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Aghajani Mir M. Illuminating the pathogenic role of SARS-CoV-2: Insights into competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) regulatory networks. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2024; 122:105613. [PMID: 38844190 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2024.105613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
The appearance of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019 triggered a significant economic and health crisis worldwide, with heterogeneous molecular mechanisms that contribute to its development are not yet fully understood. Although substantial progress has been made in elucidating the mechanisms behind SARS-CoV-2 infection and therapy, it continues to rank among the top three global causes of mortality due to infectious illnesses. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), being integral components across nearly all biological processes, demonstrate effective importance in viral pathogenesis. Regarding viral infections, ncRNAs have demonstrated their ability to modulate host reactions, viral replication, and host-pathogen interactions. However, the complex interactions of different types of ncRNAs in the progression of COVID-19 remains understudied. In recent years, a novel mechanism of post-transcriptional gene regulation known as "competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA)" has been proposed. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and viral ncRNAs function as ceRNAs, influencing the expression of associated genes by sequestering shared microRNAs. Recent research on SARS-CoV-2 has revealed that disruptions in specific ceRNA regulatory networks (ceRNETs) contribute to the abnormal expression of key infection-related genes and the establishment of distinctive infection characteristics. These findings present new opportunities to delve deeper into the underlying mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, offering potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This progress paves the way for a more comprehensive understanding of ceRNETs, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms involved. Further exploration of these mechanisms holds promise for enhancing our ability to prevent viral infections and develop effective antiviral treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Aghajani Mir
- Deputy of Research and Technology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
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Elemam NM, Bouzid A, Alsafar H, Ahmed SBM, Hafezi S, Venkatachalam T, Eldohaji L, Al Hamidi T, Gerges PH, Halabi N, Hadj-Kacem H, Talaat IM, Taneera J, Sulaiman N, Maghazachi AA, Hamid Q, Hamoudi R, Saber-Ayad M. Association of specific ACE2 and TMPRSS2 variants with circulatory cytokines of COVID-19 Emirati patients. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1348229. [PMID: 38855114 PMCID: PMC11157456 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1348229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic represented one of the most significant challenges to researchers and healthcare providers. Several factors determine the disease severity, whereas none alone can explain the tremendous variability. The Single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease type-2 (TMPRSS2) genes affect the virus entry and are considered possible risk factors for COVID-19. Methods We compiled a panel of gene variants from both genes and used in-silico analysis to predict their significance. We performed biological validation to assess their capacity to alter the ACE2 interaction with the virus spike protein. Subsequently, we conducted a retrospective comparative genome analysis on those variants in the Emirati patients with different disease severity (total of 96) along with 69 healthy control subjects. Results Our results showed that the Emirati population lacks the variants that were previously reported as associated with disease severity, whereas a new variant in ACE2 "Chr X:g.15584534" was associated with disease severity specifically among female patients. In-silico analysis revealed that the new variant can determine the ACE2 gene transcription. Several cytokines (GM-CSF and IL-6) and chemokines (MCP-1/CCL2, IL-8/CXCL8, and IP-10/CXCL10) were markedly increased in COVID-19 patients with a significant correlation with disease severity. The newly reported genetic variant of ACE2 showed a positive correlation with CD40L, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-15, and IL-17A in COVID-19 patients. Conclusion Whereas COVID-19 represents now a past pandemic, our study underscores the importance of genetic factors specific to a population, which can influence both the susceptibility to viral infections and the level of severity; subsequently expected required preparedness in different areas of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha M. Elemam
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amal Bouzid
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Habiba Alsafar
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Emirates Bio-Research Centre, Ministry of Interior, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Samrein BM Ahmed
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences, Department of Biosciences and Chemistry, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Shirin Hafezi
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Thenmozhi Venkatachalam
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Physiology and Immunology College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Leen Eldohaji
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tasneem Al Hamidi
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Peter Habib Gerges
- School of Information Technology and Computer Science (ITCS), Nile University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Nour Halabi
- Al Jalila Genomics Center of Excellence, Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hassen Hadj-Kacem
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Iman M. Talaat
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Jalal Taneera
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nabil Sulaiman
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Azzam A. Maghazachi
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Qutayba Hamid
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Rifat Hamoudi
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maha Saber-Ayad
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- College of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
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Woodall MNJ, Cujba AM, Worlock KB, Case KM, Masonou T, Yoshida M, Polanski K, Huang N, Lindeboom RGH, Mamanova L, Bolt L, Richardson L, Cakir B, Ellis S, Palor M, Burgoyne T, Pinto A, Moulding D, McHugh TD, Saleh A, Kilich E, Mehta P, O'Callaghan C, Zhou J, Barclay W, De Coppi P, Butler CR, Cortina-Borja M, Vinette H, Roy S, Breuer J, Chambers RC, Heywood WE, Mills K, Hynds RE, Teichmann SA, Meyer KB, Nikolić MZ, Smith CM. Age-specific nasal epithelial responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1293-1311. [PMID: 38622380 PMCID: PMC11087271 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01658-1] [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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 rarely progress to respiratory failure. However, the risk of mortality in infected people over 85 years of age remains high. Here we investigate differences in the cellular landscape and function of paediatric (<12 years), adult (30-50 years) and older adult (>70 years) ex vivo cultured nasal epithelial cells in response to infection with SARS-CoV-2. We show that cell tropism of SARS-CoV-2, and expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in nasal epithelial cell subtypes, differ between age groups. While ciliated cells are viral replication centres across all age groups, a distinct goblet inflammatory subtype emerges in infected paediatric cultures and shows high expression of interferon-stimulated genes and incomplete viral replication. In contrast, older adult cultures infected with SARS-CoV-2 show a proportional increase in basaloid-like cells, which facilitate viral spread and are associated with altered epithelial repair pathways. We confirm age-specific induction of these cell types by integrating data from in vivo COVID-19 studies and validate that our in vitro model recapitulates early epithelial responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kaylee B Worlock
- UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Tereza Masonou
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Masahiro Yoshida
- UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Ni Huang
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Liam Bolt
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Samuel Ellis
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Machaela Palor
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Thomas Burgoyne
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Royal Brompton Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Andreia Pinto
- Royal Brompton Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Dale Moulding
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Timothy D McHugh
- UCL Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - Aarash Saleh
- Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Eliz Kilich
- UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Puja Mehta
- UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Wendy Barclay
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paolo De Coppi
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
- Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Colin R Butler
- Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Epithelial Cell Biology in ENT Research (EpiCENTR) Group, Developmental Biology and Cancer Department, Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Heloise Vinette
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Sunando Roy
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Judith Breuer
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Rachel C Chambers
- UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Wendy E Heywood
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Kevin Mills
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Robert E Hynds
- Epithelial Cell Biology in ENT Research (EpiCENTR) Group, Developmental Biology and Cancer Department, Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.
- Theory of Condensed Matter, Cavendish Laboratory/Dept Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | | | - Marko Z Nikolić
- UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK.
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - Claire M Smith
- Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
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Li Z, Li ZY, Maimaiti Z, Yang F, Fu J, Hao LB, Chen JY, Xu C. Identification of immune infiltration and immune-related biomarkers of periprosthetic joint infection. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26062. [PMID: 38370241 PMCID: PMC10867348 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The immune response associated with periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is an emerging but relatively unexplored topic. The aim of this study was to investigate immune cell infiltration in periprosthetic tissues and identify potential immune-related biomarkers. Methods The GSE7103 dataset from the GEO database was selected as the data source. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and significant modular genes in weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) were identified. Functional enrichment analysis and transcription factor prediction were performed on the overlapping genes. Next, immune-related genes from the ImmPort database were matched. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed to identify hub genes. CIBERSORTx was used to evaluate the immune cell infiltration pattern. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between hub genes and immune cells. Results A total of 667 DEGs were identified between PJI and control samples, and 1847 PJI-related module genes were obtained in WGCNA. Enrichment analysis revealed that the common genes were mainly enriched in immune and host defense-related terms. TFEC, SPI1, and TWIST2 were the top three transcription factors. Three hub genes, SDC1, MMP9, and IGF1, were identified in the immune-related PPI network. Higher levels of plasma cells, CD4+ memory resting T cells, follicular helper T cells, resting mast cells, and neutrophils were found in the PJI group, while levels of M0 macrophages were lower. Notably, the expression of all three hub genes correlated with the infiltration levels of seven types of immune cells. Conclusion The present study revealed immune infiltration signatures in the periprosthetic tissues of PJI patients. SDC1, MMP9, and IGF1 were potential immune-related biomarkers for PJI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Joint Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhi-Yuan Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zulipikaer Maimaiti
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Fu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Bo Hao
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ji-Ying Chen
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chi Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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Cai Z, Bai H, Ren D, Xue B, Liu Y, Gong T, Zhang X, Zhang P, Zhu J, Shi B, Zhang C. Integrin αvβ1 facilitates ACE2-mediated entry of SARS-CoV-2. Virus Res 2024; 339:199251. [PMID: 37884208 PMCID: PMC10651773 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Integrins have been suggested to be involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. This study aimed to investigate how integrins facilitate the ACE2-mediated cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2. We first tested the susceptibility of a panel of human cell lines to SARS-CoV-2 infection using the spike protein pseudotyped virus assay and examined the expression levels of integrins in these cell lines by qPCR, western blot and flow cytometry. We found that integrin αvβ1 was highly enriched in the SARS-CoV-2 susceptible cell lines. Additional studies demonstrated that RGD (403-405)→AAA mutant was defective in binding to integrin αvβ1 compared to its wild type counterpart, and anti-αvβ1 integrin antibodies significantly inhibited the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the cells. Further studies using mouse NIH3T3 cells expressing human ACE2, integrin αv, integrin β1, and/or integrin αvβ1 suggest that integrin αvβ1 was unable to function as an independent receptor but could significantly facilitate the cellular entry of SASR-CoV-2. Finally, we observed that the Omicron exhibited a significant increase in the ACE2-mediated viral entry. Our findings may enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and offer potential therapeutic target for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeqiong Cai
- The MED-X Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Building 21, Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Han Bai
- The MED-X Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Building 21, Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Doudou Ren
- The MED-X Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Building 21, Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Biyun Xue
- The MED-X Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Building 21, Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Yijia Liu
- Precision Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Tian Gong
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Junsheng Zhu
- The MED-X Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Building 21, Western China Science and Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi'an 710000, China
| | - Binyin Shi
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Chengsheng Zhang
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China; Department of Medical Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Zhengjie, Nanchang 330006, China.
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Perico L, Benigni A, Remuzzi G. SARS-CoV-2 and the spike protein in endotheliopathy. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:53-67. [PMID: 37393180 PMCID: PMC10258582 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, primarily affects the epithelial compartment in the upper and lower airways. There is evidence that the microvasculature in both the pulmonary and extrapulmonary systems is a major target of SARS-CoV-2. Consistent with this, vascular dysfunction and thrombosis are the most severe complications in COVID-19. The proinflammatory milieu triggered by the hyperactivation of the immune system by SARS-CoV-2 has been suggested to be the main trigger for endothelial dysfunction during COVID-19. More recently, a rapidly growing number of reports have indicated that SARS-CoV-2 can interact directly with endothelial cells through the spike protein, leading to multiple instances of endothelial dysfunction. Here, we describe all the available findings showing the direct effect of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on endothelial cells and offer mechanistic insights into the molecular basis of vascular dysfunction in severe COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Perico
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Centro Anna Maria Astori, Bergamo, Italy.
| | - Ariela Benigni
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Centro Anna Maria Astori, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Remuzzi
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Centro Anna Maria Astori, Bergamo, Italy
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Cohen M, Laux J, Douagi I. Cytometry in High-Containment Laboratories. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2779:425-456. [PMID: 38526798 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3738-8_20] [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: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of new pathogens continues to fuel the need for advanced high-containment laboratories across the globe. Here we explore challenges and opportunities for integration of cytometry, a central technology for cell analysis, within high-containment laboratories. We review current applications in infectious disease, vaccine research, and biosafety. Considerations specific to cytometry within high-containment laboratories, such as biosafety requirements, and sample containment strategies are also addressed. We further tour the landscape of emerging technologies, including combination of cytometry with other omics, the application of automation, and artificial intelligence. Finally, we propose a framework to fast track the immersion of advanced technologies into the high-containment research setting to improve global preparedness for new emerging diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Cohen
- Flow Cytometry Section, Research Technologies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Julie Laux
- Flow Cytometry Section, Research Technologies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Iyadh Douagi
- Flow Cytometry Section, Research Technologies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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8
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Zhang H, Wang Z, Nguyen HTT, Watson AJ, Lao Q, Li A, Zhu J. Integrin α 5β 1 contributes to cell fusion and inflammation mediated by SARS-CoV-2 spike via RGD-independent interaction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311913120. [PMID: 38060559 PMCID: PMC10723138 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311913120] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus infects host cells by engaging its spike (S) protein with human ACE2 receptor. Recent studies suggest the involvement of integrins in SARS-CoV-2 infection through interaction with the S protein, but the underlying mechanism is not well understood. This study investigated the role of integrin α5β1, which recognizes the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif in its physiological ligands, in S-mediated virus entry and cell-cell fusion. Our results showed that α5β1 does not directly contribute to S-mediated cell entry, but it enhances S-mediated cell-cell fusion in collaboration with ACE2. This effect cannot be inhibited by the putative α5β1 inhibitor ATN-161 or the high-affinity RGD-mimetic inhibitor MK-0429 but requires the participation of α5 cytoplasmic tail (CT). We detected a direct interaction between α5β1 and the S protein, but this interaction does not rely on the RGD-containing receptor binding domain of the S1 subunit of the S protein. Instead, it involves the S2 subunit of the S protein and α5β1 homo-oligomerization. Furthermore, we found that the S protein induces inflammatory responses in human endothelial cells, characterized by NF-κB activation, gasdermin D cleavage, and increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β. These effects can be attenuated by the loss of α5 expression or inhibition of the α5 CT binding protein phosphodiesterase-4D (PDE4D), suggesting the involvement of α5 CT and PDE4D pathway. These findings provide molecular insights into the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 mediated by a nonclassical RGD-independent ligand-binding and signaling function of integrin α5β1 and suggest potential targets for antiviral treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI53226
| | - Zhengli Wang
- Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI53226
| | - Huong T. T. Nguyen
- Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI53226
| | - Abigail J. Watson
- Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI53226
| | - Qifang Lao
- Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI53226
| | - An Li
- Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI53226
| | - Jieqing Zhu
- Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, Versiti Blood Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI53226
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI53226
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Hornung F, Köse-Vogel N, Le Saux CJ, Häder A, Herrmann L, Schulz L, Radosa L, Lauf T, Sandhaus T, Samson P, Doenst T, Wittschieber D, Mall G, Löffler B, Deinhardt-Emmer S. Uncovering a unique pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant: selective induction of cellular senescence. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:13593-13607. [PMID: 38095608 PMCID: PMC10756098 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205297] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 variants are constantly emerging with a variety of changes in the conformation of the spike protein, resulting in alterations of virus entry mechanisms. Solely omicron variants use the endosomal clathrin-mediated entry. Here, we investigate the influence of defined altered spike formations to study their impact on premature cellular senescence. METHODS In our study, in vitro infections of SARS-CoV-2 variants delta (B.1.617.2) and omicron (B.1.1.529) were analyzed by using human primary small alveolar epithelial cells and human ex vivo lung slices. We confirmed cellular senescence in human lungs of COVID-19 patients. Hence, global gene expression patterns of infected human primary alveolar epithelial cells were identified via mRNA sequencing. RESULTS Solely omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 influenced the expression of cell cycle genes, highlighted by an increased p21 expression in human primary lung cells and human ex vivo lungs. Additionally, an upregulated senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) was detected. Transcriptomic data indicate an increased gene expression of p16, and p38 in omicron-infected lung cells. CONCLUSIONS Significant changes due to different SARS-CoV-2 infections in human primary alveolar epithelial cells with an overall impact on premature aging could be identified. A substantially different cellular response with an upregulation of cell cycle, inflammation- and integrin-associated pathways in omicron infected cells indicates premature cellular senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Hornung
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Nilay Köse-Vogel
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Claude Jourdan Le Saux
- Medicine/Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
| | - Antje Häder
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Lea Herrmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Luise Schulz
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
- Else Kröner Graduate School for Medical Students “JSAM” Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Lukáš Radosa
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Thurid Lauf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
- Else Kröner Graduate School for Medical Students “JSAM” Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Tim Sandhaus
- Klinik für Herz- und Thoraxchirurgie, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Patrick Samson
- Klinik für Herz- und Thoraxchirurgie, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Torsten Doenst
- Klinik für Herz- und Thoraxchirurgie, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Daniel Wittschieber
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn 53111, Germany
| | - Gita Mall
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Bettina Löffler
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Stefanie Deinhardt-Emmer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
- Member of the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), Jena 07747, Germany
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10
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Almeida BR, Barros BCSC, Barros DTL, Orikaza CM, Suzuki E. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Induces α3 Integrin Lysosomal Degradation in Lung Epithelial Cells. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:912. [PMID: 37755020 PMCID: PMC10532483 DOI: 10.3390/jof9090912] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies on the pathogen-host interaction are crucial for the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the establishment, maintenance, and spread of infection. In recent years, our research group has observed that the P. brasiliensis species interact with integrin family receptors and increase the expression of α3 integrin in lung epithelial cells within 5 h of infection. Interestingly, α3 integrin levels were reduced by approximately 99% after 24 h of infection with P. brasiliensis compared to non-infected cells. In this work, we show that, during infection with this fungus, α3 integrin is increased in the late endosomes of A549 lung epithelial cells. We also observed that the inhibitor of the lysosomal activity bafilomycin A1 was able to inhibit the decrease in α3 integrin levels. In addition, the silencing of the charged multivesicular body protein 3 (CHMP3) inhibited the reduction in α3 integrin levels induced by P. brasiliensis in A549 cells. Thus, together, these results indicate that this fungus induces the degradation of α3 integrin in A549 lung epithelial cells by hijacking the host cell endolysosomal pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Erika Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Ed. Antonio C. M. Paiva, São Paulo 04023-062, SP, Brazil; (B.R.A.)
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11
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Gerencer M, McGuffin LJ. Are the integrin binding motifs within SARS CoV-2 spike protein and MHC class II alleles playing the key role in COVID-19? Front Immunol 2023; 14:1177691. [PMID: 37492575 PMCID: PMC10364474 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1177691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The previous studies on the RGD motif (aa403-405) within the SARS CoV-2 spike (S) protein receptor binding domain (RBD) suggest that the RGD motif binding integrin(s) may play an important role in infection of the host cells. We also discussed the possible role of two other integrin binding motifs that are present in S protein: LDI (aa585-587) and ECD (661-663), the motifs used by some other viruses in the course of infection. The MultiFOLD models for protein structure analysis have shown that the ECD motif is clearly accessible in the S protein, whereas the RGD and LDI motifs are partially accessible. Furthermore, the amino acids that are present in Epstein-Barr virus protein (EBV) gp42 playing very important role in binding to the HLA-DRB1 molecule and in the subsequent immune response evasion, are also present in the S protein heptad repeat-2. Our MultiFOLD model analyses have shown that these amino acids are clearly accessible on the surface in each S protein chain as monomers and in the homotrimer complex and bind to HLA-DRB1 β chain. Therefore, they may have the identical role in SARS CoV-2 immune evasion as in EBV infection. The prediction analyses of the MHC class II binding peptides within the S protein have shown that the RGD motif is present in the core 9-mer peptide IRGDEVRQI within the two HLA-DRB1*03:01 and HLA-DRB3*01.01 strong binding 15-mer peptides suggesting that RGD motif may be the potential immune epitope. Accordingly, infected HLA-DRB1*03:01 or HLA-DRB3*01.01 positive individuals may develop high affinity anti-RGD motif antibodies that react with the RGD motif in the host proteins, like fibrinogen, thrombin or von Willebrand factor, affecting haemostasis or participating in autoimmune disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Liam J. McGuffin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
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12
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Conley HE, Sheats MK. Targeting Neutrophil β 2-Integrins: A Review of Relevant Resources, Tools, and Methods. Biomolecules 2023; 13:892. [PMID: 37371473 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are important innate immune cells that respond during inflammation and infection. These migratory cells utilize β2-integrin cell surface receptors to move out of the vasculature into inflamed tissues and to perform various anti-inflammatory responses. Although critical for fighting off infection, neutrophil responses can also become dysregulated and contribute to disease pathophysiology. In order to limit neutrophil-mediated damage, investigators have focused on β2-integrins as potential therapeutic targets, but so far these strategies have failed in clinical trials. As the field continues to move forward, a better understanding of β2-integrin function and signaling will aid the design of future therapeutics. Here, we provide a detailed review of resources, tools, experimental methods, and in vivo models that have been and will continue to be utilized to investigate the vitally important cell surface receptors, neutrophil β2-integrins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haleigh E Conley
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - M Katie Sheats
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
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13
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Autophagy in Inflammatory Response against SARS-CoV-2. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054928. [PMID: 36902354 PMCID: PMC10002778 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054928] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease pandemic, which profoundly reshaped the world in 2019 (COVID-19), and is currently ongoing, has affected over 200 countries, caused over 500 million cumulative cases, and claimed the lives of over 6.4 million people worldwide as of August 2022. The causative agent is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Depicting this virus' life cycle and pathogenic mechanisms, as well as the cellular host factors and pathways involved during infection, has great relevance for the development of therapeutic strategies. Autophagy is a catabolic process that sequesters damaged cell organelles, proteins, and external invading microbes, and delivers them to the lysosomes for degradation. Autophagy would be involved in the entry, endo, and release, as well as the transcription and translation, of the viral particles in the host cell. Secretory autophagy would also be involved in developing the thrombotic immune-inflammatory syndrome seen in a significant number of COVID-19 patients that can lead to severe illness and even death. This review aims to review the main aspects that characterize the complex and not yet fully elucidated relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and autophagy. It briefly describes the key concepts regarding autophagy and mentions its pro- and antiviral roles, while also noting the reciprocal effect of viral infection in autophagic pathways and their clinical aspects.
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14
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Norris EG, Pan XS, Hocking DC. Receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 is a functional αv-integrin agonist. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102922. [PMID: 36669646 PMCID: PMC9846890 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the novel mutations distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 from similar coronaviruses is a K403R substitution in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike (S) protein within its S1 region. This amino acid substitution occurs near the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-binding interface and gives rise to a canonical RGD adhesion motif that is often found in native extracellular matrix proteins, including fibronectin. Here, the ability of recombinant S1-RBD to bind to cell surface integrins and trigger downstream signaling pathways was assessed and compared with RGD-containing, integrin-binding fragments of fibronectin. We determined that S1-RBD supported adhesion of fibronectin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts as well as primary human small airway epithelial cells, while RBD-coated microparticles attached to epithelial monolayers in a cation-dependent manner. Cell adhesion to S1-RBD was RGD dependent and inhibited by blocking antibodies against αv and β3 but not α5 or β1 integrins. Similarly, we observed direct binding of S1-RBD to recombinant human αvβ3 and αvβ6 integrins, but not α5β1 integrins, using surface plasmon resonance. S1-RBD adhesion initiated cell spreading, focal adhesion formation, and actin stress fiber organization to a similar extent as fibronectin. Moreover, S1-RBD stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the adhesion mediators FAK, Src, and paxillin; triggered Akt activation; and supported cell proliferation. Thus, the RGD sequence of S1-RBD can function as an αv-selective integrin agonist. This study provides evidence that cell surface αv-containing integrins can respond functionally to spike protein and raises the possibility that S1-mediated dysregulation of extracellular matrix dynamics may contribute to the pathogenesis and/or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G Norris
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Xuan Sabrina Pan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Denise C Hocking
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA.
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15
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Viruses Binding to Host Receptors Interacts with Autophagy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043423. [PMID: 36834833 PMCID: PMC9968160 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses must cross the plasma membrane to infect cells, making them eager to overcome this barrier in order to replicate in hosts. They bind to cell surface receptors as the first step of initiating entry. Viruses can use several surface molecules that allow them to evade defense mechanisms. Various mechanisms are stimulated to defend against viruses upon their entry into cells. Autophagy, one of the defense systems, degrades cellular components to maintain homeostasis. The presence of viruses in the cytosol regulates autophagy; however, the mechanisms by which viral binding to receptors regulates autophagy have not yet been fully established. This review discusses recent findings on autophagy induced by interactions between viruses and receptors. It provides novel perspectives on the mechanism of autophagy as regulated by viruses.
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16
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McColl ER, Croyle MA, Zamboni WC, Honer WG, Heise M, Piquette-Miller M, Goralski KB. COVID-19 Vaccines and the Virus: Impact on Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics. Drug Metab Dispos 2023; 51:130-141. [PMID: 36273826 PMCID: PMC11022893 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.122.000934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This article reports on an American Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Division of Drug Metabolism and Disposition symposium held at Experimental Biology on April 2, 2022, in Philadelphia. As of July 2022, over 500 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) and over 12 billion vaccine doses have been administered. Clinically significant interactions between viral infections and hepatic drug metabolism were first recognized over 40 years ago during a cluster of pediatric theophylline toxicity cases attributed to reduced hepatic drug metabolism amid an influenza B outbreak. Today, a substantive body of research supports that the activated innate immune response generally decreases hepatic cytochrome P450 activity. The interactions extend to drug transporters and other organs and have the potential to impact drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Based on this knowledge, altered ADME is predicted with SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. The report begins with a clinical case exploring the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination increasing clozapine levels. This is followed by discussions of how SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccines alter the metabolism and disposition of complex drugs, such as nanoparticles and biologics and small molecule therapies. The review concludes with a discussion of the effects of viral infections on placental amino acid transport and their potential to impact fetal development. The session improved our understanding of the impact of emerging viral infections and vaccine technologies on drug metabolism and disposition, which will help mitigate drug toxicity and improve drug and vaccine safety and effectiveness. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Altered pharmacokinetics of small molecule and complex molecule drugs and fetal brain distribution of amino acids following SARS-CoV-2 infection or immunization are possible. The proposed mechanisms involve decreased liver cytochrome P450 metabolism of small molecules, enhanced innate immune system metabolism of complex molecules, and altered placental and fetal blood-brain barrier amino acid transport, respectively. Future research is needed to understand the effects of these interactions on adverse drug responses, drug and vaccine safety, and effectiveness and fetal neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza R McColl
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (E.R.M., M.P-M.); Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery and LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas (M.A.C.); Eshelman School of Pharmacy (W.C.Z.) and Department of Genetics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) (M.H.), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (W.G.H.); and College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University (K.B.G.); Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre (K.B.G.); and Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (K.B.G.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Maria A Croyle
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (E.R.M., M.P-M.); Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery and LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas (M.A.C.); Eshelman School of Pharmacy (W.C.Z.) and Department of Genetics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) (M.H.), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (W.G.H.); and College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University (K.B.G.); Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre (K.B.G.); and Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (K.B.G.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - William C Zamboni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (E.R.M., M.P-M.); Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery and LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas (M.A.C.); Eshelman School of Pharmacy (W.C.Z.) and Department of Genetics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) (M.H.), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (W.G.H.); and College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University (K.B.G.); Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre (K.B.G.); and Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (K.B.G.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - William G Honer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (E.R.M., M.P-M.); Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery and LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas (M.A.C.); Eshelman School of Pharmacy (W.C.Z.) and Department of Genetics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) (M.H.), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (W.G.H.); and College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University (K.B.G.); Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre (K.B.G.); and Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (K.B.G.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Mark Heise
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (E.R.M., M.P-M.); Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery and LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas (M.A.C.); Eshelman School of Pharmacy (W.C.Z.) and Department of Genetics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) (M.H.), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (W.G.H.); and College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University (K.B.G.); Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre (K.B.G.); and Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (K.B.G.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Micheline Piquette-Miller
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (E.R.M., M.P-M.); Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery and LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas (M.A.C.); Eshelman School of Pharmacy (W.C.Z.) and Department of Genetics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) (M.H.), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (W.G.H.); and College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University (K.B.G.); Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre (K.B.G.); and Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (K.B.G.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kerry B Goralski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (E.R.M., M.P-M.); Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery and LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Austin, Texas (M.A.C.); Eshelman School of Pharmacy (W.C.Z.) and Department of Genetics, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) (M.H.), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (W.G.H.); and College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University (K.B.G.); Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre (K.B.G.); and Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (K.B.G.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Siekacz K, Kumor-Kisielewska A, Miłkowska-Dymanowska J, Pietrusińska M, Bartczak K, Majewski S, Stańczyk A, Piotrowski WJ, Białas AJ. Soluble ITGaM and ITGb2 Integrin Subunits Are Involved in Long-Term Pulmonary Complications after COVID-19 Infection. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12010342. [PMID: 36615143 PMCID: PMC9821073 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12010342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Introduction: The role of soluble integrins in post-COVID-19 complications is unclear, especially in long-term pulmonary lesions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between soluble ITGa2, ITGaM and ITGb2 integrin subunits and long COVID-19 pulmonary complications. (2) Methodology: Post-COVID-19 patients were enrolled. According to the evidence of persistent interstitial lung lesions on CT, patients were divided into a long-term pulmonary complications group (P(+)) and a control group without long-term pulmonary complications (P(-)). We randomly selected 80 patients for further investigation (40 subjects for each group). Levels of ITGa2, ITGaM and ITGb2 integrin subunits were determined by ELISA assay. (3) Results: The serum concentration of sITGaM and sITGb2 were significantly higher in the P(+) group (sITGaM 18.63 ng/mL [IQR 14.17-28.83] vs. 14.75 ng/mL [IQR 10.91-20] p = 0.01 and sITGb2 10.55 ng/mL [IQR 6.53-15.83] vs. 6.34 ng/mL [IQR 4.98-9.68] p = 0.002). We observed a statistically significant correlation between sITGaM and sITGb2 elevation in the P(+) group (R = 0.42; p = 0.01). Patients from the P(+) group had a lower (1.82 +/-0.84 G/L) lymphocyte level than the P(-)group (2.28 +/-0.79 G/L), p = 0.03. Furthermore, we observed an inverse correlation in the P(-) group between blood lymphocyte count and sITGb2 integrin subunit levels (R = -0.49 p = 0.01). (4) Conclusions: Elevated concentrations of sITGaM and sITGb2 were associated with long-term pulmonary complications in post-COVID-19 patients. Both sITGaM and sITGb2 may be promising biomarkers for predicting pulmonary complications and could be a potential target for therapeutic intervention in post-COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Siekacz
- Department of Pneumology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
| | | | | | | | - Krystian Bartczak
- Department of Pneumology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
| | - Sebastian Majewski
- Department of Pneumology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
| | - Adam Stańczyk
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
| | | | - Adam J. Białas
- Department of Pneumology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
- Department of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Regional Medical Center for Lung Diseases and Rehabilitation, 91-520 Lodz, Poland
- Correspondence:
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18
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Moran TE, Hammers DE, Lee SW. The Role of Host-Cellular Responses in COVID-19 Endothelial Dysfunction. Curr Drug Targets 2022; 23:1555-1566. [PMID: 35748550 DOI: 10.2174/1389450123666220624094940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV2, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, is a novel member of the human coronavirus family that has recently emerged worldwide to cause COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 disease has been declared a worldwide pandemic with over 270 million total cases, and >5 million deaths as of this writing. Although co-morbidities and preexisting conditions have played a significant role in the severity of COVID-19, the hallmark feature of severe disease associated with SARS-CoV2 is respiratory failure. Recent findings have demonstrated a key role for endothelial dysfunction caused by SARS-CoV2 in these clinical outcomes, characterized by endothelial inflammation, the persistence of a pro-coagulative state, and major recruitment of leukocytes and other immune cells to localized areas of endothelial dysfunction. Though it is generally recognized that endothelial impairment is a major contributor to COVID-19 disease, studies to examine the initial cellular events involved in triggering endothelial dysfunction are needed. In this article, we review the general strategy of pathogens to exploit endothelial cells and the endothelium to cause disease. We discuss the role of the endothelium in COVID-19 disease and highlight very recent findings that identify key signaling and cellular events that are associated with the initiation of SARS-CoV2 infection. These studies may reveal specific molecular pathways that can serve as potential means of therapeutic development against COVID-19 disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Moran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Daniel E Hammers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.,Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Shaun W Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.,Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.,W.M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.,Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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19
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Kuhn CC, Basnet N, Bodakuntla S, Alvarez-Brecht P, Nichols S, Martinez-Sanchez A, Agostini L, Soh YM, Takagi J, Biertümpfel C, Mizuno N. Direct Cryo-ET observation of platelet deformation induced by SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.11.22.517574. [PMID: 36451880 PMCID: PMC9709796 DOI: 10.1101/2022.11.22.517574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Its high pathogenicity is due to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S protein) contacting host-cell receptors. A critical hallmark of COVID-19 is the occurrence of coagulopathies. Here, we report the direct observation of the interactions between S protein and platelets. Live imaging showed that the S protein triggers platelets to deform dynamically, in some cases, leading to their irreversible activation. Strikingly, cellular cryo-electron tomography revealed dense decorations of S protein on the platelet surface, inducing filopodia formation. Hypothesizing that S protein binds to filopodia-inducing integrin receptors, we tested the binding to RGD motif-recognizing platelet integrins and found that S protein recognizes integrin α v β 3 . Our results infer that the stochastic activation of platelets is due to weak interactions of S protein with integrin, which can attribute to the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and the occurrence of rare but severe coagulopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Cyrus Kuhn
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Nirakar Basnet
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Satish Bodakuntla
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Pelayo Alvarez-Brecht
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.,Department of Computer Sciences, Faculty of Sciences - Campus Llamaquique, University of Oviedo, Oviedo 33007, Spain
| | - Scott Nichols
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Antonio Martinez-Sanchez
- Department of Computer Sciences, Faculty of Sciences - Campus Llamaquique, University of Oviedo, Oviedo 33007, Spain.,Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), Avenida Hospital Universitario s/n, 33011, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Lorenzo Agostini
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Young-Min Soh
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Junichi Takagi
- Osaka University Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Christian Biertümpfel
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Naoko Mizuno
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.,National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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20
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Onnis A, Andreano E, Cassioli C, Finetti F, Della Bella C, Staufer O, Pantano E, Abbiento V, Marotta G, D’Elios MM, Rappuoli R, Baldari CT. SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein suppresses CTL-mediated killing by inhibiting immune synapse assembly. J Exp Med 2022; 220:213689. [PMID: 36378226 PMCID: PMC9671159 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20220906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
CTL-mediated killing of virally infected or malignant cells is orchestrated at the immune synapse (IS). We hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 may target lytic IS assembly to escape elimination. We show that human CD8+ T cells upregulate the expression of ACE2, the Spike receptor, during differentiation to CTLs. CTL preincubation with the Wuhan or Omicron Spike variants inhibits IS assembly and function, as shown by defective synaptic accumulation of TCRs and tyrosine phosphoproteins as well as defective centrosome and lytic granule polarization to the IS, resulting in impaired target cell killing and cytokine production. These defects were reversed by anti-Spike antibodies interfering with ACE2 binding and reproduced by ACE2 engagement by angiotensin II or anti-ACE2 antibodies, but not by the ACE2 product Ang (1-7). IS defects were also observed ex vivo in CTLs from COVID-19 patients. These results highlight a new strategy of immune evasion by SARS-CoV-2 based on the Spike-dependent, ACE2-mediated targeting of the lytic IS to prevent elimination of infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Onnis
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Emanuele Andreano
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Lab, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | - Chiara Cassioli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Della Bella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Oskar Staufer
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Elisa Pantano
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Lab, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | - Valentina Abbiento
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Lab, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Mario Milco D’Elios
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Rino Rappuoli
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Lab, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy,Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Cosima T. Baldari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy,Correspondence to Cosima T. Baldari:
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21
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Heinl ES, Lorenz S, Schmidt B, Nasser M Laqtom N, Mazzulli JR, Francelle L, Yu TW, Greenberg B, Storch S, Tegtmeier I, Othmen H, Maurer K, Steinfurth M, Witzgall R, Milenkovic V, Wetzel CH, Reichold M. CLN7/MFSD8 may be an important factor for SARS-CoV-2 cell entry. iScience 2022; 25:105082. [PMID: 36093380 PMCID: PMC9444308 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105082] [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: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus has triggered a worldwide pandemic. According to the BioGrid database, CLN7 (MFSD8) is thought to interact with several viral proteins. The aim of this work was to investigate a possible involvement of CLN7 in the infection process. Experiments on a CLN7-deficient HEK293T cell line exhibited a 90% reduced viral load compared to wild-type cells. This observation may be linked to the finding that CLN7 ko cells have a significantly reduced GM1 content in their cell membrane. GM1 is found highly enriched in lipid rafts, which are thought to play an important role in SARS-CoV-2 infection. In contrast, overexpression of CLN7 led to an increase in viral load. This study provides evidence that CLN7 is involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection. This makes it a potential pharmacological target for drug development against COVID-19. Furthermore, it provides insights into the physiological function of CLN7 where still only little is known about.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena-Sofia Heinl
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Lorenz
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Barbara Schmidt
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Nouf Nasser M Laqtom
- Departments of Chemical Engineering and Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Joseph R. Mazzulli
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Laetitia Francelle
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Timothy W. Yu
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Greenberg
- Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Stephan Storch
- Children’s Hospital Biochemistry, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ines Tegtmeier
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Helga Othmen
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Institute for Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Katja Maurer
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Malin Steinfurth
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ralph Witzgall
- Institute for Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Vladimir Milenkovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christian H. Wetzel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Markus Reichold
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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22
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Iacobucci I, Monaco V, Canè L, Bibbò F, Cioffi V, Cozzolino F, Guarino A, Zollo M, Monti M. Spike S1 domain interactome in non-pulmonary systems: A role beyond the receptor recognition. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:975570. [PMID: 36225252 PMCID: PMC9550266 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.975570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which, since 2019 in China, has rapidly become a worldwide pandemic. The aggressiveness and global spread were enhanced by the many SARS-CoV-2 variants that have been isolated up to now. These mutations affect mostly the viral glycoprotein Spike (S), the capsid protein mainly involved in the early stages of viral entry processes, through the recognition of specific receptors on the host cell surface. In particular, the subunit S1 of the Spike glycoprotein contains the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) and it is responsible for the interaction with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Although ACE2 is the primary Spike host receptor currently studied, it has been demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 is also able to infect cells expressing low levels of ACE2, indicating that the virus may have alternative receptors on the host cells. The identification of the alternative receptors can better elucidate the pathogenicity and the tropism of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, we investigated the Spike S1 interactomes, starting from host membrane proteins of non-pulmonary cell lines, such as human kidney (HK-2), normal colon (NCM460D), and colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2). We employed an affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS) to pull down, from the membrane protein extracts of all cell lines, the protein partners of the recombinant form of the Spike S1 domain. The purified interactors were identified by a shotgun proteomics approach. The lists of S1 potential interacting proteins were then clusterized according to cellular localization, biological processes, and pathways, highlighting new possible S1 intracellular functions, crucial not only for the entrance mechanisms but also for viral replication and propagation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Iacobucci
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy
| | - Vittoria Monaco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy
| | - Luisa Canè
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Bibbò
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies (DMMBM), University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Cioffi
- Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Flora Cozzolino
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy
| | - Alfredo Guarino
- Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Massimo Zollo
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies (DMMBM), University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Monti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy
- *Correspondence: Maria Monti,
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23
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Lipid Raft Integrity and Cellular Cholesterol Homeostasis Are Critical for SARS-CoV-2 Entry into Cells. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14163417. [PMID: 36014919 PMCID: PMC9415163 DOI: 10.3390/nu14163417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid rafts in cell plasma membranes play a critical role in the life cycle of many viruses. However, the involvement of membrane cholesterol-rich lipid rafts in the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into target cells is not well known. In this study, we investigated whether the presence of cholesterol-rich microdomains is required for the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells. Our results show that depletion of cholesterol in the rafts by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MβCD) treatment impaired the expression of the cell surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), resulting in a significant increase in SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. The effects exerted by MβCD could be substantially reversed by exogenous cholesterol replenishment. In contrast, disturbance of intracellular cholesterol homeostasis by statins or siRNA knockdown of key genes involved in the cholesterol biosynthesis and transport pathways reduced SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. Our study also reveals that SREBP2-mediated cholesterol biosynthesis is involved in the process of SARS-CoV-2 entry in target cells. These results suggest that the host membrane cholesterol-enriched lipid rafts and cellular cholesterol homeostasis are essential for SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. Pharmacological manipulation of intracellular cholesterol might provide new therapeutic strategies to alleviate SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells.
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24
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Omidian N, Mohammadi P, Sadeghalvad M, Mohammadi-Motlagh HR. Cerebral microvascular complications associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: How did it occur and how should it be treated? Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 154:113534. [PMID: 35994816 PMCID: PMC9381434 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral microvascular disease has been reported as a central feature of the neurological disorders in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection that may be associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. The main pathomechanism in the development of cerebrovascular injury due to SARS-CoV-2 infection can be a consequence of endothelial cell dysfunction as a structural part of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which may be accompanied by increased inflammatory response and thrombocytopenia along with blood coagulation disorders. In this review, we described the properties of the BBB, the neurotropism behavior of SARS-CoV-2, and the possible mechanisms of damage to the CNS microvascular upon SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Omidian
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Pantea Mohammadi
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mona Sadeghalvad
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Hamid-Reza Mohammadi-Motlagh
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
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25
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Shin J, Toyoda S, Fukuhara A, Shimomura I. GRP78, a Novel Host Factor for SARS-CoV-2: The Emerging Roles in COVID-19 Related to Metabolic Risk Factors. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081995. [PMID: 36009544 PMCID: PMC9406123 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), caused by the infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in an unprecedented amount of infection cases and deaths, leading to the global health crisis. Despite many research efforts, our understanding of COVID-19 remains elusive. Recent studies have suggested that cell surface glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) acts as a host co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2 infection and is related to COVID-19 risks, such as older age, obesity, and diabetes. Given its significance in a wide range of biological processes, such as protein homeostasis and cellular signaling, GRP78 might also play an important role in various stages of the viral life cycle and pathology of SARS-CoV-2. In this perspective, we explore the emerging and potential roles of GRP78 in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, we discuss the association with COVID-19 risks and symptoms. We hope this review article will be helpful to understand COVID-19 pathology and promote attention and study of GRP78 from many clinical and basic research fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihoon Shin
- Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Diabetes Care Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Correspondence:
| | - Shinichiro Toyoda
- Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Atsunori Fukuhara
- Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Adipose Management, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Iichiro Shimomura
- Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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26
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Khan AA, Jain SK, Rai M, Panda S. Exploring SARS-CoV2 host-pathogen interactions and associated fungal infections cross-talk: Screening of targets and understanding pathogenesis. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:4351-4359. [PMID: 35965662 PMCID: PMC9364728 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 associated opportunistic fungal infections have posed major challenges in recent times. Global scientific efforts have identified several SARS-CoV2 host-pathogen interactions in a very short time span. However, information about the molecular basis of COVID-19 associated opportunistic fungal infections is not readily available. Previous studies have identified a number of host targets involved in these opportunistic fungal infections showing association with COVID-19 patients. We screened host targets involved in COVID-19-associated opportunistic fungal infections, in addition to host-pathogen interaction data of SARS-CoV2 from well-known and widely used biological databases. Venn diagram was prepared to screen common host targets involved in studied COVID-19-associated fungal infections. Moreover, an interaction network of studied disease targets was prepared with STRING to identify important targets on the basis of network biological parameters. The host-pathogen interaction (HPI) map of SARS-CoV2 was also prepared and screened to identify interactions of the virus with targets involved in studied fungal infections. Pathway enrichment analysis of host targets involved in studied opportunistic fungal infections and the subset of those involved in SARS-CoV2 HPI were performed separately. This data-based analysis screened six common targets involved in all studied fungal infections, among which CARD9 and CYP51A1 were involved in host-pathogen interactions with SARS-CoV2. Moreover, several signaling pathways such as integrin signaling were screened, which were associated with disease targets involved in SARS-CoV2 HPI. The results of this study indicate several host targets deserving detailed investigation to develop strategies for the management of SARS-CoV2-associated fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Arif Khan
- Division of Microbiology, ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sudhir K Jain
- School of Studies in Microbiology, Vikram University, Ujjain (MP), India
| | - Mahendra Rai
- Department of Microbiology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland.,Department of Biotechnology, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra, India
| | - Samiran Panda
- Indian Council of Medical Research, V. Ramalingaswami Bhawan, P.O. Box No. 4911, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi Pin-110029, India
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27
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Kurisinkal EE, Caroprese V, Koga MM, Morzy D, Bastings MMC. Selective Integrin α5β1 Targeting through Spatially Constrained Multivalent DNA-Based Nanoparticles. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27154968. [PMID: 35956918 PMCID: PMC9370198 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27154968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting cells specifically based on receptor expression levels remains an area of active research to date. Selective binding of receptors cannot be achieved by increasing the individual binding strength, as this does not account for differing distributions of receptor density across healthy and diseased cells. Engaging receptors above a threshold concentration would be desirable in devising selective diagnostics. Integrins are prime target candidates as they are readily available on the cell surface and have been reported to be overexpressed in diseases. Insights into their spatial organization would therefore be advantageous to design selective targeting agents. Here, we investigated the effect of activation method on integrin α5β1 clustering by immunofluorescence and modeled the global neighbor distances with input from an immuno-staining assay and image processing of microscopy images. This data was used to engineer spatially-controlled DNA-scaffolded bivalent ligands, which we used to compare trends in spatial-selective binding observed across HUVEC, CHO and HeLa in resting versus activated conditions in confocal microscopy images. For HUVEC and CHO, the data demonstrated an improved selectivity and localisation of binding for smaller spacings ~7 nm and ~24 nm, in good agreement with the model. A deviation from the mode predictions for HeLa was observed, indicative of a clustered, instead of homogeneous, integrin organization. Our findings demonstrate how low-technology imaging methods can guide the design of spatially controlled ligands to selectively differentiate between cell type and integrin activation state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva E. Kurisinkal
- Programmable Biomaterials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, School of Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincenzo Caroprese
- Programmable Biomaterials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, School of Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marianna M. Koga
- Programmable Biomaterials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, School of Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Diana Morzy
- Programmable Biomaterials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, School of Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maartje M. C. Bastings
- Programmable Biomaterials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, School of Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Interfaculty Bioengineering Institute, School of Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
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28
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Chen M, Ma Y, Chang W. SARS-CoV-2 and the Nucleus. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:4731-4743. [PMID: 35874947 PMCID: PMC9305274 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.72482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is caused by an RNA virus, SARS-CoV-2. The genome of SARS-CoV-2 lacks a nuclear phase in its life cycle and is replicated in the cytoplasm. However, interfering with nuclear trafficking using pharmacological inhibitors greatly reduces virus infection and virus replication of other coronaviruses is blocked in enucleated cells, suggesting a critical role of the nucleus in virus infection. Here, we summarize the alternations of nuclear pathways caused by SARS-CoV-2, including nuclear translocation pathways, innate immune responses, mRNA metabolism, epigenetic mechanisms, DNA damage response, cytoskeleton regulation, and nuclear rupture. We consider how these alternations contribute to virus replication and discuss therapeutic treatments that target these pathways, focusing on small molecule drugs that are being used in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Wakam Chang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
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Yan K, Dumenil T, Tang B, Le TT, Bishop CR, Suhrbier A, Rawle DJ. Evolution of ACE2-Independent SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Mouse Adaption After Passage in Cells Expressing Human and Mouse ACE2. Virus Evol 2022; 8:veac063. [PMID: 35919871 PMCID: PMC9338707 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veac063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Human ACE2 Human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) is the key cell attachment and entry receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with the original SARS-CoV-2 isolates unable to use mouse ACE2 (mACE2). Herein we describe the emergence of a SARS-CoV-2 strain capable of ACE2-independent infection and the evolution of mouse-adapted (MA) SARS-CoV-2 by in vitro serial passaging of virus in co-cultures of cell lines expressing hACE2 and mACE2. MA viruses evolved with up to five amino acid changes in the spike protein, all of which have been seen in human isolates. MA viruses replicated to high titers in C57BL/6J mouse lungs and nasal turbinates and caused characteristic lung histopathology. One MA virus also evolved to replicate efficiently in several ACE2-negative cell lines across several species, including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) ACE2 knockout cells. An E484D substitution is likely involved in ACE2-independent entry and has appeared in only ≈0.003 per cent of human isolates globally, suggesting that it provided no significant selection advantage in humans. ACE2-independent entry reveals a SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanism that has potential implications for disease pathogenesis, evolution, tropism, and perhaps also intervention development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Yan
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, Queensland. 4029, Australia
| | - Troy Dumenil
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, Queensland. 4029, Australia
| | - Bing Tang
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, Queensland. 4029, Australia
| | - Thuy T Le
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, Queensland. 4029, Australia
| | - Cameron R Bishop
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, Queensland. 4029, Australia
| | - Andreas Suhrbier
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, Queensland. 4029, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, GVN Center of Excellence , Brisbane, Queensland, 4029 and 4072, Australia
| | - Daniel J Rawle
- Infection and Inflammation Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, Queensland. 4029, Australia
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30
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Gahmberg CG, Grönholm M, Madhavan S. Regulation of Dynamic Cell Adhesion by Integrin-Integrin Crosstalk. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101685. [PMID: 35626722 PMCID: PMC9140058 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Most cells express several integrins. The integrins are able to respond to various cellular functions and needs by modifying their own activation state, but in addition by their ability to regulate each other by activation or inhibition. This crosstalk or transdominant regulation is strictly controlled. The mechanisms resulting in integrin crosstalk are incompletely understood, but they often involve intracellular signalling routes also used by other cell surface receptors. Several studies show that the integrin cytoplasmic tails bind to a number of cytoskeletal and adaptor molecules in a regulated manner. Recent work has shown that phosphorylations of integrins and key intracellular molecules are of pivotal importance in integrin-cytoplasmic interactions, and these in turn affect integrin activity and crosstalk. The integrin β-chains play a central role in regulating crosstalk. In addition to Integrin-integrin crosstalk, crosstalk may also occur between integrins and related receptors, including other adhesion receptors, growth factor and SARS-CoV-2 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl G. Gahmberg
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9 C, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (M.G.); (S.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +358-50-539-9439
| | - Mikaela Grönholm
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9 C, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (M.G.); (S.M.)
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9 C, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sudarrshan Madhavan
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9 C, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (M.G.); (S.M.)
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31
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Huntington KE, Carlsen L, So EY, Piesche M, Liang O, El-Deiry WS. Integrin/TGF-β1 Inhibitor GLPG-0187 Blocks SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron Pseudovirus Infection of Airway Epithelial Cells In Vitro, Which Could Attenuate Disease Severity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:618. [PMID: 35631444 PMCID: PMC9143518 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As COVID-19 continues to pose major risk for vulnerable populations, including the elderly, immunocompromised, patients with cancer, and those with contraindications to vaccination, novel treatment strategies are urgently needed. SARS-CoV-2 infects target cells via RGD-binding integrins, either independently or as a co-receptor with surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). We used pan-integrin inhibitor GLPG-0187 to demonstrate the blockade of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection of target cells. Omicron pseudovirus infected normal human small airway epithelial (HSAE) cells significantly less than D614G or Delta variant pseudovirus, and GLPG-0187 effectively blocked SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection in a dose-dependent manner across multiple viral variants. GLPG-0187 inhibited Omicron and Delta pseudovirus infection of HSAE cells more significantly than other variants. Pre-treatment of HSAE cells with MEK inhibitor (MEKi) VS-6766 enhanced the inhibition of pseudovirus infection by GLPG-0187. Because integrins activate transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling, we compared the plasma levels of active and total TGF-β in COVID-19+ patients. The plasma TGF-β1 levels correlated with age, race, and number of medications upon presentation with COVID-19, but not with sex. Total plasma TGF-β1 levels correlated with activated TGF-β1 levels. Moreover, the inhibition of integrin signaling prevents SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron pseudovirus infectivity, and it may mitigate COVID-19 severity through decreased TGF-β1 activation. This therapeutic strategy may be further explored through clinical testing in vulnerable and unvaccinated populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E. Huntington
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (K.E.H.); (L.C.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (E.-Y.S.); (O.L.)
- Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Pathobiology Graduate Program, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Lindsey Carlsen
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (K.E.H.); (L.C.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (E.-Y.S.); (O.L.)
- Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Pathobiology Graduate Program, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Eui-Young So
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (E.-Y.S.); (O.L.)
- Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Lifespan Health System and Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Matthias Piesche
- Biomedical Research Laboratories, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3466706, Chile
- Oncology Center, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3466706, Chile
| | - Olin Liang
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (E.-Y.S.); (O.L.)
- Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Lifespan Health System and Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Wafik S. El-Deiry
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (K.E.H.); (L.C.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA; (E.-Y.S.); (O.L.)
- Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Pathobiology Graduate Program, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Lifespan Health System and Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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32
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Turner AJ, Nalivaeva NN. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2): Two decades of revelations and re-evaluation. Peptides 2022; 151:170766. [PMID: 35151768 PMCID: PMC8830188 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2, or ACE2, is primarily a zinc-dependent peptidase and ectoenzyme expressed in numerous cell types and functioning as a counterbalance to ACE in the renin-angiotensin system. It was discovered 21 years ago more than 40 years after the discovery of ACE itself. Its primary physiological activity is believed to be in the conversion of angiotensin II to the vasodilatory angiotensin-(1-7) acting through the Mas receptor. As such it has been implicated in numerous pathological conditions, largely in a protective mode which has led to the search for ACE2 activatory mechanisms. ACE2 has a diverse substrate specificity allowing its participation in multiple peptide pathways. It also regulates aspects of amino acid transport through its homology with a membrane protein, collectrin. It also serves as a viral receptor for the SARS virus, and subsequently SARS-CoV2, driving the current COVID-19 pandemic. ACE2 therefore provides a therapeutic target for the treatment of COVID and understanding the biological events following viral binding can provide insight into the multiple pathologies caused by the virus, particularly inflammatory and vascular. In part this may relate to the ability of ACE2, like ACE, to be shed from the cell membrane. The shed form of ACE2 (sACE2) may be a factor in determining susceptibility to certain COVID pathologies. Hence, for just over 20 years, ACE2 has provided numerous surprises in the field of vasoactive peptides with, no doubt, more to come but it is its central role in COVID pathology that is producing the current intense interest in its biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Turner
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Natalia N Nalivaeva
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; I.M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia; Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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33
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Gressett TE, Nader D, Robles JP, Buranda T, Kerrigan SW, Bix G. Integrins as Therapeutic Targets for SARS-CoV-2. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:892323. [PMID: 35619646 PMCID: PMC9128570 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.892323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy E. Gressett
- Tulane University School of Medicine, Clinical Neuroscience Research Center (CNRC), New Orleans, LA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Danielle Nader
- RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PBS), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Juan Pablo Robles
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Tione Buranda
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (HSC), Department of Pathology, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Steven W. Kerrigan
- RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PBS), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gregory Bix
- Tulane University School of Medicine, Clinical Neuroscience Research Center (CNRC), New Orleans, LA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
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34
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Nader D, Kerrigan SW. Molecular Cross-Talk between Integrins and Cadherins Leads to a Loss of Vascular Barrier Integrity during SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Viruses 2022; 14:891. [PMID: 35632633 PMCID: PMC9143673 DOI: 10.3390/v14050891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The vascular barrier is heavily injured following SARS-CoV-2 infection and contributes enormously to life-threatening complications in COVID-19. This endothelial dysfunction is associated with the phlogistic phenomenon of cytokine storms, thrombotic complications, abnormal coagulation, hypoxemia, and multiple organ failure. The mechanisms surrounding COVID-19 associated endotheliitis have been widely attributed to ACE2-mediated pathways. However, integrins are emerging as possible receptor candidates for SARS-CoV-2, and their complex intracellular signaling events are essential for maintaining endothelial homeostasis. Here, we showed that the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 depends on its RGD motif to drive barrier dysregulation by hijacking integrin αVβ3, expressed on human endothelial cells. This triggers the redistribution and internalization of major junction protein VE-Cadherin which leads to the barrier disruption phenotype. Both extracellular and intracellular inhibitors of integrin αVβ3 prevented these effects, similarly to the RGD-cyclic peptide compound Cilengitide, which suggests that the spike protein-through its RGD motif-binds to αVβ3 and elicits vascular leakage events. These findings support integrins as an additional receptor for SARS-CoV-2, particularly as integrin engagement can elucidate many of the adverse endothelial dysfunction events that stem from COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Steve W. Kerrigan
- Cardiovascular Infection Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PBS), RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, 123 St. Stephen’s Green, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland;
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35
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Norris EG, Pan XS, Hocking DC. Receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 is a functional αv-integrin agonist. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.04.11.487882. [PMID: 35441172 PMCID: PMC9016641 DOI: 10.1101/2022.04.11.487882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Among the novel mutations distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 from similar respiratory coronaviruses is a K403R substitution in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike (S) protein within its S1 region. This amino acid substitution occurs near the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-binding interface and gives rise to a canonical RGD adhesion motif that is often found in native extracellular matrix proteins, including fibronectin. In the present study, the ability of recombinant S1-RBD to bind to cell surface integrins and trigger downstream signaling pathways was assessed and compared to RGD-containing, integrin-binding fragments of fibronectin. S1-RBD supported adhesion of both fibronectin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts as well as primary human small airway epithelial cells. Cell adhesion to S1-RBD was cation- and RGD-dependent, and was inhibited by blocking antibodies against α v and β 3 , but not α 5 or β 1 , integrins. Similarly, direct binding of S1-RBD to recombinant human α v β 3 and α v β 6 integrins, but not α 5 β 1 integrins, was observed by surface plasmon resonance. Adhesion to S1-RBD initiated cell spreading, focal adhesion formation, and actin stress fiber organization to a similar extent as fibronectin. Moreover, S1-RBD stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the adhesion mediators FAK, Src, and paxillin, Akt activation, and supported cell proliferation. Together, these data demonstrate that the RGD sequence within S1-RBD can function as an α v -selective integrin agonist. This study provides evidence that cell surface α v -containing integrins can respond functionally to spike protein and raise the possibility that S1-mediated dysregulation of ECM dynamics may contribute to the pathogenesis and/or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G. Norris
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Xuan Sabrina Pan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Denise C. Hocking
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
- Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
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36
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Liu J, Lu F, Chen Y, Plow E, Qin J. Integrin mediates cell entry of the SARS-CoV-2 virus independent of cellular receptor ACE2. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101710. [PMID: 35150743 PMCID: PMC8828381 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is broadly accepted that SARS-CoV-2 utilizes its spike protein to recognize the extracellular domain of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter cells for viral infection. However, other mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 cell entry may occur. We show quantitatively that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein also binds to the extracellular domain of broadly expressed integrin α5β1 with an affinity comparable to that of SARS-CoV-2 binding to ACE2. More importantly, we provide direct evidence that such binding promotes the internalization of SARS-CoV-2 into non-ACE2 cells in a manner critically dependent upon the activation of the integrin. Our data demonstrate an alternative pathway for the cell entry of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that upon initial ACE2-mediated invasion of the virus in the respiratory system, which is known to trigger an immune response and secretion of cytokines to activate integrin, the integrin-mediated cell invasion of SARS-CoV-2 into the respiratory system and other organs becomes effective, thereby promoting further infection and progression of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamnin Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Fan Lu
- Department of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Yinghua Chen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Edward Plow
- Department of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jun Qin
- Department of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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37
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Huntington KE, Carlsen L, So EY, Piesche M, Liang O, El-Deiry WS. Integrin/TGF-β1 inhibitor GLPG-0187 blocks SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron pseudovirus infection of airway epithelial cells which could attenuate disease severity. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2022:2022.01.02.22268641. [PMID: 35018385 PMCID: PMC8750711 DOI: 10.1101/2022.01.02.22268641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
As COVID-19 continues to pose major risk for vulnerable populations including the elderly, immunocompromised, patients with cancer, and those with contraindications to vaccination, novel treatment strategies are urgently needed. SARS-CoV-2 infects target cells via RGD-binding integrins either independently or as a co-receptor with surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). We used pan-integrin inhibitor GLPG-0187 to demonstrate blockade of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection of target cells. Omicron pseudovirus infected normal human small airway epithelial (HSAE) cells significantly less than D614G or Delta variant pseudovirus, and GLPG-0187 effectively blocked SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection in a dose-dependent manner across multiple viral variants. GLPG-0187 inhibited Omicron and Delta pseudovirus infection of HSAE cells more significantly than other variants. Pre-treatment of HSAE cells with MEK inhibitor (MEKi) VS-6766 enhanced inhibition of pseudovirus infection by GLPG-0187. Because integrins activate TGF-β signaling, we compared plasma levels of active and total TGF-β in COVID-19+ patients. Plasma TGF-β1 levels correlated with age, race, and number of medications upon presentation with COVID-19, but not with sex. Total plasma TGF-β1 levels correlated with activated TGF-β1 levels. In our preclinical studies, Omicron infects lower airway lung cells less efficiently than other COVID-19 variants. Moreover, inhibition of integrin signaling prevents SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron pseudovirus infectivity, and may mitigate COVID-19 severity through decreased TGF-β1 activation. This therapeutic strategy may be further explored through clinical testing in vulnerable and unvaccinated populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E. Huntington
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Pathobiology Graduate Program, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Lindsey Carlsen
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Pathobiology Graduate Program, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Eui-Young So
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Lifespan Health System and Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912
| | - Matthias Piesche
- Biomedical Research Laboratories, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
- Oncology Center, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Olin Liang
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Lifespan Health System and Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912
| | - Wafik S. El-Deiry
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Joint Program in Cancer Biology, Lifespan Health System and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Pathobiology Graduate Program, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Lifespan Health System and Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912
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38
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Beaudoin CA, Hamaia SW, Huang CLH, Blundell TL, Jackson AP. Can the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Bind Integrins Independent of the RGD Sequence? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:765300. [PMID: 34869067 PMCID: PMC8637727 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.765300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The RGD motif in the Severe Acute Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein has been predicted to bind RGD-recognizing integrins. Recent studies have shown that the spike protein does, indeed, interact with αVβ3 and α5β1 integrins, both of which bind to RGD-containing ligands. However, computational studies have suggested that binding between the spike RGD motif and integrins is not favourable, even when unfolding occurs after conformational changes induced by binding to the canonical host entry receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Furthermore, non-RGD-binding integrins, such as αx, have been suggested to interact with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Other viral pathogens, such as rotaviruses, have been recorded to bind integrins in an RGD-independent manner to initiate host cell entry. Thus, in order to consider the potential for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to bind integrins independent of the RGD sequence, we investigate several factors related to the involvement of integrins in SARS-CoV-2 infection. First, we review changes in integrin expression during SARS-CoV-2 infection to identify which integrins might be of interest. Then, all known non-RGD integrin-binding motifs are collected and mapped to the spike protein receptor-binding domain and analyzed for their 3D availability. Several integrin-binding motifs are shown to exhibit high sequence similarity with solvent accessible regions of the spike receptor-binding domain. Comparisons of these motifs with other betacoronavirus spike proteins, such as SARS-CoV and RaTG13, reveal that some have recently evolved while others are more conserved throughout phylogenetically similar betacoronaviruses. Interestingly, all of the potential integrin-binding motifs, including the RGD sequence, are conserved in one of the known pangolin coronavirus strains. Of note, the most recently recorded mutations in the spike protein receptor-binding domain were found outside of the putative integrin-binding sequences, although several mutations formed inside and close to one motif, in particular, may potentially enhance binding. These data suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein may interact with integrins independent of the RGD sequence and may help further explain how SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses can evolve to bind to integrins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Beaudoin
- Department of Biochemistry, Sanger Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Samir W Hamaia
- Department of Biochemistry, Hopkins Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher L-H Huang
- Department of Biochemistry, Hopkins Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tom L Blundell
- Department of Biochemistry, Sanger Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Antony P Jackson
- Department of Biochemistry, Hopkins Building, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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