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Teixeira FME, Oliveira LDM, Branco ACCC, Alberca RW, de Sousa ESA, Leite BHDS, Adan WCDS, Duarte AJDS, Lins RD, Sato MN, Viana IFT. Enhanced immunogenicity and protective efficacy in mice following a Zika DNA vaccine designed by modulation of membrane-anchoring regions and its association to adjuvants. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1307546. [PMID: 38361945 PMCID: PMC10867427 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1307546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a re-emerging pathogen with high morbidity associated to congenital infection. Despite the scientific advances since the last outbreak in the Americas, there are no approved specific treatment or vaccines. As the development of an effective prophylactic approach remains unaddressed, DNA vaccines surge as a powerful and attractive candidate due to the efficacy of sequence optimization in achieving strong immune response. In this study, we developed four DNA vaccine constructs encoding the ZIKV prM/M (pre-membrane/membrane) and E (envelope) proteins in conjunction with molecular adjuvants. The DNA vaccine candidate (called ZK_ΔSTP), where the entire membrane-anchoring regions were completely removed, was far more immunogenic compared to their counterparts. Furthermore, inclusion of the tPA-SP leader sequence led to high expression and secretion of the target vaccine antigens, therefore contributing to adequate B cell stimulation. The ZK_ΔSTP vaccine induced high cellular and humoral response in C57BL/6 adult mice, which included high neutralizing antibody titers and the generation of germinal center B cells. Administration of ZK-ΔSTP incorporating aluminum hydroxide (Alum) adjuvant led to sustained neutralizing response. In consistency with the high and long-term protective response, ZK_ΔSTP+Alum protected adult mice upon viral challenge. Collectively, the ZK_ΔSTP+Alum vaccine formulation advances the understanding of the requirements for a successful and protective vaccine against flaviviruses and is worthy of further translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciane Mouradian Emidio Teixeira
- Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies, LIM-56, Department of Dermatology, Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luana de Mendonça Oliveira
- Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies, LIM-56, Department of Dermatology, Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anna Cláudia Calvielli Castelo Branco
- Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies, LIM-56, Department of Dermatology, Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Wesley Alberca
- Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies, LIM-56, Department of Dermatology, Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Emanuella Sarmento Alho de Sousa
- Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies, LIM-56, Department of Dermatology, Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alberto José da Silva Duarte
- Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies, LIM-56, Department of Dermatology, Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberto Dias Lins
- Department of Virology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Recife, Brazil
| | - Maria Notomi Sato
- Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies, LIM-56, Department of Dermatology, Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
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Ngo HD, Formanski JP, Grunwald V, Schwalbe B, Schreiber M. Generation of Viral Particles with Brain Cell-Specific Tropism by Pseudotyping HIV-1 with the Zika Virus E Protein. Methods Protoc 2023; 7:3. [PMID: 38251196 PMCID: PMC10801502 DOI: 10.3390/mps7010003] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses are a family of RNA viruses that includes many known pathogens, such as Zika virus (ZIKV), West Nile virus (WNV), dengue virus (DENV), and yellow fever virus (YFV). A pseudotype is an artificial virus particle created in vitro by incorporating the flavivirus envelope proteins into the structure of, for example, a retrovirus such as human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). They can be a useful tool in virology for understanding the biology of flaviviruses, evaluating immune responses, developing antiviral strategies but can also be used as vectors for gene transfer experiments. This protocol describes the generation of a ZIKV/HIV-1 pseudotype developed as a new tool for infecting cells derived from a highly malignant brain tumor: glioblastoma multiforme grade 4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Dang Ngo
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Patrick Formanski
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vivien Grunwald
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Birco Schwalbe
- Department of Neurosurgery, Asklepios Kliniken Hamburg GmbH, Asklepios Klinik Nord, Standort Heidberg, 22417 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Schreiber
- Department of Virology, LG Schreiber, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
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Castro-Amarante MFD, Pereira SS, Pereira LR, Santos LS, Venceslau-Carvalho AA, Martins EG, Balan A, Souza Ferreira LCD. The Anti-Dengue Virus Peptide DV2 Inhibits Zika Virus Both In Vitro and In Vivo. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040839. [PMID: 37112820 PMCID: PMC10143277 DOI: 10.3390/v15040839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The C-terminal portion of the E protein, known as stem, is conserved among flaviviruses and is an important target to peptide-based antiviral strategies. Since the dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses share sequences in the stem region, in this study we evaluated the cross-inhibition of ZIKV by the stem-based DV2 peptide (419–447), which was previously described to inhibit all DENV serotypes. Thus, the anti-ZIKV effects induced by treatments with the DV2 peptide were tested in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Molecular modeling approaches have demonstrated that the DV2 peptide interacts with amino acid residues exposed on the surface of pre- and postfusion forms of the ZIKA envelope (E) protein. The peptide did not have any significant cytotoxic effects on eukaryotic cells but efficiently inhibited ZIKV infectivity in cultivated Vero cells. In addition, the DV2 peptide reduced morbidity and mortality in mice subjected to lethal challenges with a ZIKV strain isolated in Brazil. Taken together, the present results support the therapeutic potential of the DV2 peptide against ZIKV infections and open perspectives for the development and clinical testing of anti-flavivirus treatments based on synthetic stem-based peptides.
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Grass V, Hardy E, Kobert K, Talemi SR, Décembre E, Guy C, Markov PV, Kohl A, Paris M, Böckmann A, Muñoz-González S, Sherry L, Höfer T, Boussau B, Dreux M. Adaptation to host cell environment during experimental evolution of Zika virus. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1115. [PMID: 36271143 PMCID: PMC9587232 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03902-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection can cause important developmental and neurological defects in Humans. Type I/III interferon responses control ZIKV infection and pathological processes, yet the virus has evolved various mechanisms to defeat these host responses. Here, we established a pipeline to delineate at high-resolution the genetic evolution of ZIKV in a controlled host cell environment. We uncovered that serially passaged ZIKV acquired increased infectivity and simultaneously developed a resistance to TLR3-induced restriction. We built a mathematical model that suggests that the increased infectivity is due to a reduced time-lag between infection and viral replication. We found that this adaptation is cell-type specific, suggesting that different cell environments may drive viral evolution along different routes. Deep-sequencing of ZIKV populations pinpointed mutations whose increased frequencies temporally coincide with the acquisition of the adapted phenotype. We functionally validated S455L, a substitution in ZIKV envelope (E) protein, recapitulating the adapted phenotype. Its positioning on the E structure suggests a putative function in protein refolding/stability. Taken together, our results uncovered ZIKV adaptations to the cellular environment leading to accelerated replication onset coupled with resistance to TLR3-induced antiviral response. Our work provides insights into Zika virus adaptation to host cells and immune escape mechanisms. In vitro analyses and computational modelling indicate that Zika virus adapts to the cellular environment of its host over time
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Grass
- CIRI, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Emilie Hardy
- CIRI, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Kassian Kobert
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (LBBE), UMR CNRS 5558, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, 69622, France
| | - Soheil Rastgou Talemi
- Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
| | - Elodie Décembre
- CIRI, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Coralie Guy
- CIRI, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Peter V Markov
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (LBBE), UMR CNRS 5558, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, 69622, France
| | - Alain Kohl
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Mathilde Paris
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon (IGFL), École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Anja Böckmann
- Institut de Biologie et Chimie des Protéines, MMSB, Labex Ecofect, UMR 5086 CNRS, Université de Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Sara Muñoz-González
- CIRI, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Lee Sherry
- CIRI, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Thomas Höfer
- Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
| | - Bastien Boussau
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (LBBE), UMR CNRS 5558, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, 69622, France.
| | - Marlène Dreux
- CIRI, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Univ Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France.
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Development of a highly specific serodiagnostic ELISA for West Nile virus infection using subviral particles. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9213. [PMID: 33911132 PMCID: PMC8080695 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88777-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) serocomplex group, causes lethal encephalitis in humans and horses. Because serodiagnosis of WNV and JEV is hampered by cross-reactivity, the development of a simple, secure, and WNV-specific serodiagnostic system is required. The coexpression of prM protein and E protein leads to the secretion of subviral particles (SPs). Deletion of the C-terminal region of E protein is reported to affect the production of SPs by some flaviviruses. However, the influence of such a deletion on the properties and antigenicity of WNV E protein is unclear. We analyzed the properties of full-length E protein and E proteins lacking the C-terminal region as novel serodiagnostics for WNV infection. Deletion of the C-terminal region of E protein suppressed the formation of SPs but did not affect the production of E protein. The sensitivity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the full-length E protein was higher than that using the truncated E proteins. Furthermore, in the ELISA using full-length E protein, there was little cross-reactivity with anti-JEV antibodies, and the sensitivity was similar to that of the neutralization test.
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Substantial Attenuation of Virulence of Tembusu Virus Strain PS Is Determined by an Arginine at Residue 304 of the Envelope Protein. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02331-20. [PMID: 33328312 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02331-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tembusu virus (TMUV) PS strain, derived by several passages and plaque purifications in BHK-21 cells, displays markedly lower virulence in Pekin ducklings relative to a natural isolate of TMUV, but the potential virulence determinants and the in vivo mechanisms for substantial virulence attenuation of the passage variant remain unknown. Here, we constructed a series of chimeric and mutant viruses and assessed their virulence using a 2-day-old Pekin duckling model. We showed that residue 304 in the envelope (E) protein is the molecular determinant of TMUV virulence. Further investigations with mutant and parental viruses demonstrated that acquisition of positive charges at E protein residue 304 plays a critical role in substantial attenuation of neurovirulence and neuroinvasiveness, which is linked to enhanced binding affinity for glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). In Pekin ducklings infected by subcutaneous inoculation, an Arg at residue 304 in the E protein was shown to contribute to more rapid virus clearance from the circulation, markedly reduced viremia, and significantly decreased viral growth in the extraneural tissues and the central nervous system, relative to a Met at the corresponding residue. These findings suggest that the in vivo mechanism of virulence attenuation of the TMUV passage variant closely resembles that proposed previously for GAG-binding variants of other flaviviruses. Overall, our study provides insight into the molecular basis of TMUV virulence and the in vivo consequences of acquisition of a GAG-binding determinant at residue 304 in the E protein of TMUV.IMPORTANCE TMUV-related disease emerged in 2010 and has a significant economic impact on the duck industry. Although the disease was originally recognized to affect adult ducks, increasing evidence has shown that TMUV also causes severe disease of young ducklings. It is, therefore, essential to investigate the pathogenesis of TMUV infection in a young duckling model. The significance of our studies is in identifying E protein residue Arg304 as the molecular determinant for TMUV virulence and in clarifying the crucial role of positive charges at E protein residue 304 in virulence attenuation of a TMUV passage variant. These data will greatly enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of TMUV infection in ducklings and have implications for development of a safe and efficient vaccine.
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Lv J, Liu X, Cui S, Yang L, Qu S, Meng R, Yang B, Feng C, Wang X, Zhang D. The Neutralizing Antibody Response Elicited by Tembusu Virus Is Affected Dramatically by a Single Mutation in the Stem Region of the Envelope Protein. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:585194. [PMID: 33193231 PMCID: PMC7642334 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.585194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tembusu virus (TMUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that most commonly affects adult breeder and layer ducks. However, a TMUV-caused neurological disease has also been found in ducklings below 7 weeks of age, highlighting the need to develop a safe vaccine for young ducklings. In this study, a plaque-purified PS TMUV strain was attenuated by serial passage in BHK-21 cells. Using 1-day-old Pekin ducklings as a model, the virus was confirmed to be attenuated sufficiently after 180 passages, whereas the neutralizing antibody response elicited by the 180th passage virus (PS180) was substantially impaired compared with PS. The findings suggest that sufficient attenuation results in loss of immunogenicity in the development of the live-attenuated TMUV vaccine. Comparative sequence analysis revealed that PS180 acquired one mutation (V41M) in prM and four mutations (T70A, Y176H, K313R, and F408L) in the envelope (E) protein. To identify the amino acid substitution(s) associated with loss of immunogenicity of PS180, we rescued parental viruses, rPS and rPS180, and produced mutant viruses, rPS180-M41V, rPS180-A70T, rPS180-H176Y, rPS180-R313K, rPS180-L408F, and rPS180-M5, which contained residue 41V in prM, residues 70T, 176Y, 313K, and 408F in E, and combination of the five residues, respectively, of PS in the backbone of the rPS180 genome. The neutralizing antibody response elicited by rPS180-L408F and rPS180-M5 was significantly higher than those by other mutant viruses and comparable to that by rPS. Furthermore, we produced mutant virus rPS-F408L, which contained residue 408L of PS180 in the backbone of the rPS genome. The F408L mutation conferred significantly decreased neutralizing antibody response to rPS-F408L, which was comparable to that elicited by rPS180. Based on homologous modeling, residue 408 was predicted to be located within the first helical domain of the stem region of the E protein (EH1). Together, these data demonstrate that a single mutation within the EH1 domain exerts a dramatical impact on the TMUV neutralizing antibody response. The present work may enhance our understanding of molecular basis of the TMUV neutralizing antibody response, and provides an important step for the development of a safe and efficient live-attenuated TMUV vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Lv
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shulin Cui
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Lixin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shenghua Qu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Runze Meng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Baolin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Chonglun Feng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Dabing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Telehany SM, Humby MS, McGee TD, Riley SP, Jacobs A, Rizzo RC. Identification of Zika Virus Inhibitors Using Homology Modeling and Similarity-Based Screening to Target Glycoprotein E. Biochemistry 2020; 59:3709-3724. [PMID: 32876433 PMCID: PMC7598728 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
![]()
The
World Health Organization has designated Zika virus (ZIKV)
as a dangerous, mosquito-borne pathogen that can cause severe developmental
defects. The primary goal of this work was identification of small
molecules as potential ZIKV inhibitors that target the viral envelope
glycoprotein (ZIKV E) involved in membrane fusion and viral entry.
A homology model of ZIKV E containing the small molecule β-octyl
glucoside (BOG) was constructed, on the basis of an analogous X-ray
structure from dengue virus, and >4 million commercially available
compounds were computationally screened using the program DOCK6. A
key feature of the screen involved the use of similarity-based scoring
to identify inhibitor candidates that make similar interaction energy
patterns (molecular footprints) as the BOG reference. Fifty-three
prioritized compounds underwent experimental testing using cytotoxicity,
cell viability, and tissue culture infectious dose 50% (TCID50) assays.
Encouragingly, relative to a known control (NITD008), six compounds
were active in both the cell viability assay and the TCID50 infectivity
assay, and they showed activity in a third caspase activity assay.
In particular, compounds 8 and 15 (tested
at 25 μM) and compound 43 (tested at 10 μM)
appeared to provide significant protection to infected cells, indicative
of anti-ZIKV activity. Overall, the study highlights how similarity-based
scoring can be leveraged to computationally identify potential ZIKV
E inhibitors that mimic a known reference (in this case BOG), and
the experimentally verified hits provide a strong starting point for
further refinement and optimization efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Telehany
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Monica S Humby
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214, United States
| | - T Dwight McGee
- Department of Applied Mathematics & Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Sean P Riley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214, United States
| | - Amy Jacobs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214, United States
| | - Robert C Rizzo
- Department of Applied Mathematics & Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States.,Institute of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States.,Laufer Center for Physical & Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
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Abstract
The flavivirus genus encompasses more than 75 unique viruses, including dengue virus which accounts for almost 390 million global infections annually. Flavivirus infection can result in a myriad of symptoms ranging from mild rash and flu-like symptoms, to severe encephalitis and even hemorrhagic fever. Efforts to combat the impact of these viruses have been hindered due to limited antiviral drug and vaccine development. However, the advancement of knowledge in the structural biology of flaviviruses over the last 25 years has produced unique perspectives for the identification of potential therapeutic targets. With particular emphasis on the assembly and maturation stages of the flavivirus life cycle, it is the goal of this review to comparatively analyze the structural similarities between flaviviruses to provide avenues for new research and innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrrad M R Nicholls
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Madhumati Sevvana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Richard J Kuhn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States; Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology, and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.
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10
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Medits I, Vaney M, Rouvinski A, Rey M, Chamot‐Rooke J, Rey FA, Heinz FX, Stiasny K. Extensive flavivirus E trimer breathing accompanies stem zippering of the post-fusion hairpin. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e50069. [PMID: 32484292 PMCID: PMC7403712 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202050069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses enter cells by fusion with endosomal membranes through a rearrangement of the envelope protein E, a class II membrane fusion protein, into fusogenic trimers. The rod-like E subunits bend into "hairpins" to bring the fusion loops next to the C-terminal transmembrane (TM) anchors, with the TM-proximal "stem" element zippering the E trimer to force apposition of the membranes. The structure of the complete class II trimeric hairpin is known for phleboviruses but not for flaviviruses, for which the stem is only partially resolved. Here, we performed comparative analyses of E-protein trimers from the tick-borne encephalitis flavivirus with sequential stem truncations. Our thermostability and antibody-binding data suggest that the stem "zipper" ends at a characteristic flavivirus conserved sequence (CS) that cloaks the fusion loops, with the downstream segment not contributing to trimer stability. We further identified a highly dynamic behavior of E trimers C-terminally truncated upstream the CS, which, unlike fully stem-zippered trimers, undergo rapid deuterium exchange at the trimer interface. These results thus identify important "breathing" intermediates in the E-protein-driven membrane fusion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Medits
- Center for VirologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | | | - Alexander Rouvinski
- Unité de Virologie StructuraleInstitut PasteurCNRS UMR 3569 VirologieParisFrance
- Present address:
Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsInstitute for Medical Research Israel‐CanadaThe Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical DiseasesThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Martial Rey
- Unité de Spectrométrie de Masse pour la BiologieInstitut PasteurCNRS USR 2000ParisFrance
| | - Julia Chamot‐Rooke
- Unité de Spectrométrie de Masse pour la BiologieInstitut PasteurCNRS USR 2000ParisFrance
| | - Felix A Rey
- Unité de Virologie StructuraleInstitut PasteurCNRS UMR 3569 VirologieParisFrance
| | - Franz X Heinz
- Center for VirologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for VirologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
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11
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Early Events in Japanese Encephalitis Virus Infection: Viral Entry. Pathogens 2018; 7:pathogens7030068. [PMID: 30104482 PMCID: PMC6161159 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens7030068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus, is an enveloped positive-strand RNA virus that can cause a spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from mild febrile illness to severe neuroinvasive disease. Today, several killed and live vaccines are available in different parts of the globe for use in humans to prevent JEV-induced diseases, yet no antivirals are available to treat JEV-associated diseases. Despite the progress made in vaccine research and development, JEV is still a major public health problem in southern, eastern, and southeastern Asia, as well as northern Oceania, with the potential to become an emerging global pathogen. In viral replication, the entry of JEV into the cell is the first step in a cascade of complex interactions between the virus and target cells that is required for the initiation, dissemination, and maintenance of infection. Because this step determines cell/tissue tropism and pathogenesis, it is a promising target for antiviral therapy. JEV entry is mediated by the viral glycoprotein E, which binds virions to the cell surface (attachment), delivers them to endosomes (endocytosis), and catalyzes the fusion between the viral and endosomal membranes (membrane fusion), followed by the release of the viral genome into the cytoplasm (uncoating). In this multistep process, a collection of host factors are involved. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the viral and cellular components involved in JEV entry into host cells, with an emphasis on the initial virus-host cell interactions on the cell surface.
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Pulkkinen LIA, Butcher SJ, Anastasina M. Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus: A Structural View. Viruses 2018; 10:v10070350. [PMID: 29958443 PMCID: PMC6071267 DOI: 10.3390/v10070350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a growing health concern. It causes a severe disease that can lead to permanent neurological complications or death and the incidence of TBEV infections is constantly rising. Our understanding of TBEV’s structure lags behind that of other flaviviruses, but has advanced recently with the publication of a high-resolution structure of the TBEV virion. The gaps in our knowledge include: aspects of receptor binding, replication and virus assembly. Furthermore, TBEV has mostly been studied in mammalian systems, even though the virus’ interaction with its tick hosts is a central part of its life cycle. Elucidating these aspects of TBEV biology are crucial for the development of TBEV antivirals, as well as the improvement of diagnostics. In this review, we summarise the current structural knowledge on TBEV, bringing attention to the current gaps in our understanding, and propose further research that is needed to truly understand the structural-functional relationship of the virus and its hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauri I A Pulkkinen
- HiLIFE-Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland.
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Sarah J Butcher
- HiLIFE-Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland.
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Maria Anastasina
- HiLIFE-Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland.
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland.
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Chaudhury S, Ripoll DR, Wallqvist A. Structure-based pKa prediction provides a thermodynamic basis for the role of histidines in pH-induced conformational transitions in dengue virus. Biochem Biophys Rep 2015; 4:375-385. [PMID: 29124227 PMCID: PMC5669449 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2015.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Revised: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
pH-induced conformational changes in dengue virus (DENV) are critical to its ability to infect host cells. The envelope protein heterodimers that make up the viral envelope shift from a dimer to a trimer conformation at low-pH during membrane fusion. Previous studies have suggested that the ionization of histidine residues at low-pH is central to this pH-induced conformational change. We sought out to use molecular modeling with structure-based pKa prediction to provide a quantitative basis for the role of histidines in pH-induced conformational changes and identify which histidine residues were primarily responsible for this transition. We combined existing crystallographic and cryo-electron microscopy data to construct templates of the dimer and trimer conformations for the mature and immature virus. We then generated homology models for the four DENV serotypes and carried out structure-based pKa prediction using Rosetta. Our results showed that the pKa values of a subset of conserved histidines in DENV successfully capture the thermodynamics necessary to drive pH-induced conformational changes during fusion. Here, we identified the structural determinants underlying these pKa values and compare our findings with previous experimental results. Structure-based pKa prediction for histidines in dengue virus was carried out. Conserved histidine residues drive pH-dependent conformation changes. The mature dimer form of the envelop protein is destabilized at low-pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidhartha Chaudhury
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States
| | - Daniel R Ripoll
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States
| | - Anders Wallqvist
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States
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Teterina NL, Liu G, Maximova OA, Pletnev AG. Silencing of neurotropic flavivirus replication in the central nervous system by combining multiple microRNA target insertions in two distinct viral genome regions. Virology 2014; 456-457:247-58. [PMID: 24889244 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Revised: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, microRNA-targeting has become an effective strategy for selective control of tissue-tropism and pathogenesis of both DNA and RNA viruses. Here, using a neurotropic flavivirus as a model, we demonstrate that simultaneous miRNA targeting of the viral genome in the open reading frame and 3'-noncoding regions for brain-expressed miRNAs had an additive effect and produced a more potent attenuation of the virus compared to separate targeting of those regions. Multiple miRNA co-targeting of these two distantly located regions completely abolished the virus neurotropism as no viral replication was detected in the developing brain of neonatal mice. Furthermore, no viral antigens were detected in neurons, and neuronal integrity in the brain of mice was well preserved. This miRNA co-targeting approach can be adapted for other viruses in order to minimize their replication in a cell- or tissue-type specific manner, but most importantly, to prevent virus escape from miRNA-mediated silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya L Teterina
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Guangping Liu
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Olga A Maximova
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Alexander G Pletnev
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
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B cell response and mechanisms of antibody protection to West Nile virus. Viruses 2014; 6:1015-36. [PMID: 24594676 PMCID: PMC3970136 DOI: 10.3390/v6031015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) has become the principal cause of viral encephalitis in North America since its introduction in New York in 1999. This emerging virus is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected mosquito. While there have been several candidates in clinical trials, there are no approved vaccines or WNV-specific therapies for the treatment of WNV disease in humans. From studies with small animal models and convalescent human patients, a great deal has been learned concerning the immune response to infection with WNV. Here, we provide an overview of a subset of that information regarding the humoral and antibody response generated during WNV infection.
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