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Caracciolo I, Mora-Cardenas E, Aloise C, Carletti T, Segat L, Burali MS, Chiarvesio A, Totis V, Avšič–Županc T, Mastrangelo E, Manfroni G, D’Agaro P, Marcello A. Comprehensive response to Usutu virus following first isolation in blood donors in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of Italy: Development of recombinant NS1-based serology and sensitivity to antiviral drugs. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008156. [PMID: 32226028 PMCID: PMC7145266 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Surveillance of Usutu virus is crucial to prevent future outbreaks both in Europe and in other countries currently naïve to the infection, such as the Americas. This goal remains difficult to achieve, notably because of the lack of large-scale cohort studies and the absence of commercially available diagnostic reagents for USUV. This work started with the first identification of USUV in a blood donor in the Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) Region in Northern-Eastern Italy, which is endemic for West Nile virus. Considering that only one IgG ELISA is commercially available, but none for IgM, a novel NS1 antigen based IgG/M ELISA has been developed. This assay tested successfully for the detection of Usutu virus in blood donors with the identification of a second case of transmission and high levels of exposure. Furthermore, two pan-flavivirus antiviral drugs, that we previously characterized to be inhibitors of other flavivirus infectivity, were successfully tested for inhibition of Usutu virus with inhibitory concentrations in the low micromolar range. To conclude, this work identifies North-Eastern Italy as endemic for Usutu virus with implications for the screening of transfusion blood. A novel NS1-based ELISA test has been implemented for the detection of IgM/G that will be of importance as a tool for the diagnosis and surveillance of Usutu virus infection. Finally, Usutu virus is shown to be sensitive to a class of promising pan-flavivirus drugs. Tropical viruses transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes are becoming a health threat in areas of the world that were previously naïve to these infections. Usutu virus is a mosquito-borne virus that is circulating in Europe causing massive outbreaks in birds. Transmission to humans is documented, with some reports of severe neurological disease. However, the real size of transmission to humans suffers from lack of data due to insufficient surveillance. The first confirmed case of human USUV infection in an asymptomatic blood donor from North-Eastern Italy is hereby demonstrated by molecular assays and virus isolation. Specific Usutu virus serology has also been developed taking advantage of the NS1 viral antigen, which is tested on a number of blood donors demonstrating a high level of Usutu positivity. These findings confirm the human transmission in the region and offer a novel tool for specific Usutu virus surveillance. Finally, two drugs that were previously shown to have a wide spectrum of activity towards members of this family of viruses are shown to inhibit also Usutu virus, opening the way to a novel class antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Caracciolo
- Regional Reference Centre for Arbovirus Infections, Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Erick Mora-Cardenas
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Padriciano, Trieste, Italy
| | - Chiara Aloise
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Padriciano, Trieste, Italy
| | - Tea Carletti
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Padriciano, Trieste, Italy
| | - Ludovica Segat
- Regional Reference Centre for Arbovirus Infections, Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata di Trieste, UCO Igiene e Sanità Pubblica, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Sole Burali
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Alexsia Chiarvesio
- Centro Unico Regionale Produzione Emocomponenti C.U.R.P.E. P.O. Palmanova A.A.S.2 Bassa Friulana Isontina, Palmanova, Italy
| | - Vivianna Totis
- Centro Unico Regionale Produzione Emocomponenti C.U.R.P.E. P.O. Palmanova A.A.S.2 Bassa Friulana Isontina, Palmanova, Italy
| | - Tatjana Avšič–Županc
- Laboratory of Diagnostics of Zoonoses and WHO Centre, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Giuseppe Manfroni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Pierlanfranco D’Agaro
- Regional Reference Centre for Arbovirus Infections, Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata di Trieste, UCO Igiene e Sanità Pubblica, Trieste, Italy
- * E-mail: (PD); (AM)
| | - Alessandro Marcello
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Padriciano, Trieste, Italy
- * E-mail: (PD); (AM)
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Mora-Cárdenas E, Aloise C, Faoro V, Knap Gašper N, Korva M, Caracciolo I, D'Agaro P, Avšič-Županc T, Marcello A. Comparative specificity and sensitivity of NS1-based serological assays for the detection of flavivirus immune response. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008039. [PMID: 31995566 PMCID: PMC7010293 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses are relevant animal and human pathogens of increasing importance worldwide. The similarities of the initial clinical symptoms and the serological cross-reactivity of viral structural antigens make a laboratory diagnosis of flavivirus infection problematic. The main aim of the present study was the comparative specificity and sensitivity analysis of the non-structural protein NS1 as an antigen to detect flavivirus antibodies in sera from exposed individuals. A strategy for the purification of native recombinant non-structural protein 1 of representative flaviviruses including tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile, Zika and dengue virus was developed. The immunological properties of the purified antigens were analyzed using sera of immunized mice and of infected individuals in comparison with standard commercial assays. Recombinant NS1 protein was confirmed as a valuable option for the detection of flavivirus antibodies with reduced cross-reactivity and high sensitivity offering additional advantages for the detection of vaccine breakthrough cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Mora-Cárdenas
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Chiara Aloise
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Valentina Faoro
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Nataša Knap Gašper
- Laboratory of Diagnostics of Zoonoses and WHO Centre, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miša Korva
- Laboratory of Diagnostics of Zoonoses and WHO Centre, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ilaria Caracciolo
- Regional reference Centre for Arbovirus infections, Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Pierlanfranco D'Agaro
- Regional reference Centre for Arbovirus infections, Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Tatjana Avšič-Županc
- Laboratory of Diagnostics of Zoonoses and WHO Centre, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alessandro Marcello
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
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Tricarico PM, Caracciolo I, Gratton R, D'Agaro P, Crovella S. 25-hydroxycholesterol reduces inflammation, viral load and cell death in ZIKV-infected U-87 MG glial cell line. Inflammopharmacology 2018; 27:621-625. [PMID: 30019309 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-018-0517-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a global health issue due to its worldwide diffusion and to the related effects on neural progenitor cells with severe consequences on developing brain as well as on the central nervous system of adults. Previous studies showed that ZIKV infection induces an increment of IL1B expression in the central nervous system and also in the blood. IL-1β is a pro-inflammatory cytokine essential for cellular defence, tissue repair and neuroinflammation, a mechanism seen to be associated with several neuroinflammatory diseases. 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) is a natural oxysterol, derived from hydroxylation of cholesterol, possessing important antiviral activity possibly correlated to its ability to alter host membrane structures. Furthermore, 25-HC is involved in the modulation of IL1B gene expression, being able to suppress IL-1β driven inflammation probably by blocking the activation of the SREB proteins. In our study, we analysed the antiviral action of 25-HC in ZIKV-infected U-87 MG cells, also evaluating its impact on inflammation and cell death. We demonstrated that 25-HC is able to reduce inflammation and cell death caused by ZIKV infection and also to diminish intracellular ZIKV load in U-87 MG glial cell line. Considering its antiviral activity and its ability to penetrate blood-brain barrier, 25-HC could be proposed, based on our results and literature findings, as a potential anti-ZIKV agent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rossella Gratton
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health "Burlo Garofolo", Via dell' Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Sergio Crovella
- University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34128, Trieste, Italy.,Institute for Maternal and Child Health "Burlo Garofolo", Via dell' Istria 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy
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Zupin L, Caracciolo I, Tricarico PM, Ottaviani G, D'Agaro P, Crovella S. Antiviral properties of blue laser in an in vitro model of HSV-1 infection. Microbiol Immunol 2018; 62:477-479. [PMID: 29749647 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) is known to cause lifelong infections in humans. First infection is characterized by gingiva-stomatitis and pharyngitis, while virus reactivation causes recurrent herpes labialis with ulcerations on intraoral mucosa, mouth or external facial skin [1]. Laser therapy (LT), set at red and infrared wavelengths, has been reported as able to reduce HSV-1 recurrence and duration of herpetic sores [2]. Despite the blue wavelength already showed its efficacy in killing different strains of bacteria, it has never been tested on viruses [3].
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zupin
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Ilaria Caracciolo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Paola Maura Tricarico
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giulia Ottaviani
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Pierlanfranco D'Agaro
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
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Caracciolo I, Bassetti M, Paladini G, Luzzati R, Santon D, Merelli M, Sabbata GD, Carletti T, Marcello A, D'Agaro P. Persistent viremia and urine shedding of tick-borne encephalitis virus in an infected immunosuppressed patient from a new epidemic cluster in North-Eastern Italy. J Clin Virol 2015. [PMID: 26209378 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2015.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A persistent tick-borne encephalitis virus infection in an immune-suppressed patient is presented. Such an unusual clinical case offers the unique chance of detecting persistent viremia associated to the erythrocyte fraction and shedding of the virus in the urine for more than six weeks. The infection occurred in a new area of the Friuli Venezia-Giulia region (North Eastern Italy) where two additional cases are also being reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Caracciolo
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
| | - Matteo Bassetti
- Infectious Diseases Clinic, Santa Maria Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | - Giorgio Paladini
- Hematology Unit, Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Trieste, Italy
| | - Roberto Luzzati
- Infectious Diseases Unit, University Hospital, Trieste, Italy
| | - Daniela Santon
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Merelli
- Infectious Diseases Clinic, Santa Maria Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | - Giovanni De Sabbata
- Hematology Unit, Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Trieste, Italy
| | - Tea Carletti
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandro Marcello
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Pierlanfranco D'Agaro
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy; Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
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