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de Vries RD, Schmitz KS, Bovier FT, Noack D, Haagmans BL, Biswas S, Rockx B, Gellman SH, Alabi CA, de Swart RL, Moscona A, Porotto M. Intranasal fusion inhibitory lipopeptide prevents direct contact SARS-CoV-2 transmission in ferrets. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020:2020.11.04.361154. [PMID: 33173865 PMCID: PMC7654853 DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.04.361154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Containment of the COVID-19 pandemic requires reducing viral transmission. SARS-CoV-2 infection is initiated by membrane fusion between the viral and host cell membranes, mediated by the viral spike protein. We have designed a dimeric lipopeptide fusion inhibitor that blocks this critical first step of infection for emerging coronaviruses and document that it completely prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferrets. Daily intranasal administration to ferrets completely prevented SARS-CoV-2 direct-contact transmission during 24-hour co-housing with infected animals, under stringent conditions that resulted in infection of 100% of untreated animals. These lipopeptides are highly stable and non-toxic and thus readily translate into a safe and effective intranasal prophylactic approach to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY A dimeric form of a SARS-CoV-2-derived lipopeptide is a potent inhibitor of fusion and infection in vitro and transmission in vivo .
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Francesca T. Bovier
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host–Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Danny Noack
- Department Viroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Sudipta Biswas
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Barry Rockx
- Department Viroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Christopher A. Alabi
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Rik L. de Swart
- Department Viroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anne Moscona
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host–Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matteo Porotto
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host–Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy
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Bertagnolli M, Xie LF, Paquette K, He Y, Cloutier A, Fernandes RO, Béland C, Sutherland MR, Delfrate J, Curnier D, Bigras JL, Rivard A, Thébaud B, Luu TM, Nuyt AM. Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells in Young Adults Born Preterm: A Novel Link Between Neonatal Complications and Adult Risks for Cardiovascular Disease. J Am Heart Assoc 2018; 7:JAHA.118.009720. [PMID: 29987124 PMCID: PMC6064846 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.118.009720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm birth is linked to cardiovascular risks and diseases. Endothelial progenitor cells play a critical role in vascular development and repair. Cord blood endothelial progenitor cells of preterm-born infants, especially endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFC), show enhanced susceptibility to prematurity-related pro-oxidant stress. Whether ECFC dysfunction is present in adulthood following preterm birth is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS This cross-sectional observational study includes 55 preterm-born (≤29 gestational weeks) young adults (18-29 years old, 38% male) and 55 sex- and age-matched full-term controls. ECFC were isolated from peripheral blood; cell proliferative and vascular cord formation capacities were assessed in vitro. Daytime systolic blood pressure was higher, whereas glucose tolerance and body mass index were lower in preterm-born subjects. ECFC colonies grew in culture for 62% of full-term- and 58% of preterm-born participants. Preterm-born participants have formed ECFC colonies later in culture and have reduced proliferation compared with controls. Only in preterm-born individuals, we observed that the later the ECFC colony grows in culture, the worse was overall ECFC function. In addition, in preterms, elevated systolic blood pressure significantly correlated with reduced ECFC proliferation (rS=-0.463; P=0.030) and numbers of branches formed on matrigel (rS=-0.443; P=0.039). In preterm-born subjects, bronchopulmonary dysplasia was associated with impaired ECFC function, whereas exposure to antenatal steroids related to better ECFC function. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to examine ECFC in preterm-born adults and to demonstrate ECFC dysfunction compared with full-term controls. In the preterm-born group, ECFC dysfunction was associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the major prematurity-related neonatal morbidity, and with increased systolic blood pressure into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane Bertagnolli
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Kinesiology, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Li Feng Xie
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Katryn Paquette
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ying He
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anik Cloutier
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Chanel Béland
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Megan R Sutherland
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jacques Delfrate
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Kinesiology, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Daniel Curnier
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Kinesiology, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-Luc Bigras
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alain Rivard
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, CHUM Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Bernard Thébaud
- Department of Pediatrics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thuy Mai Luu
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine University Hospital and Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anne Monique Nuyt
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada .,Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
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The Heptad Repeat C Domain of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Fusion Protein Plays a Key Role in Membrane Fusion. J Virol 2018; 92:JVI.01323-17. [PMID: 29212939 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01323-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) mediates host cell entry through the fusion (F) protein, which undergoes a conformational change to facilitate the merger of viral and host lipid membrane envelopes. The RSV F protein comprises a trimer of disulfide-bonded F1 and F2 subunits that is present on the virion surface in a metastable prefusion state. This prefusion form is readily triggered to undergo refolding to bring two heptad repeats (heptad repeat A [HRA] and HRB) into close proximity to form a six-helix bundle that stabilizes the postfusion form and provides the free energy required for membrane fusion. This process can be triggered independently of other proteins. Here, we have performed a comprehensive analysis of a third heptad repeat region, HRC (amino acids 75 to 97), an amphipathic α-helix that lies at the interface of the prefusion F trimer and is a major structural feature of the F2 subunit. We performed alanine scanning mutagenesis from Lys-75 to Met-97 and assessed all mutations in transient cell culture for expression, proteolytic processing, cell surface localization, protein conformation, and membrane fusion. Functional characterization revealed a striking distribution of activity in which fusion-increasing mutations localized to one side of the helical face, while fusion-decreasing mutations clustered on the opposing face. Here, we propose a model in which HRC plays a stabilizing role within the globular head for the prefusion F trimer and is potentially involved in the early events of triggering, prompting fusion peptide release and transition into the postfusion state.IMPORTANCE RSV is recognized as the most important viral pathogen among pediatric populations worldwide, yet no vaccine or widely available therapeutic treatment is available. The F protein is critical for the viral replication process and is the major target for neutralizing antibodies. Recent years have seen the development of prefusion stabilized F protein-based approaches to vaccine design. A detailed understanding of the specific domains and residues that contribute to protein stability and fusion function is fundamental to such efforts. Here, we present a comprehensive mutagenesis-based study of a region of the RSV F2 subunit (amino acids 75 to 97), referred to as HRC, and propose a role for this helical region in maintaining the delicate stability of the prefusion form.
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