1
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Geng X, Ding X, Zhu Y, Chong H, He Y. Characterization of novel HIV fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides with the M-T hook structure. Microbes Infect 2024:105366. [PMID: 38777106 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2024.105366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has significantly improved the survival of HIV-infected individuals, but long-term treatment can cause side-effects and drug resistance; thus, the development of new antivirals is of importance. We previously identified an M-T hook structure and accordingly designed short-peptide fusion inhibitor 2P23, which mainly targets the gp41 pocket site and displays potent, broad-spectrum anti-HIV activity. In this study, we continuingly characterized the amino acid sequences of peptide and lipopeptide-based inhibitors containing the M-T hook residues. Among a group of lipopeptides, stearic acid (C18)-modified LP-25 and LP-29 exhibited greatly improved inhibitions against divergent HIV-1 subtypes and drug-resistant mutants. LP-25 and LP-29 were evaluated in rhesus macaques, and the ex vivo inhibition data demonstrated their potent, long-lasting in vivo anti-HIV activity, with LP-25 much better than LP-29. Both the lipopeptides displayed high α-helicity, thermostability and binding ability to a target-mimic peptide, and they were metabolically stable when treated with high temperature, proteolytic enzymes, human or monkey sera and human liver microsomes. Therefore, our studies have provided critical information for understanding the structure-activity relationship of HIV fusion inhibitors with the M-T hook structure and offered novel candidates for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuzhu Geng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xiaohui Ding
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
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2
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Bi W, Tang K, Chen G, Xie Y, Polizzi NF, DeGrado WF, Yuan S, Dang B. An enhanced broad-spectrum peptide inhibits Omicron variants in vivo. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101418. [PMID: 38340726 PMCID: PMC10897629 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The continual emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) poses a major challenge to vaccines and antiviral therapeutics due to their extensive evasion of immunity. Aiming to develop potent and broad-spectrum anticoronavirus inhibitors, we generated A1-(GGGGS)7-HR2m (A1L35HR2m) by introducing an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-derived peptide A1 to the N terminus of the viral HR2-derived peptide HR2m through a long flexible linker, which showed significantly improved antiviral activity. Further cholesterol (Chol) modification at the C terminus of A1L35HR2m greatly enhanced the inhibitory activities against SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 VOCs, SARS-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) pseudoviruses, with IC50 values ranging from 0.16 to 5.53 nM. A1L35HR2m-Chol also potently inhibits spike-protein-mediated cell-cell fusion and the replication of authentic Omicron BA.2.12.1, BA.5, and EG.5.1. Importantly, A1L35HR2m-Chol distributed widely in respiratory tract tissue and had a long half-life (>10 h) in vivo. Intranasal administration of A1L35HR2m-Chol to K18-hACE2 transgenic mice potently inhibited Omicron BA.5 and EG.5.1 infection both prophylactically and therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Bi
- Research Center for Industries of the Future and Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang, China; Frontier Biotechnology Laboratory, ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310030, China.
| | - Kaiming Tang
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Guilin Chen
- Research Center for Industries of the Future and Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Yubin Xie
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nicholas F Polizzi
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - William F DeGrado
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Shuofeng Yuan
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Bobo Dang
- Research Center for Industries of the Future and Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310030, China.
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3
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Wang C, Li Q, Sun L, Wang X, Wang H, Zhang W, Li J, Liu Y, Lu L, Jiang S. An Artificial Peptide-Based Bifunctional HIV-1 Entry Inhibitor That Interferes with Viral Glycoprotein-41 Six-Helix Bundle Formation and Antagonizes CCR5 on the Host Cell Membrane. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051038. [PMID: 37243126 DOI: 10.3390/v15051038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is characterized by high variability and drug resistance. This has necessitated the development of antivirals with a new chemotype and therapy. We previously identified an artificial peptide with non-native protein sequence, AP3, with the potential to inhibit HIV-1 fusion through targeting hydrophobic grooves on the N-terminal heptad repeat trimer of viral glycoprotein gp41. Here, a small-molecule HIV-1 inhibitor targeting chemokine coreceptor CCR5 on the host cell was integrated into the AP3 peptide, producing a novel dual-target inhibitor with improved activity against multiple HIV-1 strains including those resistant to the currently used anti-HIV-1 drug enfuvirtide. Its superior antiviral potency in comparison with the respective pharmacophoric moieties is in consonance with the dual binding of viral gp41 and host factor CCR5. Therefore, our work provides a potent artificial peptide-based bifunctional HIV-1 entry inhibitor and highlights the multitarget-directed ligands approach in the development of novel therapeutic anti-HIV-1 agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lujia Sun
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xinling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wenpeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of the Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of the Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
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4
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Liu Y, Zhu Y, Sun X, Ma T, Lao X, Zheng H. DRAVP: A Comprehensive Database of Antiviral Peptides and Proteins. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040820. [PMID: 37112801 PMCID: PMC10141206 DOI: 10.3390/v15040820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses with rapid replication and easy mutation can become resistant to antiviral drug treatment. With novel viral infections emerging, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, novel antiviral therapies are urgently needed. Antiviral proteins, such as interferon, have been used for treating chronic hepatitis C infections for decades. Natural-origin antimicrobial peptides, such as defensins, have also been identified as possessing antiviral activities, including direct antiviral effects and the ability to induce indirect immune responses to viruses. To promote the development of antiviral drugs, we constructed a data repository of antiviral peptides and proteins (DRAVP). The database provides general information, antiviral activity, structure information, physicochemical information, and literature information for peptides and proteins. Because most of the proteins and peptides lack experimentally determined structures, AlphaFold was used to predict each antiviral peptide's structure. A free website for users (http://dravp.cpu-bioinfor.org/, accessed on 30 August 2022) was constructed to facilitate data retrieval and sequence analysis. Additionally, all the data can be accessed from the web interface. The DRAVP database aims to be a useful resource for developing antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchao Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Youzhuo Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xin Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Tianyue Ma
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xingzhen Lao
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Heng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China
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5
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Zhu Y, Li M, Liu N, Wu T, Han X, Zhao G, He Y. Development of highly effective LCB1-based lipopeptides targeting the spike receptor-binding motif of SARS-CoV-2. Antiviral Res 2023; 211:105541. [PMID: 36682464 PMCID: PMC9851916 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
LCB1 is a computationally designed 56-mer miniprotein targeting the spike (S) receptor-binding motif of SARS-CoV- 2 with high potent activity (Science, 2020; Cell host microbe, 2021); however, recent studies have demonstrated that emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants are highly resistant to LCB1's inhibition. In this study, we first identified a truncated peptide termed LCB1v8, which maintained the high antiviral potency. Then, a group of lipopeptides were generated by modifying LCB1v8 with diverse lipids, and of two lipopeptides, the C-terminally stearicacid-conjugtaed LCB1v17 and cholesterol-conjugated LCB1v18, were highly effective in inhibiting both S protein-pseudovirus and authentic SARS-CoV-2 infections. We further showed that LCB1-based inhibitors had similar α-helicity and thermostability in structure and bound to the target-mimic RBD protein with high affinity, and the lipopeptides exhibited greatly enhanced binding with the viral and cellular membranes, improved inhibitory activities against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Moreover, LCB1v18 was validated with high preventive and therapeutic efficacies in K18-hACE2 transgenic mice against lethal SARS-CoV-2 challenge. In conclusion, our studies have provided important information for understanding the structure and activity relationship (SAR) of LCB1 inhibitor and would guide the future development of novel antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Nian Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Tong Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xuelian Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Guangyu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
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6
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Hu Y, Zhu Y, Yu Y, Liu N, Ju X, Ding Q, He Y. Design and characterization of novel SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors with N-terminally extended HR2 peptides. Antiviral Res 2023; 212:105571. [PMID: 36868315 PMCID: PMC9977133 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Development of potent and broad-spectrum antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 remains one of top priorities, especially in the case of that current vaccines cannot effectively prevent viral transmission. We previously generated a group of fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides, with one formulation being evaluated under clinical trials. In this study, we dedicated to characterize the extended N-terminal motif (residues 1161-1168) of the so-called spike (S) heptad repeat 2 (HR2) region. Alanine scanning analysis of this motif verified its critical roles in S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion. Using a panel of HR2 peptides with the N-terminal extensions, we identified a peptide termed P40, which contained four extended N-terminal residues (VDLG) and exhibited improved binding and antiviral activities, whereas the peptides with further extensions had no such effects. Then, we developed a new lipopeptide P40-LP by modifying P40 with cholesterol, which exhibited dramatically increased activities in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 variants including divergent Omicron sublineages. Moreover, P40-LP displayed a synergistic effect with IPB24 lipopeptide that was designed containing the C-terminally extended residues, and it could effectively inhibit other human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-NL63. Taken together, our results have provided valuable insights for understanding the structure-function relationship of SARS-CoV-2 fusion protein and offered novel antiviral strategies to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Hu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yanying Yu
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Nian Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xiaohui Ju
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qiang Ding
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
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7
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Zhu Y, Hu Y, Liu N, Chong H, He Y. Potent inhibition of diverse Omicron sublineages by SARS-CoV-2 fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides. Antiviral Res 2022; 208:105445. [PMID: 36265805 PMCID: PMC9574594 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The emergence and rapid spreading of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) have posed a great challenge to the efficacy of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies, calling for antivirals that can overcome viral evasion. We recently reported that SARS-CoV-2 fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides, IPB02V3 and IPB24, possessed the potent activities against divergent VOCs, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and the initial Omicron strain (B.1.1.529); however, multiple Omicron sublineages have emerged and BA.4/5 is now becoming predominant globally. In this study, we focused on characterizing the functionality of the spike (S) proteins derived from Omicron sublineages and their susceptibility to the inhibition of IPB02V3 and IPB24. We first found that the S proteins of BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.3, and BA.4/5 exhibited significantly increased cell fusion capacities compared to BA.1, whereas the pseudoviruses of BA.2.12.1, BA.3, and BA.4/5 had significantly increased infectivity relative to BA.1 or BA.2. Next, we verified that IPB02V3 and IPB24 also maintained their very high potent activities in inhibiting diverse Omicron sublineages, even with enhanced potencies relative to the inhibition on ancestral virus. Moreover, we demonstrated that evolved Omicron mutations in the inhibitor-binding heptad repeat 1 (HR1) site could impair the S protein-driven cell fusogenicity and infectivity, but none of single or combined mutations affected the antiviral activity of IPB02V3 and IPB24. Therefore, we believe that viral fusion inhibitors possess high potential to be developed as effective drugs for fighting SARS-CoV-2 variants including diverse Omicron sublineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yue Hu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Nian Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
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8
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Wu T, Zhu Y, Liu N, Hu Y, Chong H, He Y. Resistance profile and mechanism of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 variants to LCB1 inhibitor targeting the spike receptor-binding motif. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1022006. [PMID: 36304946 PMCID: PMC9593036 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1022006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
LCB1 is a 56-mer miniprotein computationally designed to target the spike (S) receptor-binding motif of SARS-CoV-2 with potent in vitro and in vivo inhibitory activities (Cao et al., 2020; Case et al., 2021). However, the rapid emergence and epidemic of viral variants have greatly impacted the effectiveness of S protein-targeting vaccines and antivirals. In this study, we chemically synthesized a peptide-based LCB1 inhibitor and characterized the resistance profile and underlying mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Among five variants of concern (VOCs), we found that pseudoviruses of Beta, Gamma, and Omicron were highly resistant to the LCB1 inhibition, whereas the pseudoviruses of Alpha and Delta as well as the variant of interest (VOI) Lambda only caused mild resistance. By generating a group of mutant viruses carrying single or combination mutations, we verified that K417N and N501Y substitutions in RBD critically determined the high resistance phenotype of VOCs. Furthermore, a large panel of 85 pseudoviruses with naturally occurring RBD point-mutations were generated and applied to LCB1, which identified that E406Q, K417N, and L455F conferred high-levels of resistance, when Y505W caused a ∼6-fold resistance fold-change. We also showed that the resistance mutations could greatly weaken the binding affinity of LCB1 to RBD and thus attenuated its blocking capacity on the interaction between RBD and the cell receptor ACE2. In conclusion, our data have provided crucial information for understanding the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 resistance to LCB1 and will guide the design strategy of novel LCB1-based antivirals against divergent VOCs and evolutionary mutants.
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9
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Wang LL, Estrada L, Wiggins J, Anantpadma M, Patten JJ, Davey RA, Xiang SH. Ligand-based design of peptide entry inhibitors targeting the endosomal receptor binding site of filoviruses. Antiviral Res 2022; 206:105399. [PMID: 36007601 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Filoviruses enter cells through micropinocytosis and trafficking into the endosomes in which they bind to the receptor Niemann-Pick C1 protein (NPC1) for membrane fusion and entry into the cytoplasm. The endosomal receptor-binding is critical step for filovirus entry. Designing inhibitors to block receptor binding will prevent viral entry. Using available binding structural information from the co-crystal structures of the viral GP with the receptor NPC1 or with monoclonal antibodies, we have conducted structure-based design of peptide inhibitors to target the receptor binding site (RBS). The designed peptides were tested for their inhibition activity against pseudo-typed or replication-competent viruses in a cell-based assay. The results indicate that these peptides exhibited strong activities against both Ebola and Marburg virus infection. It is expected that these peptides can be further developed for therapeutic use to treat filovirus infection and combat the outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Liu Wang
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, USA; Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Leslie Estrada
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, USA; Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Joshua Wiggins
- Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA; School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Manu Anantpadma
- Department of Microbiology & National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - J J Patten
- Department of Microbiology & National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Robert A Davey
- Department of Microbiology & National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shi-Hua Xiang
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, USA; Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.
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10
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Zhu Y, Dong X, Liu N, Wu T, Chong H, Lei X, Ren L, Wang J, He Y. SARS-CoV-2 fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides maintain high potency against divergent variants of concern (VOCs) including Omicron. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:1819-1827. [PMID: 35786417 PMCID: PMC9310806 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2098060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and other variants of concern (VOCs) has brought huge challenges to control the COVID-19 pandemic, calling for urgent development of effective vaccines and therapeutic drugs. In this study, we focused on characterizing the impacts of divergent VOCs on the antiviral activity of lipopeptide-based fusion inhibitors that we previously developed. First, we found that pseudoviruses bearing the S proteins of five VOCs (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron) and one variant of interest (Lambda) exhibited greatly decreased infectivity relative to the wild-type (WT) strain or single D614G mutant, especially the Omicron pseudovirus. Differently, the most of variants exhibited an S protein with significantly enhanced cell fusion activity, whereas the S protein of Omicron still mediated decreased cell–cell fusion. Next, we verified that two lipopeptide-based fusion inhibitors, IPB02V3 and IPB24, maintained the highly potent activities in inhibiting various S proteins-driven cell fusion and pseudovirus infection. Surprisingly, both IPB02V3 and IPB24 lipopeptides displayed greatly increased potencies against the infection of authentic Omicron strain relative to the WT virus. The results suggest that Omicron variant evolves with a reduced cell fusion capacity and is more sensitive to the inhibition of fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides; thus, IPB02V3 and IPB24 can be further developed as potent, broad-spectrum antivirals for combating Omicron and the potential future outbreak of other emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xiaojing Dong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Nian Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Tong Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xiaobo Lei
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Lili Ren
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Jianwei Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
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11
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Yan H, Wu T, Chen Y, Jin H, Li L, Zhu Y, Chong H, He Y. Design of a Bispecific HIV Entry Inhibitor Targeting the Cell Receptor CD4 and Viral Fusion Protein Gp41. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:916487. [PMID: 35711654 PMCID: PMC9197378 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.916487] [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] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the high variability and drug-resistance problem by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the development of bispecific or multi-specific inhibitors targeting different steps of HIV entry is highly appreciated. We previously generated a very potent short-peptide-based HIV fusion inhibitor 2P23. In this study, we designed and characterized a bifunctional inhibitor termed 2P23-iMab by genetically conjugating 2P23 to the single-chain variable fragment (scFv) of ibalizumab (iMab), a newly approved antibody drug targeting the cell receptor CD4. As anticipated, 2P23-iMab could bind to the cell membrane through CD4 anchoring and inhibit HIV-1 infection as well as viral Env-mediated cell-cell fusion efficiently. When tested against a large panel of HIV-1 pseudoviruses with different subtypes and phenotypes, 2P23-iMab exhibited dramatically improved inhibitory activity than the parental inhibitors; especially, it potently inhibited the viruses not being susceptible to iMab. Moreover, 2P23-iMab had a dramatically increased potency in inhibiting two panels of HIV-1 mutants that are resistant to T-20 or 2P23 and the infections of HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). In conclusion, our studies have provided new insights into the design of novel bispecific HIV entry inhibitors with highly potent and broad-spectrum antiviral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Yan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Tong Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hongliang Jin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Li Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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12
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Xiang R, Yu Z, Wang Y, Wang L, Huo S, Li Y, Liang R, Hao Q, Ying T, Gao Y, Yu F, Jiang S. Recent advances in developing small-molecule inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:1591-1623. [PMID: 34249607 PMCID: PMC8260826 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus has caused havoc across the entire world. Even though several COVID-19 vaccines are currently in distribution worldwide, with others in the pipeline, treatment modalities lag behind. Accordingly, researchers have been working hard to understand the nature of the virus, its mutant strains, and the pathogenesis of the disease in order to uncover possible drug targets and effective therapeutic agents. As the research continues, we now know the genome structure, epidemiological and clinical features, and pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we summarized the potential therapeutic targets involved in the life cycle of the virus. On the basis of these targets, small-molecule prophylactic and therapeutic agents have been or are being developed for prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Xiang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Zhengsen Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Yang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Shanshan Huo
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Yanbai Li
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Ruiying Liang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Qinghong Hao
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Tianlei Ying
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yaning Gao
- Beijing Pharma and Biotech Center, Beijing 100176, China,Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 21 54237673, fax: +86 21 54237465 (Shibo Jiang); Tel.: +86 312 7528935, fax: +86 312 7521283 (Fei Yu); Tel.: +86 10 62896868; fax: +86 10 62899978, (Yanning Gao).
| | - Fei Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China,Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 21 54237673, fax: +86 21 54237465 (Shibo Jiang); Tel.: +86 312 7528935, fax: +86 312 7521283 (Fei Yu); Tel.: +86 10 62896868; fax: +86 10 62899978, (Yanning Gao).
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China,Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 21 54237673, fax: +86 21 54237465 (Shibo Jiang); Tel.: +86 312 7528935, fax: +86 312 7521283 (Fei Yu); Tel.: +86 10 62896868; fax: +86 10 62899978, (Yanning Gao).
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13
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Xu W, Cong Z, Duan Q, Wang Q, Su S, Wang R, Lu L, Xue J, Jiang S. A Protein-Based, Long-Acting HIV-1 Fusion Inhibitor with an Improved Pharmacokinetic Profile. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15040424. [PMID: 35455421 PMCID: PMC9025429 DOI: 10.3390/ph15040424] [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: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, a series of highly effective peptide- or protein-based HIV fusion inhibitors have been identified. However, due to their short half-life, their clinical application is limited. Therefore, the development of long-acting HIV fusion inhibitors is urgently needed. Here, we designed and constructed a protein-based, long-acting HIV fusion inhibitor, termed FLT (FN3-L35-T1144), consisting of a monobody, FN3, which contains an albumin-binding domain (ABD), a 35-mer linker (L35), and a peptide-based HIV fusion inhibitor, T1144. We found that FLT bound, via its FN3 component, with human serum albumin (HSA) in a reversible manner, thus maintaining the high efficiency of T1144 against infection by both HIV-1 IIIB (X4) and Bal (R5) strains with IC50 of 11.6 nM and 15.3 nM, respectively, and remarkably prolonging the half-life of T1144 (~27 h in SD rats). This approach affords protein-based HIV fusion inhibitors with much longer half-life compared to enfuvirtide, a peptide-based HIV fusion inhibitor approved for use in clinics. Therefore, FLT is a promising candidate as a new protein-based anti-HIV drug with an improved pharmacokinetic profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (W.X.); (Q.D.); (Q.W.); (S.S.)
| | - Zhe Cong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China;
| | - Qianyu Duan
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (W.X.); (Q.D.); (Q.W.); (S.S.)
| | - Qian Wang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (W.X.); (Q.D.); (Q.W.); (S.S.)
| | - Shan Su
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (W.X.); (Q.D.); (Q.W.); (S.S.)
| | - Rui Wang
- Beijing Prosperous Biopharm Company, Beijing 100021, China;
| | - Lu Lu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (W.X.); (Q.D.); (Q.W.); (S.S.)
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (J.X.); (S.J.)
| | - Jing Xue
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China;
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (J.X.); (S.J.)
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (W.X.); (Q.D.); (Q.W.); (S.S.)
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (J.X.); (S.J.)
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14
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Peptide-Based HIV Entry Inhibitors. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1366:15-26. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-8702-0_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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15
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Xue J, Chong H, Zhu Y, Zhang J, Tong L, Lu J, Chen T, Cong Z, Wei Q, He Y. Efficient treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis in rhesus macaques by an HIV fusion-inhibitory lipopeptide. Cell 2021; 185:131-144.e18. [PMID: 34919814 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.11.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Two HIV fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides (LP-97 and LP-98) were designed with highly potent, long-acting antiviral activity. Monotherapy using a low dose of LP-98 sharply reduced viral loads and maintained long-term viral suppression in 21 SHIVSF162P3-infected rhesus macaques. We found that five treated monkeys achieved potential posttreatment control (PTC) efficacy and had lower viral DNA in deep lymph nodes, whereas monkeys with a stable viral rebound had higher viral DNA in superficial lymph nodes. The tissues of PTC monkeys exhibited significantly decreased quantitative viral outgrowth and fewer PD-1+ central memory CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells contributed to virologic control efficacy. Moreover, LP-98 administrated as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) provided complete protection against SHIVSF162P3 and SIVmac239 infections in 51 monkeys via intrarectal, intravaginal, or intravenous challenge. In conclusion, our lipopeptides exhibit high potential as an efficient HIV treatment or prevention strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xue
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Jingjing Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Ling Tong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Jiahan Lu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Ting Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Zhe Cong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Qiang Wei
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
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16
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Yu D, Zhu Y, Jiao T, Wu T, Xiao X, Qin B, Chong H, Lei X, Ren L, Cui S, Wang J, He Y. Structure-based design and characterization of novel fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides against SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:1227-1240. [PMID: 34057039 PMCID: PMC8216258 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1937329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has severely impacted the global public health and socio-economic stability, calling for effective vaccines and therapeutics. In this study, we continued our efforts to develop more efficient SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors and achieved significant findings. First, we found that the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) sequence of SARS-CoV-2 spike fusion protein plays a critical role in viral infectivity and can serve as an ideal template for design of fusion-inhibitory peptides. Second, a panel of novel lipopeptides was generated with greatly improved activity in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 fusion and infection. Third, we showed that the new inhibitors maintained the potent inhibitory activity against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, including those with the major mutations of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 strains circulating in the United Kingdom and South Africa, respectively. Fourth, the new inhibitors also cross-inhibited other human CoVs, including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-NL63. Fifth, the structural properties of the new inhibitors were characterized by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and crystallographic approach, which revealed the mechanisms underlying the high binding and inhibition. Combined, our studies provide important information for understanding the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 fusion and a framework for the development of peptide therapeutics for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and other CoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danwei Yu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tao Jiao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tong Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xia Xiao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bo Qin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaobo Lei
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lili Ren
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sheng Cui
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianwei Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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17
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Zhou YW, Xie Y, Tang LS, Pu D, Zhu YJ, Liu JY, Ma XL. Therapeutic targets and interventional strategies in COVID-19: mechanisms and clinical studies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:317. [PMID: 34446699 PMCID: PMC8390046 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00733-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Owing to the limitations of the present efforts on drug discovery against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the lack of the understanding of the biological regulation mechanisms underlying COVID-19, alternative or novel therapeutic targets for COVID-19 treatment are still urgently required. SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunity dysfunction are the two main courses driving the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Both the virus and host factors are potential targets for antiviral therapy. Hence, in this study, the current therapeutic strategies of COVID-19 have been classified into "target virus" and "target host" categories. Repurposing drugs, emerging approaches, and promising potential targets are the implementations of the above two strategies. First, a comprehensive review of the highly acclaimed old drugs was performed according to evidence-based medicine to provide recommendations for clinicians. Additionally, their unavailability in the fight against COVID-19 was analyzed. Next, a profound analysis of the emerging approaches was conducted, particularly all licensed vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) enrolled in clinical trials against primary SARS-CoV-2 and mutant strains. Furthermore, the pros and cons of the present licensed vaccines were compared from different perspectives. Finally, the most promising potential targets were reviewed, and the update of the progress of treatments has been summarized based on these reviews.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wen Zhou
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yao Xie
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- Department of Dermatovenerology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lian-Sha Tang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Dan Pu
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Ya-Juan Zhu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Ji-Yan Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
| | - Xue-Lei Ma
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
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Molecular mechanism of interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and host cells and interventional therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:233. [PMID: 34117216 PMCID: PMC8193598 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00653-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has resulted in an unprecedented setback for global economy and health. SARS-CoV-2 has an exceptionally high level of transmissibility and extremely broad tissue tropism. However, the underlying molecular mechanism responsible for sustaining this degree of virulence remains largely unexplored. In this article, we review the current knowledge and crucial information about how SARS-CoV-2 attaches on the surface of host cells through a variety of receptors, such as ACE2, neuropilin-1, AXL, and antibody-FcγR complexes. We further explain how its spike (S) protein undergoes conformational transition from prefusion to postfusion with the help of proteases like furin, TMPRSS2, and cathepsins. We then review the ongoing experimental studies and clinical trials of antibodies, peptides, or small-molecule compounds with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity, and discuss how these antiviral therapies targeting host-pathogen interaction could potentially suppress viral attachment, reduce the exposure of fusion peptide to curtail membrane fusion and block the formation of six-helix bundle (6-HB) fusion core. Finally, the specter of rapidly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants deserves a serious review of broad-spectrum drugs or vaccines for long-term prevention and control of COVID-19 in the future.
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Taghizadeh SF, Azizi M, Asili J, Madarshahi FS, Rakhshandeh H, Fujii Y. Therapeutic peptides of Mucuna pruriens L.: Anti-genotoxic molecules against human hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis C virus. Food Sci Nutr 2021; 9:2908-2914. [PMID: 34136158 PMCID: PMC8194742 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To assist the development of new therapeutic strategies for several disorders, biologically active peptides/proteins obtained from plant sources can be considered. Current study expected to determine the biological activities of peptide fractions of Mucuna pruriens against hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2/ADM, HepG2, SMMC-7721, and QGY-7703), as well as normal cell line to prove their selectivity. Moreover, anti-genotoxicity and antiviral activity against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) were assessed. The methods of this study were to isolate the peptides of M. pruriens and hydrolysate fractionation via fractionated pepsin-pancreatin hydrolysates by ultrafiltration/high-performance ultrafiltration cell, identify anti-hepatoma activity of peptide fractions human liver cancer and normal cells by (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-biphenyl tetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay, determine anti-HCV, and assess anti-genotoxic effect of peptide fractions against damage that induced via alkylating agent methyl methanesulphonate in human mononuclear cells. The results showed that the fraction 5-10 kDa has been reported to exhibit significant cytotoxic activity against HepG2 and QGY-7703. It was proven that both of 5-10 and >10 kDa fractions are active against HCV. The cytotoxic concentration (CC50) of 5-10 kDa against the cell line was 703.04 ± 5.21 µg/ml. Anti-genotoxic activities of the peptide fractions were evaluated as mean values for the analyzed comet images. In this regard, the highest activity of protecting DNA damages was observed by the peptide fraction of 5-10 kDa. This study revealed the potential ability of peptide fractions of M. pruriens for the treatment of liver cancer, HCV, and high activities of protecting DNA damages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedeh Faezeh Taghizadeh
- Pharmaceutical Research CenterPharmaceutical Technology InstituteMashhad University of Medical SciencesMashhadIran
- Department of Horticultural ScienceFerdowsi University of MashhadMashhadIran
| | - Majid Azizi
- Department of Horticultural ScienceFerdowsi University of MashhadMashhadIran
| | - Javad Asili
- Department of PharmacognosyFaculty of PharmacyMashhad University of Medical sciencesMashhadIran
| | - Fatemeh Sadat Madarshahi
- Department of Horticultural ScienceFaculty of AgricultureIslamic Azad University of ShirvanShirvanIran
| | - Hasan Rakhshandeh
- Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal PlantsMashhad University of Medical SciencesMashhadIran
| | - Yoshiharu Fujii
- Department of International Environmental and Agricultural SciencesTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchuJapan
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20
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Pu J, Zhou JT, Liu P, Yu F, He X, Lu L, Jiang S. Viral Entry Inhibitors Targeting Six-Helical Bundle Core Against Highly Pathogenic Enveloped Viruses with Class I Fusion Proteins. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:700-718. [PMID: 33992055 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210511015808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
TypeⅠ enveloped viruses bind to cell receptors through surface glycoproteins to initiate infection or undergo receptor-mediated endocytosis. They also initiate membrane fusion in the acidic environment of endocytic compartments, releasing genetic material into the cell. In the process of membrane fusion, envelope protein exposes fusion peptide, followed by insertion into the cell membrane or endosomal membrane. Further conformational changes ensue in which the type 1 envelope protein forms a typical six-helix bundle structure, shortening the distance between viral and cell membranes so that fusion can occur. Entry inhibitors targeting viral envelope proteins, or host factors, are effective antiviral agents and have been widely studied. Some have been used clinically, such as T20 and Maraviroc for human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) or Myrcludex B for hepatitis D virus (HDV). This review focuses on entry inhibitors that target the six-helical bundle core against highly pathogenic enveloped viruses with class I fusion proteins, including retroviruses, coronaviruses, influenza A viruses, paramyxoviruses, and filoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Pu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Joey Tianyi Zhou
- Institute of High Performance Computing, The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Ping Liu
- Institute of High Performance Computing, The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Fei Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Xiaoyang He
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH/CAMS, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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21
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Yu D, Zhu Y, Yan H, Wu T, Chong H, He Y. Pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitors possess potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1, HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:810-821. [PMID: 33847245 PMCID: PMC8812798 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1917309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
EK1 peptide is a membrane fusion inhibitor with broad-spectrum activity against human coronaviruses (CoVs). In the outbreak of COVID-19, we generated a lipopeptide EK1V1 by modifying EK1 with cholesterol, which exhibited significantly improved antiviral activity. In this study, we surprisingly found that EK1V1 also displayed potent cross-inhibitory activities against divergent HIV-1, HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) isolates. Consistently, the recently reported EK1 derivative EK1C4 and SARS-CoV-2 derived fusion inhibitor lipopeptides (IPB02 ∼ IPB09) also inhibited HIV-1 Env-mediated cell-cell fusion and infection efficiently. In the inhibition of a panel of HIV-1 mutants resistant to HIV-1 fusion inhibitors, EK1V1 and IPB02-based inhibitors exhibited significantly decreased or increased activities, suggesting the heptad repeat-1 region (HR1) of HIV-1 gp41 being their target. Furthermore, the sequence alignment and molecular docking analyses verified the target site and revealed the mechanism underlying the resistance. Combined, we conclude that this serendipitous discovery provides a proof-of-concept for a common mechanism of viral fusion and critical information for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danwei Yu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxia Yan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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22
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Xiong W, Zhou C, Yin S, Chai J, Zeng B, Wu J, Li Y, Li L, Xu X. Fejerlectin, a Lectin-like Peptide from the Skin of Fejervarya limnocharis, Inhibits HIV-1 Entry by Targeting Gp41. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:6414-6423. [PMID: 33718732 PMCID: PMC7948434 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is mainly transmitted by sexual intercourse, and effective microbicides preventing HIV-1 transmission are still required. Amphibian skin is a rich source of defense peptides with antiviral activity. Here, we characterized a lectin-like peptide, fejerlectin (RLCYMVLPCP), isolated from the skin of the frog Fejervarya limnocharis. Fejerlectin showed significant hemagglutination and d-(+)-galacturonic acid-binding activities. Furthermore, fejerlectin suppressed the early entry of HIV-1 into target cells by binding to the N-terminal heptad repeat of HIV-1 gp41 and preventing 6-HB formation and Env-mediated membrane fusion. Fejerlectin is the smallest lectin-like peptide identified to date and represents a new and promising platform for anti-HIV-1 drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichen Xiong
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Chenliang Zhou
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Shuwen Yin
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Department
of Pharmacy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer
Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative
Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jinwei Chai
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Baishuang Zeng
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jiena Wu
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yibin Li
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Lin Li
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xueqing Xu
- Guangdong
Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Nan Road, No. 1023-1063, Guangzhou 510515, China
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23
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Generation of HIV-resistant cells with a single-domain antibody: implications for HIV-1 gene therapy. Cell Mol Immunol 2021; 18:660-674. [PMID: 33462383 PMCID: PMC7812570 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-020-00627-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The cure or functional cure of the "Berlin patient" and "London patient" indicates that infusion of HIV-resistant cells could be a viable treatment strategy. Very recently, we genetically linked a short-peptide fusion inhibitor with a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) attachment signal, rendering modified cells fully resistant to HIV infection. In this study, GPI-anchored m36.4, a single-domain antibody (nanobody) targeting the coreceptor-binding site of gp120, was constructed with a lentiviral vector. We verified that m36.4 was efficiently expressed on the plasma membrane of transduced TZM-bl cells and targeted lipid raft sites without affecting the expression of HIV receptors (CD4, CCR5, and CXCR4). Significantly, TZM-bl cells expressing GPI-m36.4 were highly resistant to infection with divergent HIV-1 subtypes and potently blocked HIV-1 envelope-mediated cell-cell fusion and cell-cell viral transmission. Furthermore, we showed that GPI-m36.4-modified human CEMss-CCR5 cells were nonpermissive to both CCR5- and CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 isolates and displayed a strong survival advantage over unmodified cells. It was found that GPI-m36.4 could also impair HIV-1 Env processing and viral infectivity in transduced cells, underlying a multifaceted mechanism of antiviral action. In conclusion, our studies characterize m36.4 as a powerful nanobody that can generate HIV-resistant cells, offering a novel gene therapy approach that can be used alone or in combination.
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24
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Outlaw VK, Bovier FT, Mears MC, Cajimat MN, Zhu Y, Lin MJ, Addetia A, Lieberman NAP, Peddu V, Xie X, Shi PY, Greninger AL, Gellman SH, Bente DA, Moscona A, Porotto M. Inhibition of Coronavirus Entry In Vitro and Ex Vivo by a Lipid-Conjugated Peptide Derived from the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein HRC Domain. mBio 2020; 11:e01935-20. [PMID: 33082259 PMCID: PMC7587434 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01935-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has erupted into a global pandemic that has led to tens of millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide. The development of therapeutics to treat infection or as prophylactics to halt viral transmission and spread is urgently needed. SARS-CoV-2 relies on structural rearrangements within a spike (S) glycoprotein to mediate fusion of the viral and host cell membranes. Here, we describe the development of a lipopeptide that is derived from the C-terminal heptad repeat (HRC) domain of SARS-CoV-2 S that potently inhibits infection by SARS-CoV-2. The lipopeptide inhibits cell-cell fusion mediated by SARS-CoV-2 S and blocks infection by live SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cell monolayers more effectively than previously described lipopeptides. The SARS-CoV-2 lipopeptide exhibits broad-spectrum activity by inhibiting cell-cell fusion mediated by SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and blocking infection by live MERS-CoV in cell monolayers. We also show that the SARS-CoV-2 HRC-derived lipopeptide potently blocks the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in human airway epithelial (HAE) cultures, an ex vivo model designed to mimic respiratory viral propagation in humans. While viral spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection was widespread in untreated airways, those treated with SARS-CoV-2 HRC lipopeptide showed no detectable evidence of viral spread. These data provide a framework for the development of peptide therapeutics for the treatment of or prophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2 as well as other coronaviruses.IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, continues to spread globally, placing strain on health care systems and resulting in rapidly increasing numbers of cases and mortalities. Despite the growing need for medical intervention, no FDA-approved vaccines are yet available, and treatment has been limited to supportive therapy for the alleviation of symptoms. Entry inhibitors could fill the important role of preventing initial infection and preventing spread. Here, we describe the design, synthesis, and evaluation of a lipopeptide that is derived from the HRC domain of the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein that potently inhibits fusion mediated by SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein and blocks infection by live SARS-CoV-2 in both cell monolayers (in vitro) and human airway tissues (ex vivo). Our results highlight the SARS-CoV-2 HRC-derived lipopeptide as a promising therapeutic candidate for SARS-CoV-2 infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor K Outlaw
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Francesca T Bovier
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Caserta, Italy
| | - Megan C Mears
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Maria N Cajimat
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Yun Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Michelle J Lin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Amin Addetia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nicole A P Lieberman
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Vikas Peddu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Alexander L Greninger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Samuel H Gellman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Dennis A Bente
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Anne Moscona
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Matteo Porotto
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Caserta, Italy
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Sivaraman H, Er SY, Choong YK, Gavor E, Sivaraman J. Structural Basis of SARS-CoV-2- and SARS-CoV-Receptor Binding and Small-Molecule Blockers as Potential Therapeutics. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2020; 61:465-493. [PMID: 32574109 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-061220-093932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, deadly coronaviruses, with the most recent being the severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) 2019 pandemic, have majorly challenged public health. The path for virus invasion into humans and other hosts is mediated by host-pathogen interactions, specifically virus-receptor binding. An in-depth understanding of the virus-receptor binding mechanism is a prerequisite for the discovery of vaccines, antibodies, and small-molecule inhibitors that can interrupt this interaction and prevent or cure infection. In this review, we discuss the viral entry mechanism, the known structural aspects of virus-receptor interactions (SARS-CoV-2 S/humanACE2, SARS-CoV S/humanACE2, and MERS-CoV S/humanDPP4), the key protein domains and amino acid residues involved in binding, and the small-molecule inhibitors and other drugs that have (as of June 2020) exhibited therapeutic potential. Specifically, we review the potential clinical utility of two transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2)-targeting protease inhibitors, nafamostat mesylate and camostat mesylate, as well as two novel potent fusion inhibitors and the repurposed Ebola drug, remdesivir, which is specific to RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, against human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hariharan Sivaraman
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543;
| | - Shi Yin Er
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543;
| | - Yeu Khai Choong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543;
| | - Edem Gavor
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543;
| | - J Sivaraman
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543;
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Therapeutic Efficacy and Resistance Selection of a Lipopeptide Fusion Inhibitor in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.00384-20. [PMID: 32404526 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00384-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently reported a group of lipopeptide-based membrane fusion inhibitors with potent antiviral activities against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). In this study, the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of such a lipopeptide, LP-52, was evaluated in rhesus macaques chronically infected with pathogenic SIVmac239. In a pilot study with one monkey, monotherapy with low-dose LP-52 rapidly reduced the plasma viral loads to below the limit of detection and maintained viral suppression during three rounds of structurally interrupted treatment. The therapeutic efficacy of LP-52 was further verified in four infected monkeys; however, three out of the monkeys had viral rebounds under the LP-52 therapy. We next focused on characterizing SIV mutants responsible for the in vivo resistance. Sequence analyses revealed that a V562A or V562M mutation in the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) and a E657G mutation in the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) of SIV gp41 conferred high resistance to LP-52 and cross-resistance to the peptide drug T20 and two newly designed lipopeptides (LP-80 and LP-83). Moreover, we showed that the resistance mutations greatly reduced the stability of diverse fusion inhibitors with the NHR site, and V562A or V562M in combination with E657G could significantly impair the functionality of viral envelopes (Envs) to mediate SIVmac239 infection and decrease the thermostability of viral six-helical bundle (6-HB) core structure. In conclusion, the present data have not only facilitated the development of novel anti-HIV drugs that target the membrane fusion step, but also help our understanding of the mechanism of viral evolution to develop drug resistance.IMPORTANCE The anti-HIV peptide drug T20 (enfuvirtide) is the only membrane fusion inhibitor available for treatment of viral infection; however, it exhibits relatively weak antiviral activity, short half-life, and a low genetic barrier to inducing drug resistance. Design of lipopeptide-based fusion inhibitors with extremely potent and broad antiviral activities against divergent HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV isolates have provided drug candidates for clinical development. Here, we have verified a high therapeutic efficacy for the lipopeptide LP-52 in SIVmac239-infected rhesus monkeys. The resistance mutations selected in vivo have also been characterized, providing insights into the mechanism of action of newly designed fusion inhibitors with a membrane-anchoring property. For the first time, the data show that HIV-1 and SIV can share a similar genetic pathway to develop resistance, and that a lipopeptide fusion inhibitor could have a same resistance profile as its template peptide.
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Design of Potent Membrane Fusion Inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2, an Emerging Coronavirus with High Fusogenic Activity. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.00635-20. [PMID: 32376627 PMCID: PMC7343218 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00635-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has posed serious threats to global public health and economic and social stabilities, calling for the prompt development of therapeutics and prophylactics. In this study, we first verified that SARS-CoV-2 uses human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a cell receptor and that its spike (S) protein mediates high membrane fusion activity. The heptad repeat 1 (HR1) sequence in the S2 fusion protein of SARS-CoV-2 possesses markedly increased α-helicity and thermostability, as well as a higher binding affinity with its corresponding heptad repeat 2 (HR2) site, than the HR1 sequence in S2 of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Then, we designed an HR2 sequence-based lipopeptide fusion inhibitor, termed IPB02, which showed highly potent activities in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion and pseudovirus transduction. IPB02 also inhibited the SARS-CoV pseudovirus efficiently. Moreover, the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of IPB02 was characterized with a panel of truncated lipopeptides, revealing the amino acid motifs critical for its binding and antiviral capacities. Therefore, the results presented here provide important information for understanding the entry pathway of SARS-CoV-2 and the design of antivirals that target the membrane fusion step.IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, presents a serious global public health emergency in urgent need of prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. The S protein of coronaviruses mediates viral receptor binding and membrane fusion, thus being considered a critical target for antivirals. Herein, we report that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein has evolved a high level of activity to mediate cell-cell fusion, significantly differing from the S protein of SARS-CoV that emerged previously. The HR1 sequence in the fusion protein of SARS-CoV-2 adopts a much higher helical stability than the HR1 sequence in the fusion protein of SARS-CoV and can interact with the HR2 site to form a six-helical bundle structure more efficiently, underlying the mechanism of the enhanced fusion capacity. Also, importantly, the design of membrane fusion inhibitors with high potencies against both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV has provided potential arsenals to combat the pandemic and tools to exploit the fusion mechanism.
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28
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The Tryptophan-Rich Motif of HIV-1 gp41 Can Interact with the N-Terminal Deep Pocket Site: New Insights into the Structure and Function of gp41 and Its Inhibitors. J Virol 2019; 94:JVI.01358-19. [PMID: 31619552 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01358-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Refolding of the HIV-1 gp41 N- and C-terminal heptad repeats (NHR and CHR, respectively) into a six-helix bundle (6-HB) juxtaposes viral and cellular membranes for fusion. The CHR-derived peptide T20 is the only clinically approved viral fusion inhibitor and has potent anti-HIV activity; however, its mechanism of action is not fully understood. In this study, we surprisingly found that T20 disrupted the α-helical conformation of the NHR-derived peptide N54 through its C-terminal tryptophan-rich motif (TRM) and that synthetic short peptides containing the TRM sequence, TRM8 and TRM12, disrupted the N54 helix in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, TRM8 efficiently interfered with the secondary structures of three overlapping NHR peptides (N44, N38, and N28) and interacted with N28, which contains mainly the deep NHR pocket-forming sequence, with high affinity, suggesting that TRM targeted the NHR pocket site to mediate the disruption. Unlike TRM8, the short peptide corresponding to the pocket-binding domain (PBD) of the CHR helix had no such disruptive effect, and the CHR peptide C34 could form a stable 6-HB with the NHR helix; however, addition of the TRM to the C terminus of C34 resulted in a peptide (C46) that destroyed the NHR helix. Although the TRM peptides alone had no anti-HIV activity and could not block the formation of 6-HB conformation, substitution of the TRM for the PBD in C34 resulted in a mutant inhibitor (C34TRM) with high binding and inhibitory capacities. Combined, the present data inform a new mode of action of T20 and the structure-function relationship of gp41.IMPORTANCE The HIV-1 Env glycoprotein mediates membrane fusion and is conformationally labile. Despite extensive efforts, the structural property of the native fusion protein gp41 is largely unknown, and the mechanism of action of the gp41-derived fusion inhibitor T20 remains elusive. Here, we report that T20 and its C-terminal tryptophan-rich motif (TRM) can efficiently impair the conformation of the gp41 N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) coiled coil by interacting with the deep NHR pocket site. The TRM sequence has been verified to possess the ability to replace the pocket-binding domain of C34, a fusion inhibitor peptide with high anti-HIV potency. Therefore, our studies have not only facilitated understanding of the mechanism of action of T20 and developed novel HIV-1 fusion inhibitors but also provided new insights into the structural property of the prefusion state of gp41.
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A Membrane-Anchored Short-Peptide Fusion Inhibitor Fully Protects Target Cells from Infections of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-2, and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.01177-19. [PMID: 31462566 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01177-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging studies demonstrate that the antiviral activity of viral fusion inhibitor peptides can be dramatically improved when being chemically or genetically anchored to the cell membrane, where viral entry occurs. We previously reported that the short-peptide fusion inhibitor 2P23 and its lipid derivative possess highly potent antiviral activities against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). To develop a sterilizing or functional-cure strategy, here we genetically linked 2P23 and two control peptides (HIV-1 fusion inhibitor C34 and hepatitis B virus [HBV] entry inhibitor 4B10) with a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) attachment signal. As expected, GPI-anchored inhibitors were efficiently expressed on the plasma membrane of transduced TZM-bl cells and primarily directed to the lipid raft site without interfering with the expression of CD4, CCR5, and CXCR4. GPI-anchored 2P23 (GPI-2P23) completely protected TZM-bl cells from infections of divergent HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV isolates as well as a panel of enfuvirtide (T20)-resistant mutants. GPI-2P23 also rendered the cells resistant to viral envelope-mediated cell-cell fusion and cell-associated virion-mediated cell-cell transmission. Moreover, GPI-2P23-modified human CD4+ T cells (CEMss-CCR5) fully blocked both R5- and X4-tropic HIV-1 isolates and displayed a robust survival advantage over unmodified cells during HIV-1 infection. In contrast, it was found that GPI-anchored C34 was much less effective in inhibiting HIV-2, SIV, and T20-resistant HIV-1 mutants. Therefore, our studies have demonstrated that genetically anchoring a short-peptide fusion inhibitor to the target cell membrane is a viable strategy for gene therapy of both HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections.IMPORTANCE Antiretroviral therapy with multiple drugs in combination can efficiently suppress HIV replication and dramatically reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with AIDS-related illness; however, antiretroviral therapy cannot eradiate the HIV reservoirs, and lifelong treatment is required, which often results in cumulative toxicities, drug resistance, and a multitude of complications, thus necessitating the development of sterilizing-cure or functional-cure strategies. Here, we report that genetically anchoring the short-peptide fusion inhibitor 2P23 to the cell membrane can fully prevent infections from divergent HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV isolates as well as a panel of enfuvirtide-resistant mutants. Membrane-bound 2P23 also effectively blocks HIV-1 Env-mediated cell-cell fusion and cell-associated virion-mediated cell-cell transmission, renders CD4+ T cells nonpermissive to infection, and confers a robust survival advantage over unmodified cells. Thus, our studies verify a powerful strategy to generate resistant cells for gene therapy of both the HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections.
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Conserved Residue Asn-145 in the C-Terminal Heptad Repeat Region of HIV-1 gp41 is Critical for Viral Fusion and Regulates the Antiviral Activity of Fusion Inhibitors. Viruses 2019; 11:v11070609. [PMID: 31277353 PMCID: PMC6669600 DOI: 10.3390/v11070609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Entry of HIV-1 into target cells is mediated by its envelope (Env) glycoprotein composed of the receptor binding subunit gp120 and the fusion protein gp41. Refolding of the gp41 N- and C-terminal heptad repeats (NHR and CHR) into a six-helix bundle (6-HB) conformation drives the viral and cellular membranes in close apposition and generates huge amounts of energy to overcome the kinetic barrier leading to membrane fusion. In this study, we focused on characterizing the structural and functional properties of a single Asn-145 residue, which locates at the middle CHR site of gp41 and is extremely conserved among all the HIV-1, HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) isolates. By mutational analysis, we found that Asn-145 plays critical roles for Env-mediated cell-cell fusion and HIV-1 entry. As determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), the substitution of Asn-145 with alanine (N145A) severely impaired the interactions between the NHR and CHR helices. Asn-145 was also verified to be important for the antiviral activity of CHR-derived peptide fusion inhibitors and served as a turn-point for the inhibitory potency. Intriguingly, Asn-145 could regulate the functionality of the M-T hook structure at the N-terminus of the inhibitors and displayed comparable activities with the C-terminal IDL anchor. Crystallographic studies further demonstrated the importance of Asn-145-mediated interhelical and intrahelical interactions in the 6-HB structure. Combined, the present results have provided valuable information for the structure-function relationship of HIV-1 gp41 and the structure-activity relationship of gp41-dependent fusion inhibitors.
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