Fibrosis
- Exons
- Mice, Inbred mdx
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/pharmacology
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/genetics
- Alternative Splicing
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/genetics
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/therapy
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/metabolism
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/pathology
- Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism
- Muscle, Skeletal/pathology
- Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism
- Transforming Growth Factor beta1/genetics
- Fibroblasts/metabolism
- Disease Models, Animal
- Protein Isoforms/genetics
- Protein Isoforms/metabolism
- Male
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Trundle
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK; (J.T.); (N.L.-N.)
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Research and Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Ngoc Lu-Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK; (J.T.); (N.L.-N.)
| | - Alberto Malerba
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK; (J.T.); (N.L.-N.)
| | - Linda Popplewell
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK; (J.T.); (N.L.-N.)
- National Horizons Centre, Teesside University, Darlington DL1 1HG, UK
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29
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Banesh S, Gupta N, Reddy CV, Mallikarjunachari U, Patil N, Uddhavesh S, Saudagar P. A novel approach to design chimeric multi epitope vaccine against Leishmania exploiting infected host cell proteome. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31306. [PMID: 38813178 PMCID: PMC11133825 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31306] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a major infectious disease having high mortality which could be attributed to lack of a suitable vaccine candidate. We propose a novel approach to design multiepitope vaccine to leishmaniasis exploiting specific membrane proteome from infected macrophage from host. The MHC-I, MHC-II and BC epitopes predicted for unique proteins from the infected macrophages and Leishmania and a MEV designed in various combinations (1a-1m). The epitope arrangements 1a, 1k, 1l, and 1 m showed a strong antigenicity profile and immune response. The molecular dynamics simulation indicate the 1k, 1l, and 1 m constructs have strong affinity toward TLR-2, TLR-3, and TLR-4. Overall the structural and immunogenicity profile suggests 1k is top candidate. Further, a computational model system with TLR-2, TLR-3, TLR-4, BCR, MHC-I and MHC-II was generated for 1k construct to understand the MEV interactions with immune components. Dihedral distribution and distance was enumerated to understand the movement of immune components towards 1k. The results indicate 1k has strong affinity for the immune response molecules especially TLR-3, BCR and MHC-II are coming in close contact with the MEV through the simulation. The study suggests that designed multi-epitope vaccine 1k has potential to induce proper immune response but warrants further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sooram Banesh
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology-Warangal, Warangal, 506004, Telangana, India
| | - Neharika Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology-Warangal, Warangal, 506004, Telangana, India
| | - Chethireddy Vihadhar Reddy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology-Warangal, Warangal, 506004, Telangana, India
| | - Uppuladinne Mallikarjunachari
- High Performance Computing - Medical and Bioinformatics Applications, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, Maharastra, India
| | - Nupoor Patil
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology-Warangal, Warangal, 506004, Telangana, India
| | - Sonavane Uddhavesh
- High Performance Computing - Medical and Bioinformatics Applications, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, Maharastra, India
| | - Prakash Saudagar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology-Warangal, Warangal, 506004, Telangana, India
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30
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Bayarsaikhan B, Zsidó BZ, Börzsei R, Hetényi C. Efficient Refinement of Complex Structures of Flexible Histone Peptides Using Post-Docking Molecular Dynamics Protocols. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5945. [PMID: 38892133 PMCID: PMC11172440 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115945] [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: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Histones are keys to many epigenetic events and their complexes have therapeutic and diagnostic importance. The determination of the structures of histone complexes is fundamental in the design of new drugs. Computational molecular docking is widely used for the prediction of target-ligand complexes. Large, linear peptides like the tail regions of histones are challenging ligands for docking due to their large conformational flexibility, extensive hydration, and weak interactions with the shallow binding pockets of their reader proteins. Thus, fast docking methods often fail to produce complex structures of such peptide ligands at a level appropriate for drug design. To address this challenge, and improve the structural quality of the docked complexes, post-docking refinement has been applied using various molecular dynamics (MD) approaches. However, a final consensus has not been reached on the desired MD refinement protocol. In this present study, MD refinement strategies were systematically explored on a set of problematic complexes of histone peptide ligands with relatively large errors in their docked geometries. Six protocols were compared that differ in their MD simulation parameters. In all cases, pre-MD hydration of the complex interface regions was applied to avoid the unwanted presence of empty cavities. The best-performing protocol achieved a median of 32% improvement over the docked structures in terms of the change in root mean squared deviations from the experimental references. The influence of structural factors and explicit hydration on the performance of post-docking MD refinements are also discussed to help with their implementation in future methods and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bayartsetseg Bayarsaikhan
- Pharmacoinformatics Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary; (B.B.); (B.Z.Z.); (R.B.)
| | - Balázs Zoltán Zsidó
- Pharmacoinformatics Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary; (B.B.); (B.Z.Z.); (R.B.)
| | - Rita Börzsei
- Pharmacoinformatics Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary; (B.B.); (B.Z.Z.); (R.B.)
| | - Csaba Hetényi
- Pharmacoinformatics Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary; (B.B.); (B.Z.Z.); (R.B.)
- National Laboratory for Drug Research and Development, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
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31
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Han R, Zhu T, Zhou L, Chen M, Wang D, Liu J. Association mechanism between Arabidopsis immune coreceptor BAK1 and Pseudomonas syringae effector HopF2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 710:149871. [PMID: 38579538 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149871] [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: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Brassinosteroid activated kinase 1 (BAK1) is a cell-surface coreceptor which plays multiple roles in innate immunity of plants. HopF2 is an effector secreted by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 into Arabidopsis and suppresses host immune system through interaction with BAK1 as well as its downstream kinase MKK5. The association mechanism of HopF2 to BAK1 remains unclear, which prohibits our understanding and subsequent interfering of their interaction for pathogen management. Herein, we found the kinase domain of BAK1 (BAK1-KD) is sufficient for HopF2 association. With a combination of hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and mutational assays, we found a region of BAK1-KD N-lobe and a region of HopF2 head subdomain are critical for intermolecular interaction, which is also supported by unbiased protein-protein docking with ClusPro and kinase activity assay. Collectively, this research presents the interaction mechanism between Arabidopsis BAK1 and P. syringae HopF2, which could pave the way for bactericide development that blocking the functioning of HopF2 toward BAK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Han
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory for Crop Pest Monitoring and Green Control, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Tongtong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory for Crop Pest Monitoring and Green Control, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lili Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory for Crop Pest Monitoring and Green Control, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Meiqing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory for Crop Pest Monitoring and Green Control, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Dongli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory for Crop Pest Monitoring and Green Control, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Junfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory for Crop Pest Monitoring and Green Control, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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32
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Rani NA, Robin TB, Prome AA, Ahmed N, Moin AT, Patil RB, Sikder MNA, Bappy MNI, Afrin D, Hossain FMA, Islam T, Zinnah KMA. Development of multi epitope subunit vaccines against emerging carp viruses Cyprinid herpesvirus 1 and 3 using immunoinformatics approach. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11783. [PMID: 38782944 PMCID: PMC11116410 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61074-7] [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: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cyprinid herpesvirus is a causative agent of a destructive disease in common and koi carp (Cyprinus carpio), which leads to substantial global financial losses in aquaculture industries. Among the strains of C. herpesvirus, C. herpesvirus 1 (CyHV-1) and C. herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) are known as highly pathogenic to carp fishes in Europe, Asia, and Africa. To date, no effective vaccine has been developed to combat these viruses. This study aimed to develop unique multi-epitope subunit vaccines targeting the CyHV-1 and CyHV-3 using a reverse vaccinology approach. The study began with a comprehensive literature review to identify the most critical proteins, which were then subjected to in silico analyses to predict highly antigenic epitopes. These analyses involved assessing antigenicity, transmembrane topology screening, allergenecity, toxicity, and molecular docking approaches. We constructed two multi-epitope-based vaccines incorporating a suitable adjuvant and appropriate linkers. It revealed that both the vaccines are non-toxic and immunogenic. The tertiary structures of the vaccine proteins were generated, refined, and validated to ensure their suitability. The binding affinity between the vaccine constructs and TLR3 and TLR5 receptors were assessed by molecular docking studies. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that vaccine construct V1 exhibited greater stability with both TLR3 and TLR5 based on RMSD analysis. Hydrogen bond analysis revealed a stronger binding affinity between the vaccine constructs and TLR5 compared to TLR3. Furthermore, MM-PBSA analysis suggested that both vaccine constructs exhibited a better affinity for TLR5. Considering all aspects, the results suggest that in silico development of CyHV vaccines incorporating multiple epitopes holds promise for management of diseases caused by CyHV-1 and CyHV-3. However, further in vivo trials are highly recommended to validate the efficacies of these vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurul Amin Rani
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh
| | - Tanjin Barketullah Robin
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh
| | - Anindita Ash Prome
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh
| | - Nadim Ahmed
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh
| | - Abu Tayab Moin
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, 4331, Bangladesh
| | - Rajesh B Patil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Sinhgad College of Pharmacy, Sinhgad Technical Education Society's, Off Sinhgad Road, Vadgaon (Bk), Pune, Maharashtra, 411041, India
| | - Mohammad Nurul Azim Sikder
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, 4331, Bangladesh
| | - Md Nazmul Islam Bappy
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh
- Department of Animal and Fish Biotechnology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh
| | - Dilruba Afrin
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh
- Department of Animal and Fish Biotechnology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh
| | - Ferdaus Mohd Altaf Hossain
- Faculty of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Science, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Department of Dairy Science, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Tofazzal Islam
- Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur, 1706, Bangladesh.
| | - Kazi Md Ali Zinnah
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh.
- Department of Animal and Fish Biotechnology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh.
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33
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Zhao H, Petrey D, Murray D, Honig B. ZEPPI: Proteome-scale sequence-based evaluation of protein-protein interaction models. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2400260121. [PMID: 38743624 PMCID: PMC11127014 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400260121] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
We introduce ZEPPI (Z-score Evaluation of Protein-Protein Interfaces), a framework to evaluate structural models of a complex based on sequence coevolution and conservation involving residues in protein-protein interfaces. The ZEPPI score is calculated by comparing metrics for an interface to those obtained from randomly chosen residues. Since contacting residues are defined by the structural model, this obviates the need to account for indirect interactions. Further, although ZEPPI relies on species-paired multiple sequence alignments, its focus on interfacial residues allows it to leverage quite shallow alignments. ZEPPI can be implemented on a proteome-wide scale and is applied here to millions of structural models of dimeric complexes in the Escherichia coli and human interactomes found in the PrePPI database. PrePPI's scoring function is based primarily on the evaluation of protein-protein interfaces, and ZEPPI adds a new feature to this analysis through the incorporation of evolutionary information. ZEPPI performance is evaluated through applications to experimentally determined complexes and to decoys from the CASP-CAPRI experiment. As we discuss, the standard CAPRI scores used to evaluate docking models are based on model quality and not on the ability to give yes/no answers as to whether two proteins interact. ZEPPI is able to detect weak signals from PPI models that the CAPRI scores define as incorrect and, similarly, to identify potential PPIs defined as low confidence by the current PrePPI scoring function. A number of examples that illustrate how the combination of PrePPI and ZEPPI can yield functional hypotheses are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY10032
| | - Donald Petrey
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY10032
| | - Diana Murray
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY10032
| | - Barry Honig
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY10032
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY10032
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY10032
- Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
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34
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Mashhadi Kholerdi A, Moradian F, Mehralitabar H. In vitro study of the expression of autophagy genes ATG101, mTOR and AMPK in breast cancer with treatment of lactoferrin and in silico study of their communication networks and protein interactions. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 190:19-27. [PMID: 38782098 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2024.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy is a new window of science that has been noticed due to the importance of specific therapies in cancer. In this study, the effect of lactoferrin (Lf) on the expression level of ATG101, mTOR and AMPK genes in breast cancer cell line MCF7, as well as the interaction between lactoferrin protein and their protein were investigated. The expression level of the genes was measured using a real-time PCR method. PDB, UniProt, KEGG, and STRING databases and ClusPro webserver and PyMol software were used in silico study. The results showed that the expression level of the ATG101 gene in treatment with concentrations of 100, 400, 600, and 800 μg/ml Lf decreased by 0.05, 0.13, 0.54 and 0.77, respectively. The expression level of the mTOR gene in treatment with concentrations of 100, 400, 600, and 800 μg/ml Lf decreased by 0.07, 0.05, 0.13, and 0.49 times respectively. The level of the AMPK gene expression in treatment with concentrations of 100, 400, 600, and 800 μg/ml Lf decreased by 0.05, 0.01, 0.06, and 0.03, respectively. Virtualization of the interaction of Lf protein with ATG101, mTOR and AMPK proteins by Pymol software showed that the N lobe region of Lf interacted with the HORMA domain of ATG101 protein, the fat domain of mTOR protein, and the CTD domain of AMPK protein. Although Lf was not able to increase the expression of autophagy-inducing genes, it may be able to induce autophagy through protein interaction by activating or inhibiting proteins related to autophagy regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefeh Mashhadi Kholerdi
- Department of Basic Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Moradian
- Department of Basic Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran.
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35
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Wang D, Li Y, Yang H, Shen X, Shi X, Li C, Zhang Y, Liu X, Jiang B, Zhu X, Zhang H, Li X, Bai H, Yang Q, Gao W, Bai F, Ji Y, Chen Q, Ben J. Disruption of TIGAR-TAK1 alleviates immunopathology in a murine model of sepsis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4340. [PMID: 38773142 PMCID: PMC11109194 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48708-0] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrophage-orchestrated inflammation contributes to multiple diseases including sepsis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be defined clearly. Here, we show that macrophage TP53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) is up-regulated in murine sepsis models. When myeloid Tigar is ablated, sepsis induced by either lipopolysaccharide treatment or cecal ligation puncture in male mice is attenuated via inflammation inhibition. Mechanistic characterizations indicate that TIGAR directly binds to transforming growth factor β-activated kinase (TAK1) and promotes tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6-mediated ubiquitination and auto-phosphorylation of TAK1, in which residues 152-161 of TIGAR constitute crucial motif independent of its phosphatase activity. Interference with the binding of TIGAR to TAK1 by 5Z-7-oxozeaenol exhibits therapeutic effects in male murine model of sepsis. These findings demonstrate a non-canonical function of macrophage TIGAR in promoting inflammation, and confer a potential therapeutic target for sepsis by disruption of TIGAR-TAK1 interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanxia Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, and Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoqi Shen
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaolin Shi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chenyu Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongjing Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bin Jiang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xudong Zhu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hanwen Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Bai
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Gao
- The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fang Bai
- School of Life Science and Technology, and Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Ji
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
- The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jingjing Ben
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
- The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi People's Hospital, Wuxi Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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Shen H, Zhang C, Li S, Liang Y, Lee LT, Aggarwal N, Wun KS, Liu J, Nadarajan SP, Weng C, Ling H, Tay JK, Wang DY, Yao SQ, Hwang IY, Lee YS, Chang MW. Prodrug-conjugated tumor-seeking commensals for targeted cancer therapy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4343. [PMID: 38773197 PMCID: PMC11109227 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48661-y] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Prodrugs have been explored as an alternative to conventional chemotherapy; however, their target specificity remains limited. The tumor microenvironment harbors a range of microorganisms that potentially serve as tumor-targeting vectors for delivering prodrugs. In this study, we harness bacteria-cancer interactions native to the tumor microbiome to achieve high target specificity for prodrug delivery. We identify an oral commensal strain of Lactobacillus plantarum with an intrinsic cancer-binding mechanism and engineer the strain to enable the surface loading of anticancer prodrugs, with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) as a model cancer. The engineered commensals show specific binding to NPC via OppA-mediated recognition of surface heparan sulfate, and the loaded prodrugs are activated by tumor-associated biosignals to release SN-38, a chemotherapy compound, near NPC. In vitro experiments demonstrate that the prodrug-loaded microbes significantly increase the potency of SN-38 against NPC cell lines, up to 10-fold. In a mouse xenograft model, intravenous injection of the engineered L. plantarum leads to bacterial colonization in NPC tumors and a 67% inhibition in tumor growth, enhancing the efficacy of SN-38 by 54%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haosheng Shen
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National Centre for Engineering Biology (NCEB), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Changyu Zhang
- Ningbo Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Ningbo, China
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shengjie Li
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yuanmei Liang
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National Centre for Engineering Biology (NCEB), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Li Ting Lee
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National Centre for Engineering Biology (NCEB), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nikhil Aggarwal
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National Centre for Engineering Biology (NCEB), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kwok Soon Wun
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National Centre for Engineering Biology (NCEB), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Infectious Diseases Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Saravanan Prabhu Nadarajan
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cheng Weng
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hua Ling
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Wilmar International Limited, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joshua K Tay
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - De Yun Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Infectious Diseases Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shao Q Yao
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - In Young Hwang
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Food, Chemical and Biotechnology, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Yung Seng Lee
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Matthew Wook Chang
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- National Centre for Engineering Biology (NCEB), Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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Zhu F, Zhou Z, Ma S, Xu Y, Tan C, Yang H, Zhang P, Qin R, Luo Y, Pan P, Chen J. Design of a cryptococcus neoformans vaccine by subtractive proteomics combined with immunoinformatics. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 135:112242. [PMID: 38772296 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112242] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of Cryptococcus neoformans has posed an undeniable burden to many regions worldwide, with its strains mainly entering the lungs through the respiratory tract and spreading throughout the body. Limitations of drug regimens, such as high costs and limited options, have directed our attention toward the promising field of vaccine development. In this study, the subtractive proteomics approach was employed to select target proteins from databases that can accurately cover serotypes A and D of the Cryptococcus neoformans. Further, two multi-epitope vaccines consisting of T and B cell epitopes were demonstrated that they have good structural stability and could bind with immune receptor to induce desired immune responses in silico. After further evaluation, these vaccines show the potential for large-scale production and applicability to the majority of the population of the world. In summary, these two vaccines have been theoretically proven to combat Cryptococcus neoformans infections, awaiting further experimental validation of their actual protective effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Zhu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Ziyou Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Shiyang Ma
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Yizhong Xu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Caixia Tan
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Infection Control Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hang Yang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Peipei Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Rongliu Qin
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Yuying Luo
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Pinhua Pan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China.
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; FuRong Laboratory, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China.
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Mori S, Shionyu M, Shimamoto K, Nomura K. Bacterial Glycolipid Acting on Protein Transport Across Membranes. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300808. [PMID: 38400776 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300808] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
The process of protein transport across membranes involves a variety of factors and has been extensively investigated. Traditionally, proteinaceous translocons and chaperones have been recognized as crucial factors in this process. However, recent studies have highlighted the significant roles played by lipids and a glycolipid present in biological membranes in membrane protein transport. Membrane lipids can influence transport efficiency by altering the physicochemical properties of membranes. Notably, our studies have revealed that diacylglycerol (DAG) attenuates mobility in the membrane core region, leading to a dramatic suppression of membrane protein integration. Conversely, a glycolipid in Escherichia coli inner membranes, named membrane protein integrase (MPIase), enhances integration not only through the alteration of membrane properties but also via direct interactions with membrane proteins. This review explores the mechanisms of membrane protein integration mediated by membrane lipids, specifically DAG, and MPIase. Our results, along with the employed physicochemical analysis methods such as fluorescence measurements, nuclear magnetic resonance, surface plasmon resonance, and docking simulation, are presented to elucidate these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoko Mori
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 619-0284, Japan
| | - Masafumi Shionyu
- Department of Frontier Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, 1266 Tamura-cho, Nagahama, Shiga, 526-0829, Japan
| | - Keiko Shimamoto
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 619-0284, Japan
- Department of Chemistry Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan
| | - Kaoru Nomura
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 619-0284, Japan
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39
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Moin AT, Rani NA, Patil RB, Robin TB, Ullah MA, Rahim Z, Rahman MF, Zubair T, Hossain M, Mollah AKMM, Absar N, Hossain M, Manchur MA, Islam NN. In-silico formulation of a next-generation polyvalent vaccine against multiple strains of monkeypox virus and other related poxviruses. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300778. [PMID: 38758816 PMCID: PMC11101047 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) virus and some related poxviruses including smallpox virus pose a significant threat to public health, and effective prevention and treatment strategies are needed. This study utilized a reverse vaccinology approach to retrieve conserved epitopes for monkeypox virus and construct a vaccine that could provide cross-protection against related viruses with similar antigenic properties. The selected virulent proteins of monkeypox virus, MPXVgp165, and Virion core protein P4a, were subjected to epitope mapping for vaccine construction. Two vaccines were constructed using selected T cell epitopes and B cell epitopes with PADRE and human beta-defensins adjuvants conjugated in the vaccine sequence. Both constructs were found to be highly antigenic, non-allergenic, nontoxic, and soluble, suggesting their potential to generate an adequate immune response and be safe for humans. Vaccine construct 1 was selected for molecular dynamic simulation studies. The simulation studies revealed that the TLR8-vaccine complex was more stable than the TLR3-vaccine complex. The lower RMSD and RMSF values of the TLR8 bound vaccine compared to the TLR3 bound vaccine suggested better stability and consistency of hydrogen bonds. The Rg values of the vaccine chain bound to TLR8 indicated overall stability, whereas the vaccine chain bound to TLR3 showed deviations throughout the simulation. These results suggest that the constructed vaccine could be a potential preventive measure against monkeypox and related viruses however, further experimental validation is required to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abu Tayab Moin
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Clinical Genetics, Genomics and Enzyme Research (LCGGER), University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Nurul Amin Rani
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Rajesh B. Patil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Sinhgad Technical Education Society’s, Sinhgad College of Pharmacy, Maharashtra, India
| | - Tanjin Barketullah Robin
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Asad Ullah
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zahidur Rahim
- Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Foyzur Rahman
- Department of Pharmacy, Dhaka International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Mohabbat Hossain
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Clinical Genetics, Genomics and Enzyme Research (LCGGER), University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | | | - Nurul Absar
- Faculty of Basic Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Science & Technology Chittagong, Khulshi, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Mahboob Hossain
- Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Microbiology Program, School of Data and Sciences, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammed Abul Manchur
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Nazneen Naher Islam
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Clinical Genetics, Genomics and Enzyme Research (LCGGER), University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
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Rahman S, Chiou CC, Ahmad S, Islam ZU, Tanaka T, Alouffi A, Chen CC, Almutairi MM, Ali A. Subtractive Proteomics and Reverse-Vaccinology Approaches for Novel Drug Target Identification and Chimeric Vaccine Development against Bartonella henselae Strain Houston-1. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:505. [PMID: 38790371 PMCID: PMC11118080 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11050505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae is a Gram-negative bacterium causing a variety of clinical symptoms, ranging from cat-scratch disease to severe systemic infections, and it is primarily transmitted by infected fleas. Its status as an emerging zoonotic pathogen and its capacity to persist within host erythrocytes and endothelial cells emphasize its clinical significance. Despite progress in understanding its pathogenesis, limited knowledge exists about the virulence factors and regulatory mechanisms specific to the B. henselae strain Houston-1. Exploring these aspects is crucial for targeted therapeutic strategies against this versatile pathogen. Using reverse-vaccinology-based subtractive proteomics, this research aimed to identify the most antigenic proteins for formulating a multi-epitope vaccine against the B. henselae strain Houston-1. One crucial virulent and antigenic protein, the PAS domain-containing sensor histidine kinase protein, was identified. Subsequently, the identification of B-cell and T-cell epitopes for the specified protein was carried out and the evaluated epitopes were checked for their antigenicity, allergenicity, solubility, MHC binding capability, and toxicity. The filtered epitopes were merged using linkers and an adjuvant to create a multi-epitope vaccine construct. The structure was then refined, with 92.3% of amino acids falling within the allowed regions. Docking of the human receptor (TLR4) with the vaccine construct was performed and demonstrated a binding energy of -1047.2 Kcal/mol with more interactions. Molecular dynamic simulations confirmed the stability of this docked complex, emphasizing the conformation and interactions between the molecules. Further experimental validation is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness against B. henselae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudais Rahman
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;
| | - Chien-Chun Chiou
- Department of Dermatology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 600, Taiwan;
| | - Shabir Ahmad
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Computing in Engineering and Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13084-862, Brazil;
| | - Zia Ul Islam
- Department of Biotechnology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
| | - Chien-Chin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 600, Taiwan
- Department of Cosmetic Science, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan 717, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Translational Medicine, Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Mashal M. Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;
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41
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Garcia-Montojo M, Fathi S, Rastegar C, Simula ER, Doucet-O'Hare T, Cheng YHH, Abrams RPM, Pasternack N, Malik N, Bachani M, Disanza B, Maric D, Lee MH, Wang H, Santamaria U, Li W, Sampson K, Lorenzo JR, Sanchez IE, Mezghrani A, Li Y, Sechi LA, Pineda S, Heiman M, Kellis M, Steiner J, Nath A. TDP-43 proteinopathy in ALS is triggered by loss of ASRGL1 and associated with HML-2 expression. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4163. [PMID: 38755145 PMCID: PMC11099023 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48488-7] [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: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy in brain cells is the hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) but its cause remains elusive. Asparaginase-like-1 protein (ASRGL1) cleaves isoaspartates, which alter protein folding and susceptibility to proteolysis. ASRGL1 gene harbors a copy of the human endogenous retrovirus HML-2, whose overexpression contributes to ALS pathogenesis. Here we show that ASRGL1 expression was diminished in ALS brain samples by RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting. TDP-43 and ASRGL1 colocalized in neurons but, in the absence of ASRGL1, TDP-43 aggregated in the cytoplasm. TDP-43 was found to be prone to isoaspartate formation and a substrate for ASRGL1. ASRGL1 silencing triggered accumulation of misfolded, fragmented, phosphorylated and mislocalized TDP-43 in cultured neurons and motor cortex of female mice. Overexpression of ASRGL1 restored neuronal viability. Overexpression of HML-2 led to ASRGL1 silencing. Loss of ASRGL1 leading to TDP-43 aggregation may be a critical mechanism in ALS pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Garcia-Montojo
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Saeed Fathi
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cyrus Rastegar
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elena Rita Simula
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Struttura Complessa Microbiologia e Virologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Tara Doucet-O'Hare
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Y H Hank Cheng
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rachel P M Abrams
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicholas Pasternack
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nasir Malik
- Translational Neuroscience Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Muzna Bachani
- Translational Neuroscience Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Brianna Disanza
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Myoung-Hwa Lee
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Herui Wang
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ulisses Santamaria
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wenxue Li
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kevon Sampson
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Juan Ramiro Lorenzo
- Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil (CIVETAN), CONICET-CICPBA-UNCPBA, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro (FCV-UNCPBA), Tandil, Argentina
| | - Ignacio E Sanchez
- Protein Physiology Laboratory, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales and IQUIBICEN-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alexandre Mezghrani
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Montpellier, France
| | - Yan Li
- Protein/Peptide Sequencing Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Leonardo Antonio Sechi
- Struttura Complessa Microbiologia e Virologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | | | - Myriam Heiman
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Manolis Kellis
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Steiner
- Translational Neuroscience Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Avindra Nath
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Qamar F, Sharif Z, Idrees J, Wasim A, Haider S, Salman S. SARS-CoV-2-induced phosphorylation and its pharmacotherapy backed by artificial intelligence and machine learning. Future Sci OA 2024; 10:FSO917. [PMID: 38827795 PMCID: PMC11140666 DOI: 10.2144/fsoa-2023-0112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Aims: To investigate the role of phosphorylation in SARS-CoV-2 infection, potential therapeutic targets and its harmful genetic sequences. Materials & Methods: Data mining techniques were employed to identify upregulated kinases responsible for proteomic changes induced by SARS-CoV-2. Spike and nucleocapsid proteins' sequences were analyzed using predictive tools, including SNAP2, MutPred2, PhD-SNP, SNPs&Go, MetaSNP, Predict-SNP and PolyPhen-2. Missense variants were identified using ensemble-based algorithms and homology/structure-based models like SIFT, PROVEAN, Predict-SNP and MutPred-2. Results: Eight missense variants were identified in viral sequences. Four damaging variants were found, with SNPs&Go and PolyPhen-2. Promising therapeutic candidates, including gilteritinib, pictilisib, sorafenib, RO5126766 and omipalisib, were identified. Conclusion: This research offers insights into SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity, highlighting potential treatments and harmful variants in viral proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fouzia Qamar
- Department of Biology, Lahore Garrison University, Lahore-54000, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Zubair Sharif
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Superior University, Lahore-54000, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Jawaria Idrees
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Monitoring Authority, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar-25000, Pakistan
| | - Asif Wasim
- Department of Pharmacy, CECOS University of IT & Emerging Sciences, Peshawar-25000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Sana Haider
- Department of Pharmacy, CECOS University of IT & Emerging Sciences, Peshawar-25000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Saad Salman
- Department of Pharmacy, CECOS University of IT & Emerging Sciences, Peshawar-25000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar, Pakistan
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Song K, Liu X, Xu H, Li M, Zheng Q, Qi C, Wang X, Liu Y, Zheng P, Liu J. Cr(VI) induces ferroptosis in DF-1 cells by simultaneously perturbing iron homeostasis of ferritinophagy and mitophagy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 925:171818. [PMID: 38508245 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is an environmental pollutant known for its strong oxidizing and carcinogenic effects. However, its potential to induce ferroptosis in poultry remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the induction of ferroptosis by Cr(VI) in DF-1 cells and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. DF-1 cells exposed to Cr(VI) showed increased lipid reactive oxygen species and changes in ferroptosis marker genes (decreased expression of GPX4 and increased expression of COX2). Notably, the addition of the ferroptosis-specific inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) can reverse this effect. During the cell death process, Cr(VI) induced ferritinophagy, disrupting iron homeostasis and releasing labile iron ions. We predicted by docking that these iron ions would bind to mitochondrial membrane proteins through virtual docking. This binding was validated through colocalization analysis. In addition, Cr(VI) caused mitophagy, which releases additional ferrous ions. Therefore, Cr(VI) can induce the simultaneous release of ferrous ions through these pathways, thereby exacerbating lipid peroxidation and ultimately triggering ferroptosis in DF-1 cells. This study demonstrates that Cr(VI) can induce ferroptosis in DF-1 cells by disrupting intracellular iron homeostasis and providing valuable insights into the toxic effects of Cr(VI) in poultry and potentially other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaimin Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Xiaoting Liu
- Research Center for Animal Disease Control Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Huiling Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Muzi Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Qi Zheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Changxi Qi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Xiaozhou Wang
- Research Center for Animal Disease Control Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Yongxia Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Pimiao Zheng
- Research Center for Animal Disease Control Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China.
| | - Jianzhu Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China.
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Bhattacharya K, Chanu NR, Jha SK, Khanal P, Paudel KR. In silico design and evaluation of a multiepitope vaccine targeting the nucleoprotein of Puumala orthohantavirus. Proteins 2024. [PMID: 38742930 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26703] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The Puumala orthohantavirus is present in the body of the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). Humans infected with this virus may develop hemorrhagic fever accompanying renal syndrome. In addition, the infection may further lead to the failure of an immune system completely. The present study aimed to propose a possible vaccine by employing bioinformatics techniques to identify B and T-cell antigens. The best multi-epitope of potential immunogenicity was generated by combining epitopes. Additionally, the linkers EAAAK, AAY, and GPGPG were utilized in order to link the epitopes successfully. Further, C-ImmSim was used to perform in silico immunological simulations upon the vaccine. For the purpose of conducting expression tests in Escherichia coli, the chimeric protein construct was cloned using Snapgene into the pET-9c vector. The designed vaccine showed adequate results, evidenced by the global population coverage and favorable immune response. The developed vaccine was found to be highly effective and to have excellent population coverage in a number of computer-based assessments. This work is fully dependent on the development of nucleoprotein-based vaccines, which would constitute a significant step forward if our findings were used in developing a global vaccination to combat the Puumala virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunal Bhattacharya
- Pratiksha Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guwahati, Assam, India
- Royal School of Pharmacy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Nongmaithem Randhoni Chanu
- Pratiksha Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guwahati, Assam, India
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Assam Downtown University, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Saurav Kumar Jha
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering (BSBE), Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pukar Khanal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, KLE College of Pharmacy, Belagavi, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KAHER), Belagavi, India
| | - Keshav Raj Paudel
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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González-Esparragoza D, Carrasco-Carballo A, Rosas-Murrieta NH, Millán-Pérez Peña L, Luna F, Herrera-Camacho I. In Silico Analysis of Protein-Protein Interactions of Putative Endoplasmic Reticulum Metallopeptidase 1 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:4609-4629. [PMID: 38785548 PMCID: PMC11120530 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46050280] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Ermp1 is a putative metalloprotease from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and a member of the Fxna peptidases. Although their function is unknown, orthologous proteins from rats and humans have been associated with the maturation of ovarian follicles and increased ER stress. This study focuses on proposing the first prediction of PPI by comparison of the interologues between humans and yeasts, as well as the molecular docking and dynamics of the M28 domain of Ermp1 with possible target proteins. As results, 45 proteins are proposed that could interact with the metalloprotease. Most of these proteins are related to the transport of Ca2+ and the metabolism of amino acids and proteins. Docking and molecular dynamics suggest that the M28 domain of Ermp1 could hydrolyze leucine and methionine residues of Amk2, Ypt5 and Pex12. These results could support future experimental investigations of other Fxna peptidases, such as human ERMP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia González-Esparragoza
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química del Instituto de Ciencias (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico; (D.G.-E.); (N.H.R.-M.); (L.M.-P.P.)
- Laboratorio de Elucidación y Síntesis en Química Orgánica, Instituto de Ciencias de la Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico
| | - Alan Carrasco-Carballo
- Laboratorio de Elucidación y Síntesis en Química Orgánica, Instituto de Ciencias de la Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico
- Consejo Nacional de Humanidades Ciencia y Tecnología, Instituto de Ciencias de la Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico
| | - Nora H. Rosas-Murrieta
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química del Instituto de Ciencias (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico; (D.G.-E.); (N.H.R.-M.); (L.M.-P.P.)
| | - Lourdes Millán-Pérez Peña
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química del Instituto de Ciencias (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico; (D.G.-E.); (N.H.R.-M.); (L.M.-P.P.)
| | - Felix Luna
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico;
| | - Irma Herrera-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química del Instituto de Ciencias (ICUAP), Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico; (D.G.-E.); (N.H.R.-M.); (L.M.-P.P.)
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Kumar A, Misra G, Mohandas S, Yadav PD. Multi-epitope vaccine design using in silico analysis of glycoprotein and nucleocapsid of NIPAH virus. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300507. [PMID: 38728300 PMCID: PMC11086869 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
According to the 2018 WHO R&D Blueprint, Nipah virus (NiV) is a priority disease, and the development of a vaccine against NiV is strongly encouraged. According to criteria used to categorize zoonotic diseases, NiV is a stage III disease that can spread to people and cause unpredictable outbreaks. Since 2001, the NiV virus has caused annual outbreaks in Bangladesh, while in India it has caused occasional outbreaks. According to estimates, the mortality rate for infected individuals ranges from 70 to 91%. Using immunoinformatic approaches to anticipate the epitopes of the MHC-I, MHC-II, and B-cells, they were predicted using the NiV glycoprotein and nucleocapsid protein. The selected epitopes were used to develop a multi-epitope vaccine construct connected with linkers and adjuvants in order to improve immune responses to the vaccine construct. The 3D structure of the engineered vaccine was anticipated, optimized, and confirmed using a variety of computer simulation techniques so that its stability could be assessed. According to the immunological simulation tests, it was found that the vaccination elicits a targeted immune response against the NiV. Docking with TLR-3, 7, and 8 revealed that vaccine candidates had high binding affinities and low binding energies. Finally, molecular dynamic analysis confirms the stability of the new vaccine. Codon optimization and in silico cloning showed that the proposed vaccine was expressed to a high degree in Escherichia coli. The study will help in identifying a potential epitope for a vaccine candidate against NiV. The developed multi-epitope vaccine construct has a lot of potential, but they still need to be verified by in vitro & in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anoop Kumar
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, National Institute of Biologicals, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Gauri Misra
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, National Institute of Biologicals, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sreelekshmy Mohandas
- Maximum Containment Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Microbial Containment Complex, Pashan, Pune, India
| | - Pragya D. Yadav
- Maximum Containment Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Microbial Containment Complex, Pashan, Pune, India
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Gu S, Bradley-Clarke J, Rose RS, Warren MJ, Pickersgill RW. Enzyme-cargo encapsulation peptides bind between tessellating tiles of the bacterial microcompartment shell. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107357. [PMID: 38735476 PMCID: PMC11157265 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107357] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial microcompartments are prokaryotic organelles comprising encapsulated enzymes within a thin protein shell. They facilitate metabolic processing including propanediol, choline, glycerol, and ethanolamine utilization, and they accelerate carbon fixation in cyanobacteria. Enzymes targeted to the inside of the microcompartment frequently possess a cargo-encapsulation peptide, but the site to which the peptide binds is unclear. We provide evidence that the encapsulation peptides bind to the hydrophobic groove formed between tessellating subunits of the shell proteins. In silico docking studies provide a compelling model of peptide binding to this prominent hydrophobic groove. This result is consistent with the now widely accepted view that the convex side of the shell oligomers faces the lumen of the microcompartment. The binding of the encapsulation peptide to the groove between tessellating shell protein tiles explains why it has been difficult to define the peptide binding site using other methods, provides a mechanism by which encapsulation-peptide bearing enzymes can promote shell assembly, and explains how the presence of cargo affects the size and shape of the bacterial microcompartment. This knowledge may be exploited in engineering microcompartments or disease prevention by hampering cargo encapsulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Gu
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Jack Bradley-Clarke
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Ruth-Sarah Rose
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Martin J Warren
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK
| | - Richard W Pickersgill
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
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Karkashan A. Immunoinformatics assisted profiling of West Nile virus proteome to determine immunodominant epitopes for the development of next-generation multi-peptide vaccine. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1395870. [PMID: 38799422 PMCID: PMC11116617 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1395870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases represent a significant threat to global health, with West Nile virus (WNV) being a prominent example due to its potential to cause severe neurological disorders alongside mild feverish conditions. Particularly prevalent in the continental United States, WNV has emerged as a global concern, with outbreaks indicating the urgent need for effective prophylactic measures. The current problem is that the absence of a commercial vaccine against WNV highlights a critical gap in preventive strategies against WNV. This study aims to address this gap by proposing a novel, multivalent vaccine designed using immunoinformatics approaches to elicit comprehensive humoral and cellular immune responses against WNV. The objective of the study is to provide a theoretical framework for experimental scientists to formulate of vaccine against WNV and tackle the current problem by generating an immune response inside the host. The research employs reverse vaccinology and subtractive proteomics methodologies to identify NP_041724.2 polyprotein and YP_009164950.1 truncated flavivirus polyprotein NS1 as the prime antigens. The selection process for epitopes focused on B and T-cell reactivity, antigenicity, water solubility, and non-allergenic properties, prioritizing candidates with the potential for broad immunogenicity and safety. The designed vaccine construct integrates these epitopes, connected via GPGPG linkers, and supplemented with an adjuvant with the help of another linker EAAAK, to enhance immunogenicity. Preliminary computational analyses suggest that the proposed vaccine could achieve near-universal coverage, effectively targeting approximately 99.74% of the global population, with perfect coverage in specific regions such as Sweden and Finland. Molecular docking and immune simulation studies further validate the potential efficacy of the vaccine, indicating strong binding affinity with toll-like receptor 3 (TLR-3) and promising immune response profiles, including significant antibody-mediated and cellular responses. These findings present the vaccine construct as a viable candidate for further development and testing. While the theoretical and computational results are promising, advancing from in-silico predictions to a tangible vaccine requires comprehensive laboratory validation. This next step is essential to confirm the vaccine's efficacy and safety in eliciting an immune response against WNV. Through this study, we propose a novel approach to vaccine development against WNV and contribute to the broader field of immunoinformatics, showcasing the potential to accelerate the design of effective vaccines against emerging viral threats. The journey from hypothesis to practical solution embodies the interdisciplinary collaboration essential for modern infectious disease management and prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Karkashan
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Sarfraz A, Qurrat-Ul-Ain Fatima S, Shehroz M, Ahmad I, Zaman A, Nishan U, Tayyab M, Sheheryar, Moura AA, Ullah R, Ali EA, Shah M. Decrypting the multi-genome data for chimeric vaccine designing against the antibiotic resistant Yersinia pestis. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 132:111952. [PMID: 38555818 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111952] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is a gram-negative bacterium that can be fatal if not treated properly. Three types of plague are currently known: bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague, among which the fatality rate of septicemic and pneumonic plague is very high. Bubonic plague can be treated, but only if antibiotics are used at the initial stage of the infection. But unfortunately, Y. pestis has also shown resistance to certain antibiotics such as kanamycin, minocycline, tetracycline, streptomycin, sulfonamides, spectinomycin, and chloramphenicol. Despite tremendous progress in vaccine development against Y. pestis, there is no proper FDA-approved vaccine available to protect people from its infections. Therefore, effective broad-spectrum vaccine development against Y. pestis is indispensable. In this study, vaccinomics-assisted immunoinformatics techniques were used to find possible vaccine candidates by utilizing the core proteome prepared from 58 complete genomes of Y. pestis. Human non-homologous, pathogen-essential, virulent, and extracellular and membrane proteins are potential vaccine targets. Two antigenic proteins were prioritized for the prediction of lead epitopes by utilizing reverse vaccinology approaches. Four vaccine designs were formulated using the selected B- and T-cell epitopes coupled with appropriate linkers and adjuvant sequences capable of inducing potent immune responses. The HLA allele population coverage of the T-cell epitopes selected for vaccine construction was also analyzed. The V2 constructs were top-ranked and selected for further analysis on the basis of immunological, physicochemical, and immune-receptor docking interactions and scores. Docking and molecular dynamic simulations confirmed the stability of construct V2 interactions with the host immune receptors. Immune simulation analysis anticipated the strong immune profile of the prioritized construct. In silico restriction cloning ensured the feasible cloning ability of the V2 construct in the expression system of E. coli strain K12. It is anticipated that the designed vaccine construct may be safe, effective, and able to elicit strong immune responses against Y. pestis infections and may, therefore, merit investigation using in vitro and in vivo assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asifa Sarfraz
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 66000, Pakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Shehroz
- Department of Bioinformatics, Kohsar University Murree, Murree 47150, Pakistan
| | - Iqra Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 66000, Pakistan
| | - Aqal Zaman
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 66000, Pakistan
| | - Umar Nishan
- Department of Chemistry, Kohat University of Science & Technology, Kohat, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Tayyab
- Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Sheheryar
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | | | - Riaz Ullah
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Essam A Ali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohibullah Shah
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 66000, Pakistan.
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50
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Ulupinar P, Çağlayan E, Rayaman E, Nagata K, Turan K. The mitochondrial carrier homolog 2 is involved in down-regulation of influenza A virus replication. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:642. [PMID: 38727866 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09584-5] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mitochondrial carrier homolog 2 (MTCH2) is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein regulating mitochondrial metabolism and functions in lipid homeostasis and apoptosis. Experimental data on the interaction of MTCH2 with viral proteins in virus-infected cells are very limited. Here, the interaction of MTCH2 with PA subunit of influenza A virus RdRp and its effects on viral replication was investigated. METHODS The human MTCH2 protein was identified as the influenza A virus PA-related cellular factor with the Y2H assay. The interaction between GST.MTCH2 and PA protein co-expressed in transfected HEK293 cells was evaluated by GST-pull down. The effect of MTCH2 on virus replication was determined by quantification of viral transcript and/or viral proteins in the cells transfected with MTCH2-encoding plasmid or MTCH2-siRNA. An interaction model of MTCH2 and PA was predicted with protein modeling/docking algorithms. RESULTS It was observed that PA and GST.MTCH2 proteins expressed in HEK293 cells were co-precipitated by glutathione-agarose beads. The influenza A virus replication was stimulated in HeLa cells whose MTCH2 expression was suppressed with specific siRNA, whereas the increase of MTCH2 in transiently transfected HEK293 cells inhibited viral RdRp activity. The results of a Y2H assay and protein-protein docking analysis suggested that the amino terminal part of the viral PA (nPA) can bind to the cytoplasmic domain comprising amino acid residues 253 to 282 of the MTCH2. CONCLUSION It is suggested that the host mitochondrial MTCH2 protein is probably involved in the interaction with the viral polymerase protein PA to cause negative regulatory effect on influenza A virus replication in infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pınar Ulupinar
- Institute of Health Sciences, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Elif Çağlayan
- University of Health Sciences, Kartal Koşuyolu High Speciality Educational and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Erkan Rayaman
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Kyosuke Nagata
- Department of Infection Biology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kadir Turan
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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