1
|
Nabi-Afjadi M, Heydari M, Zalpoor H, Arman I, Sadoughi A, Sahami P, Aghazadeh S. Lectins and lectibodies: potential promising antiviral agents. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2022; 27:37. [PMID: 35562647 PMCID: PMC9100318 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-022-00338-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In nature, lectins are widely dispersed proteins that selectively recognize and bind to carbohydrates and glycoconjugates via reversible bonds at specific binding sites. Many viral diseases have been treated with lectins due to their wide range of structures, specificity for carbohydrates, and ability to bind carbohydrates. Through hemagglutination assays, these proteins can be detected interacting with various carbohydrates on the surface of cells and viral envelopes. This review discusses the most robust lectins and their rationally engineered versions, such as lectibodies, as antiviral proteins. Fusion of lectin and antibody’s crystallizable fragment (Fc) of immunoglobulin G (IgG) produces a molecule called a “lectibody” that can act as a carbohydrate-targeting antibody. Lectibodies can not only bind to the surface glycoproteins via their lectins and neutralize and clear viruses or infected cells by viruses but also perform Fc-mediated antibody effector functions. These functions include complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), and antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis (ADCP). In addition to entering host cells, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein S1 binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and downregulates it and type I interferons in a way that may lead to lung disease. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S1 and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope are heavily glycosylated, which could make them a major target for developing vaccines, diagnostic tests, and therapeutic drugs. Lectibodies can lead to neutralization and clearance of viruses and cells infected by viruses by binding to glycans located on the envelope surface (e.g., the heavily glycosylated SARS-CoV-2 spike protein).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Nabi-Afjadi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Heydari
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, 13145-1384, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Zalpoor
- Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.,American Association of Kidney Patients, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ibrahim Arman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Sciences and Arts, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Arezoo Sadoughi
- Department of Immunology, International Campus, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Parisa Sahami
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technologies Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Safiyeh Aghazadeh
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, 5756151818, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|