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Quaranta P, Scabia G, Storti B, Dattilo A, Quintino L, Perrera P, Di Primio C, Costa M, Pistello M, Bizzarri R, Maffei M. SARS-CoV-2 Infection Alters the Phenotype and Gene Expression of Adipocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2086. [PMID: 38396763 PMCID: PMC10889321 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042086] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence emphasizes that excess fat mass is associated with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease. Nevertheless, the intricate interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and adipocytes remains poorly understood. It is crucial to decipher the progression of COVID-19 both in the acute phase and on long-term outcomes. In this study, an in vitro model using the human SGBS cell line (Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome) was developed to investigate the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in adipocytes, and the effects of virus exposure on adipocyte function. Our results show that SGBS adipocytes expressing ACE2 are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, as evidenced by the release of the viral genome into the medium, detection of the nucleocapsid in cell lysates, and positive immunostaining for the spike protein. Infected adipocytes show remarkable changes compared to uninfected controls: increased surface area of lipid droplets, upregulated expression of genes of inflammation (Haptoglobin, MCP-1, IL-6, PAI-1), increased oxidative stress (MnSOD), and a concomitant reduction of transcripts related to adipocyte function (leptin, fatty acid synthase, perilipin). Moreover, exogenous expression of spike protein in SGBS adipocytes also led to an increase in lipid droplet size. In conclusion using the human SGBS cell line, we detected SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in adipocytes, revealing substantial morphological and functional changes in infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Quaranta
- Retrovirus Center, Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.Q.); (P.P.); (M.P.)
- National Research Council—Institute of Neuroscience, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.D.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Gaia Scabia
- National Research Council—Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (L.Q.)
- Center for Obesity and Lipodystrophy, Pisa University-Hospital, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Barbara Storti
- National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology, Scuola Normale Superiore, National Research Council—Institute of Nanoscience, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Alessia Dattilo
- Center for Obesity and Lipodystrophy, Pisa University-Hospital, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Lara Quintino
- National Research Council—Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (L.Q.)
| | - Paola Perrera
- Retrovirus Center, Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.Q.); (P.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Cristina Di Primio
- National Research Council—Institute of Neuroscience, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.D.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Mario Costa
- National Research Council—Institute of Neuroscience, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.D.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Mauro Pistello
- Retrovirus Center, Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.Q.); (P.P.); (M.P.)
- Virology Unit, Pisa University-Hospital, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Ranieri Bizzarri
- National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology, Scuola Normale Superiore, National Research Council—Institute of Nanoscience, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy;
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 65, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Margherita Maffei
- National Research Council—Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (G.S.); (L.Q.)
- Center for Obesity and Lipodystrophy, Pisa University-Hospital, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
- Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Via Filippo Buonarroti 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy
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Cuevas Otahola B, Arriaga-Hernández J, Morín Castillo M, Oliveros Oliveros J. 3D solid of SARS-CoV-2 viral particles applying Legendre polynomials from tomography Fourier analysis. JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. A, OPTICS, IMAGE SCIENCE, AND VISION 2023; 40:1994-2001. [PMID: 38038064 DOI: 10.1364/josaa.498859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
We show the construction of 3D solids (volumetric 3D models) of SARS-CoV-2 viral particles from the tomographic studies (videos) of SARS-CoV-2-infected tissues. To this aim, we propose a video analysis (tomographic images) by frames (medical images of the virus), which we set as our metadata. We optimize the frames by means of Fourier analysis, which induces a periodicity with simple structure patterns to minimize noise filtering and to obtain an optimal phase of the objects in the image, focusing on the SARS-CoV-2 cells to obtain a medical image under study phase (MIS) (process repeated over all frames). We build a Python algorithm based on Legendre polynomials called "2DLegendre_Fit," which generates (using multilinear interpolation) intermediate images between neighboring MIS phases. We used this code to generate m images of size M×M, resulting in a matrix with size M×M×M (3D solid). Finally, we show the 3D solid of the SARS-CoV-2 viral particle as part of our results in several videos, subsequently rotated and filtered to identify the glicoprotein spike protein, membrane protein, envelope, and the hemagglutinin esterase. We show the algorithms in our proposal along with the main MATLAB functions such as FourierM and Results as well as the data required for the program execution in order to reproduce our results.
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Wortmann M, Westphal M, Kaltschmidt B, Klöcker M, Layland AS, Brockhagen B, Hütten A, Frese N, Ehrmann A. Nanofibers are a matter of perspective: effects of methodology and subjectivity on diameter measurements. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2023; 5:5900-5906. [PMID: 37881710 PMCID: PMC10597546 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00528c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Nanofibers are currently among the most researched nanomaterials in materials science. Various high-resolution microscopy techniques are used for morphological investigations, with the diameter as primary characteristic. Since methodological factors influencing the diameter distribution are usually ignored, numerical values can hardly be compared across different or even within single studies. Here, we investigate influencing factors such as microscopy technique, degree of magnification, eventual coatings, and the analysts' bias in the image selection and evaluation. We imaged a single nanofiber sample using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), helium ion microscopy (HIM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These techniques yield significant methodological variations between the diameter distributions. We further observed a strong influence of analysts' subjectivity, with a consistent average deviation between 4 different analysts of up to 31%. The average deviation between micrographs within each category was 14%, revealing a considerable influence of micrograph selection and strong potential for cherry picking. The mean values were mostly comparable with the results using automated image analysis software, which was more reproducible, much faster, and more accurate for images with lower magnification. The results demonstrate that one of the most frequently measured characteristics of nanofibers is subject to strong systematic fluctuations that are rarely if ever addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Wortmann
- Bielefeld University, Faculty of Physics, Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Michael Westphal
- Bielefeld University, Faculty of Physics, Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Bernhard Kaltschmidt
- Bielefeld University, Faculty of Physics, Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Michaela Klöcker
- Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Faculty of Engineering and Mathematics Interaktion 1 33619 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Ashley S Layland
- neotem Bioanalytics, Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Bennet Brockhagen
- Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Faculty of Engineering and Mathematics Interaktion 1 33619 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Andreas Hütten
- Bielefeld University, Faculty of Physics, Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Natalie Frese
- University of Hawaii, Department of Physics and Astronomy Watanabe Hall, 2505 Correa Road Honolulu HI 96822 USA
| | - Andrea Ehrmann
- Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Faculty of Engineering and Mathematics Interaktion 1 33619 Bielefeld Germany
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Wortmann M, Keil W, Diestelhorst E, Westphal M, Haverkamp R, Brockhagen B, Biedinger J, Bondzio L, Weinberger C, Baier D, Tiemann M, Hütten A, Hellweg T, Reiss G, Schmidt C, Sattler K, Frese N. Hard carbon microspheres with bimodal size distribution and hierarchical porosity via hydrothermal carbonization of trehalose. RSC Adv 2023; 13:14181-14189. [PMID: 37180004 PMCID: PMC10170240 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra01301d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is an efficient thermochemical method for the conversion of organic feedstock to carbonaceous solids. HTC of different saccharides is known to produce microspheres (MS) with mostly Gaussian size distribution, which are utilized as functional materials in various applications, both as pristine MS and as a precursor for hard carbon MS. Although the average size of the MS can be influenced by adjusting the process parameters, there is no reliable mechanism to affect their size distribution. Our results demonstrate that HTC of trehalose, in contrast to other saccharides, results in a distinctly bimodal sphere diameter distribution consisting of small spheres with diameters of (2.1 ± 0.2) μm and of large spheres with diameters of (10.4 ± 2.6) μm. Remarkably, after pyrolytic post-carbonization at 1000 °C the MS develop a multimodal pore size distribution with abundant macropores > 100 nm, mesopores > 10 nm and micropores < 2 nm, which were examined by small-angle X-ray scattering and visualized by charge-compensated helium ion microscopy. The bimodal size distribution and hierarchical porosity provide an extraordinary set of properties and potential variables for the tailored synthesis of hierarchical porous carbons, making trehalose-derived hard carbon MS a highly promising material for applications in catalysis, filtration, and energy storage devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Wortmann
- Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Waldemar Keil
- Department of Chemistry, Paderborn University Warburger Straße 100 33098 Paderborn Germany
| | - Elise Diestelhorst
- Faculty of Engineering and Mathematics, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts Interaktion 1 33619 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Michael Westphal
- Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - René Haverkamp
- Faculty of Chemistry, Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Bennet Brockhagen
- Faculty of Engineering and Mathematics, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts Interaktion 1 33619 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Jan Biedinger
- Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Laila Bondzio
- Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Christian Weinberger
- Department of Chemistry, Paderborn University Warburger Straße 100 33098 Paderborn Germany
| | - Dominik Baier
- Department of Chemistry, Paderborn University Warburger Straße 100 33098 Paderborn Germany
| | - Michael Tiemann
- Department of Chemistry, Paderborn University Warburger Straße 100 33098 Paderborn Germany
| | - Andreas Hütten
- Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Thomas Hellweg
- Faculty of Chemistry, Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Günter Reiss
- Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Claudia Schmidt
- Department of Chemistry, Paderborn University Warburger Straße 100 33098 Paderborn Germany
| | - Klaus Sattler
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii Watanabe Hall, 2505 Correa Road Honolulu HI 96822 USA
| | - Natalie Frese
- Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University Universitätsstraße 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii Watanabe Hall, 2505 Correa Road Honolulu HI 96822 USA
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Vitamin C Deficiency in Blood Samples of COVID-19 Patients. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11081580. [PMID: 36009299 PMCID: PMC9405075 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11081580] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most notable pandemic of the modern era. A relationship between ascorbate (vitamin C) and COVID-19 severity is well known, whereas the role of other vitamins is less understood. The present study compared the blood levels of four vitamins in a cohort of COVID-19 patients with different severities and uninfected individuals. Serum concentrations of ascorbate, calcidiol, retinol, and α-tocopherol were measured in a cohort of 74 COVID-19 patients and 8 uninfected volunteers. The blood levels were statistically compared and additional co-morbidity factors were considered. COVID-19 patients had significantly lower plasma ascorbate levels than the controls (p-value < 0.001), and further stratification revealed that the controls had higher levels than fatal, critical, and severe COVID-19 cases (p-values < 0.001). However, no such trend was observed for calcidiol, retinol, or α-tocopherol (p-value ≥ 0.093). Survival analysis showed that plasma ascorbate below 11.4 µM was associated with a lengthy hospitalization and a high risk of death. The results indicated that COVID-19 cases had depleted blood ascorbate associated with poor medical conditions, confirming the role of this vitamin in the outcome of COVID-19 infection.
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Deroubaix A, Kramvis A. Imaging Techniques: Essential Tools for the Study of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:794264. [PMID: 35937687 PMCID: PMC9355083 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.794264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The world has seen the emergence of a new virus in 2019, SARS-CoV-2, causing the COVID-19 pandemic and millions of deaths worldwide. Microscopy can be much more informative than conventional detection methods such as RT-PCR. This review aims to present the up-to-date microscopy observations in patients, the in vitro studies of the virus and viral proteins and their interaction with their host, discuss the microscopy techniques for detection and study of SARS-CoV-2, and summarize the reagents used for SARS-CoV-2 detection. From basic fluorescence microscopy to high resolution techniques and combined technologies, this article shows the power and the potential of microscopy techniques, especially in the field of virology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Deroubaix
- Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Life Sciences Imaging Facility, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Anna Kramvis
- Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Schmidt M. [Not Available]. BIOSPEKTRUM : ZEITSCHRIFT DER GESELLSCHAFT FUR BIOLOGISHE CHEMIE (GBCH) UND DER VEREINIGUNG FUR ALLGEMEINE UND ANGEWANDTE MIKROBIOLOGIE (VAAM) 2022; 28:377-380. [PMID: 35698575 PMCID: PMC9178215 DOI: 10.1007/s12268-022-1772-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has seen the advent of a new imaging technique in the life sciences that is ideal for microbiological applications: the helium ion microscope (HIM). Its lateral resolution is better than one nanometre, it has a large depth-of-field and can image non-conductive specimens which renders the tool ideal for studying microbiological objects such as microbes attached to surfaces, microbial biofilms and viruses. Here we compare HIM with electron microscopy techniques and highlight selected examples that demonstrate the new possibilities for microbiology opened up by this technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Schmidt
- ProVIS - Zentrum für Chemische Mikroskopie Abteilung Isotopen Biogeochemie Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung GmbH - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Deutschland
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8
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Merolli A, Kasaei L, Ramasamy S, Kolloli A, Kumar R, Subbian S, Feldman LC. An intra-cytoplasmic route for SARS-CoV-2 transmission unveiled by Helium-ion microscopy. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3794. [PMID: 35260703 PMCID: PMC8904465 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07867-0] [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: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 virions enter the host cells by docking their spike glycoproteins to the membrane-bound Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2. After intracellular assembly, the newly formed virions are released from the infected cells to propagate the infection, using the extra-cytoplasmic ACE2 docking mechanism. However, the molecular events underpinning SARS-CoV-2 transmission between host cells are not fully understood. Here, we report the findings of a scanning Helium-ion microscopy study performed on Vero E6 cells infected with mNeonGreen-expressing SARS-CoV-2. Our data reveal, with unprecedented resolution, the presence of: (1) long tunneling nanotubes that connect two or more host cells over submillimeter distances; (2) large scale multiple cell fusion events (syncytia); and (3) abundant extracellular vesicles of various sizes. Taken together, these ultrastructural features describe a novel intra-cytoplasmic connection among SARS-CoV-2 infected cells that may act as an alternative route of viral transmission, disengaged from the well-known extra-cytoplasmic ACE2 docking mechanism. Such route may explain the elusiveness of SARS-CoV-2 to survive from the immune surveillance of the infected host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Merolli
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA. .,Department Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, DLS Building, 145 Bevier Road, Room 108, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
| | - Leila Kasaei
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Santhamani Ramasamy
- Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, 225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Afsal Kolloli
- Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, 225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Ranjeet Kumar
- Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, 225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Selvakumar Subbian
- Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, 225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Leonard C Feldman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
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