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Escalera A, Laporte M, Turner S, Karakus U, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, van de Guchte A, Farrugia K, Khalil Z, van Bakel H, Smith D, García-Sastre A, Aydillo T. The impact of S2 mutations on Omicron SARS-CoV-2 cell surface expression and fusogenicity. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2297553. [PMID: 38112266 PMCID: PMC10866063 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2297553] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants are still emerging and spreading worldwide. These variants contain a high number of polymorphisms in the spike (S) glycoprotein that could potentially impact their pathogenicity and transmission. We have previously shown that the S:655Y and P681H mutations enhance S protein cleavage and syncytia formation. Interestingly, these polymorphisms are present in Omicron S protein. Here, we characterized the cleavage efficiency and fusogenicity of the S protein of different Omicron sublineages. Our results showed that Omicron BA.1 subvariant is efficiently cleaved but it is poorly fusogenic compared to previous SARS-CoV-2 strains. To understand the basis of this phenotype, we generated chimeric S protein using combinations of the S1 and S2 domains from WA1, Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants. We found that the S2 domain of Omicron BA.1 hindered efficient cell-cell fusion. Interestingly, this domain only contains six unique polymorphisms never detected before in ancestral SARS-CoV-2 variants. WA1614G S proteins containing the six individuals S2 Omicron mutations were assessed for their fusogenicity and S surface expression after transfection in cells. Results showed that the S:N856K and N969K substitutions decreased syncytia formation and impacted S protein cell surface levels. However, we observed that "first-generation" Omicron sublineages that emerged subsequently, had convergently evolved to an enhanced fusogenic activity and S expression on the surface of infected cells while "second-generation" Omicron variants have highly diverged and showed lineage-specific fusogenic properties. Importantly, our findings could have potential implications in the improvement and redesign of COVID-19 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Escalera
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Manon Laporte
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sam Turner
- Center for Pathogen Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Umut Karakus
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ana S. Gonzalez-Reiche
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adriana van de Guchte
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Keith Farrugia
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zain Khalil
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harm van Bakel
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Derek Smith
- Center for Pathogen Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Teresa Aydillo
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Yamamoto H, Tamura T, Ichikawa T, Taguchi Y, Mori K, Oguri S, Suzuki R, Suzuki S, Teshima T, Fukuhara T. Generation of recombinant viruses directly from clinical specimens of COVID-19 patients. J Clin Microbiol 2024:e0004224. [PMID: 38874339 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00042-24] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Rapid characterization of the causative agent(s) during a disease outbreak can aid in the implementation of effective control measures. However, isolation of the agent(s) from crude clinical samples can be challenging and time-consuming, hindering the establishment of countermeasures. In the present study, we used saliva specimens collected for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2-a good example of a practical target-and attempted to characterize the virus within the specimens without virus isolation. Thirty-four saliva samples from coronavirus disease 2019 patients were used to extract RNA and synthesize DNA amplicons by PCR. New primer sets were designed to generate DNA amplicons of the full-length spike (S) gene for subsequent use in a circular polymerase extension reaction (CPER), a simple method for deriving recombinant viral genomes. According to the S sequence, four clinical specimens were classified as BA. 1, BA.2, BA.5, and XBB.1 and were used for the de novo generation of recombinant viruses carrying the entire S gene. Additionally, chimeric viruses carrying the gene encoding GFP were generated to evaluate viral propagation using a plate reader. We successfully used the RNA purified directly from clinical saliva samples to generate chimeric viruses carrying the entire S gene by our updated CPER method. The chimeric viruses exhibited robust replication in cell cultures with similar properties. Using the recombinant GFP viruses, we also successfully characterized the efficacy of the licensed antiviral AZD7442. Our proof-of-concept demonstrates the novel utility of CPER to allow rapid characterization of viruses from clinical specimens. IMPORTANCE Characterization of the causative agent(s) for infectious diseases helps in implementing effective control measurements, especially in outbreaks. However, the isolation of the agent(s) from clinical specimens is often challenging and time-consuming. In this study, saliva samples from coronavirus disease 2019 patients were directly subjected to purifying viral RNA, synthesizing DNA amplicons for sequencing, and generating recombinant viruses. Utilizing an updated circular polymerase extension reaction method, we successfully generated chimeric SARS-CoV-2 viruses with sufficient in vitro replication capacity and antigenicity. Thus, the recombinant viruses generated in this study were applicable for evaluating the antivirals. Collectively, our developed method facilitates rapid characterization of specimens circulating in hosts, aiding in the establishment of control measurements. Additionally, this approach offers an advanced strategy for controlling other (re-)emerging viral infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Yamamoto
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Tamura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takaya Ichikawa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Hematology, Sapporo City General Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yudai Taguchi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Testing, Sapporo City General Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kento Mori
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Oguri
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rigel Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Saori Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takanori Teshima
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takasuke Fukuhara
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan
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Liu P, Cai J, Tian H, Li J, Lu L, Xu M, Zhu X, Fu X, Wang X, Zhong H, Jia R, Ge Y, Zhu Y, Zeng M, Xu J. Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 variants in Shanghai after ending the zero-COVID policy in December 2022: a clinical and genomic analysis. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1372078. [PMID: 38605705 PMCID: PMC11007228 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1372078] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction An unprecedented surge of Omicron infections appeared nationwide in China in December 2022 after the adjustment of the COVID-19 response policy. Here, we report the clinical and genomic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infections among children in Shanghai during this outbreak. Methods A total of 64 children with symptomatic COVID-19 were enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences were obtained using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were compared between variants. Phylogenetic tree, mutation spectrum, and the impact of unique mutations on SARS-CoV-2 proteins were analysed in silico. Results The genomic monitoring revealed that the emerging BA.5.2.48 and BF.7.14 were the dominant variants. The BA.5.2.48 infections were more frequently observed to experience vomiting/diarrhea and less frequently present cough compared to the BF.7.14 infections among patients without comorbidities in the study. The high-frequency unique non-synonymous mutations were present in BA.5.2.48 (N:Q241K) and BF.7.14 (nsp2:V94L, nsp12:L247F, S:C1243F, ORF7a:H47Y) with respect to their parental lineages. Of these mutations, S:C1243F, nsp12:L247F, and ORF7a:H47Y protein were predicted to have a deleterious effect on the protein function. Besides, nsp2:V94L and nsp12:L247F were predicted to destabilize the proteins. Discussion Further in vitro to in vivo studies are needed to verify the role of these specific mutations in viral fitness. In addition, continuous genomic monitoring and clinical manifestation assessments of the emerging variants will still be crucial for the effective responses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiehao Cai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - He Tian
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijuan Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Menghua Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xunhua Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomin Fu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangshi Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaqing Zhong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ran Jia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanling Ge
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanfeng Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei Zeng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Gabdoulkhakova AG, Mingaleeva RN, Romozanova AM, Sagdeeva AR, Filina YV, Rizvanov AA, Miftakhova RR. Immunology of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2024; 89:65-83. [PMID: 38467546 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297924010048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
According to the data from the World Health Organization, about 800 million of the world population had contracted coronavirus infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 by mid-2023. Properties of this virus have allowed it to circulate in the human population for a long time, evolving defense mechanisms against the host immune system. Severity of the disease depends largely on the degree of activation of the systemic immune response, including overstimulation of macrophages and monocytes, cytokine production, and triggering of adaptive T- and B-cell responses, while SARS-CoV-2 evades the immune system actions. In this review, we discuss immune responses triggered in response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus entry into the cell and malfunctions of the immune system that lead to the development of severe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida G Gabdoulkhakova
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Russia.
- Kazan State Medical Academy - Branch Campus of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Further Professional Education "Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Kazan, 420012, Russia
| | | | | | | | | | - Albert A Rizvanov
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Russia
- Division of Medical and Biological Sciences, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Kazan, 420111, Russia
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Matsuzaka Y, Yashiro R. Extracellular Vesicle-Based SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11030539. [PMID: 36992123 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) vaccines are mainly used as SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Despite several issues concerning storage, stability, effective period, and side effects, viral vector vaccines are widely used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Recently, viral vector-encapsulated extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been suggested as useful tools, owing to their safety and ability to escape from neutral antibodies. Herein, we summarize the possible cellular mechanisms underlying EV-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasunari Matsuzaka
- Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, The Institute of Medical Science, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
- Administrative Section of Radiation Protection, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Ryu Yashiro
- Administrative Section of Radiation Protection, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Kyorin University School of Medicine, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan
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