1
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Liang L, Wang B, Zhang Q, Zhang S, Zhang S. Antibody drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2: Time for a rethink? Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 176:116900. [PMID: 38861858 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) heavily burdens human health. Multiple neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) have been issued for emergency use or tested for treating infected patients in the clinic. However, SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) carrying mutations reduce the effectiveness of nAbs by preventing neutralization. Uncoding the mutation profile and immune evasion mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 can improve the outcome of Ab-mediated therapies. In this review, we first outline the development status of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Ab drugs and provide an overview of SARS-CoV-2 variants and their prevalence. We next focus on the failure causes of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Ab drugs and rethink the design strategy for developing new Ab drugs against COVID-19. This review provides updated information for the development of therapeutic Ab drugs against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Likeng Liang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin 300121, China
| | - Sihe Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
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2
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Lei R, Qing E, Odle A, Yuan M, Gunawardene CD, Tan TJC, So N, Ouyang WO, Wilson IA, Gallagher T, Perlman S, Wu NC, Wong LYR. Functional and antigenic characterization of SARS-CoV-2 spike fusion peptide by deep mutational scanning. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4056. [PMID: 38744813 PMCID: PMC11094058 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48104-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The fusion peptide of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is functionally important for membrane fusion during virus entry and is part of a broadly neutralizing epitope. However, sequence determinants at the fusion peptide and its adjacent regions for pathogenicity and antigenicity remain elusive. In this study, we perform a series of deep mutational scanning (DMS) experiments on an S2 region spanning the fusion peptide of authentic SARS-CoV-2 in different cell lines and in the presence of broadly neutralizing antibodies. We identify mutations at residue 813 of the spike protein that reduced TMPRSS2-mediated entry with decreased virulence. In addition, we show that an F823Y mutation, present in bat betacoronavirus HKU9 spike protein, confers resistance to broadly neutralizing antibodies. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity and also highlight a potential challenge in developing broadly protective S2-based coronavirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruipeng Lei
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Enya Qing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Abby Odle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Meng Yuan
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Chaminda D Gunawardene
- Center for Virus-Host Innate Immunity, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Timothy J C Tan
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Natalie So
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Wenhao O Ouyang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tom Gallagher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Nicholas C Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Lok-Yin Roy Wong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
- Center for Virus-Host Innate Immunity, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
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3
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Freidel MR, Armen RS. Research Progress on Spike-Dependent SARS-CoV-2 Fusion Inhibitors and Small Molecules Targeting the S2 Subunit of Spike. Viruses 2024; 16:712. [PMID: 38793593 PMCID: PMC11125925 DOI: 10.3390/v16050712] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, extensive drug repurposing efforts have sought to identify small-molecule antivirals with various mechanisms of action. Here, we aim to review research progress on small-molecule viral entry and fusion inhibitors that directly bind to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. Early in the pandemic, numerous small molecules were identified in drug repurposing screens and reported to be effective in in vitro SARS-CoV-2 viral entry or fusion inhibitors. However, given minimal experimental information regarding the exact location of small-molecule binding sites on Spike, it was unclear what the specific mechanism of action was or where the exact binding sites were on Spike for some inhibitor candidates. The work of countless researchers has yielded great progress, with the identification of many viral entry inhibitors that target elements on the S1 receptor-binding domain (RBD) or N-terminal domain (NTD) and disrupt the S1 receptor-binding function. In this review, we will also focus on highlighting fusion inhibitors that target inhibition of the S2 fusion function, either by disrupting the formation of the postfusion S2 conformation or alternatively by stabilizing structural elements of the prefusion S2 conformation to prevent conformational changes associated with S2 function. We highlight experimentally validated binding sites on the S1/S2 interface and on the S2 subunit. While most substitutions to the Spike protein to date in variants of concern (VOCs) have been localized to the S1 subunit, the S2 subunit sequence is more conserved, with only a few observed substitutions in proximity to S2 binding sites. Several recent small molecules targeting S2 have been shown to have robust activity over recent VOC mutant strains and/or greater broad-spectrum antiviral activity for other more distantly related coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roger S. Armen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Thomas Jefferson University, 901 Walnut St. Suite 918, Philadelphia, PA 19170, USA;
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4
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Zech F, Jung C, Jacob T, Kirchhoff F. Causes and Consequences of Coronavirus Spike Protein Variability. Viruses 2024; 16:177. [PMID: 38399953 PMCID: PMC10892391 DOI: 10.3390/v16020177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses are a large family of enveloped RNA viruses found in numerous animal species. They are well known for their ability to cross species barriers and have been transmitted from bats or intermediate hosts to humans on several occasions. Four of the seven human coronaviruses (hCoVs) are responsible for approximately 20% of common colds (hCoV-229E, -NL63, -OC43, -HKU1). Two others (SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV) cause severe and frequently lethal respiratory syndromes but have only spread to very limited extents in the human population. In contrast the most recent human hCoV, SARS-CoV-2, while exhibiting intermediate pathogenicity, has a profound impact on public health due to its enormous spread. In this review, we discuss which initial features of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and subsequent adaptations to the new human host may have helped this pathogen to cause the COVID-19 pandemic. Our focus is on host forces driving changes in the Spike protein and their consequences for virus infectivity, pathogenicity, immune evasion and resistance to preventive or therapeutic agents. In addition, we briefly address the significance and perspectives of broad-spectrum therapeutics and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Zech
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Christoph Jung
- Institute of Electrochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (C.J.); (T.J.)
- Helmholtz-Institute Ulm (HIU) Electrochemical Energy Storage, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Timo Jacob
- Institute of Electrochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (C.J.); (T.J.)
- Helmholtz-Institute Ulm (HIU) Electrochemical Energy Storage, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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5
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Yamamoto Y, Inoue T. Current Status and Perspectives of Therapeutic Antibodies Targeting the Spike Protein S2 Subunit against SARS-CoV-2. Biol Pharm Bull 2024; 47:917-923. [PMID: 38692869 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b23-00639] [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: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has devastated public health and the global economy. New variants are continually emerging because of amino acid mutations within the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Existing neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) that target the receptor-binding domain (RBD) within the spike protein have been shown to have reduced neutralizing activity against these variants. In particular, the recently expanding omicron subvariants BQ 1.1 and XBB are resistant to nAbs approved for emergency use by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Therefore, it is essential to develop broad nAbs to combat emerging variants. In contrast to the massive accumulation of mutations within the RBD, the S2 subunit remains highly conserved among variants. Therefore, nAbs targeting the S2 region may provide effective cross-protection against novel SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we provide a detailed summary of nAbs targeting the S2 subunit: the fusion peptide, stem helix, and heptad repeats 1 and 2. In addition, we provide prospects to solve problems such as the weak neutralizing potency of nAbs targeting the S2 subunit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichiro Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science
| | - Tetsuya Inoue
- Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science
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6
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Gabdoulkhakova AG, Mingaleeva RN, Romozanova AM, Sagdeeva AR, Filina YV, Rizvanov AA, Miftakhova RR. Immunology of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2024; 89:65-83. [PMID: 38467546 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297924010048] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
According to the data from the World Health Organization, about 800 million of the world population had contracted coronavirus infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 by mid-2023. Properties of this virus have allowed it to circulate in the human population for a long time, evolving defense mechanisms against the host immune system. Severity of the disease depends largely on the degree of activation of the systemic immune response, including overstimulation of macrophages and monocytes, cytokine production, and triggering of adaptive T- and B-cell responses, while SARS-CoV-2 evades the immune system actions. In this review, we discuss immune responses triggered in response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus entry into the cell and malfunctions of the immune system that lead to the development of severe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida G Gabdoulkhakova
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Russia.
- Kazan State Medical Academy - Branch Campus of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Further Professional Education "Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Kazan, 420012, Russia
| | | | | | | | | | - Albert A Rizvanov
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Russia
- Division of Medical and Biological Sciences, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Kazan, 420111, Russia
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7
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Kumar S, Delipan R, Chakraborty D, Kanjo K, Singh R, Singh N, Siddiqui S, Tyagi A, Jha V, Thakur KG, Pandey R, Varadarajan R, Ringe RP. Mutations in S2 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike strongly influence its conformation, fusogenicity, and neutralization sensitivity. J Virol 2023; 97:e0092223. [PMID: 37861334 PMCID: PMC10688319 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00922-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The Omicron subvariants have substantially evaded host-neutralizing antibodies and adopted an endosomal route of entry. The virus has acquired several mutations in the receptor binding domain and N-terminal domain of S1 subunit, but remarkably, also incorporated mutations in S2 which are fixed in Omicron sub-lineage. Here, we found that the mutations in the S2 subunit affect the structural and biological properties such as neutralization escape, entry route, fusogenicity, and protease requirement. In vivo, these mutations may have significant roles in tropism and replication. A detailed understanding of the effects of S2 mutations on Spike function, immune evasion, and viral entry would inform the vaccine design, as well as therapeutic interventions aiming to block the essential proteases for virus entry. Thus, our study has identified the crucial role of S2 mutations in stabilizing the Omicron spike and modulating neutralization resistance to antibodies targeting the S1 subunit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahil Kumar
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| | - Rathina Delipan
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Kawkab Kanjo
- Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | | | - Nittu Singh
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| | - Samreen Siddiqui
- Max Super Speciality Hospital (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation), Max Healthcare, Delhi, India
| | - Akansha Tyagi
- Max Super Speciality Hospital (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation), Max Healthcare, Delhi, India
| | - Vinitaa Jha
- Max Super Speciality Hospital (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation), Max Healthcare, Delhi, India
| | - Krishan G. Thakur
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| | - Rajesh Pandey
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
| | | | - Rajesh P. Ringe
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
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8
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Lei R, Qing E, Odle A, Yuan M, Tan TJ, So N, Ouyang WO, Wilson IA, Gallagher T, Perlman S, Wu NC, Wong LYR. Functional and antigenic characterization of SARS-CoV-2 spike fusion peptide by deep mutational scanning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.28.569051. [PMID: 38076875 PMCID: PMC10705381 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.28.569051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The fusion peptide of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is functionally important for membrane fusion during virus entry and is part of a broadly neutralizing epitope. However, sequence determinants at the fusion peptide and its adjacent regions for pathogenicity and antigenicity remain elusive. In this study, we performed a series of deep mutational scanning (DMS) experiments on an S2 region spanning the fusion peptide of authentic SARS-CoV-2 in different cell lines and in the presence of broadly neutralizing antibodies. We identified mutations at residue 813 of the spike protein that reduced TMPRSS2-mediated entry with decreased virulence. In addition, we showed that an F823Y mutation, present in bat betacoronavirus HKU9 spike protein, confers resistance to broadly neutralizing antibodies. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity and also highlight a potential challenge in developing broadly protective S2-based coronavirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruipeng Lei
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Enya Qing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Abby Odle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Meng Yuan
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Timothy J.C. Tan
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Natalie So
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Wenhao O. Ouyang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ian A. Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Tom Gallagher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Nicholas C. Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Lok-Yin Roy Wong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Center for Virus-Host-Innate Immunity, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
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Desai PJ. Expression and fusogenic activity of SARS CoV-2 Spike protein displayed in the HSV-1 Virion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.28.568860. [PMID: 38076893 PMCID: PMC10705244 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.28.568860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is a zoonotic pathogen that can cause severe respiratory disease in humans. The new SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the current global pandemic termed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has resulted in many millions of deaths world-wide. The virus is a member of the Betacoronavirus family, its genome is a positive strand RNA molecule that encodes for many genes which are required for virus genome replication as well as for structural proteins that are required for virion assembly and maturation. A key determinant of this virus is the Spike (S) protein embedded in the virion membrane and mediates attachment of the virus to the receptor (ACE2). This protein also is required for cell-cell fusion (syncytia) that is an important pathogenic determinant. We have developed a pseudotyped herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) recombinant virus expressing S protein in the virion envelop. This virus has also been modified to express a Venus fluorescent protein fusion to VP16, a virion protein of HSV-1. The virus expressing Spike can enter cells and generates large multi-nucleated syncytia which are evident by the Venus fluorescence. The HSV-1 recombinant virus is genetically stable and virus amplification can be easily done by infecting cells. This recombinant virus provides a reproducible platform for Spike function analysis and thus adds to the repertoire of pseudotyped viruses expressing Spike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant J. Desai
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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10
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Lushington GH, Linde A, Melgarejo T. Bacterial Proteases as Potentially Exploitable Modulators of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Logic from the Literature, Informatics, and Inspiration from the Dog. BIOTECH 2023; 12:61. [PMID: 37987478 PMCID: PMC10660736 DOI: 10.3390/biotech12040061] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic left many intriguing mysteries. Retrospective vulnerability trends tie as strongly to odd demographics as to exposure profiles, genetics, health, or prior medical history. This article documents the importance of nasal microbiome profiles in distinguishing infection rate trends among differentially affected subgroups. (2) Hypothesis: From a detailed literature survey, microbiome profiling experiments, bioinformatics, and molecular simulations, we propose that specific commensal bacterial species in the Pseudomonadales genus confer protection against SARS-CoV-2 infections by expressing proteases that may interfere with the proteolytic priming of the Spike protein. (3) Evidence: Various reports have found elevated Moraxella fractions in the nasal microbiomes of subpopulations with higher resistance to COVID-19 (e.g., adolescents, COVID-19-resistant children, people with strong dietary diversity, and omnivorous canines) and less abundant ones in vulnerable subsets (the elderly, people with narrower diets, carnivorous cats and foxes), along with bioinformatic evidence that Moraxella bacteria express proteases with notable homology to human TMPRSS2. Simulations suggest that these proteases may proteolyze the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in a manner that interferes with TMPRSS2 priming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Annika Linde
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA;
| | - Tonatiuh Melgarejo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA;
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11
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Wu M, Liu J, Wang X, Zhang X, Liang T, Chen L, Huang T, Li Y, Zheng C, Yang Y, Wang J, Yu X, Guo L, Yang J, Ren L. Profiling of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody-associated antigenic peptides signature using proteome microarray. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e361. [PMID: 37667740 PMCID: PMC10475218 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The profile of antibodies against antigenic epitopes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during neutralizing antibody (NAb) decay has not been clarified. Using a SARS-CoV-2 proteome microarray that contained viral antigenic peptides, we analyzed the characteristics of the humoral response in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) in a longitudinal study. A total of 89 patients were recruited, and 226 plasma samples were serially collected in 2020. In the antigenic peptide microarray, the level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against peptides within the S2 subunit (S-82) and a conserved gene region in variants of interest, open reading frame protein 10 (ORF10-3), were closely associated with the presence of SARS-CoV-2 NAbs. In an independent evaluation cohort of 232 plasma samples collected from 116 COVID-19 cases in 2020, S82-IgG titers were higher in NAbs-positive samples (p = 0.002) than in NAbs-negative samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We further collected 66 plasma samples from another cohort infected by Omicron BA.1 virus in 2022. Compared with the samples with lower S82-IgG titers, NAb titers were significantly higher in the samples with higher S82-IgG titers (p = 0.04). Our findings provide insights into the understanding of the decay-associated signatures of SARS-CoV-2 NAbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingkun Wu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Mérieux LaboratoryInstitute of Pathogen BiologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Jiangfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular BiologyInstitute of Basic Medical SciencesChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Xinming Wang
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Mérieux LaboratoryInstitute of Pathogen BiologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Xiaomei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research CenterNational Center for Protein Sciences‐Beijing (PHOENIX Center)Beijing Institute of LifeomicsBeijingChina
| | - Te Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research CenterNational Center for Protein Sciences‐Beijing (PHOENIX Center)Beijing Institute of LifeomicsBeijingChina
| | - Lan Chen
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Mérieux LaboratoryInstitute of Pathogen BiologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Tingxuan Huang
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Mérieux LaboratoryInstitute of Pathogen BiologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yanan Li
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Mérieux LaboratoryInstitute of Pathogen BiologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Chang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research CenterNational Center for Protein Sciences‐Beijing (PHOENIX Center)Beijing Institute of LifeomicsBeijingChina
| | - Yehong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular BiologyInstitute of Basic Medical SciencesChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Jianwei Wang
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Mérieux LaboratoryInstitute of Pathogen BiologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease PathogenomicsChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Xiaobo Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research CenterNational Center for Protein Sciences‐Beijing (PHOENIX Center)Beijing Institute of LifeomicsBeijingChina
| | - Li Guo
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Mérieux LaboratoryInstitute of Pathogen BiologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease PathogenomicsChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Juntao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular BiologyInstitute of Basic Medical SciencesChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Lili Ren
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Mérieux LaboratoryInstitute of Pathogen BiologyChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease PathogenomicsChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
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12
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Wu M, Li W, Lin S, Fan J, Cui L, Xiang Y, Li K, Tang L, Duan Y, Chen Z, Yang F, Shui W, Lu G, Lai Y. A Suitable Membrane Distance Regulated by the RBD_ACE2 Interaction is Critical for SARS-CoV-2 Spike-Mediated Viral Invasion. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2301478. [PMID: 37590389 PMCID: PMC10558659 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike recognizing the receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) initiates membrane fusion between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and cell membrane. Although the structure of the RBD_ACE2 complex has been well studied, its functional mechanism in membrane fusion is still not fully understood. Here, using an in vitro cell-vesicle content-mixing assay, it is found that the cleavage at the S2' site by thrombin (Thr) protease strongly accelerates membrane fusion, compared to that of cleavage at the S1/S2 site by PreScission (3C) protease. Moreover, mutations at the RBD_ACE2 interface resulted in a positive correlation between binding affinity and fusion probability. In both the cell-vesicle and cell-cell fusion assays, by crosslinking two membranes via the neutravidin (NTV)_biotin interaction or complementary DNA strands, it is found that spike drives membrane fusion in the absence of ACE2, and a suitable distance between two membranes is critical for spike-mediated membrane fusion. Finally, unsuitable membrane crosslinkers significantly inhibited the fusion probability in the presence of ACE2. Taken together, the results suggest that the RBD_ACE2 complex may act as a crosslinker to bridge the viral and cell membranes at a suitable distance, which is critical, but also substitutable for spike-mediated SARS-CoV-2 entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengdan Wu
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Wei Li
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Sheng Lin
- West China Hospital Emergency DepartmentState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Jiaqi Fan
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Lele Cui
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yijuan Xiang
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Kaiyu Li
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Linwei Tang
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yanping Duan
- West China Hospital Emergency DepartmentState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Zimin Chen
- West China Hospital Emergency DepartmentState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Fanli Yang
- West China Hospital Emergency DepartmentState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Weiwei Shui
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Guangwen Lu
- West China Hospital Emergency DepartmentState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Ying Lai
- National Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsState Key Laboratory of BiotherapyWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
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13
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Zhang Q, Tang W, Stancanelli E, Jung E, Syed Z, Pagadala V, Saidi L, Chen CZ, Gao P, Xu M, Pavlinov I, Li B, Huang W, Chen L, Liu J, Xie H, Zheng W, Ye Y. Host heparan sulfate promotes ACE2 super-cluster assembly and enhances SARS-CoV-2-associated syncytium formation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5777. [PMID: 37723160 PMCID: PMC10507024 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41453-w] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection causes spike-dependent fusion of infected cells with ACE2 positive neighboring cells, generating multi-nuclear syncytia that are often associated with severe COVID. To better elucidate the mechanism of spike-induced syncytium formation, we combine chemical genetics with 4D confocal imaging to establish the cell surface heparan sulfate (HS) as a critical stimulator for spike-induced cell-cell fusion. We show that HS binds spike and promotes spike-induced ACE2 clustering, forming synapse-like cell-cell contacts that facilitate fusion pore formation between ACE2-expresing and spike-transfected human cells. Chemical or genetic inhibition of HS mitigates ACE2 clustering, and thus, syncytium formation, whereas in a cell-free system comprising purified HS and lipid-anchored ACE2, HS stimulates ACE2 clustering directly in the presence of spike. Furthermore, HS-stimulated syncytium formation and receptor clustering require a conserved ACE2 linker distal from the spike-binding site. Importantly, the cell fusion-boosting function of HS can be targeted by an investigational HS-binding drug, which reduces syncytium formation in vitro and viral infection in mice. Thus, HS, as a host factor exploited by SARS-CoV-2 to facilitate receptor clustering and a stimulator of infection-associated syncytium formation, may be a promising therapeutic target for severe COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Weichun Tang
- Laboratory of Pediatric and Respiratory Virus Diseases, Division of Viral Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Eduardo Stancanelli
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Eunkyung Jung
- Center for Drug Design, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Zulfeqhar Syed
- Electron Microscopy Core, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Vijayakanth Pagadala
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Glycan Therapeutics Corp, 617 Hutton Street, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Layla Saidi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Catherine Z Chen
- The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Peng Gao
- The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Miao Xu
- The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Ivan Pavlinov
- The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Bing Li
- The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Wenwei Huang
- The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Liqiang Chen
- Center for Drug Design, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Jian Liu
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Hang Xie
- Laboratory of Pediatric and Respiratory Virus Diseases, Division of Viral Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Yihong Ye
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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14
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Landry SJ, Mettu RR, Kolls JK, Aberle JH, Norton E, Zwezdaryk K, Robinson J. Structural Framework for Analysis of CD4+ T-Cell Epitope Dominance in Viral Fusion Proteins. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2517-2529. [PMID: 37554055 PMCID: PMC10483696 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Antigen conformation shapes CD4+ T-cell specificity through mechanisms of antigen processing, and the consequences for immunity may rival those from conformational effects on antibody specificity. CD4+ T cells initiate and control immunity to pathogens and cancer and are at least partly responsible for immunopathology associated with infection, autoimmunity, and allergy. The primary trigger for CD4+ T-cell maturation is the presentation of an epitope peptide in the MHC class II antigen-presenting protein (MHCII), most commonly on an activated dendritic cell, and then the T-cell responses are recalled by subsequent presentations of the epitope peptide by the same or other antigen-presenting cells. Peptide presentation depends on the proteolytic fragmentation of the antigen in an endosomal/lysosomal compartment and concomitant loading of the fragments into the MHCII, a multistep mechanism called antigen processing and presentation. Although the role of peptide affinity for MHCII has been well studied, the role of proteolytic fragmentation has received less attention. In this Perspective, we will briefly summarize evidence that antigen resistance to unfolding and proteolytic fragmentation shapes the specificity of the CD4+ T-cell response to selected viral envelope proteins, identify several remarkable examples in which the immunodominant CD4+ epitopes most likely depend on the interaction of processing machinery with antigen conformation, and outline how knowledge of antigen conformation can inform future efforts to design vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J. Landry
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane
University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - Ramgopal R. Mettu
- Department
of Computer Science, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, United States
| | - Jay K. Kolls
- John
W. Deming Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Translational
Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - Judith H. Aberle
- Center
for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Elizabeth Norton
- Department
of Microbiology & Immunology, Tulane
University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - Kevin Zwezdaryk
- Department
of Microbiology & Immunology, Tulane
University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
| | - James Robinson
- Department
of Pediatrics, Tulane University School
of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
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15
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Qing E, Gallagher T. Adaptive variations in SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins: effects on distinct virus-cell entry stages. mBio 2023; 14:e0017123. [PMID: 37382441 PMCID: PMC10470846 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00171-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolved SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) spread through human populations in succession. Major virus variations are in the entry-facilitating viral spike (S) proteins; Omicron VOCs have 29-40 S mutations relative to ancestral D614G viruses. The impacts of this Omicron divergence on S protein structure, antigenicity, cell entry pathways, and pathogenicity have been extensively evaluated, yet gaps remain in correlating specific alterations with S protein functions. In this study, we compared the functions of ancestral D614G and Omicron VOCs using cell-free assays that can reveal differences in several distinct steps of the S-directed virus entry process. Relative to ancestral D614G, Omicron BA.1 S proteins were hypersensitized to receptor activation, to conversion into intermediate conformational states, and to membrane fusion-activating proteases. We identified mutations conferring these changes in S protein character by evaluating domain-exchanged D614G/Omicron recombinants in the cell-free assays. Each of the three functional alterations was mapped to specific S protein domains, with the recombinants providing insights on inter-domain interactions that fine-tune S-directed virus entry. Our results provide a structure-function atlas of the S protein variations that may promote the transmissibility and infectivity of current and future SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. IMPORTANCE Continuous SARS-CoV-2 adaptations generate increasingly transmissible variants. These succeeding variants show ever-increasing evasion of suppressive antibodies and host factors, as well as increasing invasion of susceptible host cells. Here, we evaluated the adaptations enhancing invasion. We used reductionist cell-free assays to compare the entry steps of ancestral (D614G) and Omicron (BA.1) variants. Relative to D614G, Omicron entry was distinguished by heightened responsiveness to entry-facilitating receptors and proteases and by enhanced formation of intermediate states that execute virus-cell membrane fusion. We found that these Omicron-specific characteristics arose from mutations in specific S protein domains and subdomains. The results reveal the inter-domain networks controlling S protein dynamics and efficiencies of entry steps, and they offer insights on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants that arise and ultimately dominate infections worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enya Qing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Tom Gallagher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
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16
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Aiello A, Najafi-Fard S, Goletti D. Initial immune response after exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis or to SARS-COV-2: similarities and differences. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1244556. [PMID: 37662901 PMCID: PMC10470049 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1244556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), whose etiologic agent is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), are currently the two deadliest infectious diseases in humans, which together have caused about more than 11 million deaths worldwide in the past 3 years. TB and COVID-19 share several aspects including the droplet- and aerosol-borne transmissibility, the lungs as primary target, some symptoms, and diagnostic tools. However, these two infectious diseases differ in other aspects as their incubation period, immune cells involved, persistence and the immunopathological response. In this review, we highlight the similarities and differences between TB and COVID-19 focusing on the innate and adaptive immune response induced after the exposure to Mtb and SARS-CoV-2 and the pathological pathways linking the two infections. Moreover, we provide a brief overview of the immune response in case of TB-COVID-19 co-infection highlighting the similarities and differences of each individual infection. A comprehensive understanding of the immune response involved in TB and COVID-19 is of utmost importance for the design of effective therapeutic strategies and vaccines for both diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Delia Goletti
- Translational Research Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
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17
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Schwerdtner M, Skalik A, Limburg H, Bierwagen J, Jung AL, Dorna J, Kaufmann A, Bauer S, Schmeck B, Böttcher-Friebertshäuser E. Expression of TMPRSS2 is up-regulated by bacterial flagellin, LPS, and Pam3Cys in human airway cells. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201813. [PMID: 37208193 PMCID: PMC10200810 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Many viruses require proteolytic activation of their envelope proteins for infectivity, and relevant host proteases provide promising drug targets. The transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) has been identified as a major activating protease of influenza A virus (IAV) and various coronaviruses (CoV). Increased TMPRSS2 expression has been associated with a higher risk of severe influenza infection and enhanced susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. Here, we found that Legionella pneumophila stimulates the increased expression of TMPRSS2-mRNA in Calu-3 human airway cells. We identified flagellin as the dominant structural component inducing TMPRSS2 expression. The flagellin-induced increase was not observed at this magnitude for other virus-activating host proteases. TMPRSS2-mRNA expression was also significantly increased by LPS, Pam3Cys, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, although less pronounced. Multicycle replication of H1N1pdm and H3N2 IAV but not SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV was enhanced by flagellin treatment. Our data suggest that bacteria, particularly flagellated bacteria, up-regulate the expression of TMPRSS2 in human airway cells and, thereby, may support enhanced activation and replication of IAV upon co-infections. In addition, our data indicate a physiological role of TMPRSS2 in antimicrobial host response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Schwerdtner
- Institute of Virology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Annika Skalik
- Institute of Virology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Limburg
- Institute of Virology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jeff Bierwagen
- Institute for Lung Research, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Philipps-University Marburg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Anna Lena Jung
- Institute for Lung Research, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Philipps-University Marburg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Jens Dorna
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Kaufmann
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Bauer
- Institute of Immunology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Schmeck
- Institute for Lung Research, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Philipps-University Marburg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany, Member of the German Center for Infectious Disease Research (DZIF), Marburg, Germany
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18
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Reuter N, Chen X, Kropff B, Peter AS, Britt WJ, Mach M, Überla K, Thomas M. SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Is Capable of Inducing Cell-Cell Fusions Independent from Its Receptor ACE2 and This Activity Can Be Impaired by Furin Inhibitors or a Subset of Monoclonal Antibodies. Viruses 2023; 15:1500. [PMID: 37515187 PMCID: PMC10384293 DOI: 10.3390/v15071500] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, efficiently spreads cell-to-cell through mechanisms facilitated by its membrane glycoprotein spike. We established a dual split protein (DSP) assay based on the complementation of GFP and luciferase to quantify the fusogenic activity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We provide several lines of evidence that the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, but not SARS-CoV-1, induced cell-cell fusion even in the absence of its receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This poorly described ACE2-independent cell fusion activity of the spike protein was strictly dependent on the proteasomal cleavage of the spike by furin while TMPRSS2 was dispensable. Previous and current variants of concern (VOCs) differed significantly in their fusogenicity. The Delta spike was extremely potent compared to Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Kappa, while the Omicron spike was almost devoid of receptor-independent fusion activity. Nonetheless, for all analyzed variants, cell fusion was dependent on furin cleavage and could be pharmacologically inhibited with CMK. Mapping studies revealed that amino acids 652-1273 conferred the ACE2-independent fusion activity of the spike. Unexpectedly, residues proximal to the furin cleavage site were not of major relevance, whereas residue 655 critically regulated fusion. Finally, we found that the spike's fusion activity in the absence of ACE2 could be inhibited by antibodies directed against its N-terminal domain (NTD) but not by antibodies targeting its receptor-binding domain (RBD). In conclusion, our BSL-1-compatible DSP assay allowed us to screen for inhibitors or antibodies that interfere with the spike's fusogenic activity and may therefore contribute to both rational vaccine design and development of novel treatment options against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Reuter
- Virologisches Institut, Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Xiaohan Chen
- Virologisches Institut, Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Barbara Kropff
- Virologisches Institut, Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Antonia Sophia Peter
- Virologisches Institut, Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - William J Britt
- Departments of Pediatrics, Microbiology and Neurobiology, Children's Hospital of Alabama, School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35233-1771, USA
| | - Michael Mach
- Virologisches Institut, Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Klaus Überla
- Virologisches Institut, Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marco Thomas
- Virologisches Institut, Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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19
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Xu D, Jiang W, Wu L, Gaudet RG, Park ES, Su M, Cheppali SK, Cheemarla NR, Kumar P, Uchil PD, Grover JR, Foxman EF, Brown CM, Stansfeld PJ, Bewersdorf J, Mothes W, Karatekin E, Wilen CB, MacMicking JD. PLSCR1 is a cell-autonomous defence factor against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nature 2023; 619:819-827. [PMID: 37438530 PMCID: PMC10371867 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06322-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding protective immunity to COVID-19 facilitates preparedness for future pandemics and combats new SARS-CoV-2 variants emerging in the human population. Neutralizing antibodies have been widely studied; however, on the basis of large-scale exome sequencing of protected versus severely ill patients with COVID-19, local cell-autonomous defence is also crucial1-4. Here we identify phospholipid scramblase 1 (PLSCR1) as a potent cell-autonomous restriction factor against live SARS-CoV-2 infection in parallel genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screens of human lung epithelia and hepatocytes before and after stimulation with interferon-γ (IFNγ). IFNγ-induced PLSCR1 not only restricted SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020, but was also effective against the Delta B.1.617.2 and Omicron BA.1 lineages. Its robust activity extended to other highly pathogenic coronaviruses, was functionally conserved in bats and mice, and interfered with the uptake of SARS-CoV-2 in both the endocytic and the TMPRSS2-dependent fusion routes. Whole-cell 4Pi single-molecule switching nanoscopy together with bipartite nano-reporter assays found that PLSCR1 directly targeted SARS-CoV-2-containing vesicles to prevent spike-mediated fusion and viral escape. A PLSCR1 C-terminal β-barrel domain-but not lipid scramblase activity-was essential for this fusogenic blockade. Our mechanistic studies, together with reports that COVID-associated PLSCR1 mutations are found in some susceptible people3,4, identify an anti-coronavirus protein that interferes at a late entry step before viral RNA is released into the host-cell cytosol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dijin Xu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Weiqian Jiang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lizhen Wu
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ryan G Gaudet
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Eui-Soon Park
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Maohan Su
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sudheer Kumar Cheppali
- Yale Nanobiology Institute, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nagarjuna R Cheemarla
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Pradeep D Uchil
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jonathan R Grover
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ellen F Foxman
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chelsea M Brown
- School of Life Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Phillip J Stansfeld
- School of Life Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Joerg Bewersdorf
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Walther Mothes
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Erdem Karatekin
- Yale Nanobiology Institute, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 8003, Paris, France
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Craig B Wilen
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - John D MacMicking
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, West Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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20
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Dormeshkin D, Katsin M, Stegantseva M, Golenchenko S, Shapira M, Dubovik S, Lutskovich D, Kavaleuski A, Meleshko A. Design and Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 DNA Vaccine Encoding RBD-PVXCP Fusion Protein. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1014. [PMID: 37376403 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11061014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential of immune-evasive mutation accumulation in the SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to its rapid spread, causing over 600 million confirmed cases and more than 6.5 million confirmed deaths. The huge demand for the rapid development and deployment of low-cost and effective vaccines against emerging variants has renewed interest in DNA vaccine technology. Here, we report the rapid generation and immunological evaluation of novel DNA vaccine candidates against the Wuhan-Hu-1 and Omicron variants based on the RBD protein fused with the Potato virus X coat protein (PVXCP). The delivery of DNA vaccines using electroporation in a two-dose regimen induced high-antibody titers and profound cellular responses in mice. The antibody titers induced against the Omicron variant of the vaccine were sufficient for effective protection against both Omicron and Wuhan-Hu-1 virus infections. The PVXCP protein in the vaccine construct shifted the immune response to the favorable Th1-like type and provided the oligomerization of RBD-PVXCP protein. Naked DNA delivery by needle-free injection allowed us to achieve antibody titers comparable with mRNA-LNP delivery in rabbits. These data identify the RBD-PVXCP DNA vaccine platform as a promising solution for robust and effective SARS-CoV-2 protection, supporting further translational study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri Dormeshkin
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 220084 Minsk, Belarus
| | - Mikalai Katsin
- Immunofusion, LLC, 210004 Vitebsk, Belarus
- Imunovakcina, UAB, LT-08102 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | | | - Michail Shapira
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 220084 Minsk, Belarus
| | - Simon Dubovik
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 220084 Minsk, Belarus
| | | | - Anton Kavaleuski
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Alexander Meleshko
- Immunofusion, LLC, 210004 Vitebsk, Belarus
- Imunovakcina, UAB, LT-08102 Vilnius, Lithuania
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21
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Guo L, Lin S, Chen Z, Cao Y, He B, Lu G. Targetable elements in SARS-CoV-2 S2 subunit for the design of pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitors and vaccines. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:197. [PMID: 37164987 PMCID: PMC10170451 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01472-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused devastating impacts on the public health and the global economy. Rapid viral antigenic evolution has led to the continual generation of new variants. Of special note is the recently expanding Omicron subvariants that are capable of immune evasion from most of the existing neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). This has posed new challenges for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Therefore, exploring broad-spectrum antiviral agents to combat the emerging variants is imperative. In sharp contrast to the massive accumulation of mutations within the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), the S2 fusion subunit has remained highly conserved among variants. Hence, S2-based therapeutics may provide effective cross-protection against new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we summarize the most recently developed broad-spectrum fusion inhibitors (e.g., nAbs, peptides, proteins, and small-molecule compounds) and candidate vaccines targeting the conserved elements in SARS-CoV-2 S2 subunit. The main focus includes all the targetable S2 elements, namely, the fusion peptide, stem helix, and heptad repeats 1 and 2 (HR1-HR2) bundle. Moreover, we provide a detailed summary of the characteristics and action-mechanisms for each class of cross-reactive fusion inhibitors, which should guide and promote future design of S2-based inhibitors and vaccines against new coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyan Guo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Sheng Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Zimin Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
- Disaster Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Bin He
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
| | - Guangwen Lu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
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22
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Lorenz P, Steinbeck F, Mai F, Reisinger EC, Müller-Hilke B. A linear B-cell epitope close to the furin cleavage site within the S1 domain of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein discriminates the humoral immune response of nucleic acid- and protein-based vaccine cohorts. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1192395. [PMID: 37228598 PMCID: PMC10203960 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1192395] [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: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Understanding the humoral immune response towards viral infection and vaccination is instrumental in developing therapeutic tools to fight and restrict the viral spread of global pandemics. Of particular interest are the specificity and breadth of antibody reactivity in order to pinpoint immune dominant epitopes that remain immutable in viral variants. Methods We used profiling with peptides derived from the Spike surface glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 to compare the antibody reactivity landscapes between patients and different vaccine cohorts. Initial screening was done with peptide microarrays while detailed results and validation data were obtained using peptide ELISA. Results Overall, antibody patterns turned out to be individually distinct. However, plasma samples of patients conspicuously recognized epitopes covering the fusion peptide region and the connector domain of Spike S2. Both regions are evolutionarily conserved and are targets of antibodies that were shown to inhibit viral infection. Among vaccinees, we discovered an invariant Spike region (amino acids 657-671) N-terminal to the furin cleavage site that elicited a significantly stronger antibody response in AZD1222- and BNT162b2- compared to NVX-CoV2373-vaccinees. Conclusions Understanding the exact function of antibodies recognizing amino acid region 657-671 of SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein and why nucleic acid-based vaccines elicit different responses from protein-based ones will be helpful for future vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Lorenz
- Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Felix Steinbeck
- Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Franz Mai
- Core Facility for Cell Sorting and Cell Analysis, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Emil C. Reisinger
- Division of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Center of Internal Medicine II, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Brigitte Müller-Hilke
- Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
- Core Facility for Cell Sorting and Cell Analysis, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
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23
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Xia S, Xiao W, Zhu X, Liao S, Guo J, Zhou J, Xiao S, Fang P, Fang L. Porcine deltacoronavirus resists antibody neutralization through cell-to-cell transmission. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2207688. [PMID: 37125733 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2207688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emerging enteric coronavirus that has been reported to infect a variety of animals and even humans. Cell-cell fusion has been identified as an alternative pathway for the cell-to-cell transmission of certain viruses, but the ability of PDCoV to exploit this transmission model, and the relevant mechanisms, have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we provide evidence that cell-to-cell transmission is the main mechanism supporting PDCoV spread in cell culture and that this efficient spread model is mediated by spike glycoprotein-driven cell-cell fusion. We found that PDCoV efficiently spread to non-susceptible cells via cell-to-cell transmission, and demonstrated that functional receptor porcine aminopeptidase N and cathepsins in endosomes are involved in the cell-to-cell transmission of PDCoV. Most importantly, compared with non-cell-to-cell infection, the cell-to-cell transmission of PDCoV was resistant to neutralizing antibodies and immune sera that potently neutralized free viruses. Taken together, our study revealed key characteristics of the cell-to-cell transmission of PDCoV and provided new insights into the mechanism of PDCoV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijin Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wenwen Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xuerui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shusen Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiahui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Junwei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shaobo Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Puxian Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Liurong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
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24
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Godbold GD, Hewitt FC, Kappell AD, Scholz MB, Agar SL, Treangen TJ, Ternus KL, Sandbrink JB, Koblentz GD. Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1124100. [PMID: 37180048 PMCID: PMC10167326 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1124100] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of research on microbes that cause disease in humans has historically been focused on taxonomic lists of 'bad bugs'. However, given our increased knowledge of these pathogens through inexpensive genome sequencing, 5 decades of research in microbial pathogenesis, and the burgeoning capacity of synthetic biologists, the limitations of this approach are apparent. With heightened scientific and public attention focused on biosafety and biosecurity, and an ongoing review by US authorities of dual-use research oversight, this article proposes the incorporation of sequences of concern (SoCs) into the biorisk management regime governing genetic engineering of pathogens. SoCs enable pathogenesis in all microbes infecting hosts that are 'of concern' to human civilization. Here we review the functions of SoCs (FunSoCs) and discuss how they might bring clarity to potentially problematic research outcomes involving infectious agents. We believe that annotation of SoCs with FunSoCs has the potential to improve the likelihood that dual use research of concern is recognized by both scientists and regulators before it occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Stacy L. Agar
- Signature Science, LLC, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Todd J. Treangen
- Department of Computer Science, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | | | - Jonas B. Sandbrink
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Gregory D. Koblentz
- Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Arlington, VA, United States
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25
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Carabelli AM, Peacock TP, Thorne LG, Harvey WT, Hughes J, Peacock SJ, Barclay WS, de Silva TI, Towers GJ, Robertson DL. SARS-CoV-2 variant biology: immune escape, transmission and fitness. Nat Rev Microbiol 2023; 21:162-177. [PMID: 36653446 PMCID: PMC9847462 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00841-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 215.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
In late 2020, after circulating for almost a year in the human population, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exhibited a major step change in its adaptation to humans. These highly mutated forms of SARS-CoV-2 had enhanced rates of transmission relative to previous variants and were termed 'variants of concern' (VOCs). Designated Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron, the VOCs emerged independently from one another, and in turn each rapidly became dominant, regionally or globally, outcompeting previous variants. The success of each VOC relative to the previously dominant variant was enabled by altered intrinsic functional properties of the virus and, to various degrees, changes to virus antigenicity conferring the ability to evade a primed immune response. The increased virus fitness associated with VOCs is the result of a complex interplay of virus biology in the context of changing human immunity due to both vaccination and prior infection. In this Review, we summarize the literature on the relative transmissibility and antigenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variants, the role of mutations at the furin spike cleavage site and of non-spike proteins, the potential importance of recombination to virus success, and SARS-CoV-2 evolution in the context of T cells, innate immunity and population immunity. SARS-CoV-2 shows a complicated relationship among virus antigenicity, transmission and virulence, which has unpredictable implications for the future trajectory and disease burden of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas P Peacock
- Department of Infectious Disease, St Mary's Medical School, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lucy G Thorne
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - William T Harvey
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Joseph Hughes
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sharon J Peacock
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Wendy S Barclay
- Department of Infectious Disease, St Mary's Medical School, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Greg J Towers
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - David L Robertson
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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26
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Sardar A, Bera T, Kumar Samal S, Dewangan N, Kamble M, Guha S, Tarafdar PK. C-Terminal Lipidation of SARS-CoV-2 Fusion Peptide Reinstates Superior Membrane Fusion Catalytic Ability. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202203034. [PMID: 36422064 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202203034] [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: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) mediates a critical stage in infection, the fusion between viral and host membranes. The protein is categorized as a class I viral fusion protein and has two distinct cleavage sites that can be activated by proteases. The activation deploys the fusion peptide (FP) for insertion into the target cell membranes. Recent studies including our experiments showed that the FP was unable to modulate the kinetics of fusion at a low peptide-to-lipid ratio akin to the spike density at the viral surface. Therefore, we modified the C terminus of FP and attached a myristoyl chain (C-myr-FP) to restrict the C terminus near to the interface, bridge both membranes, and increase the effective local concentration. The lipidated FP (C-myr-FP) of SARS-CoV-2 greatly accelerates membrane fusion at a low peptide-to-lipid ratio as compared to the FP with no lipidation. Biophysical experiments suggest that C-myr-FP adopts a helical structure, perturbs the membrane interface, and increases water penetration to catalyze fusion. Scrambled peptide (C-myr-sFP) and truncated peptide (C-myr-8FP) could not significantly catalyze the fusion, thus suggesting the important role of myristoylation and the N terminus. C-myr-FP enhances murine coronavirus infection by promoting syncytia formation in L2 cells. The C-terminal lipidation of the FP might be a useful strategy to induce artificial fusion in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avijit Sardar
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, 741246, Mohanpur, India
| | - Tapas Bera
- Department of Chemistry, Jadavpur University, 700032, Kolkata, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Samal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, 741246, Mohanpur, India
| | - Nikesh Dewangan
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, 741246, Mohanpur, India
| | - Mithila Kamble
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, 741246, Mohanpur, India
| | - Samit Guha
- Department of Chemistry, Jadavpur University, 700032, Kolkata, India
| | - Pradip K Tarafdar
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, 741246, Mohanpur, India
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27
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Liu M, Wang J, Wan X, Li B, Guan M, Ning X, Hu X, Li S, Liu S, Song G. Discovery and structural optimization of 3-O-β-Chacotriosyl betulonic acid saponins as potent fusion inhibitors of Omicron virus infections. Bioorg Chem 2023; 131:106316. [PMID: 36508939 PMCID: PMC9729598 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The recent global Omicron epidemics underscore the great need for the development of small molecule therapeutics with appropriate mechanisms. The trimeric spike protein (S) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a pivotal role in mediating viral entry into host cells. We continued our efforts to develop small-molecule SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors. In this work, two sets of BA derivatives were designed and synthesized based on the hit BA-1 that was identified as a novel SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitor. Compound BA-4, the most potent one, showed broad inhibitory activities against pOmicron and other pseudotyped variants with EC50 values ranging 2.73 to 5.19 μM. Moreover, pSARS-CoV-2 assay, SPR analysis, Co-IP assay and the cell-cell fusion assay coupled with docking and mutagenesis studies revealed that BA-4 could stabilize S in the pre-fusion step to interfere with the membrane fusion, thereby displaying promising inhibition against Omicron entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjian Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jinshen Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Xin Wan
- Huizhou Health Sciences Polytechnic, Huizhou 516025, China
| | - Baixi Li
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mingming Guan
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiaoyun Ning
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiaojie Hu
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Sumei Li
- Department of Human anatomy, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Shuwen Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
| | - Gaopeng Song
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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28
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Ridgway H, Ntallis C, Chasapis CT, Kelaidonis K, Matsoukas MT, Plotas P, Apostolopoulos V, Moore G, Tsiodras S, Paraskevis D, Mavromoustakos T, Matsoukas JM. Molecular Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2: The Dominant Role of Arginine in Mutations and Infectivity. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020309. [PMID: 36851526 PMCID: PMC9963001 DOI: 10.3390/v15020309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background, Aims, Methods, Results, Conclusions: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global challenge due to its ability to mutate into variants that spread more rapidly than the wild-type virus. The molecular biology of this virus has been extensively studied and computational methods applied are an example paradigm for novel antiviral drug therapies. The rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in the human population is driven, in part, by mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S-) protein, some of which enable tighter binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2). More stable RBD-ACE2 association is coupled with accelerated hydrolysis by proteases, such as furin, trypsin, and the Transmembrane Serine Protease 2 (TMPRSS2) that augment infection rates, while inhibition of the 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) can prevent the viral replication. Additionally, non-RBD and non-interfacial mutations may assist the S-protein in adopting thermodynamically favorable conformations for stronger binding. This study aimed to report variant distribution of SARS-CoV-2 across European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries and relate mutations with the driving forces that trigger infections. Variants' distribution data for SARS-CoV-2 across EU/EEA countries were mined from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) based on the sequence or genotyping data that are deposited in the Global Science Initiative for providing genomic data (GISAID) and The European Surveillance System (TESSy) databases. Docking studies performed with AutoDock VINA revealed stabilizing interactions of putative antiviral drugs, e.g., selected anionic imidazole biphenyl tetrazoles, with the ACE2 receptor in the RBD-ACE2 complex. The driving forces of key mutations for Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Kappa, Lambda, and Omicron variants, which stabilize the RBD-ACE2 complex, were investigated by computational approaches. Arginine is the critical amino acid in the polybasic furin cleavage sites S1/S2 (681-PRRARS-686) S2' (814-KRS-816). Critical mutations into arginine residues that were found in the delta variant (L452R, P681R) and may be responsible for the increased transmissibility and morbidity are also present in two widely spreading omicron variants, named BA.4.6 and BQ.1, where mutation R346T in the S-protein potentially contributes to neutralization escape. Arginine binders, such as Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs), could be a class of novel drugs for treating COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Ridgway
- Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne 8001, VIC, Australia
- AquaMem Consultants, Rodeo, NM 88056, USA
| | - Charalampos Ntallis
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Christos T. Chasapis
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | | | | | - Panagiotis Plotas
- Laboratory of Primary Health Care, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Vasso Apostolopoulos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne 3030, VIC, Australia
- Immunology Program, Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), Melbourne 3021, VIC, Australia
| | - Graham Moore
- Pepmetics Inc., 772 Murphy Place, Victoria, BC V6Y 3H4, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Sotirios Tsiodras
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Paraskevis
- Department of Hygiene Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Thomas Mavromoustakos
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11571 Athens, Greece
| | - John M. Matsoukas
- NewDrug PC, Patras Science Park, 26504 Patras, Greece
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne 3030, VIC, Australia
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
- Correspondence:
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Nejat R, Torshizi MF, Najafi DJ. S Protein, ACE2 and Host Cell Proteases in SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry and Infectivity; Is Soluble ACE2 a Two Blade Sword? A Narrative Review. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020204. [PMID: 36851081 PMCID: PMC9968219 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020204] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the spread of the deadly virus SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019, researchers have restlessly sought to unravel how the virus enters the host cells. Some proteins on each side of the interaction between the virus and the host cells are involved as the major contributors to this process: (1) the nano-machine spike protein on behalf of the virus, (2) angiotensin converting enzyme II, the mono-carboxypeptidase and the key component of renin angiotensin system on behalf of the host cell, (3) some host proteases and proteins exploited by SARS-CoV-2. In this review, the complex process of SARS-CoV-2 entrance into the host cells with the contribution of the involved host proteins as well as the sequential conformational changes in the spike protein tending to increase the probability of complexification of the latter with angiotensin converting enzyme II, the receptor of the virus on the host cells, are discussed. Moreover, the release of the catalytic ectodomain of angiotensin converting enzyme II as its soluble form in the extracellular space and its positive or negative impact on the infectivity of the virus are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Nejat
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Laleh Hospital, Tehran 1467684595, Iran
- Correspondence:
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30
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Li X, Yuan H, Li X, Wang H. Spike protein mediated membrane fusion during SARS-CoV-2 infection. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28212. [PMID: 36224449 PMCID: PMC9874878 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has posed a serious threat to public health and has quickly become a global concern. The infection of SARS-CoV-2 begins with the binding of its spike protein to the receptor-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which, after a series of conformation changes, results in the fusion of viral-cell membranes and the release of the viral RNA genome into the cytoplasm. In addition, infected host cells can express spike protein on their cell surface, which will interact with ACE2 on neighboring cells, leading to cell membrane fusion and the formation of multinucleated cells or syncytia. Both viral entry and syncytia formation are mediated by spike-ACE2 interaction and share some common mechanisms of membrane fusion. Here in this review, we will summarize our current understanding of spike-mediated membrane fusion, which may shed light on future broad-spectrum antiviral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology and ImmunologyXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterXi'anChina
| | - Huijun Yuan
- Department of Pathogen Biology and ImmunologyXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterXi'anChina
| | - Xiaozhen Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology and ImmunologyXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterXi'anChina
| | - Hongliang Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and ImmunologyXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterXi'anChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'anChina
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Phenothiazines inhibit SARS-CoV-2 cell entry via a blockade of spike protein binding to neuropilin-1. Antiviral Res 2023; 209:105481. [PMID: 36481388 PMCID: PMC9721373 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enters cells using angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) as the primary receptor and entry co-factor, respectively. Cell entry is the first and major step in initiation of the viral life cycle, representing an ideal target for antiviral interventions. In this study, we used a recombinant replication-deficient vesicular stomatitis virus-based pseudovirus bearing the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS2-S) to screen a US Food and Drug Administration-approved drug library and identify inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 cell entry. The screen identified 24 compounds as primary hits, and the largest therapeutic target group formed by these primary hits was composed of seven dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) antagonists. Cell-based and biochemical assays revealed that the DRD2 antagonists inhibited both fusion activity and the binding of SARS2-S to NRP-1, but not its binding to ACE2. On the basis of structural similarity to the seven identified DRD2 antagonists, which included six phenothiazines, we examined the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of an additional 15 phenothiazines and found that all the tested phenothiazines shared an ability to inhibit SARS2-S-mediated cell entry. One of the phenothiazines, alimemazine, which had the lowest 50% effective concentration of the tested phenothiazines, exhibited a clear inhibitory effect on SARS2-S-NRP-1 binding and SARS-CoV-2 multiplication in cultured cells but not in a mouse infection model. Our findings provide a basis for the development of novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics that interfere with SARS2-S binding to NRP-1.
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32
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Highly pathogenic coronaviruses and the kidney. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 156:113807. [PMID: 36242850 PMCID: PMC9550661 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113807] [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: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the end of 2019, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered a pneumonia epidemic, posing a significant public health challenge in 236 countries, territories, and regions worldwide. Clinically, in addition to the symptoms of pulmonary infection, many patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections, especially those with a critical illness, eventually develop multiple organ failure in which damage to the kidney function is common, ultimately leading to severe consequences such as increased mortality and morbidity. To date, three coronaviruses have set off major global public health security incidents: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and SARS-CoV-2. Among the diseases caused by the coronaviruses, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been the most impactful and harmful. Similar to with SARS-CoV-2 infections, previous studies have shown that kidney injury is also common and prominent in patients with the two other highly pathogenic coronaviruses. Therefore, in this review, we aimed to comprehensively summarize the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of these three pandemic-level infections, provide a deep analysis of the potential mechanism of COVID-19 in various types of kidney diseases, and explore the causes of secondary kidney diseases of SARS-CoV-2, so as to provide a reference for further research and the clinical prevention of kidney damage caused by coronaviruses.
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Sekiya T, Ogura Y, Kai H, Kawaguchi A, Okawa S, Hirohama M, Kuroki T, Morii W, Hara A, Hiramatsu Y, Hitomi S, Kawakami Y, Arakawa Y, Maruo K, Chiba S, Suzuki H, Kojima H, Tachikawa H, Yamagata K. TMPRSS2 gene polymorphism common in East Asians confers decreased COVID-19 susceptibility. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:943877. [PMID: 36532428 PMCID: PMC9748344 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.943877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 has a wide range of clinical presentations, and the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the mortality rate also vary by region and ethnicity. Here, we found that rs12329760 in the TMPRSS2 gene, a missense variant common in East Asian populations, contributes to protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. TMPRSS2 is a protease responsible for SARS-CoV-2 entry and syncytium formation. rs12329760 (c.478G>A, p. V160M) was associated with a reduced risk of moderate symptoms. The enzymatic activity of Met160-TMPRSS2 was lower than that of Val160-TMPRSS2, and thus the viral entry and the syncytium formation of SARS-CoV-2 were impaired. Collectively, these results indicate that the genetic variation in TMPRSS2, which is common in East Asians, is one of the molecular determinants of COVID-19 susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Sekiya
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yukino Ogura
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hirayasu Kai
- Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kawaguchi
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Transborder Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shino Okawa
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Mikako Hirohama
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Takahiro Kuroki
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Wataru Morii
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Akira Hara
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yuji Hiramatsu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shigemi Hitomi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kawakami
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Arakawa
- Department of Medical Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kazushi Maruo
- Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shigeru Chiba
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hiromichi Suzuki
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kojima
- Ibaraki Clinical Education and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Tachikawa
- Division of Clinical Medicine, Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kunihiro Yamagata
- Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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Progress on COVID-19 Chemotherapeutics Discovery and Novel Technology. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27238257. [PMID: 36500347 PMCID: PMC9736643 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel highly contagious and pathogenic coronavirus that emerged in late 2019. SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily through virus-containing droplets and small particles of air pollution, which greatly increases the risk of inhaling these virus particles when people are in close proximity. COVID-19 is spreading across the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to human health and public safety. To date, there are no specific vaccines or effective drugs against SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we focus on the enzyme targets of the virus and host that may be critical for the discovery of chemical compounds and natural products as antiviral drugs, and describe the development of potential antiviral drugs in the preclinical and clinical stages. At the same time, we summarize novel emerging technologies applied to the research on new drug development and the pathological mechanisms of COVID-19.
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35
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Ling Z, Yi C, Sun X, Yang Z, Sun B. Broad strategies for neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses with monoclonal antibodies. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 66:658-678. [PMID: 36443513 PMCID: PMC9707277 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2215-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Antibody therapeutics and vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been approved in many countries, with most being developed based on the original strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 has an exceptional ability to mutate under the pressure of host immunity, especially the immune-dominant spike protein of the virus, which is the target of both antibody drugs and vaccines. Given the continuous evolution of the virus and the identification of critical mutation sites, the World Health Organization (WHO) has named 5 variants of concern (VOCs): 4 are previously circulating VOCs, and 1 is currently circulating (Omicron). Due to multiple mutations in the spike protein, the recently emerged Omicron and descendent lineages have been shown to have the strongest ability to evade the neutralizing antibody (NAb) effects of current antibody drugs and vaccines. The development and characterization of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) will provide broad strategies for the control of the sophisticated virus SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we describe how the virus evolves to escape NAbs and the potential neutralization mechanisms that associated with bNAbs. We also summarize progress in the development of bNAbs against SARS-CoV-2, human coronaviruses (CoVs) and other emerging pathogens and highlight their scientific and clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyang Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chunyan Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaoyu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhuo Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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36
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Benlarbi M, Laroche G, Fink C, Fu K, Mulloy RP, Phan A, Ariana A, Stewart CM, Prévost J, Beaudoin-Bussières G, Daniel R, Bo Y, El Ferri O, Yockell-Lelièvre J, Stanford WL, Giguère PM, Mubareka S, Finzi A, Dekaban GA, Dikeakos JD, Côté M. Identification and differential usage of a host metalloproteinase entry pathway by SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron. iScience 2022; 25:105316. [PMID: 36254158 PMCID: PMC9549715 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike glycoprotein (S) binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to mediate membrane fusion via two distinct pathways: 1) a surface, serine protease-dependent or 2) an endosomal, cysteine protease-dependent pathway. In this study, we found that SARS-CoV-2 S has a wider protease usage and can also be activated by TMPRSS13 and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). We found that MMP-2 and MMP-9 played roles in SARS-CoV-2 S cell-cell fusion and TMPRSS2- and cathepsin-independent viral entry in cells expressing high MMP levels. MMP-dependent viral entry required cleavage at the S1/S2 junction in viral producer cells, and differential processing of variants of concern S dictated its usage; the efficiently processed Delta S preferred metalloproteinase-dependent entry when available, and less processed Omicron S was unable to us metalloproteinases for entry. As MMP-2/9 are released during inflammation, they may play roles in S-mediated cytopathic effects, tropism, and disease outcome. MMP-2 and MMP-9 enable SARS-CoV-2 S-mediated syncytia in the absence of TMPRSS2 SARS-CoV-2 can enter cells via MMPs in a TMPRSS2- and cathepsin-independent manner MMP-dependent S activation requires prior S1/S2 processing Delta S can readily use MMPs for entry while Omicron S cannot
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Benlarbi
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Geneviève Laroche
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Corby Fink
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada,Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Kathy Fu
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Rory P. Mulloy
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Alexandra Phan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Ardeshir Ariana
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Corina M. Stewart
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Jérémie Prévost
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montréal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada,Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montréal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada,Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Redaet Daniel
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Yuxia Bo
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Omar El Ferri
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Julien Yockell-Lelièvre
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - William L. Stanford
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Patrick M. Giguère
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Samira Mubareka
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Andrés Finzi
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montréal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada,Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Gregory A. Dekaban
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada,Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Jimmy D. Dikeakos
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada,Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Marceline Côté
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada,Corresponding author
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Chan SW. Fusion assays for screening of fusion inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 entry and syncytia formation. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1007527. [PMID: 36438831 PMCID: PMC9691968 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1007527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 08/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus fusion process is evolutionarily conserved and provides a promising pan-viral target. Cell-cell fusion leads to syncytial formation and has implications in pathogenesis, virus spread and immune evasion. Drugs that target these processes can be developed into anti-virals. Here, we have developed sensitive, rapid, adaptable fusion reporter gene assays as models for plasma membrane and alternative fusion pathways as well as syncytial fusion in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and have confirmed their specificity using neutralizing antibodies and specific protease inhibitors. The fusion report gene assays are more sensitive and unbiased than morphological fusion assay. The fusion assays can differentiate between transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2)-dependency in TMPRSS2(+) cells and trypsin-dependency in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)(+)TMPRSS2(-) cells. Moreover, we have identified putative novel fusion processes that are triggered by an acidic pH with and without trypsin. Coupled with morphological fusion criteria, we have found that syncytia formation is enhanced by TMPRSS2 or trypsin. By testing against our top drug hits previously shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection, we have identified several fusion inhibitors including structurally related lopsided kite-shaped molecules. Our results have important implications in the development of universal blockers and synergistic therapeutics and the small molecule inhibitors can provide important tools in elucidating the fusion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiu-Wan Chan
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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38
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Harte JV, Wakerlin SL, Lindsay AJ, McCarthy JV, Coleman-Vaughan C. Metalloprotease-Dependent S2′-Activation Promotes Cell–Cell Fusion and Syncytiation of SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2022; 14:v14102094. [PMID: 36298651 PMCID: PMC9608990 DOI: 10.3390/v14102094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 cell–cell fusion and syncytiation is an emerging pathomechanism in COVID-19, but the precise factors contributing to the process remain ill-defined. In this study, we show that metalloproteases promote SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-induced syncytiation in the absence of established serine proteases using in vitro cell–cell fusion assays. We also show that metalloproteases promote S2′-activation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and that metalloprotease inhibition significantly reduces the syncytiation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. In the presence of serine proteases, however, metalloprotease inhibition does not reduce spike protein-induced syncytiation and a combination of metalloprotease and serine protease inhibition is necessitated. Moreover, we show that the spike protein induces metalloprotease-dependent ectodomain shedding of the ACE2 receptor and that ACE2 shedding contributes to spike protein-induced syncytiation. These observations suggest a benefit to the incorporation of pharmacological inhibitors of metalloproteases into treatment strategies for patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- James V. Harte
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology and the Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), University College Cork, Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
| | - Samantha L. Wakerlin
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology and the Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), University College Cork, Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
| | - Andrew J. Lindsay
- Membrane Trafficking & Disease Laboratory, Biosciences Institute, School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland
| | - Justin V. McCarthy
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology and the Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), University College Cork, Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
- Correspondence: (J.V.M.); (C.C.-V.)
| | - Caroline Coleman-Vaughan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, T12 P928 Cork, Ireland
- Correspondence: (J.V.M.); (C.C.-V.)
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Beaudoin CA, Pandurangan AP, Kim SY, Hamaia SW, Huang CL, Blundell TL, Vedithi SC, Jackson AP. In silico analysis of mutations near S1/S2 cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein reveals increased propensity of glycosylation in Omicron strain. J Med Virol 2022; 94:4181-4192. [PMID: 35575289 PMCID: PMC9348480 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Cleavage of the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein has been demonstrated to contribute to viral-cell fusion and syncytia formation. Studies have shown that variants of concern (VOC) and variants of interest (VOI) show differing membrane fusion capacity. Mutations near cleavage motifs, such as the S1/S2 and S2' sites, may alter interactions with host proteases and, thus, the potential for fusion. The biochemical basis for the differences in interactions with host proteases for the VOC/VOI spike proteins has not yet been explored. Using sequence and structure-based bioinformatics, mutations near the VOC/VOI spike protein cleavage sites were inspected for their structural effects. All mutations found at the S1/S2 sites were predicted to increase affinity to the furin protease but not TMPRSS2. Mutations at the spike residue P681 in several strains, such P681R in the Delta strain, resulted in the disruption of a proline-directed kinase phosphorylation motif at the S1/S2 site, which may lessen the impact of phosphorylation for these variants. However, the unique N679K mutation in the Omicron strain was found to increase the propensity for O-linked glycosylation at the S1/S2 cleavage site, which may prevent recognition by proteases. Such glycosylation in the Omicron strain may hinder entry at the cell surface and, thus, decrease syncytia formation and induce cell entry through the endocytic pathway as has been shown in previous studies. Further experimental work is needed to confirm the effect of mutations and posttranslational modifications on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein cleavage sites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arun P. Pandurangan
- Department of Biochemistry, Sanger BuildingUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - So Yeon Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Sanger BuildingUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Samir W. Hamaia
- Department of Biochemistry, Hopkins BuildingUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Christopher L.‐H. Huang
- Department of Biochemistry, Hopkins BuildingUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Physiological LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Tom L. Blundell
- Department of Biochemistry, Sanger BuildingUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Antony P. Jackson
- Department of Biochemistry, Hopkins BuildingUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
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40
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Abstract
Despite effective spike-based vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues more than two and a half years post-onset. Relentless investigation has outlined a causative dynamic between host-derived antibodies and reciprocal viral subversion. Integration of this paradigm into the architecture of next generation antiviral strategies, predicated on a foundational understanding of the virology and immunology of SARS-CoV-2, will be critical for success. This review aims to serve as a primer on the immunity endowed by antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein through a structural perspective. We begin by introducing the structure and function of spike, polyclonal immunity to SARS-CoV-2 spike, and the emergence of major SARS-CoV-2 variants that evade immunity. The remainder of the article comprises an in-depth dissection of all major epitopes on SARS-CoV-2 spike in molecular detail, with emphasis on the origins, neutralizing potency, mechanisms of action, cross-reactivity, and variant resistance of representative monoclonal antibodies to each epitope.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Errico
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Lucas J Adams
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Daved H Fremont
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States; Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States.
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41
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Low JS, Jerak J, Tortorici MA, McCallum M, Pinto D, Cassotta A, Foglierini M, Mele F, Abdelnabi R, Weynand B, Noack J, Montiel-Ruiz M, Bianchi S, Benigni F, Sprugasci N, Joshi A, Bowen JE, Stewart C, Rexhepaj M, Walls AC, Jarrossay D, Morone D, Paparoditis P, Garzoni C, Ferrari P, Ceschi A, Neyts J, Purcell LA, Snell G, Corti D, Lanzavecchia A, Veesler D, Sallusto F. ACE2-binding exposes the SARS-CoV-2 fusion peptide to broadly neutralizing coronavirus antibodies. Science 2022; 377:735-742. [PMID: 35857703 PMCID: PMC9348755 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq2679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus spike glycoprotein attaches to host receptors and mediates viral fusion. Using a broad screening approach, we isolated seven monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind to all human-infecting coronavirus spike proteins from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immune donors. These mAbs recognize the fusion peptide and acquire affinity and breadth through somatic mutations. Despite targeting a conserved motif, only some mAbs show broad neutralizing activity in vitro against alpha- and betacoronaviruses, including animal coronaviruses WIV-1 and PDF-2180. Two selected mAbs also neutralize Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 authentic viruses and reduce viral burden and pathology in vivo. Structural and functional analyses showed that the fusion peptide-specific mAbs bound with different modalities to a cryptic epitope hidden in prefusion stabilized spike, which became exposed upon binding of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) or ACE2-mimicking mAbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Siong Low
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Josipa Jerak
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Matthew McCallum
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Dora Pinto
- Humabs BioMed SA (subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology), 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Antonino Cassotta
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Mathilde Foglierini
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Federico Mele
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Rana Abdelnabi
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Birgit Weynand
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julia Noack
- Vir Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Siro Bianchi
- Humabs BioMed SA (subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology), 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Benigni
- Humabs BioMed SA (subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology), 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Sprugasci
- Humabs BioMed SA (subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology), 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Anshu Joshi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - John E. Bowen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Cameron Stewart
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Megi Rexhepaj
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alexandra C. Walls
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - David Jarrossay
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Diego Morone
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Paparoditis
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Christian Garzoni
- Clinic of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Clinica Luganese Moncucco; 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Ferrari
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Prince of Wales Hospital Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Alessandro Ceschi
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacological Sciences of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
- Clinical Trial Unit, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | | | | | - Davide Corti
- Humabs BioMed SA (subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology), 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Antonio Lanzavecchia
- Humabs BioMed SA (subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology), 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- National Institute of Molecular Genetics, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - David Veesler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Federica Sallusto
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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42
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Li H, Cheng C, Shi S, Wu Y, Gao Y, Liu Z, Liu M, Li Z, Huo L, Pan X, Liu S, Song G. Identification, optimization, and biological evaluation of 3-O-β-chacotriosyl ursolic acid derivatives as novel SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors by targeting the prefusion state of spike protein. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 238:114426. [PMID: 35551037 PMCID: PMC9076589 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic generates a global threat to public health and continuously emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants bring a great challenge to the development of both vaccines and antiviral agents. In this study, we identified UA-18 and its optimized analog UA-30 via the hit-to-lead strategy as novel SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors. The lead compound UA-30 showed potent antiviral activity against infectious SARS-CoV-2 (wuhan-HU-1 variant) in Vero-E6 cells and was also effective against infection of diverse pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations in the S protein including the Omicron and Delta variants. More importantly, UA-30 might target the cavity between S1 and S2 subunits to stabilize the prefusion state of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, thus leading to interfering with virus-cell membrane fusion. This study offers a set of novel SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants based on the 3-O-β-chacotriosyl UA skeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Chen Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Shanshan Shi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Basic Medicine and Public Hygiene, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yongfeng Gao
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Mingjian Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Zhaodong Li
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Lijian Huo
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Xiaoyan Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Shuwen Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
| | - Gaopeng Song
- Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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43
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Abstract
The continuous emergence of new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) urges better understanding of the functional motifs in the spike (S) protein and their tolerance to mutations. Here, we focused on the S2′ motif, which, during virus entry, requires cleavage by a host cell protease to release the fusion peptide. Though belonging to an immunogenic region, the SARS-CoV-2 S2′ motif (811-KPSKR-815) has shown hardly any variation, with its three basic (K/R) residues being >99.99% conserved thus far. By creating a series of mutant pseudoviruses bearing the spikes of Wuhan-Hu-1, its G614 mutant or the Delta and Omicron variants, we show that residue K814 (preceding the scissile R815) is dispensable for TMPRSS2 yet favored by the alternative TMPRSS13 protease. Activation by TMPRSS13 was drastically reduced when the SARS-CoV-2 S2′ motif was swapped with that of the low pathogenic 229E coronavirus (685-RVAGR-689), and also, the reverse effect was seen. This swap had no impact on recognition by TMPRSS2. In the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) spike, introducing a dibasic scissile motif was easily accepted by TMPRSS13 but less so by TMPRSS2, confirming that TMPRSS13 favors a sequence rich in K/R residues. Pseudovirus entry experiments in Calu-3 cells confirmed that the S2′ mutations have minor impact on TMPRSS2. Our findings are the first to demonstrate which S2′ residues are important for SARS-CoV-2 spike activation by these two airway proteases, with TMPRSS2 being more tolerant to variation than TMPRSS13. This preemptive insight will help to estimate the impact of S2′ motif changes as they appear in new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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44
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Zhou M, Liu Y, Cao J, Dong S, Hou Y, Yu Y, Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Jia X, Zhang B, Xiao G, Li G, Wang W. Bergamottin, a bioactive component of bergamot, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in golden Syrian hamsters. Antiviral Res 2022; 204:105365. [PMID: 35732228 PMCID: PMC9212731 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105365] [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: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused an ongoing pandemic, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), which has become a major global public health event. Antiviral compounds remain the predominant means of treating COVID-19. Here, we reported that bergamottin, a furanocoumarin originally found in bergamot, exhibited inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. Bergamottin interfered with multiple stages of virus life cycles, specifically blocking the SARS-CoV-2 spike-mediated membrane fusion and effectively reducing viral RNA synthesis. Oral delivery of bergamottin to golden Syrian hamsters at dosages of both 50 mg/kg and 75 mg/kg reduced the SARS-CoV-2 load in nasal turbinates and lung tissues. Pathological damage caused by viral infection was also ameliorated after bergamottin treatment. Overall, our study provides evidence of bergamottin as a promising natural compound, with broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus activity, that could be further developed in the fight against COVID-19 infection during the current pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minmin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Junyuan Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Siqi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yuxia Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yan Yu
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Centre of Organoid, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Qiuyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yueli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; College of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300450, China
| | - Xiaoying Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Gengfu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Gang Li
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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45
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Qiao S, Zhang S, Ge J, Wang X. The spike glycoprotein of highly pathogenic human coronaviruses: structural insights for understanding infection, evolution and inhibition. FEBS Open Bio 2022; 12:1602-1622. [PMID: 35689514 PMCID: PMC9433818 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly pathogenic human coronaviruses (CoV) including SARS‐CoV, MERS‐CoV and SARS‐CoV‐2 have emerged over the past two decades, resulting in infectious disease outbreaks that have greatly affected public health. The CoV surface spike (S) glycoprotein mediates receptor binding and membrane fusion for cell entry, playing critical roles in CoV infection and evolution. The S glycoprotein is also the major target molecule for prophylactic and therapeutic interventions, including neutralizing antibodies and vaccines. In this review, we summarize key studies that have revealed the structural basis of S‐mediated cell entry of SARS‐CoV, MERS‐CoV and SARS‐CoV‐2. Additionally, we discuss the evolution of the S glycoprotein to realize cross‐species transmission from the viewpoint of structural biology. Lastly, we describe the recent progress in developing antibodies, nanobodies and peptide inhibitors that target the SARS‐CoV‐2 S glycoprotein for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyuan Qiao
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyuan Zhang
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiwan Ge
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinquan Wang
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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46
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Hachim A, Gu H, Kavian O, Mori M, Kwan MYW, Chan WH, Yau YS, Chiu SS, Tsang OTY, Hui DSC, Mok CKP, Ma FNL, Lau EHY, Amarasinghe GK, Qavi AJ, Cheng SMS, Poon LLM, Peiris JSM, Valkenburg SA, Kavian N. SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins reveal distinct serological signatures in children. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2951. [PMID: 35618731 PMCID: PMC9135746 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30699-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The antibody response magnitude and kinetics may impact clinical severity, serological diagnosis and long-term protection of COVID-19, which may play a role in why children experience lower morbidity. We therefore tested samples from 122 children in Hong Kong with symptomatic (n = 78) and asymptomatic (n = 44) SARS-CoV-2 infections up to 200 days post infection, relative to 71 infected adults (symptomatic n = 61, and asymptomatic n = 10), and negative controls (n = 48). We assessed serum IgG antibodies to a 14-wide antigen panel of structural and accessory proteins by Luciferase Immuno-Precipitation System (LIPS) assay and circulating cytokines. Infected children have lower levels of Spike, Membrane, ORF3a, ORF7a, ORF7b antibodies, comparable ORF8 and elevated E-specific antibodies than adults. Combination of two unique antibody targets, ORF3d and ORF8, can accurately discriminate SARS-CoV-2 infection in children. Principal component analysis reveals distinct pediatric serological signatures, and the highest contribution to variance from adults are antibody responses to non-structural proteins ORF3d, NSP1, ORF3a and ORF8. From a diverse panel of cytokines that can modulate immune priming and relative inflammation, IL-8, MCP-1 and IL-6 correlate with the magnitude of pediatric antibody specificity and severity. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 internal proteins may become an important sero surveillance tool of infection with the roll-out of vaccines in the pediatric population. The antibody response of children to SARS-CoV-2 is less well studied than in adults. Here Hachim et al. show that children have reduced antibody levels to structural proteins and suggest that the predominance of antibody responses to non-structural proteins can be used to discriminate infection and vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa Hachim
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Haogao Gu
- Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Otared Kavian
- Department of Mathematics, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin, Versailles, France
| | - Masashi Mori
- Research Institute for Bioresources and Biotechnology, Ishikawa Prefectural University, Nonoichi, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Mike Y W Kwan
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hospital Authority of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wai Hung Chan
- Department of Pediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hospital Authority of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yat Sun Yau
- Department of Pediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hospital Authority of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Susan S Chiu
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and Queen Mary Hospital, Hospital Authority of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Owen T Y Tsang
- Infectious Diseases Centre, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hospital Authority of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David S C Hui
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chris K P Mok
- The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fionn N L Ma
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Eric H Y Lau
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Gaya K Amarasinghe
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Abraham J Qavi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Samuel M S Cheng
- Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Leo L M Poon
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - J S Malik Peiris
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sophie A Valkenburg
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Niloufar Kavian
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Faculté de Médecine Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Universitaire Paris Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Cochin, Service d'Immunologie Biologique, Paris, France.,Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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47
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Xi J, Si XA. A next‐generation vaccine for broader and long‐lasting COVID‐19 protection. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e138. [PMID: 35509871 PMCID: PMC9059810 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jinxiang Xi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Massachusetts Lowell Massachusetts USA
| | - Xiuhua April Si
- Department of Aerospace Industrial, and Mechanical Engineering California Baptist University Riverside California USA
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48
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Abstract
The spike protein (S) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) directs infection of the lungs and other tissues following its binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. For effective infection, the S protein is cleaved at two sites: S1/S2 and S2′. The “priming” of the surface S protein at S1/S2 (PRRAR685↓) [the underlined basic amino acids refer to critical residues needed for the furin recognition] by furin has been shown to be important for SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in cells and small-animal models. In this study, for the first time we unambiguously identified by proteomics the fusion activation site S2′ as KPSKR815↓ (the underlined basic amino acids refer to critical residues needed for the furin recognition) and demonstrated that this cleavage was strongly enhanced by ACE2 engagement with the S protein. Novel pharmacological furin inhibitors (BOS inhibitors) effectively blocked endogenous S protein processing at both sites in HeLa cells, and SARS-CoV-2 infection of lung-derived Calu-3 cells was completely prevented by combined inhibitors of furin (BOS) and type II transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) (camostat). Quantitative analyses of cell-to-cell fusion and S protein processing revealed that ACE2 shedding by TMPRSS2 was required for TMPRSS2-mediated enhancement of fusion in the absence of S1/S2 priming. We further demonstrated that the collectrin dimerization domain of ACE2 was essential for the effect of TMPRSS2 on cell-to-cell fusion. Overall, our results indicate that furin and TMPRSS2 act synergistically in viral entry and infectivity, supporting the combination of furin and TMPRSS2 inhibitors as potent antivirals against SARS-CoV-2. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, has so far resulted in >6.1 million deaths worldwide. The spike protein (S) of the virus directs infection of the lungs and other tissues by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. For effective infection, the S protein is cleaved at two sites: S1/S2 and S2′. Cleavage at S1/S2 induces a conformational change favoring the S protein recognition by ACE2. The S2′ cleavage is critical for triggering membrane fusion and virus entry into host cells. Our study highlights the complex dynamics of interaction between the S protein, ACE2, and the host proteases furin and TMPRSS2 during SARS-CoV-2 entry and suggests that the combination of a nontoxic furin inhibitor with a TMPRSS2 inhibitor significantly reduces viral entry in lung cells, as evidenced by an average synergistic ∼95% reduction of viral infection. This represents a powerful novel antiviral approach to reduce viral spread in individuals infected by SARS-CoV-2 or future related coronaviruses.
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