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Teixeira Alves LG, Baumgardt M, Langner C, Fischer M, Maria Adler J, Bushe J, Firsching TC, Mastrobuoni G, Grobe J, Hoenzke K, Kempa S, Gruber AD, Hocke AC, Trimpert J, Wyler E, Landthaler M. Protective role of the HSP90 inhibitor, STA-9090, in lungs of SARS-CoV-2-infected Syrian golden hamsters. BMJ Open Respir Res 2024; 11:e001762. [PMID: 38423952 PMCID: PMC10910676 DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2023-001762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, capable of escaping the humoral immunity acquired by the available vaccines, together with waning immunity and vaccine hesitancy, challenges the efficacy of the vaccination strategy in fighting COVID-19. Improved therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to better intervene particularly in severe cases of the disease. They should aim at controlling the hyperinflammatory state generated on infection, reducing lung tissue pathology and inhibiting viral replication. Previous research has pointed to a possible role for the chaperone HSP90 in SARS-CoV-2 replication and COVID-19 pathogenesis. Pharmacological intervention through HSP90 inhibitors was shown to be beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, infections and reducing replication of diverse viruses. METHODS In this study, we investigated the effects of the potent HSP90 inhibitor Ganetespib (STA-9090) in vitro on alveolar epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages to characterise its effects on cell activation and viral replication. Additionally, the Syrian hamster animal model was used to evaluate its efficacy in controlling systemic inflammation and viral burden after infection. RESULTS In vitro, STA-9090 reduced viral replication on alveolar epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner and lowered significantly the expression of proinflammatory genes, in both alveolar epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages. In vivo, although no reduction in viral load was observed, administration of STA-9090 led to an overall improvement of the clinical condition of infected animals, with reduced oedema formation and lung tissue pathology. CONCLUSION Altogether, we show that HSP90 inhibition could serve as a potential treatment option for moderate and severe cases of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Gustavo Teixeira Alves
- RNA Biology and Posttranscriptional Regulation, Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Morris Baumgardt
- Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin und Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Mara Fischer
- Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin und Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Judith Bushe
- Research Unit Analytical Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen Deutsches Forschungszentrum fur Gesundheit und Umwelt, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | - Guido Mastrobuoni
- Proteomics and Metabolomics, Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jenny Grobe
- Proteomics and Metabolomics, Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Hoenzke
- Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin und Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Kempa
- Proteomics and Metabolomics, Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Achim Dieter Gruber
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Christian Hocke
- Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin und Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jakob Trimpert
- Institute of Virology, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Emanuel Wyler
- RNA Biology and Posttranscriptional Regulation, Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus Landthaler
- RNA Biology and Posttranscriptional Regulation, Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Adler JM, Weber C, Wernike K, Michelitsch A, Friedrich K, Trimpert J, Beer M, Kohn B, Osterrieder K, Müller E. Prevalence of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies in cats in Germany and other European countries in the early phase of the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 69:439-450. [PMID: 35238485 PMCID: PMC9115359 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
During the first months of the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), cases of human‐to‐cat transmission were reported. Seroconversion was shown in cats infected under experimental and natural conditions. This large‐scale survey of 1,005 serum samples was conducted to investigate anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody prevalence in domestic cats during the first 7 months of the pandemic in Germany and other European countries. In addition, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of two multispecies SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results were confirmed by using an indirect immunofluorescence test (iIFT) and a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT). Sera that were highly positive for feline coronavirus (FCoV) antibodies (n = 103) were included to correct for cross‐reactivity of the tests used. Our results showed an overall SARS‐CoV‐2 seropositivity of 1.9% (n = 19) in a receptor‐binding domain (RBD)‐based ELISA, additional 0.8% (n = 8) were giving inconclusive results. In contrast, a nucleocapsid‐based ELISA revealed 0.5% (n = 5) positive and 0.2% (n = 2) inconclusive results. While the iIFT and sVNT confirmed 100% of positive and 50%–57.1% of the doubtful results as determined in the RBD ELISA, the nucleocapsid‐based assay showed a high discrepancy and only one of the five positive results could be confirmed. The results indicate significant deficits of the nucleocapsid‐based ELISA with respect to sensitivity and specificity. Due to a significantly higher rate (5.8%) of positive results in the group of highly FCoV antibody‐positive samples, cross‐reactivity of the FCoV‐ELISA with SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies cannot be excluded. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of direct contact of domestic cats (n = 23) to SARS‐CoV‐2 positive owners. Considering one inconclusive result, which got confirmed by iIFT, this exposure did not lead to a significantly higher prevalence (4.4%; p = .358) among tested subjects. Overall, we conclude that cats are a negligible entity with respect to virus transmission in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Maria Adler
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Laboklin GmbH & Co.KG, Bad Kissingen, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Wernike
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anna Michelitsch
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | - Jakob Trimpert
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Barbara Kohn
- Klinik für kleine Haustiere, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Osterrieder
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Abstract
The discovery of sleep onset REM periods (SOREMPs) in narcolepsy first suggested the important role of REM sleep in the disorder. We have conducted a series of studies exploring factors that affect the onset and termination of REM sleep in narcolepsy. Following a preliminary study of REM sleep deprivation, we compared the sleep onset response of narcoleptic and normal subjects to awakenings at REM sleep onsets and awakenings during NREM sleep. In addition, we have investigated the relationship of these awakenings to daytime sleepiness. We have demonstrated that an index of the REM sleep process predicts the sleepiness of both normal and narcoleptic subjects. The finding of increased frequency of SOREMPs following both REM and NREM sleep awakenings in the narcoleptic patient suggests that accelerated triggering and inertia of the REM sleep process are pathophysiological mechanisms of the disorder.
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