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Schmidt C, Gerbeth J, von Rhein C, Hastert FD, Schnierle BS. The Stop Codon after the nsp3 Gene of Ross River Virus (RRV) Is Not Essential for Virus Replication in Three Cell Lines Tested, but RRV Replication Is Attenuated in HEK 293T Cells. Viruses 2024; 16:1033. [PMID: 39066196 PMCID: PMC11281442 DOI: 10.3390/v16071033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
A recombinant Ross River virus (RRV) that contains the fluorescent protein mCherry fused to the non-structural protein 3 (nsP3) was constructed, which allowed real-time imaging of viral replication. RRV-mCherry contained either the natural opal stop codon after the nsP3 gene or was constructed without a stop codon. The mCherry fusion protein did not interfere with the viral life cycle and deletion of the stop codon did not change the replication capacity of RRV-mCherry. Comparison of RRV-mCherry and chikungunya virus-mCherry infections, however, showed a cell type-dependent delay in RRV-mCherry replication in HEK 293T cells. This delay was not caused by differences in cell entry, but rather by an impeded nsP expression caused by the RRV inhibitor ZAP (zinc finger CCCH-Type, antiviral 1). The data indicate that viral replication of alphaviruses is cell-type dependent, and might be unique for each alphavirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Schmidt
- Section AIDS and Newly Emerging Pathogens, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Barbara S. Schnierle
- Section AIDS and Newly Emerging Pathogens, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
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2
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Sagay AS, Hsieh SC, Dai YC, Chang CA, Ogwuche J, Ige OO, Kahansim ML, Chaplin B, Imade G, Elujoba M, Paul M, Hamel DJ, Furuya H, Khouri R, Boaventura VS, de Moraes L, Kanki PJ, Wang WK. Chikungunya virus antepartum transmission and abnormal infant outcomes in a cohort of pregnant women in Nigeria. Int J Infect Dis 2024; 139:92-100. [PMID: 38056689 PMCID: PMC10843725 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2023.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a reemerging global public health concern, which causes acute febrile illness, rash, and arthralgia and may affect both mothers and infants during pregnancy. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of CHIKV in Africa remains understudied. METHODS Our cohort study screened 1006 pregnant women with a Zika/dengue/CHIKV rapid test at two clinics in Nigeria between 2019 and 2022. Women who tested positive for the rapid test were followed through their pregnancy and their infants were observed for 6 months, with a subset tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and neutralization, to investigate seropositivity rates and MTCT of CHIKV. RESULTS Of the 1006, 119 tested positive for CHIKV immunoglobulin (Ig)M, of which 36 underwent detailed laboratory tests. While none of the IgM reactive samples were RT-PCR positive, 14 symptomatic pregnant women were confirmed by CHIKV neutralization test. Twelve babies were followed with eight normal and four abnormal outcomes, including stillbirth, cleft lip/palate with microcephaly, preterm delivery, polydactyly with sepsis, and jaundice. CHIKV IgM testing identified three possible antepartum transmissions. CONCLUSION In Nigeria, we found significant CHIKV infection in pregnancy and possible CHIKV antepartum transmission associated with birth abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atiene S Sagay
- Jos University Teaching Hospital, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Szu-Chia Hsieh
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
| | - Yu-Ching Dai
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
| | - Charlotte Ajeong Chang
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | | | - Olukemi O Ige
- Jos University Teaching Hospital, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | | | - Beth Chaplin
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Godwin Imade
- Jos University Teaching Hospital, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | | | - Michael Paul
- Jos University Teaching Hospital, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Donald J Hamel
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Hideki Furuya
- Department of Biomedical Science, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Ricardo Khouri
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz -Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Bahia, Brazil
| | | | - Laíse de Moraes
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz -Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Bahia, Brazil
| | - Phyllis J Kanki
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA.
| | - Wei-Kung Wang
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
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Sagay AS, Hsieh SC, Dai YC, Chang CA, Ogwuche J, Ige OO, Kahansim ML, Chaplin B, Imade G, Elujoba M, Paul M, Hamel DJ, Furuya H, Khoury R, Boaventura VS, de Moraes L, Kanki PJ, Wang WK. Chikungunya virus antepartum transmission and abnormal infant outcomes in Nigeria. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.08.05.23293675. [PMID: 37609297 PMCID: PMC10441498 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.05.23293675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has become a global public health concern since the reemergence of the Indian Ocean lineage and expansion of the Asian genotype. CHIKV infection causes acute febrile illness, rash, and arthralgia and during pregnancy may affect both mothers and infants. The mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of CHIKV in Africa remains understudied. We screened 1006 pregnant women at two clinics in Nigeria between 2019 and 2022 and investigated the prevalence and MTCT of CHIKV. Of the 1006, 119 tested positive for CHIKV IgM, of which 36 underwent detailed laboratory tests. While none of the IgM reactive samples were RT-PCR positive, 14 symptomatic pregnant women were confirmed by CHIKV neutralization test. Twelve babies were followed with 8 normal and 4 abnormal outcomes, including stillbirth, cleft lip/palate with microcephaly, preterm delivery, polydactyly with sepsis and jaundice. CHIKV IgM testing identified 3 antepartum transmissions, further studies will determine its impact in antepartum infection.
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Pereira GM, Manuli ER, Coulon L, Côrtes MF, Ramundo MS, Dromenq L, Larue-Triolet A, Raymond F, Tourneur C, Lázari CDS, Brasil P, Filippis AMBD, Paranhos-Baccalà G, Banz A, Sabino EC. Performance Evaluation of VIDAS ® Diagnostic Assays Detecting Anti-Chikungunya Virus IgM and IgG Antibodies: An International Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2306. [PMID: 37443699 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13132306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya (CHIK) is a debilitating mosquito-borne disease with an epidemiology and early clinical symptoms similar to those of other arboviruses-triggered diseases such as dengue or Zika. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of CHIK virus (CHIKV) infection is therefore challenging. This international study evaluated the performance of the automated VIDAS® anti-CHIKV IgM and IgG assays compared to that of manual competitor IgM and IgG ELISA for the detection of anti-CHIKV IgM and IgG antibodies in 660 patients with suspected CHIKV infection. Positive and negative agreements of the VIDAS® CHIKV assays with ELISA ranged from 97.5% to 100.0%. The sensitivity of the VIDAS® CHIKV assays evaluated in patients with a proven CHIKV infection confirmed reported kinetics of anti-CHIKV IgM and IgG response, with a positive detection of 88.2-100.0% for IgM ≥ 5 days post symptom onset and of 100.0% for IgG ≥ 11 days post symptom onset. Our study also demonstrated the superiority of ELISA and VIDAS® assays over rapid diagnostic IgM/IgG tests. The analytical performance of VIDAS® anti-CHIKV IgM and IgG assays was excellent, with a high precision (coefficients of variation ≤ 7.4%) and high specificity (cross-reactivity rate ≤ 2.9%). This study demonstrates the suitability of the automated VIDAS® anti-CHIKV IgM and IgG assays to diagnose CHIKV infections and supports its applicability for epidemiological surveillance and differential diagnosis in regions endemic for CHIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geovana M Pereira
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Erika R Manuli
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo 09521-160, Brazil
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica/Parasitologia LIM/46, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil
| | | | - Marina F Côrtes
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Mariana S Ramundo
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Carolina Dos Santos Lázari
- Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil
| | - Patricia Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis
- Laboratório de Arbovírus e Vírus Hemorrágicos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Glaucia Paranhos-Baccalà
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
- bioMérieux, 69280 Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Alice Banz
- bioMérieux, 69280 Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Ester C Sabino
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo 09521-160, Brazil
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica/Parasitologia LIM/46, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil
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Fu JYL, Chua CL, Abu Bakar AS, Vythilingam I, Wan Sulaiman WY, Alphey L, Chan YF, Sam IC. Susceptibility of Aedes albopictus, Ae. aegypti and human populations to Ross River virus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011423. [PMID: 37307291 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging arboviruses such as chikungunya and Zika viruses have unexpectedly caused widespread outbreaks in tropical and subtropical regions recently. Ross River virus (RRV) is endemic in Australia and has epidemic potential. In Malaysia, Aedes mosquitoes are abundant and drive dengue and chikungunya outbreaks. We assessed risk of an RRV outbreak in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by determining vector competence of local Aedes mosquitoes and local seroprevalence as a proxy of human population susceptibility. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We assessed oral susceptibility of Malaysian Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus by real-time PCR to an Australian RRV strain SW2089. Replication kinetics in midgut, head and saliva were determined at 3 and 10 days post-infection (dpi). With a 3 log10 PFU/ml blood meal, infection rate was higher in Ae. albopictus (60%) than Ae. aegypti (15%; p<0.05). Despite similar infection rates at 5 and 7 log10 PFU/ml blood meals, Ae. albopictus had significantly higher viral loads and required a significantly lower median oral infectious dose (2.7 log10 PFU/ml) than Ae. aegypti (4.2 log10 PFU/ml). Ae. albopictus showed higher vector competence, with higher viral loads in heads and saliva, and higher transmission rate (RRV present in saliva) of 100% at 10 dpi, than Ae. aegypti (41%). Ae. aegypti demonstrated greater barriers at either midgut escape or salivary gland infection, and salivary gland escape. We then assessed seropositivity against RRV among 240 Kuala Lumpur inpatients using plaque reduction neutralization, and found a low rate of 0.8%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus are susceptible to RRV, but Ae. albopictus displays greater vector competence. Extensive travel links with Australia, abundant Aedes vectors, and low population immunity places Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at risk of an imported RRV outbreak. Surveillance and increased diagnostic awareness and capacity are imperative to prevent establishment of new arboviruses in Malaysia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolene Yin Ling Fu
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Chong Long Chua
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Indra Vythilingam
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics Group, The Pirbright Institute, Woking, United Kingdom
| | - Yoke Fun Chan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - I-Ching Sam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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A Bivalent Trans-Amplifying RNA Vaccine Candidate Induces Potent Chikungunya and Ross River Virus Specific Immune Responses. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091374. [PMID: 36146452 PMCID: PMC9503900 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091374] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses such as the human pathogenic chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Ross River virus (RRV) can cause explosive outbreaks raising public health concerns. However, no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment is yet available. We recently established a CHIKV vaccine candidate based on trans-amplifying RNA (taRNA). This novel system consists of a replicase-encoding mRNA and a trans-replicon (TR) RNA encoding the antigen. The TR-RNA is amplified by the replicase in situ. We were interested in determining whether multiple TR-RNAs can be amplified in parallel and if, thus, a multivalent vaccine candidate can be generated. In vitro, we observed an efficient amplification of two TR-RNAs, encoding for the CHIKV and the RRV envelope proteins, by the replicase, which resulted in a high antigen expression. Vaccination of BALB/c mice with the two TR-RNAs induced CHIKV- and RRV-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. However, antibody titers and neutralization capacity were higher after immunization with a single TR-RNA. In contrast, alphavirus-specific T cell responses were equally potent after the bivalent vaccination. These data show the proof-of-principle that the taRNA system can be used to generate multivalent vaccines; however, further optimizations will be needed for clinical application.
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7
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Schmidt C, Haefner E, Gerbeth J, Beissert T, Sahin U, Perkovic M, Schnierle BS. A taRNA vaccine candidate induces a specific immune response that protects mice against Chikungunya virus infections. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 28:743-754. [PMID: 35664702 PMCID: PMC9126847 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.04.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The arthritogenic alphavirus, chikungunya virus (CHIKV), is now present in almost 100 countries worldwide. Further spread is very likely, which raises public health concerns. CHIKV infections cause fever and arthralgia, which can be debilitating and last for years. Here, we describe a CHIKV vaccine candidate based on trans-amplifying RNA (taRNA). The vaccine candidate consists of two RNAs: a non-replicating mRNA encoding for the CHIKV nonstructural proteins, forming the replicase complex and a trans-replicon (TR) RNA encoding the CHIKV envelope proteins. The TR-RNA can be amplified by the replicase in trans, and small RNA amounts can induce a potent immune response. The TR-RNA was efficiently amplified by the CHIKV replicase in vitro, leading to high protein expression, comparable to that generated by a CHIKV infection. In addition, the taRNA system did not recombine to replication-competent CHIKV. Using a prime-boost schedule, the vaccine candidate induced potent CHIKV-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in vivo in a mouse model. Notably, mice were protected against a high-dose CHIKV challenge infection with two vaccine doses of only 1.5 μg RNA. Therefore, taRNAs are a promising safe and efficient vaccination strategy against CHIKV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Schmidt
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Erik Haefner
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany.,TRON (Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Freiligrathstraße 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Julia Gerbeth
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Tim Beissert
- TRON (Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Freiligrathstraße 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Ugur Sahin
- TRON (Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Freiligrathstraße 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany.,Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center at the Johannes Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Mario Perkovic
- TRON (Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Freiligrathstraße 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Barbara S Schnierle
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
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8
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Preparation and application of chikungunya pseudovirus containing double reporter genes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9844. [PMID: 35701460 PMCID: PMC9194775 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13230-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a highly infectious and rapidly spread viral pathogen, is classified as a pathogenic agent at the biosafety level 3. Operation of live authentic CHIKV needs a specific laboratory with the P3 or above containment, which greatly confines the CHIKV-associated studies. To establish an evaluation system of CHIKV that can be utilized in a BSL2 laboratory, we constructed a pseudovirus (PsV) system of CHIKV containing double reporter genes (ZsGreen1 and luciferase). The fluorescent ZsGreen1 is a convenient and cheap reporter for monitoring the efficiency of transfection and titration of PsV. The enzyme luciferase is a sensitive reporter for the application of PsV to neutralization assay or drug screening. The CHIKV PsV produced in this study, with a titer of up to 3.16 × 106 TU/ml, was confirmed by Western blotting and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). Finally, we developed a microneutralization assay with the CHIKV PsV produced in this study, which was successfully applied to evaluate neutralizing activities of convalescent sera from CHIKV-infected patients. In summary, we have established a convenient and sensitive double-reporter CHIKV pseudovirus system, which provides a safe and effective platform for screening anti-CHIKV drugs and evaluating vaccines against CHIKV.
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Masika MM, Korhonen EM, Smura T, Uusitalo R, Ogola J, Mwaengo D, Jääskeläinen AJ, Alburkat H, Gwon YD, Evander M, Anzala O, Vapalahti O, Huhtamo E. Serological Evidence of Exposure to Onyong-Nyong and Chikungunya Viruses in Febrile Patients of Rural Taita-Taveta County and Urban Kibera Informal Settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061286. [PMID: 35746757 PMCID: PMC9230508 DOI: 10.3390/v14061286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Several alphaviruses, such as chikungunya (CHIKV) and Onyong-nyong (ONNV), are endemic in Kenya and often cause outbreaks in different parts of the country. We assessed the seroprevalence of alphaviruses in patients with acute febrile illness in two geographically distant areas in Kenya with no previous record of alphavirus outbreaks. Blood samples were collected from febrile patients in health facilities located in the rural Taita-Taveta County in 2016 and urban Kibera informal settlement in Nairobi in 2017 and tested for CHIKV IgG and IgM antibodies using an in-house immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and a commercial ELISA test, respectively. A subset of CHIKV IgG or IgM antibody-positive samples were further analyzed using plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT) for CHIKV, ONNV, and Sindbis virus. Out of 537 patients, 4 (0.7%) and 28 (5.2%) had alphavirus IgM and IgG antibodies, respectively, confirmed on PRNT. We show evidence of previous and current exposure to alphaviruses based on serological testing in areas with no recorded history of outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moses Muia Masika
- KAVI Institute of Clinical Research, University of Nairobi, POB 19676, Nairobi 00202, Kenya; (J.O.); (O.A.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, POB 19676, Nairobi 00202, Kenya;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +254-721770306
| | - Essi M. Korhonen
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (E.M.K.); (T.S.); (R.U.); (A.J.J.); (H.A.); (O.V.); (E.H.)
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teemu Smura
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (E.M.K.); (T.S.); (R.U.); (A.J.J.); (H.A.); (O.V.); (E.H.)
- HUS Diagnostic Center, HUSLAB, Virology and Immunology, Helsinki University Hospital, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ruut Uusitalo
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (E.M.K.); (T.S.); (R.U.); (A.J.J.); (H.A.); (O.V.); (E.H.)
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Joseph Ogola
- KAVI Institute of Clinical Research, University of Nairobi, POB 19676, Nairobi 00202, Kenya; (J.O.); (O.A.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, POB 19676, Nairobi 00202, Kenya;
| | - Dufton Mwaengo
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, POB 19676, Nairobi 00202, Kenya;
| | - Anne J. Jääskeläinen
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (E.M.K.); (T.S.); (R.U.); (A.J.J.); (H.A.); (O.V.); (E.H.)
- HUS Diagnostic Center, HUSLAB, Virology and Immunology, Helsinki University Hospital, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hussein Alburkat
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (E.M.K.); (T.S.); (R.U.); (A.J.J.); (H.A.); (O.V.); (E.H.)
| | - Yong-Dae Gwon
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185 SE Umeå, Sweden; (Y.-D.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Magnus Evander
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185 SE Umeå, Sweden; (Y.-D.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Omu Anzala
- KAVI Institute of Clinical Research, University of Nairobi, POB 19676, Nairobi 00202, Kenya; (J.O.); (O.A.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, POB 19676, Nairobi 00202, Kenya;
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (E.M.K.); (T.S.); (R.U.); (A.J.J.); (H.A.); (O.V.); (E.H.)
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- HUS Diagnostic Center, HUSLAB, Virology and Immunology, Helsinki University Hospital, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eili Huhtamo
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (E.M.K.); (T.S.); (R.U.); (A.J.J.); (H.A.); (O.V.); (E.H.)
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Hastert FD, Hein S, von Rhein C, Benz NI, Husria Y, Oberle D, Maier TJ, Hildt E, Schnierle BS. The SARS-CoV-2 Variant Omicron Is Able to Escape Vaccine-Induced Humoral Immune Responses, but Is Counteracted by Booster Vaccination. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10050794. [PMID: 35632550 PMCID: PMC9144538 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10050794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron has spread world-wide and is responsible for rapid increases in infections, including in populations with high vaccination rates. Here, we analysed in the sera of vaccinated individuals the antibody binding to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein and the neutralization of wild-type (WT), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529; BA.1) pseudotyped vectors. Although sera from individuals immunized with vector vaccines (Vaxzevria; AZ and COVID-19 Janssen, Ad26.COV2.S; J&J) were able to bind and neutralize WT and Delta, they showed only background levels towards Omicron. In contrast, mRNA (Comirnaty; BNT) or heterologous (AZ/BNT) vaccines induced weak, but detectable responses against Omicron. While RBD-binding antibody levels decreased significantly six months after full vaccination, the SARS-CoV-2 RBD-directed avidity remained constant. However, this still coincided with a significant decrease in neutralization activity against all variants. A third booster vaccination with BNT significantly increased the humoral immune responses against all tested variants, including Omicron. In conclusion, only vaccination schedules that included at least one dose of mRNA vaccine and especially an mRNA booster vaccination induced sufficient antibody levels with neutralization capacity against multiple variants, including Omicron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian D. Hastert
- Department of Virology, Section AIDS and Newly Emerging Pathogens, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (F.D.H.); (C.v.R.)
| | - Sascha Hein
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (S.H.); (N.I.B.); (Y.H.); (E.H.)
| | - Christine von Rhein
- Department of Virology, Section AIDS and Newly Emerging Pathogens, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (F.D.H.); (C.v.R.)
| | - Nuka Ivalu Benz
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (S.H.); (N.I.B.); (Y.H.); (E.H.)
| | - Younes Husria
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (S.H.); (N.I.B.); (Y.H.); (E.H.)
| | - Doris Oberle
- Division of Pharmacovigilance, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (D.O.); (T.J.M.)
| | - Thorsten J. Maier
- Division of Pharmacovigilance, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (D.O.); (T.J.M.)
| | - Eberhard Hildt
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (S.H.); (N.I.B.); (Y.H.); (E.H.)
| | - Barbara S. Schnierle
- Department of Virology, Section AIDS and Newly Emerging Pathogens, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany; (F.D.H.); (C.v.R.)
- Correspondence:
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11
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Hastert FD, Henss L, von Rhein C, Gerbeth J, Wieters I, Borgans F, Khodamoradi Y, Zacharowski K, Rohde G, Vehreschild MJ, Schnierle BS. Longitudinal Analysis of Coronavirus-Neutralizing Activity in COVID-19 Patients. Viruses 2022; 14:882. [PMID: 35632624 PMCID: PMC9144377 DOI: 10.3390/v14050882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has now been continuing for more than two years. The infection causes COVID-19, a disease of the respiratory and cardiovascular system of variable severity. Here, the humoral immune response of 80 COVID-19 patients from the University Hospital Frankfurt/Main, Germany, was characterized longitudinally. The SARS-CoV-2 neutralization activity of serum waned over time. The neutralizing potential of serum directed towards the human alpha-coronavirus NL-63 (NL63) also waned, indicating that no cross-priming against alpha-coronaviruses occurred. A subset of the recovered patients (n = 13) was additionally vaccinated with the mRNA vaccine Comirnaty. Vaccination increased neutralization activity against SARS-CoV-2 wild-type (WT), Delta, and Omicron, although Omicron-specific neutralization was not detectable prior to vaccination. In addition, the vaccination induced neutralizing antibodies against the more distantly related SARS-CoV-1 but not against NL63. The results indicate that although SARS-CoV-2 humoral immune responses induced by infection wane, vaccination induces a broad neutralizing activity against multiple SARS-CoVs, but not to the common cold alpha-coronavirus NL63.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian D. Hastert
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strass 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany; (F.D.H.); (L.H.); (C.v.R.); (J.G.)
| | - Lisa Henss
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strass 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany; (F.D.H.); (L.H.); (C.v.R.); (J.G.)
| | - Christine von Rhein
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strass 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany; (F.D.H.); (L.H.); (C.v.R.); (J.G.)
| | - Julia Gerbeth
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strass 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany; (F.D.H.); (L.H.); (C.v.R.); (J.G.)
| | - Imke Wieters
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (I.W.); (F.B.); (Y.K.); (M.J.G.T.V.)
| | - Frauke Borgans
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (I.W.); (F.B.); (Y.K.); (M.J.G.T.V.)
| | - Yascha Khodamoradi
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (I.W.); (F.B.); (Y.K.); (M.J.G.T.V.)
| | - Kai Zacharowski
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
| | - Gernot Rohde
- Medizinische Klinik 1, Pneumologie/Allergologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe-Universität, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
| | - Maria J.G.T. Vehreschild
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (I.W.); (F.B.); (Y.K.); (M.J.G.T.V.)
| | - Barbara S. Schnierle
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strass 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany; (F.D.H.); (L.H.); (C.v.R.); (J.G.)
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12
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Comparative Investigation of Methods for Analysis of SARS-CoV-2-Spike-Specific Antisera. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020410. [PMID: 35216003 PMCID: PMC8879086 DOI: 10.3390/v14020410] [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: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In light of an increasing number of vaccinated and convalescent individuals, there is a major need for the development of robust methods for the quantification of neutralizing antibodies; although, a defined correlate of protection is still missing. Sera from hospitalized COVID-19 patients suffering or not suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were comparatively analyzed by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) and pseudotype-based neutralization assays to quantify their neutralizing capacity. The two neutralization assays showed comparable data. In case of the non-ARDS sera, there was a distinct correlation between the data from the neutralization assays on the one hand, and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA), as well as biophysical analyses, on the other hand. As such, surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based assays for quantification of binding antibodies or analysis of the stability of the antigen–antibody interaction and inhibition of syncytium formation, determined by cell fusion assays, were performed. In the case of ARDS sera, which are characterized by a significantly higher fraction of RBD-binding IgA antibodies, there is a clear correlation between the neutralization assays and the ELISA data. In contrast to this, a less clear correlation between the biophysical analyses on the one hand and ELISAs and neutralization assays on the other hand was observed, which might be explained by the heterogeneity of the antibodies. To conclude, for less complex immune sera—as in cases of non-ARDS sera—combinations of titer quantification by ELISA with inhibition of syncytium formation, SPR-based analysis of antibody binding, determination of the stability of the antigen–antibody complex, and competition of the RBD-ACE2 binding represent alternatives to the classic PRNT for analysis of the neutralizing potential of SARS-CoV-2-specific sera, without the requirement for a BSL3 facility.
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13
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Meno K, Yah C, Mendes A, Venter M. Incidence of Sindbis Virus in Hospitalized Patients With Acute Fevers of Unknown Cause in South Africa, 2019-2020. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:798810. [PMID: 35197942 PMCID: PMC8860305 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.798810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sindbis virus (SINV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that is widely distributed worldwide. Little is known about the febrile and neurological disease burden due to SINV in South Africa. PATIENTS AND METHODS Clinical samples of patients with acute febrile disease of unknown cause (AFDUC) were collected through the African Network for Improved Diagnostics, Epidemiology and Management of Common Infectious Agents at three sentinel hospital surveillance sites in South Africa. In total, 639 patients were screened using a PCR-based macroarray that can simultaneously detect nucleic acids of 30 pathogens, including SINV, from January 2019 to December 2020. Serum samples were randomly selected from the arbovirus season (January-June) and also screened with a commercial indirect immunofluorescence assay for anti-SINV IgM. In addition, 31 paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from the same patients were screened for IgM. Micro-neutralization assays were performed on all IgM-positive samples. RESULTS None of the specimens tested positive for SINV by molecular screening; however, 38/197 (19.0%) samples were positive for SINV-specific IgM. A total of 25/38 (65.8%) IgM-positive samples tested positive for SINV-neutralizing antibodies, giving an overall incidence of 12.7%. Furthermore, 2/31 (6.5%) CSF specimens tested positive for IgM but were negative for neutralizing antibodies. There was a higher incidence of SINV-positive cases in Mpumalanga (26.0%) than Gauteng province (15.0%). The most significant months for IgM-positive cases were April 2019 (OR = 2.9, p < 0.05), and May 2020 (OR = 7.7, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION SINV or a closely related virus contributed to 12.7% of AFDUC cases in hospitalized patients during the late summer and autumn months in South Africa and was significantly associated with arthralgia, meningitis, and headaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Marietjie Venter
- Zoonotic Arbo and Respiratory Virus Program, Department of Medical Virology, Centre for Viral Zoonoses, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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14
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Napoleão-Pêgo P, Carneiro FRG, Durans AM, Gomes LR, Morel CM, Provance DW, De-Simone SG. Performance assessment of a multi-epitope chimeric antigen for the serological diagnosis of acute Mayaro fever. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15374. [PMID: 34321560 PMCID: PMC8319364 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94817-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mayaro virus (MAYV), which causes mayaro fever, is endemic to limited regions of South America that may expand due to the possible involvement of Aedes spp. mosquitoes in its transmission. Its effective control will require the accurate identification of infected individuals, which has been restricted to nucleic acid-based tests due to similarities with other emerging members of the Alphavirus genus of the Togaviridae family; both in structure and clinical symptoms. Serological tests have a more significant potential to expand testing at a reasonable cost, and their performance primarily reflects that of the antigen utilized to capture pathogen-specific antibodies. Here, we describe the assembly of a synthetic gene encoding multiple copies of antigenic determinants mapped from the nsP1, nsP2, E1, and E2 proteins of MAYV that readily expressed as a stable chimeric protein in bacteria. Its serological performance as the target in ELISAs revealed a high accuracy for detecting anti-MAYV IgM antibodies. No cross-reactivity was observed with serum from seropositive individuals for dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, Zika, and other infectious diseases as well as healthy individuals. Our data suggest that this bioengineered antigen could be used to develop high-performance serological tests for MAYV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma Napoleão-Pêgo
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT-IDPN), Brazil Av 4365, Leonidas Deane Building, Room 309, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Flávia R G Carneiro
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT-IDPN), Brazil Av 4365, Leonidas Deane Building, Room 309, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil.,Laboratory of Interdisplinary Medical Research (LIPMED), Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Brazil Av 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Andressa M Durans
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT-IDPN), Brazil Av 4365, Leonidas Deane Building, Room 309, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil.,Laboratory of Interdisplinary Medical Research (LIPMED), Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Brazil Av 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Larissa R Gomes
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT-IDPN), Brazil Av 4365, Leonidas Deane Building, Room 309, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Carlos M Morel
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT-IDPN), Brazil Av 4365, Leonidas Deane Building, Room 309, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - David W Provance
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT-IDPN), Brazil Av 4365, Leonidas Deane Building, Room 309, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil.,Laboratory of Interdisplinary Medical Research (LIPMED), Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Brazil Av 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Salvatore G De-Simone
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT-IDPN), Brazil Av 4365, Leonidas Deane Building, Room 309, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil. .,Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Outeiro de São Joao Batista S/N, Niterói, RJ, 24020-141, Brazil.
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15
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Development of a Sensitive Detection Method for Alphaviruses and Its Use as a Virus Neutralization Assay. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071191. [PMID: 34206519 PMCID: PMC8310071 DOI: 10.3390/v13071191] [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: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses have a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome that contains two open reading frames encoding either the non-structural or the structural genes. Upon infection, the genomic RNA is translated into the non-structural proteins (nsPs). NsPs are required for viral RNA replication and transcription driven from the subgenomic promoter (sgP). Transfection of an RNA encoding the luciferase gene under the control of the sgP into cells enabled the detection of replication-competent chikungunya virus (CHIKV) or Mayaro virus (MAYV) with high sensitivity as a function of the induced luciferase activity. This assay principle was additionally used to analyze virus-neutralizing antibodies in sera and might be an alternative to standard virus neutralization assays based on virus titration or the use of genetically modified tagged viruses.
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16
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Henss L, Auste A, Schürmann C, Schmidt C, von Rhein C, Mühlebach MD, Schnierle BS. The green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection. J Gen Virol 2021; 102:001574. [PMID: 33830908 PMCID: PMC8290267 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has caused a pandemic with tens of millions of cases and more than a million deaths. The infection causes COVID-19, a disease of the respiratory system of divergent severity. No treatment exists. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major component of green tea, has several beneficial properties, including antiviral activities. Therefore, we examined whether EGCG has antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. EGCG blocked not only the entry of SARS-CoV-2, but also MERS- and SARS-CoV pseudotyped lentiviral vectors and inhibited virus infections in vitro. Mechanistically, inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 spike-receptor interaction was observed. Thus, EGCG might be suitable for use as a lead structure to develop more effective anti-COVID-19 drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Henss
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Arne Auste
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Gießen-Marburg-Langen, Germany
| | - Christoph Schürmann
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Christin Schmidt
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Christine von Rhein
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Michael D. Mühlebach
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Gießen-Marburg-Langen, Germany
| | - Barbara S. Schnierle
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
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17
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Arthritogenic Alphavirus Capsid Protein. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11030230. [PMID: 33799673 PMCID: PMC7999773 DOI: 10.3390/life11030230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past two decades Old World and arthritogenic alphavirus have been responsible for epidemics of polyarthritis, causing high morbidity and becoming a major public health concern. The multifunctional arthritogenic alphavirus capsid protein is crucial for viral infection. Capsid protein has roles in genome encapsulation, budding and virion assembly. Its role in multiple infection processes makes capsid protein an attractive target to exploit in combating alphaviral infection. In this review, we summarize the function of arthritogenic alphavirus capsid protein, and describe studies that have used capsid protein to develop novel arthritogenic alphavirus therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.
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18
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Henss L, Yue C, Von Rhein C, Tschismarov R, Lewis-Ximenez LL, Dölle A, Baylis SA, Schnierle BS. Analysis of Humoral Immune Responses in Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV)-Infected Patients and Individuals Vaccinated With a Candidate CHIKV Vaccine. J Infect Dis 2021; 221:1713-1723. [PMID: 31828322 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes severe flu-like symptoms. The acute symptoms disappear after 1 week, but chronic arthralgia can persist for years. In this study, humoral immune responses in CHIKV-infected patients and vaccinees were analyzed. METHODS Alphavirus neutralization activity was analyzed with pseudotyped lentiviral vectors, and antibody epitope mapping was performed with a peptide array. RESULTS The greatest CHIKV neutralization activity was observed 60-92 days after onset of symptoms. The amount of CHIKV-specific antibodies and their binding avidity and cross-reactivity with other alphaviruses increased over time. Chikungunya virus and o'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV) were both neutralized to a similar extent. Linear antibody binding epitopes were mainly found in E2 domain B and the acid-sensitive regions (ASRs). In addition, serum samples from healthy volunteers vaccinated with a measles-vectored chikungunya vaccine candidate, MV-CHIK, were analyzed. Neutralization activity in the samples from the vaccine cohort was 2- to 6-fold lower than in samples from CHIKV-infected patients. In contrast to infection, vaccination only induced cross-neutralization with ONNV, and the E2 ASR1 was the major antibody target. CONCLUSIONS These data could assist vaccine design and enable the identification of correlates of protection necessary for vaccine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Henss
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Langen, Germany
| | - Constanze Yue
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Langen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Sally A Baylis
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Langen, Germany
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19
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von Rhein C, Scholz T, Henss L, Kronstein-Wiedemann R, Schwarz T, Rodionov RN, Corman VM, Tonn T, Schnierle BS. Comparison of potency assays to assess SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody capacity in COVID-19 convalescent plasma. J Virol Methods 2021; 288:114031. [PMID: 33275926 PMCID: PMC7707675 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2020.114031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Convalescent plasma is plasma collected from individuals after resolution of an infection and the development of antibodies. Passive antibody administration by transfusion of convalescent plasma is currently in clinical evaluations to treat COVID-19 patients. The level of neutralizing antibodies vary among convalescent patients and fast and simple methods to identify suitable plasma donations are needed. We compared three methods to determine the SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing activity of human convalescent plasma: life virus neutralization by plaque reduction assay, a lentiviral vector based pseudotype neutralization assay and a competition ELISA-based surrogate virus neutralization assay (sVNT). Neutralization activity correlated among the different assays; however the sVNT assay was overvaluing the low neutralizing plasma. On the other hand, the sVNT assay required the lowest biosafety level, is fast and is sufficient to identify highly neutralizing plasma samples. Though weakly neutralizing samples were more reliable detected by the more challenging lentiviral vector based assays or virus neutralization assays. Spike receptor binding competition assays are suitable to identify highly neutralizing plasma samples under low biosafety requirements. Detailed analysis of in vitro neutralization activity requires more sophisticated methods that have to be performed under higher biosafety levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine von Rhein
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Tatjana Scholz
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Lisa Henss
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Romy Kronstein-Wiedemann
- Experimentelle Transfusionsmedizin, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tatjana Schwarz
- Institute of Virology, Charite - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charite Mitte, Chariteplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Roman N Rodionov
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl-Gustav, Dresden, Germany
| | - Victor M Corman
- Institute of Virology, Charite - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charite Mitte, Chariteplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Torsten Tonn
- Experimentelle Transfusionsmedizin, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden and Institute for Transfusion Medicine Dresden, DRK Blutspendedienst Nord-Ost, Dresden, Germany
| | - Barbara S Schnierle
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany.
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20
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Toon K, Bentley EM, Mattiuzzo G. More Than Just Gene Therapy Vectors: Lentiviral Vector Pseudotypes for Serological Investigation. Viruses 2021; 13:217. [PMID: 33572589 PMCID: PMC7911487 DOI: 10.3390/v13020217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Serological assays detecting neutralising antibodies are important for determining the immune responses following infection or vaccination and are also often considered a correlate of protection. The target of neutralising antibodies is usually located in the Envelope protein on the viral surface, which mediates cell entry. As such, presentation of the Envelope protein on a lentiviral particle represents a convenient alternative to handling of a potentially high containment virus or for those viruses with no established cell culture system. The flexibility, relative safety and, in most cases, ease of production of lentiviral pseudotypes, have led to their use in serological assays for many applications such as the evaluation of candidate vaccines, screening and characterization of anti-viral therapeutics, and sero-surveillance. Above all, the speed of production of the lentiviral pseudotypes, once the envelope sequence is published, makes them important tools in the response to viral outbreaks, as shown during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In this review, we provide an overview of the landscape of the serological applications of pseudotyped lentiviral vectors, with a brief discussion on their production and batch quality analysis. Finally, we evaluate their role as surrogates for the real virus and possible alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamilla Toon
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control-MHRA, Blanche Lane, South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK;
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Emma M. Bentley
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control-MHRA, Blanche Lane, South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK;
| | - Giada Mattiuzzo
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control-MHRA, Blanche Lane, South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK;
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21
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Henss L, Scholz T, von Rhein C, Wieters I, Borgans F, Eberhardt FJ, Zacharowski K, Ciesek S, Rohde G, Vehreschild M, Stephan C, Wolf T, Hofmann-Winkler H, Scheiblauer H, Schnierle BS. Analysis of Humoral Immune Responses in Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection. J Infect Dis 2021; 223:56-61. [PMID: 33128369 PMCID: PMC7665662 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has caused a pandemic with tens of millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths. The infection causes COVID-19, a disease of the respiratory system of divergent severity. Here, the humoral immune response of a cohort of 143 COVID-19 patients from the University Hospital Frankfurt/Main, Germany was characterized. Methods SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). SARS-CoV-2 and hCoV NL63 neutralization activity was analyzed with pseudotyped lentiviral vectors. Results COVID-19 severity increased with age and male patients encountered more serious symptoms than females. Disease severity correlated with the amount of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG and IgA and the neutralization activity of the antibodies. The amount of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies decreased with time after PCR conformation of the infection and antibodies directed against the nucleoprotein waned faster than spike directed antibodies. In contrast, for the common flu coronavirus NL63, COVID19 disease severity seemed to correlate with low NL63-neutralizing activities, suggesting the possibility of cross-reactive protection. Conclusion The results describe the humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 and might aid the identification of correlates of protection needed for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Henss
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Langen, Germany
| | - Tatjana Scholz
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Langen, Germany
| | | | - Imke Wieters
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Frauke Borgans
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fabian J Eberhardt
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kai Zacharowski
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sandra Ciesek
- Institut für Medizinische Virologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gernot Rohde
- Medizinische Klinik 1, Pneumologie/Allergologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt-Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maria Vehreschild
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christoph Stephan
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Timo Wolf
- Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Heike Hofmann-Winkler
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH, Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Göttingen, Germany
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22
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Musso D, Desprès P. Serological Diagnosis of Flavivirus-Associated Human Infections. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:E302. [PMID: 32423058 PMCID: PMC7277941 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10050302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) belonging to the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family, are a major public health threat in tropical and subtropical regions, and have recently become a medical concern in temperate zones. Most flaviviruses are classified as zoonotic viruses. Human flavivirus infections can be asymptomatic, responsible for unspecific symptoms in the first few days following infection, or responsible for severe complications potentially resulting in death. During the first days following symptom onset, laboratory diagnosis of acute human flavivirus infection is mainly based on molecular detection of the viral genome by RT-PCR methods, followed by the capture of specific antibodies using serological tests after the first week of infection. The detection of antibodies that have virus neutralizing activity can be used to confirm flavivirus infection. However, human flavivirus infections induce the production of cross-reactive antibodies, often making serology inconclusive. Indeed, serological diagnosis of flavivirus infection can be hampered by a patient's history of flavivirus exposure, particularly in regions where multiple antigenically related flaviviruses co-circulate. We focus our mini review on conventional immunoassays that allow the diagnosis of major flavivirus-associated human infections in basic, routine and high-profile central health centers; and the interpretation of diagnostic serology tests for patients living within different epidemiological situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Musso
- IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, IHU-Méditerranée infection, Aix Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
- Laboratoire Eurofins Labazur Guyane, 35 rue Lieutenant Brassé, 97300 Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Philippe Desprès
- INSERM U1187, CNRS UMR 9192, IRD UMR 249, Unité Mixte Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Université de La Réunion, 97491 Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France;
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23
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de O Mota MT, Avilla CMS, Nogueira ML. Mayaro virus: a neglected threat could cause the next worldwide viral epidemic. Future Virol 2019. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2019-0051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mânlio T de O Mota
- Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, São Paulo, SP 15090-000, Brazil
| | - Clarita MS Avilla
- Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, São Paulo, SP 15090-000, Brazil
| | - Maurício L Nogueira
- Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, São Paulo, SP 15090-000, Brazil
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24
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Levi LI, Vignuzzi M. Arthritogenic Alphaviruses: A Worldwide Emerging Threat? Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7050133. [PMID: 31091828 PMCID: PMC6560413 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7050133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthritogenic alphaviruses are responsible for a dengue-like syndrome associated with severe debilitating polyarthralgia that can persist for months or years and impact life quality. Chikungunya virus is the most well-known member of this family since it was responsible for two worldwide epidemics with millions of cases in the last 15 years. However, other arthritogenic alphaviruses that are as of yet restrained to specific territories are the cause of neglected tropical diseases: O'nyong'nyong virus in Sub-Saharan Africa, Mayaro virus in Latin America, and Ross River virus in Australia and the Pacific island countries and territories. This review evaluates their emerging potential in light of the current knowledge for each of them and in comparison to chikungunya virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura I Levi
- Populations Virales et Pathogenèse, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3569, 75015 Paris, France.
- Ecole doctorale BioSPC, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75013 Paris, France.
| | - Marco Vignuzzi
- Populations Virales et Pathogenèse, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3569, 75015 Paris, France.
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25
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Yue C, Teitz S, Miyabashi T, Boller K, Lewis-Ximenez LL, Baylis SA, Blümel J. Inactivation and Removal of Chikungunya Virus and Mayaro Virus from Plasma-derived Medicinal Products. Viruses 2019; 11:v11030234. [PMID: 30866548 PMCID: PMC6466239 DOI: 10.3390/v11030234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Mayaro virus (MAYV) are closely related members of the Semliki Forest complex within the genus alphavirus and are transmitted by arthropods, causing acute febrile illness in humans. CHIKV has spread to almost all continents, whereas autochthonous MAYV infections have been reported in South America and in the Caribbean. Nevertheless, there was concern about potential spread of MAYV to other regions similar to CHIKV in the past. The risk for transmission of emerging viruses by blood transfusion and the safety of plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs) are constant concerns. The manufacturing processes of PDMPs include procedures to inactivate/remove viruses. Methods: In this study, we investigated the reduction of MAYV and CHIKV by heat inactivation in various matrices, solvent/detergent treatment and nanofiltration. Results: Unexpectedly, MAYV was significantly more resistant to heat and solvent/detergent treatment compared to CHIKV. However, being similar in size, both MAYV and CHIKV were removed below the detection limit by 35 nm virus filters. Conclusions: The inactivation profiles of different alphavirus members vary considerably, even within the Semliki Forest Complex. However, robust dedicated viral inactivation/removal procedures commonly used in the plasma product industry are effective in inactivating or removing MAYV and CHIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanze Yue
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany.
| | | | | | - Klaus Boller
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany.
| | | | - Sally A Baylis
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany.
| | - Johannes Blümel
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, 63225 Langen, Germany.
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