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Sharma G, Paul P, Dviwedi A, Kaur P, Kumar P, Gupta VK, Saha SB, Kulshrestha S. In silico screening and evaluation of antiviral peptides as inhibitors against ORF9b protein of SARS-CoV-2. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:192. [PMID: 39118822 PMCID: PMC11303353 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-04032-4] [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: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated antiviral peptides (AVPs) as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Orf9b protein, a novel target for disrupting the Orf9b-TOM70 complex crucial for viral infection. In silico screening via molecular docking and MD simulations identified AVP1442 and AVP1896 with high binding affinities to Orf9b (- 846.3 kcal mol-1 and - 820 kcal mol-1, respectively), comparable to the Orf9b-TOM70 complex (- 810.99 kcal mol-1). These AVPs interacted with key amino acid residues in Orf9b, including phosphorylation sites. In addition, AVPs also closely interacted with conserved regions in Orf9b. AVP1896 formed a hydrogen bond with Orf9b's threonine at position 84. AVP1442 interacted with Orf9b's leucine at position 15. Favorable Ramachandran plots and compactness during MD simulations for up to 100 ns suggest good stability of formed complexes. These non-toxic AVPs warrant further in vitro and in vivo evaluation, potentially as components of drug cocktails with small molecules or interferon-based therapies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-024-04032-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Sharma
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229 Himachal Pradesh India
- School of Applied Sciences and Technology, Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad, 382424 Gujarat India
| | - Prateek Paul
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences, Prayagraj, 211007 Uttar Pradesh India
| | - Ananya Dviwedi
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229 Himachal Pradesh India
- Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology and Biotechnology, Pune, 411045 Maharashtra India
| | - Parneet Kaur
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229 Himachal Pradesh India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229 Himachal Pradesh India
- Department of Forensic Science, Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hill, Shimla, 171005 Himachal Pradesh India
| | - V. Kumar Gupta
- Department of Applied Biology, University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, 793101 India
| | - Saurav Bhaskar Saha
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences, Prayagraj, 211007 Uttar Pradesh India
| | - Saurabh Kulshrestha
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229 Himachal Pradesh India
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Wei Y, Song J, Zhang J, Chen S, Yu Z, He L, Chen J. Exploring TRIM proteins' role in antiviral defense against influenza A virus and respiratory coronaviruses. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1420854. [PMID: 39077432 PMCID: PMC11284085 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1420854] [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: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins, identified as E3 ubiquitin ligases, participate in various viral infections through ubiquitylation, ISGylation, and SUMOylation processes. Respiratory viruses, particularly influenza A virus (IAV) and respiratory coronaviruses (CoVs), have severely threatened public health with high morbidity and mortality, causing incalculable losses. Research on the regulation of TRIM proteins in respiratory virus infections is crucial for disease prevention and control. This review introduces TRIM proteins, summarizes recent discoveries regarding their roles and molecular mechanisms in IAV and CoVs infections, discusses current research gaps, and explores potential future trends in this rapidly developing field. It aims to enhance understanding of virus-host interactions and inform the development of new molecularly targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wei
- Laboratory of Functional Microbiology and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- The Key Lab of Animal Disease and Public Health, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Junzhu Song
- Laboratory of Functional Microbiology and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- The Key Lab of Animal Disease and Public Health, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- Laboratory of Functional Microbiology and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- The Key Lab of Animal Disease and Public Health, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Songbiao Chen
- Laboratory of Functional Microbiology and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- The Key Lab of Animal Disease and Public Health, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Zuhua Yu
- Laboratory of Functional Microbiology and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- The Key Lab of Animal Disease and Public Health, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Lei He
- Laboratory of Functional Microbiology and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- The Key Lab of Animal Disease and Public Health, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Laboratory of Functional Microbiology and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Live Carrier Biomaterial and Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- The Key Lab of Animal Disease and Public Health, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
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Carvajal JJ, García-Castillo V, Cuellar SV, Campillay-Véliz CP, Salazar-Ardiles C, Avellaneda AM, Muñoz CA, Retamal-Díaz A, Bueno SM, González PA, Kalergis AM, Lay MK. New insights into the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1363572. [PMID: 38911850 PMCID: PMC11190347 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1363572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the respiratory distress condition known as COVID-19. This disease broadly affects several physiological systems, including the gastrointestinal, renal, and central nervous (CNS) systems, significantly influencing the patient's overall quality of life. Additionally, numerous risk factors have been suggested, including gender, body weight, age, metabolic status, renal health, preexisting cardiomyopathies, and inflammatory conditions. Despite advances in understanding the genome and pathophysiological ramifications of COVID-19, its precise origins remain elusive. SARS-CoV-2 interacts with a receptor-binding domain within angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This receptor is expressed in various organs of different species, including humans, with different abundance. Although COVID-19 has multiorgan manifestations, the main pathologies occur in the lung, including pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, and secondary bacterial pneumonia. In the post-COVID-19 period, different sequelae may occur, which may have various causes, including the direct action of the virus, alteration of the immune response, and metabolic alterations during infection, among others. Recognizing the serious adverse health effects associated with COVID-19, it becomes imperative to comprehensively elucidate and discuss the existing evidence surrounding this viral infection, including those related to the pathophysiological effects of the disease and the subsequent consequences. This review aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the impact of COVID-19 and its long-term effects on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonatan J. Carvajal
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Valeria García-Castillo
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Shelsy V. Cuellar
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | | | - Camila Salazar-Ardiles
- Center for Research in Physiology and Altitude Medicine (FIMEDALT), Biomedical Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Andrea M. Avellaneda
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Santo Tomás, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Christian A. Muñoz
- Research Center in Immunology and Biomedical Biotechnology of Antofagasta (CIIBBA), University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Angello Retamal-Díaz
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Research Center in Immunology and Biomedical Biotechnology of Antofagasta (CIIBBA), University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Susan M. Bueno
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo A. González
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alexis M. Kalergis
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Margarita K. Lay
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Research Center in Immunology and Biomedical Biotechnology of Antofagasta (CIIBBA), University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Biological Resources, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
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Mendoza-Ramírez NJ, García-Cordero J, Shrivastava G, Cedillo-Barrón L. The Key to Increase Immunogenicity of Next-Generation COVID-19 Vaccines Lies in the Inclusion of the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein. J Immunol Res 2024; 2024:9313267. [PMID: 38939745 PMCID: PMC11208798 DOI: 10.1155/2024/9313267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Vaccination is one of the most effective prophylactic public health interventions for the prevention of infectious diseases such as coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Considering the ongoing need for new COVID-19 vaccines, it is crucial to modify our approach and incorporate more conserved regions of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to effectively address emerging viral variants. The nucleocapsid protein is a structural protein of SARS-CoV-2 that is involved in replication and immune responses. Furthermore, this protein offers significant advantages owing to the minimal accumulation of mutations over time and the inclusion of key T-cell epitopes critical for SARS-CoV-2 immunity. A novel strategy that may be suitable for the new generation of vaccines against COVID-19 is to use a combination of antigens, including the spike and nucleocapsid proteins, to elicit robust humoral and potent cellular immune responses, along with long-lasting immunity. The strategic use of multiple antigens aims to enhance vaccine efficacy and broaden protection against viruses, including their variants. The immune response against the nucleocapsid protein from other coronavirus is long-lasting, and it can persist up to 11 years post-infection. Thus, the incorporation of nucleocapsids (N) into vaccine design adds an important dimension to vaccination efforts and holds promise for bolstering the ability to combat COVID-19 effectively. In this review, we summarize the preclinical studies that evaluated the use of the nucleocapsid protein as antigen. This study discusses the use of nucleocapsid alone and its combination with spike protein or other proteins of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noe Juvenal Mendoza-Ramírez
- Departamento de Biomedicina MolecularCINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Julio García-Cordero
- Departamento de Biomedicina MolecularCINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Gaurav Shrivastava
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector ResearchNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Leticia Cedillo-Barrón
- Departamento de Biomedicina MolecularCINVESTAV IPN, Av. IPN # 2508 Col, San Pedro Zacatenco, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
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Steiner S, Kratzel A, Barut GT, Lang RM, Aguiar Moreira E, Thomann L, Kelly JN, Thiel V. SARS-CoV-2 biology and host interactions. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:206-225. [PMID: 38225365 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-01003-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The zoonotic emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the ensuing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have profoundly affected our society. The rapid spread and continuous evolution of new SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to threaten global public health. Recent scientific advances have dissected many of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in coronavirus infections, and large-scale screens have uncovered novel host-cell factors that are vitally important for the virus life cycle. In this Review, we provide an updated summary of the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle, gene function and virus-host interactions, including recent landmark findings on general aspects of coronavirus biology and newly discovered host factors necessary for virus replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Steiner
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Annika Kratzel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - G Tuba Barut
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Reto M Lang
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Etori Aguiar Moreira
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Thomann
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jenna N Kelly
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany.
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Eltayeb A, Al-Sarraj F, Alharbi M, Albiheyri R, Mattar E, Abu Zeid IM, Bouback TA, Bamagoos A, Aljohny BO, Uversky VN, Redwan EM. Overview of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 260:129523. [PMID: 38232879 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129523] [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: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Since the emergence of SARS-CoV in 2003, researchers worldwide have been toiling away at deciphering this virus's biological intricacies. In line with other known coronaviruses, the nucleocapsid (N) protein is an important structural component of SARS-CoV. As a result, much emphasis has been placed on characterizing this protein. Independent research conducted by a variety of laboratories has clearly demonstrated the primary function of this protein, which is to encapsidate the viral genome. Furthermore, various accounts indicate that this particular protein disrupts diverse intracellular pathways. Such observations imply its vital role in regulating the virus as well. The opening segment of this review will expound upon these distinct characteristics succinctly exhibited by the N protein. Additionally, it has been suggested that the N protein possesses diagnostic and vaccine capabilities when dealing with SARS-CoV. In light of this fact, we will be reviewing some recent headway in the use cases for N protein toward clinical purposes within this article's concluding segments. This forward movement pertains to both developments of COVID-19-oriented therapeutic targets as well as diagnostic measures. The strides made by medical researchers offer encouragement, knowing they are heading toward a brighter future combating global pandemic situations such as these.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Eltayeb
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal Al-Sarraj
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mona Alharbi
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raed Albiheyri
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Centre of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ehab Mattar
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Isam M Abu Zeid
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Princess Dr. Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Center for Excellence Research in Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80200, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thamer A Bouback
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Princess Dr. Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Center for Excellence Research in Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80200, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Atif Bamagoos
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bassam O Aljohny
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - Elrashdy M Redwan
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Centre of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Therapeutic and Protective Proteins Laboratory, Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City for Scientific Research and Technology Applications, New Borg EL-Arab, 21934 Alexandria, Egypt.
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Andreakos E. Type I and type III interferons: From basic biology and genetics to clinical development for COVID-19 and beyond. Semin Immunol 2024; 72:101863. [PMID: 38271892 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2024.101863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Type I and type III interferons (IFNs) constitute a key antiviral defense systems of the body, inducing viral resistance to cells and mediating diverse innate and adaptive immune functions. Defective type I and type III IFN responses have recently emerged as the 'Achilles heel' in COVID-19, with such patients developing severe disease and exhibiting a high risk for critical pneumonia and death. Here, we review the biology of type I and type III IFNs, their similarities and important functional differences, and their roles in SARS-CoV-2 infection. We also appraise the various mechanisms proposed to drive defective IFN responses in COVID-19 with particular emphasis to the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to suppress IFN production and activities, the genetic factors involved and the presence of autoantibodies neutralizing IFNs and accounting for a large proportion of individuals with severe COVID-19. Finally, we discuss the long history of the type I IFN therapeutics for the treatment of viral diseases, cancer and multiple sclerosis, the various efforts to use them in respiratory infections, and the newly emerging type III IFN therapeutics, with emphasis to the more recent studies on COVID-19 and their potential use as broad spectrum antivirals for future epidemics or pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Andreakos
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, BRFAA, Athens, Greece.
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Edalat F, Khakpour N, Heli H, Letafati A, Ramezani A, Hosseini SY, Moattari A. Immunological mechanisms of the nucleocapsid protein in COVID-19. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3711. [PMID: 38355695 PMCID: PMC10867304 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53906-3] [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: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), resulting from Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has left an indelible mark on a global scale, causing countless infections and fatalities. This investigation delves into the role of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein within the HEK293 cells, shedding light on its influence over apoptosis, interferon signaling, and cytokines production. The N gene was amplified, inserted into the pAdTrack-CMV vector, and then transfected to the HEK293 cells. Changes in the expression of IRF3, IRF7, IFN-β, BAK, BAX, and BCL-2 genes were evaluated. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines of IL-6, IL-12, IL-1β, and TNF-α were also determined. The N protein exhibited an anti-apoptotic effect by modulating critical genes associated with apoptosis, including BAK, BAX, and BCL-2. This effect potentially prolonged the survival of infected cells. The N protein also played a role in immune evasion by suppressing the interferon pathway, evidenced by the downregulation of essential interferon regulatory factors of IRF3 and IRF7, and IFN-β expression. The N protein expression led to a substantial increase in the production of proinflammatory cytokines of IL-6, IL-12, IL-1β, and TNF-α. The N protein emerged as a versatile factor and was exerted over apoptosis, interferon signaling, and cytokine production. These findings carry potential implications for the development of targeted therapies to combat COVID-19 and mitigate its global health impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahime Edalat
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Niloofar Khakpour
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hossein Heli
- Nanomedicine and Nanobiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Arash Letafati
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amin Ramezani
- Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Younes Hosseini
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Afagh Moattari
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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Nittayananta W, Lerdsamran H, Chutiwitoonchai N, Promsong A, Srichana T, Netsomboon K, Prasertsopon J, Kerdto J. A novel film spray containing curcumin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus infection and enhances mucosal immunity. Virol J 2024; 21:26. [PMID: 38263162 PMCID: PMC10807123 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02282-x] [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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza virus is still a major worldwide health concern. Plants are a good source of bioactive compounds to be used as preventive measures for both inhibiting the virus binding and enhancing mucosal innate immunity. Curcumin has been shown to possess antiviral activity and modulate innate immunity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop an oro-nasal film spray containing curcumin and determine its antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus infection, as well as its effects on mucosal innate immunity and inflammatory cytokines in vitro. METHODS The antiviral activity of the film spray against SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and influenza B was assessed in vitro by plaque reduction assay. Cytotoxicity of the film spray to oral keratinocytes and nasal epithelial cells was assessed by MTT assay, and cytotoxicity to Vero and MDCK cells was assessed by an MTS-based cytotoxicity assay. Oral and nasal innate immune markers in response to the film spray were determined by ELISA and by a commercial Milliplex Map Kit, respectively. RESULTS Our data show that the film spray containing curcumin can inhibit both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus infections while maintaining cell viability. Results obtained among 4 viruses revealed that curcumin film spray demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 with the lowest EC50 of 3.15 µg/ml and the highest SI value of 4.62, followed by influenza B (EC50 = 6.32 µg/ml, SI = 2.04), influenza A/H1N1 (EC50 = 7.24 µg/ml, SI = 1.78), and influenza A/H3N2 (EC50 > 12.5 µg/ml, SI < 1.03), respectively. Antimicrobial peptides LL-37 and HD-5, IL-6 and TNF-α produced by oral keratinocytes were significantly induced by the film spray, while hBD2 was significantly reduced. CONCLUSION Film spray containing curcumin possesses multiple actions against SARS-CoV-2 infection by inhibiting ACE-2 binding in target cells and enhancing mucosal innate immunity. The film spray can also inhibit influenza virus infection. Therefore, the curcumin film spray may be effective in preventing the viral infection of both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hatairat Lerdsamran
- Center for Research Innovation and Biomedical Informatics, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Nopporn Chutiwitoonchai
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Aornrutai Promsong
- Faculty of Medicine, Princess of Naradhiwas University, Narathiwat, Thailand
| | - Teerapol Srichana
- Drug Delivery System Excellence Center, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | | | - Jarunee Prasertsopon
- Center for Research Innovation and Biomedical Informatics, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Jaruta Kerdto
- Thammasat Hospital, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
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10
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Oh SJ, Yu JW, Ahn JH, Choi ST, Park H, Yun J, Shin OS. Varicella zoster virus glycoprotein E facilitates PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy to evade STING and MAVS-mediated antiviral innate immunity. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:16. [PMID: 38184594 PMCID: PMC10771418 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06400-z] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Viruses have evolved to control mitochondrial quality and content to facilitate viral replication. Mitophagy is a selective autophagy, in which the damaged or unnecessary mitochondria are removed, and thus considered an essential mechanism for mitochondrial quality control. Although mitophagy manipulation by several RNA viruses has recently been reported, the effect of mitophagy regulation by varicella zoster virus (VZV) remains to be fully determined. In this study, we showed that dynamin-related protein-1 (DRP1)-mediated mitochondrial fission and subsequent PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy were triggered during VZV infection, facilitating VZV replication. In addition, VZV glycoprotein E (gE) promoted PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy by interacting with LC3 and upregulating mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. Importantly, VZV gE inhibited MAVS oligomerization and STING translocation to disrupt MAVS- and STING-mediated interferon (IFN) responses, and PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy was required for VZV gE-mediated inhibition of IFN production. Similarly, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP)-mediated mitophagy induction led to increased VZV replication but attenuated IFN production in a three-dimensional human skin organ culture model. Our results provide new insights into the immune evasion mechanism of VZV gE via PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Jin Oh
- BK21 Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Je-Wook Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Hyun Ahn
- Department of Microbiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Tae Choi
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Hosun Park
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeanho Yun
- Department of Translational Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ok Sarah Shin
- BK21 Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Ren J, Wang S, Zong Z, Pan T, Liu S, Mao W, Huang H, Yan X, Yang B, He X, Zhou F, Zhang L. TRIM28-mediated nucleocapsid protein SUMOylation enhances SARS-CoV-2 virulence. Nat Commun 2024; 15:244. [PMID: 38172120 PMCID: PMC10764958 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44502-6] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Viruses, as opportunistic intracellular parasites, hijack the cellular machinery of host cells to support their survival and propagation. Numerous viral proteins are subjected to host-mediated post-translational modifications. Here, we demonstrate that the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (SARS2-NP) is SUMOylated on the lysine 65 residue, which efficiently mediates SARS2-NP's ability in homo-oligomerization, RNA association, liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Thereby the innate antiviral immune response is suppressed robustly. These roles can be achieved through intermolecular association between SUMO conjugation and a newly identified SUMO-interacting motif in SARS2-NP. Importantly, the widespread SARS2-NP R203K mutation gains a novel site of SUMOylation which further increases SARS2-NP's LLPS and immunosuppression. Notably, the SUMO E3 ligase TRIM28 is responsible for catalyzing SARS2-NP SUMOylation. An interfering peptide targeting the TRIM28 and SARS2-NP interaction was screened out to block SARS2-NP SUMOylation and LLPS, and consequently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and rescue innate antiviral immunity. Collectively, these data support SARS2-NP SUMOylation is critical for SARS-CoV-2 virulence, and therefore provide a strategy to antagonize SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Ren
- The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Zhi Zong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ting Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Inflammatory Diseases, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Sijia Liu
- International Biomed-X Research Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wei Mao
- Zhejiang Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Huizhe Huang
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xiaohua Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Bing Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Xin He
- Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Fangfang Zhou
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
| | - Long Zhang
- The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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12
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Christ W, Klingström J, Tynell J. SARS-CoV-2 variant-specific differences in inhibiting the effects of the PKR-activated integrated stress response. Virus Res 2024; 339:199271. [PMID: 37979658 PMCID: PMC10716588 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199271] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
The integrated stress response (ISR) is a eukaryotic cell pathway that triggers translational arrest and the formation of stress granules (SGs) in response to various stress signals, including those caused by viral infections. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein has been shown to disrupt SGs, but SARS-CoV-2 interactions with other components of the pathway remains poorly characterized. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers the ISR through activation of the eIF2α-kinase PKR while inhibiting a variety of downstream effects. In line with previous studies, SG formation was efficiently inhibited and the induced eIF2α phosphorylation only minimally contributed to the translational arrest observed in infected cells. Despite ISR activation and translational arrest, expression of the stress-responsive transcription factors ATF4 and CHOP was not induced in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. Finally, we found variant-specific differences in the activation of the ISR between ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and the Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants in that Delta infection induced weaker PKR activation while Omicron infection induced higher levels of p-eIF2α, and greatly increased SG formation compared to the other variants. Our results suggest that different SARS-CoV-2 variants can affect normal cell functions differently, which can have an impact on pathogenesis and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanda Christ
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet. Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas Klingström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet. Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Janne Tynell
- Zoonosis Unit, Department of Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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13
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Yu H, Guan F, Miller H, Lei J, Liu C. The role of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in antiviral immunity and vaccine development. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:e2164219. [PMID: 36583642 PMCID: PMC9980416 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2164219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused enormous health risks and global economic disruption. This disease is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein is a structural protein involved in viral replication and assembly. There is accumulating evidence indicating that the nucleocapsid protein is multi-functional, playing a key role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and antiviral immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Here, we summarize its potential application in the prevention of COVID-19, which is based on its role in inflammation, cell death, antiviral innate immunity, and antiviral adaptive immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyun Yu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fei Guan
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Heather Miller
- Laboratory of Intracellular Parasites, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Jiahui Lei
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chaohong Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China, Chaohong Liu
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14
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Stewart H, Lu Y, O’Keefe S, Valpadashi A, Cruz-Zaragoza LD, Michel HA, Nguyen SK, Carnell GW, Lukhovitskaya N, Milligan R, Adewusi Y, Jungreis I, Lulla V, Matthews DA, High S, Rehling P, Emmott E, Heeney JL, Davidson AD, Edgar JR, Smith GL, Firth AE. The SARS-CoV-2 protein ORF3c is a mitochondrial modulator of innate immunity. iScience 2023; 26:108080. [PMID: 37860693 PMCID: PMC10583119 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 genome encodes a multitude of accessory proteins. Using comparative genomic approaches, an additional accessory protein, ORF3c, has been predicted to be encoded within the ORF3a sgmRNA. Expression of ORF3c during infection has been confirmed independently by ribosome profiling. Despite ORF3c also being present in the 2002-2003 SARS-CoV, its function has remained unexplored. Here we show that ORF3c localizes to mitochondria, where it inhibits innate immunity by restricting IFN-β production, but not NF-κB activation or JAK-STAT signaling downstream of type I IFN stimulation. We find that ORF3c is inhibitory after stimulation with cytoplasmic RNA helicases RIG-I or MDA5 or adaptor protein MAVS, but not after TRIF, TBK1 or phospho-IRF3 stimulation. ORF3c co-immunoprecipitates with the antiviral proteins MAVS and PGAM5 and induces MAVS cleavage by caspase-3. Together, these data provide insight into an uncharacterized mechanism of innate immune evasion by this important human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazel Stewart
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yongxu Lu
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah O’Keefe
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Anusha Valpadashi
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - George W. Carnell
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Rachel Milligan
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Yasmin Adewusi
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Irwin Jungreis
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Valeria Lulla
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David A. Matthews
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Stephen High
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Peter Rehling
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Edward Emmott
- Centre for Proteome Research, Department of Biochemistry & Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jonathan L. Heeney
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew D. Davidson
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - James R. Edgar
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Andrew E. Firth
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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15
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Carvalho MCDC, Araujo JKCP, da Silva AGCL, da Silva NS, de Araújo NK, Luchessi AD, Ribeiro KDDS, Silbiger VN. Retinol Levels and Severity of Patients with COVID-19. Nutrients 2023; 15:4642. [PMID: 37960295 PMCID: PMC10650184 DOI: 10.3390/nu15214642] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The new coronavirus infection represents a serious threat to global health and economies. In this sense, it is paramount to know the nutritional factors that may be related to the prognosis of the disease. Evidence shows that vitamin A may play an important preventive and therapeutic role in supporting respiratory infections as in COVID-19. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association of vitamin A (retinol) status with the prognosis of the disease. A case-control study from a cohort study was conducted in Brazil between May and October 2020. The study population was chosen by convenience, consisting of participants diagnosed with COVID-19. Recruitment was carried out using different approaches, including through dissemination on social media and in four hospitals in the city of Natal/RN, Brazil, recruiting participants from the COVID-19 ward and hospitalized participants who tested positive for the disease. The participants were allocated into two groups according to severity, with a group of mild (n = 88) or critical (n = 106) patients and compared to a control group (selected before the pandemic, n = 46). The extraction of retinol serum was performed and analyzed using the high-performance liquid chromatography method (HPLC). The retinol level was calculated in mmol/L, and levels below 0.7 μmol/L (20 µg/dL) were considered to be a vitamin A deficiency. Our findings suggest that the participants with mild and critical COVID-19 had lower retinol levels compared to the healthy controls (p = 0.03). In addition, milder cases of COVID-19 were associated with increased symptoms and prolonged symptoms after 90 days since the beginning of infection. However, the survival analysis showed no association with higher cases of death among participants with vitamin A deficiency (p = 0.509). More studies are needed to understand how nutritional status, including vitamin A levels, can influence prognosis and is a risk factor for the development of long COVID syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Clara da Cruz Carvalho
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil
| | | | | | - Nayara Sousa da Silva
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil;
| | - Nathalia Kelly de Araújo
- Graduate Program of Chemistry, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
| | - Andre Ducati Luchessi
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil;
- Graduate Program of Chemistry, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
| | - Karla Danielly da Silva Ribeiro
- Department of Nutrition, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Nutrition, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil
| | - Vivian Nogueira Silbiger
- Undergraduate Program of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil; (J.K.C.P.A.); (V.N.S.)
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil;
- Graduate Program of Chemistry, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
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16
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Grand RJ. SARS-CoV-2 and the DNA damage response. J Gen Virol 2023; 104:001918. [PMID: 37948194 PMCID: PMC10768691 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001918] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is characterized by respiratory distress, multiorgan dysfunction and, in some cases, death. The virus is also responsible for post-COVID-19 condition (commonly referred to as 'long COVID'). SARS-CoV-2 is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus with a genome of approximately 30 kb, which encodes 26 proteins. It has been reported to affect multiple pathways in infected cells, resulting, in many cases, in the induction of a 'cytokine storm' and cellular senescence. Perhaps because it is an RNA virus, replicating largely in the cytoplasm, the effect of SARS-Cov-2 on genome stability and DNA damage responses (DDRs) has received relatively little attention. However, it is now becoming clear that the virus causes damage to cellular DNA, as shown by the presence of micronuclei, DNA repair foci and increased comet tails in infected cells. This review considers recent evidence indicating how SARS-CoV-2 causes genome instability, deregulates the cell cycle and targets specific components of DDR pathways. The significance of the virus's ability to cause cellular senescence is also considered, as are the implications of genome instability for patients suffering from long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger J. Grand
- Institute for Cancer and Genomic Science, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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17
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De Angelis M, Anichini G, Palamara AT, Nencioni L, Gori Savellini G. Dysregulation of intracellular redox homeostasis by the SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 protein. Virol J 2023; 20:239. [PMID: 37853388 PMCID: PMC10585933 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02208-7] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has evolved several strategies to overcome host cell defenses by inducing cell injury to favour its replication. Many viruses have been reported to modulate the intracellular redox balance, affecting the Nuclear factor erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (NRF2) signaling pathway. Although antioxidant modulation by SARS-CoV-2 infection has already been described, the viral factors involved in modulating the NRF2 pathway are still elusive. Given the antagonistic activity of ORF6 on several cellular pathways, we investigated the role of the viral protein towards NRF2-mediated antioxidant response. The ectopic expression of the wt-ORF6 protein negatively impacts redox cell homeostasis, leading to an increase in ROS production, along with a decrease in NRF2 protein and its downstream controlled genes. Moreover, when investigating the Δ61 mutant, previously described as an inactive nucleopore proteins binding mutant, we prove that the oxidative stress induced by ORF6 is substantially related to its C-terminal domain, speculating that ORF6 mechanism of action is associated with the inhibition of nuclear mRNA export processes. In addition, activation by phosphorylation of the serine residue at position 40 of NRF2 is increased in the cytoplasm of wt-ORF6-expressing cells, supporting the presence of an altered redox state, although NRF2 nuclear translocation is hindered by the viral protein to fully antagonize the cell response. Furthermore, wt-ORF6 leads to phosphorylation of a stress-activated serine/threonine protein kinase, p38 MAPK, suggesting a role of the viral protein in regulating p38 activation. These findings strengthen the important role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and identify ORF6 as an important viral accessory protein hypothetically involved in modulating the antioxidant response during viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta De Angelis
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
| | - Gabriele Anichini
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Anna Teresa Palamara
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Nencioni
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
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18
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Boniardi I, Corona A, Basquin J, Basquin C, Milia J, Nagy I, Tramontano E, Zinzula L. Suramin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphoprotein genome packaging function. Virus Res 2023; 336:199221. [PMID: 37704176 PMCID: PMC10514558 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is fading, however its etiologic agent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues posing - despite the availability of licensed vaccines - a global health threat, due to the potential emergence of vaccine-resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants. This makes the development of new drugs against COVID-19 a persistent urgency and sets as research priority the validation of novel therapeutic targets within the SARS-CoV-2 proteome. Among these, a promising one is the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) phosphoprotein, a major structural component of the virion with indispensable role in packaging the viral genome into a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex, which also contributes to SARS-CoV-2 innate immune evasion by inhibiting the host cell type-I interferon (IFN-I) response. By combining miniaturized differential scanning fluorimetry with microscale thermophoresis, we found that the 100-year-old drug Suramin interacts with SARS-CoV-2 N-terminal domain (NTD) and C-terminal domain (CTD), thereby inhibiting their single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) binding function with low-micromolar Kd and IC50 values. Molecular docking suggests that Suramin interacts with basic NTD cleft and CTD dimer interface groove, highlighting three potentially druggable ssRNA binding sites. Electron microscopy shows that Suramin inhibits the formation in vitro of RNP complex-like condensates by SARS-CoV-2 N with a synthetic ssRNA. In a dose-dependent manner, Suramin also reduced SARS-CoV-2-induced cytopathic effect on Vero E6 and Calu-3 cells, partially reverting the SARS-CoV-2 N-inhibited IFN-I production in 293T cells. Our findings indicate that Suramin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication by hampering viral genome packaging, thereby representing a starting model for design of new COVID-19 antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Boniardi
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Angela Corona
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato 09042, Italy
| | - Jerome Basquin
- Department of Structural Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Claire Basquin
- Department of Structural Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Jessica Milia
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato 09042, Italy
| | - István Nagy
- Center of Research and Development, Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, Eger 3300, Hungary
| | - Enzo Tramontano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato 09042, Italy.
| | - Luca Zinzula
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany.
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19
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Tomkinson S, Triscott C, Schenk E, Foey A. The Potential of Probiotics as Ingestible Adjuvants and Immune Modulators for Antiviral Immunity and Management of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19. Pathogens 2023; 12:928. [PMID: 37513775 PMCID: PMC10384479 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Probiotic bacteria are able to modulate general antiviral responsiveness, including barrier functionality and innate and adaptive immune responses. The COVID-19 pandemic, resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection, has created a need to control and treat this viral infection and its ensuing immunopathology with a variety of approaches; one such approach may involve the administration of probiotic bacteria. As with most viral infections, its pathological responses are not fully driven by the virus, but are significantly contributed to by the host's immune response to viral infection. The potential adoption of probiotics in the treatment of COVID-19 will have to appreciate the fine line between inducing antiviral immunity without over-provoking immune inflammatory responses resulting in host-derived immunopathological tissue damage. Additionally, the effect exerted on the immune system by SARS-CoV-2 evasion strategies will also have to be considered when developing a robust response to this virus. This review will introduce the immunopathology of COVID-19 and the immunomodulatory effects of probiotic strains, and through their effects on a range of respiratory pathogens (IAV, SARS-CoV, RSV), as well as SARS-CoV-2, will culminate in a focus on how these bacteria can potentially manipulate both infectivity and immune responsiveness via barrier functionality and both innate and adaptive immunity. In conclusion, the harnessing of induction and augmentation of antiviral immunity via probiotics may not only act as an ingestible adjuvant, boosting immune responsiveness to SARS-CoV-2 infection at the level of barrier integrity and innate and adaptive immunity, but also act prophylactically to prevent infection and enhance protection afforded by current vaccine regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Tomkinson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Cloe Triscott
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Emily Schenk
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
- Peninsula Medical School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Andrew Foey
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
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20
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Korn SM, Dhamotharan K, Jeffries CM, Schlundt A. The preference signature of the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid NTD for its 5'-genomic RNA elements. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3331. [PMID: 37286558 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38882-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid protein (N) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a pivotal role during the viral life cycle. It is involved in RNA transcription and accounts for packaging of the large genome into virus particles. N manages the enigmatic balance of bulk RNA-coating versus precise RNA-binding to designated cis-regulatory elements. Numerous studies report the involvement of its disordered segments in non-selective RNA-recognition, but how N organizes the inevitable recognition of specific motifs remains unanswered. We here use NMR spectroscopy to systematically analyze the interactions of N's N-terminal RNA-binding domain (NTD) with individual cis RNA elements clustering in the SARS-CoV-2 regulatory 5'-genomic end. Supported by broad solution-based biophysical data, we unravel the NTD RNA-binding preferences in the natural genome context. We show that the domain's flexible regions read the intrinsic signature of preferred RNA elements for selective and stable complex formation within the large pool of available motifs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Marianne Korn
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany
- Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany
| | - Karthikeyan Dhamotharan
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany
- Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany
| | - Cy M Jeffries
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Hamburg Site, c/o Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlundt
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
- Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
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21
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Zheng K, Ren Z, Wang Y. Serine-arginine protein kinases and their targets in viral infection and their inhibition. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:153. [PMID: 37198350 PMCID: PMC10191411 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04808-6] [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: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has consolidated the interaction between viral infection and host alternative splicing. Serine-arginine (SR) proteins are a class of highly conserved splicing factors critical for the spliceosome maturation, alternative splicing and RNA metabolism. Serine-arginine protein kinases (SRPKs) are important kinases that specifically phosphorylate SR proteins to regulate their distribution and activities in the central pre-mRNA splicing and other cellular processes. In addition to the predominant SR proteins, other cytoplasmic proteins containing a serine-arginine repeat domain, including viral proteins, have been identified as substrates of SRPKs. Viral infection triggers a myriad of cellular events in the host and it is therefore not surprising that viruses explore SRPKs-mediated phosphorylation as an important regulatory node in virus-host interactions. In this review, we briefly summarize the regulation and biological function of SRPKs, highlighting their involvement in the infection process of several viruses, such as viral replication, transcription and capsid assembly. In addition, we review the structure-function relationships of currently available inhibitors of SRPKs and discuss their putative use as antivirals against well-characterized viruses or newly emerging viruses. We also highlight the viral proteins and cellular substrates targeted by SRPKs as potential antiviral therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Zhe Ren
- Institute of Biomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Key Laboratory of Innovative Technology Research On Natural Products and Cosmetics Raw Materials, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yifei Wang
- Institute of Biomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Key Laboratory of Innovative Technology Research On Natural Products and Cosmetics Raw Materials, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
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22
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Godbold GD, Hewitt FC, Kappell AD, Scholz MB, Agar SL, Treangen TJ, Ternus KL, Sandbrink JB, Koblentz GD. Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1124100. [PMID: 37180048 PMCID: PMC10167326 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1124100] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of research on microbes that cause disease in humans has historically been focused on taxonomic lists of 'bad bugs'. However, given our increased knowledge of these pathogens through inexpensive genome sequencing, 5 decades of research in microbial pathogenesis, and the burgeoning capacity of synthetic biologists, the limitations of this approach are apparent. With heightened scientific and public attention focused on biosafety and biosecurity, and an ongoing review by US authorities of dual-use research oversight, this article proposes the incorporation of sequences of concern (SoCs) into the biorisk management regime governing genetic engineering of pathogens. SoCs enable pathogenesis in all microbes infecting hosts that are 'of concern' to human civilization. Here we review the functions of SoCs (FunSoCs) and discuss how they might bring clarity to potentially problematic research outcomes involving infectious agents. We believe that annotation of SoCs with FunSoCs has the potential to improve the likelihood that dual use research of concern is recognized by both scientists and regulators before it occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Stacy L. Agar
- Signature Science, LLC, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Todd J. Treangen
- Department of Computer Science, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | | | - Jonas B. Sandbrink
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Gregory D. Koblentz
- Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Arlington, VA, United States
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23
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Ahmadi S, Bazargan M, Elahi R, Esmaeilzadeh A. Immune evasion of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2); molecular approaches. Mol Immunol 2023; 156:10-19. [PMID: 36857806 PMCID: PMC9684099 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2022.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In December 2019, a new betacoronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), caused an outbreak at the Wuhan seafood market in China. The disease was further named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the disease to be a pandemic, as more cases were reported globally. SARS-CoV-2, like many other viruses, employs diverse strategies to elude the host immune response and/or counter immune responses. The infection outcome mainly depends on interactions between the virus and the host immune system. Inhibiting IFN production, blocking IFN signaling, enhancing IFN resistance, and hijacking the host's translation machinery to expedite the production of viral proteins are among the main immune evasion mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 also downregulates the expression of MHC-I on infected cells, which is an additional immune-evasion mechanism of this virus. Moreover, antigenic modifications to the spike (S) protein, such as deletions, insertions, and also substitutions are essential for resistance to SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. This review assesses the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and host immune response and cellular and molecular approaches used by SARS-CoV-2 for immune evasion. Understanding the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 immune evasion is essential since it can improve the development of novel antiviral treatment options as well as vaccination methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrzad Ahmadi
- Virology Research Center, The National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Allergy and Immunology Subspecialty Lab, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Bazargan
- Virology Research Center, The National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Allergy and Immunology Subspecialty Lab, Tehran, Iran,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Sahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Elahi
- M.D., School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Abdolreza Esmaeilzadeh
- Department of Immunology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran; Cancer Gene Therapy Research Center (CGRC), Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
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24
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Lee JH, Koepke L, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ. Interferon antagonists encoded by SARS-CoV-2 at a glance. Med Microbiol Immunol 2023; 212:125-131. [PMID: 35366686 PMCID: PMC8976456 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-022-00734-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The innate immune system is a powerful barrier against invading pathogens. Interferons (IFNs) are a major part of the cytokine-mediated anti-viral innate immune response. After recognition of a pathogen by immune sensors, signaling cascades are activated that culminate in the release of IFNs. These activate cells in an autocrine or paracrine fashion eventually setting cells in an anti-viral state via upregulation of hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). To evade the anti-viral effect of the IFN system, successful viruses like the pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) evolved strategies to counteract both IFN induction and signaling. In fact, more than half of the about 30 proteins encoded by SARS-CoV-2 target the IFN system at multiple levels to escape IFN-mediated restriction. Here, we review recent insights into the molecular mechanisms used by SARS-CoV-2 proteins to suppress IFN production and the establishment of an anti-viral state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hyun Lee
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Meyerhofstr. 1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Lennart Koepke
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Meyerhofstr. 1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Meyerhofstr. 1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Konstantin M J Sparrer
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Meyerhofstr. 1, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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25
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Lodola C, Secchi M, Sinigiani V, De Palma A, Rossi R, Perico D, Mauri PL, Maga G. Interaction of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein and Human RNA Helicases DDX1 and DDX3X Modulates Their Activities on Double-Stranded RNA. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065784. [PMID: 36982856 PMCID: PMC10058294 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065784] [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: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid protein Np of SARS-CoV-2 is involved in the replication, transcription, and packaging of the viral genome, but it also plays a role in the modulation of the host cell innate immunity and inflammation response. Ectopic expression of Np alone was able to induce significant changes in the proteome of human cells. The cellular RNA helicase DDX1 was among the proteins whose levels were increased by Np expression. DDX1 and its related helicase DDX3X were found to physically interact with Np and to increase 2- to 4-fold its affinity for double-stranded RNA in a helicase-independent manner. Conversely, Np inhibited the RNA helicase activity of both proteins. These functional interactions among Np and DDX1 and DDX3X highlight novel possible roles played by these host RNA helicases in the viral life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Lodola
- Institute of Molecular Genetics IGM CNR "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, PV, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Secchi
- Institute of Molecular Genetics IGM CNR "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, PV, Italy
| | - Virginia Sinigiani
- Institute of Molecular Genetics IGM CNR "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, PV, Italy
| | - Antonella De Palma
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies ITB-CNR, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Rossana Rossi
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies ITB-CNR, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Davide Perico
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies ITB-CNR, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Pier Luigi Mauri
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies ITB-CNR, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Giovanni Maga
- Institute of Molecular Genetics IGM CNR "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, PV, Italy
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26
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Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has been associated with substantial global morbidity and mortality. Despite a tropism that is largely confined to the airways, COVID-19 is associated with multiorgan dysfunction and long-term cognitive pathologies. A major driver of this biology stems from the combined effects of virus-mediated interference with the host antiviral defences in infected cells and the sensing of pathogen-associated material by bystander cells. Such a dynamic results in delayed induction of type I and III interferons (IFN-I and IFN-III) at the site of infection, but systemic IFN-I and IFN-III priming in distal organs and barrier epithelial surfaces, respectively. In this Review, we examine the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 biology and the cellular response to infection, detailing how antagonism and dysregulation of host innate immune defences contribute to disease severity of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith M Minkoff
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin tenOever
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
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27
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Walter LO, Cardoso CC, Santos-Pirath ÍM, Costa HZ, Gartner R, Werle I, Mohr ETB, da Rosa JS, Lubschinski TL, Felisberto M, Kretzer IF, Masukawa II, Vanny PDA, Luiz MC, de Moraes ACR, Dalmarco EM, Santos-Silva MC. T cell maturation is significantly affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Immunology 2023. [PMID: 36855300 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13635] [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: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). An adequate T cell response is essential not only for fighting disease but also for the creation of immune memory. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the T cells of patients with moderate, severe and critical COVID-19 not only at the time of illness but also 2 months after diagnosis to observe whether changes in this compartment persist. In this study, 166 COVID-19 patients were stratified into moderate/severe and critical disease categories. The maturation and activation of T cells were evaluated through flow cytometry. In addition, Treg cells were analysed. Until 15 days after diagnosis, patients presented a reduction in absolute and relative T lymphocyte counts. After 2 months, in moderate/severe patients, the counts returned to a similar level as that of the control group. In convalescent patients who had a critical illness, absolute T lymphocyte values increased considerably. Patients with active disease did not show differentiation of T cells. Nonetheless, after 2 months, patients with critical COVID-19 showed a significant increase in CD4+ EMRA (CD45RA+ effector memory) T lymphocytes. Furthermore, COVID-19 patients showed delayed T cell activation and reduced CD8+ suppressor T cells even 2 months after diagnosis. A reduction in CD4+ Treg cells was also observed, and their numbers returned to a similar level as that of healthy controls in convalescent patients. The results demonstrate that COVID-19 patients have a delayed activation and differentiation of T cells. In addition, these patients have a great reduction of T cells with a suppressor phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Otto Walter
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacy, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Chandra Chiappin Cardoso
- Division of Clinical Analysis, Flow Cytometry Service, University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Íris Mattos Santos-Pirath
- Division of Clinical Analysis, Flow Cytometry Service, University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Heloisa Zorzi Costa
- Division of Clinical Analysis, Flow Cytometry Service, University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Gartner
- Clinical Analysis Department, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Isabel Werle
- Clinical Analysis Department, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | | | - Julia Salvan da Rosa
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacy, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | | | - Mariano Felisberto
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacy, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Iara Fabricia Kretzer
- Clinical Analysis Department, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Ivete Ioshiko Masukawa
- Infectious Disease Service, University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.,Infectious Disease Service, Nereu Ramos Hospital, State Health Department, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Patrícia de Almeida Vanny
- Infectious Disease Service, University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Magali Chaves Luiz
- Infectious Disease Service, Nereu Ramos Hospital, State Health Department, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Rabello de Moraes
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacy, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.,Division of Clinical Analysis, Flow Cytometry Service, University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Monguilhott Dalmarco
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacy, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.,Division of Clinical Analysis, Flow Cytometry Service, University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Maria Cláudia Santos-Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacy, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.,Division of Clinical Analysis, Flow Cytometry Service, University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.,Clinical Analysis Department, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
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28
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Liu Z, Han Z, Jin X, An J, Kim J, Chen W, Kim JS, Zheng J, Deng J. Regulating the microenvironment with nanomaterials: Potential strategies to ameliorate COVID-19. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:S2211-3835(23)00054-0. [PMID: 36846153 PMCID: PMC9941074 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has resulted in serious economic and health burdens. Current treatments remain inadequate to extinguish the epidemic, and efficient therapeutic approaches for COVID-19 are urgently being sought. Interestingly, accumulating evidence suggests that microenvironmental disorder plays an important role in the progression of COVID-19 in patients. In addition, recent advances in nanomaterial technologies provide promising opportunities for alleviating the altered homeostasis induced by a viral infection, providing new insight into COVID-19 treatment. Most literature reviews focus only on certain aspects of microenvironment alterations and fail to provide a comprehensive overview of the changes in homeostasis in COVID-19 patients. To fill this gap, this review systematically discusses alterations of homeostasis in COVID-19 patients and potential mechanisms. Next, advances in nanotechnology-based strategies for promoting homeostasis restoration are summarized. Finally, we discuss the challenges and prospects of using nanomaterials for COVID-19 management. This review provides a new strategy and insights into treating COVID-19 and other diseases associated with microenvironment disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhicheng Liu
- Department of Urology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400037, China
- Department of Urology, Urological Surgery Research Institute, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Zhuolei Han
- Institute of Burn Research, Southwest Hospital, State Key Lab of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Chongqing Key Laboratory for Disease Proteomics, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xin Jin
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jusung An
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, South Korea
| | - Jaewon Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, South Korea
| | - Wenting Chen
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Army Medical Center, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Jong Seung Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, South Korea
| | - Ji Zheng
- Department of Urology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400037, China
- Department of Urology, Urological Surgery Research Institute, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Jun Deng
- Institute of Burn Research, Southwest Hospital, State Key Lab of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Chongqing Key Laboratory for Disease Proteomics, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
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29
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Maghsood F, Ghorbani A, Yadegari H, Golsaz-Shirazi F, Amiri MM, Shokri F. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid: Biological functions and implication for disease diagnosis and vaccine design. Rev Med Virol 2023; 33:e2431. [PMID: 36790816 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2431] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is transmitted by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has affected millions of people all around the world, leading to more than 6.5 million deaths. The nucleocapsid (N) phosphoprotein plays important roles in modulating viral replication and transcription, virus-infected cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and regulation of host innate immunity. As an immunodominant protein, N protein induces strong humoral and cellular immune responses in COVID-19 patients, making it a key marker for studying N-specific B cell and T cell responses and the development of diagnostic serological assays and efficient vaccines. In this review, we focus on the structural and functional features and the kinetic and epitope mapping of B cell and T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 N protein to extend our understanding on the development of sensitive and specific diagnostic immunological tests and effective vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Maghsood
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Ghorbani
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Yadegari
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Forough Golsaz-Shirazi
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Amiri
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fazel Shokri
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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30
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Sun H, Chan JFW, Yuan S. Cellular Sensors and Viral Countermeasures: A Molecular Arms Race between Host and SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2023; 15:352. [PMID: 36851564 PMCID: PMC9962416 DOI: 10.3390/v15020352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has caused disastrous effects on the society and human health globally. SARS-CoV-2 is a sarbecovirus in the Coronaviridae family with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome. It mainly replicates in the cytoplasm and viral components including RNAs and proteins can be sensed by pattern recognition receptors including toll-like receptors (TLRs), RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs), and NOD-like receptors (NLRs) that regulate the host innate and adaptive immune responses. On the other hand, the SARS-CoV-2 genome encodes multiple proteins that can antagonize the host immune response to facilitate viral replication. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge on host sensors and viral countermeasures against host innate immune response to provide insights on virus-host interactions and novel approaches to modulate host inflammation and antiviral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Sun
- Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518009, China
| | - Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan
- Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518009, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shuofeng Yuan
- Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518009, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, China
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31
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Wu W, Cheng Y, Zhou H, Sun C, Zhang S. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein: its role in the viral life cycle, structure and functions, and use as a potential target in the development of vaccines and diagnostics. Virol J 2023; 20:6. [PMID: 36627683 PMCID: PMC9831023 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-01968-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to take a heavy toll on personal health, healthcare systems, and economies around the globe. Scientists are expending tremendous effort to develop diagnostic technologies for detecting positive infections within the shortest possible time, and vaccines and drugs specifically for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 disease. At the same time, emerging novel variants have raised serious concerns about vaccine efficacy. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein plays an important role in the coronavirus life cycle, and participates in various vital activities after virus invasion. It has attracted a large amount of attention for vaccine and drug development. Here, we summarize the latest research of the N protein, including its role in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle, structure and function, and post-translational modifications in addition to its involvement in liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and use as a basis for the development of vaccines and diagnostic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbing Wu
- grid.410578.f0000 0001 1114 4286Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Ying Cheng
- grid.410578.f0000 0001 1114 4286Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Hong Zhou
- grid.410578.f0000 0001 1114 4286Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Changzhen Sun
- grid.410578.f0000 0001 1114 4286Drug Research Center of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Shujun Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
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32
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Ahmadi K, Shahbazi B, Zakeri AJ, Gouklani H. Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants from Iran and evaluation of the effect of mutations on the spike, nucleocapsid, ORF8, and ORF9b proteins function. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 41:11415-11430. [PMID: 36576175 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2162131] [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: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 'Omicron' strain, with 15 mutations in the receptor binding domain (RBD), was detected in South Africa and rapidly spread worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 ORF9b protein by binding to the TOM70 receptor and ORF8 protein by binding to MHC-I, IF3 receptors inhibit the host's immune response. In this study, genomics variations were evaluated for 96 samples isolated from Iran from March to July 2022 using the Nextclade web server and informatics tools. We identified the mutations occurring in the SARS-CoV-2 proteins. We also evaluated the effect of mutations on spike protein interaction with the ACE2 receptor, ORF9b protein interaction with the TOM70 receptor, and structural stability of ORF8 and nucleocapsid proteins using docking and molecular dynamics. Results indicated that during March and April 2022, the BA.2 strain was dominant in the south of Iran, while during June 2022, the BA.5 strain was dominant. BF.5 strain had the most divergence among SARS-CoV-2 strains reported from south of Iran. The binding affinity of BA.5 and BF.5 strains spike protein to ACE2 receptor is similar, and compared to BA.2 strain, was stronger. The BF.5 ORF9b K40R mutation causes a better binding affinity of the protein to the TOM70 receptor. Also, mutations that occurred in the ORF8 protein led to instability in the dimer formation of this protein and improved immune response for mutations that occurred in BA.2 strain, while this mutation did not occur in BF.5 strain. The mutations that were detected in nucleocapsid protein CTD and NTD domains caused the stability of these domains.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadijeh Ahmadi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Behzad Shahbazi
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abdul-Jabbar Zakeri
- Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Research Institute for Health, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Hamed Gouklani
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
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33
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Wu Y, Zhang M, Yuan C, Ma Z, Li W, Zhang Y, Su L, Xu J, Liu W. Progress of cGAS-STING signaling in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1010911. [PMID: 36569852 PMCID: PMC9767964 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1010911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an epidemic respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that can cause infections in millions of individuals, who can develop lung injury, organ failure, and subsequent death. As the first line of host defense, the innate immune system is involved in initiating the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the hyperinflammatory phenotype of COVID-19. However, the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and host innate immunity is not yet well understood. It had become known that the cGAS-STING pathway is involved in the detection of cytosolic DNA, which elicits an innate immune response involving a robust type I interferon response against viral and bacterial infections. Nevertheless, several lines of evidence indicate that SARS-CoV-2, a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus, triggered the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. Therefore, understanding the molecular and cellular details of cGAS-STING signaling upon SARS-CoV-2 infection is of considerable biomedical importance. In this review, we discuss the role of cGAS-STING signaling in SARS-CoV-2 infection and summarize the potential therapeutics of STING agonists as virus vaccine adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaru Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Min Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Cui Yuan
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhenling Ma
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenqing Li
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lijuan Su
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jun Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China,*Correspondence: Wei Liu,
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34
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Cavalcante LTDF, da Fonseca GC, Amado Leon LA, Salvio AL, Brustolini OJ, Gerber AL, Guimarães APDC, Marques CAB, Fernandes RA, Ramos Filho CHF, Kader RL, Pimentel Amaro M, da Costa Gonçalves JP, Vieira Alves-Leon S, Vasconcelos ATR. Buffy Coat Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Alterations in Host Cell Protein Synthesis and Cell Cycle in Severe COVID-19 Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13588. [PMID: 36362378 PMCID: PMC9659271 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptome studies have reported the dysregulation of cell cycle-related genes and the global inhibition of host mRNA translation in COVID-19 cases. However, the key genes and cellular mechanisms that are most affected by the severe outcome of this disease remain unclear. For this work, the RNA-seq approach was used to study the differential expression in buffy coat cells of two groups of people infected with SARS-CoV-2: (a) Mild, with mild symptoms; and (b) SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), who were admitted to the intensive care unit with the severe COVID-19 outcome. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 1009 up-regulated and 501 down-regulated genes in the SARS group, with 10% of both being composed of long non-coding RNA. Ribosome and cell cycle pathways were enriched among down-regulated genes. The most connected proteins among the differentially expressed genes involved transport dysregulation, proteasome degradation, interferon response, cytokinesis failure, and host translation inhibition. Furthermore, interactome analysis showed Fibrillarin to be one of the key genes affected by SARS-CoV-2. This protein interacts directly with the N protein and long non-coding RNAs affecting transcription, translation, and ribosomal processes. This work reveals a group of dysregulated processes, including translation and cell cycle, as key pathways altered in severe COVID-19 outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luciane Almeida Amado Leon
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Andreza Lemos Salvio
- Laboratório de Neurociências Translacional, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-040, Brazil
| | - Otávio José Brustolini
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro 25651-076, Brazil
| | - Alexandra Lehmkuhl Gerber
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro 25651-076, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula de Campos Guimarães
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro 25651-076, Brazil
| | - Carla Augusta Barreto Marques
- Laboratório de Neurociências Translacional, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-040, Brazil
- Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-617, Brazil
| | - Renan Amphilophio Fernandes
- Laboratório de Neurociências Translacional, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-040, Brazil
| | | | - Rafael Lopes Kader
- Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-617, Brazil
| | - Marisa Pimentel Amaro
- Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-617, Brazil
| | - João Paulo da Costa Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Neurociências Translacional, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-040, Brazil
- Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Soniza Vieira Alves-Leon
- Laboratório de Neurociências Translacional, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-040, Brazil
- Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-617, Brazil
| | - Ana Tereza Ribeiro Vasconcelos
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro 25651-076, Brazil
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35
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Yaron TM, Heaton BE, Levy TM, Johnson JL, Jordan TX, Cohen BM, Kerelsky A, Lin TY, Liberatore KM, Bulaon DK, Van Nest SJ, Koundouros N, Kastenhuber ER, Mercadante MN, Shobana-Ganesh K, He L, Schwartz RE, Chen S, Weinstein H, Elemento O, Piskounova E, Nilsson-Payant BE, Lee G, Trimarco JD, Burke KN, Hamele CE, Chaparian RR, Harding AT, Tata A, Zhu X, Tata PR, Smith CM, Possemato AP, Tkachev SL, Hornbeck PV, Beausoleil SA, Anand SK, Aguet F, Getz G, Davidson AD, Heesom K, Kavanagh-Williamson M, Matthews DA, tenOever BR, Cantley LC, Blenis J, Heaton NS. Host protein kinases required for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphorylation and viral replication. Sci Signal 2022; 15:eabm0808. [PMID: 36282911 PMCID: PMC9830954 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abm0808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Multiple coronaviruses have emerged independently in the past 20 years that cause lethal human diseases. Although vaccine development targeting these viruses has been accelerated substantially, there remain patients requiring treatment who cannot be vaccinated or who experience breakthrough infections. Understanding the common host factors necessary for the life cycles of coronaviruses may reveal conserved therapeutic targets. Here, we used the known substrate specificities of mammalian protein kinases to deconvolute the sequence of phosphorylation events mediated by three host protein kinase families (SRPK, GSK-3, and CK1) that coordinately phosphorylate a cluster of serine and threonine residues in the viral N protein, which is required for viral replication. We also showed that loss or inhibition of SRPK1/2, which we propose initiates the N protein phosphorylation cascade, compromised the viral replication cycle. Because these phosphorylation sites are highly conserved across coronaviruses, inhibitors of these protein kinases not only may have therapeutic potential against COVID-19 but also may be broadly useful against coronavirus-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer M. Yaron
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Computational Biology & Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Brook E. Heaton
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Corresponding author. (N.S.H.); (J.B.); (L.C.C.); (B.R.t.); (B.E.H.)
| | | | - Jared L. Johnson
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Tristan X. Jordan
- New York University, Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Benjamin M. Cohen
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Alexander Kerelsky
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Ting-Yu Lin
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cell and Developmental Biology Program, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Katarina M. Liberatore
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Danielle K. Bulaon
- Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Samantha J. Van Nest
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Nikos Koundouros
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Edward R. Kastenhuber
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Marisa N. Mercadante
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Kripa Shobana-Ganesh
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cell and Developmental Biology Program, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Long He
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Robert E. Schwartz
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shuibing Chen
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Harel Weinstein
- Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Olivier Elemento
- Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Elena Piskounova
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Gina Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92868, USA
| | - Joseph D. Trimarco
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kaitlyn N. Burke
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Cait E. Hamele
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ryan R. Chaparian
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Alfred T. Harding
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Aleksandra Tata
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Xinyu Zhu
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Purushothama Rao Tata
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Clare M. Smith
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - François Aguet
- Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Gad Getz
- Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Cancer Center and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Andrew D. Davidson
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Kate Heesom
- Proteomics Facility, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | | | - David A. Matthews
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Benjamin R. tenOever
- New York University, Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Corresponding author. (N.S.H.); (J.B.); (L.C.C.); (B.R.t.); (B.E.H.)
| | - Lewis C. Cantley
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Corresponding author. (N.S.H.); (J.B.); (L.C.C.); (B.R.t.); (B.E.H.)
| | - John Blenis
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Corresponding author. (N.S.H.); (J.B.); (L.C.C.); (B.R.t.); (B.E.H.)
| | - Nicholas S. Heaton
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Corresponding author. (N.S.H.); (J.B.); (L.C.C.); (B.R.t.); (B.E.H.)
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36
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Direct Interaction of Coronavirus Nonstructural Protein 3 with Melanoma Differentiation-Associated Gene 5 Modulates Type I Interferon Response during Coronavirus Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911692. [PMID: 36232993 PMCID: PMC9570369 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3) is a multi-functional protein, playing a critical role in viral replication and in regulating host antiviral innate immunity. In this study, we demonstrate that nsp3 from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) directly interacts with melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), rendering an inhibitory effect on the MDA5-mediated type I interferon (IFN) response. By the co-expression of MDA5 with wild-type and truncated nsp3 constructs, at least three interacting regions mapped to the papain-like protease (PLpro) domain and two other domains located at the N- and C-terminal regions were identified in SARS-CoV-2 nsp3. Furthermore, by introducing point mutations to the catalytic triad, the deubiquitylation activity of the PLpro domain from both SARS-CoV-2 and IBV nsp3 was shown to be responsible for the suppression of the MDA5-mediated type I IFN response. It was also demonstrated that both MDA5 and nsp3 were able to interact with ubiquitin and ubiquitinated proteins, contributing to the interaction between the two proteins. This study confirms the antagonistic role of nsp3 in the MDA5-mediated type I IFN signaling, highlighting the complex interaction between a multi-functional viral protein and the innate immune response.
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37
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Coronaviruses exploit a host cysteine-aspartic protease for replication. Nature 2022; 609:785-792. [PMID: 35922005 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05148-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Highly pathogenic coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (refs. 1,2) (SARS-CoV-2), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus3 (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-1 (ref. 4), vary in their transmissibility and pathogenicity. However, infection by all three viruses results in substantial apoptosis in cell culture5-7 and in patient tissues8-10, suggesting a potential link between apoptosis and pathogenesis of coronaviruses. Here we show that caspase-6, a cysteine-aspartic protease of the apoptosis cascade, serves as an important host factor for efficient coronavirus replication. We demonstrate that caspase-6 cleaves coronavirus nucleocapsid proteins, generating fragments that serve as interferon antagonists, thus facilitating virus replication. Inhibition of caspase-6 substantially attenuates lung pathology and body weight loss in golden Syrian hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2 and improves the survival of mice expressing human DPP4 that are infected with mouse-adapted MERS-CoV. Our study reveals how coronaviruses exploit a component of the host apoptosis cascade to facilitate virus replication.
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38
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Pohler A, Abdelfatah S, Riedl M, Meesters C, Hildebrandt A, Efferth T. Potential Coronaviral Inhibitors of the Nucleocapsid Protein Identified In Silico and In Vitro from a Large Natural Product Library. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15091046. [PMID: 36145267 PMCID: PMC9503946 DOI: 10.3390/ph15091046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid protein (NP) is one of the main proteins out of four structural proteins of coronaviruses including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, discovered in 2019. NP packages the viral RNA during virus assembly and is, therefore, indispensable for virus reproduction. NP consists of two domains, i.e., the N- and C-terminal domains. RNA-binding is mainly performed by a binding pocket within the N-terminal domain (NTD). NP represents an important target for drug discovery to treat COVID-19. In this project, we used the Vina LC virtual drug screening software and a ZINC-based database with 210,541 natural and naturally derived compounds that specifically target the binding pocket of NTD of NP. Our aim was to identify coronaviral inhibitors that target NP not only of SARS-CoV-2 but also of other diverse human pathogenic coronaviruses. Virtual drug screening and molecular docking procedures resulted in 73 candidate compounds with a binding affinity below −9 kcal/mol with NP NTD of SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, HoC-229E, and HCoV-HKU1. The top five compounds that met the applied drug-likeness criteria were then tested for their binding in vitro to the NTD of the full-length recombinant NP proteins using microscale thermophoresis. Compounds (1), (2), and (4), which belong to the same scaffold family of 4-oxo-substituted-6-[2-(4a-hydroxy-decahydroisoquinolin-2-yl)2H-chromen-2-ones and which are derivates of coumarin, were bound with good affinity to NP. Compounds (1) and (4) were bound to the full-length NP of SARS-CoV-2 (aa 1–419) with Kd values of 0.798 (±0.02) µM and 8.07 (±0.36) µM, respectively. Then, these coumarin derivatives were tested with the SARS-CoV-2 NP NTD (aa 48–174). Compounds (1) and (4) revealed Kd-values of 0.95 (±0.32) µM and 7.77 (±6.39) µM, respectively. Compounds (1) and (4) caused low toxicity in human A549 and MRC-5 cell lines. These compounds may represent possible drug candidates, which need further optimization to be used against COVID-19 and other coronaviral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Pohler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Sara Abdelfatah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Max Riedl
- High Performance Computing Group, University of Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian Meesters
- High Performance Computing Group, University of Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-6131-3925751; Fax: +49-6131-3923752
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Li W, Wang H, Zheng SJ. Roles of RNA Sensors in Host Innate Response to Influenza Virus and Coronavirus Infections. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158285. [PMID: 35955436 PMCID: PMC9368391 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza virus and coronavirus are two important respiratory viruses, which often cause serious respiratory diseases in humans and animals after infection. In recent years, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and SARS-CoV-2 have become major pathogens causing respiratory diseases in humans. Thus, an in-depth understanding of the relationship between viral infection and host innate immunity is particularly important to the stipulation of effective control strategies. As the first line of defense against pathogens infection, innate immunity not only acts as a natural physiological barrier, but also eliminates pathogens through the production of interferon (IFN), the formation of inflammasomes, and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this process, the recognition of viral pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) is the initiation and the most important part of the innate immune response. In this review, we summarize the roles of RNA sensors in the host innate immune response to influenza virus and coronavirus infections in different species, with a particular focus on innate immune recognition of viral nucleic acids in host cells, which will help to develop an effective strategy for the control of respiratory infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (W.L.); (H.W.)
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hongnuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (W.L.); (H.W.)
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shijun J. Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (W.L.); (H.W.)
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-10-62834681
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Van der Sluis RM, Holm CK, Jakobsen MR. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells during COVID-19: Ally or adversary? Cell Rep 2022; 40:111148. [PMID: 35858624 PMCID: PMC9279298 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are specialized cells of the immune system that are thought to be the main cellular source of type I interferon alpha (IFNα) in response to viral infections. IFNs are powerful antivirals, whereas defects in their function or induction lead to impaired resistance to virus infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19. IFN production needs to be controlled, because sustained IFN production can also have detrimental effects on disease outcome. As such, pDCs are likely important for acute antiviral protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection but could potentially also contribute to chronic IFN levels. Here, we provide a historical overview of pDC biology and summarize existing literature addressing their involvement and importance during viral infections of the airways. Furthermore, we outline recent reports focused on the potential role of pDCs during SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the potential for this cellular subset to impact COVID-19 disease outcome.
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Loh D, Reiter RJ. Melatonin: Regulation of Viral Phase Separation and Epitranscriptomics in Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:8122. [PMID: 35897696 PMCID: PMC9368024 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The relentless, protracted evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus imposes tremendous pressure on herd immunity and demands versatile adaptations by the human host genome to counter transcriptomic and epitranscriptomic alterations associated with a wide range of short- and long-term manifestations during acute infection and post-acute recovery, respectively. To promote viral replication during active infection and viral persistence, the SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein regulates host cell microenvironment including pH and ion concentrations to maintain a high oxidative environment that supports template switching, causing extensive mitochondrial damage and activation of pro-inflammatory cytokine signaling cascades. Oxidative stress and mitochondrial distress induce dynamic changes to both the host and viral RNA m6A methylome, and can trigger the derepression of long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE1), resulting in global hypomethylation, epigenetic changes, and genomic instability. The timely application of melatonin during early infection enhances host innate antiviral immune responses by preventing the formation of "viral factories" by nucleocapsid liquid-liquid phase separation that effectively blockades viral genome transcription and packaging, the disassembly of stress granules, and the sequestration of DEAD-box RNA helicases, including DDX3X, vital to immune signaling. Melatonin prevents membrane depolarization and protects cristae morphology to suppress glycolysis via antioxidant-dependent and -independent mechanisms. By restraining the derepression of LINE1 via multifaceted strategies, and maintaining the balance in m6A RNA modifications, melatonin could be the quintessential ancient molecule that significantly influences the outcome of the constant struggle between virus and host to gain transcriptomic and epitranscriptomic dominance over the host genome during acute infection and PASC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Loh
- Independent Researcher, Marble Falls, TX 78654, USA;
| | - Russel J. Reiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
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Bronchial epithelia from adults and children: SARS-CoV-2 spread via syncytia formation and type III interferon infectivity restriction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2202370119. [PMID: 35749382 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202370119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections initiate in the bronchi of the upper respiratory tract and are able to disseminate to the lower respiratory tract, where infections can cause an acute respiratory distress syndrome with a high degree of mortality in elderly patients. We used reconstituted primary bronchial epithelia from adult and child donors to follow the SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics. We show that, in epithelia from adult donors, infections initiate in multiciliated cells and spread within 24 to 48 h throughout the whole epithelia. Syncytia formed of ciliated and basal cells appeared at the apical side of the epithelia within 3 to 4 d and were released into the apical lumen, where they contributed to the transmittable virus dose. A small number of reconstituted epithelia were intrinsically more resistant to virus infection, limiting virus spread to different degrees. This phenotype was more frequent in epithelia derived from children versus adults and correlated with an accelerated release of type III interferon. Treatment of permissive adult epithelia with exogenous type III interferon restricted infection, while type III interferon gene knockout promoted infection. Furthermore, a transcript analysis revealed that the inflammatory response was specifically attenuated in children. Taken together, our findings suggest that apical syncytia formation is an underappreciated source of virus propagation for tissue or environmental dissemination, whereas a robust type III interferon response such as commonly seen in young donors restricted SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, the combination of interferon restriction and attenuated inflammatory response in children might explain the epidemiological observation of age-related susceptibility to COVID-19.
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Farooq M, Khan AW, Ahmad B, Kim MS, Choi S. Therapeutic Targeting of Innate Immune Receptors Against SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:915565. [PMID: 35847031 PMCID: PMC9280161 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.915565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system is the first line of host's defense against invading pathogens. Multiple cellular sensors that detect viral components can induce innate antiviral immune responses. As a result, interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines are produced which help in the elimination of invading viruses. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) belongs to Coronaviridae family, and has a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome. It can infect multiple hosts; in humans, it is responsible for the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Successful, timely, and appropriate detection of SARS-CoV-2 can be very important for the early generation of the immune response. Several drugs that target the innate immune receptors as well as other signaling molecules generated during the innate immune response are currently being investigated in clinical trials. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying host sensing and innate immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the role of innate immune receptors in terms of their therapeutic potential against SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, we discussed the drugs undergoing clinical trials and the FDA approved drugs against SARS-CoV-2. This review will help in understanding the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and innate immune receptors and thus will point towards new dimensions for the development of new therapeutics, which can be beneficial in the current pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya Farooq
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
- S&K Therapeutics, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Abdul Waheed Khan
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Bilal Ahmad
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
- S&K Therapeutics, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Moon Suk Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Sangdun Choi
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
- S&K Therapeutics, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
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Mechanisms of host type I interferon response modulation by the nucleocapsid proteins of alpha- and betacoronaviruses. Arch Virol 2022; 167:1925-1930. [PMID: 35763067 PMCID: PMC9244355 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05513-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Coronaviruses can have a devastating impact on the health of humans and animals. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes extremely high fatality rates in neonatal piglets, whereas severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic in humans. As a critical component of the host antiviral innate immune response, type I interferon production and signaling play a very important role, especially in the initial phase of the antiviral responses. Coronaviruses have evolved multiple ways to counteract type I interferon responses. Although the primary functions of the nucleocapsid protein are to facilitate viral RNA replication and package viral genomic RNA into virions, recent studies have shown that the nucleocapsid protein is also involved in virus-host interactions. The aim of this review is to summarize our current understanding of how the nucleocapsid proteins of PEDV and SARS-CoV-2 modulate type I interferon responses. This knowledge will be useful for developing strategies to combat coronavirus infections.
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Liu Q, Chi S, Dmytruk K, Dmytruk O, Tan S. Coronaviral Infection and Interferon Response: The Virus-Host Arms Race and COVID-19. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071349. [PMID: 35891331 PMCID: PMC9325157 DOI: 10.3390/v14071349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in unprecedented morbidity and mortality worldwide. The host cells use a number of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) for early detection of coronavirus infection, and timely interferon secretion is highly effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the virus has developed many strategies to delay interferon secretion and disarm cellular defense by intervening in interferon-associated signaling pathways on multiple levels. As a result, some COVID-19 patients suffered dramatic susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, while another part of the population showed only mild or no symptoms. One hypothesis suggests that functional differences in innate immune integrity could be the key to such variability. This review tries to decipher possible interactions between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and human antiviral interferon sensors. We found that SARS-CoV-2 actively interacts with PRR sensors and antiviral pathways by avoiding interferon suppression, which could result in severe COVID-19 pathogenesis. Finally, we summarize data on available antiviral pharmaceutical options that have shown potential to reduce COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in recent clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Liu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China;
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Correspondence: (Q.L.); (S.T.)
| | - Sensen Chi
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China;
| | - Kostyantyn Dmytruk
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Cell Biology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 79005 Lviv, Ukraine; (K.D.); (O.D.)
| | - Olena Dmytruk
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Cell Biology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 79005 Lviv, Ukraine; (K.D.); (O.D.)
- Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Rzeszow, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
| | - Shuai Tan
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China;
- Correspondence: (Q.L.); (S.T.)
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Gori Savellini G, Anichini G, Gandolfo C, Cusi MG. Nucleopore Traffic Is Hindered by SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 Protein to Efficiently Suppress IFN-β and IL-6 Secretion. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061273. [PMID: 35746745 PMCID: PMC9230033 DOI: 10.3390/v14061273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A weak production of INF-β along with an exacerbated release of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been reported during infection by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. SARS-CoV-2 encodes several proteins that are able to counteract the host immune system, which is believed to be one of the most important features contributing to the viral pathogenesis and development of a severe clinical outcomes. Previous reports demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 protein strongly suppresses INF-β production by hindering the RIG-I, MDA-5, and MAVS signaling cascade. In the present study, we better characterized the mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 counteracts IFN-β and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which plays a crucial role in the inflammation process associated with the viral infection. In the present study, we demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 protein has evolved an alternative mechanism to guarantee host IFN-β and IL-6 suppression, in addition to the transcriptional control exerted on the genes. Indeed, a block in movement through the nucleopore of newly synthetized messenger RNA encoding the immune-modulatory cytokines IFN-β and IL-6 are reported here. The ORF6 accessory protein of SARS-CoV-2 displays a multifunctional activity and may represent one of the most important virulence factors. Where conventional antagonistic strategies of immune evasion-such as the suppression of specific transcription factors (e.g., IRF-3, STAT-1/2)-would not be sufficient, the SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 protein is the trump card for the virus, also blocking the movement of IFN-β and IL-6 mRNAs from nucleus to cytoplasm. Conversely, we showed that nuclear translocation of the NF-κB transcription factor is not affected by the ORF6 protein, although inhibition of its cytoplasmic activation occurred. Therefore, the ORF6 protein exerts a 360-degree inhibition of the antiviral response by blocking as many critical points as possible.
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Znaidia M, Demeret C, van der Werf S, Komarova AV. Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Evasion: Interferon Pathway and Therapeutic Options. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061247. [PMID: 35746718 PMCID: PMC9231409 DOI: 10.3390/v14061247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is characterized by an important capacity to circumvent the innate immune response. The early interferon (IFN) response is necessary to establish a robust antiviral state. However, this response is weak and delayed in COVID-19 patients, along with massive pro-inflammatory cytokine production. This dysregulated innate immune response contributes to pathogenicity and in some individuals leads to a critical state. Characterizing the interplay between viral factors and host innate immunity is crucial to better understand how to manage the disease. Moreover, the constant emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants challenges the efficacy of existing vaccines. Thus, to control this virus and readjust the antiviral therapy currently used to treat COVID-19, studies should constantly be re-evaluated to further decipher the mechanisms leading to SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Regarding the role of the IFN response in SARS-CoV-2 infection, in this review we summarize the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 evades innate immune recognition. More specifically, we explain how this virus inhibits IFN signaling pathways (IFN-I/IFN-III) and controls interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression. We also discuss the development and use of IFNs and potential drugs controlling the innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2, helping to clear the infection.
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SARS-CoV-2 N Protein Antagonizes Stress Granule Assembly and IFN Production by Interacting with G3BPs to Facilitate Viral Replication. J Virol 2022; 96:e0041222. [PMID: 35652658 PMCID: PMC9215227 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00412-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and poses a significant threat to global health. N protein (NP), which is a major pathogenic protein among betacoronaviruses, binds to the viral RNA genome to allow viral genome packaging and viral particle release. Recent studies showed that NP antagonizes interferon (IFN) induction and mediates phase separation. Using live SARS-CoV-2 viruses, this study provides solid evidence showing that SARS-CoV-2 NP associates with G3BP1 and G3BP2 in vitro and in vivo. NPSARS-CoV-2 could efficiently suppress G3BP-mediated SG formation and potentiate viral infection by overcoming G3BP1-mediated antiviral innate immunity. G3BP1 conditional knockout mice (g3bp1fl/fL, Sftpc-Cre) exhibit significantly higher lung viral loads after SARS-CoV-2 infection than wild-type mice. Our findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding the pathogenicity of NPSARS-CoV-2 and provide insight into new therapeutics targeting NPSARS-CoV-2. IMPORTANCE In this study, by in vitro assay and live SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, we provide solid evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 NP associates with G3BP1 and G3BP2 in vitro and in vivo. NPSARS-CoV-2 could efficiently suppress G3BP-mediated SG formation and potentiate viral infection by overcoming antiviral innate immunity mediated by G3BP1 in A549 cell lines and G3BP1 conditional knockout mice (g3bp1-cKO) mice, which provide in-depth evidence showing the mechanism underlying NP-related SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis through G3BPs.
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Airway epithelial interferon response to SARS-CoV-2 is inferior to rhinovirus and heterologous rhinovirus infection suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6972. [PMID: 35484173 PMCID: PMC9048621 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10763-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Common alphacoronaviruses and human rhinoviruses (HRV) induce type I and III interferon (IFN) responses important to limiting viral replication in the airway epithelium. In contrast, highly pathogenic betacoronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2 may evade or antagonize RNA-induced IFN I/III responses. In airway epithelial cells (AECs) from children and older adults we compared IFN I/III responses to SARS-CoV-2 and HRV-16, and assessed whether pre-infection with HRV-16, or pretreatment with recombinant IFN-β or IFN-λ, modified SARS-CoV-2 replication. Bronchial AECs from children (ages 6-18 years) and older adults (ages 60-75 years) were differentiated ex vivo to generate organotypic cultures. In a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) facility, cultures were infected with SARS-CoV-2 or HRV-16, and RNA and protein was harvested from cell lysates 96 h. following infection and supernatant was collected 48 and 96 h. following infection. In additional experiments cultures were pre-infected with HRV-16, or pre-treated with recombinant IFN-β1 or IFN-λ2 before SARS-CoV-2 infection. In a subset of experiments a range of infectious concentrations of HRV-16, SARS-CoV-2 WA-01, SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, and SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant were studied. Despite significant between-donor heterogeneity SARS-CoV-2 replicated 100 times more efficiently than HRV-16. IFNB1, INFL2, and CXCL10 gene expression and protein production following HRV-16 infection was significantly greater than following SARS-CoV-2. IFN gene expression and protein production were inversely correlated with SARS-CoV-2 replication. Treatment of cultures with recombinant IFNβ1 or IFNλ2, or pre-infection of cultures with HRV-16, markedly reduced SARS-CoV-2 replication. In addition to marked between-donor heterogeneity in IFN responses and viral replication, SARS-CoV-2 (WA-01, Delta, and Omicron variants) elicits a less robust IFN response in primary AEC cultures than does rhinovirus, and heterologous rhinovirus infection, or treatment with recombinant IFN-β1 or IFN-λ2, reduces SARS-CoV-2 replication, although to a lesser degree for the Delta and Omicron variants.
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Oh SJ, Lee EN, Park JH, Lee JK, Cho GJ, Park IH, Shin OS. Anti-Viral Activities of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Against Human Respiratory Viruses. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:850744. [PMID: 35558099 PMCID: PMC9085650 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.850744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The endemic and pandemic caused by respiratory virus infection are a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Thus, broadly effective antiviral drugs are needed to treat respiratory viral diseases. Small extracellular vesicles derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (U-exo) have recently gained attention as a cell-free therapeutic strategy due to their potential for safety and efficacy. Anti-viral activities of U-exo to countermeasure respiratory virus-associated diseases are currently unknown. Here, we tested the antiviral activities of U-exo following influenza A/B virus (IFV) and human seasonal coronavirus (HCoV) infections in vitro. Cells were subject to IFV or HCoV infection followed by U-exo treatment. U-exo treatment significantly reduced IFV or HCoV replication and combined treatment with recombinant human interferon-alpha protein (IFN-α) exerted synergistically enhanced antiviral effects against IFV or HCoV. Interestingly, microRNA (miR)-125b, which is one of the most abundantly expressed small RNAs in U-exo, was found to suppress IFV replication possibly via the induction of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Furthermore, U-exo markedly enhanced RNA virus-triggered IFN signaling and ISGs production. Similarly, human nasal epithelial cells cultured at the air-liquid interface (ALI) studies broadly effective anti-viral and anti-inflammatory activities of U-exo against IFV and HCoV, suggesting the potential role of U-exo as a promising intervention for respiratory virus-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Jin Oh
- BK21 Graduate program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eun-Na Lee
- Department of Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joo-Hoo Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Upper Airway Chronic Inflammatory Diseases Laboratory, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae Kyung Lee
- BK21 Graduate program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Geum Joon Cho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Il-Ho Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Upper Airway Chronic Inflammatory Diseases Laboratory, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Il-Ho Park, ; Ok Sarah Shin,
| | - Ok Sarah Shin
- BK21 Graduate program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Il-Ho Park, ; Ok Sarah Shin,
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