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Stauffer W, Bobardt M, Ure D, Foster R, Gallay P. The Cyclophilin Inhibitor Rencofilstat Decreases HCV-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Independently of Its Antiviral Activity. Viruses 2023; 15:2099. [PMID: 37896876 PMCID: PMC10612079 DOI: 10.3390/v15102099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need for the identification of new drugs that inhibit HCV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our work demonstrates that cyclophilin inhibitors (CypIs) represent such new drugs. We demonstrate that the nonimmunosuppressive cyclosporine A (CsA) analog (CsAa) rencofilstat possesses dual therapeutic activities for the treatment of HCV infection and HCV-induced HCC. Specifically, we show that the HCV infection of humanized mice results in the progressive development of HCC. This is true for the four genotypes tested (1 to 4). Remarkably, we demonstrate that rencofilstat inhibits the development of HCV-induced HCC in mice even when added 16 weeks after infection when HCC is well established. Importantly, we show that rencofilstat drastically reduces HCC progression independently of its anti-HCV activity. Indeed, the CypI rencofilstat inhibits HCC, while other anti-HCV agents such as NS5A (NS5Ai) and NS5B (NS5Bi) fail to reduce HCC. In conclusion, this study shows for the first time that the CypI rencofilstat represents a potent therapeutic agent for the treatment of HCV-induced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winston Stauffer
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (W.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Michael Bobardt
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (W.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Daren Ure
- Hepion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Edison, NJ 08837, USA; (D.U.); (R.F.)
| | - Robert Foster
- Hepion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Edison, NJ 08837, USA; (D.U.); (R.F.)
| | - Philippe Gallay
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (W.S.); (M.B.)
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Stauffer W, Bobardt M, Ure D, Foster R, Gallay P. The Cyclophilin Inhibitor Rencofilstat Decreases HCV-induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Independently of Its Antiviral Activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.19.553982. [PMID: 37645728 PMCID: PMC10462172 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.19.553982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need for the identification of new drugs that inhibit HCV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our work demonstrates that cyclophilin inhibitors (CypI) represent such new drugs. We demonstrated that the non-immunosuppressive cyclosporine A (CsA) analog (CsAa) rencofilstat possesses dual therapeutic activities for the treatment of HCV infection and HCV-induced HCC. Specifically, we showed that HCV infection of humanized mice results in the progressive development of HCC. This was true for four genotypes tested (1 to 4). Remarkably, we demonstrated that rencofilstat inhibits the development of HCV-induced HCC in mice even when added 16 weeks post-infection when HCC is well established. Importantly, we showed that rencofilstat drastically reduces HCC progression independently of its anti-HCV activity. Indeed, the CypI rencofilstat inhibits HCC while other anti-HCV agents such as NS5A (NS5Ai) and NS5B (NS5Bi) fail to reduce HCC. In conclusion, this study shows for the first time that the CypI rencofilstat represents a potent therapeutic agent for the treatment of HCV-induced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winston Stauffer
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Michael Bobardt
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Daren Ure
- Hepion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Edison, New Jersey, USA
| | - Robert Foster
- Hepion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Edison, New Jersey, USA
| | - Philippe Gallay
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
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Guerreiro MR, Freitas DF, Alves PM, Coroadinha AS. Detection and Quantification of Label-Free Infectious Adenovirus Using a Switch-On Cell-Based Fluorescent Biosensor. ACS Sens 2019; 4:1654-1661. [PMID: 31117363 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.9b00489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Reliable and fast viral detection and quantification protocols are a requirement for the advance of basic research and clinical approaches with wild type or recombinant viruses. However, available cell-based assays are either time-consuming or require labeled viral particles, which may alter virus biology or pose safety issues in clinical applications. Since adenoviruses constitute a major healthcare burden but also, when engineered, widely used vectors in vaccination and gene and oncolytic therapies, herein we developed a genetically encoded switch-on fluorescent biosensor consisting of a cyclized Green fluorescent protein-cVisensor-with an adenoviral protease cleavable site as a switch. After initial sensor optimization (35% increase in performance), whole-cell biosensors were established-by stably expressing cVisensor in mammalian cells-and used for live-cell monitoring of adenovirus infection as the intracellular biosensor is specifically activated by the viral protease. A rapid flow cytometry-based bioassay using cVisensor cells was established 48 h postinfection, showing an estimated limit of detection of 105 infectious particles/mL, in-line with previously reported flow cytometry assays requiring labeled virus, and significantly faster than standard plaque-forming assays requiring up to 14 days. cVisensor was also successfully applied in the detection of HIV-1 protease activity, validating its wider potential for the detection of other viruses. Overall, this work presents a fast and easy method for detection and quantification of label-free infectious virus, allowing the establishment of new biosensing platforms for basic research in virology and biotechnological applications of recombinant virus biopharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ricardo Guerreiro
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daniela Filipa Freitas
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Paula Marques Alves
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana Sofia Coroadinha
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, NOVA University Lisbon, Oeiras Campus, Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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Evasion of superinfection exclusion and elimination of primary viral RNA by an adapted strain of hepatitis C virus. J Virol 2013; 87:13354-69. [PMID: 24089557 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02465-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells that are productively infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV) are refractory to a second infection by HCV via a block in viral replication known as superinfection exclusion. The block occurs at a postentry step and likely involves translation or replication of the secondary viral RNA, but the mechanism is largely unknown. To characterize HCV superinfection exclusion, we selected for an HCV variant that could overcome the block. We produced a high-titer HC-J6/JFH1 (Jc1) viral genome with a fluorescent reporter inserted between NS5A and NS5B and used it to infect Huh7.5 cells containing a Jc1 replicon. With multiple passages of these infected cells, we isolated an HCV variant that can superinfect cells at high levels. Notably, the superinfectious virus rapidly cleared the primary replicon from superinfected cells. Viral competition experiments, using a novel strategy of sequence-barcoding viral strains, as well as superinfection of replicon cells demonstrated that mutations in E1, p7, NS5A, and the poly(U/UC) tract of the 3' untranslated region were important for superinfection. Furthermore, these mutations dramatically increased the infectivity of the virus in naive cells. Interestingly, viruses with a shorter poly(U/UC) and an NS5A domain II mutation were most effective in overcoming the postentry block. Neither of these changes affected viral RNA translation, indicating that the major barrier to postentry exclusion occurs at viral RNA replication. The evolution of the ability to superinfect after less than a month in culture and the concomitant exclusion of the primary replicon suggest that superinfection exclusion dramatically affects viral fitness and dynamics in vivo.
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Hopkins S, Gallay P. Cyclophilin inhibitors: an emerging class of therapeutics for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. Viruses 2012. [PMID: 23202494 PMCID: PMC3509662 DOI: 10.3390/v4112558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of the replicon system together with advances in cell culture have contributed significantly to our understanding of the function of virally-encoded structural and nonstructural proteins in the replication cycle of the hepatitis C virus. In addition, in vitro systems have been used to identify several host proteins whose expression is critical for supporting such diverse activities as viral entry, RNA replication, particle assembly, and the release of infectious virions. Among all known host proteins that participate in the HCV replication cycle, cyclophilins are unique because they constitute the only host target that has formed the basis of pharmaceutical drug discovery and drug development programs. The introduction of the nonimmunosuppressive cyclophilin inhibitors into clinical testing has confirmed the clinical utility of CsA-based inhibitors for the treatment of individuals with chronic hepatitis C infection and has yielded new insights into their mechanism(s) of action. This review describes the biochemical evidence for the potential roles played by cyclophilins in supporting HCV RNA replication and summarizes clinical trial results obtained with the first generation of nonimmunosuppressive cyclophilin inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Hopkins
- Autoimmune Technologies, LLC, 1010 Common Street, Suite 1705, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed; (S.M.); (P.G.); Tel.: +1-504-529-9944 (S.M.); +1-858-784-8180 (P.G.); Fax: +1-858-784-8831 (P.G.)
| | - Philippe Gallay
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, IMM-9, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed; (S.M.); (P.G.); Tel.: +1-504-529-9944 (S.M.); +1-858-784-8180 (P.G.); Fax: +1-858-784-8831 (P.G.)
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