Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBD with a built in T helper epitope induces strong neutralization antibody response

Without approved vaccines and specific treatments, COVID-19 is spreading around the world with above 26 million cases and approximately 864 thousand deaths until now. An efficacious and affordable vaccine is urgently needed. The Val308 – Gly548 of spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 linked with Gln830 – Glu843 of Tetanus toxoid (TT peptide) (designated as S1-4) and without TT peptide (designated as S1-5) were expressed and renatured. The antigenicity and immunogenicity of S1-4 were evaluated by Western Blotting (WB) in vitro and immune responses in mice, respectively. The protective efficiency was measured preliminarily by microneutralization assay (MN50). The soluble S1-4 and S1-5 protein was prepared to high homogeneity and purity. Adjuvanted with Alum, S1-4 protein stimulated a strong antibody response in immunized mice and caused a major Th2-type cellular immunity supplemented with Th1-type immunity. Furthermore, the immunized sera could protect the Vero E6 cells from SARS-CoV-2 infection with neutralizing antibody titer 256. Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBD with a built in T helper epitope could stimulate both strong humoral immunity supplemented with cellular immunity in mice, demonstrating that it could be a promising subunit vaccine candidate.

Structural requirements at the N-terminus of urotensin II octapeptides

Urotensin II is the latest of a growing list of peptides exhibiting potent cardiovascular effects. It is an extremely potent vasoconstrictor in primates; its excretion is elevated in hypertensive patients thus suggesting therapeutic potential for urotensin II analogues, particularly receptor antagonists. In the present study, a number of interesting structural features pertaining to the N-terminus of urotensin II have been evaluated for binding to cloned human and rat urotensin II receptors and functional effects on rat upper thoracic aorta smooth muscle preparations. Shortened octapeptides retained full binding affinities and functional activities, did not require a free N-terminal amino group, and could tolerate an amidated C-terminus. The N-terminal Asp residue present in the octapeptides did not require a negatively charged side chain, merely one which contained a hydrogen bond acceptor CO group which could be present at a variety of positions on the side chain. The side chain could be constrained into a trans-olefinic configuration with full retention of potency, but potency was lost in the cis configuration. N-terminal aromatic amino substituted with polar groups such as OH and NO(2) also resulted in high affinity analogues. Overall, the correlation between binding affinities for the human and rat receptors was quite good. These findings could be of value in the development of more potent urotensin II receptor antagonists based on the previously identified somatostatin antagonist octapeptides which we have recently found, function as relatively weak urotensin II antagonists.

[Expression and cloning of two novel genes induced by ischemia and reperfusion]

OBJECTIVE

To identify and clone the differentially expressed genes in brief ischemia and reperfusion myocardium.

METHODS

Ischemia and reperfusion were induced by repeated brief ligation of the porcine left anterior descending coronary artery. Total RNA which was isolated from myocardium subjected ischemia and reperfusion was used for mRNA differential display. After cloning and sequencing the cDNA fragments which showed change in expression, their expression were further confirmed by Northern-Blot analysis.

RESULTS

Two differentially expressed cDNAs (W12 and W28) were identified and cloned. Their expression were subsequently confirmed to be truly differentially expressed. The expression of both genes in ischemia and reperfusion myocardium was obvious higher than that in nonischemia and reperfusion: W12 expression level was 2-fold (P < 0.05), and W28 expression level 1.9-fold (P < 0.05). In addition, mRNAs of W12 and W28 were existed in all tested organs including heart, liver, lung, kidney, spleen, intestine, brain and skeletal muscle. DNA sequencing analysis showed that there was no homology between W12, W28 and known genes, implying that they would represent novel gene respectively.

CONCLUSION

Two novel genes induced by ischemia and reperfusion are identified, cloned and confirmed.

Examination of somatostatin involvement in the inhibitory action of GIP, GLP-1, amylin and adrenomedullin on gastric acid release using a new SRIF antagonist analogue

1. The effect of a new type 2 selective somatostatin (SRIF) receptor antagonist (DC-41-33) on somatostatin-induced inhibition of pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion in conscious, chronic gastric fistula equipped rats was studied. 2. Infused intravenously, DC-41-33 dose-dependently inhibits SRIF-induced inhibition of pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion with an IC50 of 31.6+/-1.2 nmol kg(-1) versus 10 nmol kg(-1) SRIF and blocks the inhibitory effects of SRIF when simultaneously co-infused. Its effectiveness provides additional evidence that SRIF-inhibition of gastric acid release is a SRIF type 2 receptor-mediated process. 3. DC-41-33 is able to completely reverse the inhibitory effect of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptides, GIP and GIP-(1-30)NH2, and glucagon-like polypeptide, GLP-1(7-36)NH2, on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion thus confirming that they exert these effects through stimulation of endogenous SRIF release. 4. DC-41-33 only partially blocks potent amylin and adrenomedullin-induced inhibition of gastric acid secretion, therefore suggesting that somatostatin may not function as a primary mediator in the action of these peptides. 5. Our results indicate that DC-41-33, is a potent in vivo inhibitor of exogenous and endogenous SRIF in rats. It represents a new class of SRIF analogues which should eventually provide excellent tools for further evaluating the many physiological roles of SRIF and its five receptor subtypes.

Development of a potent bombesin receptor antagonist with prolonged in vivo inhibitory activity on bombesin-stimulated amylase and protein release in the rat

Of the various types of potent bombesin(Bn)/gastrin releasing peptide receptor antagonists that have been discovered, the desMet14-methyl ester peptides are devoid of residual agonist activity and are among the most potent in terms of in vitro receptor blockade and also in terms of their prolonged inhibition of bombesin-stimulated amylase and protein release in the rat. We have now examined the in vitro and in vivo properties of a new series of methyl ester analogues, [D-Phe6]Bn(6-13)OMe, [D-Phe6,D-Ala11]Bn(6-13)OMe, N alpha-propionyl-[D-Ala24]GRP(20-26)OMe, and [D-pentafluoro-Phe6,D-Ala11]Bn(6-13)OMe, which have an additional D-amino acid substituent and some highly lipophilic moieties at the N-terminus. All analogues were able to potently antagonize the ability of Bn to stimulate amylase release from rat acinar cells, with IC50 values of 2.4, 2.5, 0.6, and 1.3 nM, respectively. The four peptides were found to have binding affinities for these cells comparable to Bn itself, with K(i)s of 10.3, 2.8, 5.5, and 3.6 nM, respectively, but all had little or no affinity for neuromedin B receptors on murine C6 cells. Single bolus IV injections of these peptides were found to potently inhibit amylase and protein release caused by IV infusion of bombesin into the rat. Generally the peptides containing the D-Ala substituent were longer acting than [D-Phe6]Bn(6-13)OMe, so that [D-Phe6,D-Ala11]Bn(6-13)OMe and N alpha-propionyl-[D-Ala24]GRP(20-26)OMe displayed significant inhibitory effects for up to 1.5 h after administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)