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Jablunovsky A, Narayanan A, Jose J. Identification of a critical role for ZIKV capsid α3 in virus assembly and its genetic interaction with M protein. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011873. [PMID: 38166143 PMCID: PMC10786401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011873] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses such as Zika and dengue viruses are persistent health concerns in endemic regions worldwide. Efforts to combat the spread of flaviviruses have been challenging, as no antivirals or optimal vaccines are available. Prevention and treatment of flavivirus-induced diseases require a comprehensive understanding of their life cycle. However, several aspects of flavivirus biogenesis, including genome packaging and virion assembly, are not well characterized. In this study, we focused on flavivirus capsid protein (C) using Zika virus (ZIKV) as a model to investigate the role of the externally oriented α3 helix (C α3) without a known or predicted function. Alanine scanning mutagenesis of surface-exposed amino acids on C α3 revealed a critical CN67 residue essential for ZIKV virion production. The CN67A mutation did not affect dimerization or RNA binding of purified C protein in vitro. The virus assembly is severely affected in cells transfected with an infectious cDNA clone of ZIKV with CN67A mutation, resulting in a highly attenuated phenotype. We isolated a revertant virus with a partially restored phenotype by continuous passage of the CN67A mutant virus in Vero E6 cells. Sequence analysis of the revertant revealed a second site mutation in the viral membrane (M) protein MF37L, indicating a genetic interaction between the C and M proteins of ZIKV. Introducing the MF37L mutation on the mutant ZIKV CN67A generated a double-mutant virus phenotypically consistent with the isolated genetic revertant. Similar results were obtained with analogous mutations on C and M proteins of dengue virus, suggesting the critical nature of C α3 and possible C and M residues contributing to virus assembly in other Aedes-transmitted flaviviruses. This study provides the first experimental evidence of a genetic interaction between the C protein and the viral envelope protein M, providing a mechanistic understanding of the molecular interactions involved in the assembly and budding of Aedes-transmitted flaviviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastazia Jablunovsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Anoop Narayanan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Joyce Jose
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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2
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Bollman B, Nunna N, Bahl K, Hsiao CJ, Bennett H, Butler S, Foreman B, Burgomaster KE, Aleshnick M, Kong WP, Fisher BE, Ruckwardt TJ, Morabito KM, Graham BS, Dowd KA, Pierson TC, Carfi A. An optimized messenger RNA vaccine candidate protects non-human primates from Zika virus infection. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:58. [PMID: 37080988 PMCID: PMC10119314 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00656-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV), an arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes, was identified as a cause of congenital disease during a major outbreak in the Americas in 2016. Vaccine design strategies relied on limited available isolate sequence information due to the rapid response necessary. The first-generation ZIKV mRNA vaccine, mRNA-1325, was initially generated and, as additional strain sequences became available, a second mRNA vaccine, mRNA-1893, was developed. Herein, we compared the immune responses following mRNA-1325 and mRNA-1893 vaccination and reported that mRNA-1893 generated comparable neutralizing antibody titers to mRNA-1325 at 1/20th of the dose and provided complete protection from ZIKV challenge in non-human primates. In-depth characterization of these vaccines indicated that the observed immunologic differences could be attributed to a single amino acid residue difference that compromised mRNA-1325 virus-like particle formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Bryant Foreman
- Viral Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Katherine E Burgomaster
- Viral Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maya Aleshnick
- Viral Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wing-Pui Kong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Brian E Fisher
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tracy J Ruckwardt
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kaitlyn M Morabito
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Barney S Graham
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kimberly A Dowd
- Viral Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Theodore C Pierson
- Viral Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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3
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Lee MF, Wu YS, Poh CL. Molecular Mechanisms of Antiviral Agents against Dengue Virus. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030705. [PMID: 36992414 PMCID: PMC10056858 DOI: 10.3390/v15030705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue is a major global health threat causing 390 million dengue infections and 25,000 deaths annually. The lack of efficacy of the licensed Dengvaxia vaccine and the absence of a clinically approved antiviral against dengue virus (DENV) drive the urgent demand for the development of novel anti-DENV therapeutics. Various antiviral agents have been developed and investigated for their anti-DENV activities. This review discusses the mechanisms of action employed by various antiviral agents against DENV. The development of host-directed antivirals targeting host receptors and direct-acting antivirals targeting DENV structural and non-structural proteins are reviewed. In addition, the development of antivirals that target different stages during post-infection such as viral replication, viral maturation, and viral assembly are reviewed. Antiviral agents designed based on these molecular mechanisms of action could lead to the discovery and development of novel anti-DENV therapeutics for the treatment of dengue infections. Evaluations of combinations of antiviral drugs with different mechanisms of action could also lead to the development of synergistic drug combinations for the treatment of dengue at any stage of the infection.
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4
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Yu Y, Si L, Meng Y. Flavivirus Entry Inhibitors. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1366:171-197. [PMID: 35412141 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-8702-0_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Flaviviruses, including Dengue virus, Zika virus, Yellow fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, cause thousands of deaths and millions of illnesses each year. The large outbreak of ZIKV in 2016 reminds us that flaviviruses can pose a serious threat to human safety and public health as emerging and re-emerging viruses. However, there are no specific drugs approved for the treatment of flavivirus infections. Due to no need to enter the cells, viral entry inhibitors have the unique advantage in suppressing viral infections. Flaviviruses bind to receptors and attach to the cell surface, then enter the endosome in a clathrin-dependent manner and finalizes the viral entry process after fusion with the cell membrane in a low pH environment. Small molecules, antibodies or peptides can inhibit flavivirus entry by targeting the above processes. Here, we focus on flavivirus entry inhibitors with well-defined target and antiviral activity. We hope that our review will provide a theoretical basis for flavivirus treatment and drug research and help to accelerate the clinical application of flavivirus entry inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Yu
- Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Lulu Si
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yu Meng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
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5
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Kumar S, Bhardwaj VK, Singh R, Das P, Purohit R. Identification of acridinedione scaffolds as potential inhibitor of DENV-2 C protein: An in silico strategy to combat dengue. J Cell Biochem 2022; 123:935-946. [PMID: 35315127 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Dengue is a prominent viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes to humans that affects mainly tropical and subtropical countries worldwide. The global spread of dengue virus (DENV) is mainly occurred by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The dengue virus serotypes-2 (DENV-2) is a widely prevalent serotype of DENV, that causes the hemorrhagic fever and bleeding in the mucosa, which can be fatal. In the life cycle of DENV-2, a structural capsid (DENV-2 C) protein forms the nucleocapsid assembly and bind to the viral progeny RNA. For DENV-2 maturation, the nucleocapsid is a vital component. We used virtual ligand screening to filter out the best in-house synthesized acridinedione analogs (DSPD molecules) that could efficiently bind to DENV-2 C protein. The molecular docking and dynamics simulations studies were performed to analyze the effect of DSPD molecules on DENV-2 C protein after binding. Our findings showed that DSPD molecules strongly interacted with DENV-2 C protein, as evident from molecular interactions and several time-dependent molecular dynamics-driven analyses. Moreover, this study was also supported by the thermodynamic binding free energy and steered molecular dynamics simulations. Therefore, we intend to suggest that the DSPD3 molecule could be used as a potential therapeutic molecule against dengue complications as compared to the cocrystallized inhibitor ST-148. However, further studies are required to demonstrate the ability of DSPD3 to induce DENV-2 C tetramer formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachin Kumar
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Biotechnology Division, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vijay K Bhardwaj
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Biotechnology Division, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rahul Singh
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Biotechnology Division, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pralay Das
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.,Department of Natural Product Chemistry and Process Development, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Rituraj Purohit
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Biotechnology Division, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
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6
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Byrne AB, García CC, Damonte EB, Talarico LB. Murine models of dengue virus infection for novel drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2022; 17:397-412. [PMID: 35098849 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.2033205] [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: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dengue virus (DENV) is the causative agent of the most prevalent human disease transmitted by mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. At present, no antiviral drug is available and the difficulties to develop highly protective vaccines against the four DENV serotypes maintain the requirement of effective options for dengue chemotherapy. AREAS COVERED The availability of animal models that reproduce human disease is a very valuable tool for the preclinical evaluation of potential antivirals. Here, the main murine models of dengue infection are described, including immunocompetent wild-type mice, immunocompromised mice deficient in diverse components of the interferon (IFN) pathway and humanized mice. The main findings in antiviral testing of DENV inhibitory compounds in murine models are also presented. EXPERT OPINION At present, there is no murine model that fully recapitulates human disease. However, immunocompromised mice deficient in IFN-α/β and -γ receptors, with their limitations, have shown to be the most suitable system for antiviral preclinical testing. In fact, the AG129 mouse model allowed the identification of celgosivir, an inhibitor of cellular glucosidases, as a promising option for DENV therapy. However, clinical trials still were not successful, emphasizing the difficulties in the transition from preclinical testing to human treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana B Byrne
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Infectológicas y Biología Molecular, Infectología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cybele C García
- Laboratorio de Estrategias Antivirales, Departamento de Química Biológica-IQUIBICEN (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Elsa B Damonte
- Laboratorio de Estrategias Antivirales, Departamento de Química Biológica-IQUIBICEN (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura B Talarico
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Infectológicas y Biología Molecular, Infectología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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7
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Targeting the Virus Capsid as a Tool to Fight RNA Viruses. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020174. [PMID: 35215767 PMCID: PMC8879806 DOI: 10.3390/v14020174] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Several strategies have been developed to fight viral infections, not only in humans but also in animals and plants. Some of them are based on the development of efficient vaccines, to target the virus by developed antibodies, others focus on finding antiviral compounds with activities that inhibit selected virus replication steps. Currently, there is an increasing number of antiviral drugs on the market; however, some have unpleasant side effects, are toxic to cells, or the viruses quickly develop resistance to them. As the current situation shows, the combination of multiple antiviral strategies or the combination of the use of various compounds within one strategy is very important. The most desirable are combinations of drugs that inhibit different steps in the virus life cycle. This is an important issue especially for RNA viruses, which replicate their genomes using error-prone RNA polymerases and rapidly develop mutants resistant to applied antiviral compounds. Here, we focus on compounds targeting viral structural capsid proteins, thereby inhibiting virus assembly or disassembly, virus binding to cellular receptors, or acting by inhibiting other virus replication mechanisms. This review is an update of existing papers on a similar topic, by focusing on the most recent advances in the rapidly evolving research of compounds targeting capsid proteins of RNA viruses.
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8
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Ortlieb LO, Caruso ÍP, Mebus-Antunes NC, Da Poian AT, Petronilho EDC, Figueroa-Villar JD, Nascimento CJ, Almeida FCL. Searching for drug leads targeted to the hydrophobic cleft of dengue virus capsid protein. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2021; 37:287-298. [PMID: 34894959 PMCID: PMC8667904 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2021.2004591] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We synthesised and screened 18 aromatic derivatives of guanylhydrazones and oximes aromatic for their capacity to bind to dengue virus capsid protein (DENVC). The intended therapeutic target was the hydrophobic cleft of DENVC, which is a region responsible for its anchoring in lipid droplets in the infected cells. The inhibition of this process completely suppresses virus infectivity. Using NMR, we describe five compounds able to bind to the α1-α2 interface in the hydrophobic cleft. Saturation transfer difference experiments showed that the aromatic protons of the ligands are important for the interaction with DENVC. Fluorescence binding isotherms indicated that the selected compounds bind at micromolar affinities, possibly leading to binding-induced conformational changes. NMR-derived docking calculations of ligands showed that they position similarly in the hydrophobic cleft. Cytotoxicity experiments and calculations of in silico drug properties suggest that these compounds may be promising candidates in the search for antivirals targeting DENVC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliane O Ortlieb
- Department of Chemistry, Military Institute of Engineering (IME), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM) and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ícaro P Caruso
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM) and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation (CMIB) and Department of Physics, Institute of Biosciences, Letters and Exact Sciences (IBILCE), São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Nathane C Mebus-Antunes
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Andrea T Da Poian
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elaine da C Petronilho
- Department of Chemistry, Military Institute of Engineering (IME), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Claudia J Nascimento
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biosciences, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabio C L Almeida
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM) and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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9
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Low ZX, OuYong BM, Hassandarvish P, Poh CL, Ramanathan B. Antiviral activity of silymarin and baicalein against dengue virus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21221. [PMID: 34707245 PMCID: PMC8551334 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98949-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue is an arthropod-borne viral disease that has become endemic and a global threat in many countries with no effective antiviral drug available currently. This study showed that flavonoids: silymarin and baicalein could inhibit the dengue virus in vitro and were well tolerated in Vero cells with a half-maximum cytotoxic concentration (CC50) of 749.70 µg/mL and 271.03 µg/mL, respectively. Silymarin and baicalein exerted virucidal effects against DENV-3, with a selective index (SI) of 10.87 and 21.34, respectively. Baicalein showed a better inhibition of intracellular DENV-3 progeny with a SI of 7.82 compared to silymarin. Baicalein effectively blocked DENV-3 attachment (95.59%) to the Vero cells, while silymarin prevented the viral entry (72.46%) into the cells, thus reducing viral infectivity. Both flavonoids showed promising antiviral activity against all four dengue serotypes. The in silico molecular docking showed that silymarin could bind to the viral envelope (E) protein with a binding affinity of - 8.5 kcal/mol and form hydrogen bonds with the amino acids GLN120, TRP229, ASN89, and THR223 of the E protein. Overall, this study showed that silymarin and baicalein exhibited potential anti-DENV activity and could serve as promising antiviral agents for further development against dengue infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Xuan Low
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Brian Ming OuYong
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Pouya Hassandarvish
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Babu Ramanathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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10
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Zhang X, Zhang Y, Jia R, Wang M, Yin Z, Cheng A. Structure and function of capsid protein in flavivirus infection and its applications in the development of vaccines and therapeutics. Vet Res 2021; 52:98. [PMID: 34193256 PMCID: PMC8247181 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-021-00966-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses are enveloped single positive-stranded RNA viruses. The capsid (C), a structural protein of flavivirus, is dimeric and alpha-helical, with several special structural and functional features. The functions of the C protein go far beyond a structural role in virions. It is not only responsible for encapsidation to protect the viral RNA but also able to interact with various host proteins to promote virus proliferation. Therefore, the C protein plays an important role in infected host cells and the viral life cycle. Flaviviruses have been shown to affect the health of humans and animals. Thus, there is an urgent need to effectively control flavivirus infections. The structure of the flavivirus virion has been determined, but there is relatively little information about the function of the C protein. Hence, a greater understanding of the role of the C protein in viral infections will help to discover novel antiviral strategies and provide a promising starting point for the further development of flavivirus vaccines or therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingcui Zhang
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.,Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanting Zhang
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.,Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China. .,Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China. .,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.,Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhongqiong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Anchun Cheng
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China. .,Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China. .,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
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11
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Gallo FN, Enderle AG, Pardo LA, Leal ES, Bollini M. Challenges and perspectives in the discovery of dengue virus entry inhibitors. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:719-740. [PMID: 34036904 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210521213118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) disease has become one of the major challenges in public health. Currently, there is no antiviral treatment for this infection. Since human transmission occurs via mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, most efforts have been focused on controlling this vector. However, these control strategies have not been totally successful, as reflected in the increasing number of DENV infections per year, becoming an endemic disease in more than 100 countries worldwide. Consequently, the development of a safe antiviral agent is urgently needed. In this sense, rational design approaches have been applied in the development of antiviral compounds that inhibit one or more steps in the viral replication cycle. The entry of viruses into host cells is an early and specific stage of infection. Targeting either viral components or cellular protein targets is an affordable and effective strategy for therapeutic intervention of viral infections. This review provides an extensive overview of the small organic molecules, peptides, and inorganic moieties that have been tested so far as DENV entry direct-acting antiviral agents. The latest advances based on computer-aided drug design (CADD) strategies and traditional medicinal chemistry approaches in the design and evaluation of DENV virus entry inhibitors will be discussed. Furthermore, physicochemical drug properties such as solubility, lipophilicity, stability, and current results of pre-clinical and clinical studies will also be discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Facundo N Gallo
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz, 2390, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana G Enderle
- Laboratorio de Desarrollo Analítico y Quimiometría (LADAQ), Cátedra de Química Analítica I, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral-CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Lucas A Pardo
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, 3480 University Street, Montreal, Canada
| | - Emilse S Leal
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz, 2390, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariela Bollini
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz, 2390, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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12
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Di Antonio V, Palù G, Alvisi G. Live-Cell Analysis of Human Cytomegalovirus DNA Polymerase Holoenzyme Assembly by Resonance Energy Transfer Methods. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9050928. [PMID: 33925913 PMCID: PMC8146696 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9050928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) genome replication is a complex and still not completely understood process mediated by the highly coordinated interaction of host and viral products. Among the latter, six different proteins form the viral replication complex: a single-stranded DNA binding protein, a trimeric primase/helicase complex and a two subunit DNA polymerase holoenzyme, which in turn contains a catalytic subunit, pUL54, and a dimeric processivity factor ppUL44. Being absolutely required for viral replication and representing potential therapeutic targets, both the ppUL44-pUL54 interaction and ppUL44 homodimerization have been largely characterized from structural, functional and biochemical points of view. We applied fluorescence and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (FRET and BRET) assays to investigate such processes in living cells. Both interactions occur with similar affinities and can take place both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm. Importantly, single amino acid substitutions in different ppUL44 domains selectively affect its dimerization or ability to interact with pUL54. Intriguingly, substitutions preventing DNA binding of ppUL44 influence the BRETmax of protein-protein interactions, implying that binding to dsDNA induces conformational changes both in the ppUL44 homodimer and in the DNA polymerase holoenzyme. We also compared transiently and stably ppUL44-expressing cells in BRET inhibition assays. Transient expression of the BRET donor allowed inhibition of both ppUL44 dimerization and formation of the DNA polymerase holoenzyme, upon overexpression of FLAG-tagged ppUL44 as a competitor. Our approach could be useful both to monitor the dynamics of assembly of the HCMV DNA polymerase holoenzyme and for antiviral drug discovery.
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A Targeted Computational Screen of the SWEETLEAD Database Reveals FDA-Approved Compounds with Anti-Dengue Viral Activity. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02839-20. [PMID: 33173007 PMCID: PMC7667029 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02839-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Affordable and effective antiviral therapies are needed worldwide, especially against agents such as dengue virus that are endemic in underserved regions. Many antiviral compounds have been studied in cultured cells but are unsuitable for clinical applications due to pharmacokinetic profiles, side effects, or inconsistent efficacy across dengue serotypes. Such tool compounds can, however, aid in identifying clinically useful treatments. Here, computational screening (Rapid Overlay of Chemical Structures) was used to identify entries in an in silico database of safe-in-human compounds (SWEETLEAD) that display high chemical similarities to known inhibitors of dengue virus. Inhibitors of the dengue proteinase NS2B/3, the dengue capsid, and the host autophagy pathway were used as query compounds. Three FDA-approved compounds that resemble the tool molecules structurally, cause little toxicity, and display strong antiviral activity in cultured cells were selected for further analysis. Pyrimethamine (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 1.2 μM), like the dengue proteinase inhibitor ARDP0006 to which it shows structural similarity, inhibited intramolecular NS2B/3 cleavage. Lack of toxicity early in infection allowed testing in mice, in which pyrimethamine also reduced viral loads. Niclosamide (IC50 = 0.28 μM), like dengue core inhibitor ST-148, affected structural components of the virion and inhibited early processes during infection. Vandetanib (IC50 = 1.6 μM), like cellular autophagy inhibitor spautin-1, blocked viral exit from cells and could be shown to extend survival in vivo Thus, three FDA-approved compounds with promising utility for repurposing to treat dengue virus infections and their potential mechanisms were identified using computational tools and minimal phenotypic screening.IMPORTANCE No antiviral therapeutics are currently available for dengue virus infections. By computationally overlaying the three-dimensional (3D) chemical structures of compounds known to inhibit dengue virus over those of compounds known to be safe in humans, we identified three FDA-approved compounds that are attractive candidates for repurposing as antivirals. We identified targets for two previously identified antiviral compounds and revealed a previously unknown potential anti-dengue compound, vandetanib. This computational approach to analyze a highly curated library of structures has the benefits of speed and cost efficiency. It also leverages mechanistic work with query compounds used in biomedical research to provide strong hypotheses for the antiviral mechanisms of the safer hit compounds. This workflow to identify compounds with known safety profiles can be expanded to any biological activity for which a small-molecule query compound has been identified, potentially expediting the translation of basic research to clinical interventions.
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Viswanathan U, Mani N, Hu Z, Ban H, Du Y, Hu J, Chang J, Guo JT. Targeting the multifunctional HBV core protein as a potential cure for chronic hepatitis B. Antiviral Res 2020; 182:104917. [PMID: 32818519 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The core (capsid) protein of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the building block of nucleocapsids where viral DNA reverse transcriptional replication takes place and mediates virus-host cell interaction important for the persistence of HBV infection. The pleiotropic role of core protein (Cp) in HBV replication makes it an attractive target for antiviral therapies of chronic hepatitis B, a disease that affects more than 257 million people worldwide without a cure. Recent clinical studies indicate that core protein allosteric modulators (CpAMs) have a great promise as a key component of hepatitis B curative therapies. Particularly, it has been demonstrated that modulation of Cp dimer-dimer interactions by several chemical series of CpAMs not only inhibit nucleocapsid assembly and viral DNA replication, but also induce the disassembly of double-stranded DNA-containing nucleocapsids to prevent the synthesis of cccDNA. Moreover, the different chemotypes of CpAMs modulate Cp assembly by interaction with distinct amino acid residues at the HAP pocket between Cp dimer-dimer interfaces, which results in the assembly of Cp dimers into either non-capsid Cp polymers (type I CpAMs) or empty capsids with distinct physical property (type II CpAMs). The different CpAMs also differentially modulate Cp metabolism and subcellular distribution, which may impact cccDNA metabolism and host antiviral immune responses, the critical factors for the cure of chronic HBV infection. This review article highlights the recent research progress on the structure and function of core protein in HBV replication cycle, the mode of action of CpAMs, as well as the current status and perspectives on the discovery and development of core protein-targeting antivirals. This article forms part of a symposium in Antiviral Research on "Wide-ranging immune and direct-acting antiviral approaches to curing HBV and HDV infections."
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Affiliation(s)
- Usha Viswanathan
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, 18902, USA
| | - Nagraj Mani
- Arbutus Biopharma Inc., 701 Veterans Circle, Warminster, PA, 18974, USA
| | - Zhanying Hu
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, 18902, USA
| | - Haiqun Ban
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, 18902, USA
| | - Yanming Du
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, 18902, USA
| | - Jin Hu
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, 18902, USA
| | - Jinhong Chang
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, 18902, USA
| | - Ju-Tao Guo
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, 18902, USA.
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15
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Keil T, Liu D, Lloyd M, Coombs W, Moffat J, Visalli R. DNA Encapsidation and Capsid Assembly Are Underexploited Antiviral Targets for the Treatment of Herpesviruses. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1862. [PMID: 32903425 PMCID: PMC7434925 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there are effective nucleoside analogs to treat HSV, VZV, and HCMV disease, herpesvirus infections continue to contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. Acyclovir is the drug of choice for HSV encephalopathy, yet there is an estimated 6-19% mortality rate with half of the survivors experiencing moderate to severe chronic neurological deficits. For VZV, current treatments are inadequate to prevent acute and persistent pain due to zoster. Treatment of HCMV with GCV requires close monitoring particularly in patients with impaired renal function and there are no approved treatments for congenital HCMV infections. New therapeutic options to control cytomegalovirus reactivation in bone marrow and stem cell transplant patients are needed to improve patient outcome. No successful chemotherapeutic options are available for EBV, HHV-6, 7, and 8. Drug resistance is a concern for HCMV, HSV, and VZV since approved drugs share common mechanisms of action. Targeting DNA encapsidation or capsid assembly provide additional options for the development of non-nucleoside, small molecule anti-herpesviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Keil
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, United States
| | - Dongmei Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Megan Lloyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Wanda Coombs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Jennifer Moffat
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Robert Visalli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, United States
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Troost B, Smit JM. Recent advances in antiviral drug development towards dengue virus. Curr Opin Virol 2020; 43:9-21. [PMID: 32795907 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Despite the high disease burden of dengue virus, there is no approved antiviral treatment or broadly applicable vaccine to treat or prevent dengue virus infection. In the last decade, many antiviral compounds have been identified but only few have been further evaluated in pre-clinical or clinical trials. This review will give an overview of the direct-acting and host-directed antivirals identified to date. Furthermore, important parameters for further development that is, drug properties including efficacy, specificity and stability, pre-clinical animal testing, and combinational drug therapy will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berit Troost
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jolanda M Smit
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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17
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A cocrystal structure of dengue capsid protein in complex of inhibitor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:17992-18001. [PMID: 32669438 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2003056117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) was designated as a top 10 public health threat by the World Health Organization in 2019. No clinically approved anti-DENV drug is currently available. Here we report the high-resolution cocrystal structure (1.5 Å) of the DENV-2 capsid protein in complex with an inhibitor that potently suppresses DENV-2 but not other DENV serotypes. The inhibitor induces a "kissing" interaction between two capsid dimers. The inhibitor-bound capsid tetramers are assembled inside virions, resulting in defective uncoating of nucleocapsid when infecting new cells. Resistant DENV-2 emerges through one mutation that abolishes hydrogen bonds in the capsid structure, leading to a loss of compound binding. Structure-based analysis has defined the amino acids responsible for the inhibitor's inefficacy against other DENV serotypes. The results have uncovered an antiviral mechanism through inhibitor-induced tetramerization of the viral capsid and provided essential structural and functional knowledge for rational design of panserotype DENV capsid inhibitors.
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18
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Cortese M, Kumar A, Matula P, Kaderali L, Scaturro P, Erfle H, Acosta EG, Buehler S, Ruggieri A, Chatel-Chaix L, Rohr K, Bartenschlager R. Reciprocal Effects of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Signaling on Dengue Virus Replication and Virion Production. Cell Rep 2020; 27:2579-2592.e6. [PMID: 31141684 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is a human arboviral pathogen accounting for 390 million infections every year. The available vaccine has limited efficacy, and DENV-specific drugs have not been generated. To better understand DENV-host cell interaction, we employed RNA interference-based screening of the human kinome and identified fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) to control the DENV replication cycle. Pharmacological inhibition of FGFR exerts a reciprocal effect by reducing DENV RNA replication and promoting the production of infectious virus particles. Addressing the latter effect, we found that the FGFR signaling pathway modulates intracellular distribution of DENV particles in a PI3K-dependent manner. Upon FGFR inhibition, virions accumulate in the trans-Golgi network compartment, where they undergo enhanced maturation cleavage of the envelope protein precursor membrane (prM), rendering virus particles more infectious. This study reveals an unexpected reciprocal role of a cellular receptor tyrosine kinase regulating DENV RNA replication and the production of infectious virions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Cortese
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Petr Matula
- Biomedical Computer Vision Group, Heidelberg University, BioQuant, IPMB, and German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Lars Kaderali
- ViroQuant Research Group Modeling, BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pietro Scaturro
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Holger Erfle
- Advanced Biological Screening Facility, BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Eliana Gisela Acosta
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Sandra Buehler
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Alessia Ruggieri
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Laurent Chatel-Chaix
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Armand-Frappier, 531, Boulevard des Prairies Laval, Québec, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Karl Rohr
- Biomedical Computer Vision Group, Heidelberg University, BioQuant, IPMB, and German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, Heidelberg Partner Site, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
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Abstract
Alphaviruses are enveloped positive-sense RNA viruses that can cause serious human illnesses such as polyarthritis and encephalitis. Despite their widespread distribution and medical importance, there are no licensed vaccines or antivirals to combat alphavirus infections. Berberine chloride (BBC) is a pan-alphavirus inhibitor that was previously identified in a replicon-based small-molecule screen. This work showed that BBC inhibits alphavirus replication but also suggested that BBC might have additional effects later in the viral life cycle. Here, we show that BBC has late effects that target the virus nucleocapsid (NC) core. Infected cells treated with BBC late in infection were unable to form stable cytoplasmic NCs or assembly intermediates, as assayed by gradient sedimentation. In vitro studies with recombinant capsid protein (Cp) and purified genomic RNA (gRNA) showed that BBC perturbs core-like particle formation and potentially traps the assembly process in intermediate states. Particles produced from BBC-treated cells were less infectious, despite efficient particle production and only minor decreases in genome packaging. In addition, BBC treatment of free virus particles strongly decreased alphavirus infectivity. In contrast, the infectivity of the negative-sense RNA virus vesicular stomatitis virus was resistant to BBC treatment of infected cells or free virus. Together, our data indicate that BBC alters alphavirus Cp-gRNA interactions and oligomerization and suggest that this may cause defects in NC assembly and in disassembly during subsequent virus entry. Thus, BBC may be considered a novel alphavirus NC assembly inhibitor.IMPORTANCE The alphavirus chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an example of an emerging human pathogen with increased and rapid global spread. Although an acute CHIKV infection is rarely fatal, many patients suffer from debilitating chronic arthralgia for years. Antivirals against chikungunya and other alphaviruses have been identified in vitro, but to date none have been shown to be efficacious and have been licensed for human use. Here, we investigated a small molecule, berberine chloride (BBC), and showed that it inhibited infectious virus production by several alphaviruses including CHIKV. BBC acted on a late step in the alphavirus exit pathway, namely the formation of the nucleocapsid containing the infectious viral RNA. Better understanding of nucleocapsid formation and its inhibition by BBC will provide important information on the mechanisms of infectious alphavirus production and may enable their future targeting in antiviral strategies.
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20
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Shanmugam A, Ramakrishnan C, Velmurugan D, Gromiha MM. Identification of Potential Inhibitors for Targets Involved in Dengue Fever. Curr Top Med Chem 2020; 20:1742-1760. [PMID: 32552652 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666200618123026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Lethality due to dengue infection is a global threat. Nearly 400 million people are affected every year, which approximately costs 500 million dollars for surveillance and vector control itself. Many investigations on the structure-function relationship of proteins expressed by the dengue virus are being made for more than a decade and had come up with many reports on small molecule drug discovery. In this review, we present a detailed note on viral proteins and their functions as well as the inhibitors discovered/designed so far using experimental and computational methods. Further, the phytoconstituents from medicinal plants, specifically the extract of the papaya leaves, neem and bael, which combat dengue infection via dengue protease, helicase, methyl transferase and polymerase are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusuya Shanmugam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Engineering College, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (Deemed to be University), Salem - 636308, India
| | - Chandrasekaran Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai - 600036, India
| | - Devadasan Velmurugan
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai - 600025, India
| | - M Michael Gromiha
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai - 600036, India
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21
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Affiliation(s)
- Ter Yong Tan
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke–National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Guntur Fibriansah
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke–National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shee-Mei Lok
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke–National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
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22
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Yun SI, Song BH, Woolley ME, Frank JC, Julander JG, Lee YM. Development, Characterization, and Application of Two Reporter-Expressing Recombinant Zika Viruses. Viruses 2020; 12:v12050572. [PMID: 32456014 PMCID: PMC7290298 DOI: 10.3390/v12050572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne transplacentally transmissible flavivirus, is an enveloped virus with an ~10.8 kb plus-strand RNA genome that can cause neurological disease. To facilitate the identification of potential antivirals, we developed two reporter-expressing ZIKVs, each capable of expressing an enhanced green fluorescent protein or an improved luminescent NanoLuc luciferase. First, a full-length functional ZIKV cDNA clone was engineered as a bacterial artificial chromosome, with each reporter gene under the cap-independent translational control of a cardiovirus-derived internal ribosome entry site inserted downstream of the single open reading frame of the viral genome. Two reporter-expressing ZIKVs were then generated by transfection of ZIKV-susceptible BHK-21 cells with infectious RNAs derived by in vitro run-off transcription from the respective cDNAs. As compared to the parental virus, the two reporter-expressing ZIKVs grew to lower titers with slower growth kinetics and formed smaller foci; however, they displayed a genome-wide viral protein expression profile identical to that of the parental virus, except for two previously unrecognized larger forms of the C and NS1 proteins. We then used the NanoLuc-expressing ZIKV to assess the in vitro antiviral activity of three inhibitors (T-705, NITD-008, and ribavirin). Altogether, our reporter-expressing ZIKVs represent an excellent molecular tool for the discovery of novel antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Im Yun
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
| | - Byung-Hak Song
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
| | - Michael E. Woolley
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
| | - Jordan C. Frank
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
| | - Justin G. Julander
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
- Institute for Antiviral Research, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Young-Min Lee
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
- Veterinary Diagnostics and Infectious Diseases, Utah Science Technology and Research, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84341, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-435-797-9667
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Pierson TC, Diamond MS. The continued threat of emerging flaviviruses. Nat Microbiol 2020; 5:796-812. [PMID: 32367055 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-0714-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 454] [Impact Index Per Article: 113.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are vector-borne RNA viruses that can emerge unexpectedly in human populations and cause a spectrum of potentially severe diseases including hepatitis, vascular shock syndrome, encephalitis, acute flaccid paralysis, congenital abnormalities and fetal death. This epidemiological pattern has occurred numerous times during the last 70 years, including epidemics of dengue virus and West Nile virus, and the most recent explosive epidemic of Zika virus in the Americas. Flaviviruses are now globally distributed and infect up to 400 million people annually. Of significant concern, outbreaks of other less well-characterized flaviviruses have been reported in humans and animals in different regions of the world. The potential for these viruses to sustain epidemic transmission among humans is poorly understood. In this Review, we discuss the basic biology of flaviviruses, their infectious cycles, the diseases they cause and underlying host immune responses to infection. We describe flaviviruses that represent an established ongoing threat to global health and those that have recently emerged in new populations to cause significant disease. We also provide examples of lesser-known flaviviruses that circulate in restricted areas of the world but have the potential to emerge more broadly in human populations. Finally, we discuss how an understanding of the epidemiology, biology, structure and immunity of flaviviruses can inform the rapid development of countermeasures to treat or prevent human infections as they emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore C Pierson
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Michael S Diamond
- Departments of Medicine, Molecular Microbiology, Pathology & Immunology, Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Yokokawa F. Recent progress on phenotype-based discovery of dengue inhibitors. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:541-551. [PMID: 33479655 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00052c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue fever is the world's most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the four serotypes of dengue virus, which are widely spread throughout tropical and sub-tropical countries. There has been an urgent need to identify an effective and safe dengue inhibitor as a therapeutic and a prophylactic agent for dengue fever. Most clinically approved antiviral drugs for the treatment of human immunodeficiency syndrome-1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) target virally encoded enzymes such as protease or polymerase. Inhibitors of these enzymes were typically identified by target-based screening followed by optimization via structure-based design. However, due to the lack of success to date of research efforts to identify dengue protease and polymerase inhibitors, alternative strategies for anti-dengue drug discovery need to be considered. As a complementary approach to the target-based drug discovery, phenotypic screening is a strategy often used in identification of new chemical starting points with novel mechanisms of action in the area of infectious diseases such as antibiotics, antivirals, and anti-parasitic agents. This article is an overview of recent reports on dengue phenotypic screens and discusses phenotype-based hit-to-lead chemistry optimization. The challenges encountered and the outlook on dengue phenotype-based lead discovery are discussed at the end of this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Yokokawa
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases , Emeryville , CA 94608 , USA .
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25
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Anasir MI, Ramanathan B, Poh CL. Structure-Based Design of Antivirals against Envelope Glycoprotein of Dengue Virus. Viruses 2020; 12:v12040367. [PMID: 32225021 PMCID: PMC7232406 DOI: 10.3390/v12040367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) presents a significant threat to global public health with more than 500,000 hospitalizations and 25,000 deaths annually. Currently, there is no clinically approved antiviral drug to treat DENV infection. The envelope (E) glycoprotein of DENV is a promising target for drug discovery as the E protein is important for viral attachment and fusion. Understanding the structure and function of DENV E protein has led to the exploration of structure-based drug discovery of antiviral compounds and peptides against DENV infections. This review summarizes the structural information of the DENV E protein with regards to DENV attachment and fusion. The information enables the development of antiviral agents through structure-based approaches. In addition, this review compares the potency of antivirals targeting the E protein with the antivirals targeting DENV multifunctional enzymes, repurposed drugs and clinically approved antiviral drugs. None of the current DENV antiviral candidates possess potency similar to the approved antiviral drugs which indicates that more efforts and resources must be invested before an effective DENV drug materializes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Ishtiaq Anasir
- Center for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor 47500, Malaysia;
| | - Babu Ramanathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor 47500, Malaysia;
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Center for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor 47500, Malaysia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +60-3-7491-8622; Fax: +60-3-5635-8633
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Sinigaglia A, Peta E, Riccetti S, Barzon L. New avenues for therapeutic discovery against West Nile virus. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 15:333-348. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1714586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Elektra Peta
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Silvia Riccetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Luisa Barzon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Understanding Flavivirus Capsid Protein Functions: The Tip of the Iceberg. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9010042. [PMID: 31948047 PMCID: PMC7168633 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 01/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses are enveloped positive-sense single-stranded RNA arboviruses, infectious to humans and many other animals and are transmitted primarily via tick or mosquito vectors. Capsid is the primary structural protein to interact with viral genome within virus particles and is therefore necessary for efficient packaging. However, in cells, capsid interacts with many proteins and nucleic acids and we are only beginning to understand the broad range of functions of flaviviral capsids. It is known that capsid dimers interact with the membrane of lipid droplets, aiding in both viral packaging and storage of capsid prior to packaging. However, capsid dimers can bind a range of nucleic acid templates in vitro, and likely interact with a range of targets during the flavivirus lifecycle. Capsid may interact with host RNAs, resulting in altered RNA splicing and RNA transcription. Capsid may also bind short interfering-RNAs and has been proposed to sequester these species to protect flaviviruses from the invertebrate siRNA pathways. Capsid can also be found in the nucleolus, where it wreaks havoc on ribosome biogenesis. Here we review flavivirus capsid structure, nucleic acid interactions and how these give rise to multiple functions. We also discuss how these features might be exploited either in the design of effective antivirals or novel vaccine strategies.
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Abdullah AA, Lee YK, Chin SP, Lim SK, Lee VS, Othman R, Othman S, Rahman NA, Yusof R, Heh CH. Discovery of Dengue Virus Inhibitors. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:4945-5036. [PMID: 30514185 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666181204155336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
To date, there is still no approved anti-dengue agent to treat dengue infection in the market. Although the only licensed dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia is available, its protective efficacy against serotypes 1 and 2 of dengue virus was reported to be lower than serotypes 3 and 4. Moreover, according to WHO, the risk of being hospitalized and having severe dengue increased in seronegative individuals after they received Dengvaxia vaccination. Nevertheless, various studies had been carried out in search of dengue virus inhibitors. These studies focused on the structural (C, prM, E) and non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B and NS5) of dengue virus as well as host factors as drug targets. Hence, this article provides an overall up-to-date review of the discovery of dengue virus inhibitors that are only targeting the structural and non-structural viral proteins as drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adib Afandi Abdullah
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yean Kee Lee
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sek Peng Chin
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - See Khai Lim
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vannajan Sanghiran Lee
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rozana Othman
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shatrah Othman
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Noorsaadah Abdul Rahman
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rohana Yusof
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Choon Han Heh
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Bernatchez JA, Tran LT, Li J, Luan Y, Siqueira-Neto JL, Li R. Drugs for the Treatment of Zika Virus Infection. J Med Chem 2019; 63:470-489. [PMID: 31549836 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus is an emerging flavivirus that causes the neurodevelopmental congenital Zika syndrome and that has been linked to the neuroinflammatory Guillain-Barré syndrome. The absence of a vaccine or a clinically approved drug to treat the disease combined with the likelihood that another outbreak will occur in the future defines an unmet medical need. Several promising drug candidate molecules have been reported via repurposing studies, high-throughput compound library screening, and de novo design in the short span of a few years. Intense research activity in this area has occurred in response to the World Health Organization declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on February 1, 2016. In this Perspective, the authors review the emergence of Zika virus, the biology of its replication, targets for therapeutic intervention, target product profile, and current drug development initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lana T Tran
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
| | | | - Yepeng Luan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy , Qingdao University , Qingdao 266071 , Shandong , China
| | | | - Rongshi Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy , Qingdao University , Qingdao 266071 , Shandong , China.,UNMC Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, and Center for Staphylococcal Research , University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha , Nebraska 68198 , United States
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Faheem M, Barbosa Lima JC, Jamal SB, Silva PA, Barbosa JARG. An insight into dengue virus proteins as potential drug/vaccine targets. Future Virol 2019. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2019-0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is an arbovirus that belongs to family flaviviridae. Its genome is composed of a single stranded RNA molecule that encodes a single polyprotein. The polyprotein is processed by viral and cellular proteases to generate ten viral proteins. There are four antigenically distinct serotypes of DENV (DENV1, DENV2, DENV3 and DENV4), which are genetically related. Although protein variability is a major problem in dengue treatment, the functional and structural studies of individual proteins are equally important in treatment development. The data accumulated on dengue proteins are significant to provide detailed understanding of viral infection, replication, host-immune evasion and pathogenesis. In this review, we summarized the detailed current knowledge about DENV proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Faheem
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Department of Cellular Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia-DF 70910-900, Brazil
- Post-graduate program of Genomics Sciences & Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasília-DF 70790-160, Brazil
| | - Jônatas Cunha Barbosa Lima
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Department of Cellular Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia-DF 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Syed Babar Jamal
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, The Mall road, Rawalpindi, Punjab 46000, Pakistan
| | - Paula Andreia Silva
- Post-graduate program of Genomics Sciences & Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasília-DF 70790-160, Brazil
| | - João Alexandre Ribeiro Gonçalves Barbosa
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Department of Cellular Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia-DF 70910-900, Brazil
- Post-graduate program of Genomics Sciences & Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasília-DF 70790-160, Brazil
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Chesnut M, Muñoz LS, Harris G, Freeman D, Gama L, Pardo CA, Pamies D. In vitro and in silico Models to Study Mosquito-Borne Flavivirus Neuropathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:223. [PMID: 31338335 PMCID: PMC6629778 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne flaviviruses can cause disease in the nervous system, resulting in a significant burden of morbidity and mortality. Disease models are necessary to understand neuropathogenesis and identify potential therapeutics and vaccines. Non-human primates have been used extensively but present major challenges. Advances have also been made toward the development of humanized mouse models, but these models still do not fully represent human pathophysiology. Recent developments in stem cell technology and cell culture techniques have allowed the development of more physiologically relevant human cell-based models. In silico modeling has also allowed researchers to identify and predict transmission patterns and discover potential vaccine and therapeutic candidates. This review summarizes the research on in vitro and in silico models used to study three mosquito-borne flaviviruses that cause neurological disease in humans: West Nile, Dengue, and Zika. We also propose a roadmap for 21st century research on mosquito-borne flavivirus neuropathogenesis, prevention, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Chesnut
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Laura S. Muñoz
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Neuroviruses Emerging in the Americas Study, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Georgina Harris
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Dana Freeman
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lucio Gama
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Carlos A. Pardo
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Neuroviruses Emerging in the Americas Study, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David Pamies
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland,*Correspondence: David Pamies
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Orlov AA, Khvatov EV, Koruchekov AA, Nikitina AA, Zolotareva AD, Eletskaya AA, Kozlovskaya LI, Palyulin VA, Horvath D, Osolodkin DI, Varnek A. Getting to Know the Neighbours with GTM: The Case of Antiviral Compounds. Mol Inform 2019; 38:e1800166. [DOI: 10.1002/minf.201800166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexey A. Orlov
- FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” Moscow 108819 Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | | | - Alexander A. Koruchekov
- FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” Moscow 108819 Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Anastasia A. Nikitina
- FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” Moscow 108819 Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Anastasia D. Zolotareva
- FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” Moscow 108819 Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Anastasia A. Eletskaya
- FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” Moscow 108819 Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Liubov I. Kozlovskaya
- FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” Moscow 108819 Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | | | - Dragos Horvath
- Laboratory of Chemoinformatics, Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of Strasbourg Strasbourg 67081 France
| | - Dmitry I. Osolodkin
- FSBSI “Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS” Moscow 108819 Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow 119991 Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Alexandre Varnek
- Laboratory of Chemoinformatics, Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of Strasbourg Strasbourg 67081 France
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Dengue drug discovery: Progress, challenges and outlook. Antiviral Res 2018; 163:156-178. [PMID: 30597183 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the context of the only available vaccine (DENGVAXIA) that was marketed in several countries, but poses higher risks to unexposed individuals, the development of antivirals for dengue virus (DENV), whilst challenging, would bring significant benefits to public health. Here recent progress in the field of DENV drug discovery made in academic laboratories and industry is reviewed. Characteristics of an ideal DENV antiviral molecule, given the specific immunopathology provoked by this acute viral infection, are described. New chemical classes identified from biochemical, biophysical and phenotypic screens that target viral (especially NS4B) and host proteins, offer promising opportunities for further development. In particular, new methodologies ("omics") can accelerate the discovery of much awaited flavivirus specific inhibitors. Challenges and opportunities in lead identification activities as well as the path to clinical development of dengue drugs are discussed. To galvanize DENV drug discovery, collaborative public-public partnerships and open-access resources will greatly benefit both the DENV research community and DENV patients.
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Frakolaki E, Kaimou P, Moraiti M, Kalliampakou KI, Karampetsou K, Dotsika E, Liakos P, Vassilacopoulou D, Mavromara P, Bartenschlager R, Vassilaki N. The Role of Tissue Oxygen Tension in Dengue Virus Replication. Cells 2018; 7:cells7120241. [PMID: 30513781 PMCID: PMC6316080 DOI: 10.3390/cells7120241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Low oxygen tension exerts a profound effect on the replication of several DNA and RNA viruses. In vitro propagation of Dengue virus (DENV) has been conventionally studied under atmospheric oxygen levels despite that in vivo, the tissue microenvironment is hypoxic. Here, we compared the efficiency of DENV replication in liver cells, monocytes, and epithelial cells under hypoxic and normoxic conditions, investigated the ability of DENV to induce a hypoxia response and metabolic reprogramming and determined the underlying molecular mechanism. In DENV-infected cells, hypoxia had no effect on virus entry and RNA translation, but enhanced RNA replication. Overexpression and silencing approaches as well as chemical inhibition and energy substrate exchanging experiments showed that hypoxia-mediated enhancement of DENV replication depends on the activation of the key metabolic regulators hypoxia-inducible factors 1α/2α (HIF-1α/2α) and the serine/threonine kinase AKT. Enhanced RNA replication correlates directly with an increase in anaerobic glycolysis producing elevated ATP levels. Additionally, DENV activates HIF and anaerobic glycolysis markers. Finally, reactive oxygen species were shown to contribute, at least in part through HIF, both to the hypoxia-mediated increase of DENV replication and to virus-induced hypoxic reprogramming. These suggest that DENV manipulates hypoxia response and oxygen-dependent metabolic reprogramming for efficient viral replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efseveia Frakolaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute (HPI), 11521 Athens, Greece.
| | - Panagiota Kaimou
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute (HPI), 11521 Athens, Greece.
| | - Maria Moraiti
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute (HPI), 11521 Athens, Greece.
| | | | - Kalliopi Karampetsou
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece.
| | - Eleni Dotsika
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece.
| | - Panagiotis Liakos
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
| | - Dido Vassilacopoulou
- Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15701 Athens, Greece.
| | - Penelope Mavromara
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Virology, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Thrace, Greece.
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
- German Center for Infection Research, Heidelberg partner site, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Niki Vassilaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute (HPI), 11521 Athens, Greece.
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35
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Alves MP, Vielle NJ, Thiel V, Pfaender S. Research Models and Tools for the Identification of Antivirals and Therapeutics against Zika Virus Infection. Viruses 2018; 10:v10110593. [PMID: 30380760 PMCID: PMC6265910 DOI: 10.3390/v10110593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus recently re-emerged and caused global outbreaks mainly in Central Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and in Central and South America. Even though there is a declining trend, the virus continues to spread throughout different geographical regions of the world. Since its re-emergence in 2015, massive advances have been made regarding our understanding of clinical manifestations, epidemiology, genetic diversity, genomic structure and potential therapeutic intervention strategies. Nevertheless, treatment remains a challenge as there is no licensed effective therapy available. This review focuses on the recent advances regarding research models, as well as available experimental tools that can be used for the identification and characterization of potential antiviral targets and therapeutic intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco P Alves
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Nathalie J Vielle
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Stephanie Pfaender
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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Wu S, Luo Y, Viswanathan U, Kulp J, Cheng J, Hu Z, Xu Q, Zhou Y, Gong GZ, Chang J, Li Y, Guo JT. CpAMs induce assembly of HBV capsids with altered electrophoresis mobility: Implications for mechanism of inhibiting pgRNA packaging. Antiviral Res 2018; 159:1-12. [PMID: 30201396 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Native agarose gel electrophoresis-based particle gel assay has been commonly used for examination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid assembly and pregenomic RNA encapsidation in HBV replicating cells. Interestingly, treatment of cells with several chemotypes of HBV core protein allosteric modulators (CpAMs) induced the assembly of both empty and DNA-containing capsids with faster electrophoresis mobility. In an effort to determine the physical basis of CpAM-induced capsid mobility shift, we found that the surface charge, but not the size, of capsids is the primary determinant of electrophoresis mobility. Specifically, through alanine scanning mutagenesis analysis of twenty-seven charged amino acids in core protein assembly domain and hinge region, we showed that except for K7 and E8, substitution of glutamine acid (E) or aspartic acid (D) on the surface of capsids reduced their mobility, but substitution of lysine (K) or arginine (R) on the surface of capsids increased their mobility in variable degrees. However, alanine substitution of the charged amino acids that are not exposed on the surface of capsid did not apparently alter capsid mobility. Hence, CpAM-induced electrophoresis mobility shift of capsids may reflect the global alteration of capsid structure that changes the exposure and/or ionization of charged amino acid side chains of core protein. Our findings imply that CpAM inhibition of pgRNA encapsidation is possibly due to the assembly of structurally altered nucleocapsids. Practically, capsid electrophoresis mobility shift is a diagnostic marker of compounds that target core protein assembly and predicts sensitivity of HBV strains to specific CpAMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Wu
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China; Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | - Yue Luo
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, USA; Institute of Hepatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | | | - John Kulp
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | - Junjun Cheng
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | - Zhanying Hu
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | - Qifang Xu
- Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yan Zhou
- Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guo-Zhong Gong
- Institute of Hepatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | | | - Yuhuan Li
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
| | - Ju-Tao Guo
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, USA.
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37
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Sinigaglia A, Riccetti S, Trevisan M, Barzon L. In silico approaches to Zika virus drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2018; 13:825-835. [PMID: 30160181 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2018.1515909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION After the WHO declared Zika virus (ZIKV) as a public health emergency of international concern, intense research for the development of vaccines and drugs has been undertaken, leading to the development of several candidates. Areas covered: This review discusses the developments achieved so far by computational methods in the discovery of candidate compounds targeting ZIKV proteins, i.e. the envelope and capsid structural proteins, the NS3 helicase/protease, and the NS5 methyltransferase/RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Expert opinion: Research for effective drugs against ZIKV is still in a very early discovery phase. Notwithstanding the intense efforts for the development of new drugs and the identification of several promising candidates by using different approaches, including computational methods, so far only a few candidates have been experimentally tested. An important caveat of anti-flavivirus drug development is represented by the difficult of reproducing the in vivo microenvironment of the replication complex, which may lead to discrepancies between in vitro results and experimental evaluation in vivo. Moreover, anti-ZIKV drugs have the additional requirement of an excellent safety profile in pregnancy and ability to diffuse to different tissues, including the central nervous system, the testis, and the placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia Riccetti
- a Department of Molecular Medicine , University of Padova , Padova , Italy
| | - Marta Trevisan
- a Department of Molecular Medicine , University of Padova , Padova , Italy
| | - Luisa Barzon
- a Department of Molecular Medicine , University of Padova , Padova , Italy
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38
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Contribution of the residue at position 4 within classical nuclear localization signals to modulating interaction with importins and nuclear targeting. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2018; 1865:1114-1129. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Münster M, Płaszczyca A, Cortese M, Neufeldt CJ, Goellner S, Long G, Bartenschlager R. A Reverse Genetics System for Zika Virus Based on a Simple Molecular Cloning Strategy. Viruses 2018; 10:v10070368. [PMID: 30002313 PMCID: PMC6071187 DOI: 10.3390/v10070368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently attracted major research interest as infection was unexpectedly associated with neurological manifestations in developing foetuses and with Guillain-Barré syndrome in infected adults. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms requires reverse genetic systems, which allow manipulation of infectious cDNA clones at will. In the case of flaviviruses, to which ZIKV belongs, several reports have indicated that the construction of full-length cDNA clones is difficult due to toxicity during plasmid amplification in Escherichia coli. Toxicity of flaviviral cDNAs has been linked to the activity of cryptic prokaryotic promoters within the region encoding the structural proteins leading to spurious transcription and expression of toxic viral proteins. Here, we employ an approach based on in silico prediction and mutational silencing of putative promoters to generate full-length cDNA clones of the historical MR766 strain and the contemporary French Polynesian strain H/PF/2013 of ZIKV. While for both strains construction of full-length cDNA clones has failed in the past, we show that our approach generates cDNA clones that are stable on single bacterial plasmids and give rise to infectious viruses with properties similar to those generated by other more complex assembly strategies. Further, we generate luciferase and fluorescent reporter viruses as well as sub-genomic replicons that are fully functional and suitable for various research and drug screening applications. Taken together, this study confirms that in silico prediction and silencing of cryptic prokaryotic promoters is an efficient strategy to generate full-length cDNA clones of flaviviruses and reports novel tools that will facilitate research on ZIKV biology and development of antiviral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Münster
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Centre for Integrative Infectious Disease Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Anna Płaszczyca
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Centre for Integrative Infectious Disease Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Mirko Cortese
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Centre for Integrative Infectious Disease Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Christopher John Neufeldt
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Centre for Integrative Infectious Disease Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Sarah Goellner
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Centre for Integrative Infectious Disease Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Gang Long
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Centre for Integrative Infectious Disease Research, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
- German Center for Infection Research, Heidelberg Partner Site, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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Smith JL, Sheridan K, Parkins CJ, Frueh L, Jemison AL, Strode K, Dow G, Nilsen A, Hirsch AJ. Characterization and structure-activity relationship analysis of a class of antiviral compounds that directly bind dengue virus capsid protein and are incorporated into virions. Antiviral Res 2018; 155:12-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Mottin M, Borba JVVB, Braga RC, Torres PHM, Martini MC, Proenca-Modena JL, Judice CC, Costa FTM, Ekins S, Perryman AL, Horta Andrade C. The A-Z of Zika drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:1833-1847. [PMID: 29935345 PMCID: PMC7108251 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recent outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV), there are still no approved treatments, and early-stage compounds are probably many years away from approval. A comprehensive A-Z review of the recent advances in ZIKV drug discovery efforts is presented, highlighting drug repositioning and computationally guided compounds, including discovered viral and host cell inhibitors. Promising ZIKV molecular targets are also described and discussed, as well as targets belonging to the host cell, as new opportunities for ZIKV drug discovery. All this knowledge is not only crucial to advancing the fight against the Zika virus and other flaviviruses but also helps us prepare for the next emerging virus outbreak to which we will have to respond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Mottin
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Joyce V V B Borba
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Rodolpho C Braga
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Pedro H M Torres
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-900, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Matheus C Martini
- Laboratory of Emerging Viruses (LEVE), Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil
| | - Jose Luiz Proenca-Modena
- Laboratory of Emerging Viruses (LEVE), Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil
| | - Carla C Judice
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil
| | - Fabio T M Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil
| | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Alexander L Perryman
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil; Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil.
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The TRPV4 channel links calcium influx to DDX3X activity and viral infectivity. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2307. [PMID: 29899501 PMCID: PMC5998047 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04776-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ion channels are well placed to transduce environmental cues into signals used by cells to generate a wide range of responses, but little is known about their role in the regulation of RNA metabolism. Here we show that the TRPV4 cation channel binds the DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX3X and regulates its function. TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ influx releases DDX3X from the channel and drives DDX3X nuclear translocation, a process that involves calmodulin (CaM) and the CaM-dependent kinase II. Genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition of TRPV4 diminishes DDX3X-dependent functions, including nuclear viral export and translation. Furthermore, TRPV4 mediates Ca2+ influx and nuclear accumulation of DDX3X in cells exposed to the Zika virus or the purified viral envelope protein. Consequently, targeting of TRPV4 reduces infectivity of dengue, hepatitis C and Zika viruses. Together, our results highlight the role of TRPV4 in the regulation of DDX3X-dependent control of RNA metabolism and viral infectivity. The ion channel TRPV4 senses many environmental cues, but its role in virus infection is not known. Here, Doñate-Macián et al. show that Zika virus induces TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ influx into cells, resulting in the nuclear accumulation of the DDX3X RNA helicase, which increases virus replication.
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Orlov AA, Eletskaya AA, Frolov KA, Golinets AD, Palyulin VA, Krivokolysko SG, Kozlovskaya LI, Dotsenko VV, Osolodkin DI. Probing chemical space of tick-borne encephalitis virus reproduction inhibitors with organoselenium compounds. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2018; 351:e1700353. [DOI: 10.1002/ardp.201700353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexey A. Orlov
- Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides, FSBSI Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS; Poselok Instituta Poliomielita; Moscow Russian Federation
- Department of Chemistry; Lomonosov Moscow State University; Moscow Russian Federation
| | - Anastasia A. Eletskaya
- Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides, FSBSI Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS; Poselok Instituta Poliomielita; Moscow Russian Federation
- Department of Fundamental Medicine; Lomonosov Moscow State University; Moscow Russian Federation
| | | | - Anastasia D. Golinets
- Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides, FSBSI Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS; Poselok Instituta Poliomielita; Moscow Russian Federation
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University; Moscow Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir A. Palyulin
- Department of Chemistry; Lomonosov Moscow State University; Moscow Russian Federation
| | | | - Liubov I. Kozlovskaya
- Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides, FSBSI Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS; Poselok Instituta Poliomielita; Moscow Russian Federation
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University; Moscow Russian Federation
| | - Victor V. Dotsenko
- Kuban State University; Krasnodar Russian Federation
- North Caucasus Federal University; Stavropol Russian Federation
| | - Dmitry I. Osolodkin
- Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides, FSBSI Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS; Poselok Instituta Poliomielita; Moscow Russian Federation
- Department of Chemistry; Lomonosov Moscow State University; Moscow Russian Federation
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University; Moscow Russian Federation
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Intersectin goes nuclear: secret life of an endocytic protein. Biochem J 2018; 475:1455-1472. [PMID: 29599122 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20170897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Intersectin 1-short (ITSN1-s) is a 1220 amino acid ubiquitously expressed scaffold protein presenting a multidomain structure that allows to spatiotemporally regulate the functional interaction of a plethora of proteins. Besides its well-established role in endocytosis, ITSN1-s is involved in the regulation of cell signaling and is implicated in tumorigenesis processes, although the signaling pathways involved are still poorly understood. Here, we identify ITSN1-s as a nucleocytoplasmic trafficking protein. We show that, by binding to importin (IMP)α, a small fraction of ITSN1-s localizes in the cell nucleus at the steady state, where it preferentially associates with the nuclear envelope and interacts with lamin A/C. However, upon pharmacological ablation of chromosome region maintenance 1 (CRM-1)-dependent nuclear export pathway, the protein accumulates into the nucleus, thus revealing its moonlighting nature. Analysis of deletion mutants revealed that the coiled coil (CC) and Src homology (SH3) regions play the major role in its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. While no evidence of nuclear localization signal (NLS) was detected in the CC region, a functional bipartite NLS was identified within the SH3D region of ITSN1-s (RKKNPGGWWEGELQARGKKRQIGW-1127), capable of conferring energy-dependent nuclear accumulation to reporter proteins and whose mutational ablation affects nuclear import of the whole SH3 region. Thus, ITSN1-s is an endocytic protein, which shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm in a CRM-1- and IMPα-dependent fashion.
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Tian YS, Zhou Y, Takagi T, Kameoka M, Kawashita N. Dengue Virus and Its Inhibitors: A Brief Review. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2018; 66:191-206. [PMID: 29491253 DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c17-00794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The global occurrence of viral infectious diseases poses a significant threat to human health. Dengue virus (DENV) infection is one of the most noteworthy of these infections. According to a WHO survey, approximately 400 million people are infected annually; symptoms deteriorate in approximately one percent of cases. Numerous foundational and clinical investigations on viral epidemiology, structure and function analysis, infection source and route, therapeutic targets, vaccines, and therapeutic drugs have been conducted by both academic and industrial researchers. At present, CYD-TDV or Dengvaxia® is the only approved vaccine, but potent inhibitors are currently under development. In this review, an overview of the viral life circle and the history of DENVs is presented, and the most recently reported antiviral candidates and newly discovered promising targets are focused and summarized. We believe that these successes and failures have enabled progress in anti-DENV drug discovery and hope that our review will stimulate further innovation in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Shi Tian
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University
| | - Yi Zhou
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University
| | - Tatsuya Takagi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University
| | - Masanori Kameoka
- Department of International Health, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences
| | - Norihito Kawashita
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University.,Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, Kindai University
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Trevisan M, Di Antonio V, Radeghieri A, Palù G, Ghildyal R, Alvisi G. Molecular Requirements for Self-Interaction of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Matrix Protein in Living Mammalian Cells. Viruses 2018; 10:v10030109. [PMID: 29510513 PMCID: PMC5869502 DOI: 10.3390/v10030109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important human pathogen, which infects respiratory tract epithelial cells causing bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children and the elderly. Recent studies have linked RSV matrix (M) ability to self-interaction and viral budding. However, RSV M has been crystalized both as a monomer and a dimer, and no formal proof exists to date that it forms dimers in cells. Here, by using a combination of confocal laser scanning microscopy and bioluminescent resonant energy transfer applied to differently tagged deletion mutants of RSV M, we show that the protein can self-interact in living mammalian cells and that both the N and C-terminus of the protein are strictly required for the process, consistent with the reported dimeric crystal structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Trevisan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy.
| | | | - Annalisa Radeghieri
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia 25123, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Palù
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy.
| | - Reena Ghildyal
- Centre for Research in Therapeutic Solutions, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra 2617, Australia.
| | - Gualtiero Alvisi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy.
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Kim Y, Chang KO. Fexaramine as an entry blocker for feline caliciviruses. Antiviral Res 2018; 152:76-83. [PMID: 29454892 PMCID: PMC7125566 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a small non-enveloped virus containing a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome of approximately 7.7 kb. FCV is a highly infectious pathogen of cats and typically causes moderate, self-limiting acute oral and upper respiratory tract diseases or chronic oral diseases. In addition, in recent years, virulent, systemic FCV (vs-FCV) strains causing severe systemic diseases with a high mortality rate of up to 67% have been reported in cats. Although FCV vaccines are commercially available, their efficacy is limited due to antigenic diversity of FCV strains and short duration of immunity. In this study, we identified fexaramine as a potent inhibitor of FCV including vs-FCV strains in cell culture and demonstrated that fexaramine is a entry blocker for FCV by using various experiments including time-of-addition studies, generation of resistant viruses in cell culture and the reverse genetics system. A fexaramine resistant FCV mutant has a single amino acid change in the P2 domain of VP1 (the major capsid), and the importance of this mutation for conferring resistance was confirmed using the reverse genetics system. A comparative analysis of viral resistance was also performed using a peptidyl inhibitor (NPI52) targeting FCV 3C-like protease. Finally, the effects of combination treatment of fexaramine and NPI52 against FCV replication and emergence of resistant viruses were investigated in cell culture. Fexaramine inhibits the replication of feline calicivirus in cells as an entry blocker. A single mutation in the capsid protein of FCV confers resistance to fexaramine. Combined treatment of fexaramine and a viral protease inhibitor substantially delays the emergence of virus resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjeong Kim
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
| | - Kyeong-Ok Chang
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
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48
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Wang JCY, Mukhopadhyay S, Zlotnick A. Geometric Defects and Icosahedral Viruses. Viruses 2018; 10:E25. [PMID: 29300359 PMCID: PMC5795438 DOI: 10.3390/v10010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 12/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose that viruses with geometric defects are not necessarily flawed viruses. A geometric defect may be a reactive site. Defects may facilitate assembly, dissociation, or accessibility of cellular proteins to virion components. In single molecule studies of hepadnavirus assembly, defects and overgrowth are common features. Icosahedral alphaviruses and flaviviruses, among others, have capsids with geometric defects. Similarly, immature retroviruses, which are non-icosahedral, have numerous "errors". In many viruses, asymmetric exposure of interior features allows for regulated genome release or supports intracellular trafficking. In these viruses, the defects likely serve a biological function. Commonly used approaches for spherical virus structure determination use symmetry averaging, which obscures defects. We suggest that there are three classes of asymmetry: regular asymmetry as might be found in a tailed phage, irregular asymmetry as found, for example, in defects randomly trapped during assembly, and dynamic asymmetry due to Brownian dynamics of virus capsids. Awareness of their presence and recent advances in electron microscopy will allow unprecedented investigation of capsid irregularities to investigate their biological relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Che-Yen Wang
- Indiana University Electron Microscopy Center, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | | | - Adam Zlotnick
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
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Lin C, Yu J, Hussain M, Zhou Y, Duan A, Pan W, Yuan J, Zhang J. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel 7-deazapurine nucleoside derivatives as potential anti-dengue virus agents. Antiviral Res 2018; 149:95-105. [DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 10/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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50
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Establishment and Application of Flavivirus Replicons. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1062:165-173. [PMID: 29845532 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-8727-1_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) are enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses belonging to the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae. The genome of ~11 kb length encodes one long open reading frame flanked by a 5' and a 3' untranslated region (UTR). The 5' end is capped and the 3' end lacks a poly(A) tail. The encoded single polyprotein is cleaved co-and posttranslationally by cellular and viral proteases. The first one-third of the genome encodes the structural proteins (C-prM-E), whereas the nonstructural (NS) proteins NS1-NS2A-NS3-NS4A-2K-NS4B-NS5 are encoded by the remaining two-thirds of the genome.Research on flaviviruses was driven forward by the ability to produce recombinant viruses using reverse genetics technology. It is known that the purified RNA of flaviviruses is per se infectious, which allows initiation of a complete viral life cycle by transfecting the genomic RNA into susceptible cells. In 1989, the first infectious flavivirus RNA was transcribed from full-length cDNA templates of yellow fever virus (YFV) facilitating molecular genetic analyses of this virus. In addition to the production of infectious recombinant viruses, reverse genetics can also be used to establish non-infectious replicons. Replicons contain an in-frame deletion in the structural protein genes but still encode all nonstructural proteins and contain the UTRs necessary to mediate efficient replication, a factor that enables their analyses under Biosafety Level (BSL) 1 conditions. This is particularly important since many flaviviruses are BSL3 agents.The review will cover strategies for generating flavivirus replicons, including the establishment of bacteriophage (T7 or SP6) promoter-driven constructs as well as cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter-driven constructs. Furthermore, different reporter replicons or replicons expressing selectable marker proteins will be outlined using examples of their application to answer basic questions of the flavivirus replication cycle, to select and test antiviral compounds or to produce virus replicon particles. The establishment and application of flavivirus replicons will further be exemplified by my own data using an established YFV reporter replicon to study the role of YFV NS2A in the viral life cycle. In addition, we established a reporter replicon of a novel insect-specific flavivirus, namely Niénokoué virus (NIEV), to define the barrier(s) involved in host range restriction.
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