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Escalera A, Laporte M, Turner S, Karakus U, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, van de Guchte A, Farrugia K, Khalil Z, van Bakel H, Smith D, García-Sastre A, Aydillo T. The impact of S2 mutations on Omicron SARS-CoV-2 cell surface expression and fusogenicity. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2297553. [PMID: 38112266 PMCID: PMC10866063 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2297553] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants are still emerging and spreading worldwide. These variants contain a high number of polymorphisms in the spike (S) glycoprotein that could potentially impact their pathogenicity and transmission. We have previously shown that the S:655Y and P681H mutations enhance S protein cleavage and syncytia formation. Interestingly, these polymorphisms are present in Omicron S protein. Here, we characterized the cleavage efficiency and fusogenicity of the S protein of different Omicron sublineages. Our results showed that Omicron BA.1 subvariant is efficiently cleaved but it is poorly fusogenic compared to previous SARS-CoV-2 strains. To understand the basis of this phenotype, we generated chimeric S protein using combinations of the S1 and S2 domains from WA1, Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants. We found that the S2 domain of Omicron BA.1 hindered efficient cell-cell fusion. Interestingly, this domain only contains six unique polymorphisms never detected before in ancestral SARS-CoV-2 variants. WA1614G S proteins containing the six individuals S2 Omicron mutations were assessed for their fusogenicity and S surface expression after transfection in cells. Results showed that the S:N856K and N969K substitutions decreased syncytia formation and impacted S protein cell surface levels. However, we observed that "first-generation" Omicron sublineages that emerged subsequently, had convergently evolved to an enhanced fusogenic activity and S expression on the surface of infected cells while "second-generation" Omicron variants have highly diverged and showed lineage-specific fusogenic properties. Importantly, our findings could have potential implications in the improvement and redesign of COVID-19 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Escalera
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Manon Laporte
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sam Turner
- Center for Pathogen Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Umut Karakus
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ana S. Gonzalez-Reiche
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adriana van de Guchte
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Keith Farrugia
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zain Khalil
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harm van Bakel
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Derek Smith
- Center for Pathogen Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Teresa Aydillo
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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2
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Moriyama R, Nakamura S, Mitsui I, Sugiyama M, Fukui H, Fukui H, Hagiwara T, Miyabe-Nishiwaki T, Suzuki J. Expression of SARS-CoV-2 entry molecules ACE2, NRP1, TMPRSS2, and FURIN in the reproductive tissues of male macaques. Histochem Cell Biol 2024; 162:465-475. [PMID: 39153130 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-024-02314-9] [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] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reportedly affects male reproductive function by causing spermatogenesis dysfunction and suppressing testosterone secretion. However, the relationship between COVID-19 and impaired reproductive function, such as whether these effects on reproductive function are a direct effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in male reproductive organs or an indirect effect of high fever, is not known. Here, we examined whether the cell entry molecules of SARS-CoV-2, namely, ACE2, NRP1, TMPRSS2, and FURIN, are expressed in the male reproductive organs using the testes and accessory gonads of macaques during the breeding season. RT-PCR expression analysis showed that the testes alone expressed all four molecules. Immunohistochemical staining of testis tissue sections revealed that ACE2 is expressed in Leydig cells and the apical region of Sertoli cells, whereas NRP1 is expressed in the cell bodies surrounding the Leydig and Sertoli cell nuclei. FURIN is mainly expressed in Leydig cells, secondary spermatocytes, and spermatids. However, TMPRSS2 immunopositive cells were not observed. Therefore, it was not possible to observe cells expressing all four molecules in the gonads and accessory gonads of male primates. These results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely to directly affect spermatogenesis in primates or proliferate in cells of the seminiferous tubules and undergo release into the semen through the previously known ACE2-mediated infection route. However, the expression of three molecules, including ACE2, was observed in Leydig cells, suggesting that testosterone synthesis and secretion may be affected when primates, including humans, are infected with SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryutaro Moriyama
- Department of Life Science, Kindai University, Higashiosaka, Osaka, 577-8502, Japan.
| | - Sho Nakamura
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Ehime, 794-8555, Japan
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Ikki Mitsui
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Ehime, 794-8555, Japan
| | - Makoto Sugiyama
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University School of Veterinary Medicine, Towada, Aomori, 034-8628, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Fukui
- Fukui Veterinary Hospital, Higashiosaka, Osaka, 577-0809, Japan
| | - Hitomi Fukui
- Fukui Veterinary Hospital, Higashiosaka, Osaka, 577-0809, Japan
| | - Teruki Hagiwara
- Department of Life Science, Kindai University, Higashiosaka, Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
| | - Takako Miyabe-Nishiwaki
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Juri Suzuki
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
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3
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Yan K, Dumenil T, Stewart R, Bishop CR, Tang B, Nguyen W, Suhrbier A, Rawle DJ. TMEM106B-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection allows for robust ACE2-independent infection in vitro but not in vivo. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114921. [PMID: 39480813 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114921] [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: 06/16/2024] [Revised: 09/17/2024] [Accepted: 10/14/2024] [Indexed: 11/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the primary entry receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but ACE2-independent entry has been observed in vitro for strains with the spike-E484D substitution. Here, we conduct a whole-genome CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen using SARS-CoV-2 mouse adapted 1 (SARS-CoV-2MA1), which carries spike-E484D, to identify the ACE2-independent entry mechanisms. SARS-CoV-2MA1 infection in HEK293T cells relies on heparan sulfate and endocytic pathways, with TMEM106B, a transmembrane lysosomal protein, the most significant contributor. While SARS-CoV-2MA1 productively infects human brain organoids and K18-hACE2 mouse brains, it does not infect C57BL/6J or Ifnar-/- mouse brains. This suggests that ACE2-independent entry via TMEM106B, which is predominantly expressed in the brain, does not overtly increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasiveness in mice with endogenous Ace2 expression. Importantly, SARS-CoV-2MA1 does not replicate in the Ace2-/- mouse respiratory tract. Overall, this suggests that robust ACE2-independent infection by SARS-CoV-2MA1 is likely an in vitro phenomenon with no apparent implications for infection in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Yan
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Troy Dumenil
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Romal Stewart
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Cameron R Bishop
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Bing Tang
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Wilson Nguyen
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Andreas Suhrbier
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, GVN Center of Excellence, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Daniel J Rawle
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia.
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4
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Hoffmann M, Kleine-Weber H, Graichen L, Nehlmeier I, Kempf A, Moldenhauer AS, Braun E, Assiri AM, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D, Alkharsah KR, Pöhlmann S. Acquisition of a multibasic cleavage site does not increase MERS-CoV entry into Calu-3 human lung cells. J Virol 2024:e0130524. [PMID: 39470207 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01305-24] [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: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Human-to-human transmission of the highly pathogenic Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is currently inefficient. However, there is concern that the virus might mutate and thereby increase its transmissibility and thus pandemic potential. The pandemic SARS-CoV-2 depends on a highly cleavable furin motif at the S1/S2 site of the viral spike (S) protein for efficient lung cell entry, transmission, and pathogenicity. Here, by employing pseudotyped particles, we investigated whether augmented cleavage at the S1/S2 site also increases MERS-CoV entry into Calu-3 human lung cells. We report that polymorphism T746K at the S1/S2 cleavage site or optimization of the furin motif increases S protein cleavage but not lung cell entry. These findings suggest that, unlike what has been reported for SARS-CoV-2, a highly cleavable S1/S2 site might not augment MERS-CoV infectivity for human lung cells.IMPORTANCEThe highly cleavable furin motif in the spike protein is required for robust lung cell entry, transmission, and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2. In contrast, it is unknown whether optimization of the furin motif in the spike protein of the pre-pandemic MERS-CoV increases lung cell entry and allows for robust human-human transmission. The present study indicates that this might not be the case. Thus, neither a naturally occurring polymorphism that increased MERS-CoV spike protein cleavage nor artificial optimization of the cleavage site allowed for increased spike-protein-driven entry into Calu-3 human lung cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Hoffmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center- Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hannah Kleine-Weber
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center- Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Luise Graichen
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center- Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Inga Nehlmeier
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center- Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Amy Kempf
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center- Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anna-Sophie Moldenhauer
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center- Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Braun
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Khaled R Alkharsah
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center- Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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5
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Shen H, Chen L, Yang H. The critical role of aromatic residues in the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 fusion peptide to phospholipid bilayer membranes. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:26342-26354. [PMID: 39385589 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp03045a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
Based on the SARS-CoV-2 fusion peptide (FP) structure determined from the NMR experiment, we created six FP models under different environmental conditions to explore the effects of salt and cholesterol on FP-membrane binding. The all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulation results indicated that ionic environments notably impact the FP structure as well as the stability of the helical elements within the peptide. Our findings highlighted the unpredictable influence of ions on the secondary structures and dynamics of the FP, emphasizing the complexity and sensitivity of the peptide's conformations to ionic conditions. When exploring the peptide's interaction with a cholesterol-free phospholipid bilayer membrane, we found that the helical elements of the FP remain stable irrespective of the salt type (Na+ or Ca2+). This result emphasizes the crucial role of phospholipid bilayer membranes in supporting the secondary structures of the FP. The MD simulation results showed that Ca2+ ions facilitated deeper membrane penetration than Na+ ions, highlighting the critical role of calcium ions in the FP-membrane binding. Our study indicates the essential role of the aromatic residues (such as Phe833 and Tyr837) in the FP-membrane binding process. Finally, we investigated the FP-membrane binding patterns in the presence of cholesterol. The MD simulation results demonstrated that the coupling of Ca2+ ions and cholesterol would also benefit the FP-membrane binding. Furthermore, our findings reveal that while the type of ion and cholesterol content exert varied and unpredictable influences on FP-membrane binding patterns, aromatic residues like tyrosine (Tyr) and phenylalanine (Phe) play an essential role in FP-membrane binding. In particular, deep mutational scanning (DMS) experiments have confirmed that mutating phenylalanine in the FP significantly decreases viral mutational fitness, emphasizing the pivotal role of phenylalanine residues in membrane fusion. This knowledge can aid in developing more effective therapeutic strategies targeting the viral fusion peptide and its key amino acids, ultimately contributing to developing treatments and vaccines against the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hujun Shen
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Computational Nano-Material Science, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018, China.
| | - Ling Chen
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Computational Nano-Material Science, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018, China.
| | - Hengxiu Yang
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Computational Nano-Material Science, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018, China.
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Do TL, Tachibana K, Yamamoto N, Ando K, Isoda T, Kihara T. Interaction of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein with ACE2 induces cortical actin modulation, including dephosphorylation of ERM proteins and reduction of cortical stiffness. Hum Cell 2024; 38:3. [PMID: 39436480 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-024-01142-2] [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: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/23/2024]
Abstract
Cell surface cortical actin is a regulatory target for viral infection. We aimed to investigate the effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on host cell cortical stiffness, an indicator of cortical actin structure. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein induced a reduction in cortical stiffness in ACE2-expressing cells. The interaction of RBD with ACE2 caused the inactivation of Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERM) proteins. We further investigated the effects of the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants, BA.1 and BA.5. These RBDs influenced cortical stiffness depending on their affinity for ACE2. Our study provides the first evidence that the interaction of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein with ACE2 induces mechanobiological signals and attenuates the cortical actin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Ly Do
- Department of Life and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, 1-1 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 808-0135, Japan
| | - Kouichi Tachibana
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan
| | - Norio Yamamoto
- Department of Microbiology, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Ando
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan
| | - Takaaki Isoda
- Department of Life and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, 1-1 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 808-0135, Japan
| | - Takanori Kihara
- Department of Life and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, 1-1 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 808-0135, Japan.
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7
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Bach ML, Laftih S, Andresen JK, Pedersen RM, Andersen TE, Madsen LW, Madsen K, Hinrichs GR, Zachar R, Svenningsen P, Lund L, Johansen IS, Hansen LF, Palarasah Y, Jensen BL. ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in human kidney tissue and urine extracellular vesicles with age, sex, and COVID-19. Pflugers Arch 2024:10.1007/s00424-024-03022-y. [PMID: 39382598 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-024-03022-y] [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: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 09/17/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 virus infects cells by engaging with ACE2 requiring protease TMPRSS2. ACE2 is highly expressed in kidneys. Predictors for severe disease are high age and male sex. We hypothesized that ACE2 and TMPRSS2 proteins are more abundant (1) in males and with increasing age in kidney and (2) in urine and extracellular vesicles (EVs) from male patients with COVID-19 and (3) SARS-CoV-2 is present in urine and EVs during infection. Kidney cortex samples from patients subjected to cancer nephrectomy (male/female; < 50 years/˃75 years, n = 24; ˃80 years, n = 15) were analyzed for ACE2 and TMPRSS2 protein levels. Urine from patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection was analyzed for ACE2 and TMPRSS2. uEVs were used for immunoblotting and SARS-CoV-2 mRNA and antigen detection. Tissue ACE2 and TMPRSS2 protein levels did not change with age. ACE2 was not more abundant in male kidneys in any age group. ACE2 protein was associated with proximal tubule apical membranes in cortex. TMPRSS2 was observed predominantly in the medulla. ACE2 was elevated significantly in uEVs and urine from patients with COVID-19 with no sex difference compared with urine from controls w/wo albuminuria. TMPRSS2 was elevated in uEVs from males compared to female. ACE2 and TMPRSS2 did not co-localize in uEVs/apical membranes. SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein and mRNA were not detected in urine. Higher kidney ACE2 protein abundance is unlikely to explain higher susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in males. Kidney tubular cells appear not highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Loss of ACE2 into urine in COVID could impact susceptibility and angiotensin metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Lykke Bach
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Sara Laftih
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jesper K Andresen
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Rune M Pedersen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital, and Research Unit for Clinical Microbiology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Thomas Emil Andersen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital, and Research Unit for Clinical Microbiology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Lone W Madsen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, and Research Unit for Infectious Diseases, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Unit for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Sygehus Lillebælt, Kolding, Denmark
| | - Kirsten Madsen
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Pathology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Gitte R Hinrichs
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Nephrology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Rikke Zachar
- Department of Nephrology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Per Svenningsen
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Lars Lund
- Department of Urology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Isik S Johansen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, and Research Unit for Infectious Diseases, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Yaseelan Palarasah
- Unit of Inflammation and Cancer Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Boye L Jensen
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Bashir A, Li S, Ye Y, Zheng Q, Knanghat R, Bashir F, Shah NN, Yang D, Xue M, Wang H, Zheng C. SARS-CoV-2 S protein harbors furin cleavage site located in a short loop between antiparallel β-strand. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 281:136020. [PMID: 39368587 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136020] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/23/2024] [Indexed: 10/07/2024]
Abstract
Furin cleavage site (FCS) of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, which connects the S1/S2 junction, is essential for facilitating fusion with the host cells. Wild-type (Wt) SARS-CoV-2 S protein, PDB ID: 6yvb, lacks a sequence of amino acid residues, including the FCS that links the S1/S2 junction. For the first time, we demonstrated that a stretch of 14 amino acid residues (677QTNSPRRARSVASQ689) forms an antiparallel β-sheet comprising of PRRAR sequence in the FCS within a short loop. Upon comparing the loop content of the S1/S2 junction with that of Wt SARS-CoV-2 containing PRRAR in the FCS, we observed a decrease in antiparallel β-sheet content and an increase in loop content in the B.1.1.7 variant with HRRAR in the FCS. This short loop within antiparallel β-sheet can serve as a docking site for various proteases, including TMPRSS2 and α1AT. We performed a 300-ns simulation of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) using several antibacterial and antiviral ligands commonly used to treat various infections. Our findings indicate that the receptor binding domain (RBD) comprising the receptor binding motif (RBM) utilizes β6 and a significant portion of the loop to bind with ligands, suggesting its potential for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arif Bashir
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Government College for Women, Nawa-Kadal, Srinagar 190002, India
| | - Shun Li
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Ye
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, China
| | - Qingcong Zheng
- Department of Spinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Rajani Knanghat
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai 600036, India
| | - Fahim Bashir
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, 190006, India
| | - Naveed Nazir Shah
- Department of Chest Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190001, India
| | - Debin Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450018, China
| | - Mengzhou Xue
- Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450014, China.
| | - Huiqing Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Chunfu Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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9
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Singh H, Nair A, Mahajan SD. Impact of genetic variations of gene involved in regulation of metabolism, inflammation and coagulation on pathogenesis of cardiac injuries associated with COVID-19. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 263:155608. [PMID: 39447244 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 infection can result in long-term chronic cardiovascular (CV) damage after the acute phase of the illness. COVID-19 frequently causes active myocarditis, SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect and kill cardiac cells, causing severe pathology and dysfunction across the organs and cells. Till now, the pathogenesis of COVID-19-associated cardiac injuries has not been understood, but there are several factors that contribute to the progression of cardiac injuries, such as genetic, dietary, and environmental. Among them ranges of host genetic factor including metabolizing, inflammation, and coagulation related genes have a role to contribute the cardiac injuries induced by COVID-19. Hereditary DNA sequence variations contribute to the risk of illness in almost all of these diseases. Hence, we comprehended the occurrence of genetic variations of metabolizing, inflammation and coagulation-related genes in the general population, their expression in various diseases, and their impact on cardiac injuries induced by COVID-19. METHOD We utilized multiple databases, including PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, and Google Scholar, for literature searches. DESCRIPTION The genes involved in metabolism (APOE, MTHFR), coagulation (PAI-1, ACE2), and immune factors (CRP, ESR, and troponin I) may have a role in the progression of COVID-19-associated cardiac injuries. The risk factors for CVD are significantly varied between and within different regions. In healthy individuals, the ACE I allele is responsible for the predisposition to CAD, but the ACE D haplotype is responsible for susceptibility and severity, which ultimately leads to heart failure. Patients who carry the T allele of rs12329760 in the TMPRSS2 gene are at risk for developing the severe form of COVID-19. IL-6 (rs1800796/rs1800795) polymorphism is associated with an increased mortality rate and susceptibility to severe COVID-19 disease. While the putative role of IL-6 associated with chronic, inflammatory diseases like cardiac and cerebrovascular disease is well known. CONCLUSION The occurrence of genetic variations in the ACE-2, AGT, DPP-IV, TMPRSS2, FUIRN, IL-4, IL-6, IFN-γ, and CYP2D6 genes is varied among different populations. Examining the correlation between these variations and their protein levels and cardiac injuries induced by COVID-19 may provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of cardiac injuries induced by COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- HariOm Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology, National AIDS Research Institute, Pune 411026, India.
| | - Aishwarya Nair
- Department of Molecular Biology, National AIDS Research Institute, Pune 411026, India
| | - Supriya D Mahajan
- Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo's Clinical Translational Research Center, 875 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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10
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Wickenhagen A, van Tol S, Munster V. Molecular determinants of cross-species transmission in emerging viral infections. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0000123. [PMID: 38912755 PMCID: PMC11426021 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00001-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYSeveral examples of high-impact cross-species transmission of newly emerging or re-emerging bat-borne viruses, such as Sudan virus, Nipah virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, have occurred in the past decades. Recent advancements in next-generation sequencing have strengthened ongoing efforts to catalog the global virome, in particular from the multitude of different bat species. However, functional characterization of these novel viruses and virus sequences is typically limited with regard to assessment of their cross-species potential. Our understanding of the intricate interplay between virus and host underlying successful cross-species transmission has focused on the basic mechanisms of entry and replication, as well as the importance of host innate immune responses. In this review, we discuss the various roles of the respective molecular mechanisms underlying cross-species transmission using different recent bat-borne viruses as examples. To delineate the crucial cellular and molecular steps underlying cross-species transmission, we propose a framework of overall characterization to improve our capacity to characterize viruses as benign, of interest, or of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Wickenhagen
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Sarah van Tol
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Vincent Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA
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11
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Sakurai Y, Okada S, Ozeki T, Yoshikawa R, Kinoshita T, Yasuda J. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants progressively adapt to human cells with altered host cell entry. mSphere 2024; 9:e0033824. [PMID: 39191389 PMCID: PMC11423564 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00338-24] [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: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant exhibits high transmissibility with a strong immune escape ability and causes frequent large-scale global infections by producing predominant subvariants. Here, using human upper/lower airway and intestinal cells, we examined the previously dominant BA.1-BA.5 and BA.2.75 subvariants, together with the recently emerged XBB/BQ lineages, in comparison to the former Delta variant. We observed a tendency for each virus to demonstrate higher growth capability than the previously dominant subvariants. Unlike human bronchial and intestinal cells, nasal epithelial cells accommodated the efficient entry of certain Omicron subvariants, similar to the Delta variant. In contrast to the Delta's reliance on cell-surface transmembrane protease serine 2, all tested Omicron variants depended on endosomal cathepsin L. Moreover, S1/S2 cleavage of early Omicron spikes was less efficient, whereas recent viruses exhibit improved cleavage efficacy. Our results show that the Omicron variant progressively adapts to human cells through continuous endosome-mediated host cell entry.IMPORTANCESARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019, has evolved into a number of variants/subvariants, which have generated multiple global waves of infection. In order to monitor/predict virological features of emerging variants and determine appropriate strategies for anti-viral development, understanding conserved or altered features of evolving SARS-CoV-2 is important. In this study, we addressed previously or recently predominant Omicron subvariants and demonstrated the gradual adaptation to human cells. The host cell entry route, which was altered from the former Delta variant, was conserved among all tested Omicron subvariants. Collectively, this study revealed both changing and maintained features of SARS-CoV-2 during the Omicron variant evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuteru Sakurai
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Sayaka Okada
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takehiro Ozeki
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Rokusuke Yoshikawa
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takaaki Kinoshita
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Jiro Yasuda
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases (CCPID), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
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12
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Kumar P, Zhang X, Shaha R, Kschischo M, Dobbelstein M. Identification of antibody-resistant SARS-CoV-2 mutants via N4-Hydroxycytidine mutagenesis. Antiviral Res 2024; 231:106006. [PMID: 39293594 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.106006] [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: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 08/31/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies targeting the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 are effective against COVID-19 and might mitigate future pandemics. However, their efficacy is challenged by the emergence of antibody-resistant virus variants. We developed a method to efficiently identify such resistant mutants based on selection from mutagenized virus pools. By inducing mutations with the active compound of Molnupiravir, N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC), and subsequently passaging the virus in the presence of antibodies, we identified specific Spike mutations linked to resistance. Validation of these mutations was conducted using pseudotypes and immunofluorescence analysis. From a Wuhan-like strain of SARS-CoV-2, we identified the following mutations conferring strong resistance towards the corresponding antibodies: Bamlanivimab - E484K, F490S and S494P; Sotrovimab - E340K; Cilgavimab - K444R/E and N450D. From the Omicron B.1.1.529 variant, the strongly selected mutations were: Bebtelovimab - V445A; Sotrovimab - E340K and K356M; Cilgavimab - K444R, V445A and N450D. We also identified escape mutations in the Wuhan-like Spike for the broadly neutralizing antibodies S2K146 - combined G485S and Q493R - and S2H97 - D428G, K462E and S514F. Structural analysis revealed that the selected mutations occurred at antibody-binding residues within the receptor-binding domains of the Spike protein. Most of the selected mutants largely maintained ACE2 binding and infectivity. Notably, many of the identified resistance-conferring mutations are prevalent in real-world SARS-CoV-2 variants, but some of them (G485S, D428G, and K462E) have not yet been observed in circulating strains. Our approach offers a strategy for predicting the therapeutic efficacy of antibodies against emerging virus variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Kumar
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Göttingen Center of Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University Medical Center Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xiaoxiao Zhang
- Department of Mathematics and Technology, University of Applied Sciences Koblenz, 53424, Remagen, Germany; Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Rahul Shaha
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, Göttingen Center of Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maik Kschischo
- Department of Mathematics and Technology, University of Applied Sciences Koblenz, 53424, Remagen, Germany
| | - Matthias Dobbelstein
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Göttingen Center of Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University Medical Center Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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13
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Puxeddu M, Donalisio M, Bugert JJ, Corona A, Cocomazzi P, Milani M, Hucke F, Arduino I, Esposito F, Moretti P, Ortore MG, Nalli M, Manetto S, Mazzoccanti G, Bigogno C, Dondio G, Sciò P, Coluccia A, Fracella M, Antonelli G, Lembo D, Tramontano E, Silvestri R, Mastrangelo E, La Regina G. 4-(3-Phenylsulfonylindol-2-yl)-1-(pyridin-2-yl)piperazinyl-methanones as Potent Inhibitors of both SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43 Viruses. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:3158-3175. [PMID: 39096289 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00108] [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] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43 belong to the same β genus of the Coronaviridae family. SARS-CoV-2 was responsible for the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and HCoV-OC43 is the etiological agent of mild upper respiratory tract infections. SARS-COV-2 and HCoV-OC43 co-infections were found in children with respiratory symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two β-coronaviruses share a high degree of homology between the 3CLpro active sites, so much so that the safer HCoV-OC43 has been suggested as a tool for the identification of new anti-SARS-COV-2 agents. Compounds 5 and 24 inhibited effectively both Wuhan and British SARS-CoV-2 patient isolates in Vero E6 cells and the HCoV-OC43 in MRC-5 cells at low micromolar concentrations. The inhibition was apparently exerted via targeting the 3CLpro active sites of both viruses. Compounds 5 and 24 at 100 μM inhibited the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro activity of 61.78 and 67.30%, respectively. These findings highlight 5 and 24 as lead compounds of a novel class of antiviral agents with the potential to treat SARS-COV-2 and HCoV-OC43 infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Puxeddu
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Donalisio
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, I-10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy
| | - Joachim Jakob Bugert
- Institut für Mikrobiologie der Bundeswehr, Neuherbergstrasse 11, D-80937 München, Germany
| | - Angela Corona
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, S.P. 8 Monserrato, Sestu Km 0.700, I-09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Paolo Cocomazzi
- Biophysics Institute, CNR-IBF, Via Corti 12, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Milani
- Biophysics Institute, CNR-IBF, Via Corti 12, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Friederike Hucke
- Institut für Mikrobiologie der Bundeswehr, Neuherbergstrasse 11, D-80937 München, Germany
| | - Irene Arduino
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, I-10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Esposito
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, S.P. 8 Monserrato, Sestu Km 0.700, I-09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Paolo Moretti
- DISVA, Department of Life Sciences and Environment, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Ortore
- DISVA, Department of Life Sciences and Environment, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Marianna Nalli
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Manetto
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Mazzoccanti
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Bigogno
- Aphad SrL, Via della Resistenza 65, 20090 Buccinasco, Italy
| | - Giulio Dondio
- Aphad SrL, Via della Resistenza 65, 20090 Buccinasco, Italy
| | - Pietro Sciò
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Coluccia
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Fracella
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Guido Antonelli
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - David Lembo
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, I-10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy
| | - Enzo Tramontano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, S.P. 8 Monserrato, Sestu Km 0.700, I-09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Romano Silvestri
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe La Regina
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
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14
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Holmes EC. The Emergence and Evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Annu Rev Virol 2024; 11:21-42. [PMID: 38631919 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-093022-013037] [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] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The origin of SARS-CoV-2 has evoked heated debate and strong accusations, yet seemingly little resolution. I review the scientific evidence on the origin of SARS-CoV-2 and its subsequent spread through the human population. The available data clearly point to a natural zoonotic emergence within, or closely linked to, the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan. There is no direct evidence linking the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 to laboratory work conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The subsequent global spread of SARS-CoV-2 was characterized by a gradual adaptation to humans, with dual increases in transmissibility and virulence until the emergence of the Omicron variant. Of note has been the frequent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to other animals, marking it as a strongly host generalist virus. Unless lessons from the origin of SARS-CoV-2 are learned, it is inevitable that more zoonotic events leading to more epidemics and pandemics will plague human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward C Holmes
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;
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15
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Bolinger AA, Li J, Xie X, Li H, Zhou J. Lessons learnt from broad-spectrum coronavirus antiviral drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:1023-1041. [PMID: 39078037 PMCID: PMC11390334 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2385598] [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: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Highly pathogenic coronaviruses (CoVs), such as severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV), and the most recent SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, pose significant threats to human populations over the past two decades. These CoVs have caused a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to severe distress syndromes (ARDS), resulting in high morbidity and mortality. AREAS COVERED The accelerated advancements in antiviral drug discovery, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, have shed new light on the imperative to develop treatments effective against a broad spectrum of CoVs. This perspective discusses strategies and lessons learnt in targeting viral non-structural proteins, structural proteins, drug repurposing, and combinational approaches for the development of antivirals against CoVs. EXPERT OPINION Drawing lessons from the pandemic, it becomes evident that the absence of efficient broad-spectrum antiviral drugs increases the vulnerability of public health systems to the potential onslaught by highly pathogenic CoVs. The rapid and sustained spread of novel CoVs can have devastating consequences without effective and specifically targeted treatments. Prioritizing the effective development of broad-spectrum antivirals is imperative for bolstering the resilience of public health systems and mitigating the potential impact of future highly pathogenic CoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A. Bolinger
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Jun Li
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Hongmin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Jia Zhou
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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16
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Le Pen J, Paniccia G, Kinast V, Moncada-Velez M, Ashbrook AW, Bauer M, Hoffmann HH, Pinharanda A, Ricardo-Lax I, Stenzel AF, Rosado-Olivieri EA, Dinnon KH, Doyle WC, Freije CA, Hong SH, Lee D, Lewy T, Luna JM, Peace A, Schmidt C, Schneider WM, Winkler R, Yip EZ, Larson C, McGinn T, Menezes MR, Ramos-Espiritu L, Banerjee P, Poirier JT, Sànchez-Rivera FJ, Cobat A, Zhang Q, Casanova JL, Carroll TS, Glickman JF, Michailidis E, Razooky B, MacDonald MR, Rice CM. A genome-wide arrayed CRISPR screen identifies PLSCR1 as an intrinsic barrier to SARS-CoV-2 entry that recent virus variants have evolved to resist. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002767. [PMID: 39316623 PMCID: PMC11486371 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002767] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 10/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) play a crucial role in the regulation and evolution of host-virus interactions. Here, we conducted a genome-wide arrayed CRISPR knockout screen in the presence and absence of IFN to identify human genes that influence Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We then performed an integrated analysis of genes interacting with SARS-CoV-2, drawing from a selection of 67 large-scale studies, including our own. We identified 28 genes of high relevance in both human genetic studies of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and functional genetic screens in cell culture, with many related to the IFN pathway. Among these was the IFN-stimulated gene PLSCR1. PLSCR1 did not require IFN induction to restrict SARS-CoV-2 and did not contribute to IFN signaling. Instead, PLSCR1 specifically restricted spike-mediated SARS-CoV-2 entry. The PLSCR1-mediated restriction was alleviated by TMPRSS2 overexpression, suggesting that PLSCR1 primarily restricts the endocytic entry route. In addition, recent SARS-CoV-2 variants have adapted to circumvent the PLSCR1 barrier via currently undetermined mechanisms. Finally, we investigate the functional effects of PLSCR1 variants present in humans and discuss an association between PLSCR1 and severe COVID-19 reported recently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémie Le Pen
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Gabrielle Paniccia
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Volker Kinast
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Department for Molecular and Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Marcela Moncada-Velez
- St Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Alison W. Ashbrook
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Michael Bauer
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - H.-Heinrich Hoffmann
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ana Pinharanda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Inna Ricardo-Lax
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ansgar F. Stenzel
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Edwin A. Rosado-Olivieri
- Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kenneth H. Dinnon
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - William C. Doyle
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Catherine A. Freije
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Seon-Hui Hong
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Danyel Lee
- St Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U1163, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Tyler Lewy
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Joseph M. Luna
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Avery Peace
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Carltin Schmidt
- St Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - William M. Schneider
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Roni Winkler
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Elaine Z. Yip
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Chloe Larson
- Fisher Drug Discovery Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Timothy McGinn
- Fisher Drug Discovery Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Miriam-Rose Menezes
- Fisher Drug Discovery Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lavoisier Ramos-Espiritu
- Fisher Drug Discovery Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Priyam Banerjee
- Bio-Imaging Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - John T. Poirier
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Francisco J. Sànchez-Rivera
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Aurélie Cobat
- St Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U1163, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Qian Zhang
- St Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U1163, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Laurent Casanova
- St Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U1163, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
- Department of Pediatrics, Necker Hospital for Sick Children, Paris, France
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Thomas S. Carroll
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - J. Fraser Glickman
- Fisher Drug Discovery Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Eleftherios Michailidis
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Brandon Razooky
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Margaret R. MacDonald
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Charles M. Rice
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
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17
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Jaganathan R, Kumaradhas P. Structural insights into Furin enzyme inhibition to block SARS-CoV-2 spike protein cleavage: an in-silico approach. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:213. [PMID: 39193012 PMCID: PMC11345345 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-04054-y] [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: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the binding affinity and interactions of the Furin enzyme with two inhibitors, Naphthofluorescein and decanoyl-RVKR-chloromethylketone (CMK), using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Molecular docking results showed binding affinities of - 9.18 kcal/mol for CMK and - 5.39 kcal/mol for Naphthofluorescein. To further understand the stability and conformational changes of these complexes, MD simulations were performed. Despite CMK's favorable docking score, MD simulations revealed that its binding interactions at the Furin-active site were unstable, with significant changes observed during the simulation. In contrast, Naphthofluorescein maintained strong and stable interactions throughout the MD simulation, as confirmed by RMSD and RMSF analyses. The binding-free-energy analysis also supported the stability of Naphthofluorescein. These findings indicate that Naphthofluorescein exhibits greater stability and binding affinity as a Furin inhibitor compared to CMK. The results of this in-silico study suggest that Naphthofluorescein, along with CMK, holds the potential for repurposing as a treatment for COVID-19, subject to further validation through clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramakrishnan Jaganathan
- Centre for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 602 105 India
| | - Poomani Kumaradhas
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, 636 011 India
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18
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Fry H, Mazidi M, Kartsonaki C, Clarke R, Walters RG, Chen Z, Millwood IY. The Role of Furin and Its Therapeutic Potential in Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9237. [PMID: 39273186 PMCID: PMC11394739 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179237] [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: 07/12/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Furin is an important proteolytic enzyme, converting several proteins from inactive precursors to their active forms. Recently, proteo-genomic analyses in European and East Asian populations suggested a causal association of furin with ischaemic heart disease, and there is growing interest in its role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) aetiology. In this narrative review, we present a critical appraisal of evidence from population studies to assess furin's role in CVD risk and potential as a drug target for CVD. Whilst most observational studies report positive associations between furin expression and CVD risk, some studies report opposing effects, which may reflect the complex biological roles of furin and its substrates. Genetic variation in FURIN is also associated with CVD and its risk factors. We found no evidence of current clinical development of furin as a drug target for CVD, although several phase 1 and 2 clinical trials of furin inhibitors as a type of cancer immunotherapy have been completed. The growing field of proteo-genomics in large-scale population studies may inform the future development of furin and other potential drug targets to improve the treatment and prevention of CVD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Fry
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Mohsen Mazidi
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | | | - Robert Clarke
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Robin G Walters
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Zhengming Chen
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Iona Y Millwood
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
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19
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Atemin A, Ivanova A, Peppel W, Stamatov R, Gallegos R, Durden H, Uzunova S, Vershinin MD, Saffarian S, Stoynov SS. Kinetic Landscape of Single Virus-like Particles Highlights the Efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 Internalization. Viruses 2024; 16:1341. [PMID: 39205315 PMCID: PMC11359012 DOI: 10.3390/v16081341] [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: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The efficiency of virus internalization into target cells is a major determinant of infectivity. SARS-CoV-2 internalization occurs via S-protein-mediated cell binding followed either by direct fusion with the plasma membrane or endocytosis and subsequent fusion with the endosomal membrane. Despite the crucial role of virus internalization, the precise kinetics of the processes involved remains elusive. We developed a pipeline, which combines live-cell microscopy and advanced image analysis, for measuring the rates of multiple internalization-associated molecular events of single SARS-CoV-2-virus-like particles (VLPs), including endosome ingression and pH change. Our live-cell imaging experiments demonstrate that only a few minutes after binding to the plasma membrane, VLPs ingress into RAP5-negative endosomes via dynamin-dependent scission. Less than two minutes later, VLP speed increases in parallel with a pH drop below 5, yet these two events are not interrelated. By co-imaging fluorescently labeled nucleocapsid proteins, we show that nucleocapsid release occurs with similar kinetics to VLP acidification. Neither Omicron mutations nor abrogation of the S protein polybasic cleavage site affected the rate of VLP internalization, indicating that they do not confer any significant advantages or disadvantages during this process. Finally, we observe that VLP internalization occurs two to three times faster in VeroE6 than in A549 cells, which may contribute to the greater susceptibility of the former cell line to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Taken together, our precise measurements of the kinetics of VLP internalization-associated processes shed light on their contribution to the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 propagation in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandar Atemin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 21, G. Bontchev Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (A.A.); (A.I.); (R.S.); (S.U.)
| | - Aneliya Ivanova
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 21, G. Bontchev Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (A.A.); (A.I.); (R.S.); (S.U.)
| | - Wiley Peppel
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; (W.P.); (R.G.); (H.D.)
- Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Rumen Stamatov
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 21, G. Bontchev Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (A.A.); (A.I.); (R.S.); (S.U.)
| | - Rodrigo Gallegos
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; (W.P.); (R.G.); (H.D.)
- Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Haley Durden
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; (W.P.); (R.G.); (H.D.)
- Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Sonya Uzunova
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 21, G. Bontchev Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (A.A.); (A.I.); (R.S.); (S.U.)
| | - Michael D. Vershinin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; (W.P.); (R.G.); (H.D.)
- Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Saveez Saffarian
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; (W.P.); (R.G.); (H.D.)
- Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Stoyno S. Stoynov
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 21, G. Bontchev Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (A.A.); (A.I.); (R.S.); (S.U.)
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20
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Su J, Song Y, Zhu Z, Huang X, Fan J, Qiao J, Mao F. Cell-cell communication: new insights and clinical implications. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:196. [PMID: 39107318 PMCID: PMC11382761 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01888-z] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Multicellular organisms are composed of diverse cell types that must coordinate their behaviors through communication. Cell-cell communication (CCC) is essential for growth, development, differentiation, tissue and organ formation, maintenance, and physiological regulation. Cells communicate through direct contact or at a distance using ligand-receptor interactions. So cellular communication encompasses two essential processes: cell signal conduction for generation and intercellular transmission of signals, and cell signal transduction for reception and procession of signals. Deciphering intercellular communication networks is critical for understanding cell differentiation, development, and metabolism. First, we comprehensively review the historical milestones in CCC studies, followed by a detailed description of the mechanisms of signal molecule transmission and the importance of the main signaling pathways they mediate in maintaining biological functions. Then we systematically introduce a series of human diseases caused by abnormalities in cell communication and their progress in clinical applications. Finally, we summarize various methods for monitoring cell interactions, including cell imaging, proximity-based chemical labeling, mechanical force analysis, downstream analysis strategies, and single-cell technologies. These methods aim to illustrate how biological functions depend on these interactions and the complexity of their regulatory signaling pathways to regulate crucial physiological processes, including tissue homeostasis, cell development, and immune responses in diseases. In addition, this review enhances our understanding of the biological processes that occur after cell-cell binding, highlighting its application in discovering new therapeutic targets and biomarkers related to precision medicine. This collective understanding provides a foundation for developing new targeted drugs and personalized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimeng Su
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Cancer Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ying Song
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Cancer Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhipeng Zhu
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Cancer Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyue Huang
- Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University-the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jibiao Fan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, China.
| | - Fengbiao Mao
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
- Cancer Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
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21
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Daniels A, Padariya M, Fletcher S, Ball K, Singh A, Carragher N, Hupp T, Tait-Burkard C, Kalathiya U. Molecules targeting a novel homotrimer cavity of Spike protein attenuate replication of SARS-CoV-2. Antiviral Res 2024; 228:105949. [PMID: 38942150 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105949] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein (S) utilizes a unique trimeric conformation to interact with the ACE2 receptor on host cells, making it a prime target for inhibitors that block viral entry. We have previously identified a novel proteinaceous cavity within the Spike protein homotrimer that could serve as a binding site for small molecules. However, it is not known whether these molecules would inhibit, stimulate, or have no effect on viral replication. To address this, we employed structural-based screening to identify small molecules that dock into the trimer cavity and assessed their impact on viral replication. Our findings show that a cohort of identified small molecules binding to the Spike trimer cavity effectively reduces the replication of various SARS-CoV-2 variants. These molecules exhibited inhibitory effects on B.1 (European original, D614G, EDB2) and B.1.617.2 (δ) variants, while showing moderate activity against the B.1.1.7 (α) variant. We further categorized these molecules into distinct groups based on their structural similarities. Our experiments demonstrated a dose-dependent viral replication inhibitory activity of these compounds, with some, like BCC0040453 exhibiting no adverse effects on cell viability even at high concentrations. Further investigation revealed that pre-incubating virions with compounds like BCC0031216 at different temperatures significantly inhibited viral replication, suggesting their specificity towards the S protein. Overall, our study highlights the inhibitory impact of a diverse set of chemical molecules on the biological activity of the Spike protein. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of the trimer cavity in the viral replication cycle and aid drug discovery programs aimed at targeting the coronavirus family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Daniels
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Monikaben Padariya
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, ul. Kładki 24, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Sarah Fletcher
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn Ball
- University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ashita Singh
- University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Carragher
- University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ted Hupp
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, ul. Kładki 24, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland; University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Tait-Burkard
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, United Kingdom.
| | - Umesh Kalathiya
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, ul. Kładki 24, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland.
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22
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Izadi A, Nordenfelt P. Protective non-neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies. Trends Immunol 2024; 45:609-624. [PMID: 39034185 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2024.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies show an important role for non-neutralizing anti-spike antibodies, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), in robustly protecting against SARS-CoV-2 infection. These mAbs use Fc-mediated functions such as complement activation, phagocytosis, and cellular cytotoxicity. There is an untapped potential for using non-neutralizing mAbs in durable antibody treatments; because of their available conserved epitopes, they may not be as sensitive to virus mutations as neutralizing mAbs. Here, we discuss evidence of non-neutralizing mAb-mediated protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. We explore how non-neutralizing mAb Fc-mediated functions can be enhanced via novel antibody-engineering techniques. Important questions remain to be answered regarding the characteristics of protective non-neutralizing mAbs, including the models and assays used for study, the risks of ensuing detrimental inflammation, as well as the durability and mechanisms of protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Izadi
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Division of Infection Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pontus Nordenfelt
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Division of Infection Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Microbiology, Skåne University Hospital Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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23
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Chen X, Kalyar F, Chughtai AA, MacIntyre CR. Use of a risk assessment tool to determine the origin of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2024; 44:1896-1906. [PMID: 38488186 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
The origin of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is contentious. Most studies have focused on a zoonotic origin, but definitive evidence such as an intermediary animal host is lacking. We used an established risk analysis tool for differentiating natural and unnatural epidemics, the modified Grunow-Finke assessment tool (mGFT) to study the origin of SARS-COV-2. The mGFT scores 11 criteria to provide a likelihood of natural or unnatural origin. Using published literature and publicly available sources of information, we applied the mGFT to the origin of SARS-CoV-2. The mGFT scored 41/60 points (68%), with high inter-rater reliability (100%), indicating a greater likelihood of an unnatural than natural origin of SARS-CoV-2. This risk assessment cannot prove the origin of SARS-CoV-2 but shows that the possibility of a laboratory origin cannot be easily dismissed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Fatema Kalyar
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Abrar Ahmad Chughtai
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chandini Raina MacIntyre
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- College of Public Service & Community Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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24
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Schön J, Barut GT, Trüeb BS, Halwe NJ, Berenguer Veiga I, Kratzel A, Ulrich L, Kelly JN, Brügger M, Wylezich C, Taddeo A, Aguiar Moreira E, Túrós D, Grau-Roma L, Ahrens AK, Schlottau K, Britzke T, Breithaupt A, Corleis B, Kochmann J, Oliveira Esteves BI, Almeida L, Thomann L, Devisme C, Stalder H, Steiner S, Ochsenbein S, Schmied K, Labroussaa F, Jores J, V'kovski P, Cmiljanovic V, Alves MP, Benarafa C, Ebert N, Hoffmann D, Beer M, Thiel V. A safe, effective and adaptable live-attenuated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to reduce disease and transmission using one-to-stop genome modifications. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:2099-2112. [PMID: 38997518 PMCID: PMC11306094 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01755-1] [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: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Approved vaccines are effective against severe COVID-19, but broader immunity is needed against new variants and transmission. Therefore, we developed genome-modified live-attenuated vaccines (LAV) by recoding the SARS-CoV-2 genome, including 'one-to-stop' (OTS) codons, disabling Nsp1 translational repression and removing ORF6, 7ab and 8 to boost host immune responses, as well as the spike polybasic cleavage site to optimize the safety profile. The resulting OTS-modified SARS-CoV-2 LAVs, designated as OTS-206 and OTS-228, are genetically stable and can be intranasally administered, while being adjustable and sustainable regarding the level of attenuation. OTS-228 exhibits an optimal safety profile in preclinical animal models, with no side effects or detectable transmission. A single-dose vaccination induces a sterilizing immunity in vivo against homologous WT SARS-CoV-2 challenge infection and a broad protection against Omicron BA.2, BA.5 and XBB.1.5, with reduced transmission. Finally, this promising LAV approach could be applicable to other emerging viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Schön
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - G Tuba Barut
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bettina Salome Trüeb
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nico Joel Halwe
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Inês Berenguer Veiga
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Annika Kratzel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lorenz Ulrich
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jenna N Kelly
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany
| | - Melanie Brügger
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Wylezich
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Adriano Taddeo
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Etori Aguiar Moreira
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Demeter Túrós
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Llorenç Grau-Roma
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ann Kathrin Ahrens
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Kore Schlottau
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Tobias Britzke
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Angele Breithaupt
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Björn Corleis
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jana Kochmann
- Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Blandina I Oliveira Esteves
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lea Almeida
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Thomann
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christelle Devisme
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hanspeter Stalder
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Silvio Steiner
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Ochsenbein
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kimberly Schmied
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fabien Labroussaa
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Jores
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Marco P Alves
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Charaf Benarafa
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nadine Ebert
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Donata Hoffmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany.
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany.
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25
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Peña-Hernández MA, Alfajaro MM, Filler RB, Moriyama M, Keeler EL, Ranglin ZE, Kong Y, Mao T, Menasche BL, Mankowski MC, Zhao Z, Vogels CBF, Hahn AM, Kalinich CC, Zhang S, Huston N, Wan H, Araujo-Tavares R, Lindenbach BD, Homer R, Pyle AM, Martinez DR, Grubaugh ND, Israelow B, Iwasaki A, Wilen CB. SARS-CoV-2-related bat viruses evade human intrinsic immunity but lack efficient transmission capacity. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:2038-2050. [PMID: 39075235 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01765-z] [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: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Circulating bat coronaviruses represent a pandemic threat. However, our understanding of bat coronavirus pathogenesis and transmission potential is limited by the lack of phenotypically characterized strains. We created molecular clones for the two closest known relatives of SARS-CoV-2, BANAL-52 and BANAL-236. We demonstrated that BANAL-CoVs and SARS-CoV-2 have similar replication kinetics in human bronchial epithelial cells. However, BANAL-CoVs have impaired replication in human nasal epithelial cells and in the upper airway of mice. We also observed reduced pathogenesis in mice and diminished transmission in hamsters. Further, we observed that diverse bat coronaviruses evade interferon and downregulate major histocompatibility complex class I. Collectively, our study demonstrates that despite high genetic similarity across bat coronaviruses, prediction of pandemic potential of a virus necessitates functional characterization. Finally, the restriction of bat coronavirus replication in the upper airway highlights that transmission potential and innate immune restriction can be uncoupled in this high-risk family of emerging viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario A Peña-Hernández
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mia Madel Alfajaro
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Renata B Filler
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Miyu Moriyama
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Emma L Keeler
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zara E Ranglin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yong Kong
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tianyang Mao
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bridget L Menasche
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Madeleine C Mankowski
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zhe Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chantal B F Vogels
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Anne M Hahn
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chaney C Kalinich
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicholas Huston
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Han Wan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rafael Araujo-Tavares
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brett D Lindenbach
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert Homer
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Anna Marie Pyle
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - David R Martinez
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nathan D Grubaugh
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Benjamin Israelow
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
| | - Craig B Wilen
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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26
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Nguyen HL, Hieu HK, Nguyen TQ, Nhung NTA, Li MS. Neuropilin-1 Protein May Serve as a Receptor for SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Evidence from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:7141-7147. [PMID: 39010661 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c03119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The binding of the virus to host cells is the first step in viral infection. Human cell angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the most popular receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), while other receptors have recently been observed in experiments. Neuropilin-1 protein (NRP1) is one of them, but the mechanism of its binding to the wild type (WT) and different variants of the virus remain unclear at the atomic level. In this work, all-atom umbrella sampling simulations were performed to clarify the binding mechanism of NRP1 to the spike protein fragments 679-685 of the WT, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 variants. We found that the Delta variant binds most strongly to NRP1, while the affinity for Omicron BA.1 slightly decreases for NRP1 compared to that of WT, and the van der Waals interaction plays a key role in stabilizing the studied complexes. The change in the protonation state of the His amino acid results in different binding free energies between variants. Consistent with the experiment, decreasing the pH was shown to increase the binding affinity of the virus to NRP1. Our results indicate that Delta and Omicron mutations not only affect fusogenicity but also affect NRP1 binding. In addition, we argue that viral evolution does not further improve NRP1 binding affinity which remains in the μM range but may increase immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoang Linh Nguyen
- Institute of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Duy Tan University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- Faculty of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Duy Tan University, 03 Quang Trung, Hai Chau, Da Nang 550000, Viet Nam
| | - Ho Khac Hieu
- Faculty of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Duy Tan University, 03 Quang Trung, Hai Chau, Da Nang 550000, Viet Nam
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, 03 Quang Trung, Hai Chau, Da Nang 550000, Viet Nam
| | - Thai Quoc Nguyen
- Dong Thap University, 783 Pham Huu Lau Street, Ward 6, Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap 81000, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen Thi Ai Nhung
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sciences, Hue University, Hue 530000, Vietnam
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnikow 32/46, Warsaw 02-668, Poland
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27
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Datta G, Rezagholizadeh N, Hasler WA, Khan N, Chen X. SLC38A9 regulates SARS-CoV-2 viral entry. iScience 2024; 27:110387. [PMID: 39071889 PMCID: PMC11277692 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 viral entry into host cells depends on the cleavage of spike (S) protein into S1 and S2 proteins. Such proteolytic cleavage by furin results in the exposure of a multibasic motif on S1, which is critical for SARS-CoV-2 viral infection and transmission; however, how such a multibasic motif contributes to the infection of SARS-CoV-2 remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the multibasic motif on S1 is critical for its interaction with SLC38A9, an endolysosome-resident arginine sensor. SLC38A9 knockdown prevents S1-induced endolysosome de-acidification and blocks the S protein-mediated entry of pseudo-SARS-CoV-2 in Calu-3, U87MG, Caco-2, and A549 cells. Our findings provide a novel mechanism in regulating SARS-CoV-2 viral entry; S1 present in endolysosome lumen could interact with SLC38A9, which mediates S1-induced endolysosome de-acidification and dysfunction, facilitating the escape of SARS-CoV-2 from endolysosomes and enhancing viral entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Datta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Neda Rezagholizadeh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Wendie A. Hasler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Nabab Khan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Xuesong Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
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28
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Tse AL, Acreman CM, Ricardo-Lax I, Berrigan J, Lasso G, Balogun T, Kearns FL, Casalino L, McClain GL, Chandran AM, Lemeunier C, Amaro RE, Rice CM, Jangra RK, McLellan JS, Chandran K, Miller EH. Distinct pathway for evolution of enhanced receptor binding and cell entry in SARS-like bat coronaviruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.24.600393. [PMID: 38979151 PMCID: PMC11230278 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.24.600393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the zoonotic risks posed by bat coronaviruses (CoVs) is critical for pandemic preparedness. Herein, we generated recombinant vesicular stomatitis viruses (rVSVs) bearing spikes from divergent bat CoVs to investigate their cell entry mechanisms. Unexpectedly, the successful recovery of rVSVs bearing the spike from SHC014, a SARS-like bat CoV, was associated with the acquisition of a novel substitution in the S2 fusion peptide-proximal region (FPPR). This substitution enhanced viral entry in both VSV and coronavirus contexts by increasing the availability of the spike receptor-binding domain to recognize its cellular receptor, ACE2. A second substitution in the spike N-terminal domain, uncovered through forward-genetic selection, interacted epistatically with the FPPR substitution to synergistically enhance spike:ACE2 interaction and viral entry. Our findings identify genetic pathways for adaptation by bat CoVs during spillover and host-to-host transmission, fitness trade-offs inherent to these pathways, and potential Achilles' heels that could be targeted with countermeasures.
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29
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Chan JFW, Yuan S, Chu H, Sridhar S, Yuen KY. COVID-19 drug discovery and treatment options. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:391-407. [PMID: 38622352 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01036-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused substantial morbidity and mortality, and serious social and economic disruptions worldwide. Unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated older individuals with underlying diseases are especially prone to severe disease. In patients with non-fatal disease, long COVID affecting multiple body systems may persist for months. Unlike SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, which have either been mitigated or remained geographically restricted, SARS-CoV-2 has disseminated globally and is likely to continue circulating in humans with possible emergence of new variants that may render vaccines less effective. Thus, safe, effective and readily available COVID-19 therapeutics are urgently needed. In this Review, we summarize the major drug discovery approaches, preclinical antiviral evaluation models, representative virus-targeting and host-targeting therapeutic options, and key therapeutics currently in clinical use for COVID-19. Preparedness against future coronavirus pandemics relies not only on effective vaccines but also on broad-spectrum antivirals targeting conserved viral components or universal host targets, and new therapeutics that can precisely modulate the immune response during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Shuofeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Hin Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Siddharth Sridhar
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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30
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Jiang X, Li D, Maghsoudloo M, Zhang X, Ma W, Fu J. Targeting furin, a cellular proprotein convertase, for COVID-19 prevention and therapeutics. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104026. [PMID: 38762086 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104026] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has triggered an international outbreak of the highly contagious acute respiratory disease known as COVID-19. Identifying key targets in the virus infection lifecycle is crucial for developing effective prevention and therapeutic strategies against it. Furin is a serine endoprotease that belongs to the family of proprotein convertases and plays a critical role in the entry of host cells by SARS-CoV-2. Furin can cleave a specific S1/S2 site, PRRAR, on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which promotes viral transmission by facilitating membrane fusion. Hence, targeting furin could hold clinical implications for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. This review offers an overview of furin's structure, substrates, function, and inhibitors, with a focus on its potential role in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China; The State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau
| | - Dabing Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Mazaher Maghsoudloo
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xinghai Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Wenzhe Ma
- The State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau.
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
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31
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Salgado-Benvindo C, Tas A, Zevenhoven-Dobbe JC, van der Meer Y, Sidorov IA, Leijs AA, Wanningen P, Gelderloos AT, van Kasteren PB, Snijder EJ, van Hemert MJ. Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 replication in human H1299/ACE2 cells: A versatile and practical infection model for antiviral research and beyond. Antiviral Res 2024; 227:105903. [PMID: 38723907 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105903] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
A range of cell culture infection models have been used to study SARS-CoV-2 and perform antiviral drug research. Commonly used African green monkey Vero, human lung-derived Calu-3 and ACE2+TMPRSS2-expressing A549 cells, each have their limitations. Here, we describe human ACE2-expressing H1299 lung cells as a more efficient and robust model for SARS-CoV-2 research. These cells are as easy to handle as Vero cells, support SARS-CoV-2 replication to high titers, display a functional innate immune response and are suitable for plaque assays, microscopy, the production of (genetically stable) virus stocks and antiviral assays. H1299/ACE2-based (CPE reduction) assays can be performed without adding a P-gP drug efflux pump inhibitor, which is often required in Vero-based assays. Moreover, H1299/ACE2 cells allowed us to perform CPE reduction assays with omicron variants that did not work in Vero-based assays. In summary, H1299/ACE2 cells are a versatile infection model to study SARS-CoV-2 replication in the context of antiviral drug development and virus-host interaction studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarisse Salgado-Benvindo
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ali Tas
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jessika C Zevenhoven-Dobbe
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Yvonne van der Meer
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Igor A Sidorov
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Anouk A Leijs
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Patrick Wanningen
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Anne T Gelderloos
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Puck B van Kasteren
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Eric J Snijder
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn J van Hemert
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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32
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Lubinski B, Whittaker GR. Host Cell Proteases Involved in Human Respiratory Viral Infections and Their Inhibitors: A Review. Viruses 2024; 16:984. [PMID: 38932275 PMCID: PMC11209347 DOI: 10.3390/v16060984] [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: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Viral tropism is most commonly linked to receptor use, but host cell protease use can be a notable factor in susceptibility to infection. Here we review the use of host cell proteases by human viruses, focusing on those with primarily respiratory tropism, particularly SARS-CoV-2. We first describe the various classes of proteases present in the respiratory tract, as well as elsewhere in the body, and incorporate the targeting of these proteases as therapeutic drugs for use in humans. Host cell proteases are also linked to the systemic spread of viruses and play important roles outside of the respiratory tract; therefore, we address how proteases affect viruses across the spectrum of infections that can occur in humans, intending to understand the extrapulmonary spread of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey Lubinski
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA;
| | - Gary R. Whittaker
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology and Public & Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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33
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Rodriguez-Espada A, Salgado-de la Mora M, Rodriguez-Paniagua BM, Limon-de la Rosa N, Martinez-Gutierrez MI, Pastrana-Brandes S, Navarro-Alvarez N. Histopathological impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the liver: Cellular damage and long-term complications. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30:2866-2880. [PMID: 38947288 PMCID: PMC11212712 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i22.2866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the highly pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), primarily impacts the respiratory tract and can lead to severe outcomes such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ failure, and death. Despite extensive studies on the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2, its impact on the hepatobiliary system remains unclear. While liver injury is commonly indicated by reduced albumin and elevated bilirubin and transaminase levels, the exact source of this damage is not fully understood. Proposed mechanisms for injury include direct cytotoxicity, collateral damage from inflammation, drug-induced liver injury, and ischemia/hypoxia. However, evidence often relies on blood tests with liver enzyme abnormalities. In this comprehensive review, we focused solely on the different histopathological manifestations of liver injury in COVID-19 patients, drawing from liver biopsies, complete autopsies, and in vitro liver analyses. We present evidence of the direct impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the liver, substantiated by in vitro observations of viral entry mechanisms and the actual presence of viral particles in liver samples resulting in a variety of cellular changes, including mitochondrial swelling, endoplasmic reticulum dilatation, and hepatocyte apoptosis. Additionally, we describe the diverse liver pathology observed during COVID-19 infection, encompassing necrosis, steatosis, cholestasis, and lobular inflammation. We also discuss the emergence of long-term complications, notably COVID-19-related secondary sclerosing cholangitis. Recognizing the histopathological liver changes occurring during COVID-19 infection is pivotal for improving patient recovery and guiding decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Rodriguez-Espada
- Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad Panamericana School of Medicine, Campus México, Mexico 03920, Mexico
| | - Moises Salgado-de la Mora
- Department of Internal Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico 14080, Mexico
| | | | - Nathaly Limon-de la Rosa
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO 80045, United States
| | | | - Santiago Pastrana-Brandes
- Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad Panamericana School of Medicine, Campus México, Mexico 03920, Mexico
| | - Nalu Navarro-Alvarez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad Panamericana School of Medicine, Campus México, Mexico 03920, Mexico
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO 80045, United States
- Department of Gastroenterology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico 14080, Mexico
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Hone AJ, Santiago U, Harvey PJ, Tekarli B, Gajewiak J, Craik DJ, Camacho CJ, McIntosh JM. Design, Synthesis, and Structure-Activity Relationships of Novel Peptide Derivatives of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 Spike-Protein that Potently Inhibit Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9587-9598. [PMID: 38814877 PMCID: PMC11444331 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00735] [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] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The spike-protein of SARS-CoV-2 has a distinctive amino-acid sequence (682RRARS686) that forms a cleavage site for the enzyme furin. Strikingly, the structure of the spike-protein loop containing the furin cleavage site bears substantial similarity to neurotoxin peptides found in the venoms of certain snakes and marine cone snails. Leveraging this relationship, we designed and synthesized disulfide-constrained peptides with amino-acid sequences corresponding to the furin cleavage-sites of wild-type (B.1 variant) SARS-CoV-2 or the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants. Remarkably, some of these peptides potently inhibited α7 and α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) with nM affinity and showed SARS-CoV-2 variant and nAChR subtype-dependent potencies. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular dynamics were used to rationalize structure-activity relationships between peptides and their cognate receptors. These findings delineate nAChR subtypes that can serve as high-affinity spike-protein targets in tissues central to COVID-19 pathophysiology and identify ligands and target receptors to inform the development of novel SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arik J Hone
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
- MIRECC, George E. Whalen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah 84148, United States
| | - Ulises Santiago
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Peta J Harvey
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Bassel Tekarli
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Joanna Gajewiak
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Carlos J Camacho
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - J Michael McIntosh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
- George E. Whalen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah 84148, United States
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Hussain B, Wu C. Evolutionary and Phylogenetic Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Variants: A Genetic Comparative Study of Taiyuan and Wuhan Cities of China. Viruses 2024; 16:907. [PMID: 38932199 PMCID: PMC11209594 DOI: 10.3390/v16060907] [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: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome-containing virus which has infected millions of people all over the world. The virus has been mutating rapidly enough, resulting in the emergence of new variants and sub-variants which have reportedly been spread from Wuhan city in China, the epicenter of the virus, to the rest of China and all over the world. The occurrence of mutations in the viral genome, especially in the viral spike protein region, has resulted in the evolution of multiple variants and sub-variants which gives the virus the benefit of host immune evasion and thus renders modern-day vaccines and therapeutics ineffective. Therefore, there is a continuous need to study the genetic characteristics and evolutionary dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 variants. Hence, in this study, a total of 832 complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 variants from the cities of Taiyuan and Wuhan in China was genetically characterized and their phylogenetic and evolutionary dynamics studied using phylogenetics, genetic similarity, and phylogenetic network analyses. This study shows that the four most prevalent lineages in Taiyuan and Wuhan are as follows: the Omicron lineages EG.5.1.1, followed by HK.3, FY.3, and XBB.1.16 (Pangolin classification), and clades 23F (EG.5.1), followed by 23H (HK.3), 22F (XBB), and 23D (XBB.1.9) (Nextclade classification), and lineage B followed by the Omicron FY.3, lineage A, and Omicron FL.2.3 (Pangolin classification), and the clades 19A, followed by 22F (XBB), 23F (EG.5.1), and 23H (HK.3) (Nextclade classification), respectively. Furthermore, our genetic similarity analysis show that the SARS-CoV-2 clade 19A-B.4 from Wuhan (name starting with 412981) has the least genetic similarity of about 95.5% in the spike region of the genome as compared to the query sequence of Omicron XBB.2.3.2 from Taiyuan (name starting with 18495234), followed by the Omicron FR.1.4 from Taiyuan (name starting with 18495199) with ~97.2% similarity and Omicron DY.3 (name starting with 17485740) with ~97.9% similarity. The rest of the variants showed ≥98% similarity with the query sequence of Omicron XBB.2.3.2 from Taiyuan (name starting with 18495234). In addition, our recombination analysis results show that the SARS-CoV-2 variants have three statistically significant recombinant events which could have possibly resulted in the emergence of Omicron XBB.1.16 (recombination event 3), FY.3 (recombination event 5), and FL.2.4 (recombination event 7), suggesting some very important information regarding viral evolution. Also, our phylogenetic tree and network analyses show that there are a total of 14 clusters and more than 10,000 mutations which may have probably resulted in the emergence of cluster-I, followed by 47 mutations resulting in the emergence of cluster-II and so on. The clustering of the viral variants of both cities reveals significant information regarding the phylodynamics of the virus among them. The results of our temporal phylogenetic analysis suggest that the variants of Taiyuan have likely emerged as independent variants separate from the variants of Wuhan. This study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first ever genetic comparative study between Taiyuan and Wuhan cities in China. This study will help us better understand the virus and cope with the emergence and spread of new variants at a local as well as an international level, and keep the public health authorities informed for them to make better decisions in designing new viral vaccines and therapeutics. It will also help the outbreak investigators to better examine any future outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behzad Hussain
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanxi University, 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, China;
- Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Cell Biology, Shanxi University, 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Changxin Wu
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanxi University, 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, China;
- Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Cell Biology, Shanxi University, 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of National Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, China
- Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Major Infectious Disease Response, Taiyuan 030006, China
- The Fourth People’s Hospital of Taiyuan, Taiyuan 030006, China
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Fujita S, Plianchaisuk A, Deguchi S, Ito H, Nao N, Wang L, Nasser H, Tamura T, Kimura I, Kashima Y, Suzuki R, Suzuki S, Kida I, Tsuda M, Oda Y, Hashimoto R, Watanabe Y, Uriu K, Yamasoba D, Guo Z, Hinay AA, Kosugi Y, Chen L, Pan L, Kaku Y, Chu H, Donati F, Temmam S, Eloit M, Yamamoto Y, Nagamoto T, Asakura H, Nagashima M, Sadamasu K, Yoshimura K, Suzuki Y, Ito J, Ikeda T, Tanaka S, Matsuno K, Fukuhara T, Takayama K, Sato K. Virological characteristics of a SARS-CoV-2-related bat coronavirus, BANAL-20-236. EBioMedicine 2024; 104:105181. [PMID: 38838469 PMCID: PMC11215962 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105181] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although several SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses (SC2r-CoVs) were discovered in bats and pangolins, the differences in virological characteristics between SARS-CoV-2 and SC2r-CoVs remain poorly understood. Recently, BANAL-20-236 (B236) was isolated from a rectal swab of Malayan horseshoe bat and was found to lack a furin cleavage site (FCS) in the spike (S) protein. The comparison of its virological characteristics with FCS-deleted SARS-CoV-2 (SC2ΔFCS) has not been conducted yet. METHODS We prepared human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived airway and lung epithelial cells and colon organoids as human organ-relevant models. B236, SARS-CoV-2, and artificially generated SC2ΔFCS were used for viral experiments. To investigate the pathogenicity of B236 in vivo, we conducted intranasal infection experiments in hamsters. FINDINGS In human iPSC-derived airway epithelial cells, the growth of B236 was significantly lower than that of the SC2ΔFCS. A fusion assay showed that the B236 and SC2ΔFCS S proteins were less fusogenic than the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. The infection experiment in hamsters showed that B236 was less pathogenic than SARS-CoV-2 and even SC2ΔFCS. Interestingly, in human colon organoids, the growth of B236 was significantly greater than that of SARS-CoV-2. INTERPRETATION Compared to SARS-CoV-2, we demonstrated that B236 exhibited a tropism toward intestinal cells rather than respiratory cells. Our results are consistent with a previous report showing that B236 is enterotropic in macaques. Altogether, our report strengthens the assumption that SC2r-CoVs in horseshoe bats replicate primarily in the intestinal tissues rather than respiratory tissues. FUNDING This study was supported in part by AMED ASPIRE (JP23jf0126002, to Keita Matsuno, Kazuo Takayama, and Kei Sato); AMED SCARDA Japan Initiative for World-leading Vaccine Research and Development Centers "UTOPIA" (JP223fa627001, to Kei Sato), AMED SCARDA Program on R&D of new generation vaccine including new modality application (JP223fa727002, to Kei Sato); AMED SCARDA Hokkaido University Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD) (JP223fa627005h0001, to Takasuke Fukuhara, and Keita Matsuno); AMED Research Program on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (JP21fk0108574, to Hesham Nasser; JP21fk0108493, to Takasuke Fukuhara; JP22fk0108617 to Takasuke Fukuhara; JP22fk0108146, to Kei Sato; JP21fk0108494 to G2P-Japan Consortium, Keita Matsuno, Shinya Tanaka, Terumasa Ikeda, Takasuke Fukuhara, and Kei Sato; JP21fk0108425, to Kazuo Takayama and Kei Sato; JP21fk0108432, to Kazuo Takayama, Takasuke Fukuhara and Kei Sato; JP22fk0108534, Terumasa Ikeda, and Kei Sato; JP22fk0108511, to Yuki Yamamoto, Terumasa Ikeda, Keita Matsuno, Shinya Tanaka, Kazuo Takayama, Takasuke Fukuhara, and Kei Sato; JP22fk0108506, to Kazuo Takayama and Kei Sato); AMED Research Program on HIV/AIDS (JP22fk0410055, to Terumasa Ikeda; and JP22fk0410039, to Kei Sato); AMED Japan Program for Infectious Diseases Research and Infrastructure (JP22wm0125008 to Keita Matsuno); AMED CREST (JP21gm1610005, to Kazuo Takayama; JP22gm1610008, to Takasuke Fukuhara; JST PRESTO (JPMJPR22R1, to Jumpei Ito); JST CREST (JPMJCR20H4, to Kei Sato); JSPS KAKENHI Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (International Leading Research) (JP23K20041, to G2P-Japan Consortium, Keita Matsuno, Takasuke Fukuhara and Kei Sato); JST SPRING (JPMJSP2108 to Shigeru Fujita); JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research C (22K07103, to Terumasa Ikeda); JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research B (21H02736, to Takasuke Fukuhara); JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists (22K16375, to Hesham Nasser; 20K15767, to Jumpei Ito); JSPS Core-to-Core Program (A. Advanced Research Networks) (JPJSCCA20190008, to Kei Sato); JSPS Research Fellow DC2 (22J11578, to Keiya Uriu); JSPS Research Fellow DC1 (23KJ0710, to Yusuke Kosugi); JSPS Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER) (to Terumasa Ikeda); World-leading Innovative and Smart Education (WISE) Program 1801 from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (to Naganori Nao); Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) under grant 23HA2010 (to Naganori Nao and Keita Matsuno); The Cooperative Research Program (Joint Usage/Research Center program) of Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University (to Kei Sato); International Joint Research Project of the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo (to Terumasa Ikeda and Takasuke Fukuhara); The Tokyo Biochemical Research Foundation (to Kei Sato); Takeda Science Foundation (to Terumasa Ikeda and Takasuke Fukuhara); Mochida Memorial Foundation for Medical and Pharmaceutical Research (to Terumasa Ikeda); The Naito Foundation (to Terumasa Ikeda); Hokuto Foundation for Bioscience (to Tomokazu Tamura); Hirose Foundation (to Tomokazu Tamura); and Mitsubishi Foundation (to Kei Sato).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeru Fujita
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Arnon Plianchaisuk
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sayaka Deguchi
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hayato Ito
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Naganori Nao
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Cancer Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hesham Nasser
- Division of Molecular Virology and Genetics, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus infection, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan; Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Tomokazu Tamura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Izumi Kimura
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukie Kashima
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Rigel Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Saori Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Izumi Kida
- Division of Risk Analysis and Management, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masumi Tsuda
- Department of Cancer Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Oda
- Department of Cancer Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rina Hashimoto
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yukio Watanabe
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Keiya Uriu
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daichi Yamasoba
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Ziyi Guo
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Alfredo A Hinay
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kosugi
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Luo Chen
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Lin Pan
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yu Kaku
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hin Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Flora Donati
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3569, Molecular Genetics of RNA Viruses Unit, Paris, France; Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Paris, France
| | - Sarah Temmam
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, Paris, France; Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, The WOAH(OIE) Collaborating Center for the Detection and Identification in Humans of Emerging Animal Pathogens, Paris, France
| | - Marc Eloit
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, Paris, France; Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, The WOAH(OIE) Collaborating Center for the Detection and Identification in Humans of Emerging Animal Pathogens, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | - Mami Nagashima
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenji Sadamasu
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Yutaka Suzuki
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Jumpei Ito
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Terumasa Ikeda
- Division of Molecular Virology and Genetics, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus infection, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Shinya Tanaka
- Department of Cancer Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Keita Matsuno
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Division of Risk Analysis and Management, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Takasuke Fukuhara
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
| | - Kazuo Takayama
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Kei Sato
- Division of Systems Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan; International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan; International Vaccine Design Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Collaboration Unit for Infection, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus infection, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan; MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK.
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Liu X, Sun S, Liu J, Dang Q, Gao Y, Fang L, Min W. Isolation, Virtual Screening, and Evaluation of Hazelnut-Derived Immunoactive Peptides for the Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:11561-11576. [PMID: 38739709 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c01942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to validate the activity of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.)-derived immunoactive peptides inhibiting the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 and further unveil their interaction mechanism using in vitro assays, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and binding free energy calculations. In general, the enzymatic hydrolysis components, especially molecular weight < 3 kDa, possess good immune activity as measured by the proliferation ability of mouse splenic lymphocytes and phagocytic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages. Over 866 unique peptide sequences were isolated, purified, and then identified by nanohigh-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (NANO-HPLC-MS/MS) from hazelnut protein hydrolysates, but Trp-Trp-Asn-Leu-Asn (WWNLN) and Trp-Ala-Val-Leu-Lys (WAVLK) in particular are found to increase the cell viability and phagocytic capacity of RAW264.7 macrophages as well as promote the secretion of the cytokines nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay elucidated that WWNLN and WAVLK exhibit excellent inhibitory potency against Mpro, with IC50 values of 6.695 and 16.750 μM, respectively. Classical all-atom MD simulations show that hydrogen bonds play a pivotal role in stabilizing the complex conformation and protein-peptide interaction. Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) calculation indicates that WWNLN has a lower binding free energy with Mpro than WAVLK. Furthermore, adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) predictions illustrate favorable drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties of WWNLN compared to WAVLK. This study provides a new understanding of the immunomodulatory activity of hazelnut hydrolysates and sheds light on peptide inhibitors targeting Mpro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Liu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Shuo Sun
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Jiale Liu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Qiao Dang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Yawen Gao
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Li Fang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Weihong Min
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
- College of Food and Health, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, P. R. China
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38
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Wang S, Ran W, Sun L, Fan Q, Zhao Y, Wang B, Yang J, He Y, Wu Y, Wang Y, Chen L, Chuchuay A, You Y, Zhu X, Wang X, Chen Y, Wang Y, Chen YQ, Yuan Y, Zhao J, Mao Y. Sequential glycosylations at the multibasic cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein regulate viral activity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4162. [PMID: 38755139 PMCID: PMC11099032 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48503-x] [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: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The multibasic furin cleavage site at the S1/S2 boundary of the spike protein is a hallmark of SARS-CoV-2 and plays a crucial role in viral infection. However, the mechanism underlying furin activation and its regulation remain poorly understood. Here, we show that GalNAc-T3 and T7 jointly initiate clustered O-glycosylations in the furin cleavage site of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which inhibit furin processing, suppress the incorporation of the spike protein into virus-like-particles and affect viral infection. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the assembly of the spike protein into virus-like particles relies on interactions between the furin-cleaved spike protein and the membrane protein of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting a possible mechanism for furin activation. Interestingly, mutations in the spike protein of the alpha and delta variants of the virus confer resistance against glycosylation by GalNAc-T3 and T7. In the omicron variant, additional mutations reverse this resistance, making the spike protein susceptible to glycosylation in vitro and sensitive to GalNAc-T3 and T7 expression in human lung cells. Our findings highlight the role of glycosylation as a defense mechanism employed by host cells against SARS-CoV-2 and shed light on the evolutionary interplay between the host and the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjun Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lingyu Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingchi Fan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanqi Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Foshan Institute for Food and Drug Control, Foshan, China
| | - Bowen Wang
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jinghong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuqi He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Luoyi Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Arpaporn Chuchuay
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyu You
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinhai Zhu
- Instrumental Analysis & Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojuan Wang
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ye Chen
- Key Laboratory of Fujian-Taiwan Animal Pathogen Biology, College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yanqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao-Qing Chen
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanqiu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Anti-Infective Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jincun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Bio-island, Guangzhou, China.
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Yang Mao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Non-Clinical Evaluation and Research, Guangzhou, China.
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Brunet J, Choucha Z, Gransagne M, Tabbal H, Ku MW, Buchrieser J, Fernandes P, Batalie D, Lopez J, Ma L, Dufour E, Simon E, Hardy D, Petres S, Guinet F, Strick-Marchand H, Monot M, Charneau P, Majlessi L, Duprex WP, Gerke C, Martin A, Escriou N. A measles-vectored vaccine candidate expressing prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike protein brought to phase I/II clinical trials: candidate selection in a preclinical murine model. J Virol 2024; 98:e0169323. [PMID: 38563763 PMCID: PMC11210269 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01693-23] [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: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In the early COVID-19 pandemic with urgent need for countermeasures, we aimed at developing a replicating viral vaccine using the highly efficacious measles vaccine as vector, a promising technology with prior clinical proof of concept. Building on our successful pre-clinical development of a measles virus (MV)-based vaccine candidate against the related SARS-CoV, we evaluated several recombinant MV expressing codon-optimized SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Candidate V591 expressing a prefusion-stabilized spike through introduction of two proline residues in HR1 hinge loop, together with deleted S1/S2 furin cleavage site and additional inactivation of the endoplasmic reticulum retrieval signal, was the most potent in eliciting neutralizing antibodies in mice. After single immunization, V591 induced similar neutralization titers as observed in sera of convalescent patients. The cellular immune response was confirmed to be Th1 skewed. V591 conferred long-lasting protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in a murine model with marked decrease in viral RNA load, absence of detectable infectious virus loads, and reduced lesions in the lungs. V591 was furthermore efficacious in an established non-human primate model of disease (see companion article [S. Nambulli, N. Escriou, L. J. Rennick, M. J. Demers, N. L. Tilston-Lunel et al., J Virol 98:e01762-23, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.01762-23]). Thus, V591 was taken forward into phase I/II clinical trials in August 2020. Unexpected low immunogenicity in humans (O. Launay, C. Artaud, M. Lachâtre, M. Ait-Ahmed, J. Klein et al., eBioMedicine 75:103810, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103810) revealed that the underlying mechanisms for resistance or sensitivity to pre-existing anti-measles immunity are not yet understood. Different hypotheses are discussed here, which will be important to investigate for further development of the measles-vectored vaccine platform.IMPORTANCESARS-CoV-2 emerged at the end of 2019 and rapidly spread worldwide causing the COVID-19 pandemic that urgently called for vaccines. We developed a vaccine candidate using the highly efficacious measles vaccine as vector, a technology which has proved highly promising in clinical trials for other pathogens. We report here and in the companion article by Nambulli et al. (J Virol 98:e01762-23, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.01762-23) the design, selection, and preclinical efficacy of the V591 vaccine candidate that was moved into clinical development in August 2020, 7 months after the identification of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan. These unique in-human trials of a measles vector-based COVID-19 vaccine revealed insufficient immunogenicity, which may be the consequence of previous exposure to the pediatric measles vaccine. The three studies together in mice, primates, and humans provide a unique insight into the measles-vectored vaccine platform, raising potential limitations of surrogate preclinical models and calling for further refinement of the platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy Brunet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Département de Santé Globale, Paris, France
| | - Zaineb Choucha
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Département de Santé Globale, Paris, France
| | - Marion Gransagne
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Département de Santé Globale, Paris, France
| | - Houda Tabbal
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Génétique Moléculaire des Virus à ARN, Paris, France
| | - Min-Wen Ku
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Pasteur-TheraVectys Joint Lab, Paris, France
| | - Julian Buchrieser
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Virus and Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Priyanka Fernandes
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1223, Innate Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Damien Batalie
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Génétique Moléculaire des Virus à ARN, Paris, France
| | - Jodie Lopez
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Pasteur-TheraVectys Joint Lab, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Ma
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Biomics, C2RT, Paris, France
| | - Evelyne Dufour
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3528, Production and Purification of Recombinant Proteins Technological Platform, Paris, France
| | - Emeline Simon
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Génétique Moléculaire des Virus à ARN, Paris, France
| | - David Hardy
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Histopathology Platform, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Petres
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3528, Production and Purification of Recombinant Proteins Technological Platform, Paris, France
| | - Françoise Guinet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1223, Lymphocytes and Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Helene Strick-Marchand
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1223, Innate Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Marc Monot
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Biomics, C2RT, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Charneau
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Pasteur-TheraVectys Joint Lab, Paris, France
| | - Laleh Majlessi
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Pasteur-TheraVectys Joint Lab, Paris, France
| | - W. Paul Duprex
- Center for Vaccine Research, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christiane Gerke
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Innovation Office, Vaccine Programs, Paris, France
| | - Annette Martin
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Génétique Moléculaire des Virus à ARN, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Escriou
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Département de Santé Globale, Paris, France
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Kumawat P, Agarwal LK, Sharma K. An Overview of SARS-CoV-2 Potential Targets, Inhibitors, and Computational Insights to Enrich the Promising Treatment Strategies. Curr Microbiol 2024; 81:169. [PMID: 38733424 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-024-03671-3] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has emphasized the urgent need for effective therapies to combat COVID-19. Investigating the potential targets, inhibitors, and in silico approaches pertinent to COVID-19 are of utmost need to develop novel therapeutic agents and reprofiling of existing FDA-approved drugs. This article reviews the viral enzymes and their counter receptors involved in the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells, replication of genomic RNA, and controlling the host cell physiology. In addition, the study provides an overview of the computational techniques such as docking simulations, molecular dynamics, QSAR modeling, and homology modeling that have been used to find the FDA-approved drugs and other inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, a comprehensive overview of virus-based and host-based druggable targets from a structural point of view, together with the reported therapeutic compounds against SARS-CoV-2 have also been presented. The current study offers future perspectives for research in the field of network pharmacology investigating the large unexplored molecular libraries. Overall, the present in-depth review aims to expedite the process of identifying and repurposing drugs for researchers involved in the field of COVID-19 drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Kumawat
- Department of Chemistry, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001, India
| | - Lokesh Kumar Agarwal
- Department of Chemistry, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001, India.
| | - Kuldeep Sharma
- Department of Botany, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001, India
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41
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Cao B, Wang X, Yin W, Gao Z, Xia B. The human microbiota is a beneficial reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 mutations. mBio 2024; 15:e0318723. [PMID: 38530031 PMCID: PMC11237538 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03187-23] [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: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutations are rapidly emerging. In particular, beneficial mutations in the spike (S) protein, which can either make a person more infectious or enable immunological escape, are providing a significant obstacle to the prevention and treatment of pandemics. However, how the virus acquires a high number of beneficial mutations in a short time remains a mystery. We demonstrate here that variations of concern may be mutated due in part to the influence of the human microbiome. We searched the National Center for Biotechnology Information database for homologous fragments (HFs) after finding a mutation and the six neighboring amino acids in a viral mutation fragment. Among the approximate 8,000 HFs obtained, 61 mutations in S and other outer membrane proteins were found in bacteria, accounting for 62% of all mutation sources, which is 12-fold higher than the natural variable proportion. A significant proportion of these bacterial species-roughly 70%-come from the human microbiota, are mainly found in the lung or gut, and share a composition pattern with COVID-19 patients. Importantly, SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase replicates corresponding bacterial mRNAs harboring mutations, producing chimeric RNAs. SARS-CoV-2 may collectively pick up mutations from the human microbiota that change the original virus's binding sites or antigenic determinants. Our study clarifies the evolving mutational mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2. IMPORTANCE Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutations are rapidly emerging, in particular advantageous mutations in the spike (S) protein, which either increase transmissibility or lead to immune escape and are posing a major challenge to pandemic prevention and treatment. However, how the virus acquires a high number of advantageous mutations in a short time remains a mystery. Here, we provide evidence that the human microbiota is a reservoir of advantageous mutations and aids mutational evolution and host adaptation of SARS-CoV-2. Our findings demonstrate a conceptual breakthrough on the mutational evolution mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 for human adaptation. SARS-CoV-2 may grab advantageous mutations from the widely existing microorganisms in the host, which is undoubtedly an "efficient" manner. Our study might open a new perspective to understand the evolution of virus mutation, which has enormous implications for comprehending the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Guangdong Guangya High School, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wanchao Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China
| | - Zhaobing Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China
| | - Bingqing Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Jorkesh A, Rothenberger S, Baldassar L, Grybaite B, Kavaliauskas P, Mickevicius V, Dettin M, Vascon F, Cendron L, Pasquato A. Screening of Small-Molecule Libraries Using SARS-CoV-2-Derived Sequences Identifies Novel Furin Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5079. [PMID: 38791119 PMCID: PMC11121672 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105079] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the pathogen responsible for the most recent global pandemic, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of victims worldwide. Despite remarkable efforts to develop an effective vaccine, concerns have been raised about the actual protection against novel variants. Thus, researchers are eager to identify alternative strategies to fight against this pathogen. Like other opportunistic entities, a key step in the SARS-CoV-2 lifecycle is the maturation of the envelope glycoprotein at the RARR685↓ motif by the cellular enzyme Furin. Inhibition of this cleavage greatly affects viral propagation, thus representing an ideal drug target to contain infection. Importantly, no Furin-escape variants have ever been detected, suggesting that the pathogen cannot replace this protease by any means. Here, we designed a novel fluorogenic SARS-CoV-2-derived substrate to screen commercially available and custom-made libraries of small molecules for the identification of new Furin inhibitors. We found that a peptide substrate mimicking the cleavage site of the envelope glycoprotein of the Omicron variant (QTQTKSHRRAR-AMC) is a superior tool for screening Furin activity when compared to the commercially available Pyr-RTKR-AMC substrate. Using this setting, we identified promising novel compounds able to modulate Furin activity in vitro and suitable for interfering with SARS-CoV-2 maturation. In particular, we showed that 3-((5-((5-bromothiophen-2-yl)methylene)-4-oxo-4,5 dihydrothiazol-2-yl)(3-chloro-4-methylphenyl)amino)propanoic acid (P3, IC50 = 35 μM) may represent an attractive chemical scaffold for the development of more effective antiviral drugs via a mechanism of action that possibly implies the targeting of Furin secondary sites (exosites) rather than its canonical catalytic pocket. Overall, a SARS-CoV-2-derived peptide was investigated as a new substrate for in vitro high-throughput screening (HTS) of Furin inhibitors and allowed the identification of compound P3 as a promising hit with an innovative chemical scaffold. Given the key role of Furin in infection and the lack of any Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Furin inhibitor, P3 represents an interesting antiviral candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Jorkesh
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Science, University of Padova, Via Marzolo, 5, 35131 Padova, Italy;
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy; (F.V.); (L.C.)
| | - Sylvia Rothenberger
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 48, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Laura Baldassar
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (L.B.); (M.D.)
| | - Birute Grybaite
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilenu Rd. 19, LT-50254 Kaunas, Lithuania; (B.G.); (V.M.)
| | - Povilas Kavaliauskas
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilenu Rd. 19, LT-50254 Kaunas, Lithuania; (B.G.); (V.M.)
- Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Biological Research Center, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Pathogenic Microbiology, Birstono Str. 38A, LT-59116 Prienai, Lithuania
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Vytautas Mickevicius
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilenu Rd. 19, LT-50254 Kaunas, Lithuania; (B.G.); (V.M.)
| | - Monica Dettin
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (L.B.); (M.D.)
| | - Filippo Vascon
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy; (F.V.); (L.C.)
| | - Laura Cendron
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy; (F.V.); (L.C.)
| | - Antonella Pasquato
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy; (L.B.); (M.D.)
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43
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Xiang Q, Wu J, Zhou Y, Li L, Tian M, Li G, Zhang Z, Fu Y. SARS-CoV-2 Membrane protein regulates the function of Spike by inhibiting its plasma membrane localization and enzymatic activity of Furin. Microbiol Res 2024; 282:127659. [PMID: 38430890 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127659] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The presence of a multibasic cleavage site in the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 makes it prone to be cleaved by Furin at the S1/S2 junction (aa. 685-686), which enhances the usage of TMPRSS2 to promote cell-cell fusion to form syncytia. Syncytia may contribute to pathology by facilitating viral dissemination, cytopathicity, immune evasion, and inflammation. However, the role of other SARS-CoV-2 encoding viral proteins in syncytia formation remains largely unknown. Here, we report that SARS-CoV-2 M protein effectively inhibits syncytia formation triggered by Spike or its variants (Alpha, Delta, Omicron, etc.) and prevents Spike cleavage into S1 and S2 based on a screen assay of 20 viral proteins. Mechanistically, M protein interacts with Furin and inhibits its enzymatic activity, preventing the cleavage of Spike. In addition, M interacts with Spike independent of its cytoplasmic tail, retaining it within the cytoplasm and reducing cell membrane localization. Our findings offer new insights into M protein's role in regulating Spike's function and underscore the importance of functional interplay among viral proteins, highlighting potential avenues for SARS-CoV-2 therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xiang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Jie Wu
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Yuzheng Zhou
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518112, China
| | - Linhao Li
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Miao Tian
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Guobao Li
- Department of Tuberculosis, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China.
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518112, China.
| | - Yang Fu
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China.
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Ridgway H, Moore GJ, Gadanec LK, Zulli A, Apostolopoulos V, Hoffmann W, Węgrzyn K, Vassilaki N, Mpekoulis G, Zouridakis M, Giastas P, Vidali VP, Kelaidonis K, Matsoukas MT, Dimitriou M, Mavromoustakos T, Tsiodras S, Gorgoulis VG, Karakasiliotis I, Chasapis CT, Matsoukas JM. Novel benzimidazole angiotensin receptor blockers with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity equipotent to that of nirmatrelvir: computational and enzymatic studies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2024; 28:437-459. [PMID: 38828744 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2024.2362675] [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: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypertension worsens outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 patients. Sartans, a type of antihypertensive angiotensin receptor blocker-(ARB), reduce COVID-19 morbidity and mortality by targeting angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). This study aimed to evaluate the antiviral and antihypertensive effects of nirmatrelvir, commercial sartans (candesartan, losartan, and losartan carboxylic (Exp3174)), and newly synthesized sartans (benzimidazole-N-biphenyl carboxyl (ACC519C) and benzimidazole-N-biphenyl tetrazole (ACC519T)), compared to nirmatrelvir, the antiviral component of Paxlovid. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and enzymatic studies assessed drug effects on ACE2. Antiviral abilities were tested with SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero E6 cells, and antihypertensive effects were evaluated using angiotensin II-contracted rabbit iliac arteries. RESULTS Benzimidazole-based candesartan and ACC519C showed antiviral activity comparable to nirmatrelvir (95% inhibition). Imidazole-based losartan, Exp3174, and ACC519T were less potent (75%-80% and 50%, respectively), with Exp3174 being the least effective. SPR analysis indicated high sartans-ACE2 binding affinity. Candesartan and nirmatrelvir combined had greater inhibitory and cytopathic effects (3.96%) than individually (6.10% and 5.08%). ACE2 enzymatic assays showed varying effects of novel sartans on ACE2. ACC519T significantly reduced angiotensin II-mediated contraction, unlike nirmatrelvir and ACC519T(2). CONCLUSION This study reports the discovery of a new class of benzimidazole-based sartans that significantly inhibit SARS-CoV-2, likely due to their interaction with ACE2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Ridgway
- Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- AquaMem Consultants, Rodeo, NM, USA
| | - Graham J Moore
- Pepmetics Inc, 772 Murphy Place, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Laura Kate Gadanec
- Institute for Health and Sport, Immunology and Translational Research, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anthony Zulli
- Institute for Health and Sport, Immunology and Translational Research, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Vasso Apostolopoulos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Immunology and Translational Research, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- Immunology Program, Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), Melbourne, Australia
| | - Weronika Hoffmann
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Niki Vassilaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - George Mpekoulis
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Marios Zouridakis
- Structural Neurobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Immunology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros Giastas
- Structural Neurobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Immunology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
- Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Veroniki P Vidali
- Natural Products and Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | | | | | - Marios Dimitriou
- Laboratory of Biology, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Thomas Mavromoustakos
- Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sotirios Tsiodras
- Faculty of Medicine, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilis G Gorgoulis
- Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Faculty Institute for Cancer Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK
| | - Ioannis Karakasiliotis
- Laboratory of Biology, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Christos T Chasapis
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - John M Matsoukas
- Institute for Health and Sport, Immunology and Translational Research, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- NewDrug PC, Patras Science Park, Patras, Greece
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
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Jeong GU, Hwang I, Lee W, Choi JH, Yoon GY, Kim HS, Yang JS, Kim KC, Lee JY, Kim SJ, Kwon YC, Kim KD. Generation of a lethal mouse model expressing human ACE2 and TMPRSS2 for SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis. Exp Mol Med 2024; 56:1221-1229. [PMID: 38816566 PMCID: PMC11148094 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-024-01197-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: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Mouse models expressing human ACE2 for coronavirus disease 2019 have been frequently used to understand its pathogenesis and develop therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV-2. Given that human TMPRSS2 supports viral entry, replication, and pathogenesis, we established a double-transgenic mouse model expressing both human ACE2 and TMPRSS2 for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Co-overexpression of both genes increased viral infectivity in vitro and in vivo. Double-transgenic mice showed significant body weight loss, clinical disease symptoms, acute lung injury, lung inflammation, and lethality in response to viral infection, indicating that they were highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. Pretreatment with the TMPRSS2 inhibitor, nafamostat, effectively reduced virus-induced weight loss, viral replication, and mortality in the double-transgenic mice. Moreover, the susceptibility and differential pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 variants were demonstrated in this animal model. Together, our results demonstrate that double-transgenic mice could provide a highly susceptible mouse model for viral infection to understand SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and evaluate antiviral therapeutics against coronavirus disease 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gi Uk Jeong
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Insu Hwang
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Division of Vaccine Development Coordination, Center for Vaccine Research, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Wooseong Lee
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hyun Choi
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Gun Young Yoon
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae Soo Kim
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Sun Yang
- Center for Emerging Virus Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Chang Kim
- Center for Emerging Virus Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo-Yeon Lee
- Center for Emerging Virus Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Jun Kim
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Chan Kwon
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
- Medical Chemistry and Pharmacology, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kyun-Do Kim
- Center for Infectious Disease Vaccine and Diagnosis Innovation (CEVI), Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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Igari H, Sakao S, Ishige T, Saito K, Murata S, Yahaba M, Taniguchi T, Suganami A, Matsushita K, Tamura Y, Suzuki T, Ido E. Dynamic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 genetic mutations in a lung transplantation patient with persistent COVID-19. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3604. [PMID: 38684722 PMCID: PMC11058237 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47941-x] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous SARS-CoV-2 variant strains with altered characteristics have emerged since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Remdesivir (RDV), a ribonucleotide analogue inhibitor of viral RNA polymerase, has become a valuable therapeutic agent. However, immunosuppressed hosts may respond inadequately to RDV and develop chronic persistent infections. A patient with respiratory failure caused by interstitial pneumonia, who had undergone transplantation of the left lung, developed COVID-19 caused by Omicron BA.5 strain with persistent chronic viral shedding, showing viral fusogenicity. Genome-wide sequencing analyses revealed the occurrence of several viral mutations after RDV treatment, followed by dynamic changes in the viral populations. The C799F mutation in nsp12 was found to play a pivotal role in conferring RDV resistance, preventing RDV-triphosphate from entering the active site of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The occurrence of diverse mutations is a characteristic of SARS-CoV-2, which mutates frequently. Herein, we describe the clinical case of an immunosuppressed host in whom inadequate treatment resulted in highly diverse SARS-CoV-2 mutations that threatened the patient's health due to the development of drug-resistant variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Igari
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
- Future Mucosal Vaccine Research and Development Center, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
- COVID-19 Vaccine Center, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
- Research Institute of Disaster Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Seiichiro Sakao
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Narita, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takayuki Ishige
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Kengo Saito
- Department of Molecular Virology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shota Murata
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Misuzu Yahaba
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Toshibumi Taniguchi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
- Research Institute of Disaster Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Akiko Suganami
- Department of Bioinformatics, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Matsushita
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yutaka Tamura
- Department of Bioinformatics, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takuji Suzuki
- Future Mucosal Vaccine Research and Development Center, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
- Synergy Institute for Futuristic Mucosal Vaccine Research and Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
| | - Eiji Ido
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
- Department of Molecular Virology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Chiba, Japan.
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47
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Carrascosa-Sàez M, Marqués MC, Geller R, Elena SF, Rahmeh A, Dufloo J, Sanjuán R. Cell type-specific adaptation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike. Virus Evol 2024; 10:veae032. [PMID: 38779130 PMCID: PMC11110937 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veae032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect various human tissues and cell types, principally via interaction with its cognate receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). However, how the virus evolves in different cellular environments is poorly understood. Here, we used experimental evolution to study the adaptation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike to four human cell lines expressing different levels of key entry factors. After twenty passages of a spike-expressing recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), cell-type-specific phenotypic changes were observed and sequencing allowed the identification of sixteen adaptive spike mutations. We used VSV pseudotyping to measure the entry efficiency, ACE2 affinity, spike processing, TMPRSS2 usage, and entry pathway usage of all the mutants, alone or in combination. The fusogenicity of the mutant spikes was assessed with a cell-cell fusion assay. Finally, mutant recombinant VSVs were used to measure the fitness advantage associated with selected mutations. We found that the effects of these mutations varied across cell types, both in terms of viral entry and replicative fitness. Interestingly, two spike mutations (L48S and A372T) that emerged in cells expressing low ACE2 levels increased receptor affinity, syncytia induction, and entry efficiency under low-ACE2 conditions. Our results demonstrate specific adaptation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike to different cell types and have implications for understanding SARS-CoV-2 tissue tropism and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Carrascosa-Sàez
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
| | - María-Carmen Marqués
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
| | - Ron Geller
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV), CSIC and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia 46010, Spain
| | - Santiago F Elena
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
- The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Amal Rahmeh
- Departament de Medicina i Ciències de La Vida (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Jérémy Dufloo
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
| | - Rafael Sanjuán
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
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48
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Magaña-Ávila GR, Moreno E, Plata C, Carbajal-Contreras H, Murillo-de-Ozores AR, García-Ávila K, Vázquez N, Syed M, Wysocki J, Batlle D, Gamba G, Castañeda-Bueno M. Effect of SARS-CoV-2 S protein on the proteolytic cleavage of the epithelial Na+ channel ENaC. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302436. [PMID: 38662786 PMCID: PMC11045049 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe cases of COVID-19 are characterized by development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Water accumulation in the lungs is thought to occur as consequence of an exaggerated inflammatory response. A possible mechanism could involve decreased activity of the epithelial Na+ channel, ENaC, expressed in type II pneumocytes. Reduced transepithelial Na+ reabsorption could contribute to lung edema due to reduced alveolar fluid clearance. This hypothesis is based on the observation of the presence of a novel furin cleavage site in the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 that is identical to the furin cleavage site present in the alpha subunit of ENaC. Proteolytic processing of αENaC by furin-like proteases is essential for channel activity. Thus, competition between S protein and αENaC for furin-mediated cleavage in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells may negatively affect channel activity. Here we present experimental evidence showing that coexpression of the S protein with ENaC in a cellular model reduces channel activity. In addition, we show that bidirectional competition for cleavage by furin-like proteases occurs between 〈ENaC and S protein. In transgenic mice sensitive to lethal SARS-CoV-2, however, a significant decrease in gamma ENaC expression was not observed by immunostaining of lungs infected as shown by SARS-CoV2 nucleoprotein staining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germán Ricardo Magaña-Ávila
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Erika Moreno
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Consuelo Plata
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Héctor Carbajal-Contreras
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
- Facultad de Medicina, PECEM (MD/PhD), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Adrian Rafael Murillo-de-Ozores
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Kevin García-Ávila
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Norma Vázquez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Molecular Physiology Unit, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Maria Syed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Jan Wysocki
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Daniel Batlle
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Gerardo Gamba
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
- Facultad de Medicina, PECEM (MD/PhD), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Molecular Physiology Unit, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - María Castañeda-Bueno
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
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49
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Chen BJ, Lin CH, Wu HY, Cai JJ, Chao DY. Experimental and analytical pipeline for sub-genomic RNA landscape of coronavirus by Nanopore sequencer. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0395423. [PMID: 38483513 PMCID: PMC10986531 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03954-23] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs), including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, can infect a variety of mammalian and avian hosts with significant medical and economic consequences. During the life cycle of CoV, a coordinated series of subgenomic RNAs, including canonical subgenomic messenger RNA and non-canonical defective viral genomes (DVGs), are generated with different biological implications. Studies that adopted the Nanopore sequencer (ONT) to investigate the landscape and dynamics of viral RNA subgenomic transcriptomes applied arbitrary bioinformatics parameters without justification or experimental validation. The current study used bovine coronavirus (BCoV), which can be performed under biosafety level 2 for library construction and experimental validation using traditional colony polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. Four different ONT protocols, including RNA direct and cDNA direct sequencing with or without exonuclease treatment, were used to generate RNA transcriptomic libraries from BCoV-infected cell lysates. Through rigorously examining the k-mer, gap size, segment size, and bin size, the optimal cutoffs for the bioinformatic pipeline were determined to remove the sequence noise while keeping the informative DVG reads. The sensitivity and specificity of identifying DVG reads using the proposed pipeline can reach 82.6% and 99.6% under the k-mer size cutoff of 15. Exonuclease treatment reduced the abundance of RNA transcripts; however, it was not necessary for future library preparation. Additional recovery of clipped BCoV nucleotide sequences with experimental validation expands the landscape of the CoV discontinuous RNA transcriptome, whose biological function requires future investigation. The results of this study provide the benchmarks for library construction and bioinformatic parameters for studying the discontinuous CoV RNA transcriptome.IMPORTANCEFunctional defective viral genomic RNA, containing all the cis-acting elements required for translation or replication, may play different roles in triggering cell innate immune signaling, interfering with the canonical subgenomic messenger RNA transcription/translation or assisting in establishing persistence infection. This study does not only provide benchmarks for library construction and bioinformatic parameters for studying the discontinuous coronavirus RNA transcriptome but also reveals the complexity of the bovine coronavirus transcriptome, whose functional assays will be critical in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Jia Chen
- Doctoral Program in Microbial Genomics, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Hung Lin
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Yi Wu
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - James J. Cai
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Day-Yu Chao
- Doctoral Program in Microbial Genomics, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
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50
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Minami S, Kotaki T, Sakai Y, Okamura S, Torii S, Ono C, Motooka D, Hamajima R, Nouda R, Nurdin JA, Yamasaki M, Kanai Y, Ebina H, Maeda Y, Okamoto T, Tachibana T, Matsuura Y, Kobayashi T. Vero cell-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strain shows increased viral growth through furin-mediated efficient spike cleavage. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0285923. [PMID: 38415690 PMCID: PMC10986611 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02859-23] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) utilizes several host proteases to cleave the spike (S) protein to enter host cells. SARS-CoV-2 S protein is cleaved into S1 and S2 subunits by furin, which is closely involved in the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2. However, the effects of the modulated protease cleavage activity due to S protein mutations on viral replication and pathogenesis remain unclear. Herein, we serially passaged two SARS-CoV-2 strains in Vero cells and characterized the cell-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strains in vitro and in vivo. The adapted strains showed high viral growth, effective S1/S2 cleavage of the S protein, and low pathogenicity compared with the wild-type strain. Furthermore, the viral growth and S1/S2 cleavage were enhanced by the combination of the Δ68-76 and H655Y mutations using recombinant SARS-CoV-2 strains generated by the circular polymerase extension reaction. The recombinant SARS-CoV-2 strain, which contained the mutation of the adapted strain, showed increased susceptibility to the furin inhibitor, suggesting that the adapted SARS-CoV-2 strain utilized furin more effectively than the wild-type strain. Pathogenicity was attenuated by infection with effectively cleaved recombinant SARS-CoV-2 strains, suggesting that the excessive cleavage of the S proteins decreases virulence. Finally, the high-growth-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strain could be used as the seed for a low-cost inactivated vaccine; immunization with this vaccine can effectively protect the host from SARS-CoV-2 variants. Our findings provide novel insights into the growth and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 in the evolution of cell-cell transmission. IMPORTANCE The efficacy of the S protein cleavage generally differs among the SARS-CoV-2 variants, resulting in distinct viral characteristics. The relationship between a mutation and the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the sequence of high-growth Vero cell-adapted SARS-CoV-2 and factors determining the enhancement of the growth of the adapted virus and confirmed the characteristics of the adapted strain by analyzing the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 strain. We successfully identified mutations Δ68-76 and H655Y, which enhance viral growth and the S protein cleavage by furin. Using recombinant viruses enabled us to conduct a virus challenge experiment in vivo. The pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 introduced with the mutations Δ68-76, H655Y, P812L, and Q853L was attenuated in hamsters, indicating the possibility of the attenuation of excessive cleaved SARS-CoV-2. These findings provide novel insights into the infectivity and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 strains, thereby significantly contributing to the field of virology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohei Minami
- Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Kotaki
- Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yusuke Sakai
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Okamura
- Virus Vaccine Group, BIKEN Innovative Vaccine Research Alliance Laboratories, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shiho Torii
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Chikako Ono
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Rina Hamajima
- Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryotaro Nouda
- Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jeffery A. Nurdin
- Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Moeko Yamasaki
- Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuta Kanai
- Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Ebina
- Virus Vaccine Group, BIKEN Innovative Vaccine Research Alliance Laboratories, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yusuke Maeda
- Laboratory of Viral Dynamism Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toru Okamoto
- Institute for Advanced Co-creation Studies, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Taro Tachibana
- Cell Engineering Corporation, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshiharu Matsuura
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kobayashi
- Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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