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Nusshag C, Schreiber P, Uhrig J, Zeier M, Krautkrämer E. In-cell Western assay to quantify infection with pathogenic orthohantavirus Puumala virus in replication kinetics and antiviral drug testing. Virus Res 2023; 337:199230. [PMID: 37777116 PMCID: PMC10590686 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199230] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) represents a serious zoonotic disease caused by orthohantaviruses in Eurasia. A specific antiviral therapy is not available. HFRS is characterized by acute kidney injury (AKI) with often massive proteinuria. Infection of kidney cells may contribute to the clinical picture. However, orthohantaviral replication in kidney cells is not well characterized. Therefore, we aimed to perform a reliable high-throughput assay that allows the quantification of infection rates and testing of antiviral compounds in different cell types. We quantified relative infection rates of Eurasian pathogenic Puumala virus (PUUV) by staining of nucleocapsid protein (N protein) in an in-cell Western (ICW) assay. Vero E6 cells, derived from the African green monkey and commonly used in viral cell culture studies, and the human podocyte cell line CIHP (conditionally immortalized human podocytes) were used to test the ICW assay for replication kinetics and antiviral drug testing. Quantification of infection by ICW revealed reliable results for both cell types, as shown by their correlation with immunofluorescence quantification results by counting infected cells. Evaluation of antiviral efficacy of ribavirin by ICW assay revealed differences in the toxicity (TC) and inhibitory concentrations (IC) between Vero E6 cells and podocytes. IC5O of ribavirin in podocytes is about 12-fold lower than in Vero E6 cells. In summary, ICW assay together with relevant human target cells represents an important tool for the study of hantaviral replication and drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Nusshag
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 162, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Pamela Schreiber
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 162, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Josephine Uhrig
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 162, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Martin Zeier
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 162, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Ellen Krautkrämer
- Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 162, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
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2
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Hucke FIL, Bestehorn-Willmann M, Bassetto M, Brancale A, Zanetta P, Bugert JJ. CHIKV strains Brazil (wt) and Ross (lab-adapted) differ with regard to cell host range and antiviral sensitivity and show CPE in human glioblastoma cell lines U138 and U251. Virus Genes 2022; 58:188-202. [PMID: 35347588 PMCID: PMC8960095 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-022-01892-x] [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: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a (re)emerging arbovirus, is the causative agent of chikungunya fever. To date, no approved vaccine or specific antiviral therapy are available. CHIKV has repeatedly been responsible for serious economic and public health impacts in countries where CHIKV epidemics occurred. Antiviral tests in vitro are generally performed in Vero-B4 cells, a well characterised cell line derived from the kidney of an African green monkey. In this work we characterised a CHIKV patient isolate from Brazil (CHIKVBrazil) with regard to cell affinity, infectivity, propagation and cell damage and compared it with a high-passage lab strain (CHIKVRoss). Infecting various cell lines (Vero-B4, A549, Huh-7, DBTRG, U251, and U138) with both virus strains, we found distinct differences between the two viruses. CHIKVBrazil does not cause cytopathic effects (CPE) in the human hepatocarcinoma cell line Huh-7. Neither CHIKVBrazil nor CHIKVRoss caused CPE on A549 human lung epithelial cells. The human astrocyte derived glioblastoma cell lines U138 and U251 were found to be effective models for lytic infection with both virus strains and we discuss their predictive potential for neurogenic CHIKV disease. We also detected significant differences in antiviral efficacies regarding the two CHIKV strains. Generally, the antivirals ribavirin, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and T-1105 seem to work better against CHIKVBrazil in glioblastoma cells than in Vero-B4. Finally, full genome analyses of the CHIKV isolates were done in order to determine their lineage and possibly explain differences in tissue range and antiviral compound efficacies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike I L Hucke
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany.
| | | | - Marcella Bassetto
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Andrea Brancale
- Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Paola Zanetta
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Center for Translational Research on Allergic and Autoimmune Diseases (CAAD), Department of Health Sciences (DISS), School of Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale (UPO), 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Joachim J Bugert
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany
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3
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Salam AP, Duvignaud A, Jaspard M, Malvy D, Carroll M, Tarning J, Olliaro PL, Horby PW. Ribavirin for treating Lassa fever: A systematic review of pre-clinical studies and implications for human dosing. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010289. [PMID: 35353804 PMCID: PMC9000057 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribavirin is currently the standard of care for treating Lassa fever. However, the human clinical trial data supporting its use suffer from several serious flaws that render the results and conclusions unreliable. We performed a systematic review of available pre-clinical data and human pharmacokinetic data on ribavirin in Lassa. In in-vitro studies, the EC50 of ribavirin ranged from 0.6 μg/ml to 21.72 μg/ml and the EC90 ranged from 1.5 μg/ml to 29 μg/ml. The mean EC50 was 7 μg/ml and the mean EC90 was 15 μg/ml. Human PK data in patients with Lassa fever was sparse and did not allow for estimation of concentration profiles or pharmacokinetic parameters. Pharmacokinetic modelling based on healthy human data suggests that the concentration profiles of current ribavirin regimes only exceed the mean EC50 for less than 20% of the time and the mean EC90 for less than 10% of the time, raising the possibility that the current ribavirin regimens in clinical use are unlikely to reliably achieve serum concentrations required to inhibit Lassa virus replication. The results of this review highlight serious issues with the evidence, which, by today standards, would be unlikely to support the transition of ribavirin from pre-clinical studies to human clinical trials. Additional pre-clinical studies are needed before embarking on expensive and challenging clinical trials of ribavirin in Lassa fever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex P. Salam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- United Kingdom Public Health Rapid Support Team, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandre Duvignaud
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Division of Tropical Medicine and Clinical International Health, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- UMR1219, INSERM, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), and University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Programme PAC-CI/ANRS Research Center, CHU de Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Marie Jaspard
- UMR1219, INSERM, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), and University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Programme PAC-CI/ANRS Research Center, CHU de Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- Alliance for International Medical Action, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Denis Malvy
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Division of Tropical Medicine and Clinical International Health, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- UMR1219, INSERM, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), and University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Programme PAC-CI/ANRS Research Center, CHU de Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Miles Carroll
- Wellcome Center for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Joel Tarning
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Piero L. Olliaro
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Peter W. Horby
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Jurković M, Slović A, Forčić D, Ivančić-Jelečki J, Košutić-Gulija T, Jagušić M. Influence of Ribavirin on Mumps Virus Population Diversity. Viruses 2021; 13:2535. [PMID: 34960805 PMCID: PMC8706638 DOI: 10.3390/v13122535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Frequent mumps outbreaks in vaccinated populations and the occurrence of neurological complications (e.g., aseptic meningitis or encephalitis) in patients with mumps indicate the need for the development of more efficient vaccines as well as specific antiviral therapies. RNA viruses are genetically highly heterogeneous populations that exist on the edge of an error threshold, such that additional increases in mutational burden can lead to extinction of the virus population. Deliberate modulation of their natural mutation rate is being exploited as an antiviral strategy and a possibility for rational vaccine design. The aim of this study was to examine the ability of ribavirin, a broad-spectrum antiviral agent, to introduce mutations in the mumps virus (MuV) genome and to investigate if resistance develops during long-term in vitro exposure to ribavirin. An increase in MuV population heterogeneity in the presence of ribavirin has been observed after one passage in cell culture, as well as a bias toward C-to-U and G-to-A transitions, which have previously been defined as ribavirin-related. At higher ribavirin concentration, MuV loses its infectivity during serial passaging and does not recover. At low ribavirin concentration, serial passaging leads to a more significant increase in population diversity and a stronger bias towards ribavirin-related transitions, independently of viral strain or cell culture. In these conditions, the virus retains its initial growth capacity, without development of resistance at a whole-virus population level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Maja Jagušić
- Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Rockefellerova 10, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.J.); (A.S.); (D.F.); (J.I.-J.); (T.K.-G.)
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5
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Liatsos GD. Controversies’ clarification regarding ribavirin efficacy in measles and coronaviruses: Comprehensive therapeutic approach strictly tailored to COVID-19 disease stages. World J Clin Cases 2021; 9:5135-5178. [PMID: 34307564 PMCID: PMC8283580 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i19.5135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ribavirin is a broad-spectrum nucleoside antiviral drug with multimodal mechanisms of action, which supports its longevity and quality as a clinical resource. It has been widely administered for measles and coronavirus infections. Despite the large amount of data concerning the use of ribavirin alone or in combination for measles, severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks, the conclusions of these studies have been contradictory. Underlying reasons for these discrepancies include possible study design inaccuracies and failures and misinterpretations of data, and these potential confounds should be addressed.
AIM To determine the confounding factors of ribavirin treatment studies and propose a therapeutic scheme for COVID-19.
METHODS PubMed database was searched over a period of five decades utilizing the terms “ribavirin” alone or combined with other compounds in measles, severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and COVID-19 infections. The literature search was performed and described according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Articles were considered eligible when they reported on ribavirin dose regimens and/or specified outcomes concerning its efficacy and/or possible adverse-effects. In vitro and animal studies were also retrieved. A chapter on ribavirin’s pharmacology was included as well.
RESULTS In addition to the difficulties and pressures of an emerging pandemic, there is the burden of designing and conducting well-organized, double-blind, randomized controlled trials. Many studies have succumbed to specific pitfalls, one of which was identified in naturally ribavirin-resistant Vero cell lines in in vitro studies. Other pitfalls include study design inconsistent with the well-established clinical course of disease; inappropriate pharmacology of applied treatments; and the misinterpretation of study results with misconceived generalizations. A comprehensive treatment for COVID-19 is proposed, documented by thorough, long-term investigation of ribavirin regimens in coronavirus infections.
CONCLUSION A comprehensive treatment strictly tailored to distinct disease stages was proposed based upon studies on ribavirin and coronavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D Liatsos
- Department of Internal Medicine, "Hippokration" General Hospital, Athens 11527, Attiki, Greece
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Li X, Peng T. Strategy, Progress, and Challenges of Drug Repurposing for Efficient Antiviral Discovery. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:660710. [PMID: 34017257 PMCID: PMC8129523 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.660710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging or re-emerging viruses are still major threats to public health. Prophylactic vaccines represent the most effective way to prevent virus infection; however, antivirals are more promising for those viruses against which vaccines are not effective enough or contemporarily unavailable. Because of the slow pace of novel antiviral discovery, the high disuse rates, and the substantial cost, repurposing of the well-characterized therapeutics, either approved or under investigation, is becoming an attractive strategy to identify the new directions to treat virus infections. In this review, we described recent progress in identifying broad-spectrum antivirals through drug repurposing. We defined the two major categories of the repurposed antivirals, direct-acting repurposed antivirals (DARA) and host-targeting repurposed antivirals (HTRA). Under each category, we summarized repurposed antivirals with potential broad-spectrum activity against a variety of viruses and discussed the possible mechanisms of action. Finally, we proposed the potential investigative directions of drug repurposing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, College of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, College of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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7
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García-Serradilla M, Risco C. Light and electron microscopy imaging unveils new aspects of the antiviral capacity of silver nanoparticles in bunyavirus-infected cells. Virus Res 2021; 302:198444. [PMID: 33961898 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Drug repurposing is an important source of new antivirals because many compounds used to treat a variety of pathologies also hamper viral infections. Habitually, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used to treat bacterial and fungal infections and their antiviral properties have been also reported. In this work, we have studied the antiviral capacity of AgNPs in cells infected with Bunyamwera virus (BUNV), the prototype of the Bunyavirales order. This group of viruses contains important pathogens for humans, animals and plants. Incubation of BUNV-infected Vero cells with non-toxic concentrations of AgNPs, reduced the production of extracellular infectious viruses in up to three orders of magnitude. With a combination of imaging techniques, we have visualized the intracellular distribution of AgNPs in mock- and BUNV-infected cells and studied their effects on intracellular organelles. In mock-infected cells and at short times post-incubation, AgNPs were detected inside nuclei and mitochondria by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). At long times post-treatment, they accumulated inside lysosome-like organelles. Cell compartments did not exhibit any appreciable ultrastructural alterations after incubation with AgNPs. In BUNV-infected cells, AgNPs attached to extracellular virions, that showed a disrupted morphology. Inside cells, they were detected inside the nucleus, in mitochondria and around characteristic Golgi-associated, single-membrane spherules. These membranous structures are the replication organelles (ROs) of bunyaviruses and contain active viral replication complexes (VRCs). Compared to normal spherules that are round, compact and have an electron-dense core, spherules in AgNPs-treated cells were deformed and their core was electron-lucent. Interestingly, in BUNV-infected cells treated with the typical antiviral ribavirin (RBV), spherules with VRCs exhibit also an anomalous morphology and an electron-lucent core. Both AgNPs and RBV might interfere with BUNV-induced dismantling of cell nucleoli and with the intercellular propagation of large groups of virions, a mechanism of BUNV transmission observed for the first time in cultured cells. Our results point to silver nanoparticles as good candidates for antiviral therapy, either alone or in combination with other antiviral drugs, such as RBV-related compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moisés García-Serradilla
- Cell Structure Laboratory, National Center for Biotechnology, CNB-CSIC, Campus UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Risco
- Cell Structure Laboratory, National Center for Biotechnology, CNB-CSIC, Campus UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
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Vicenti I, Zazzi M, Saladini F. SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase as a therapeutic target for COVID-19. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2021; 31:325-337. [PMID: 33475441 PMCID: PMC7938656 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2021.1880568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic urgently demands for both prevention and treatment strategies. RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp), which has no counterpart in human cells, is an excellent target for drug development. Given the time-consuming process of drug development, repurposing drugs approved for other indications or at least successfully tested in terms of safety and tolerability, is an attractive strategy to rapidly provide an effective medication for severe COVID-19 cases.Areas covered: The currently available data and upcominSg studies on RdRp which can be repurposed to halt SARS-CoV-2 replication, are reviewed.Expert opinion: Drug repurposing and design of novel compounds are proceeding in parallel to provide a quick response and new specific drugs, respectively. Notably, the proofreading SARS-CoV-2 exonuclease activity could limit the potential for drugs designed as immediate chain terminators and favor the development of compounds acting through delayed termination. While vaccination is awaited to curb the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, even partially effective drugs from repurposing strategies can be of help to treat severe cases of disease. Considering the high conservation of RdRp among coronaviruses, an improved knowledge of its activity in vitro can provide useful information for drug development or drug repurposing to combat SARS-CoV-2 as well as future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Vicenti
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Maurizio Zazzi
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Francesco Saladini
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Matveeva OV, Shabalina SA. Prospects for Using Expression Patterns of Paramyxovirus Receptors as Biomarkers for Oncolytic Virotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123659. [PMID: 33291506 PMCID: PMC7762160 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Some non-pathogenic viruses that do not cause serious illness in humans can efficiently target and kill cancer cells and may be considered candidates for cancer treatment with virotherapy. However, many cancer cells are protected from viruses. An important goal of personalized cancer treatment is to identify viruses that can kill a certain type of cancer cells. To this end, researchers investigate expression patterns of cell entry receptors, which viruses use to bind to and enter host cells. We summarized and analyzed the receptor expression patterns of two paramyxoviruses: The non-pathogenic measles and the Sendai viruses. The receptors for these viruses are different and can be proteins or lipids with attached carbohydrates. This review discusses the prospects for using these paramyxovirus receptors as biomarkers for successful personalized virotherapy for certain types of cancer. Abstract The effectiveness of oncolytic virotherapy in cancer treatment depends on several factors, including successful virus delivery to the tumor, ability of the virus to enter the target malignant cell, virus replication, and the release of progeny virions from infected cells. The multi-stage process is influenced by the efficiency with which the virus enters host cells via specific receptors. This review describes natural and artificial receptors for two oncolytic paramyxoviruses, nonpathogenic measles, and Sendai viruses. Cell entry receptors are proteins for measles virus (MV) and sialylated glycans (sialylated glycoproteins or glycolipids/gangliosides) for Sendai virus (SeV). Accumulated published data reviewed here show different levels of expression of cell surface receptors for both viruses in different malignancies. Patients whose tumor cells have low or no expression of receptors for a specific oncolytic virus cannot be successfully treated with the virus. Recent published studies have revealed that an expression signature for immune genes is another important factor that determines the vulnerability of tumor cells to viral infection. In the future, a combination of expression signatures of immune and receptor genes could be used to find a set of oncolytic viruses that are more effective for specific malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V. Matveeva
- Sendai Viralytics LLC, 23 Nylander Way, Acton, MA 01720, USA
- Correspondence: (O.V.M.); (S.A.S.)
| | - Svetlana A. Shabalina
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
- Correspondence: (O.V.M.); (S.A.S.)
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10
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Uematsu J, Sakai-Sugino K, Kihira-Nakanishi S, Yamamoto H, Hirai K, Kawano M, Nishio M, Tsurudome M, O'Brien M, Komada H. Inhibitions of human parainfluenza virus type 2 replication by ribavirin and mycophenolate mofetil are restored by guanosine and S-(4-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine. Drug Discov Ther 2020; 13:314-321. [PMID: 31956229 DOI: 10.5582/ddt.2019.01084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The antiviral activities of a nucleoside analog antiviral drug (ribavirin) and a non-nucleoside drug (mycophenolate mofetil) against human parainfluenza virus type 2 (hPIV-2) were investigated, and the restoration of the inhibition by guanosine and S-(4-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine (NBTI: equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 inhibitor) were also investigated. Ribavirin (RBV) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) inhibited cell fusion induced by hPIV-2. Both RBV and MMF considerably reduced the number of viruses released from the cells. Virus genome synthesis was inhibited by RBV and MMF as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real time PCR. mRNA syntheses were also reduced. An indirect immunofluorescence study showed that RBV and MMF largely inhibited viral protein syntheses. Using a recombinant green fluorescence protein (GFP)-expressing hPIV-2 without matrix protein (rhPIV-2ΔMGFP), it was found that virus entry into the cells and multinucleated giant cell formation were almost completely blocked by RBV and MMF. RBV and MMF did not disrupt actin microfilaments or microtubules. Both guanosine and NBTI completely or partially reversed the inhibition by RBV and MMF in the viral replication, syntheses of genome RNA, mRNA and protein, and multinucleated giant cell formation. NBTI caused a little damage in actin microfilaments, but had no effect on microtubules. Both RBV and MMF inhibited the replication of hPIV-2, mainly by inhibiting viral genome RNA, mRNA and protein syntheses. The inhibition was almost completely recovered by guanosine. These results indicate that the major mechanism of the inhibition is the depletion of intracellular GTP pools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Uematsu
- Microbiology and Immunology Section, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Graduate School of Health Science, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
| | - Kae Sakai-Sugino
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Health Science, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
| | - Sahoko Kihira-Nakanishi
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Health Science, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
| | - Hidetaka Yamamoto
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Hirai
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Kawano
- Department of Microbiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Miwako Nishio
- Department of Microbiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Masato Tsurudome
- Department of Microbiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Myles O'Brien
- Graduate School of Mie Prefectural College of Nursing, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Komada
- Microbiology and Immunology Section, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Graduate School of Health Science, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
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11
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Khalili JS, Zhu H, Mak NSA, Yan Y, Zhu Y. Novel coronavirus treatment with ribavirin: Groundwork for an evaluation concerning COVID-19. J Med Virol 2020; 92:740-746. [PMID: 32227493 PMCID: PMC7228408 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Confronting the challenge of the outbreak of COVID-19 should sharpen our focus on global drug access as a key issue in antiviral therapy testing. The testing and adoption of effective therapies for novel coronaviruses are hampered by the challenge of conducting controlled studies during a state of emergency. The access to direct antiviral drugs, such as ribavirin, that have an existing inventory and reliable supply chain may be a priority consideration for therapies developed for the 2019-nCoV infection outbreaks and any strain variants that may emerge. On the basis of the direct antiviral activity of ribavirin against 2019-nCoV in vitro and evidence for potency enhancement strategies developed during the prior SARS and MERS outbreaks, ribavirin may significantly impact our ability to end the lingering outbreaks in China and slow outbreaks in other countries. The apparent COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to follow dosage guidelines for treatment with ribavirin, test new therapeutic concepts, and conduct controlled testing to apply the scientific rigor required to address the controversy around this mainstay of antiviral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hai Zhu
- SystImmune Inc, Redmond, Washington
| | | | | | - Yi Zhu
- SystImmune Inc, Redmond, Washington
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Scheffler K, Bilz NC, Brueckner M, Stanifer ML, Boulant S, Claus C, Reibetanz U. Enhanced Uptake and Endosomal Release of LbL Microcarriers Functionalized with Reversible Fusion Proteins. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:1553-1567. [PMID: 35021646 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.9b01168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The efficient application of smart drug-delivery systems requires further improvement of their cellular uptake and in particular their release from endolysosomal compartments into the cytoplasm of target cells. The usage of virus proteins allows for such developments, as viruses have evolved efficient entry mechanisms into the cell, mediated by their fusion proteins. In our investigations, the transferability of the glycoprotein G which is a fusion protein of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV-G) onto the surface of a layer-by-layer (LbL) designed microcarrier was investigated. The assembly of VSV-G as a reversible viral fusion protein onto LbL microcarriers indeed induced an enhanced uptake rate on Vero cells as well as a fast and efficient release of the intact carriers from endolysosomes into the cytoplasm. Additionally, neither virus-associated effects on cellular viability nor activation of an interferon response were detected. Our study emphasizes the suitability of VSV-G as an efficient surface functionalization of drug-delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira Scheffler
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nicole C Bilz
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mandy Brueckner
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Megan L Stanifer
- Schaller Research Group at CellNetworks, Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Steeve Boulant
- Schaller Research Group at CellNetworks, Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Research Group "Cellular Polarity and Viral Infection" (F140), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Claus
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Uta Reibetanz
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
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13
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Antiviral activity of ribavirin and favipiravir against human astroviruses. J Clin Virol 2019; 123:104247. [PMID: 31864069 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2019.104247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent recognition of invasive astrovirus infections, including encephalitis and viremia in humans, have highlighted the need for effective anti-astrovirus therapeutics. However, there is a paucity of data regarding the in vitro activity of broad-spectrum RNA antivirals against astroviruses, including ribavirin and favipiravir. OBJECTIVES We quantified the EC50 values for ribavirin and favipiravir against two human astrovirus strains, astrovirus VA1 (VA1) and human astrovirus 4 (HAstV4). STUDY DESIGN Caco-2 cells were infected with VA1 or HAstV4 in the presence of ribavirin or favipiravir (dose range 0.1-1000 μM), and the cells were maintained in media containing the drugs for 72 h. Viral RNA was extracted and quantified by qRT-PCR. As a surrogate for cytotoxicity, cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from each drug treatment was also measured. RESULTS VA1 replication was inhibited 10-100-fold by both ribavirin (EC50 = 154 μM) and favipiravir (EC50 = 246 μM). In contrast, ribavirin inhibited HAstV4 replication (EC50 = 268 μM) but favipiravir only reduced replication by 44% at the highest dose. Mild reductions in ATP (17-31%) was only observed at the highest concentration of ribavirin (1000 μM) and no significant decrease in ATP was detected for any concentration of favipiravir. CONCLUSIONS Ribavirin inhibited both human astrovirus species and favipiravir was only active against VA1. In the future, the in vivo efficacy of these drugs could be tested with development of an animal model of human astrovirus infection.
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Ogino M, Fedorov Y, Adams DJ, Okada K, Ito N, Sugiyama M, Ogino T. Vesiculopolins, a New Class of Anti-Vesiculoviral Compounds, Inhibit Transcription Initiation of Vesiculoviruses. Viruses 2019; 11:v11090856. [PMID: 31540123 PMCID: PMC6783830 DOI: 10.3390/v11090856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) represents a promising platform for developing oncolytic viruses, as well as vaccines against significant human pathogens. To safely control VSV infection in humans, small-molecule drugs that selectively inhibit VSV infection may be needed. Here, using a cell-based high-throughput screening assay followed by an in vitro transcription assay, compounds with a 7-hydroxy-6-methyl-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one structure and an aromatic group at position 4 (named vesiculopolins, VPIs) were identified as VSV RNA polymerase inhibitors. The most effective compound, VPI A, inhibited VSV-induced cytopathic effects and in vitro mRNA synthesis with micromolar to submicromolar 50% inhibitory concentrations. VPI A was found to inhibit terminal de novo initiation rather than elongation for leader RNA synthesis, but not mRNA capping, with the VSV L protein, suggesting that VPI A is targeted to the polymerase domain in the L protein. VPI A inhibited transcription of Chandipura virus, but not of human parainfluenza virus 3, suggesting that it specifically acts on vesiculoviral L proteins. These results suggest that VPIs may serve not only as molecular probes to elucidate the mechanisms of transcription of vesiculoviruses, but also as lead compounds to develop antiviral drugs against vesiculoviruses and other related rhabdoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minako Ogino
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Yuriy Fedorov
- Small Molecule Drug Development Core, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Drew J Adams
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Kazuma Okada
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
| | - Naoto Ito
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
- Gifu Center for Highly Advanced Integration of Nanosciences and Life Sciences (G-CHAIN), Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
| | - Makoto Sugiyama
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
| | - Tomoaki Ogino
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
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15
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Franco EJ, Rodriquez JL, Pomeroy JJ, Hanrahan KC, Brown AN. The effectiveness of antiviral agents with broad-spectrum activity against chikungunya virus varies between host cell lines. Antivir Chem Chemother 2019; 26:2040206618807580. [PMID: 30354193 PMCID: PMC6202740 DOI: 10.1177/2040206618807580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that has recently emerged in the Western Hemisphere. Approved antiviral therapies or vaccines for the treatment or prevention of CHIKV infections are not available. This study aims to evaluate the antiviral activity of commercially available broad-spectrum antivirals against CHIKV. Due to host cell-specific variability in uptake and intracellular processing of drug, we evaluated the antiviral effects of each agent in three cell lines. Antiviral activities of ribavirin (RBV), interferon-alfa (IFN-α) and favipiravir (FAV) were assessed in CHIKV-infected Vero, HUH-7, and A549 cells. CHIKV-infected cells were treated with increasing concentrations of each agent for three days and viral burden was quantified by plaque assay on Vero cells. Cytotoxic effects of RBV, FAV and IFN-α were also evaluated. Antiviral activity differed depending on the cell line used for evaluation. RBV had the greatest antiviral effect in HUH-7 cells (EC50 = 2.575 µg/mL); IFN-α was most effective in A549 cells (EC50 = 4.235 IU/mL); and FAV in HUH-7 cells (EC50 = 20.00 μg/mL). The results of our study show FAV and IFN-α are the most promising candidates, as their use led to substantial reductions in viral burden at clinically achievable concentrations in two human-derived cell lines. FAV is an especially attractive candidate for further investigation due to its oral bioavailability. These findings also highlight the importance of cell line selection for preclinical drug trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn J Franco
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Jaime L Rodriquez
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Justin J Pomeroy
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Kaley C Hanrahan
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Ashley N Brown
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA
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16
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Dong HJ, Wang ZH, Meng W, Li CC, Hu YX, Zhou L, Wang XJ. The Natural Compound Homoharringtonine Presents Broad Antiviral Activity In Vitro and In Vivo. Viruses 2018; 10:E601. [PMID: 30388805 PMCID: PMC6266276 DOI: 10.3390/v10110601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To complement traditional antivirals, natural compounds that act via host targets and present high barriers to resistance are of increasing interest. In the work reported here, we detected that homoharringtonine (HHT) presents effective antiviral activity. HHT completely inhibited infections of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) at concentrations of 50, 100, and 500 nM in cell cultures, respectively. Treatment with HHT at doses of 0.05 or 0.2 mg/kg significantly reduced viral load and relieved severe symptoms in PEDV- or NDV-infected animals. HHT treatment, however, moderately inhibited avian influenza virus (AIV) infection, suggesting its potent antiviral action is restricted to a number of classes of RNA viruses. In this study, we also observed that HHT actively inhibited herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) replication with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 139 nM; the treatment with HHT at 1000 nM led to reductions of three orders of magnitude. Moreover, HHT antagonized the phosphorylation level of endogenous and exogenous eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (p-eIF4E), which might regulate the selective translation of specific messenger RNA (mRNA). HHT provides a starting point for further progress toward the clinical development of broad-spectrum antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Jun Dong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Zhao-Hua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Wen Meng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Cui-Cui Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Yan-Xin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Lei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Xiao-Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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17
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Anindita PD, Sasaki M, Okada K, Ito N, Sugiyama M, Saito-Tarashima N, Minakawa N, Shuto S, Otsuguro S, Ichikawa S, Matsuda A, Maenaka K, Orba Y, Sawa H. Ribavirin-related compounds exert in vitro inhibitory effects toward rabies virus. Antiviral Res 2018; 154:1-9. [PMID: 29601893 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2017] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Rabies remains an invariably fatal neurological disease despite the availability of a preventive vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis that must be immediately administered to the exposed individual before symptom onset. There is no effective medication for treatment during the symptomatic phase. Ribavirin, a guanine nucleoside analog, is a potent inhibitor of rabies virus (RABV) replication in vitro but lacks clinical efficacy. Therefore, we attempted to identify potential ribavirin analogs with comparable or superior anti-RABV activity. Antiviral activity and cytotoxicity of the compounds were initially examined in human neuroblastoma cells. Among the tested compounds, two exhibited a 5- to 27-fold higher anti-RABV activity than ribavirin. Examination of the anti-RABV mechanisms of action of the compounds using time-of-addition and minigenome assays revealed that they inhibited viral genome replication and transcription. Addition of exogenous guanosine to RABV-infected cells diminished the antiviral activity of the compounds, suggesting that they are involved in guanosine triphosphate (GTP) pool depletion by inhibiting inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH). Taken together, our findings underline the potency of nucleoside analogs as a class of antiviral compounds for the development of novel agents against RABV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina D Anindita
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Michihito Sasaki
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
| | - Kazuma Okada
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
| | - Naoto Ito
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
| | - Makoto Sugiyama
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
| | - Noriko Saito-Tarashima
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8505, Japan
| | - Noriaki Minakawa
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8505, Japan
| | - Satoshi Shuto
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry for Drug Development, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Satoko Otsuguro
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ichikawa
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Akira Matsuda
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Katsumi Maenaka
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Yasuko Orba
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Sawa
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; Global Virus Network, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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18
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Lee MJ, Kim KH, Yi J, Choi SJ, Choe PG, Park WB, Kim NJ, Oh MD. In vitro antiviral activity of ribavirin against severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus. Korean J Intern Med 2017; 32:731-737. [PMID: 27899013 PMCID: PMC5511939 DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2016.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), a novel bunyavirus. As yet, there is no effective antiviral therapy for SFTS. Ribavirin is a broad-spectrum antiviral agent, which has been tried for treatment of SFTS. In this study, antiviral activity of ribavirin against SFTSV has been investigated. METHODS Vero cell-grown SFTSV strain Gangwon/Korea/2012 was treated with ribavirin at various concentrations. Antiviral activity of ribavirin was evaluated by inhibition of the SFTSV cytopathic effect in Vero cells and quantification of viral RNA load in culture supernatant using one-step real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Cytotoxicity of ribavirin was determined by a tetrazolium-based colorimetric method. RESULTS Ribavirin reduced SFTSV titers in a dose-dependent manner, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration ranged from 3.69 to 8.72 μg/mL. Cytopathic effects were reduced as ribavirin concentration increased. No significant cytotoxicity was detected at ribavirin concentrations of ≤ 31.3 μg/mL. CONCLUSIONS Ribavirin exhibited inhibitory activity against SFTSV replication in vitro, which suggests that ribavirin can be used as a potential antiviral agent for SFTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myung Jin Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kye-Hyung Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jongyoun Yi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Su Jin Choi
- Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Seoul National University Hospital Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul, Korea
| | - Pyoeng Gyun Choe
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Wan Beom Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Nam Joong Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Myoung-don Oh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Correspondence to Myoung-don Oh, M.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea Tel: +82-2-2072-2945 Fax: +82-2-762-9662 E-mail:
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19
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Griesemer SB, Kramer LD, Van Slyke GA, Pata JD, Gohara DW, Cameron CE, Ciota AT. Mutagen resistance and mutation restriction of St. Louis encephalitis virus. J Gen Virol 2017; 98:201-211. [PMID: 28284278 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The error rate of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of RNA viruses is important in maintaining genetic diversity for viral adaptation and fitness. Numerous studies have shown that mutagen-resistant RNA virus variants display amino acid mutations in the RdRp and other replicase subunits, which in turn exhibit an altered fidelity phenotype affecting viral fitness, adaptability and pathogenicity. St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), like its close relative West Nile virus, is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has the ability to cause neuroinvasive disease in humans. Here, we describe the successful generation of multiple ribavirin-resistant populations containing a shared amino acid mutation in the SLEV RdRp (E416K). These E416K mutants also displayed resistance to the antiviral T-1106, an RNA mutagen similar to ribavirin. Structural modelling of the E416K polymerase mutation indicated its location in the pinky finger domain of the RdRp, distant from the active site. Deep sequencing of the E416K mutant revealed lower genetic diversity than wild-type SLEV after growth in both vertebrate and invertebrate cells. Phenotypic characterization showed that E416K mutants displayed similar or increased replication in mammalian cells, as well as modest attenuation in mosquito cells, consistent with previous work with West Nile virus high-fidelity variants. In addition, attenuation was limited to mosquito cells with a functional RNA interference response, suggesting an impaired capacity to escape RNA interference could contribute to attenuation of high-fidelity variants. Our results provide increased evidence that RNA mutagen resistance arises through modulation of the RdRp and give further insight into the consequences of altered fidelity of flaviviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara B Griesemer
- The Arbovirus Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA
| | - Laura D Kramer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Albany School of Public Health, Albany, NY, USA.,The Arbovirus Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA
| | - Greta A Van Slyke
- The Arbovirus Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA
| | - Janice D Pata
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Albany School of Public Health, Albany, NY, USA.,The Arbovirus Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA
| | - David W Gohara
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, St Louis University School of Medicine, 1100 South Grand Avenue, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Craig E Cameron
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Alexander T Ciota
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Albany School of Public Health, Albany, NY, USA.,The Arbovirus Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA
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20
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Posthuma CC, Te Velthuis AJW, Snijder EJ. Nidovirus RNA polymerases: Complex enzymes handling exceptional RNA genomes. Virus Res 2017; 234:58-73. [PMID: 28174054 PMCID: PMC7114556 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2017.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Coronaviruses and arteriviruses are distantly related human and animal pathogens that belong to the order Nidovirales. Nidoviruses are characterized by their polycistronic plus-stranded RNA genome, the production of subgenomic mRNAs and the conservation of a specific array of replicase domains, including key RNA-synthesizing enzymes. Coronaviruses (26-34 kilobases) have the largest known RNA genomes and their replication presumably requires a processive RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and enzymatic functions that suppress the consequences of the typically high error rate of viral RdRps. The arteriviruses have significantly smaller genomes and form an intriguing package with the coronaviruses to analyse viral RdRp evolution and function. The RdRp domain of nidoviruses resides in a cleavage product of the replicase polyprotein named non-structural protein (nsp) 12 in coronaviruses and nsp9 in arteriviruses. In all nidoviruses, the C-terminal RdRp domain is linked to a conserved N-terminal domain, which has been coined NiRAN (nidovirus RdRp-associated nucleotidyl transferase). Although no structural information is available, the functional characterization of the nidovirus RdRp and the larger enzyme complex of which it is part, has progressed significantly over the past decade. In coronaviruses several smaller, non-enzymatic nsps were characterized that direct RdRp function, while a 3'-to-5' exoribonuclease activity in nsp14 was implicated in fidelity. In arteriviruses, the nsp1 subunit was found to maintain the balance between genome replication and subgenomic mRNA production. Understanding RdRp behaviour and interactions during RNA synthesis and subsequent processing will be key to rationalising the evolutionary success of nidoviruses and the development of antiviral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara C Posthuma
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Aartjan J W Te Velthuis
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom; Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
| | - Eric J Snijder
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
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21
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Shimojima M, Fukushi S, Tani H, Taniguchi S, Fukuma A, Saijo M. Combination effects of ribavirin and interferons on severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus infection. Virol J 2015; 12:181. [PMID: 26527529 PMCID: PMC4630909 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-015-0412-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an acute infectious disease caused by SFTS virus and characterized by a high case fatality rate. Currently, there is no effective therapy for the disease. While the administration of ribavirin does not improve the case fatality rate or viral load in patient blood, it can inhibit viral infection in vitro. Methods Vero cells were pre-treated with interferons (IFNs) α, β, and γ alone and in combination with ribavirin drugs and inoculated with SFTS virus. Three days later, supernatants were harvested and subjected to virus titration. An unpaired t-test was used for statistical analysis of the drugs’ effects. Results While the effects of IFNγ at high concentrations were slightly weaker than those of the other IFNs, all IFNs showed dose-dependent inhibitory effects. The combined usage of IFNs with ribavirin at 90 % effective concentrations showed large inhibitory effects, with over a 3 log10 reduction in viral titers. Conclusions The combined usage of one of type-I/II IFNs with ribavirin drastically reduced SFTS virus infection and therefore may be useful in the treatment of SFTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Shimojima
- Department of Virology I, Chief, Special Pathogens Laboratory, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan. shimoji-@nih.go.jp
| | - Shuetsu Fukushi
- Department of Virology I, Chief, Special Pathogens Laboratory, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.
| | - Hideki Tani
- Department of Virology I, Chief, Special Pathogens Laboratory, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Virology I, Chief, Special Pathogens Laboratory, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.
| | - Aiko Fukuma
- Department of Virology I, Chief, Special Pathogens Laboratory, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.
| | - Masayuki Saijo
- Department of Virology I, Chief, Special Pathogens Laboratory, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.
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Kihira S, Uematsu J, Kawano M, Itoh A, Ookohchi A, Satoh S, Maeda Y, Sakai K, Yamamoto H, Tsurudome M, O'Brien M, Komada H. Ribavirin inhibits human parainfluenza virus type 2 replication in vitro. Microbiol Immunol 2015; 58:628-35. [PMID: 25154465 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2014] [Revised: 08/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The antiviral activities of eight nucleoside analog antiviral drugs (ribavirin, acyclovir, lamivudine, 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, emtricitabine, tenofovir, penciclovir and ganciclovir) against human parainfluenza virus type 2 (hPIV-2) were investigated. Only ribavirin (RBV) inhibited both cell fusion and hemadsorption induced by hPIV-2. RBV considerably reduced the number of viruses released from the cells. Virus genome synthesis was inhibited by RBV, as determined by real time PCR. An indirect immunofluorescence study showed that RBV largely inhibited viral protein synthesis. mRNAs of the proteins were not detected, indicating that inhibition of protein synthesis was caused by transcription inhibition by RBV. Using a recombinant green fluorescence protein-expressing hPIV-2 without matrix protein, it was found that RBV did not completely inhibit virus entry into the cells; however, it almost completely blocked multinucleated giant cell formation. RBV did not disrupt actin microfilaments and microtubules. These results indicate that the inhibitory effect of RBV is caused by inhibition of both virus genome and mRNA synthesis, resulting in inhibition of virus protein synthesis, viral replication and multinucleated giant cell formation (extensive cell-to-cell spreading of the virus).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahoko Kihira
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Health Science, Suzuka University of Medical Science
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Identification and Mechanism of Action of a Novel Small-Molecule Inhibitor of Arenavirus Multiplication. J Virol 2015; 89:10924-33. [PMID: 26292327 PMCID: PMC4621110 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01587-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Several arenaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever disease in humans and represent important public health problems in the regions where these viruses are endemic. In addition, evidence indicates that the worldwide-distributed prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is an important neglected human pathogen. There are no licensed arenavirus vaccines and current antiarenavirus therapy is limited to the use of ribavirin that is only partially effective. Therefore, there is an unmet need for novel antiarenaviral therapeutics. Here, we report the generation of a novel recombinant LCM virus and its use to develop a cell-based high-throughput screen to rapidly identify inhibitors of LCMV multiplication. We used this novel assay to screen a library of 30,400 small molecules and identified compound F3406 (chemical name: N-[3,5-bis(fluoranyl)phenyl]-2-[5,7-bis(oxidanylidene)-6-propyl-2-pyrrolidin-1-yl-[1,3]thiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidin-4-yl]ethanamide), which exhibited strong anti-LCMV activity in the absence of cell toxicity. Mechanism-of-action studies revealed that F3406 inhibited LCMV cell entry by specifically interfering with the pH-dependent fusion in the endosome compartment that is mediated by LCMV glycoprotein GP2 and required to release the virus ribonucleoprotein into the cell cytoplasm to initiate transcription and replication of the virus genome. We identified residue M437 within the transmembrane domain of GP2 as critical for virus susceptibility to F3406. IMPORTANCE Hemorrhagic fever arenaviruses (HFA) are important human pathogens that cause high morbidity and mortality in areas where these viruses are endemic. In addition, evidence indicates that the worldwide-distributed prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a neglected human pathogen of clinical significance. Concerns posed by arenavirus infections are aggravated by the lack of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-licensed arenavirus vaccines and current antiarenaviral therapy being limited to the off-label use of ribavirin that is only partially effective. Here we describe a novel recombinant LCMV and its use to develop a cell-based assay suitable for HTS to rapidly identify inhibitors arenavirus multiplication. The concepts and experimental strategies we describe in this work provide the bases for the rapid identification and characterization of novel anti-HFA therapeutics.
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Omrani AS, Memish ZA. Therapeutic Options for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Infection: How Close Are We? CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2015; 7:202-216. [PMID: 32226324 PMCID: PMC7100761 DOI: 10.1007/s40506-015-0048-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Over 1100 cases of MERS-CoV have been reported since it was first identified in June 2012. Clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic or mild illness to rapidly progressive disease with multi-organ failure and high mortality. Treatment has been largely supportive. A large number of compounds have been shown to have significant in vitro inhibitory activity against MERS-CoV. Until recently, macaques were the only suitable animal models for animal studies, hindering further clinical development of MERS-CoV therapy. However, the recent successful development of MERS-CoV infection model in transduced mice offers opportunities to accelerate clinical development of therapeutic agents for MERS-CoV infection. Currently available evidence supports further clinical investigation of interferon-based treatment regimens for patients with MERS-CoV. Combining interferon with mycophenolate and/or high-dose ribavirin appears especially promising. Monoclonal antibodies against various targets within MERS-CoV Spike protein have yielded encouraging in-vitro results. However, their safety and efficacy require confirmation in animal models and exploratory clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali S. Omrani
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ziad A. Memish
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University & Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 54146, Riyadh, 11514 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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25
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Bioactive nucleoside analogues possessing selected five-membered azaheterocyclic bases. Eur J Med Chem 2015; 97:409-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.11.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 11/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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26
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Zhu JD, Meng W, Wang XJ, Wang HCR. Broad-spectrum antiviral agents. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:517. [PMID: 26052325 PMCID: PMC4440912 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of highly effective, broad-spectrum antiviral agents is the major objective shared by the fields of virology and pharmaceutics. Antiviral drug development has focused on targeting viral entry and replication, as well as modulating cellular defense system. High throughput screening of molecules, genetic engineering of peptides, and functional screening of agents have identified promising candidates for development of optimal broad-spectrum antiviral agents to intervene in viral infection and control viral epidemics. This review discusses current knowledge, prospective applications, opportunities, and challenges in the development of broad-spectrum antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Da Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
| | - Wen Meng
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
| | - Hwa-Chain R Wang
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN, USA
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27
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Lethal mutagenesis is a broad-spectrum antiviral strategy that exploits the high mutation rate and low mutational tolerance of many RNA viruses. This approach uses mutagenic drugs to increase viral mutation rates and burden viral populations with mutations that reduce the number of infectious progeny. We investigated the effectiveness of lethal mutagenesis as a strategy against influenza virus using three nucleoside analogs, ribavirin, 5-azacytidine, and 5-fluorouracil. All three drugs were active against a panel of seasonal H3N2 and laboratory-adapted H1N1 strains. We found that each drug increased the frequency of mutations in influenza virus populations and decreased the virus' specific infectivity, indicating a mutagenic mode of action. We were able to drive viral populations to extinction by passaging influenza virus in the presence of each drug, indicating that complete lethal mutagenesis of influenza virus populations can be achieved when a sufficient mutational burden is applied. Population-wide resistance to these mutagenic agents did not arise after serial passage of influenza virus populations in sublethal concentrations of drug. Sequencing of these drug-passaged viral populations revealed genome-wide accumulation of mutations at low frequency. The replicative capacity of drug-passaged populations was reduced at higher multiplicities of infection, suggesting the presence of defective interfering particles and a possible barrier to the evolution of resistance. Together, our data suggest that lethal mutagenesis may be a particularly effective therapeutic approach with a high genetic barrier to resistance for influenza virus. IMPORTANCE Influenza virus is an RNA virus that causes significant morbidity and mortality during annual epidemics. Novel therapies for RNA viruses are needed due to the ease with which these viruses evolve resistance to existing therapeutics. Lethal mutagenesis is a broad-spectrum strategy that exploits the high mutation rate and the low mutational tolerance of most RNA viruses. It is thought to possess a higher barrier to resistance than conventional antiviral strategies. We investigated the effectiveness of lethal mutagenesis against influenza virus using three different drugs. We showed that influenza virus was sensitive to lethal mutagenesis by demonstrating that all three drugs induced mutations and led to an increase in the generation of defective viral particles. We also found that it may be difficult for resistance to these drugs to arise at a population-wide level. Our data suggest that lethal mutagenesis may be an attractive anti-influenza strategy that warrants further investigation.
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28
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Wollmann G, Paglino JC, Maloney PR, Ahmadi SA, van den Pol AN. Attenuation of vesicular stomatitis virus infection of brain using antiviral drugs and an adeno-associated virus-interferon vector. Virology 2014; 475:1-14. [PMID: 25462341 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 10/04/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) shows promise as a vaccine-vector and oncolytic virus. However, reports of neurotoxicity of VSV remain a concern. We compared 12 antiviral compounds to control infection of VSV-CT9-M51 and VSV-rp30 using murine and human brain cultures, and in vivo mouse models. Inhibition of replication, cytotoxicity and infectivity was strongest with ribavirin and IFN-α and to some extent with mycophenolic acid, chloroquine, and adenine 9-β-d-arabinofuranoside. To generate continuous IFN exposure, we made an adeno-associated virus vector expressing murine IFN; AAV-mIFN-β protected mouse brain cells from VSV, as did a combination of IFN, ribavirin and chloroquine. Intracranial AAV-mIFN-β protected the brain against VSV-CT9-M51. In SCID mice bearing human glioblastoma, AAV-mIFN-β moderately enhanced survival. VSV-CT9-M51 doubled median survival when administered after AAV-mIFN-β; some surviving mice showed complete tumor destruction. Together, these data suggest that AAV-IFN or IFN with ribavirin and chloroquine provide an optimal anti-virus combination against VSV in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Wollmann
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Justin C Paglino
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Patrick R Maloney
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Sebastian A Ahmadi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Anthony N van den Pol
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States.
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29
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Persistent hepatitis C virus infection impairs ribavirin antiviral activity through clathrin-mediated trafficking of equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1. J Virol 2014; 89:626-42. [PMID: 25339775 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02492-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Ribavirin (RBV) continues to be an important component of interferon-free hepatitis C treatment regimens, as RBV alone does not inhibit hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication effectively; the reason for this ineffectiveness has not been established. In this study, we investigated the RBV resistance mechanism using a persistently HCV-infected cell culture system. The antiviral activity of RBV against HCV was progressively impaired in the persistently infected culture, whereas interferon lambda 1 (IFN-λ1), a type III IFN, showed a strong antiviral response and induced viral clearance. We found that HCV replication in persistently infected cultures induces an autophagy response that impairs RBV uptake by preventing the expression of equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1). The Huh-7.5 cell line treated with an autophagy inducer, Torin 1, downregulated membrane expression of ENT1 and terminated RBV uptake. In contrast, the autophagy inhibitors hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), 3-methyladenine (3-MA), and bafilomycin A1 (BafA1) prevented ENT1 degradation and enhanced RBV antiviral activity. The HCV-induced autophagy response, as well as treatment with Torin 1, degrades clathrin heavy chain expression in a hepatoma cell line. Reduced expression of the clathrin heavy chain by HCV prevents ENT1 recycling to the plasma membrane and forces ENT1 to the lysosome for degradation. This study provides a potential mechanism for the impairment of RBV antiviral activity in persistently HCV-infected cell cultures and suggests that inhibition of the HCV-induced autophagy response could be used as a strategy for improving RBV antiviral activity against HCV infection. IMPORTANCE The results from this work will allow a review of the competing theories of antiviral therapy development in the field of HCV virology. Ribavirin (RBV) remains an important component of interferon-free hepatitis C treatment regimens. The reason why RBV alone does not inhibit HCV replication effectively has not been established. This study provides a potential mechanism for why RBV antiviral activity is impaired in persistently HCV-infected cell cultures and suggests that inhibition of the HCV-induced autophagy response could be used as a strategy to increase RBV antiviral activity against HCV infection. Therefore, it is anticipated that this work would generate a great deal of interest, not only among virologists but also among the general public.
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30
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Beaucourt S, Vignuzzi M. Ribavirin: a drug active against many viruses with multiple effects on virus replication and propagation. Molecular basis of ribavirin resistance. Curr Opin Virol 2014; 8:10-5. [PMID: 24846716 PMCID: PMC7102760 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2014.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ribavirin has proven to be effective against several viruses in the clinical setting and a multitude of viruses in vitro. With up to five different proposed mechanisms of action, recent advances have begun to discern the hierarchy of antiviral effects at play depending on the virus and the host conditions under scrutiny. Studies reveal that for many viruses, antiviral mechanisms may differ depending on cell type in vitro and in vivo. Further analyses are thus required to accurately identify mechanisms to more optimally determine clinical treatments. In recent years, a growing number of ribavirin resistant and sensitive variants have been identified. These variants not only inform on the specific mechanisms by which ribavirin enfeebles the virus, but also can themselves be tools to identify new antiviral compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Beaucourt
- Institut Pasteur, Viral Populations and Pathogenesis Unit, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 3569, 28 rue du Dr Roux, Paris cedex 15, 75724, France
| | - Marco Vignuzzi
- Institut Pasteur, Viral Populations and Pathogenesis Unit, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 3569, 28 rue du Dr Roux, Paris cedex 15, 75724, France.
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31
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Krajczyk A, Kulinska K, Kulinski T, Hurst BL, Day CW, Smee DF, Ostrowski T, Januszczyk P, Zeidler J. Antivirally active ribavirin analogues--4,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole nucleosides: biological evaluation against certain respiratory viruses and computational modelling. Antivir Chem Chemother 2014; 23:161-71. [PMID: 23538746 DOI: 10.3851/imp2564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ribavirin is a broad-spectrum antiviral agent that derives some of its activity from inhibition of cellular inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), resulting in lower guanosine triphosphate (GTP) levels. Here we report the biological activities of three ribavirin analogues. METHODS Antiviral activities of test compounds were performed by in vitro cytopathic effect inhibition assays against influenza A (H1N1, H3N2 and H5N1), influenza B, measles, parainfluenza type 3 (PIV-3) and respiratory syncytial viruses. Compounds were modelled into the ribavirin 5'-monophosphate binding site of the crystallographic structure of the human type II IMPDH (hIMPDH2) ternary complex. Effects of compounds on intracellular GTP levels were performed by strong anion exchange HPLC analysis. RESULTS Of the three compounds evaluated, the 5-ethynyl nucleoside (ETCAR) exhibited virus-inhibitory activities (at 1.2-20 μM, depending upon the virus) against most of the viruses, except for weak activity against PIV-3 (62 μM). Antiviral activity of ETCAR was similar to ribavirin; however, cytotoxicity of ETCAR was greater than ribavirin. Replacing the 5-ethynyl group with a 5-propynyl or bromo substituent (BrCAR) considerably reduced antiviral activity. Computational studies of ternary complexes of hIMPDH2 enzyme with 5'-monophosphates of the compounds helped rationalize the observed differences in biological activity. All compounds suppressed GTP levels in cells; additionally, BrCAR suppressed adenosine triphosphate and elevated uridine triphosphate levels. CONCLUSIONS Three compounds related to ribavirin inhibited IMPDH and had weak to moderate antiviral activity. Cytotoxicity adversely affected the antiviral selectivity of ETCAR. As with ribavirin, reduction in intracellular GTP may play a role in virus inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Krajczyk
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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32
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Chan JFW, Chan KH, Kao RYT, To KKW, Zheng BJ, Li CPY, Li PTW, Dai J, Mok FKY, Chen H, Hayden FG, Yuen KY. Broad-spectrum antivirals for the emerging Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. J Infect 2013; 67:606-16. [PMID: 24096239 PMCID: PMC7112612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2013.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 276] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has emerged to cause fatal infections in patients in the Middle East and traveler-associated secondary cases in Europe and Africa. Person-to-person transmission is evident in outbreaks involving household and hospital contacts. Effective antivirals are urgently needed. METHODS We used small compound-based forward chemical genetics to screen a chemical library of 1280 known drugs against influenza A virus in Biosafety Level-2 laboratory. We then assessed the anti-MERS-CoV activities of the identified compounds and of interferons, nelfinavir, and lopinavir because of their reported anti-coronavirus activities in terms of cytopathic effect inhibition, viral yield reduction, and plaque reduction assays in Biosafety Level-3 laboratory. RESULTS Ten compounds were identified as primary hits in high-throughput screening. Only mycophenolic acid exhibited low EC50 and high selectivity index. Additionally, ribavirin and interferons also exhibited in-vitro anti-MERS-CoV activity. The serum concentrations achievable at therapeutic doses of mycophenolic acid and interferon-β1b were 60-300 and 3-4 times higher than the concentrations at which in-vitro anti-MERS-CoV activities were demonstrated, whereas that of ribavirin was ∼2 times lower. Combination of mycophenolic acid and interferon-β1b lowered the EC50 of each drug by 1-3 times. CONCLUSIONS Interferon-β1b with mycophenolic acid should be considered in treatment trials of MERS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper F W Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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33
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Falzarano D, de Wit E, Martellaro C, Callison J, Munster VJ, Feldmann H. Inhibition of novel β coronavirus replication by a combination of interferon-α2b and ribavirin. Sci Rep 2013; 3:1686. [PMID: 23594967 PMCID: PMC3629412 DOI: 10.1038/srep01686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 233] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification of a novel β coronavirus, nCoV, as the causative agent of severe respiratory illness in humans originating in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan has raised concerns about the possibility of a coronavirus pandemic similar to that of SARS-CoV. As a definitive treatment regimen has never been thoroughly evaluated for coronavirus infections, there is an urgent need to rapidly identify potential therapeutics to address future cases of nCoV. To determine an intervention strategy, the effect of interferon-α2b and ribavirin on nCoV isolate hCoV-EMC/2012 replication in Vero and LLC-MK2 cells was evaluated. hCoV-EMC/2012 was sensitive to both interferon-α2b and ribavirin alone in Vero and LLC-MK2 cells, but only at relatively high concentrations; however, when combined, lower concentrations of interferon-α2b and ribavirin achieved comparable endpoints. Thus, a combination of interferon-α2b and ribavirin, which are already commonly used in the clinic, may be useful for patient management in the event of future nCoV infections.
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Smith EC, Blanc H, Vignuzzi M, Denison MR. Coronaviruses lacking exoribonuclease activity are susceptible to lethal mutagenesis: evidence for proofreading and potential therapeutics. PLoS Pathog 2013; 9:e1003565. [PMID: 23966862 PMCID: PMC3744431 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 324] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
No therapeutics or vaccines currently exist for human coronaviruses (HCoVs). The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) epidemic in 2002–2003, and the recent emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in April 2012, emphasize the high probability of future zoonotic HCoV emergence causing severe and lethal human disease. Additionally, the resistance of SARS-CoV to ribavirin (RBV) demonstrates the need to define new targets for inhibition of CoV replication. CoVs express a 3′-to-5′ exoribonuclease in nonstructural protein 14 (nsp14-ExoN) that is required for high-fidelity replication and is conserved across the CoV family. All genetic and biochemical data support the hypothesis that nsp14-ExoN has an RNA proofreading function. Thus, we hypothesized that ExoN is responsible for CoV resistance to RNA mutagens. We demonstrate that while wild-type (ExoN+) CoVs were resistant to RBV and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), CoVs lacking ExoN activity (ExoN−) were up to 300-fold more sensitive. While the primary antiviral activity of RBV against CoVs was not mutagenesis, ExoN− CoVs treated with 5-FU demonstrated both enhanced sensitivity during multi-cycle replication, as well as decreased specific infectivity, consistent with 5-FU functioning as a mutagen. Comparison of full-genome next-generation sequencing of 5-FU treated SARS-CoV populations revealed a 16-fold increase in the number of mutations within the ExoN− population as compared to ExoN+. Ninety percent of these mutations represented A:G and U:C transitions, consistent with 5-FU incorporation during RNA synthesis. Together our results constitute direct evidence that CoV ExoN activity provides a critical proofreading function during virus replication. Furthermore, these studies identify ExoN as the first viral protein distinct from the RdRp that determines the sensitivity of RNA viruses to mutagens. Finally, our results show the importance of ExoN as a target for inhibition, and suggest that small-molecule inhibitors of ExoN activity could be potential pan-CoV therapeutics in combination with RBV or RNA mutagens. RNA viruses have high mutation rates (10−3 to 10−5 mutations/nucleotide/round of replication), allowing for rapid viral adaptation in response to selective pressure. While RNA viruses have long been considered unable to correct mistakes during replication, CoVs such as SARS-CoV and the recently emerged MERS-CoV are important exceptions to this paradigm. All CoVs encode an exoribonuclease activity in nonstructural protein 14 (nsp14-ExoN) that is proposed to prevent and/or remove misincorporated nucleotides. Because of the demonstrated resistance of SARS-CoV to the antiviral drug ribavirin (RBV), we hypothesized that ExoN is responsible for CoV resistance to RNA mutagens. Using RBV and the RNA mutagen 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), we show that CoVs lacking ExoN activity (ExoN−) are highly susceptible to RBV and 5-FU, in contrast to wild-type (ExoN+) CoVs. The inhibitory activity of 5-FU against ExoN− viruses resulted specifically from 5-FU incorporation during viral RNA synthesis that lead to extensive mutagenesis within the viral population, and was associated with a profound decrease in virus specific infectivity. These results demonstrate the proofreading activity of ExoN during virus replication and suggest that inhibitors of ExoN activity could be broadly useful inhibitors of CoV replication in combination with RBV or RNA mutagens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Everett Clinton Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- The Elizabeth B. Lamb Center for Pediatric Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Hervé Blanc
- Institut Pasteur, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité de Recherche Associée 3015, Paris, France
| | - Marco Vignuzzi
- Institut Pasteur, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité de Recherche Associée 3015, Paris, France
| | - Mark R. Denison
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- The Elizabeth B. Lamb Center for Pediatric Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Scholte FEM, Tas A, Martina BEE, Cordioli P, Narayanan K, Makino S, Snijder EJ, van Hemert MJ. Characterization of synthetic Chikungunya viruses based on the consensus sequence of recent E1-226V isolates. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71047. [PMID: 23936484 PMCID: PMC3731263 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that re-emerged in 2004 and has caused massive outbreaks in recent years. The lack of a licensed vaccine or treatment options emphasize the need to obtain more insight into the viral life cycle and CHIKV-host interactions. Infectious cDNA clones are important tools for such studies, and for mechanism of action studies on antiviral compounds. Existing CHIKV cDNA clones are based on a single genome from an individual clinical isolate, which is expected to have evolved specific characteristics in response to the host environment, and possibly also during subsequent cell culture passaging. To obtain a virus expected to have the general characteristics of the recent E1-226V CHIKV isolates, we have constructed a new CHIKV full-length cDNA clone, CHIKV LS3, based on the consensus sequence of their aligned genomes. Here we report the characterization of this synthetic virus and a green fluorescent protein-expressing variant (CHIKV LS3-GFP). Their characteristics were compared to those of natural strain ITA07-RA1, which was isolated during the 2007 outbreak in Italy. In cell culture the synthetic viruses displayed phenotypes comparable to the natural isolate, and in a mouse model they caused lethal infections that were indistinguishable from infections with a natural strain. Compared to ITA07-RA1 and clinical isolate NL10/152, the synthetic viruses displayed similar sensitivities to several antiviral compounds. 3-deaza-adenosine was identified as a new inhibitor of CHIKV replication. Cyclosporin A had no effect on CHIKV replication, suggesting that cyclophilins -opposite to what was found for other +RNA viruses- do not play an essential role in CHIKV replication. The characterization of the consensus sequence-based synthetic viruses and their comparison to natural isolates demonstrated that CHIKV LS3 and LS3-GFP are suitable and representative tools to study CHIKV-host interactions, screen for antiviral compounds and unravel their mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florine E. M. Scholte
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ali Tas
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Byron E. E. Martina
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paolo Cordioli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, Brescia, Italy
| | - Krishna Narayanan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Shinji Makino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Eric J. Snijder
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn J. van Hemert
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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