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Nagasawa Y, Nakayama M, Kato Y, Ogawa Y, Aribam SD, Tsugami Y, Iwata T, Mikami O, Sugiyama A, Onishi M, Hayashi T, Eguchi M. A novel vaccine strategy using quick and easy conversion of bacterial pathogens to unnatural amino acid-auxotrophic suicide derivatives. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0355723. [PMID: 38385737 PMCID: PMC10986568 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03557-23] [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] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
We propose a novel strategy for quick and easy preparation of suicide live vaccine candidates against bacterial pathogens. This method requires only the transformation of one or more plasmids carrying genes encoding for two types of biological devices, an unnatural amino acid (uAA) incorporation system and toxin-antitoxin systems in which translation of the antitoxins requires the uAA incorporation. Escherichia coli BL21-AI laboratory strains carrying the plasmids were viable in the presence of the uAA, whereas the free toxins killed these strains after the removal of the uAA. The survival time after uAA removal could be controlled by the choice of the uAA incorporation system and toxin-antitoxin systems. Multilayered toxin-antitoxin systems suppressed escape frequency to less than 1 escape per 109 generations in the best case. This conditional suicide system also worked in Salmonella enterica and E. coli clinical isolates. The S. enterica vaccine strains were attenuated with a >105 fold lethal dose. Serum IgG response and protection against the parental pathogenic strain were confirmed. In addition, the live E. coli vaccine strain was significantly more immunogenic and provided greater protection than a formalin-inactivated vaccine. The live E. coli vaccine was not detected after inoculation, presumably because the uAA is not present in the host animals or the natural environment. These results suggest that this strategy provides a novel way to rapidly produce safe and highly immunogenic live bacterial vaccine candidates. IMPORTANCE Live vaccines are the oldest vaccines with a history of more than 200 years. Due to their strong immunogenicity, live vaccines are still an important category of vaccines today. However, the development of live vaccines has been challenging due to the difficulties in achieving a balance between safety and immunogenicity. In recent decades, the frequent emergence of various new and old pathogens at risk of causing pandemics has highlighted the need for rapid vaccine development processes. We have pioneered the use of uAAs to control gene expression and to conditionally kill host bacteria as a biological containment system. This report proposes a quick and easy conversion of bacterial pathogens into live vaccine candidates using this containment system. The balance between safety and immunogenicity can be modulated by the selection of the genetic devices used. Moreover, the uAA-auxotrophy can prevent the vaccine from infecting other individuals or establishing the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Nagasawa
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Momoko Nakayama
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kato
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yohsuke Ogawa
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Swarmistha Devi Aribam
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yusaku Tsugami
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Taketoshi Iwata
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Osamu Mikami
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Aoi Sugiyama
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Megumi Onishi
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Tomohito Hayashi
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Masahiro Eguchi
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Kianmehr M, Khazdair MR, Abbasnezhad A, Akram M. Effects of Lamiaceae family plants and their bioactive ingredients on coronavirus-induced lung inflammation. Food Sci Nutr 2024; 12:1528-1544. [PMID: 38455203 PMCID: PMC10916600 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3903] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a family of viruses that cause infection in respiratory and intestinal systems. Different types of CoVs, those responsible for the SARS-CoV and the new global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 in people, have been found. Some plants were used as food additives: spices and dietary and/or medicinal purposes in folk medicine. We aimed to provide evidence about possible effects of two Lamiaceae family plants on control or treatment of CoVs-induced inflammation. The keywords including coronaviruses, Thymus vulgaris, Zataria multiflora, thymol, carvacrol, antivirus, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects were searched in various databases such as PubMed, Web of Sciences (ISI), and Google Scholar until September 2022. The medicinal herbs and their main ingredients, thymol and carvacrol, showed antiviral properties and reduced inflammatory mediators, including IL-1β; IL-6, and TNF-α, at both gene and protein levels but increased the levels of IFN-γ in the serum as anti-inflammatory cytokine. These medicinal herbs and their constituents also reduce oxidative stress and enhance antioxidant capacity. The results of molecular docking analyses also indicated that polyphenol components such as thymol, carvone, and carvacrol could inhibit the entry of the viruses into the host cells in molecular docking analyses. The antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of these plants may be due to actions of their phenolic compounds that modulate immune response and may be useful in the control and treatment of CoV-induced lung disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammad Reza Khazdair
- Cardiovascular Diseases Research CenterBirjand University of Medical SciencesBirjandIran
| | - Abbasali Abbasnezhad
- Applied Biomedical Research CenterMashhad University of Medical SciencesMashhadIran
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of MedicineGonabad University of Medical SciencesGonabadIran
| | - Muhammad Akram
- Department of Eastern MedicineGovernment College University FaisalabadFaisalabadPakistan
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Shanmugaraj B, Jirarojwattana P, Phoolcharoen W. Molecular Farming Strategy for the Rapid Production of Protein-Based Reagents for Use in Infectious Disease Diagnostics. PLANTA MEDICA 2023; 89:1010-1020. [PMID: 37072112 DOI: 10.1055/a-2076-2034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are a major breakthrough in biomedical research with a wide range of applications from diagnostics to therapeutics. Strategic construct design, consistent expression platforms, and suitable upstream and downstream techniques are key considerations to produce commercially viable recombinant proteins. The recombinant antigenic protein production for use either as a diagnostic reagent or subunit vaccine formulation is usually carried out in prokaryotic or eukaryotic expression platforms. Microbial and mammalian systems dominate the biopharmaceutical industry for such applications. However, there is no universal expression system that can meet all the requirements for different types of proteins. The adoptability of any expression system is likely based on the quality and quantity of the proteins that can be produced from it. The huge demand of recombinant proteins for different applications requires an inexpensive production platform for rapid development. The molecular farming scientific community has been promoting the plant system for nearly 3 decades as a cost-effective alternative to produce high-quality proteins for research, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. Here, we discuss how plant biotechnology could offer solutions for the rapid and scalable production of protein antigens as low-cost diagnostic reagents for use in functional assays.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Perawat Jirarojwattana
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Shen Y, Shah SR, Zhao K, Han B. Experimental and computational analysis of the injection-induced mechanical changes in the skin microenvironment during subcutaneous injection of biologics. EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS 2023; 61:102025. [PMID: 37304308 PMCID: PMC10249613 DOI: 10.1016/j.eml.2023.102025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Subcutaneous (SQ) injection is an effective delivery route for various biologics, including proteins, antibodies, and vaccines. However, pain and discomfort induced during SQ injection pose a notable challenge for the broader and routine use of biologics. Understanding the underlying mechanism and quantification of injection-induced pain and discomfort (IPD) are urgently needed. A crucial knowledge gap is what changes in the skin tissue microenvironment are induced by the SQ injection, which may ultimately cause the IPD. In this study, thus, a hypothesis is postulated that the injection of biologics solution through the skin tissue microenvironment induces spatiotemporal mechanical changes. Specifically, the injection leads to tissue swelling and subsequent increases in the interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) and matrix stress around the injection site, which ultimately causes the IPD. To test this hypothesis, an engineered SQ injection model is developed capable of measuring tissue swelling during SQ injection. The injection model consists of a skin equivalent with quantum dot-labeled fibroblasts, which enables the measurement of injection-induced spatiotemporal deformation. The IFP and matrix stress are further estimated by computational analysis approximating the skin equivalent as a nonlinear poroelastic material. The result confirms significant injection-induced tissue swelling and increases in IFP and matrix stress. The extent of deformation is correlated to the injection rate. The results also suggest that the size of biologics particulates significantly affects the pattern and extent of the deformation. The results are further discussed to propose a quantitative understanding of the injection-induced changes in the skin microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingnan Shen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | | | - Kejie Zhao
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Bumsoo Han
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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Shen J, Fan J, Zhao Y, Jiang D, Niu Z, Zhang Z, Cao G. Innate and adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and predisposing factors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1159326. [PMID: 37228604 PMCID: PMC10203583 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1159326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), has affected all countries worldwide. Although some symptoms are relatively mild, others are still associated with severe and even fatal clinical outcomes. Innate and adaptive immunity are important for the control of SARS-CoV-2 infections, whereas a comprehensive characterization of the innate and adaptive immune response to COVID-19 is still lacking and the mechanisms underlying immune pathogenesis and host predisposing factors are still a matter of scientific debate. Here, the specific functions and kinetics of innate and adaptive immunity involved in SARS-CoV-2 recognition and resultant pathogenesis are discussed, as well as their immune memory for vaccinations, viral-mediated immune evasion, and the current and future immunotherapeutic agents. We also highlight host factors that contribute to infection, which may deepen the understanding of viral pathogenesis and help identify targeted therapies that attenuate severe disease and infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Shen
- Tongji University School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junyan Fan
- Department of Epidemiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Bioprotection, Key Laboratory of Biological Defense, Ministry of Education, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Bioprotection, Key Laboratory of Biological Defense, Ministry of Education, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Doming Jiang
- Tongji University School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheyun Niu
- Tongji University School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zihan Zhang
- Tongji University School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangwen Cao
- Tongji University School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Epidemiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Bioprotection, Key Laboratory of Biological Defense, Ministry of Education, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
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Pouresmaeil M, Azizi-Dargahlou S. Factors involved in heterologous expression of proteins in E. coli host. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:212. [PMID: 37120438 PMCID: PMC10148705 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03541-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
The production of recombinant proteins is one of the most significant achievements of biotechnology in the last century. These proteins are produced in the eukaryotic or prokaryotic heterologous hosts. By increasing the omics data especially related to different heterologous hosts as well as the presence of new amenable genetic engineering tools, we can artificially engineer heterologous hosts to produce recombinant proteins in sufficient quantities. Numerous recombinant proteins have been produced and applied in various industries, and the global recombinant proteins market size is expected to be cast to reach USD 2.4 billion by 2027. Therefore, identifying the weakness and strengths of heterologous hosts is critical to optimize the large-scale biosynthesis of recombinant proteins. E. coli is one of the popular hosts to produce recombinant proteins. Scientists reported some bottlenecks in this host, and due to the increasing demand for the production of recombinant proteins, there is an urgent need to improve this host. In this review, we first provide general information about the E. coli host and compare it with other hosts. In the next step, we describe the factors involved in the expression of the recombinant proteins in E. coli. Successful expression of recombinant proteins in E. coli requires a complete elucidation of these factors. Here, the characteristics of each factor will be fully described, and this information can help to improve the heterologous expression of recombinant proteins in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahin Pouresmaeil
- Agricultural Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Shahnam Azizi-Dargahlou
- Agricultural Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.
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Gaobotse G, Venkataraman S, Mmereke KM, Moustafa K, Hefferon K, Makhzoum A. Recent Progress on Vaccines Produced in Transgenic Plants. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1861. [PMID: 36366370 PMCID: PMC9698746 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of vaccines from plants has been going on for over two decades now. Vaccine production in plants requires time and a lot of effort. Despite global efforts in plant-made vaccine development, there are still challenges that hinder the realization of the final objective of manufacturing approved and safe products. Despite delays in the commercialization of plant-made vaccines, there are some human vaccines that are in clinical trials. The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and its resultant disease, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), have reminded the global scientific community of the importance of vaccines. Plant-made vaccines could not be more important in tackling such unexpected pandemics as COVID-19. In this review, we explore current progress in the development of vaccines manufactured in transgenic plants for different human diseases over the past 5 years. However, we first explore the different host species and plant expression systems during recombinant protein production, including their shortcomings and benefits. Lastly, we address the optimization of existing plant-dependent vaccine production protocols that are aimed at improving the recovery and purification of these recombinant proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goabaone Gaobotse
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science & Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Srividhya Venkataraman
- Virology Laboratory, Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Kamogelo M. Mmereke
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science & Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Khaled Moustafa
- The Arabic Preprint Server/Arabic Science Archive (ArabiXiv)
| | - Kathleen Hefferon
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Abdullah Makhzoum
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science & Technology, Palapye, Botswana
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Plant Molecular Pharming and Plant-Derived Compounds towards Generation of Vaccines and Therapeutics against Coronaviruses. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10111805. [DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The current century has witnessed infections of pandemic proportions caused by Coronaviruses (CoV) including severe acute respiratory syndrome-related CoV (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome-related CoV (MERS-CoV) and the recently identified SARS-CoV2. Significantly, the SARS-CoV2 outbreak, declared a pandemic in early 2020, has wreaked devastation and imposed intense pressure on medical establishments world-wide in a short time period by spreading at a rapid pace, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, there is a compelling need to combat and contain the CoV infections. The current review addresses the unique features of the molecular virology of major Coronaviruses that may be tractable towards antiviral targeting and design of novel preventative and therapeutic intervention strategies. Plant-derived vaccines, in particular oral vaccines, afford safer, effectual and low-cost avenues to develop antivirals and fast response vaccines, requiring minimal infrastructure and trained personnel for vaccine administration in developing countries. This review article discusses recent developments in the generation of plant-based vaccines, therapeutic/drug molecules, monoclonal antibodies and phytochemicals to preclude and combat infections caused by SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Efficacious plant-derived antivirals could contribute significantly to combating emerging and re-emerging pathogenic CoV infections and help stem the tide of any future pandemics.
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Fahr S, Peña-Benavides SA, Thiel L, Sengoba C, Karacasulu K, Ihling N, Sosa-Hernández JE, Gilleskie G, Woodley JM, Parra-Saldivar R, Mansouri SS, Roh K. Mobile On Demand COVID-19 Vaccine Production Units for Developing Countries. Ind Eng Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c01217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Fahr
- Process Systems Engineering (AVT.SVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Plant and Process Technology, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Samantha Ayde Peña-Benavides
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey 64849, Mexico
| | - Lukas Thiel
- Process Systems Engineering (AVT.SVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Carl Sengoba
- Process Systems Engineering (AVT.SVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Kaan Karacasulu
- Process Systems Engineering (AVT.SVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Nina Ihling
- Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Gary Gilleskie
- Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), NC State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - John M. Woodley
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Seyed Soheil Mansouri
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kosan Roh
- Process Systems Engineering (AVT.SVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Chungnam National University, 34141 Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Shanmugaraj B, Khorattanakulchai N, Panapitakkul C, Malla A, Im-Erbsin R, Inthawong M, Sunyakumthorn P, Hunsawong T, Klungthong C, Reed MC, Kemthong T, Suttisan N, Malaivijitnond S, Srimangkornkaew P, Klinkhamhom A, Manopwisedjaroen S, Thitithanyanont A, Taychakhoonavudh S, Phoolcharoen W. Preclinical evaluation of a plant-derived SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine: Protective efficacy, immunogenicity, safety, and toxicity. Vaccine 2022; 40:4440-4452. [PMID: 35697573 PMCID: PMC9167921 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.05.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission has become a global priority. Previously, we showed that a protein subunit vaccine that was developed based on the fusion of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) to the Fc portion of human IgG1 (RBD-Fc), produced in Nicotiana benthamiana, and adjuvanted with alum, namely, Baiya SARS-CoV-2 Vax 1, induced potent immunological responses in both mice and cynomolgus monkeys. Hence, this study evaluated the protective efficacy, safety, and toxicity of Baiya SARS-CoV-2 Vax 1 in K18-hACE2 mice, monkeys and Wistar rats. Two doses of vaccine were administered three weeks apart on Days 0 and 21. The administration of the vaccine to K18-hACE2 mice reduced viral loads in the lungs and brains of the vaccinated animals and protected the mice against challenge with SARS-CoV-2. In monkeys, the results of safety pharmacology tests, general clinical observations, and a core battery of studies of three vital systems, namely, the central nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems, did not reveal any safety concerns. The toxicology study of the vaccine in rats showed no vaccine-related pathological changes, and all the animals remained healthy under the conditions of this study. Furthermore, the vaccine did not cause any abnormal toxicity in rats and was clinically tolerated even at the highest tested concentration. In addition, general health status, body temperature, local toxicity at the administration site, hematology, and blood chemistry parameters were also monitored. Overall, this work presents the results of the first systematic study of the safety profile of a plant-derived vaccine, Baiya SARS-CoV-2 Vax 1; this approach can be considered a viable strategy for the development of vaccines against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Narach Khorattanakulchai
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Chalisa Panapitakkul
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | | | - Rawiwan Im-Erbsin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Manutsanun Inthawong
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Piyanate Sunyakumthorn
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Taweewun Hunsawong
- Department of Virology, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Chonticha Klungthong
- Department of Virology, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Matthew C Reed
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Taratorn Kemthong
- National Primate Research Center of Thailand-Chulalongkorn University, Saraburi 18110, Thailand
| | - Nutchanat Suttisan
- National Primate Research Center of Thailand-Chulalongkorn University, Saraburi 18110, Thailand
| | - Suchinda Malaivijitnond
- National Primate Research Center of Thailand-Chulalongkorn University, Saraburi 18110, Thailand
| | | | - Aekkarin Klinkhamhom
- National Laboratory Animal Center, Mahidol University, Nakorn Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | | | - Arunee Thitithanyanont
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Suthira Taychakhoonavudh
- Department of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
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Uvarova EA, Belavin PA, Deineko EV. Design and assembly of plant-based COVID-19 candidate vaccines: reсent development and future prospects. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2022; 26:327-335. [PMID: 35795227 PMCID: PMC9177425 DOI: 10.18699/vjgb-22-39] [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: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
An outbreak of a new variant of the coronavirus infection, known as COVID-19, occurred at the end of 2019 in China, in the city of Wuhan. It was caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This variant of the virus is characterized by a high degree of variability and, as the current situation with its spread across different regions of the globe shows, it can lead to a progressive spread of infection among the human population and become the cause of a pandemic. The world scientific community is making tremendous efforts to develop means of protection,prevention and treatment of this disease based on modern advances in molecular biology, immunology and
vaccinology. This review provides information on the current state of research in the field of vaccine development
against COVID-19 with an emphasis on the role of plants in solving this complex problem. Although plants have
long been used by mankind as sources of various medicinal substances, in a pandemic, plant expression systems
become attractive as biofactories or bioreactors for the production of artificially created protein molecules
that include protective antigens against viral infection. The design and creation of such artificial molecules
underlies the development of recombinant subunit vaccines aimed at a rapid response against the spread of
infections with a high degree of variability. The review presents the state of research covering a period of just
over two years, i. e. since the emergence of the new outbreak of coronavirus infection. The authors tried to
emphasize the importance of rapid response of research groups from various scientific fields towards the use
of existing developments to create means of protection against various pathogens. With two plant expression
systems – stable and transient – as examples, the development of work on the creation of recombinant subunit
vaccines against COVID-19 in various laboratories and commercial companies is shown. The authors emphasize
that plant expression systems have promise for the development of not only protective means under conditions
of rapid response (subunit vaccines), but also therapeutic agents in the form of monoclonal antibodies against
COVID-19 synthesized in plant cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. A. Uvarova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
| | - P. A. Belavin
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
| | - E. V. Deineko
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Tomsk State University
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12
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Abstract
Coronaviruses have caused devastation in both human and animal populations, affecting both health and the economy. Amidst the emergence and re-emergence of coronaviruses, humans need to surmount the health and economic threat of coronaviruses through science and evidence-based approaches. One of these approaches is through biotechnology, particularly the heterologous production of biopharmaceutical proteins. This review article briefly describes the genome, general virion morphology, and key structural proteins of different coronaviruses affecting animals and humans. In addition, this review paper also presents the different systems in recombinant protein technology such as bacteria, yeasts, plants, mammalian cells, and insect/insect cells systems used to express key structural proteins in the development of countermeasures such as diagnostics, prophylaxis, and therapeutics in the challenging era of coronaviruses.
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13
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Fang S, Zheng R, Lei C, Wang J, Zhou R, Li M. In Silico Prediction of New Mutations That Can Improve the Binding Abilities Between 2019-nCoV Coronavirus and Human ACE2. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 19:1694-1702. [PMID: 33560990 PMCID: PMC9328728 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2021.3058265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become an international public health emergency, posing a serious threat to human health and safety around the world. The 2019-nCoV coronavirus spike protein was confirmed to be highly susceptible to various mutations, which can trigger apparent changes of virus transmission capacity and the pathogenic mechanism. In this article, the binding interface was obtained by analyzing the interaction modes between 2019-nCoV coronavirus and the human ACE2. Based on the "SIFT server" and the "bubble" identification mechanism, 9 amino acid sites were selected as potential mutation-sites from the 2019-nCoV-S1-ACE2 binding interface. Subsequently, a total number of 171 mutant systems for 9 mutation-sites were optimized for binding-pattern comparsion analysis, and 14 mutations that may improve the binding capacity of 2019-nCoV-S1 to ACE2 were selected. The Molecular Dynamic Simulations were conducted to calculate the binding free energies of all the 14 mutant systems. Finally, we found that most of the 14 mutations on the 2019-nCoV-S1 protein could enhance the binding ability between 2019-nCoV coronavirus and human ACE2. Among which, the binding capacities for G446R, Y449R and F486Y mutations could be increased by 20 percent, and that for S494R mutant increased even by 38.98 percent. We hope this research could provide significant help for the future epidemic detection, drug and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senbiao Fang
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on BioinformaticsSchool of Computer Science and EngineeringCentral South UniversityChangsha410083China
| | - Ruoqian Zheng
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on BioinformaticsSchool of Computer Science and EngineeringCentral South UniversityChangsha410083China
| | - Chuqi Lei
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on BioinformaticsSchool of Computer Science and EngineeringCentral South UniversityChangsha410083China
| | - Jianxin Wang
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on BioinformaticsSchool of Computer Science and EngineeringCentral South UniversityChangsha410083China
| | - Renyi Zhou
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on BioinformaticsSchool of Computer Science and EngineeringCentral South UniversityChangsha410083China
| | - Min Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on BioinformaticsSchool of Computer Science and EngineeringCentral South UniversityChangsha410083China
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14
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Singh G, Pawan, Mohit, Diksha, Suman, Priyanka, Sushma, Saini A, Kaur A. Design of new bis-triazolyl structure for identification of inhibitory activity on COVID-19 main protease by molecular docking approach. J Mol Struct 2022; 1250:131858. [PMID: 34744185 PMCID: PMC8563301 DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2021.131858] [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: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In the rapidly growing COVID-19 pandemic, designing of new drugs and evaluating their inhibitory action against main targets of corona virus could be an effective strategy to accelerate the drug discovery process and their efficacy towards corona virus disease. Herein, we design new bis-triazolyl probe for an investigation of inhibitory activity towards COVID-19 main protease by Molecular docking approach. The formulated compound has been thoroughly characterized by elemental analysis, NMR (1H and 13C) and complete structure elucidation was achieved via X-ray crystallography. Docking study reveals that newly synthesized compound confers good inhibitory response to COVID-19 main protease as supported by calculated docking score and binding energy. Strong hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions of the newly synthesized compound with several important amino acids of the main protease also helps to explain the potency of the compound to inhibit the main protease. We hope that the present study would help the researcher in the field of Medicinal chemistry and to develop potential drug against the novel corona virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurjaspreet Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Pawan
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Mohit
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Diksha
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Suman
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Priyanka
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Sushma
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Anamika Saini
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
| | - Amarjit Kaur
- Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
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15
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Kalhor H, Sadeghi S, Abolhasani H, Kalhor R, Rahimi H. Repurposing of the approved small molecule drugs in order to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 S protein and human ACE2 interaction through virtual screening approaches. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:1299-1315. [PMID: 32969333 PMCID: PMC7576931 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1824816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Most recently, the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) while this virus shares substantial similarity with SARS-CoV. So far, no definitive vaccine or drug has been developed to cure Covid-19 disease, since many important aspects about Covid-19 such as pathogenesis and proliferation pathways are still unclear. It was proven that human ACE2 is the main receptor for the entry of Covid-19 into lower respiratory tract epithelial cells through interaction with SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Based on this observation, it is expected that the virus infection can be inhibited if protein-protein interaction is prevented. In this study, using structure-based virtual screening of FDA databases, several lead drugs were discovered based on the ACE2-binding pocket of SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Then, binding affinity, binding modes, critical interactions, and pharmaceutical properties of the lead drugs were evaluated. Among the previously approved drugs, Diammonium Glycyrrhizinate, Digitoxin, Ivermectin, Rapamycin, Rifaximin, and Amphotericin B represented the most desirable features, and can be possible candidates for Covid-19 therapies. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was accomplished for three S protein/drug complexes with the highest binding affinity and best conformation and binding free energies were also computed with the Molecular Mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM/PBSA) method. Results demonstrated the stable binding of these compounds to the S protein; however, in order to confirm the curative effect of these drugs, clinical trials must be done.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hourieh Kalhor
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom
University of Medical Sciences, Qom,
Iran
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology
Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran,
Iran
| | - Solmaz Sadeghi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of
Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran, Iran
| | - Hoda Abolhasani
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom
University of Medical Sciences, Qom,
Iran
- Spiritual Health Research Center, Qom
University of Medical Sciences, Qom,
Iran
- Department of Pharmacology, School of
Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom,
Iran
| | - Reyhaneh Kalhor
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom
University of Medical Sciences, Qom,
Iran
- Department of Genetics, Colleague of Sciences,
Kazerun branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazerun,
Iran
| | - Hamzeh Rahimi
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology
Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran,
Iran
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16
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Masjedi M, Montahaei T, Sharafi Z, Jalali A. Pulmonary vaccine delivery: An emerging strategy for vaccination and immunotherapy. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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17
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Hasan A, Biswas P, Bondhon TA, Jannat K, Paul TK, Paul AK, Jahan R, Nissapatorn V, Mahboob T, Wilairatana P, Hasan MN, de Lourdes Pereira M, Wiart C, Rahmatullah M. Can Artemisia herba-alba Be Useful for Managing COVID-19 and Comorbidities? Molecules 2022; 27:492. [PMID: 35056809 PMCID: PMC8779608 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27020492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The focus of this roadmap is to evaluate the possible efficacy of Artemisia herba-alba Asso. (Asteraceae) for the treatment of COVID-19 and some of its symptoms and several comorbidities using a combination of in silico (molecular docking) studies, reported ethnic uses, and pharmacological activity studies of this plant. In this exploratory study, we show that various phytochemicals from Artemisia herba-alba can be useful against COVID-19 (in silico studies) and for its associated comorbidities. COVID-19 is a new disease, so reports of any therapeutic treatments against it (traditional or conventional) are scanty. On the other hand, we demonstrate, using Artemisia herba-alba as an example, that through a proper search and identification of medicinal plant(s) and their phytochemicals identification using secondary data (published reports) on the plant's ethnic uses, phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological activities against COVID-19 comorbidities and symptoms coupled with the use of primary data obtained from in silico (molecular docking and molecular dynamics) studies on the binding of the selected plant's phytochemicals (such as: rutin, 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and schaftoside) with various vital components of SARS-CoV-2, it may be possible to rapidly identify plants that are suitable for further research regarding therapeutic use against COVID-19 and its associated symptoms and comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamul Hasan
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh; (A.H.); (T.A.B.); (K.J.); (T.K.P.); (R.J.)
| | - Partha Biswas
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh; (P.B.); (M.N.H.)
| | - Tohmina Afroze Bondhon
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh; (A.H.); (T.A.B.); (K.J.); (T.K.P.); (R.J.)
| | - Khoshnur Jannat
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh; (A.H.); (T.A.B.); (K.J.); (T.K.P.); (R.J.)
| | - Tridib K. Paul
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh; (A.H.); (T.A.B.); (K.J.); (T.K.P.); (R.J.)
| | - Alok K. Paul
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia;
| | - Rownak Jahan
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh; (A.H.); (T.A.B.); (K.J.); (T.K.P.); (R.J.)
| | - Veeranoot Nissapatorn
- School of Allied Health Sciences, World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD) and Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (V.N.); (T.M.)
| | - Tooba Mahboob
- School of Allied Health Sciences, World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD) and Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (V.N.); (T.M.)
| | - Polrat Wilairatana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Md Nazmul Hasan
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh; (P.B.); (M.N.H.)
| | - Maria de Lourdes Pereira
- CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials and Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Christophe Wiart
- The Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia;
| | - Mohammed Rahmatullah
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh; (A.H.); (T.A.B.); (K.J.); (T.K.P.); (R.J.)
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18
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Yu X, Xu X, Wu T, Huang W, Xu C, Xie W, Long X. APOA1 Level is Negatively Correlated with the Severity of COVID-19. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:689-698. [PMID: 35082518 PMCID: PMC8785137 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s332956] [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: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective We used public data to analyze the proteomics, metabolomics and transcriptomics characteristics of COVID-19 patients to identify potential therapeutic targets. More importantly, we also collected clinical data for verification to make the analysis results more reliable. Methods Download the serum proteomics and metabolomics data of COVID-19 patients and describe their changes in serum proteins and metabolites, and use bioinformatics analysis methods to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Finally, clinical data and experimental data of cell infection were combined for verification. Results It was found that the serum apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) protein level in COVID-19 patients was down-regulated (log2FC = −0.39, false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.001), and the degree of reduction in the severe group was more significant (kruskal-test p = 2.5e-05). What is more, APOA1 was not only expressed lower in male patients (Wilcox-test p = 0.012), but also negatively correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP, r = −0.37, p = 0.019). The experiment data from SARS-CoV-2 infected cells further showed that the protein and transcript level of APOA1 gradually decreased as the infection time increased, and the transcription level (log2FC = −8.3, FDR = 0.0015) was more down-regulated than protein level (log2FC = −0.95, FDR = 0.0014). More importantly, the collected clinical data also confirmed that APOA1 was down-regulated in COVID-19 patients (kruskal-test p = 0.001), and APOA1 levels are negatively correlated with IL6 (r = −0.396, p = 2.22e-07), D-dimers (DD, r = −0.262, p = 8.19e-04), prothrombin time (PT, r = −0.464, p = 6.68e-10) and thrombin time (TT, r = −0.279, p = 3.46e-04). Conclusion The degree of down-regulation of APOA1 is positively correlated with the severity of COVID-19, and the expression level of APOA1 is negatively correlated with CRP, IL6, DD, PT, TT, and positively correlated with HD and LDL. This indicates that APOA1 may be a key molecule in tandem acute inflammatory response, coagulation abnormalities and cholesterol metabolism disorder in COVID-19, and could be a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosi Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xianqun Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tianpeng Wu
- Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chen Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wen Xie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinghua Long
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Xinghua Long; Wen Xie Email ;
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19
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Kumar A, Kumar A, Srivastava SK. Silicon Nitride-BP-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Highly Sensitive Biosensor for Virus SARS-CoV-2 Detection. PLASMONICS (NORWELL, MASS.) 2022; 17:1065-1077. [PMID: 35103050 PMCID: PMC8791766 DOI: 10.1007/s11468-021-01589-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we propose a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor using silicon nitride (Si3N4), black phosphorous (BP), and thiol-tethered DNA as a ligand for fast detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In the proposed biosensor, we have deposited silver (Ag), Si3N4, and BP on the base of the BK-7 prism and investigated the performance parameters on the probe in different combinations of the mentioned materials. Herein, three (Ag, Si3N4, and BP) different configurations are introduced and compared for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, with the help of the transfer matrix method (TMM), all the three configurations have been analyzed. Notably, the combination of Ag, Si3N4, and BP shows better sensitivity (154°/RIU) when compared with other configurations for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. This work may facilitate a new sensing device to detect SARS-CoV-2, based on the hybrid materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Awadhesh Kumar
- Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005 India
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005 India
| | - S. K. Srivastava
- Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005 India
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20
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Mahdavinezhad F, Farmani AR, Pakniat H, Taghavi S, Gharaei R, Valipour J, Amidi F. COVID-19 and varicocele: the possible overlap factors and the common therapeutic approaches. Am J Reprod Immunol 2021; 87:e13518. [PMID: 34967487 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13518] [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: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Varicocele is recognized as one of the main attributable causes of male infertility which can affect spermatogenesis by various pathophysiological mechanisms. Recent studies have identified oxidative stress and reduction in antioxidant, hyperthermia, hypoxia, hormonal dysfunction, and inflammatory conditions as major factors in the pathophysiology of varicocele, all of which have known direct associations with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and can significantly increase the risk of detrimental COVID-19-related outcomes. Emerging data have shown an association between COVID-19 and inflammation, overproduction of cytokine, and other pathophysiological processes. The present review, summarizes the current understanding of the pathophysiology of varicocele and investigates the potential correlation between the severity of COVID-19 and the varicocele disease. In addition, various possible treatments which can be effective in both diseases were examined. Despite numerous challenges associated with the prevalence of COVID-19 in healthcare systems in infected countries, special attention should be given to maintaining a high level of care for complex patients with a pre-existing disease such as varicocele and providing appropriate practical advice for optimal control of the COVID-19 disease. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forough Mahdavinezhad
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Reza Farmani
- Department of Tissue Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Tissue Engineering Department, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Hamideh Pakniat
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Saeed Taghavi
- Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran
| | - Roghaye Gharaei
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamal Valipour
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fardin Amidi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Infertility, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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21
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Tariq M, Hur J, Seo JW, Kim DY, Yun NR, Lee YM, Bang MS, Hwang SY, Kim CM, Lee JH, Song KH, Lee H, Jung J, Park JY, Kim HB, Kim ES, Lee S, Kim DM. Usefulness of ELISA Using Total Antibody against Plant-Expressed Recombinant Nucleocapsid Protein of SARS-CoV-2. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0067221. [PMID: 34817278 PMCID: PMC8612163 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00672-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of a serological assay using the nucleocapsid protein developed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection and evaluated its performance using three commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), namely, Standard E 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) total antibody (Ab) ELISA (SD Biosensor), and EDI novel coronavirus COVID-19 IgG and IgM ELISA. A recombinant nucleocapsid protein (rNP) was expressed from plants and Escherichia coli for the detection of serum total Ab. We prospectively collected 141 serum samples from 32 patients with reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 and determined the sensitivity and dynamics of their total Ab response. Specificity was evaluated using 158 prepandemic samples. To validate the assays, we evaluated the performance using two different cutoff values. The sensitivity and specificity for each assay were as follows: 92.91% and 94.30% (plant-rNP), 83.69% and 98.73% (SD Biosensor), 75.89% and 98.10% (E. coli-rNP), 76.47% and 100% (EDI-IgG), and 80.39% and 80% (EDI-IgM). The plant-based rNP showed the highest sensitivity and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (0.980) among all the assays (P < 0.05). The seroconversion rate for total Ab increased sequentially with disease progression, with a sensitivity of 100% after 10 to 12 days of post-symptom onset (PSO) for both rNP-plant-based and SD Biosensor ELISAs. After 2 weeks of PSO, the seroconversion rates were >80% and 100% for EDI-IgM and EDI-IgG ELISA, respectively. Seroconversion occurred earlier with rNP plant-based ELISA (5 days PSO) compared with E. coli-based (7 days PSO) and SD Biosensor (8 days PSO) ELISA. We determined that rNP produced in plants enables the robust detection of SARS-CoV-2 total Abs. The assay can be used for serosurvey and complementary diagnosis of COVID-19. IMPORTANCE At present, the principal diagnostic methods for COVID-19 comprise the identification of viral nucleic acid by genetic approaches, including PCR-based techniques or next-generation sequencing. However, there is an urgent need for validated serological assays which are crucial for the understanding of immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. In this study, a highly sensitive and specific serological antibody assay was developed for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 with an overall accuracy of 93.56% using a recombinant nucleoprotein expressed from plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misbah Tariq
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jian Hur
- Department of Infectious Disease Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Won Seo
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Da Young Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Na Ra Yun
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - You Mi Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Seon Bang
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Yeon Hwang
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Choon-Mee Kim
- Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju-Hyung Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Ho Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, College of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunju Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongtak Jung
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, College of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Young Park
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Bin Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, College of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Eu Suk Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, College of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangmin Lee
- BioApplications Inc., Pohang, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Min Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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22
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Khazdair MR, Ghafari S, Sadeghi M. Possible therapeutic effects of Nigella sativa and its thymoquinone on COVID-19. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2021; 59:696-703. [PMID: 34110959 PMCID: PMC8204995 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2021.1931353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that causes a severe infection in the respiratory system. Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) is an annual flowering plant used traditionally as a natural food supplement and multipurpose medicinal agent. OBJECTIVE The possible beneficial effects of N. sativa, and its constituent, thymoquinone (TQ) on COVID-19 were reviewed. METHODS The key words including, COVID-19, N. sativa, thymoquinone, antiviral effects, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in different databases such as Web of Science (ISI), PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched from 1990 up to February 2021. RESULTS The current literature review showed that N. sativa and TQ reduced the level of pro-inflammatory mediators including, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-12, while enhancing IFN-γ. Nigella sativa and TQ increased the serum levels of IgG1 and IgG2a, and improved pulmonary function tests in restrictive respiratory disorders. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data of molecular docking, animal, and clinical studies propose N. sativa and TQ might have beneficial effects on the treatment or control of COVID-19 due to antiviral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties as well as bronchodilatory effects. The efficacy of N. sativa and TQ on infected patients with COVID-19 in randomize clinical trials will be suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Khazdair
- Pharmaceutical Science and Clinical Physiology, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
- CONTACT Mohammad Reza Khazdair ; Pharmaceutical Science and Clinical Physiology, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand9717853111, Iran
| | - Shoukouh Ghafari
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mahmood Sadeghi
- Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
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23
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Hui S. Recent scientific research progress and challenges of COVID-19 pandemic: a global public health event. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL SCIENCE ACADEMY 2021. [PMCID: PMC8564281 DOI: 10.1007/s43538-021-00058-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
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24
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Bao L, Zhang C, Lyu J, Yi P, Shen X, Tang B, Zhao H, Ren B, Kuang Y, Zhou L, Li Y. Egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) targeting SARS-CoV-2 S1 as potential virus entry blocker. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 132:2421-2430. [PMID: 34706134 PMCID: PMC8657347 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Aims COVID‐19 pandemic caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 has become a public health crisis worldwide. In this study, we aimed at demonstrating the neutralizing potential of the IgY produced after immunizing chicken with a recombinant SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein S1 subunit. Methods and Results E. coli BL21 carrying plasmid pET28a‐S1 was induced with IPTG for the expression of SARS‐CoV‐2 S1 protein. The recombinant His‐tagged S1 was purified and verified by SDS‐PAGE, Western blot and biolayer interferometry (BLI) assay. Then S1 protein emulsified with Freund's adjuvant was used to immunize layer chickens. Specific IgY against S1 (S1‐IgY) produced from egg yolks of these chickens exhibited a high titer (1:25,600) and a strong binding affinity to S1 (KD = 318 nmol L−1). The neutralizing ability of S1‐IgY was quantified by a SARS‐CoV‐2 pseudotyped virus‐based neutralization assay with an IC50 value of 0.99 mg ml−1. In addition, S1‐IgY exhibited a strong ability in blocking the binding of SARS‐CoV‐2 S1 to hACE2, and it could partially compete with hACE2 for the binding sites on S1 by BLI assays. Conclusions We demonstrated here that after immunization of chickens with our recombinant S1 protein, IgY neutralizing antibodies were generated against the SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein S1 subunit; therefore, showing the potential use of IgY to block the entry of this virus. Significance and Impact of the Study IgY targeting S1 subunit of SARS‐CoV‐2 could be a promising candidate for pre‐ and post‐exposure prophylaxis or treatment of COVID‐19. Administration of IgY‐based oral preparation, oral or nasal spray may have profound implications for blocking SARS‐CoV‐2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirong Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinglu Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ping Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,The Clinical Laboratory of West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Boyu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Biao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Kuang
- Department of Microbiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Linlin Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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25
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Schardt JS, Pornnoppadol G, Desai AA, Park KS, Zupancic JM, Makowski EK, Smith MD, Chen H, Garcia de Mattos Barbosa M, Cascalho M, Lanigan TM, Moon JJ, Tessier PM. Discovery and characterization of high-affinity, potent SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies via single B cell screening. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20738. [PMID: 34671080 PMCID: PMC8528929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99401-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies that target SARS-CoV-2 with high affinity are valuable for a wide range of biomedical applications involving novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) diagnosis, treatment, and prophylactic intervention. Strategies for the rapid and reliable isolation of these antibodies, especially potent neutralizing antibodies, are critical toward improved COVID-19 response and informed future response to emergent infectious diseases. In this study, single B cell screening was used to interrogate antibody repertoires of immunized mice and isolate antigen-specific IgG1+ memory B cells. Using these methods, high-affinity, potent neutralizing antibodies were identified that target the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. Further engineering of the identified molecules to increase valency resulted in enhanced neutralizing activity. Mechanistic investigation revealed that these antibodies compete with ACE2 for binding to the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. These antibodies may warrant further development for urgent COVID-19 applications. Overall, these results highlight the potential of single B cell screening for the rapid and reliable identification of high-affinity, potent neutralizing antibodies for infectious disease applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S. Schardt
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Departments of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Ghasidit Pornnoppadol
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Alec A. Desai
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Departments of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Kyung Soo Park
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Jennifer M. Zupancic
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Departments of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Emily K. Makowski
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Matthew D. Smith
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Departments of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Hongwei Chen
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Departments of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | | | - Marilia Cascalho
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Thomas M. Lanigan
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - James J. Moon
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Peter M. Tessier
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Departments of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, B10-179, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
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Shanmugaraj B, Siriwattananon K, Malla A, Phoolcharoen W. Potential for Developing Plant-Derived Candidate Vaccines and Biologics against Emerging Coronavirus Infections. Pathogens 2021; 10:1051. [PMID: 34451516 PMCID: PMC8400130 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging human coronavirus infections in the 21st century remain a major public health crisis causing worldwide impact and challenging the global health care system. The virus is circulating in several zoonotic hosts and continuously evolving, causing occasional outbreaks due to spill-over events occurring between animals and humans. Hence, the development of effective vaccines or therapeutic interventions is the current global priority in order to reduce disease severity, frequent outbreaks, and to prevent future infections. Vaccine development for newly emerging pathogens takes a long time, which hinders rapid immunization programs. The concept of plant-based pharmaceuticals can be readily applied to meet the recombinant protein demand by means of transient expression. Plants are evolved as an expression platform, and they bring a combination of unique interests in terms of rapid scalability, flexibility, and economy for industrial-scale production of effective vaccines, diagnostic reagents, and other biopharmaceuticals. Plants offer safe biologics to fulfill emergency demands, especially during pandemic situations or outbreaks caused by emerging strains. This review highlights the features of a plant expression platform for producing recombinant biopharmaceuticals to combat coronavirus infections with emphasis on COVID-19 vaccine and biologics development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Konlavat Siriwattananon
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Ashwini Malla
- Baiya Phytopharm Co., Ltd., Bangkok 10250, Thailand; (B.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Baiya Phytopharm Co., Ltd., Bangkok 10250, Thailand; (B.S.); (A.M.)
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
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27
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Rattanapisit K, Bulaon CJI, Khorattanakulchai N, Shanmugaraj B, Wangkanont K, Phoolcharoen W. Plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) variants showed differential binding efficiency with anti-spike specific monoclonal antibodies. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253574. [PMID: 34379620 PMCID: PMC8357147 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which is characterized by respiratory illness and severe pneumonia, and currently accounts for > 2.5 million deaths worldwide. Recently, diverse mutations in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 were reported in United Kingdom (Alpha) and South Africa (Beta) strains which raise concerns over the potential increase in binding affinity towards the host cell receptor and diminished host neutralization capabilities. In order to study the effect of mutation in the binding efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) with anti-SARS-CoV/CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), we have produced SARS-CoV-2 RBD and two variants SARS-CoV-2 RBD (Alpha RBD and Beta RBD) in Nicotiana benthamiana by transient expression. Plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 RBD-Fc, Alpha RBD-Fc and Beta RBD-Fc exhibited specific binding to human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor determined by ELISA. Intriguingly, the binding of plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 RBD proteins to plant-produced mAbs CR3022, B38, and H4 was found to be different depending on the variant mutation. In contrary to the plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 RBD-Fc and Alpha RBD-Fc, Beta RBD-Fc variant showed weak binding affinity towards the mAbs. The result suggested that the Beta RBD variant might have acquired partial resistance to neutralizing antibodies compared to other variants. However, further studies with sera from convalescent or vaccinated individuals are required to confirm this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Joy I. Bulaon
- Research Unit for Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Narach Khorattanakulchai
- Research Unit for Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Kittikhun Wangkanont
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp (GCE 6302823006-1), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Molecular Crop Research Unit (GRU 6407023008-1), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Research Unit for Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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28
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Malekmohammad K, Rafieian-Kopaei M. Mechanistic Aspects of Medicinal Plants and Secondary Metabolites against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Curr Pharm Des 2021; 27:3996-4007. [PMID: 34225607 DOI: 10.2174/1381612827666210705160130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a highly pathogenic virus, is responsible for a respiratory disease termed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 genome encodes various structural and non-structural proteins, which are necessary for viral entry and replication. Among these proteins, papain-like protease (PLpro), 3C-like protease (3CLpro), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), helicase, a serine protease, and spike protein are potential targets of herbal remedies and phytocompounds for inhibition of viral infection and replication. There is at present no confirmed cure for the COVID-19. Various plants and their components have been introduced against SARS-Co-2. A number of review articles have also been published on them. This article is focusing on the mechanistic aspects of these plants and their derivatives on SARS-CV-2. METHOD The material in this review article was prepared from significant scientific databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar. RESULTS Different medicinal plants and their phytocompounds interact with important structural and non-structural of SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Natural compounds form strong bonds with the active site of SARS-CoV-2 protease and make large conformational changes. These phytochemicals are potential inhibitors of structural and non-structural of SARS-CoV-2 proteins such as Spike protein, PLpro, and 3CLpro. Some important anti-SARS-CoV-2 actions of medicinal plants and their metabolites are inhibition of the virus replication or entry, blocking the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor and "Transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2)" regulation of inflammatory mediators, inhibition of endothelial activation, toll-like receptors (TLRs) and activation of the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Some of these important natural immune boosters that are helpful for prevention and curing various symptoms related to COVID-19 include Allium sativum, Nigella sativa, Glycyrrhiza glabra Zingiber officinalis, Ocimum sanctum, Withania somnifera, Tinospora cordifolia, and Scutellaria baicalensis. Also, Kaempferol, Quercetin, Baicalin, Scutellarin, Glycyrrhizin, Curcumin, Apigenin, Ursolic acid, and Chloroquine are the best candidates for treating the symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSION Medicinal plants and/or their bioactive compounds with inhibitory effects against SARS-CoV-2 support the human immune system and help in fighting against COVID-19 and rejuvenating the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mahmoud Rafieian-Kopaei
- Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
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Siriwattananon K, Manopwisedjaroen S, Shanmugaraj B, Prompetchara E, Ketloy C, Buranapraditkun S, Tharakhet K, Kaewpang P, Ruxrungtham K, Thitithanyanont A, Phoolcharoen W. Immunogenicity Studies of Plant-Produced SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain-Based Subunit Vaccine Candidate with Different Adjuvant Formulations. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:744. [PMID: 34358160 PMCID: PMC8310282 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the rapid transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causing serious public health problems and economic burden, the development of effective vaccines is a high priority for controlling the virus spread. Our group has previously demonstrated that the plant-produced receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 fused with Fc of human IgG was capable of eliciting potent neutralizing antibody and cellular immune responses in animal studies, and the immunogenicity could be improved by the addition of an alum adjuvant. Here, we performed a head-to-head comparison of different commercially available adjuvants, including aluminum hydroxide gel (alum), AddaVax (MF59), monophosphoryl lipid A from Salmonella minnesota R595 (mPLA-SM), and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), in mice by combining them with plant-produced RBD-Fc, and the differences in the immunogenicity of RBD-Fc with different adjuvants were evaluated. The specific antibody responses in terms of total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a subtypes and neutralizing antibodies, as well as vaccine-specific T-lymphocyte responses, induced by the different tested adjuvants were compared. We observed that all adjuvants tested here induced a high level of total IgG and neutralizing antibodies, but mPLA-SM and poly (I:C) showed the induction of a balanced IgG1 and IgG2a (Th2/Th1) immune response. Further, poly (I:C) significantly increased the frequency of IFN-γ-expressing cells compared with control, whereas no significant difference was observed between the adjuvanted groups. This data revealed the adjuvants' role in enhancing the immune response of RBD-Fc vaccination and the immune profiles elicited by different adjuvants, which could prove helpful for the rational development of next-generation SARS-CoV-2 RBD-Fc subunit vaccines. However, additional research is essential to further investigate the efficacy and safety of this vaccine formulation before clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konlavat Siriwattananon
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Suwimon Manopwisedjaroen
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | | | - Eakachai Prompetchara
- Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Center, Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (E.P.); (C.K.); (S.B.); (K.T.); (P.K.); (K.R.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Chutitorn Ketloy
- Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Center, Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (E.P.); (C.K.); (S.B.); (K.T.); (P.K.); (K.R.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Supranee Buranapraditkun
- Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Center, Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (E.P.); (C.K.); (S.B.); (K.T.); (P.K.); (K.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Kittipan Tharakhet
- Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Center, Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (E.P.); (C.K.); (S.B.); (K.T.); (P.K.); (K.R.)
| | - Papatsara Kaewpang
- Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Center, Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (E.P.); (C.K.); (S.B.); (K.T.); (P.K.); (K.R.)
| | - Kiat Ruxrungtham
- Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Center, Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (E.P.); (C.K.); (S.B.); (K.T.); (P.K.); (K.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Arunee Thitithanyanont
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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Shanmugaraj B, Bulaon CJI, Malla A, Phoolcharoen W. Biotechnological Insights on the Expression and Production of Antimicrobial Peptides in Plants. Molecules 2021; 26:4032. [PMID: 34279372 PMCID: PMC8272150 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26134032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of drug-resistant pathogens poses a serious critical threat to global public health and requires immediate action. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of short peptides ubiquitously found in all living forms, including plants, insects, mammals, microorganisms and play a significant role in host innate immune system. These peptides are considered as promising candidates to treat microbial infections due to its distinct advantages over conventional antibiotics. Given their potent broad spectrum of antimicrobial action, several AMPs are currently being evaluated in preclinical/clinical trials. However, large quantities of highly purified AMPs are vital for basic research and clinical settings which is still a major bottleneck hindering its application. This can be overcome by genetic engineering approaches to produce sufficient amount of diverse peptides in heterologous host systems. Recently plants are considered as potential alternatives to conventional protein production systems such as microbial and mammalian platforms due to their unique advantages such as rapidity, scalability and safety. In addition, AMPs can also be utilized for development of novel approaches for plant protection thereby increasing the crop yield. Hence, in order to provide a spotlight for the expression of AMP in plants for both clinical or agricultural use, the present review presents the importance of AMPs and efforts aimed at producing recombinant AMPs in plants for molecular farming and plant protection so far.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Joy I Bulaon
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | | | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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Large variations in disease severity, death and ICU admission of 2993 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2: The potential impact of genetic vulnerability. J Infect Public Health 2021; 14:886-891. [PMID: 34118740 PMCID: PMC8061633 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immeasurable impact, affecting healthcare systems, the global economy, and society. Exploration of trends within the existing COVID-19 data may guide directions for further study and novel treatment development. As the world faces COVID-19 disease, it is essential to study its epidemiological and clinical characteristics further to better understand and aid in its detection and containment. METHODS We aimed to study the clinical characteristics of patients infected with COVID-19 in Dubai, a multi-national Society. RESULTS Our findings demonstrate that during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, age, gender, and country of origin were associated with more severe cases of COVID-19, higher risk for hospitalization and death. Male individuals between 41 and 60 years of age from India had the most significant hospitalization and death predictor (p=.0001). The predictors for COVID-19 related deaths were slightly less than UAE Nationals by individuals from GCC (p=.02) that were followed closely behind by Pilipino (p=.02) and Arabs (p=.001). CONCLUSION The vulnerability of individuals to infection and in the spectrum of COVID-19 symptoms remains to be understood. There are large variations in disease severity, one component of which may be genetic variability in responding to the virus. Genomics of susceptibility to COVID-19 infection and the wide variation in clinical response to COVID-19 in patients should become active investigation areas.
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Gokada MR, Pasupuleti VR, Bollikolla HB. A Mini Review on Emerging Targets and Approaches for the Synthesis of Anti-viral Compounds: In Perspective to COVID-19. Mini Rev Med Chem 2021; 21:1173-1181. [PMID: 33397236 DOI: 10.2174/1389557521666210104165733] [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: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an epidemic disease that appeared at the end of the year 2019 with a sudden increase in number and came to be considered as a pandemic disease caused by a viral infection which has threatened most countries for an emergency search for new anti-SARS-COV drugs /vaccines. At present, the number of clinical trials is ongoing worldwide on different drugs i.e. Hydroxychloroquine, Remedisvir, Favipiravir that utilize various mechanisms of action. A few countries are currently processing clinical trials, which may result in a positive outcome. Favipiravir (FPV) represents one of the feasible treatment options for COVID-19, if the result of the trials turns out positive. Favipiravir will be one of the developed possibly authoritative drugs to warrant benefits to mankind with large-scale production to meet the demands of the current pandemic Covid-19 outbreak and future epidemic outbreaks. In this review, the authors tried to explore key molecules, which will be supportive for devising COVID-19 research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maheswara Rao Gokada
- Department of Chemistry, Acharya Nagarjuna University, N Nagar, Guntur-522510, AP, India
| | - Visweswara Rao Pasupuleti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Malaysia Sabah, 88400, Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Hari Babu Bollikolla
- Department of Chemistry, Acharya Nagarjuna University, N Nagar, Guntur-522510, AP, India
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Raina R, Mahajan ZA, Vasistha P, Chakraborty R, Mukunda K, Tibrewal A, Neyra JA. Incidence and Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in COVID-19: A Systematic Review. Blood Purif 2021; 51:199-212. [PMID: 34130296 PMCID: PMC8339045 DOI: 10.1159/000514940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The recent worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 has been a serious, multidimensional problem that has left a detrimental worldwide impact on individuals of all ages and several organ systems. The typical manifestation of kidney involvement is acute kidney injury (AKI); however, there is a lack of consensus data regarding AKI epidemiology in COVID-19. This systematic literature review aims to bridge this knowledge gap. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS MEDLINE and Cochrane library were systematically searched for the literature related to AKI in COVID-19 patients of all ages. MedRxIV was searched for relevant unpublished manuscripts. Two reviewers independently assessed the literature on the incidence of AKI and mortality, extracting the need for kidney replacement therapy (KRT). RESULTS Sixty studies (n = 43,871 patients) were included in this review. The pooled incidence of AKI among COVID-19 patients was 19.45% (95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 14.63-24.77%), while the pooled incidence of AKI COVID-19 patients requiring KRT was 39.04% (16.38-64.57%). The pooled proportion of COVID+ patients was significantly lower at 8.83% (5.64% to 12/66%). The overall mortality of COVID-19 patients was calculated to be 17.71% (95% CI: 11.49-24.93%), while the mortality among patients with AKI was higher at 54.24% (95% CI: 44.70-63.63%). CONCLUSION This comprehensive systematic review summarizes the available literature pertaining to AKI epidemiology in COVID-19 patients and highlights the incidence, associated mortality, and the need for KRT in this susceptible population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupesh Raina
- Department of Nephrology, Akron Nephrology Associates/Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio, USA
- Department of Nephrology, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Zubin A. Mahajan
- Department of Nephrology, Akron Nephrology Associates/Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Prabhav Vasistha
- Department of Nephrology, Akron Nephrology Associates/Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Ronith Chakraborty
- Department of Nephrology, Akron Nephrology Associates/Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio, USA
- Department of Nephrology, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Krishna Mukunda
- Akron Nephrology Associates/Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Abhishek Tibrewal
- Department of Nephrology, Akron Nephrology Associates/Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Javier A. Neyra
- Division of Nephrology, Bone and Mineral Metabolism, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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Drapal M, Enfissi EMA, Fraser PD. Metabolic effects of agro-infiltration on N. benthamiana accessions. Transgenic Res 2021; 30:303-315. [PMID: 33909228 PMCID: PMC8080481 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-021-00256-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the recent years, Nicotiana benthamiana has gained great importance as a chassis for the production of high value, low volume pharmaceuticals and/or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The process involving infiltration of the N. benthamiana leaves with Agrobacterium spp, harbouring vectors with the gene of interest, facilitates transient expression. To date, little information is available on the effect of the agro-infiltration process on the metabolome of N. benthamiana, which is necessary to improve the process for large-scale, renewable manufacturing of high value compounds and medical products. Hence, the objective of the present study was to assess metabolic adaptation of N. benthamiana as a response to the presence of Agrobacterium. The present study elucidated changes of the steady-state metabolism in the agroinfiltrated leaf area, the area around the infection and the rest of the plant. Furthermore, the study discusses the phenotypic advantages of the N. benthamiana lab strain, optimised for agro-infiltration, compared to three other wild accessions. Results showed that the lab strain has a different metabolic composition and showed less alterations of the phenylpropanoid pathway and cell wall remodelling in the agroinfiltrated leaf areas, for example chlorogenic acid, cadaverine and C18:0-2-glycerol ester. In conclusion, both of these alterations present potential candidates to improve the phenotype of the N. benthamiana lab strain for a more efficient transient expression process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margit Drapal
- Biochemistry, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | | | - Paul D Fraser
- Biochemistry, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK.
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Inchingolo AD, Dipalma G, Inchingolo AM, Malcangi G, Santacroce L, D’Oria MT, Isacco CG, Bordea IR, Candrea S, Scarano A, Morandi B, Del Fabbro M, Farronato M, Tartaglia GM, Balzanelli MG, Ballini A, Nucci L, Lorusso F, Taschieri S, Inchingolo F. The 15-Months Clinical Experience of SARS-CoV-2: A Literature Review of Therapies and Adjuvants. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:881. [PMID: 34072708 PMCID: PMC8226610 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10060881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus responsible for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) that emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread worldwide, with a daily increase in confirmed cases and infection-related deaths. The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on the 11th of March 2020. COVID-19 presents flu-like symptoms that become severe in high-risk medically compromised subjects. The aim of this study was to perform an updated overview of the treatments and adjuvant protocols for COVID-19. METHODS A systematic literature search of databases was performed (MEDLINE PubMed, Google Scholar, UpToDate, Embase, and Web of Science) using the keywords: "COVID-19", "2019-nCoV", "coronavirus" and "SARS-CoV-2" (date range: 1 January 2019 to 31st October 2020), focused on clinical features and treatments. RESULTS The main treatments retrieved were antivirals, antimalarials, convalescent plasma, immunomodulators, corticosteroids, anticoagulants, and mesenchymal stem cells. Most of the described treatments may provide benefits to COVID-19 subjects, but no one protocol has definitively proven its efficacy. CONCLUSIONS While many efforts are being spent worldwide in research aimed at identifying early diagnostic methods and evidence-based effective treatments, mass vaccination is thought to be the best option against this disease in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Danilo Inchingolo
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Medicine Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.I.); (G.D.); (A.M.I.); (L.S.); (M.T.D.); (C.G.I.); (F.I.)
| | - Gianna Dipalma
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Medicine Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.I.); (G.D.); (A.M.I.); (L.S.); (M.T.D.); (C.G.I.); (F.I.)
| | - Angelo Michele Inchingolo
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Medicine Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.I.); (G.D.); (A.M.I.); (L.S.); (M.T.D.); (C.G.I.); (F.I.)
| | - Giuseppina Malcangi
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Medicine Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.I.); (G.D.); (A.M.I.); (L.S.); (M.T.D.); (C.G.I.); (F.I.)
| | - Luigi Santacroce
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Medicine Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.I.); (G.D.); (A.M.I.); (L.S.); (M.T.D.); (C.G.I.); (F.I.)
| | - Maria Teresa D’Oria
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Medicine Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.I.); (G.D.); (A.M.I.); (L.S.); (M.T.D.); (C.G.I.); (F.I.)
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine, Via delle Scienze, 206, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Ciro Gargiulo Isacco
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Medicine Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.I.); (G.D.); (A.M.I.); (L.S.); (M.T.D.); (C.G.I.); (F.I.)
- Research at Human Stem Cells Research Center HSC, Ho Chi Minh 70000, Vietnam
- Embryology and Regenerative Medicine and Immunology, Pham Chau Trinh University of Medicine Hoi An, Hoi An 70000, Vietnam
| | - Ioana Roxana Bordea
- Department of Oral Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Sebastian Candrea
- Department of Oral Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
- Department of Pedodontics, County Hospital Cluj-Napoca, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Antonio Scarano
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
| | - Benedetta Morandi
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (B.M.); (M.D.F.); (M.F.); (G.M.T.); (S.T.)
- Dental Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161 Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Del Fabbro
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (B.M.); (M.D.F.); (M.F.); (G.M.T.); (S.T.)
- Dental Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Farronato
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (B.M.); (M.D.F.); (M.F.); (G.M.T.); (S.T.)
- UOC Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Dentistry, Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca Martino Tartaglia
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (B.M.); (M.D.F.); (M.F.); (G.M.T.); (S.T.)
- UOC Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Dentistry, Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Giosuè Balzanelli
- SET-118, Department of Pre-Hospital and Emergency-San Giuseppe Moscati Hospital, 74100 Taranto, Italy;
| | - Andrea Ballini
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, Campus Universitario, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy;
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Ludovica Nucci
- Department of Medical-Surgical and Dental Specialties, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80100 Naples, Italy;
| | - Felice Lorusso
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
| | - Silvio Taschieri
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (B.M.); (M.D.F.); (M.F.); (G.M.T.); (S.T.)
- Dental Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oral Surgery, Institute of Dentistry, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119146 Moscow, Russia
| | - Francesco Inchingolo
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Medicine Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.I.); (G.D.); (A.M.I.); (L.S.); (M.T.D.); (C.G.I.); (F.I.)
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Nemat A, Raufi N, Sediqi MF, Rasib AR, Asady A. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Medical Students Regarding COVID-19 in Afghanistan: A Cross-Sectional Study. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2021; 14:1491-1497. [PMID: 33883955 PMCID: PMC8053608 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s308039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus pandemic has had devastating effects on many nations, including Afghanistan. Public awareness and following recommendations play an important part in managing such a large-scale crisis, which are affected largely by knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). Medical students can act as reliable sources of information for the public in such a scenario. This study aimed to investigate KAP of medical students regarding COVID-19. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in October 2020 among medical students in Afghanistan, Kabul University of Medical Sciences. Information on sociodemographics and KAP, was collected using a web-based questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 1,169 medical students completed the survey. More than half were female (54.6%), a majority (95%) aged ≥20 years, and more than half (56.2%) lived in the city of Kabul. Overall, students had acceptable KAP regarding COVID-19, except for a few undesirable responses with regard to the risks of close contact with COVID-19 patients, incubation periods, and groups vulnerable to COVID-19. CONCLUSION Overall, the students had acceptable KAP regarding COVID-19, except for the few undesired aforementioned responses, which need more focus during awareness campaigns in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Nemat
- Department of Microbiology, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan
- Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nahid Raufi
- Department of Dermatology, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan
- Department of Dermatology, Guangdong Provincial Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mohammad Faiq Sediqi
- Department of Histology, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan
| | - Aziz Rahman Rasib
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan
| | - Abdullah Asady
- Department of Microbiology, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan
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Siddique R, Bai Q, Shereen MA, Nabi G, Han G, Rashid F, Ahmed S, Benzhanova A, Xue M, Khan S. Evidence and speculations: vaccines and therapeutic options for COVID-19 pandemic. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2021; 17:1113-1121. [PMID: 33064630 PMCID: PMC8018497 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1824497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) emerged in China, at the end of December 2019 which posed an International Public Health Emergency, and later declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) named it SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2), while the disease was named COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease- 2019). Many questions related to the exact mode of transmission, animal origins, and antiviral therapeutics are not clear yet. Nevertheless, it is required to urgently launch a new protocol to evaluate the side effects of unapproved vaccines and antiviral therapeutics to accelerate the clinical application of new drugs. In this review, we highlight the most salient characteristics and recent findings of COVID-19 disease, molecular virology, interspecies mechanisms, and health consequences related to this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabeea Siddique
- Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Henan Medical Key Laboratory of Translational Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qian Bai
- Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Henan Medical Key Laboratory of Translational Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Muhammad Adnan Shereen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Ghulam Nabi
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Guang Han
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Farooq Rashid
- School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Saeed Ahmed
- Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Henan Medical Key Laboratory of Translational Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Aigerim Benzhanova
- Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Mengzhou Xue
- Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Henan Medical Key Laboratory of Translational Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Suliman Khan
- Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Henan Medical Key Laboratory of Translational Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
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Makatsa MS, Tincho MB, Wendoh JM, Ismail SD, Nesamari R, Pera F, de Beer S, David A, Jugwanth S, Gededzha MP, Mampeule N, Sanne I, Stevens W, Scott L, Blackburn J, Mayne ES, Keeton RS, Burgers WA. SARS-CoV-2 Antigens Expressed in Plants Detect Antibody Responses in COVID-19 Patients. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:589940. [PMID: 33868324 PMCID: PMC8044419 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.589940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has swept the world and poses a significant global threat to lives and livelihoods, with 115 million confirmed cases and at least 2.5 million deaths from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the first year of the pandemic. Developing tools to measure seroprevalence and understand protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is a priority. We aimed to develop a serological assay using plant-derived recombinant viral proteins, which represent important tools in less-resourced settings. Methods: We established an indirect ELISA using the S1 and receptor-binding domain (RBD) portions of the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. We measured antibody responses in sera from South African patients (n = 77) who had tested positive by PCR for SARS-CoV-2. Samples were taken a median of 6 weeks after the diagnosis, and the majority of participants had mild and moderate COVID-19 disease. In addition, we tested the reactivity of pre-pandemic plasma (n = 58) and compared the performance of our in-house ELISA with a commercial assay. We also determined whether our assay could detect SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and IgA in saliva. Results: We demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulins are readily detectable using recombinant plant-derived viral proteins, in patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR. Reactivity to S1 and RBD was detected in 51 (66%) and 48 (62%) of participants, respectively. Notably, we detected 100% of samples identified as having S1-specific antibodies by a validated, high sensitivity commercial ELISA, and optical density (OD) values were strongly and significantly correlated between the two assays. For the pre-pandemic plasma, 1/58 (1.7%) of samples were positive, indicating a high specificity for SARS-CoV-2 in our ELISA. SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG correlated significantly with IgA and IgM responses. Endpoint titers of S1- and RBD-specific immunoglobulins ranged from 1:50 to 1:3,200. S1-specific IgG and IgA were found in saliva samples from convalescent volunteers. Conclusion: We demonstrate that recombinant SARS-CoV-2 proteins produced in plants enable robust detection of SARS-CoV-2 humoral responses. This assay can be used for seroepidemiological studies and to measure the strength and durability of antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in infected patients in our setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohau S. Makatsa
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marius B. Tincho
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jerome M. Wendoh
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sherazaan D. Ismail
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rofhiwa Nesamari
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Anura David
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Sarika Jugwanth
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Maemu P. Gededzha
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Nakampe Mampeule
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ian Sanne
- Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Wendy Stevens
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lesley Scott
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Blackburn
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Chemical and Systems Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elizabeth S. Mayne
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Roanne S. Keeton
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Wendy A. Burgers
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Rattanapisit K, Yusakul G, Shanmugaraj B, Kittirotruji K, Suwatsrisakul P, Prompetchara E, Taychakhoonavud S, Phoolcharoen W. Plant-produced recombinant SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain; an economical, scalable biomaterial source for COVID-19 diagnosis. BIOMATERIALS TRANSLATIONAL 2021; 2:43-49. [PMID: 35837255 PMCID: PMC9255829 DOI: 10.3877/cma.j.issn.2096-112x.2021.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), spread rapidly causing a severe global health burden. The standard COVID-19 diagnosis relies heavily on molecular tests to detect viral RNA in patient samples; however, this method is costly, requires highly-equipped laboratories, multiple reagents, skilled laboratory technicians, and takes 3-6 hours to complete. To overcome these limitations, we developed a plant-based production platform for the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain as an economical source of detection reagents for a lateral-flow immunoassay strip (LFIA) which is suitable for detection of IgM/IgG antibodies in human samples. Further, we validated the plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain-based LFIA as a useful diagnostic tool for COVID-19. A total of 51 confirmed COVID-19 serum samples were tested using the LFIA, and the obtained results were consistent with those from polymerase chain reaction assays, while providing sensitivity and specificity of 94.1% and 98%, respectively. The developed LFIA is rapid, scalable, user-friendly, and relatively inexpensive with a simple test procedure, making it useful for the routine monitoring of COVID-19 in clinical settings. This study was approved on March 19, 2020 by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University (COA No. 354/2020 and IRB No. 236/63).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gorawit Yusakul
- School of Pharmacy, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
| | | | | | | | - Eakachai Prompetchara
- Centre of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development (Chula Vaccine Research Centre, Chula VRC), Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suthira Taychakhoonavud
- Department of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Corresponding authors: Suthira Taychakhoonavud, ; Waranyoo Phoolcharoen,
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Research Unit for Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Corresponding authors: Suthira Taychakhoonavud, ; Waranyoo Phoolcharoen,
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Roy HS, Singh R, Ghosh D. SARS-CoV-2 and tissue damage: current insights and biomaterial-based therapeutic strategies. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:2804-2824. [PMID: 33666206 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm02077j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on humanity has gained worldwide attention and importance due to the rapid transmission, lack of treatment options and high mortality rate of the virus. While scientists across the world are searching for vaccines/drugs that can control the spread of the virus and/or reduce the risks associated with infection, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 have been reported to have tissue/organ damage. With most tissues/organs having limited regenerative potential, interventions that prevent further damage or facilitate healing would be helpful. In the past few decades, biomaterials have gained prominence in the field of tissue engineering, in view of their major role in the regenerative process. Here we describe the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on multiple tissues/organs, and provide evidence for the positive role of biomaterials in aiding tissue repair. These findings are further extrapolated to explore their prospects as a therapeutic platform to address the tissue/organ damage that is frequently observed during this viral outbreak. This study suggests that the biomaterial-based approach could be an effective strategy for regenerating tissues/organs damaged by SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himadri Shekhar Roy
- Department of Biological Science, Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (INST), Habitat Centre, Sector 64, Phase 10, Mohali-160062, Punjab, India.
| | - Rupali Singh
- Department of Biological Science, Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (INST), Habitat Centre, Sector 64, Phase 10, Mohali-160062, Punjab, India.
| | - Deepa Ghosh
- Department of Biological Science, Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (INST), Habitat Centre, Sector 64, Phase 10, Mohali-160062, Punjab, India.
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Hyder Pottoo F, Abu-Izneid T, Mohammad Ibrahim A, Noushad Javed M, AlHajri N, Hamrouni AM. Immune system response during viral Infections: Immunomodulators, cytokine storm (CS) and Immunotherapeutics in COVID-19. Saudi Pharm J 2021; 29:173-187. [PMID: 33519271 PMCID: PMC7833973 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses are non-segmented and single stranded positive-sense RNA (+ssRNA) viruses. To date, 06 human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are reported; α-CoVs (HCoVs-NL63 and HCoVs-229E) and β-CoVs (HCoVs-OC43, HCoVs-HKU1, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV). While, novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the most recent member. The genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2 is 82% similar to SARS-COV-1. The compelling evidences link the progression of viral infection of SARS-CoV-2 with excessive inflammation as a result of the exaggerated immune response and elevated production of "immunocytokines" resulting in cytokine storm (CS); followed by a series of events, like acute organ damage, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as well as death. Hence attempts to reduce cytokine storm are now being considered as a new paradigm shift in the clinical management of SARS-CoV-2. Tocilizumab (IL-6 blocker), Baricitinib (JAKs and AAK1 inhibitor), TNFα inhibitors (Infliximab, Adalimumab, Certolizumab) are currently being evaluated for possible block of the CS. Hence, rationalizing anti-inflammatory therapeutics would be the most judicious approach for significant reduction in COVID-19 mortality. In order to elucidate optimized and rationaled use of different therapeutics in COVID-19, we collated latest available information from emerging scientific evidences, integrated previous attempts as well as clinical successes, and various adopted approaches to mitigate past outbreaks with of SARS-CoV and MERS CoV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faheem Hyder Pottoo
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P. O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tareq Abu-Izneid
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abdallah Mohammad Ibrahim
- Fundamentals of Nursing Department, College of Nursing, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O.BOX 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Md. Noushad Javed
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (SPER), Jamia Hamdard, New-Delhi, India
| | - Noora AlHajri
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Medicine, Khalifa University, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amar M. Hamrouni
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Siriwattananon K, Manopwisedjaroen S, Kanjanasirirat P, Budi Purwono P, Rattanapisit K, Shanmugaraj B, Smith DR, Borwornpinyo S, Thitithanyanont A, Phoolcharoen W. Development of Plant-Produced Recombinant ACE2-Fc Fusion Protein as a Potential Therapeutic Agent Against SARS-CoV-2. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 11:604663. [PMID: 33584747 PMCID: PMC7874119 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.604663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which has recently emerged as a potential threat to global public health. SARS-CoV-2 is the third known human coronavirus that has huge impact on the human population after SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Although some vaccines and therapeutic drugs are currently in clinical trials, none of them are approved for commercial use yet. As with SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 utilizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as the cell entry receptor to enter into the host cell. In this study, we have transiently produced human ACE2 fused with the Fc region of human IgG1 in Nicotiana benthamiana and the in vitro neutralization efficacy of the plant-produced ACE2-Fc fusion protein was assessed. The recombinant ACE2-Fc fusion protein was expressed in N. benthamiana at 100 μg/g leaf fresh weight on day 6 post-infiltration. The recombinant fusion protein showed potent binding to receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. Importantly, the plant-produced fusion protein exhibited potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in vitro. Treatment with ACE2-Fc fusion protein after viral infection dramatically inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in Vero cells with an IC50 value of 0.84 μg/ml. Moreover, treatment with ACE2-Fc fusion protein at the pre-entry stage suppressed SARS-CoV-2 infection with an IC50 of 94.66 μg/ml. These findings put a spotlight on the plant-produced ACE2-Fc fusion protein as a potential therapeutic candidate against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konlavat Siriwattananon
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | - Priyo Budi Purwono
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Kaewta Rattanapisit
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Balamurugan Shanmugaraj
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Duncan R. Smith
- Institute of Molecular Bioscience, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
| | - Suparerk Borwornpinyo
- Excellence Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Xi X, Guo Y, Zhu M, Wei Y, Li G, Du B, Wang Y. Higher expression of monocyte chemotactic protein 1 in mild COVID-19 patients might be correlated with inhibition of Type I IFN signaling. Virol J 2021; 18:12. [PMID: 33413449 PMCID: PMC7788192 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-020-01478-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemokine levels in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have been shown to be markedly elevated. But the role of chemokines in mild COVID-19 has not yet been established. According to the epidemiological statistics, most of the COVID-19 cases in Shiyan City, China, have been mild. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of chemokines in mild COVID-19 patients and explore the correlation between chemokines and host immune response. METHODS In this study, we used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect serum levels of chemokines in COVID-19 patients in Shiyan City. Expression of chemokine receptors and of other signaling molecules was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS We first demonstrated that COVID-19 patients, both sever and mild cases, are characterized by higher level of chemokines. Specifically, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) is expressed at higher levels both in severe and mild cases of COVID-19. The receptor of MCP-1, C-C chemokine receptor type 2, was expressed at higher levels in mild COVID-19 patients. Finally, we observed a significant negative correlation between expression levels of interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and serum levels of MCP-1 in mild COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSION Higher expression of MCP-1 in mild COVID-19 patients might be correlated with inhibition of IFN signaling. The finding adds to our understanding of the immunopathological mechanisms of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and provides potential therapeutic targets and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Xi
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, No. 30 Renmin Nanlu, Shiyan City, Hubei Province, 442000, People's Republic of China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan City, People's Republic of China.
- Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan City, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yang Guo
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, No. 30 Renmin Nanlu, Shiyan City, Hubei Province, 442000, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan City, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Zhu
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, No. 30 Renmin Nanlu, Shiyan City, Hubei Province, 442000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhui Wei
- Institute of Neuroscience, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan City, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Li
- Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan City, People's Republic of China
| | - Boyu Du
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, No. 30 Renmin Nanlu, Shiyan City, Hubei Province, 442000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunfu Wang
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, No. 30 Renmin Nanlu, Shiyan City, Hubei Province, 442000, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Neuroscience, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan City, People's Republic of China.
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Liu CH, Huang HY, Tu YF, Lai WY, Wang CL, Sun JR, Chien Y, Lin TW, Lin YY, Chien CS, Huang CH, Chen YM, Huang PI, Wang FD, Yang YP. Highlight of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 vaccine development against COVID-19 pandemic. J Chin Med Assoc 2021; 84:9-13. [PMID: 33186212 DOI: 10.1097/jcma.0000000000000461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has brought an unprecedented impact upon the global economy and public health. Although the SARS-CoV-2 virology has been gradually investigated, measures to combat this new threat in public health are still absent. To date, no certificated drug or vaccine has been developed for the treatment or prevention of coronavirus disease Extensive researches and international coordination has been conducted to rapidly develop novel vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Several major breakthroughs have been made through the identification of the genetic sequence and structural/non-structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2, which enabled the development of RNA-, DNA-based vaccines, subunit vaccines, and attenuated viral vaccines. In this review article, we present an overview of the recent advances of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the challenges that may be encountered in the development process, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches that may help in effectively countering COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Hsuan Liu
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsuan-Yang Huang
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yung-Fang Tu
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wei-Yi Lai
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chia-Lin Wang
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jun-Ren Sun
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yueh Chien
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tzu-Wei Lin
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ying Lin
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chian-Shiu Chien
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chih-Heng Huang
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yuh-Min Chen
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Chest Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Cancer Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pin-I Huang
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Fu-Der Wang
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ping Yang
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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Makatsa MS, Tincho MB, Wendoh JM, Ismail SD, Nesamari R, Pera F, de Beer S, David A, Jugwanth S, Gededzha MP, Mampeule N, Sanne I, Stevens W, Scott L, Blackburn J, Mayne ES, Keeton RS, Burgers WA. SARS-CoV-2 Antigens Expressed in Plants Detect Antibody Responses in COVID-19 Patients. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:589940. [PMID: 33868324 DOI: 10.1101/2020.08.04.20167940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has swept the world and poses a significant global threat to lives and livelihoods, with 115 million confirmed cases and at least 2.5 million deaths from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the first year of the pandemic. Developing tools to measure seroprevalence and understand protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is a priority. We aimed to develop a serological assay using plant-derived recombinant viral proteins, which represent important tools in less-resourced settings. Methods: We established an indirect ELISA using the S1 and receptor-binding domain (RBD) portions of the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. We measured antibody responses in sera from South African patients (n = 77) who had tested positive by PCR for SARS-CoV-2. Samples were taken a median of 6 weeks after the diagnosis, and the majority of participants had mild and moderate COVID-19 disease. In addition, we tested the reactivity of pre-pandemic plasma (n = 58) and compared the performance of our in-house ELISA with a commercial assay. We also determined whether our assay could detect SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and IgA in saliva. Results: We demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulins are readily detectable using recombinant plant-derived viral proteins, in patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR. Reactivity to S1 and RBD was detected in 51 (66%) and 48 (62%) of participants, respectively. Notably, we detected 100% of samples identified as having S1-specific antibodies by a validated, high sensitivity commercial ELISA, and optical density (OD) values were strongly and significantly correlated between the two assays. For the pre-pandemic plasma, 1/58 (1.7%) of samples were positive, indicating a high specificity for SARS-CoV-2 in our ELISA. SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG correlated significantly with IgA and IgM responses. Endpoint titers of S1- and RBD-specific immunoglobulins ranged from 1:50 to 1:3,200. S1-specific IgG and IgA were found in saliva samples from convalescent volunteers. Conclusion: We demonstrate that recombinant SARS-CoV-2 proteins produced in plants enable robust detection of SARS-CoV-2 humoral responses. This assay can be used for seroepidemiological studies and to measure the strength and durability of antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in infected patients in our setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohau S Makatsa
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marius B Tincho
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jerome M Wendoh
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sherazaan D Ismail
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rofhiwa Nesamari
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Anura David
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Sarika Jugwanth
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Maemu P Gededzha
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Nakampe Mampeule
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ian Sanne
- Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Wendy Stevens
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lesley Scott
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Blackburn
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Chemical and Systems Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elizabeth S Mayne
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Roanne S Keeton
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Wendy A Burgers
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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LeBlanc Z, Waterhouse P, Bally J. Plant-Based Vaccines: The Way Ahead? Viruses 2020; 13:E5. [PMID: 33375155 PMCID: PMC7822169 DOI: 10.3390/v13010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe virus outbreaks are occurring more often and spreading faster and further than ever. Preparedness plans based on lessons learned from past epidemics can guide behavioral and pharmacological interventions to contain and treat emergent diseases. Although conventional biologics production systems can meet the pharmaceutical needs of a community at homeostasis, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an abrupt rise in demand for vaccines and therapeutics that highlight the gaps in this supply chain's ability to quickly develop and produce biologics in emergency situations given a short lead time. Considering the projected requirements for COVID-19 vaccines and the necessity for expedited large scale manufacture the capabilities of current biologics production systems should be surveyed to determine their applicability to pandemic preparedness. Plant-based biologics production systems have progressed to a state of commercial viability in the past 30 years with the capacity for production of complex, glycosylated, "mammalian compatible" molecules in a system with comparatively low production costs, high scalability, and production flexibility. Continued research drives the expansion of plant virus-based tools for harnessing the full production capacity from the plant biomass in transient systems. Here, we present an overview of vaccine production systems with a focus on plant-based production systems and their potential role as "first responders" in emergency pandemic situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zacharie LeBlanc
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Peter Waterhouse
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Julia Bally
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
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Sadanandam A, Bopp T, Dixit S, Knapp DJHF, Emperumal CP, Vergidis P, Rajalingam K, Melcher A, Kannan N. A blood transcriptome-based analysis of disease progression, immune regulation, and symptoms in coronavirus-infected patients. Cell Death Discov 2020; 6:141. [PMID: 33293514 PMCID: PMC7721861 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-020-00376-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 patients show heterogeneity in clinical presentation and outcomes that makes pandemic control and strategy difficult; optimizing management requires a systems biology approach of understanding the disease. Here we sought to potentially understand and infer complex disease progression, immune regulation, and symptoms in patients infected with coronaviruses (35 SARS-CoV and 3 SARS-CoV-2 patients and 57 samples) at two different disease progression stages. Further, we compared coronavirus data with healthy individuals (n = 16) and patients with other infections (n = 144; all publicly available data). We applied inferential statistics (the COVID-engine platform) to RNA profiles (from limited number of samples) derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Compared to healthy individuals, a subset of integrated blood-based gene profiles (signatures) distinguished acute-like (mimicking coronavirus-infected patients with prolonged hospitalization) from recovering-like patients. These signatures also hierarchically represented multiple (at the system level) parameters associated with PBMC including dysregulated cytokines, genes, pathways, networks of pathways/concepts, immune status, and cell types. Proof-of-principle observations included PBMC-based increases in cytokine storm-associated IL6, enhanced innate immunity (macrophages and neutrophils), and lower adaptive T and B cell immunity in patients with acute-like disease compared to those with recovery-like disease. Patients in the recovery-like stage showed significantly enhanced TNF, IFN-γ, anti-viral, HLA-DQA1, and HLA-F gene expression and cytolytic activity, and reduced pro-viral gene expression compared to those in the acute-like stage in PBMC. Besides, our analysis revealed overlapping genes associated with potential comorbidities (associated diabetes) and disease-like conditions (associated with thromboembolism, pneumonia, lung disease, and septicemia). Overall, our COVID-engine inferential statistics platform and study involving PBMC-based RNA profiling may help understand complex and variable system-wide responses displayed by coronavirus-infected patients with further validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anguraj Sadanandam
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
- Division of Experimental Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| | - Tobias Bopp
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Santosh Dixit
- Centre for Translational Cancer Research (CTCR; a joint initiative of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune and Prashanti Cancer Care Mission), Pune, India
| | - David J H F Knapp
- Institut de recherche en immunologie et en cancérologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Chitra Priya Emperumal
- Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Krishnaraj Rajalingam
- Cell Biology Unit, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- University Cancer Center Mainz, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Alan Melcher
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Nagarajan Kannan
- Division of Experimental Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
- Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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Muralidar S, Ambi SV, Sekaran S, Krishnan UM. The emergence of COVID-19 as a global pandemic: Understanding the epidemiology, immune response and potential therapeutic targets of SARS-CoV-2. Biochimie 2020; 179:85-100. [PMID: 32971147 PMCID: PMC7505773 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2020.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
An acute respiratory disease caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that surfaced in China in late 2019, continues to spread rapidly across the globe causing serious concerns. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is declared as a public health emergency worldwide by the World Health Organization (WHO). Increasing evidences have demonstrated human-to-human transmission that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract followed by lower respiratory tract damage leading to severe pneumonia. Based on the current status, the elderly population and people with prior co-morbidities are highly susceptible to serious health effects including cytokine up-regulation and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Currently, COVID-19 research is still in the preliminary stage necessitating rigorous studies. There is no specific drug or vaccine targeting SARS-CoV-2 currently and only symptomatic treatment is being administered, but several antivirals are under active investigation. In this review, we have summarized the epidemiology, entry mechanism, immune response, and therapeutic implications, possible drug targets, their ongoing clinical trials, and put forward vital questions to offer new directions to the COVID-19 research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibi Muralidar
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur, 613401, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Senthil Visaga Ambi
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur, 613401, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Saravanan Sekaran
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur, 613401, Tamil Nadu, India; Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials (CeNTAB), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur, 613401, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Uma Maheswari Krishnan
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur, 613401, Tamil Nadu, India; Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials (CeNTAB), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur, 613401, Tamil Nadu, India; School of Arts, Science & Technology (SASH), SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur, 613401, Tamil Nadu, India
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Iqbal Yatoo M, Hamid Z, Parray OR, Wani AH, Ul Haq A, Saxena A, Patel SK, Pathak M, Tiwari R, Malik YS, Sah R, Rabaan AA, Rodriguez Morales AJ, Dhama K. COVID-19 - Recent advancements in identifying novel vaccine candidates and current status of upcoming SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2020; 16:2891-2904. [PMID: 32703064 PMCID: PMC8641591 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1788310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly. To date, countries have relied on the prevention of the disease through isolation, quarantine, and clinical care of affected individuals. However, studies on the roles of asymptomatic and mildly infected subjects in disease transmission, use of antiviral drugs, and vaccination of the general population will be very important for mitigating the effects of the eventual return of this pandemic. Initial investigations are ongoing to evaluate antigenic structures of SARS-CoV-2 and the immunogenicity of vaccine candidates. There also is a need to comprehensively compile the details of previous studies on SARS-related vaccines that can be extrapolated to identify potent vaccine targets for developing COVID-19 vaccines. This review aims to analyze previous studies, current status, and future possibilities for producing SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd. Iqbal Yatoo
- Division of Veterinary Clinical Complex, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, India
| | - Zeenat Hamid
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India
| | - Oveas Rafiq Parray
- Division of Veterinary Clinical Complex, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, India
| | - Aasim Habib Wani
- Division of Veterinary Clinical Complex, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, India
| | - Abrar Ul Haq
- Division of Veterinary Clinical Complex, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, India
| | - Archana Saxena
- Division of Biotechnology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Shailesh Kumar Patel
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Mamta Pathak
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Ruchi Tiwari
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Sciences, UP Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhayay Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalay Evum Go-Anusandhan Sansthan, Mathura, India
| | - Yashpal Singh Malik
- Division of Biological Standardization, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Ranjit Sah
- Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Ali A. Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alfonso J. Rodriguez Morales
- Public Health and Infection Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Pereira, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigacion Biomedicina, Faculty of Medicine, Fundacion Universitaria Autonoma de las Americas, Risaralda, Colombia
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
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Barbuddhe SB, Rawool DB, Gaonkar PP, Vergis J, Dhama K, Malik SS. Global scenario, public health concerns and mitigation strategies to counter current ongoing SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 pandemic. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2020; 16:3023-3033. [PMID: 33121328 PMCID: PMC7605515 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1810496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus- 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has posed a great public health threat to the global community as a pandemic. The origin of the virus has been linked to animals, through a yet-to-be-identified intermediate host. The disease is transmitted to humans mainly through inhalation or contact with infected droplets. The variable clinical presentation of COVID-19 includes fever, cough, sore throat, breathlessness, fatigue and malaise; however, cutaneous, ocular, neurological, and gastrointestinal manifestations have also been reported. There is an urgent need to strengthen One Health surveillance, intervention, and management strategies to understand the ecology of coronaviruses and to prevent epidemics in the future. Global attention toward the development of treatments, immunotherapies, vaccines, and control options to combat the COVID-19 pandemic has been on an increasing trend. Here, we review the current epidemiological status, public health concerns, and mitigation strategies for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jess Vergis
- Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Wayanad, India
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- Division of Pathology, ICAR- Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, India
| | - Satyaveer Singh Malik
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, ICAR- Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, India
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