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Sejdic A, Hartling HJ, Gitz Holler J, Klingen Gjærde L, Matovu Dungu A, Engel Møller ME, Svanberg Teglgaard R, Utoft Niemann CU, Brooks PT, Mogensen TH, Weis N, Podlekareva D, Baum Jørgensen ML, Ortved Gang A, Stampe Hersby D, Hald A, Dam Nielsen S, Lebech AM, Helleberg M, Lundgren J, Træholt Franck K, Fischer TK, Barrella Harboe Z, Marquart HV, Rye Ostrowski S, Lindegaard B. Deep immune cell phenotyping and induced immune cell responses at admission stratified by BMI in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational multicenter cohort pilot study. Clin Immunol 2024; 267:110336. [PMID: 39117044 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.110336] [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: 06/15/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Overweight and obesity are linked to increased hospitalization and mortality in COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to characterize induced immune responses and deep immune cell profiles stratified by BMI in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. METHODS AND RESULTS This observational multicenter cohort pilot study included 122 adult patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 in Denmark, stratified by BMI (normal weight, overweight, obese). Inflammation was assessed using TruCulture® and immune cell profiles by flow cytometry with a customized antibody panel (DuraClone®). Patients with obesity had a more pro-inflammatory phenotype with increased TNF-α, IL-8, IL-17, and IL-10 levels post-T cell stimulation, and altered B cell profiles. Patients with obesity showed higher concentrations of naïve, transitional, and non-isotype switched memory B cells, and plasmablasts compared to normal weight patients and healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS Obesity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients may correlate with elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines, anti-inflammatory IL-10, and increased B cell subset activation, highlighting the need for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adin Sejdic
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Hans Jakob Hartling
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jon Gitz Holler
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark
| | - Lars Klingen Gjærde
- Department of Haematology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Arnold Matovu Dungu
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark
| | | | | | - Carsten Utoft Utoft Niemann
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Haematology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick Terrence Brooks
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trine H Mogensen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Nina Weis
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daria Podlekareva
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, Denmark
| | - Marie Louise Baum Jørgensen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Disease, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, Denmark
| | - Anne Ortved Gang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Haematology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ditte Stampe Hersby
- Department of Haematology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Annemette Hald
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Susanne Dam Nielsen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne-Mette Lebech
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marie Helleberg
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Lundgren
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Thea K Fischer
- Department of Clinical Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark; Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Zitta Barrella Harboe
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hanne Vibeke Marquart
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sisse Rye Ostrowski
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Birgitte Lindegaard
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Pejler G, Zhao XO, Fagerström E, Paivandy A. Blockade of endolysosomal acidification suppresses TLR3-mediated proinflammatory signaling in airway epithelial cells. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2024; 154:940-951. [PMID: 38906273 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2024.05.031] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endolysosomal compartments are acidic and contain low pH-dependent proteases, and these conditions are exploited by respiratory viruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza virus, for escaping into the cytosol. Moreover, endolysosomes contain various pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which respond to virus-derived pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by production of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines. However, excessive proinflammatory responses can lead to a potentially lethal cytokine storm. OBJECTIVES Here we investigated the endosomal PRR expression profile in primary human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs), and whether blockade of endolysosomal acidification affects their cytokine/chemokine production after challenge with virus-derived stimulants. METHODS HSAECs were exposed to stimulants mimicking virus-derived PAMPs, either in the absence or presence of compounds causing blockade of endolysosomal acidification, followed by measurement of cytokine expression and release. RESULTS We show that Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) is the major endosomal PRR expressed by HSAECs, and that TLR3 expression is strongly induced by TLR3 agonists, but not by a range of other PRR agonists. We also demonstrate that TLR3 engagement with its agonists elicits a robust proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine response, which is profoundly suppressed through blockade of endolysosomal acidification, by bafilomycin A1, monensin, or niclosamide. Using TLR3 reporter cells, it was confirmed that TLR3 signaling is strongly induced by Poly(I:C) and that blockade of endolysosomal acidification efficiently blocked TLR3 signaling. Finally, we show that blockade of endolysosomal acidification causes a reduction in the levels of TLR3 mRNA and protein. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that blockade of endolysosomal acidification suppresses TLR3-dependent cytokine and chemokine production in HSAECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Pejler
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Xinran O Zhao
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ella Fagerström
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Aida Paivandy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Gupta P, Dev K, Kaur G. Phytoconstituents as modulator of inflammatory pathways for COVID-19: A comprehensive review and recommendations. Phytother Res 2024. [PMID: 39246209 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection causes disruptions in inflammatory pathways, which fundamentally contribute to COVID-19 pathophysiology. The present review critically evaluates the gaps in scientific literature and presents the current status regarding the inflammatory signaling pathways in COVID-19. We propose that phytoconstituents can be used to treat COVID-19 associated inflammation, several already formulated in traditional medications. For this purpose, extensive literature analysis was conducted in the PubMed database to collect relevant in vitro, in vivo, and human patient studies where inflammation pathways were shown to be upregulated in COVID-19. Parallelly, scientific literature was screened for phytoconstituents with known cellular mechanisms implicated for inflammation or COVID-19 associated inflammation. Studies with insufficient evidence on cellular pathways for autophagy and mitophagy were considered out of scope and excluded from the study. The final analysis was visualized in figures and evaluated for accuracy. Our findings demonstrate the frequent participation of NF-κB, a transcription factor, in inflammatory signaling pathways linked to COVID-19. Moreover, the MAPK signaling pathway is also implicated in producing inflammatory molecules. Furthermore, it was also analyzed that the phytoconstituents with flavonoid and phenolic backbones could inhibit either the TLR4 receptor or its consecutive signaling molecules, thereby, decreasing NF-κB activity and suppressing cytokine production. Although, allopathy has treated the early phase of COVID-19, anti-inflammatory phytoconstituents and existing ayurvedic formulations may act on the COVID-19 associated inflammatory pathways and provide an additional treatment strategy. Therefore, we recommend the usage of flavonoids and phenolic phytoconstituents for the treatment of inflammation associated with COVID-19 infection and similar viral ailments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragati Gupta
- School of Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Kamal Dev
- School of Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Gurjot Kaur
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
- National Center cum Department of Human Genome Research Center and Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Punjab, India
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Asaba CN, Ekabe CJ, Ayuk HS, Gwanyama BN, Bitazar R, Bukong TN. Interplay of TLR4 and SARS-CoV-2: Unveiling the Complex Mechanisms of Inflammation and Severity in COVID-19 Infections. J Inflamm Res 2024; 17:5077-5091. [PMID: 39081874 PMCID: PMC11288317 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s474707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The late 2019 emergence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, caused profound and unprecedented disruption to the global socio-economic structure, negatively affecting millions of lives worldwide. A typical hallmark of severe COVID-19 is hyper inflammation due to aberrant cytokine release (cytokine storm) by innate immune cells. Recent studies have revealed that SARS-CoV-2, through its spike (S) protein, can activate the body's innate immune cells via Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs), particularly TLR4. In silico studies have demonstrated that the S protein binds with high affinity to TLR4, triggering downstream signaling processes that result in pro-inflammatory cytokine release. Compared to other TLRs, such as TLR2, TLR4 plays a more significant role in initiating and sustaining the inflammatory response associated with severe COVID-19. Furthermore, interactions between the virus and target cells can enhance the cellular expression of TLR4, making cells more susceptible to viral interactions and subsequent inflammation. This increased expression of TLR4 upon viral entry creates a feedback loop, where heightened TLR4 levels lead to amplified inflammatory responses, contributing to the severity of the disease. Additionally, TLR4's potent activation of inflammatory pathways sets it apart from other TLRs, underscoring its pivotal role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. In this review, we thoroughly explore the multitude of regulatory signaling pathways that SARS-CoV-2 employs to incite inflammation. We specifically focus on the critical impact of TLR4 activation compared to other TLRs, highlighting how TLR4's interactions with the viral S protein can exacerbate the severity of COVID-19. By delving into the mechanisms of TLR4-mediated inflammation, we aim to shed light on potential therapeutic targets that could mitigate the inflammatory damage caused by severe COVID-19. Understanding the unique role of TLR4 in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection could pave the way for novel treatment strategies that specifically inhibit this receptor's activity, thereby reducing the overall disease burden and improving patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton Njinju Asaba
- Armand-Frappier Sante Biotechnologie Research Center, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Cyril Jabea Ekabe
- Department of Translational Biomedical Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Humblenoble Stembridge Ayuk
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, 04318, Germany
| | | | - Razieh Bitazar
- Armand-Frappier Sante Biotechnologie Research Center, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Terence Ndonyi Bukong
- Armand-Frappier Sante Biotechnologie Research Center, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laval, Québec, Canada
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Abdolmohammadi-Vahid S, Baradaran B, Sadeghi A, Bezemer GFG, Kiaee F, Adcock IM, Folkerts G, Garssen J, Mortaz E. Effects of toll-like receptor agonists and SARS-CoV-2 antigens on interferon (IFN) expression by peripheral blood CD3 + T cells from COVID-19 patients. Exp Mol Pathol 2024; 137:104897. [PMID: 38691979 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2024.104897] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Signaling by toll-like receptors (TLRs) initiates important immune responses against viral infection. The role of TLRs in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is not well elucidated. Thus, we investigated the interaction of TLRs agonists and SARS-COV-2 antigens with immune cells in vitro. MATERIAL & METHODS 30 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients (15 severe and 15 moderate) and 10 age and sex-matched healthy control (HC) were enrolled. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and activated with TLR3, 7, 8, and 9 agonists, the spike protein (SP) of SARS-CoV-2, and the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SP. Frequencies of CD3+IFN-β+ T cells, and CD3+IFN-γ+ T cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. Interferon (IFN)-β gene expression was assessed by qRT-PCR. RESULTS The frequency of CD3+IFN-β+ T cells was higher in PBMCs from moderate (p < 0.0001) and severe (p = 0.009) patients at baseline in comparison with HCs. The highest increase in the frequency of CD3+IFN-β+ T cells in cell from moderate patients was induced by TLR8 agonist and SP (p < 0.0001 for both) when compared to HC, while, the highest increase of the frequency of CD3+IFN-β+ T cells in sample of severe patients was seen with TLR8 and TLR7 agonists (both p = 0.002). The frequency of CD3+IFN-γ+ T cells was significantly increased upon stimulation with TLR agonists in cell from patients with moderate and severe COVID-19, compared with HC (all p < 0.01), except with TLR7 and TLR8 agonists. The TLR8 agonist did not significantly increase the frequency of CD3+IFN-γ+ T cells in PBMCs of severe patients, but did so in cells from patients with moderate disease (p = 0.01). Moreover, IFN-β gene expression was significantly upregulated in CD3+T cells from moderate (p < 0.0001) and severe (p = 0.002) COVID-19 patients, compared to HC after stimulation with the TLR8 agonist, while, stimulation of T cells with SP, significantly up-regulated IFN-β mRNA expression in cells from patients with moderate (p = 0.0003), but not severe disease. CONCLUSION Stimulation of PBMCs from COVID-19 patients, especially patients with moderate disease, with TLR8 agonist and SP increased the frequency of IFN-β-producing T cells and IFN-β gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Armin Sadeghi
- Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Gillina F G Bezemer
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Impact Station, Hilversum, the Netherlands
| | - Fatemeh Kiaee
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ian M Adcock
- Respiratory Section, Faculty of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Immune Health Program at Hunter Medical Research Institute and the College of Health and Medicine at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Gert Folkerts
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Johan Garssen
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Esmaeil Mortaz
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Shahdab N, Ward C, Hansbro PM, Cummings S, Young JS, Moheimani F. Distinct Effects of Respiratory Viral Infection Models on miR-149-5p, IL-6 and p63 Expression in BEAS-2B and A549 Epithelial Cells. Cells 2024; 13:919. [PMID: 38891051 PMCID: PMC11172188 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110919] [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: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Respiratory viruses cause airway inflammation, resulting in epithelial injury and repair. miRNAs, including miR-149-5p, regulate different pathological conditions. We aimed to determine how miR-149-5p functions in regulating pro-inflammatory IL-6 and p63, key regulators of airway epithelial wound repair, in response to viral proteins in bronchial (BEAS-2B) and alveolar (A549) epithelial cells. BEAS-2B or A549 cells were incubated with poly (I:C, 0.5 µg/mL) for 48 h or SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-1 or 2 subunit (S1 or S2, 1 μg/mL) for 24 h. miR-149-5p was suppressed in BEAS-2B challenged with poly (I:C), correlating with IL-6 and p63 upregulation. miR-149-5p was down-regulated in A549 stimulated with poly (I:C); IL-6 expression increased, but p63 protein levels were undetectable. miR-149-5p remained unchanged in cells exposed to S1 or S2, while S1 transfection increased IL-6 expression in BEAS-2B cells. Ectopic over-expression of miR-149-5p in BEAS-2B cells suppressed IL-6 and p63 mRNA levels and inhibited poly (I:C)-induced IL-6 and p63 mRNA expressions. miR-149-5p directly suppressed IL-6 mRNA in BEAS-2B cells. Hence, BEAS-2B cells respond differently to poly (I:C), S1 or S2 compared to A549 cells. Thus, miR-149-5p dysregulation may be involved in poly (I:C)-stimulated but not S1- or S2-stimulated increased IL-6 production and p63 expression in BEAS-2B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafeesa Shahdab
- National Horizons Centre, School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK; (N.S.); (S.C.); (J.S.Y.)
| | - Christopher Ward
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK;
| | - Philip M. Hansbro
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney 2007, Australia;
| | - Stephen Cummings
- National Horizons Centre, School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK; (N.S.); (S.C.); (J.S.Y.)
| | - John S. Young
- National Horizons Centre, School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK; (N.S.); (S.C.); (J.S.Y.)
| | - Fatemeh Moheimani
- Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, UK
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Magazine N, Zhang T, Bungwon AD, McGee MC, Wu Y, Veggiani G, Huang W. Immune Epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Considerations for Universal Vaccine Development. Immunohorizons 2024; 8:214-226. [PMID: 38427047 PMCID: PMC10985062 DOI: 10.4049/immunohorizons.2400003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the success of global vaccination programs in slowing the spread of COVID-19, these efforts have been hindered by the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 strains capable of evading prior immunity. The mutation and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 have created a demand for persistent efforts in vaccine development. SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein has been the primary target for COVID-19 vaccine development, but it is also the hotspot of mutations directly involved in host susceptibility and virus immune evasion. Our ability to predict emerging mutants and select conserved epitopes is critical for the development of a broadly neutralizing therapy or a universal vaccine. In this article, we review the general paradigm of immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines, highlighting the immunological epitopes of Spike protein that are likely associated with eliciting protective immunity resulting from vaccination in humans. Specifically, we analyze the structural and evolutionary characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein related to immune activation and function via the TLRs, B cells, and T cells. We aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of immune epitopes of Spike protein, thereby contributing to the development of new strategies for broad neutralization or universal vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Magazine
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
| | - Tianyi Zhang
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
| | - Anang D. Bungwon
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
| | - Michael C. McGee
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
| | - Yingying Wu
- Department of Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX
| | - Gianluca Veggiani
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
- Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
| | - Weishan Huang
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
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Panagiotides NG, Poledniczek M, Andreas M, Hülsmann M, Kocher AA, Kopp CW, Piechota-Polanczyk A, Weidenhammer A, Pavo N, Wadowski PP. Myocardial Oedema as a Consequence of Viral Infection and Persistence-A Narrative Review with Focus on COVID-19 and Post COVID Sequelae. Viruses 2024; 16:121. [PMID: 38257821 PMCID: PMC10818479 DOI: 10.3390/v16010121] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Microvascular integrity is a critical factor in myocardial fluid homeostasis. The subtle equilibrium between capillary filtration and lymphatic fluid removal is disturbed during pathological processes leading to inflammation, but also in hypoxia or due to alterations in vascular perfusion and coagulability. The degradation of the glycocalyx as the main component of the endothelial filtration barrier as well as pericyte disintegration results in the accumulation of interstitial and intracellular water. Moreover, lymphatic dysfunction evokes an increase in metabolic waste products, cytokines and inflammatory cells in the interstitial space contributing to myocardial oedema formation. This leads to myocardial stiffness and impaired contractility, eventually resulting in cardiomyocyte apoptosis, myocardial remodelling and fibrosis. The following article reviews pathophysiological inflammatory processes leading to myocardial oedema including myocarditis, ischaemia-reperfusion injury and viral infections with a special focus on the pathomechanisms evoked by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In addition, clinical implications including potential long-term effects due to viral persistence (long COVID), as well as treatment options, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel G. Panagiotides
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (N.G.P.); (M.P.); (M.H.); (A.W.); (N.P.)
| | - Michael Poledniczek
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (N.G.P.); (M.P.); (M.H.); (A.W.); (N.P.)
- Division of Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Martin Andreas
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.A.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Martin Hülsmann
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (N.G.P.); (M.P.); (M.H.); (A.W.); (N.P.)
| | - Alfred A. Kocher
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.A.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Christoph W. Kopp
- Division of Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | | | - Annika Weidenhammer
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (N.G.P.); (M.P.); (M.H.); (A.W.); (N.P.)
| | - Noemi Pavo
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (N.G.P.); (M.P.); (M.H.); (A.W.); (N.P.)
| | - Patricia P. Wadowski
- Division of Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
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Reus P, Guthmann H, Uhlig N, Agbaria M, Issmail L, Eberlein V, Nordling-David MM, Jbara-Agbaria D, Ciesek S, Bojkova D, Cinatl J, Burger-Kentischer A, Rupp S, Zaliani A, Grunwald T, Gribbon P, Kannt A, Golomb G. Drug repurposing for the treatment of COVID-19: Targeting nafamostat to the lungs by a liposomal delivery system. J Control Release 2023; 364:654-671. [PMID: 37939853 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.10.050] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite tremendous global efforts since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, still only a limited number of prophylactic and therapeutic options are available. Although vaccination is the most effective measure in preventing morbidity and mortality, there is a need for safe and effective post-infection treatment medication. In this study, we explored a pipeline of 21 potential candidates, examined in the Calu-3 cell line for their antiviral efficacy, for drug repurposing. Ralimetinib and nafamostat, clinically used drugs, have emerged as attractive candidates. Due to the inherent limitations of the selected drugs, we formulated targeted liposomes suitable for both systemic and intranasal administration. Non-targeted and targeted nafamostat liposomes (LipNaf) decorated with an Apolipoprotein B peptide (ApoB-P) as a specific lung-targeting ligand were successfully developed. The developed liposomal formulations of nafamostat were found to possess favorable physicochemical properties including nano size (119-147 nm), long-term stability of the normally rapidly degrading compound in aqueous solution, negligible leakage from the liposomes upon storage, and a neutral surface charge with low polydispersity index (PDI). Both nafamostat and ralimetinib liposomes showed good cellular uptake and lack of cytotoxicity, and non-targeted LipNaf demonstrated enhanced accumulation in the lungs following intranasal (IN) administration in non-infected mice. LipNaf retained its anti-SARS-CoV 2 activity in Calu 3 cells with only a modest decrease, exhibiting complete inhibition at concentrations >100 nM. IN, but not intraperitoneal (IP) treatment with targeted LipNaf resulted in a trend to reduced viral load in the lungs of K18-hACE2 mice compared to targeted empty Lip. Nevertheless, upon removal of outlier data, a statistically significant 1.9-fold reduction in viral load was achieved. This observation further highlights the importance of a targeted delivery into the respiratory tract. In summary, we were able to demonstrate a proof-of-concept of drug repurposing by liposomal formulations with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. The biodistribution and bioactivity studies with LipNaf suggest an IN or inhalation route of administration for optimal therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Reus
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Discovery Research ScreeningPort, Schnackenburgallee 114, 22525 Hamburg, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Institute for Medical Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hadar Guthmann
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel; The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Nadja Uhlig
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy und Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Majd Agbaria
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Leila Issmail
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy und Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Valentina Eberlein
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy und Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mirjam M Nordling-David
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Doaa Jbara-Agbaria
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Sandra Ciesek
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Institute for Medical Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Denisa Bojkova
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Institute for Medical Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jindrich Cinatl
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Institute for Medical Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anke Burger-Kentischer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Nobelstraße 12, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Steffen Rupp
- Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Nobelstraße 12, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Andrea Zaliani
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Discovery Research ScreeningPort, Schnackenburgallee 114, 22525 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Grunwald
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy und Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philip Gribbon
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Discovery Research ScreeningPort, Schnackenburgallee 114, 22525 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aimo Kannt
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Innovation Center TheraNova, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Gershon Golomb
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel; The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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10
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Magazine N, Zhang T, Bungwon AD, McGee MC, Wu Y, Veggiani G, Huang W. Immune Epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Considerations for Universal Vaccine Development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.26.564184. [PMID: 37961687 PMCID: PMC10634854 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.26.564184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the success of global vaccination programs in slowing the spread of COVID-19, these efforts have been hindered by the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 strains capable of evading prior immunity. The mutation and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 have created a demand for persistent efforts in vaccine development. SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein has been the primary target for COVID-19 vaccine development, but it is also the hotspot of mutations directly involved in host susceptibility and immune evasion. Our ability to predict emerging mutants and select conserved epitopes is critical for the development of a broadly neutralizing therapy or a universal vaccine. In this article, we review the general paradigm of immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines, highlighting the immunological epitopes of Spike protein that are likely associated with eliciting protective immunity resulting from vaccination. Specifically, we analyze the structural and evolutionary characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein related to immune activation and function via the toll-like receptors (TLRs), B cells, and T cells. We aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of immune epitopes of Spike protein, thereby contributing to the development of new strategies for broad neutralization or universal vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Magazine
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Tianyi Zhang
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Anang D. Bungwon
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Michael C. McGee
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Yingying Wu
- Department of Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Gianluca Veggiani
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Weishan Huang
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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11
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Colleselli K, Stierschneider A, Wiesner C. An Update on Toll-like Receptor 2, Its Function and Dimerization in Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Processes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12464. [PMID: 37569837 PMCID: PMC10419760 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512464] [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: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
While a certain level of inflammation is critical for humans to survive infection and injury, a prolonged inflammatory response can have fatal consequences. Pattern recognition Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key players in the initiation of an inflammatory process. TLR2 is one of the most studied pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and is known to form heterodimers with either TLR1, TLR4, TLR6, and TLR10, allowing it to recognize a wide range of pathogens. Although a large number of studies have been conducted over the past decades, there are still many unanswered questions regarding TLR2 mechanisms in health and disease. In this review, we provide an up-to-date overview of TLR2, including its homo- and heterodimers. Furthermore, we will discuss the pro- and anti-inflammatory properties of TLR2 and recent findings in prominent TLR2-associated infectious and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christoph Wiesner
- Department of Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, IMC University of Applied Sciences, 3500 Krems, Austria
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12
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Patel RS, Agrawal B. Mucosal immunization with lipopeptides derived from conserved regions of SARS-CoV-2 antigens induce robust cellular and cross-variant humoral immune responses in mice. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1178523. [PMID: 37334376 PMCID: PMC10272440 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1178523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, has infected >600 million people in the ongoing global pandemic. Several variants of the SARS-CoV-2 have emerged in the last >2 years, challenging the continued efficacy of current COVID vaccines. Therefore, there is a crucial need to investigate a highly cross-protective vaccine effective against variants of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we examined seven lipopeptides derived from highly conserved, immunodominant epitopes from the S, N, and M proteins of SARS-CoV-2, that are predicted to contain epitopes for clinically protective B cells, helper T cells (TH) and cytotoxic T cells (CTL). Intranasal immunization of mice with most of the lipopeptides led to significantly higher splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production, mucosal and systemic antibody responses, and induction of effector B and T lymphocytes in both lungs and spleen, compared to immunizations with the corresponding peptides without lipid. Immunizations with Spike-derived lipopeptides led to cross-reactive IgG, IgM and IgA responses against Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron Spike proteins as well as neutralizing antibodies. These studies support their potential for development as components of a cross-protective SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
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13
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Mirtaleb MS, Falak R, Heshmatnia J, Bakhshandeh B, Taheri RA, Soleimanjahi H, Zolfaghari Emameh R. An insight overview on COVID-19 mRNA vaccines: Advantageous, pharmacology, mechanism of action, and prospective considerations. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 117:109934. [PMID: 36867924 PMCID: PMC9968612 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.109934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has urged scientists to present some novel vaccine platforms during this pandemic to provide a rather prolonged immunity against this respiratory viral infection. In spite of many campaigns formed against the administration of mRNA-based vaccines, those platforms were the most novel types, which helped us meet the global demand by developing protection against COVID-19 and reducing the development of severe forms of this respiratory viral infection. Some societies are worry about the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine administration and the potential risk of genetic integration of inoculated mRNA into the human genome. Although the efficacy and long-term safety of mRNA vaccines have not yet been fully clarified, obviously their application has switched the mortality and morbidity of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study describes the structural features and technologies used in producing of COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccines as the most influential factor in controlling this pandemic and a successful pattern for planning to produce other kind of genetic vaccines against infections or cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Sadat Mirtaleb
- Department of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), 14965/161, Tehran, Iran; Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Falak
- Immunology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Immunology Department, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Jalal Heshmatnia
- Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center (CRDRC), National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Behnaz Bakhshandeh
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ramezan Ali Taheri
- Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Hoorieh Soleimanjahi
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Zolfaghari Emameh
- Department of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), 14965/161, Tehran, Iran.
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14
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Chemical profile of anti-epidemic sachet based on multiple sample preparation coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis combined with an embedded peaks resolution method and their action mechanisms. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1691:463816. [PMID: 36716594 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.463816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The anti-epidemic sachet (Fang Yi Xiang Nang, FYXN) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can prevent COVID-19 through volatile compounds that can play the role of fragrant and dampness, heat-clearing and detoxifying, warding off filth and pathogenic factors. Nevertheless, the anti-(mutant) SARS-CoV-2 compounds and the compounds related to the mechanism in vivo, and the mechanism of FYXN are still vague. In this study, the volatile compound set of FYXN was constructed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based on multiple sample preparation methods, which include headspace (HS), headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). In addition, selective ion analysis (SIA) was used to resolve embedded chromatographic peaks present in HS-SPME results. Preliminary analysis of active compounds and mechanism of FYXN by network pharmacology combined with disease pathway information based on GC-MS results. A total of 96 volatile compounds in FYXN were collected by GC-MS analysis. 39 potential anti-viral compounds were screened by molecular docking. 13 key pathways were obtained by KEGG pathway analysis (PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, etc.) for FYXN to prevent COVID-19. 16 anti-viral compounds (C95, C91, etc.), 10 core targets (RELA, MAPK1, etc.), and 16 key compounds related to the mechanism in vivo (C56, C30, etc.) were obtained by network analysis. The relevant pharmacological effects of key pathways and key compounds were verified by the literature. Finally, molecular docking was used to verify the relationship between core targets and key compounds, which are related to the mechanism in vivo. A variety of sample preparation methods coupled with GC-MS analysis combined with an embedded peaks resolution method and integrated with network pharmacology can not only comprehensively characterize the volatile compounds in FYXN, but also expand the network pharmacology research ideas, and help to discover the active compounds and mechanisms in FYXN.
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15
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Beijnen EMS, Odumade OA, Haren SDV. Molecular Determinants of the Early Life Immune Response to COVID-19 Infection and Immunization. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11030509. [PMID: 36992093 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical manifestations from primary COVID infection in children are generally less severe as compared to adults, and severe pediatric cases occur predominantly in children with underlying medical conditions. However, despite the lower incidence of disease severity, the burden of COVID-19 in children is not negligible. Throughout the course of the pandemic, the case incidence in children has substantially increased, with estimated cumulative rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 symptomatic illness in children comparable to those in adults. Vaccination is a key approach to enhance immunogenicity and protection against SARS-CoV-2. Although the immune system of children is functionally distinct from that of other age groups, vaccine development specific for the pediatric population has mostly been limited to dose-titration of formulations that were developed primarily for adults. In this review, we summarize the literature pertaining to age-specific differences in COVID-19 pathogenesis and clinical manifestation. In addition, we review molecular distinctions in how the early life immune system responds to infection and vaccination. Finally, we discuss recent advances in development of pediatric COVID-19 vaccines and provide future directions for basic and translational research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth M S Beijnen
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Oludare A Odumade
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medicine Critical Care, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Simon D van Haren
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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16
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Root-Bernstein R. From Co-Infections to Autoimmune Disease via Hyperactivated Innate Immunity: COVID-19 Autoimmune Coagulopathies, Autoimmune Myocarditis and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24033001. [PMID: 36769320 PMCID: PMC9917907 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24033001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophilia and the production of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are two of many measures of increased inflammation in severe COVID-19 that also accompany its autoimmune complications, including coagulopathies, myocarditis and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). This paper integrates currently disparate measures of innate hyperactivation in severe COVID-19 and its autoimmune complications, and relates these to SARS-CoV-2 activation of innate immunity. Aggregated data include activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) receptors, NOD leucine-rich repeat and pyrin-domain-containing receptors (NLRPs), retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma-differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA-5). SARS-CoV-2 mainly activates the virus-associated innate receptors TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, NLRP3, RIG-1 and MDA-5. Severe COVID-19, however, is characterized by additional activation of TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, TLR6, NOD1 and NOD2, which are primarily responsive to bacterial antigens. The innate activation patterns in autoimmune coagulopathies, myocarditis and Kawasaki disease, or MIS-C, mimic those of severe COVID-19 rather than SARS-CoV-2 alone suggesting that autoimmunity follows combined SARS-CoV-2-bacterial infections. Viral and bacterial receptors are known to synergize to produce the increased inflammation required to support autoimmune disease pathology. Additional studies demonstrate that anti-bacterial antibodies are also required to account for known autoantigen targets in COVID-19 autoimmune complications.
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17
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Jeyananthan P. Role of different types of RNA molecules in the severity prediction of SARS-CoV-2 patients. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 242:154311. [PMID: 36657221 PMCID: PMC9840815 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is the current threat of the world with enormous number of deceases. As most of the countries have constraints on resources, particularly for intensive care and oxygen, severity prediction with high accuracy is crucial. This prediction will help the medical society in the selection of patients with the need for these constrained resources. Literature shows that using clinical data in this study is the common trend and molecular data is rarely utilized in this prediction. As molecular data carry more disease related information, in this study, three different types of RNA molecules ( lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA) of SARS-COV-2 patients are used to predict the severity stage and treatment stage of those patients. Using seven different machine learning algorithms along with several feature selection techniques shows that in both phenotypes, feature importance selected features provides the best accuracy along with random forest classifier. Further to this, it shows that in the severity stage prediction miRNA and lncRNA give the best performance, and lncRNA data gives the best in treatment stage prediction. As most of the studies related to molecular data uses mRNA data, this is an interesting finding.
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18
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Jin SJ, Song Y, Park HS, Park KW, Lee S, Kang H. Harmine Inhibits Multiple TLR-Induced Inflammatory Expression through Modulation of NF-κB p65, JNK, and STAT1. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:2022. [PMID: 36556387 PMCID: PMC9787735 DOI: 10.3390/life12122022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Harmine is a beta-carboline alkaloid present in various plants, including in the seeds of Peganum harmala L. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of harmine using macrophages stimulated with various toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists and a model of endotoxemia. The expression of inflammatory mediators induced by ligands of TLRs 2, 3, 4, and 9 were examined in thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages isolated from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mouse strains. Further, the activation of NF-κB, MAPK, AP-1, and STAT1 was explored using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)). Finally, the liver inflammatory response during endotoxemia was examined. Harmine inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-12, and other markers induced by various TLR agonists. The inhibition of NF-κB activity by harmine occurred via the modulation of p65 phosphorylation, independent of IκBα degradation. The inhibition of AP-1 activity by harmine was associated with the modulation of JNK. Harmine inhibited the LPS-induced serine and tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1, but only affected serine phosphorylation by poly(I:C) treatment. In vivo, harmine inhibited iNOS and COX-2 expression during endotoxemia. Collectively, the results show that harmine can be effective against infectious inflammation through modulation of NF-κB, JNK, and STAT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Jung Jin
- Department of Horticultural Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngju Song
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Shik Park
- Department of Physical Education, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Kye Won Park
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - SeungGwan Lee
- Humanitas College, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Kang
- Humanitas College, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea
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19
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Al-Qahtani AA, Pantazi I, Alhamlan FS, Alothaid H, Matou-Nasri S, Sourvinos G, Vergadi E, Tsatsanis C. SARS-CoV-2 modulates inflammatory responses of alveolar epithelial type II cells via PI3K/AKT pathway. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1020624. [PMID: 36389723 PMCID: PMC9659903 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1020624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 infects through the respiratory route and triggers inflammatory response by affecting multiple cell types including type II alveolar epithelial cells. SARS-CoV-2 triggers signals via its Spike (S) protein, which have been shown to participate in the pathogenesis of COVID19. AIM Aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of SARS-CoV2 on type II alveolar epithelial cells, focusing on signals initiated by its S protein and their impact on the expression of inflammatory mediators. RESULTS For this purpose A549 alveolar type II epithelial cells were exposed to SARS CoV2 S recombinant protein and the expression of inflammatory mediators was measured. The results showed that SARS-CoV-2 S protein decreased the expression and secretion of IL8, IL6 and TNFα, 6 hours following stimulation, while it had no effect on IFNα, CXCL5 and PAI-1 expression. We further examined whether SARS-CoV-2 S protein, when combined with TLR2 signals, which are also triggered by SARS-CoV2 and its envelope protein, exerts a different effect in type II alveolar epithelial cells. Simultaneous treatment of A549 cells with SARS-CoV-2 S protein and the TLR2 ligand PAM3csk4 decreased secretion of IL8, IL6 and TNFα, while it significantly increased IFNα, CXCL5 and PAI-1 mRNA expression. To investigate the molecular pathway through which SARS-CoV-2 S protein exerted this immunomodulatory action in alveolar epithelial cells, we measured the induction of MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways and found that SARS-CoV-2 S protein induced the activation of the serine threonine kinase AKT. Treatment with the Akt inhibitor MK-2206, abolished the inhibitory effect of SARS-CoV-2 S protein on IL8, IL6 and TNFα expression, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 S protein mediated its action via AKT kinases. CONCLUSION The findings of our study, showed that SARS-CoV-2 S protein suppressed inflammatory responses in alveolar epithelial type II cells at early stages of infection through activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Thus, our results suggest that at early stages SARS-CoV-2 S protein signals inhibit immune responses to the virus allowing it to propagate the infection while in combination with TLR2 signals enhances PAI-1 expression, potentially affecting the local coagulation cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A. Al-Qahtani
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ioanna Pantazi
- Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Fatimah S. Alhamlan
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hani Alothaid
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabine Matou-Nasri
- Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Medical Genomics Research Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - George Sourvinos
- Laboratory of Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Eleni Vergadi
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Christos Tsatsanis
- Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
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Labarrere CA, Kassab GS. Glutathione deficiency in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its effects upon the host immune response in severe COVID-19 disease. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:979719. [PMID: 36274722 PMCID: PMC9582773 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.979719] [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: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has numerous risk factors leading to severe disease with high mortality rate. Oxidative stress with excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that lower glutathione (GSH) levels seems to be a common pathway associated with the high COVID-19 mortality. GSH is a unique small but powerful molecule paramount for life. It sustains adequate redox cell signaling since a physiologic level of oxidative stress is fundamental for controlling life processes via redox signaling, but excessive oxidation causes cell and tissue damage. The water-soluble GSH tripeptide (γ-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine) is present in the cytoplasm of all cells. GSH is at 1-10 mM concentrations in all mammalian tissues (highest concentration in liver) as the most abundant non-protein thiol that protects against excessive oxidative stress. Oxidative stress also activates the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)-Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) redox regulator pathway, releasing Nrf2 to regulate the expression of genes that control antioxidant, inflammatory and immune system responses, facilitating GSH activity. GSH exists in the thiol-reduced and disulfide-oxidized (GSSG) forms. Reduced GSH is the prevailing form accounting for >98% of total GSH. The concentrations of GSH and GSSG and their molar ratio are indicators of the functionality of the cell and its alteration is related to various human pathological processes including COVID-19. Oxidative stress plays a prominent role in SARS-CoV-2 infection following recognition of the viral S-protein by angiotensin converting enzyme-2 receptor and pattern recognition receptors like toll-like receptors 2 and 4, and activation of transcription factors like nuclear factor kappa B, that subsequently activate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX) expression succeeded by ROS production. GSH depletion may have a fundamental role in COVID-19 pathophysiology, host immune response and disease severity and mortality. Therapies enhancing GSH could become a cornerstone to reduce severity and fatal outcomes of COVID-19 disease and increasing GSH levels may prevent and subdue the disease. The life value of GSH makes for a paramount research field in biology and medicine and may be key against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease.
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