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Focosi D. Monoclonal Antibody Therapies Against SARS-CoV-2: Promises and Realities. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2024. [PMID: 39126484 DOI: 10.1007/82_2024_268] [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: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies targeting the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 have been widely deployed in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I review here the impact of those therapeutics in the early pandemic, ranging from structural classification to outcomes in clinical trials to in vitro and in vivo evidence of basal and treatment-emergent immune escape. Unfortunately, the Omicron variant of concern has completely reset all achievements so far in mAb therapy for COVID-19. Despite the intrinsic limitations of this strategy, future developments such as respiratory delivery of further engineered mAb cocktails could lead to improved outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Focosi
- North-Western Tuscany Blood Bank, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.
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2
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Cui L, Li T, Xue W, Zhang S, Wang H, Liu H, Gu Y, Xia N, Li S. Comprehensive Overview of Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Variants. Viruses 2024; 16:900. [PMID: 38932192 PMCID: PMC11209230 DOI: 10.3390/v16060900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved into various variants, including the numerous highly mutated Omicron sub-lineages, significantly increasing immune evasion ability. The development raises concerns about the possibly diminished effectiveness of available vaccines and antibody-based therapeutics. Here, we describe those representative categories of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that retain prominent effectiveness against emerging variants including Omicron sub-lineages. The molecular characteristics, epitope conservation, and resistance mechanisms of these antibodies are further detailed, aiming to offer suggestion or direction for the development of therapeutic antibodies, and facilitate the design of vaccines with broad-spectrum potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Tingting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Wenhui Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Sibo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Hongjing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Ying Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Ningshao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Shaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China (N.X.)
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
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Khalil AM, Piepenbrink MS, Markham I, Basu M, Martinez-Sobrido L, Kobie JJ. Fc-Effector-Independent in vivo Activity of a Potent Influenza B Neuraminidase Broadly Neutralizing Antibody. Viruses 2023; 15:1540. [PMID: 37515226 PMCID: PMC10383564 DOI: 10.3390/v15071540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Influenza B virus (IBV) contributes to substantial influenza-mediated morbidity and mortality, particularly among children. Similar to influenza A viruses (IAV), the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) of IBV undergo antigenic drift, necessitating regular reformulation of seasonal influenza vaccines. NA inhibitors, such as oseltamivir, have reduced activity and clinical efficacy against IBV, while M2 channel inhibitors are only effective against IAV, highlighting the need for improved vaccine and therapeutics for the treatment of seasonal IBV infections. We have previously described a potent human monoclonal antibody (hMAb), 1092D4, that is specific for IBV NA and neutralizes a broad range of IBVs. The anti-viral activity of MAbs can include direct mechanisms such as through neutralization and/or Fc-mediated effector functions that are dependent on accessory cells expressing Fc receptors and that could be impacted by potential host-dependent variability. To discern if the in vivo efficacy of 1092D4 was dependent on Fc-effector function, 1092D4 hMAb with reduced ability to bind to Fc receptors (1092D4-LALAPG) was generated and tested. 1092D4-LALAPG had comparable in vitro binding, neutralization, and inhibition of NA activity to 1092D4. 1092D4-LALAPG was effective at protecting against a lethal challenge of IBV in mice. These results suggest that hMAb 1092D4 in vivo activity is minimally dependent on Fc-effector functions, a characteristic that may extend to other hMAbs that have potent NA inhibition activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Khalil
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78245, USA
- Department of Zoonotic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt
| | - Michael S Piepenbrink
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Ian Markham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Madhubanti Basu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | | | - James J Kobie
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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Ren Z, Shen C, Peng J. Status and Developing Strategies for Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in the Omicron Era of COVID-19. Viruses 2023; 15:1297. [PMID: 37376597 DOI: 10.3390/v15061297] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based treatment is a highly valued therapy against COVID-19, especially for individuals who may not have strong immune responses to the vaccine. However, with the arrival of the Omicron variant and its evolving subvariants, along with the occurrence of remarkable resistance of these SARS-CoV-2 variants to the neutralizing antibodies, mAbs are facing tough challenges. Future strategies for developing mAbs with improved resistance to viral evasion will involve optimizing the targeting epitopes on SARS-CoV-2, enhancing the affinity and potency of mAbs, exploring the use of non-neutralizing antibodies that bind to conserved epitopes on the S protein, as well as optimizing immunization regimens. These approaches can improve the viability of mAb therapy in the fight against the evolving threat of the coronavirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuning Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- BSL-3 Laboratory (Guangdong), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Chenguang Shen
- BSL-3 Laboratory (Guangdong), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jie Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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Amanat F, Clark J, Carreño JM, Strohmeier S, Yellin T, Meade PS, Bhavsar D, Muramatsu H, Sun W, Coughlan L, Pardi N, Krammer F. Immunity to Seasonal Coronavirus Spike Proteins Does Not Protect from SARS-CoV-2 Challenge in a Mouse Model but Has No Detrimental Effect on Protection Mediated by COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination. J Virol 2023; 97:e0166422. [PMID: 36779758 PMCID: PMC10062180 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01664-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal coronaviruses have been circulating widely in the human population for many years. With increasing age, humans are more likely to have been exposed to these viruses and to have developed immunity against them. It has been hypothesized that this immunity to seasonal coronaviruses may provide partial protection against infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and it has also been shown that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination induces a back-boosting effects against the spike proteins of seasonal betacoronaviruses. In this study, we tested if immunity to the seasonal coronavirus spikes from OC43, HKU1, 229E, or NL63 would confer protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in a mouse model, and whether pre-existing immunity against these spikes would weaken the protection afforded by mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. We found that mice vaccinated with the seasonal coronavirus spike proteins had no increased protection compared to the negative controls. While a negligible back-boosting effect against betacoronavirus spike proteins was observed after SARS-CoV-2 infection, there was no negative original antigenic sin-like effect on the immune response and protection induced by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in animals with pre-existing immunity to seasonal coronavirus spike proteins. IMPORTANCE The impact that immunity against seasonal coronaviruses has on both susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as on COVID-19 vaccination is unclear. This study provides insights into both questions in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Amanat
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jordan Clark
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VaRPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Juan Manuel Carreño
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VaRPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shirin Strohmeier
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Temima Yellin
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Philip S. Meade
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VaRPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Disha Bhavsar
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VaRPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hiromi Muramatsu
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Weina Sun
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lynda Coughlan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VaRPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented health crisis and economic burden worldwide. Its etiological agent SARS-CoV-2, a new virus in the coronavirus family, has infected hundreds of millions of people worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 has evolved over the past 2 years to increase its transmissibility as well as to evade the immunity established by previous infection and vaccination. Nevertheless, strong immune responses can be elicited by viral infection and vaccination, which have proved to be protective against the emergence of variants, particularly with respect to hospitalization or severe disease. Here, we review our current understanding of how the virus enters the host cell and how our immune system is able to defend against cell entry and infection. Neutralizing antibodies are a major component of our immune defense and have been extensively studied for SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Structures of these neutralizing antibodies have provided valuable insights into epitopes that are protective against the original ancestral virus and the variants that have emerged. The molecular characterization of neutralizing epitopes as well as epitope conservation and resistance are important for design of next-generation vaccines and antibody therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hejun Liu
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational BiologyThe Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ian A. Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational BiologyThe Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical BiologyThe Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
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Frolova EI, Palchevska O, Lukash T, Dominguez F, Britt W, Frolov I. Acquisition of Furin Cleavage Site and Further SARS-CoV-2 Evolution Change the Mechanisms of Viral Entry, Infection Spread, and Cell Signaling. J Virol 2022; 96:e0075322. [PMID: 35876526 PMCID: PMC9364789 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00753-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the human population leads to further viral evolution. The new variants that arise during this evolution are more infectious. Our data suggest that newer variants have shifted from utilizing both cathepsin/endosome- and TMPRSS2-mediated entry mechanisms to rely on a TMPRSS2-dependent entry pathway. Accordingly, only the early lineages of SARS-CoV-2 are capable of infecting and forming syncytia in Vero/ACE2 cells which lack TMPRSS2 expression. The presence of an intact multibasic furin cleavage site (FCS) in the S protein was a key requirement for cell-to-cell fusion. Deletion of FCS makes SARS-CoV-2 more infectious in vitro but renders it incapable of syncytium formation. Cell-to-cell fusion likely represents an alternative means of virus spread and is resistant to the presence of high levels of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and immune sera in the media. In this study, we also noted that cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 with an intact FCS or alphavirus replicon expressing S protein (VEErep/S) released high levels of free S1 subunit. The released S1 is capable of activating the TLR4 receptor and inducing a pro-inflammatory response. Thus, S1 activation of TLR4 may be an important contributor to SARS-CoV-2-induced COVID-19 disease and needs to be considered in the design of COVID mRNA vaccines. Lastly, a VEErep/S-replicon was shown to produce large amounts of infectious, syncytium-forming pseudoviruses and thus could represent alternative experimental system for screening inhibitors of virus entry and syncytium formation. IMPORTANCE The results of this study demonstrate that the late lineages of SARS-CoV-2 evolved to more efficient use of the TMPRSS2-mediated entry pathway and gradually lost an ability to employ the cathepsins/endosome-mediated entry. The acquisition of a furin cleavage site (FCS) by SARS-CoV-2-specific S protein made the virus a potent producer of syncytia. Their formation is also determined by expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and is resistant to neutralizing human MAbs and immune sera. Syncytium formation appears to be an alternative means of infection spread following the development of an adaptive immune response. Cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 with an intact FCS secrete high levels of the S1 subunit. The released S1 demonstrates an ability to activate the TLR4 receptor and induce pro-inflammatory cytokines, which represent a hallmark of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Alphavirus replicons encoding SARS-CoV-2 S protein cause spreading, syncytium-forming infection, and they can be applied as an experimental tool for studying the mechanism of syncytium formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena I. Frolova
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Oksana Palchevska
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Tetyana Lukash
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Francisco Dominguez
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - William Britt
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurobiology, UAB School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Ilya Frolov
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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