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Kennedy MJ, Fernbach S, Scheel TKH. Animal hepacivirus models for hepatitis C virus immune responses and pathology. J Hepatol 2024; 81:184-186. [PMID: 38664157 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Kennedy
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Sonja Fernbach
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Troels K H Scheel
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, and Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.
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2
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Zhang M, Han Z, Lin Y, Jin Z, Zhou S, Wang S, Tang Y, Li J, Li X, Chen H. Understanding the relationship between HCV infection and progression of kidney disease. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1418301. [PMID: 39006752 PMCID: PMC11239345 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1418301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause a range of kidney diseases. HCV is the primary cause of mixed cryoglobulinaemia, which leads to cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis and cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis (GN). Patients with acute cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis often exhibit acute kidney disease due to HCV infection, which typically progresses to acute kidney injury (AKI). HCV also increases the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the likelihood of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Currently, direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) can be used to treat kidney disease at different stages. This review focuses on key findings regarding HCV and kidney disease, discusses the impact of DAAs, and highlights the need for further research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiqi Zhang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhongyu Han
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Naniing Tongren Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yumeng Lin
- Naniing Tongren Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zi Jin
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Rehabilitation, Shanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuwei Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Siyu Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Yuping Tang
- Hepatobiliary Department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Jiaxuan Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xueping Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Haoran Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Chengdu Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to North Sichuan Medical College, Chengdu, China
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3
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Creisher PS, Klein SL. Pathogenesis of viral infections during pregnancy. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0007323. [PMID: 38421182 PMCID: PMC11237665 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00073-23] [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] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYViral infections during pregnancy are associated with significant adverse perinatal and fetal outcomes. Pregnancy is a unique immunologic and physiologic state, which can influence control of virus replication, severity of disease, and vertical transmission. The placenta is the organ of the maternal-fetal interface and provides defense against microbial infection while supporting the semi-allogeneic fetus via tolerogenic immune responses. Some viruses, such as cytomegalovirus, Zika virus, and rubella virus, can breach these defenses, directly infecting the fetus and having long-lasting consequences. Even without direct placental infection, other viruses, including respiratory viruses like influenza viruses and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, still cause placental damage and inflammation. Concentrations of progesterone and estrogens rise during pregnancy and contribute to immunological adaptations, placentation, and placental development and play a pivotal role in creating a tolerogenic environment at the maternal-fetal interface. Animal models, including mice, nonhuman primates, rabbits, and guinea pigs, are instrumental for mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of viral infections during pregnancy and identification of targetable treatments to improve health outcomes of pregnant individuals and offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S Creisher
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sabra L Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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4
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Woo J, Choi Y. Biomarkers in Detection of Hepatitis C Virus Infection. Pathogens 2024; 13:331. [PMID: 38668286 PMCID: PMC11054098 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040331] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects 58 million people worldwide. In the United States, the incidence rate of acute hepatitis C has doubled since 2014; during 2021, this increased to 5% from 2020. Acute hepatitis C is defined by any symptom of acute viral hepatitis plus either jaundice or elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity with the detection of HCV RNA, the anti-HCV antibody, or hepatitis C virus antigen(s). However, most patients with acute infection are asymptomatic. In addition, ALT activity and HCV RNA levels can fluctuate, and a delayed detection of the anti-HCV antibody can occur among some immunocompromised persons with HCV infection. The detection of specific biomarkers can be of great value in the early detection of HCV infection at an asymptomatic stage. The high rate of HCV replication (which is approximately 1010 to 1012 virions per day) and the lack of proofreading by the viral RNA polymerase leads to enormous genetic diversity, creating a major challenge for the host immune response. This broad genetic diversity contributes to the likelihood of developing chronic infection, thus leading to the development of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies for HCV infection are highly effective with a cure rate of up to 99%. At the same time, many patients with HCV infection are unaware of their infection status because of the mostly asymptomatic nature of hepatitis C, so they remain undiagnosed until the liver damage has advanced. Molecular mechanisms induced by HCV have been intensely investigated to find biomarkers for diagnosing the acute and chronic phases of the infection. However, there are no clinically verified biomarkers for patients with hepatitis C. In this review, we discuss the biomarkers that can differentiate acute from chronic hepatitis C, and we summarize the current state of the literature on the useful biomarkers that are detectable during acute and chronic HCV infection, liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Youkyung Choi
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30329-4018, USA;
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5
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Zhang Y, Kinast V, Sheldon J, Frericks N, Todt D, Zimmer M, Caliskan N, Brown RJP, Steinmann E, Pietschmann T. Mouse Liver-Expressed Shiftless Is an Evolutionarily Conserved Antiviral Effector Restricting Human and Murine Hepaciviruses. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0128423. [PMID: 37341610 PMCID: PMC10433982 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01284-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Mice are refractory to infection with human-tropic hepatitis C virus (HCV), although distantly related rodent hepaciviruses (RHV) circulate in wild rodents. To investigate whether liver intrinsic host factors can exhibit broad restriction against these distantly related hepaciviruses, we focused on Shiftless (Shfl), an interferon (IFN)-regulated gene (IRG) which restricts HCV in humans. Unusually, and in contrast to selected classical IRGs, human and mouse SHFL orthologues (hSHFL and mSHFL, respectively) were highly expressed in hepatocytes in the absence of viral infection, weakly induced by IFN, and highly conserved at the amino acid level (>95%). Replication of both HCV and RHV subgenomic replicons was suppressed by ectopic expression of mSHFL in human or rodent hepatoma cell lines. Gene editing of endogenous mShfl in mouse liver tumor cells increased HCV replication and virion production. Colocalization of mSHFL protein with viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) intermediates was confirmed and could be ablated by mutational disruption of the SHFL zinc finger domain, concomitant with a loss of antiviral activity. In summary, these data point to an evolutionarily conserved function for this gene in humans and rodents: SHFL is an ancient antiviral effector which targets distantly related hepaciviruses via restriction of viral RNA replication. IMPORTANCE Viruses have evolved ways to evade or blunt innate cellular antiviral mechanisms within their cognate host species. However, these adaptations may fail when viruses infect new species and can therefore limit cross-species transmission. This may also prevent development of animal models for human-pathogenic viruses. HCV shows a narrow species tropism likely due to distinct human host factor usage and innate antiviral defenses limiting infection of nonhuman liver cells. Interferon (IFN)-regulated genes (IRGs) partially inhibit HCV infection of human cells by diverse mechanisms. Here, we show that mouse Shiftless (mSHFL), a protein that interferes with HCV replication factories, inhibits HCV replication and infection in human and mouse liver cells. We further report that the zinc finger domain of SHFL is important for viral restriction. These findings implicate mSHFL as a host factor that impairs HCV infection of mice and provide guidance for development of HCV animal models needed for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudi Zhang
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Volker Kinast
- Department for Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Julie Sheldon
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nicola Frericks
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Daniel Todt
- Department for Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), Jena, Germany
| | - Matthias Zimmer
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research), Würzburg, Germany
- University of Würzburg, Faculty of Medicine, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Neva Caliskan
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research), Würzburg, Germany
- University of Würzburg, Faculty of Medicine, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Richard J. P. Brown
- Department for Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Department for Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Pietschmann
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany
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6
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Lopez-Scarim J, Nambiar SM, Billerbeck E. Studying T Cell Responses to Hepatotropic Viruses in the Liver Microenvironment. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:681. [PMID: 36992265 PMCID: PMC10056334 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells play an important role in the clearance of hepatotropic viruses but may also cause liver injury and contribute to disease progression in chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections which affect millions of people worldwide. The liver provides a unique microenvironment of immunological tolerance and hepatic immune regulation can modulate the functional properties of T cell subsets and influence the outcome of a virus infection. Extensive research over the last years has advanced our understanding of hepatic conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and unconventional T cell subsets and their functions in the liver environment during acute and chronic viral infections. The recent development of new small animal models and technological advances should further increase our knowledge of hepatic immunological mechanisms. Here we provide an overview of the existing models to study hepatic T cells and review the current knowledge about the distinct roles of heterogeneous T cell populations during acute and chronic viral hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eva Billerbeck
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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7
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Schwoerer MP, Ploss A. Barriers to hepatitis C virus infection in mice. Curr Opin Virol 2022; 56:101273. [PMID: 36244239 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2022.101273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is unable to infect mice, a fact that has severely limited their use as small-animal models for HCV pathogenesis and as tools for HCV vaccine development. HCV is blocked at various stages of its life cycle in mouse cells, due to incompatibility with host factors, the presence of dominant restriction factors, and effective immune responses. Molecular mechanisms for several such blocks have been characterized. The stepwise understanding of these limitations in mice will enable the development of an immunocompetent mouse that can fully support HCV infection and exhibit disease similar to that of infected humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander Ploss
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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8
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McDuffie D, Barr D, Agarwal A, Thomas E. Physiologically relevant microsystems to study viral infection in the human liver. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:999366. [PMID: 36246284 PMCID: PMC9555087 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.999366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral hepatitis is a leading cause of liver disease and mortality. Infection can occur acutely or chronically, but the mechanisms that govern the clearance of virus or lack thereof are poorly understood and merit further investigation. Though cures for viral hepatitis have been developed, they are expensive, not readily accessible in vulnerable populations and some patients may remain at an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) even after viral clearance. To sustain infection in vitro, hepatocytes must be fully mature and remain in a differentiated state. However, primary hepatocytes rapidly dedifferentiate in conventional 2D in vitro platforms. Physiologically relevant or physiomimetic microsystems, are increasingly popular alternatives to traditional two-dimensional (2D) monocultures for in vitro studies. Physiomimetic systems reconstruct and incorporate elements of the native cellular microenvironment to improve biologic functionality in vitro. Multiple elements contribute to these models including ancillary tissue architecture, cell co-cultures, matrix proteins, chemical gradients and mechanical forces that contribute to increased viability, longevity and physiologic function for the tissue of interest. These microsystems are used in a wide variety of applications to study biological phenomena. Here, we explore the use of physiomimetic microsystems as tools for studying viral hepatitis infection in the liver and how the design of these platforms is tailored for enhanced investigation of the viral lifecycle when compared to conventional 2D cell culture models. Although liver-based physiomimetic microsystems are typically applied in the context of drug studies, the platforms developed for drug discovery purposes offer a solid foundation to support studies on viral hepatitis. Physiomimetic platforms may help prolong hepatocyte functionality in order to sustain chronic viral hepatitis infection in vitro for studying virus-host interactions for prolonged periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis McDuffie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
| | - David Barr
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Ashutosh Agarwal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Ashutosh Agarwal,
| | - Emmanuel Thomas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Schiff Center for Liver Diseases, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Emmanuel Thomas,
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9
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Pacchiarotti G, Nardini R, Scicluna MT. Equine Hepacivirus: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of Serological and Biomolecular Prevalence and a Phylogenetic Update. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192486. [PMID: 36230228 PMCID: PMC9558973 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This is a comprehensive review containing the most up-to-date information on Equine Hepacivirus, one of the recently discovered hepatic equine viruses, together with an analysis of serological and biomolecular presence presented in apreviously published papers, and an update on its genetic relationship within the species and with similar species. Extensive description of the EqHV features is included, and results are presented with several tables and figures, providing a valuable reference guide for further studies. Abstract Viral hepatitis has recently assumed relevance for equine veterinary medicine since a variety of new viruses have been discovered. Equine Hepacivirus (EqHV) is an RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family that can cause subclinical hepatitis in horses, occasionally evolving into a chronic disease. EqHV, to date, is considered the closest known relative of human HCV. EqHV has been reported worldwide therefore assessing its features is relevant, considering both the wide use of blood products and transfusions in veterinary therapies and its similitude to HCV. The present review resumes the actual knowledge on EqHV epidemiology, risk factors and immunology, together with potential diagnostics and good practices for prevention. Moreover, adhering to PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews a meta-analysis of serological and biomolecular prevalence and an updated phylogenetic description is presented as a benchmark for further studies.
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10
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Barnes E, Cooke GS, Lauer GM, Chung RT. Implementation of a controlled human infection model for evaluation of HCV vaccine candidates. Hepatology 2022; 77:1757-1772. [PMID: 35736236 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major global health concern. Directly acting antiviral (DAA) drugs have transformed the treatment of HCV. However, it has become clear that, without an effective HCV vaccine, it will not be possible to meet the World Health Organization targets of HCV viral elimination. Promising new vaccine technologies that generate high magnitude antiviral T and B cell immune responses and significant new funding have recently become available, stimulating the HCV vaccine pipeline. In the absence of an immune competent animal model for HCV, the major block in evaluating new HCV vaccine candidates will be the assessment of vaccine efficacy in humans. The development of a controlled human infection model (CHIM) for HCV could overcome this block, enabling the head-to-head assessment of vaccine candidates. The availability of highly effective DAA means that a CHIM for HCV is possible for the first time. In this review, we highlight the challenges and issues with currently available strategies to assess HCV vaccine efficacy including HCV "at-risk" cohorts and animal models. We describe the development of CHIM in other infections that are increasingly utilized by trialists and explore the ethical and safety concerns specific for an HCV CHIM. Finally, we propose an HCV CHIM study design including the selection of volunteers, the development of an infectious inoculum, the evaluation of host immune and viral parameters, and the definition of study end points for use in an HCV CHIM. Importantly, the study design (including number of volunteers required, cost, duration of study, and risk to volunteers) varies significantly depending on the proposed mechanism of action (sterilizing/rapid viral clearance vs. delayed viral clearance) of the vaccine under evaluation. We conclude that an HCV CHIM is now realistic, that safety and ethical concerns can be addressed with the right study design, and that, without an HCV CHIM, it is difficult to envisage how the development of an HCV vaccine will be possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Barnes
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford, UK
| | - Graham S Cooke
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, Oxford, UK
| | - Georg M Lauer
- Liver Center, GI Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Raymond T Chung
- Liver Center, GI Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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11
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Du H, Zhang L, Zhang X, Yun F, Chang Y, Tuersun A, Aisaiti K, Ma Z. Metagenome-Assembled Viral Genomes Analysis Reveals Diversity and Infectivity of the RNA Virome of Gerbillinae Species. Viruses 2022; 14:356. [PMID: 35215951 PMCID: PMC8874536 DOI: 10.3390/v14020356] [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: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents are a known reservoir for extensive zoonotic viruses, and also possess a propensity to roost in human habitation. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and catalogue the potentially emerging zoonotic viruses that are carried by rodents. Here, viral metagenomic sequencing was used for zoonotic virus detection and virome characterization on 32 Great gerbils of Rhombomys opimus, Meriones meridianus, and Meiiones Unguiculataus species in Xinjiang, Northwest China. In total, 1848 viral genomes that are potentially pathogenic to rodents and humans, as well as to other wildlife, were identified namely Retro-, Flavi-, Pneumo-, Picobirna-, Nairo-, Arena-, Hepe-, Phenui-, Rhabdo-, Calici-, Reo-, Corona-, Orthomyxo-, Peribunya-, and Picornaviridae families. In addition, a new genotype of rodent Hepacivirus was identified in heart and lung homogenates of seven viscera pools and phylogenetic analysis revealed the closest relationship to rodent Hepacivirus isolate RtMm-HCV/IM2014 that was previously reported to infect rodents from Inner Mongolia, China. Moreover, nine new genotype viral sequences that corresponded to Picobirnaviruses (PBVs), which have a bi-segmented genome and belong to the family Picobirnaviridae, comprising of three segment I and six segment II sequences, were identified in intestines and liver of seven viscera pools. In the two phylogenetic trees that were constructed using ORF1 and ORF2 of segment I, the three segment I sequences were clustered into distinct clades. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis showed that PBV sequences were distributed in the whole tree that was constructed using the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of segment II with high diversity, sharing 68.42-82.67% nucleotide identities with other genogroup I and genogroup II PBV strains based on the partial RdRp gene. By RNA sequencing, we found a high degree of biodiversity of Retro-, Flavi-, Pneumo-, and Picobirnaridae families and other zoonotic viruses in gerbils, indicating that zoonotic viruses are a common presence in gerbils from Xinjiang, China. Therefore, further research is needed to determine the zoonotic potential of these viruses that are carried by other rodent species from different ecosystems and wildlife in general.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Zhenghai Ma
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China; (H.D.); (L.Z.); (X.Z.); (F.Y.); (Y.C.); (A.T.); (K.A.)
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12
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Meshram RJ, Kathwate GH, Gacche RN. Progress, evolving therapeutic/diagnostic approaches, and challenges in the management of hepatitis C virus infections. Arch Virol 2022; 167:717-736. [PMID: 35089390 PMCID: PMC8795940 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05375-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are emerging as one of the foremost challenges in healthcare owing to its chronicity and the virus’s quasispecies nature. Worldwide, over 170 million people are chronically infected with HCV, with an annual mortality of over 500,000 people across the world. The emerging pathophysiological evidence links HCV infections to a risk of developing liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite the great strides that have been made towards understanding the pathophysiology of disease progression, the tailored treatments of HCV infection remain to be established. The present review provides an update of the literature pertaining to evolving therapeutic approaches and prophylactic measures for the effective management of HCV infections. An extensive discussion of established and experimental immune prophylactic measures also sheds light on current developments in the design of vaccination strategies against HCV infection. We have also attempted to address the application of nanotechnology in formulating effective therapeutic interventions against HCV. Pointing out the limitations of the existing diagnostic methods and therapeutic approaches against HCV might inspire the design and development of novel, efficient, reliable, and cost-effective diagnostic technologies as well as novel therapeutic and immune prophylactic interventions for the effective management of HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rajesh Nivarti Gacche
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, MS, 411007, India.
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13
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Bankwitz D, Krey T, Pietschmann T. [Development approaches for vaccines against hepatitis C virus infections]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2022; 65:183-191. [PMID: 35015104 PMCID: PMC8749110 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-021-03477-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Mehr als 10 Jahre nach der Zulassung der ersten direkt wirkenden antiviralen Wirkstoffe zur Behandlung der Hepatitis C bleibt die Inzidenz der Hepatitis-C-Virus-(HCV-)Infektion ungebrochen hoch. In manchen Ländern stecken sich mehr Menschen neu mit dem Virus an, als Patienten durch eine erfolgreiche Therapie geheilt werden. Die Entwicklung eines prophylaktischen Impfstoffes könnte die Transmission des Virus unterbinden und dadurch einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Kontrolle dieser weltweit verbreiteten Infektion leisten. In diesem Artikel werden die besonderen Herausforderungen und die aktuellen Ansätze der HCV-Impfstoffentwicklung dargestellt. HCV ist ein hochgradig diverses und wandlungsfähiges Virus, das zumeist dem Immunsystem entkommt und chronische Infektionen etabliert. Andererseits heilt die HCV-Infektion bei bis zu einem Drittel der exponierten Individuen aus, sodass eine schützende Immunität erreichbar ist. Zahlreiche Untersuchungen zu den Determinanten einer schützenden Immunität gegen HCV zeichnen ein immer kompletteres Bild davon, welche Ziele ein Impfstoff erreichen muss. Sehr wahrscheinlich werden sowohl starke neutralisierende Antikörper als auch wirkungsvolle zytotoxische T‑Zellen gebraucht, um sicher vor einer chronischen Infektion zu schützen. Die Schlüsselfrage ist, welche Ansätze besonders breit wirksame Antikörper und T‑Zellen heranreifen lassen. Dies wird erforderlich sein, um vor der großen Fülle unterschiedlicher HCV-Varianten zu schützen. Die jüngsten Erfolge von mRNA-Impfstoffen öffnen neue Türen auch für die HCV-Impfstoffforschung. Kombiniert mit einem tieferen Verständnis der Struktur und Funktion der viralen Hüllproteine, der Identifizierung kreuzprotektiver Antikörper- und T‑Zellepitope sowie der Nutzung standardisierter Verfahren zur Quantifizierung der Wirksamkeit von Impfkandidaten ergeben sich neue Perspektiven für die Entwicklung eines Impfstoffes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Bankwitz
- Twincore Zentrum für Experimentelle und Klinische Infektionsforschung, Institut für Experimentelle Virologie, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625, Hannover, Deutschland
| | - Thomas Krey
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, RESIST Exzellenzcluster EXC2155, Hannover, Deutschland.,Zentrum für Strukturbiologie und Zellbiologie in der Medizin, Institut für Biochemie, Universität Lübeck, Lübeck, Deutschland.,Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (DZIF), Partnerstandort Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Braunschweig, Deutschland.,Institut für Virologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Deutschland
| | - Thomas Pietschmann
- Twincore Zentrum für Experimentelle und Klinische Infektionsforschung, Institut für Experimentelle Virologie, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625, Hannover, Deutschland. .,Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, RESIST Exzellenzcluster EXC2155, Hannover, Deutschland. .,Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (DZIF), Partnerstandort Hannover-Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Deutschland.
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14
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Duan Q, Yu B, Huang Z, Luo Y, Zheng P, Mao X, Yu J, Luo J, Yan H, He J. Protective effect of sialyllactose on the intestinal epithelium in weaned pigs upon enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli challenge. Food Funct 2022; 13:11627-11637. [DOI: 10.1039/d2fo02066a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Sialyllactose (SL), one of the most abundant oligosaccharides present in porcine breast milk, has been implicated in many biological functions, including the prebiotic and immune-modulating effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiming Duan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Bing Yu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Zhiqing Huang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Yuheng Luo
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Ping Zheng
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Xiangbing Mao
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Jie Yu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Junqiu Luo
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Hui Yan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
| | - Jun He
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-resistant Nutrition, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, P. R. China
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15
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Vaidya NK, Bloomquist A, Perelson AS. Modeling Within-Host Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Study in Ferrets. Viruses 2021; 13:1635. [PMID: 34452499 PMCID: PMC8402735 DOI: 10.3390/v13081635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pre-clinical development of antiviral agents involves experimental trials in animals and ferrets as an animal model for the study of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we used mathematical models and experimental data to characterize the within-host infection dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in ferrets. We also performed a global sensitivity analysis of model parameters impacting the characteristics of the viral infection. We provide estimates of the viral dynamic parameters in ferrets, such as the infection rate, the virus production rate, the infectious virus proportion, the infected cell death rate, the virus clearance rate, as well as other related characteristics, including the basic reproduction number, pre-peak infectious viral growth rate, post-peak infectious viral decay rate, pre-peak infectious viral doubling time, post-peak infectious virus half-life, and the target cell loss in the respiratory tract. These parameters and indices are not significantly different between animals infected with viral strains isolated from the environment and isolated from human hosts, indicating a potential for transmission from fomites. While the infection period in ferrets is relatively short, the similarity observed between our results and previous results in humans supports that ferrets can be an appropriate animal model for SARS-CoV-2 dynamics-related studies, and our estimates provide helpful information for such studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveen K. Vaidya
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA;
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Angelica Bloomquist
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA;
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Alan S. Perelson
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA;
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16
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Van de Perre P, Molès J, Nagot N, Tuaillon E, Ceccaldi P, Goga A, Prendergast AJ, Rollins N. Revisiting Koch's postulate to determine the plausibility of viral transmission by human milk. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2021; 32:835-842. [PMID: 33594740 PMCID: PMC8359252 DOI: 10.1111/pai.13473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
As breastfeeding is of utmost importance for child development and survival, identifying whether breast milk is a route of transmission for human viruses is critical. Based on the principle of Koch's postulate, we propose an analytical framework to determine the plausibility of viral transmission by breast milk. This framework is based on five criteria: viral infection in children receiving breast milk from infected mothers; the presence of virus, viral antigen, or viral genome in the breast milk of infected mothers; the evidence for the virus in breast milk being infectious; the attempts to rule out other transmission modalities; and the reproduction of viral transmission by oral inoculation in an animal model. We searched for evidence in published reports to determine whether the 5 criteria are fulfilled for 16 human viruses that are suspected to be transmissible by breast milk. We considered breast milk transmission is proven if all 5 criteria are fulfilled, as probable if 4 of the 5 criteria are met, as possible if 3 of the 5 criteria are fulfilled, and as unlikely if less than 3 criteria are met. Only five viruses have proven transmission through breast milk: human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1, human immunodeficiency virus, human cytomegalovirus, dengue virus, and Zika virus. The other 11 viruses fulfilled some but not all criteria and were categorized accordingly. Our framework analysis is useful for guiding public health recommendations and for identifying knowledge gaps amenable to original experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Van de Perre
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging InfectionsUniversity of MontpellierINSERMEtablissement Français du SangAntilles UniversityMontpellierFrance
- CHU MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Jean‐Pierre Molès
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging InfectionsUniversity of MontpellierINSERMEtablissement Français du SangAntilles UniversityMontpellierFrance
- CHU MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Nicolas Nagot
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging InfectionsUniversity of MontpellierINSERMEtablissement Français du SangAntilles UniversityMontpellierFrance
- CHU MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Edouard Tuaillon
- Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging InfectionsUniversity of MontpellierINSERMEtablissement Français du SangAntilles UniversityMontpellierFrance
- CHU MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Pierre‐Emmanuel Ceccaldi
- Unité Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus OncogènesCNRS UMR 3569Institut PasteurUniversité de ParisParisFrance
| | - Ameena Goga
- HIV Prevention Research UnitSouth African Medical Research CouncilCape TownSouth Africa
- Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Andrew J. Prendergast
- Blizard InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonUK
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health ResearchHarareZimbabwe
| | - Nigel Rollins
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and AgeingWorld Health OrganizationGenevaSwitzerland
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17
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Leumi S, El Kassas M, Zhong J. Hepatitis C virus genotype 4: A poorly characterized endemic genotype. J Med Virol 2021; 93:6079-6088. [PMID: 34185316 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Globally, 13% of all hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are caused by genotype 4 (GT4), which consists of 17 subtypes with various levels of susceptibility to anti-HCV therapy. This genotype is endemic in the Middle East and Africa and has considerably spread to Europe lately. The molecular features of HCV-GT4 infection, as well as its appropriate therapeutics, are poorly characterized as it has not been the subject of widespread basic research. As such, in this review, we aim to gather the current state of knowledge of this genotype with a particular emphasis on its heterogeneity, sequence signatures, resistance-associated substitutions, and available in vivo and in vitro models used for its study. We urge developing more cell-culture models based on different GT4 subtypes to better understand the virology and therapeutic response of this particular genotype. This review may raise more awareness about this genotype and trigger more basic research work to develop its research tools. This will be critical to design better therapeutics and help to provide adequate guidelines for physicians working with HCV-GT4 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Leumi
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mohamed El Kassas
- Department of Endemic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Jin Zhong
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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18
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Sun C, Chen XC, Kang YF, Zeng MS. The Status and Prospects of Epstein-Barr Virus Prophylactic Vaccine Development. Front Immunol 2021; 12:677027. [PMID: 34168649 PMCID: PMC8218244 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.677027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus that is common among the global population, causing an enormous disease burden. EBV can directly cause infectious mononucleosis and is also associated with various malignancies and autoimmune diseases. In order to prevent primary infection and subsequent chronic disease, efforts have been made to develop a prophylactic vaccine against EBV in recent years, but there is still no vaccine in clinical use. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global cooperation in vaccine development against SARS-CoV-2 provide insights for next-generation antiviral vaccine design and opportunities for developing an effective prophylactic EBV vaccine. With improvements in antigen selection, vaccine platforms, formulation and evaluation systems, novel vaccines against EBV are expected to elicit dual protection against infection of both B lymphocytes and epithelial cells. This would provide sustainable immunity against EBV-associated malignancies, finally enabling the control of worldwide EBV infection and management of EBV-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin-Chun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yin-Feng Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mu-Sheng Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Structure-Based and Rational Design of a Hepatitis C Virus Vaccine. Viruses 2021; 13:v13050837. [PMID: 34063143 PMCID: PMC8148096 DOI: 10.3390/v13050837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine is a critical yet unfulfilled step in addressing the global disease burden of HCV. While decades of research have led to numerous clinical and pre-clinical vaccine candidates, these efforts have been hindered by factors including HCV antigenic variability and immune evasion. Structure-based and rational vaccine design approaches have capitalized on insights regarding the immune response to HCV and the structures of antibody-bound envelope glycoproteins. Despite successes with other viruses, designing an immunogen based on HCV glycoproteins that can elicit broadly protective immunity against HCV infection is an ongoing challenge. Here, we describe HCV vaccine design approaches where immunogens were selected and optimized through analysis of available structures, identification of conserved epitopes targeted by neutralizing antibodies, or both. Several designs have elicited immune responses against HCV in vivo, revealing correlates of HCV antigen immunogenicity and breadth of induced responses. Recent studies have elucidated the functional, dynamic and immunological features of key regions of the viral envelope glycoproteins, which can inform next-generation immunogen design efforts. These insights and design strategies represent promising pathways to HCV vaccine development, which can be further informed by successful immunogen designs generated for other viruses.
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20
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Arez F, Rodrigues AF, Brito C, Alves PM. Bioengineered Liver Cell Models of Hepatotropic Infections. Viruses 2021; 13:773. [PMID: 33925701 PMCID: PMC8146083 DOI: 10.3390/v13050773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis viruses and liver-stage malaria are within the liver infections causing higher morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. The highly restricted tropism of the major human hepatotropic pathogens-namely, the human hepatitis B and C viruses and the Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax parasites-has hampered the development of disease models. These models are crucial for uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying the biology of infection and governing host-pathogen interaction, as well as for fostering drug development. Bioengineered cell models better recapitulate the human liver microenvironment and extend hepatocyte viability and phenotype in vitro, when compared with conventional two-dimensional cell models. In this article, we review the bioengineering tools employed in the development of hepatic cell models for studying infection, with an emphasis on 3D cell culture strategies, and discuss how those tools contributed to the level of recapitulation attained in the different model layouts. Examples of host-pathogen interactions uncovered by engineered liver models and their usefulness in drug development are also presented. Finally, we address the current bottlenecks, trends, and prospect toward cell models' reliability, robustness, and reproducibility.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Bioengineering/methods
- Cell Culture Techniques
- Disease Models, Animal
- Disease Susceptibility
- Drug Discovery
- Hepatitis/drug therapy
- Hepatitis/etiology
- Hepatitis/metabolism
- Hepatitis/pathology
- Hepatitis, Viral, Human/etiology
- Hepatitis, Viral, Human/metabolism
- Hepatitis, Viral, Human/pathology
- Hepatocytes/metabolism
- Hepatocytes/parasitology
- Hepatocytes/virology
- Host-Pathogen Interactions
- Humans
- Liver/metabolism
- Liver/parasitology
- Liver/virology
- Liver Diseases, Parasitic/etiology
- Liver Diseases, Parasitic/metabolism
- Liver Diseases, Parasitic/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Arez
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (F.A.); (A.F.R.); (C.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana F. Rodrigues
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (F.A.); (A.F.R.); (C.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Catarina Brito
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (F.A.); (A.F.R.); (C.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Lisbon Campus, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Paula M. Alves
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (F.A.); (A.F.R.); (C.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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21
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Liang Y, Zhang G, Li Q, Han L, Hu X, Guo Y, Tao W, Zhao X, Guo M, Gan T, Tong Y, Xu Y, Zhou Z, Ding Q, Wei W, Zhong J. TRIM26 is a critical host factor for HCV replication and contributes to host tropism. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/2/eabd9732. [PMID: 33523994 PMCID: PMC7793585 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd9732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major human pathogen that requires better understanding of virus-host interactions. In this study, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screening and identified TRIM26, an E3 ligase, as a critical HCV host factor. Deficiency of TRIM26 specifically impairs HCV genome replication. Mechanistic studies showed that TRIM26 interacts with HCV-encoded NS5B protein and mediates its K27-linked ubiquitination at residue K51, and thus promotes the NS5B-NS5A interaction. Moreover, mouse TRIM26 does not support HCV replication because of its unique six-amino acid insert that prevents its interaction with NS5B. Ectopic expression of human TRIM26 in a mouse hepatoma cell line that has been reconstituted with other essential HCV host factors promotes HCV infection. In conclusion, we identified TRIM26 as a host factor for HCV replication and a new determinant of host tropism. These results shed light on HCV-host interactions and may facilitate the development of an HCV animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yisha Liang
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guigen Zhang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510000, China
| | - Qiheng Li
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Lin Han
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoyou Hu
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Guo
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wanyin Tao
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiaomin Zhao
- Center for Infectious Diseases Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mingzhe Guo
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tianyu Gan
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yimin Tong
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yongfen Xu
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Zhuo Zhou
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qiang Ding
- Center for Infectious Diseases Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wensheng Wei
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Jin Zhong
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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22
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Ribosome Pausing at Inefficient Codons at the End of the Replicase Coding Region Is Important for Hepatitis C Virus Genome Replication. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186955. [PMID: 32971876 PMCID: PMC7555993 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects liver cells and often causes chronic infection, also leading to liver cirrhosis and cancer. In the cytoplasm, the viral structural and non-structural (NS) proteins are directly translated from the plus strand HCV RNA genome. The viral proteins NS3 to NS5B proteins constitute the replication complex that is required for RNA genome replication via a minus strand antigenome. The most C-terminal protein in the genome is the NS5B replicase, which needs to initiate antigenome RNA synthesis at the very 3′-end of the plus strand. Using ribosome profiling of cells replicating full-length infectious HCV genomes, we uncovered that ribosomes accumulate at the HCV stop codon and about 30 nucleotides upstream of it. This pausing is due to the presence of conserved rare, inefficient Wobble codons upstream of the termination site. Synonymous substitution of these inefficient codons to efficient codons has negative consequences for viral RNA replication but not for viral protein synthesis. This pausing may allow the enzymatically active replicase core to find its genuine RNA template in cis, while the protein is still held in place by being stuck with its C-terminus in the exit tunnel of the paused ribosome.
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