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Rogers GL, Huang C, Mathur A, Huang X, Chen HY, Stanten K, Morales H, Chang CH, Kezirian EJ, Cannon PM. Reprogramming human B cells with custom heavy-chain antibodies. Nat Biomed Eng 2024:10.1038/s41551-024-01240-4. [PMID: 39039240 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-024-01240-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
The immunoglobulin locus of B cells can be reprogrammed by genome editing to produce custom or non-natural antibodies that are not induced by immunization. However, current strategies for antibody reprogramming require complex expression cassettes and do not allow for customization of the constant region of the antibody. Here we show that human B cells can be edited at the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus to express heavy-chain-only antibodies that support alterations to both the fragment crystallizable domain and the antigen-binding domain, which can be based on both antibody and non-antibody components. Using the envelope protein (Env) from the human immunodeficiency virus as a model antigen, we show that B cells edited to express heavy-chain antibodies to Env support the regulated expression of B cell receptors and antibodies through alternative splicing and that the cells respond to the Env antigen in a tonsil organoid model of immunization. This strategy allows for the reprogramming of human B cells to retain the potential for in vivo amplification while producing molecules with flexibility of composition beyond that of standard antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey L Rogers
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chun Huang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Atishay Mathur
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xiaoli Huang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hsu-Yu Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kalya Stanten
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Heidy Morales
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chan-Hua Chang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eric J Kezirian
- Department of Otolaryngology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paula M Cannon
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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2
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Ameratunga R, Jordan A, Lehnert K, Leung E, Mears ER, Snell R, Steele R, Woon ST. SARS-CoV-2 evolution has increased resistance to monoclonal antibodies and first-generation COVID-19 vaccines: Is there a future therapeutic role for soluble ACE2 receptors for COVID-19? Antiviral Res 2024; 227:105894. [PMID: 38677595 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105894] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
COVID-19 has caused calamitous health, economic and societal consequences. Although several COVID-19 vaccines have received full authorization for use, global deployment has faced political, financial and logistical challenges. The efficacy of first-generation COVID-19 vaccines is waning and breakthrough infections are allowing ongoing transmission and evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccine efficacy relies on a functional immune system. Despite receiving three primary doses and three or more heterologous boosters, some immunocompromised patients may not be adequately protected by COVID-19 vaccines and remain vulnerable to severe disease. The evolution of new SARS-CoV-2 variants has also resulted in the rapid obsolescence of monoclonal antibodies. Convalescent plasma from COVID-19 survivors has produced inconsistent results. New drugs such as Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) are beyond the reach of low- and middle-income countries. With widespread use of Paxlovid, it is likely nirmatrelvir-resistant clades of SARS-CoV-2 will emerge in the future. There is thus an urgent need for new effective anti-SARS-CoV-2 treatments. The in vitro efficacy of soluble ACE2 against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants including omicron (B.1.1.529), was recently described using a competitive ELISA assay as a surrogate marker for virus neutralization. This indicates soluble wild-type ACE2 receptors are likely to be resistant to viral evolution. Nasal and inhaled treatment with soluble ACE2 receptors has abrogated severe disease in animal models of COVID-19. There is an urgent need for clinical trials of this new class of antiviral therapeutics, which could complement vaccines and Paxlovid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Ameratunga
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Auckland Hospital, Park Rd, Grafton, 1010, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Virology and Immunology, Auckland Hospital, Park Rd, Grafton, 1010, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Anthony Jordan
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Auckland Hospital, Park Rd, Grafton, 1010, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Klaus Lehnert
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Euphemia Leung
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Emily R Mears
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Russell Snell
- Applied Translational Genetics Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard Steele
- Department of Virology and Immunology, Auckland Hospital, Park Rd, Grafton, 1010, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - See-Tarn Woon
- Department of Virology and Immunology, Auckland Hospital, Park Rd, Grafton, 1010, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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3
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Pramono D, Takeuchi D, Katsuki M, AbuEed L, Abdillah D, Kimura T, Kawasaki J, Miyake A, Nishigaki K. FeLIX is a restriction factor for mammalian retrovirus infection. J Virol 2024; 98:e0177123. [PMID: 38440982 PMCID: PMC11019853 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01771-23] [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: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are remnants of ancestral viral infections. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is an exogenous and endogenous retrovirus in domestic cats. It is classified into several subgroups (A, B, C, D, E, and T) based on viral receptor interference properties or receptor usage. ERV-derived molecules benefit animals, conferring resistance to infectious diseases. However, the soluble protein encoded by the defective envelope (env) gene of endogenous FeLV (enFeLV) functions as a co-factor in FeLV subgroup T infections. Therefore, whether the gene emerged to facilitate viral infection is unclear. Based on the properties of ERV-derived molecules, we hypothesized that the defective env genes possess antiviral activity that would be advantageous to the host because FeLV subgroup B (FeLV-B), a recombinant virus derived from enFeLV env, is restricted to viral transmission among domestic cats. When soluble truncated Env proteins from enFeLV were tested for their inhibitory effects against enFeLV and FeLV-B, they inhibited viral infection. Notably, this antiviral machinery was extended to infection with the Gibbon ape leukemia virus, Koala retrovirus A, and Hervey pteropid gammaretrovirus. Although these viruses used feline phosphate transporter 1 (fePit1) and phosphate transporter 2 as receptors, the inhibitory mechanism involved competitive receptor binding in a fePit1-dependent manner. The shift in receptor usage might have occurred to avoid the inhibitory effect. Overall, these findings highlight the possible emergence of soluble truncated Env proteins from enFeLV as a restriction factor against retroviral infection and will help in developing host immunity and antiviral defense by controlling retroviral spread.IMPORTANCERetroviruses are unique in using reverse transcriptase to convert RNA genomes into DNA, infecting germ cells, and transmitting to offspring. Numerous ancient retroviral sequences are known as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). The soluble Env protein derived from ERVs functions as a co-factor that assists in FeLV-T infection. However, herein, we show that the soluble Env protein exhibits antiviral activity and provides resistance to mammalian retrovirus infection through competitive receptor binding. In particular, this finding may explain why FeLV-B transmission is not observed among domestic cats. ERV-derived molecules can benefit animals in an evolutionary arms race, highlighting the double-edged-sword nature of ERVs.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cats
- Endogenous Retroviruses/genetics
- Endogenous Retroviruses/metabolism
- Gene Products, env/genetics
- Gene Products, env/metabolism
- Leukemia Virus, Feline/classification
- Leukemia Virus, Feline/genetics
- Leukemia Virus, Feline/metabolism
- Leukemia Virus, Gibbon Ape/genetics
- Leukemia Virus, Gibbon Ape/metabolism
- Leukemia, Feline/genetics
- Leukemia, Feline/metabolism
- Leukemia, Feline/virology
- Phosphate Transport Proteins/genetics
- Phosphate Transport Proteins/metabolism
- Receptors, Virus/metabolism
- Retroviridae Infections/metabolism
- Retroviridae Infections/virology
- Solubility
- Female
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Affiliation(s)
- Didik Pramono
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Dai Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Masato Katsuki
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Loai AbuEed
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Dimas Abdillah
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Tohru Kimura
- The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Junna Kawasaki
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ariko Miyake
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Kazuo Nishigaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Disease, The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
- Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
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Jin H, Gong Y, Cheng L, Zhu Y, Zhang Z, He Y. Susceptibility and Resistance of SARS-CoV-2 Variants to LCB1 and Its Multivalent Derivatives. Viruses 2023; 16:36. [PMID: 38257736 PMCID: PMC10819472 DOI: 10.3390/v16010036] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
LCB1 is a computationally designed three-helix miniprotein that precisely targets the spike (S) receptor-binding motif (RBM) of SARS-CoV-2, exhibiting remarkable antiviral efficacy; however, emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants could substantially compromise its neutralization effectiveness. In this study, we constructed two multivalent LCB1 fusion proteins termed LCB1T and LCB1T-Fc, and characterized their potency in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus and authentic virus in vitro. In the inhibition of various SARS-CoV-2 variants, the two LCB1 fusion proteins exhibited markedly improved inhibitory activities compared to LCB1 as anticipated; however, it was observed that relative to the D614G mutation hosting variant, the variants Delta, Lambda, and Omicron BQ.1.1, XBB, XBB.1.5, and EG.5.1 caused various degrees of resistance to the two fusion proteins' inhibition, with XBB, XBB.1.5, and EG.5.1 variants showing high-level resistance. Moreover, we demonstrated that bat coronavirus RaTG13 and pangolin coronavirus PCoV-GD/PCoV-GX were highly sensitive to two LCB1 fusion proteins, but not LCB1, inhibition. Importantly, our findings revealed a notable decrease in the blocking capacity of the multivalent LCB1 inhibitor on the interaction between the virus's RBD/S and the cell receptor ACE2 when confronted with the XBB variant compared to WT and the Omicron BA.1 variant. In conclusion, our studies provide valuable insights into the antiviral profiling of multivalent LCB1 inhibitors and offer a promising avenue for the development of novel broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongliang Jin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102600, China; (H.J.); (Y.G.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yani Gong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102600, China; (H.J.); (Y.G.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Lin Cheng
- Institute of Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China;
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102600, China; (H.J.); (Y.G.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Institute of Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China;
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102600, China; (H.J.); (Y.G.); (Y.Z.)
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Carriazo S, Abasheva D, Duarte D, Ortiz A, Sanchez-Niño MD. SCARF Genes in COVID-19 and Kidney Disease: A Path to Comorbidity-Specific Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16078. [PMID: 38003268 PMCID: PMC10671056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216078] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has killed ~7 million persons worldwide. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the most common risk factor for severe COVID-19 and one that most increases the risk of COVID-19-related death. Moreover, CKD increases the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI), and COVID-19 patients with AKI are at an increased risk of death. However, the molecular basis underlying this risk has not been well characterized. CKD patients are at increased risk of death from multiple infections, to which immune deficiency in non-specific host defenses may contribute. However, COVID-19-associated AKI has specific molecular features and CKD modulates the local (kidney) and systemic (lung, aorta) expression of host genes encoding coronavirus-associated receptors and factors (SCARFs), which SARS-CoV-2 hijacks to enter cells and replicate. We review the interaction between kidney disease and COVID-19, including the over 200 host genes that may influence the severity of COVID-19, and provide evidence suggesting that kidney disease may modulate the expression of SCARF genes and other key host genes involved in an effective adaptive defense against coronaviruses. Given the poor response of certain CKD populations (e.g., kidney transplant recipients) to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and their suboptimal outcomes when infected, we propose a research agenda focusing on CKD to develop the concept of comorbidity-specific targeted therapeutic approaches to SARS-CoV-2 infection or to future coronavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sol Carriazo
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada;
- RICORS2040, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Daria Abasheva
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz UAM, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (D.A.); (D.D.)
| | - Deborah Duarte
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz UAM, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (D.A.); (D.D.)
| | - Alberto Ortiz
- RICORS2040, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz UAM, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (D.A.); (D.D.)
- Departamento de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Sanchez-Niño
- RICORS2040, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz UAM, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (D.A.); (D.D.)
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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