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Liu M, Li Z, Cui Q, Yan B, Achi JG, Zhao Y, Rong L, Du R. Integrated serum pharmacochemistry and investigation of the anti-influenza A virus pneumonia effect of Qingjin Huatan decoction. J Ethnopharmacol 2024; 323:117701. [PMID: 38185258 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117701] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Qingjin Huatan Decoction (QJHTT) consists of 11 herbal medicines: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis, Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC., Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl., Morus alba L., Fritillaria thunbergii Miq., Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim., Citrus reticulata Blanco, Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. As a traditional Chinese medicinal formula, QJHTT has been used for more than 400 years in China. It has shown promising results in treating influenza A virus (IAV) pneumonia. AIM OF THE STUDY To elusive the specific pharmacological constituents and mechanisms underlying its anti-IAV pneumonia effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS The components in QJHTT were analyzed through the use of a serum pharmacology-based ultra high-performance liquid chromatography Q- Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q Exactive Orbitrap-MS) method. Simultaneously, the dynamic changes in IAV-infected mouse lung viral load, lung index, and expression of lung inflammation factors were monitored by qRT-PCR. RESULTS We successfully identified 152 chemical components within QJHTT, along with 59 absorbed chemical prototype constituents found in the serum of mice treated with QJHTT. 43.45% of these chemical components and 43.10% of the prototype constituents were derived from the monarch drugs, namely Huangqin and Zhizi, aligning perfectly with traditional Chinese medicine theory. Notably, our analysis led to the discovery of 14 compounds within QJHTT for the first time, three of which were absorbed into the bloodstream. Simultaneously, we observed that QJHTT not only reduced the viral load but also modulated the expression of inflammation factors in the lung tissue including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IFN-γ, and IL17A. A time-effect analysis further revealed that QJHTT intervention effectively suppressed the peak of inflammatory responses, demonstrating a robust anti-IAV pneumonia effect. CONCLUSIONS We comprehensively analyzed the pharmacological material basis of QJHTT by a highly sensitive and high-resolution UHPLC-Q Exactive Orbitrap-MS method, and demonstrated its efficacy in combating IAV pneumonia by reducing lung viral load and inflammatory factors. This study has significant importance for elucidating the pharmacological basis and pharmacological mechanism of QJHTT in combating IAV pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266041, China
| | - Zhongyuan Li
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266041, China; Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Beibei Yan
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Jazmin Galvan Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Yangang Zhao
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266041, China.
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
| | - Ruikun Du
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266041, China; Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China.
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Song T, Cooper L, Galván Achi J, Wang X, Dwivedy A, Rong L, Wang X. Polyvalent Nanobody Structure Designed for Boosting SARS-CoV-2 Inhibition. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:5894-5900. [PMID: 38408177 PMCID: PMC10965196 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Coronavirus transmission and mutations have brought intensive challenges on pandemic control and disease treatment. Developing robust and versatile antiviral drugs for viral neutralization is highly desired. Here, we created a new polyvalent nanobody (Nb) structure that shows the effective inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our polyvalent Nb structure, called "PNS", is achieved by first conjugating single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and the receptor-binding domain (RBD)-targeting Nb with retained binding ability to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and then coalescing the ssDNA-Nb conjugates around a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) via DNA hybridization with a desired Nb density that offers spatial pattern-matching with that of the Nb binding sites on the trimeric spike. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays show that the PNS binds the SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike proteins with a ∼1000-fold improvement in affinity than that of monomeric Nbs. Furthermore, our viral entry inhibition assays using the PNS against SARS-CoV-2 WA/2020 and two recent variants of interest (BQ1.1 and XBB) show an over 400-fold enhancement in viral inhibition compared to free Nbs. Our PNS strategy built on a new DNA-protein conjugation chemistry provides a facile approach to developing robust virus inhibitors by using a corresponding virus-targeting Nb with a desired Nb density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingjie Song
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Jazmin Galván Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Abhisek Dwivedy
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Xing Wang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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Li Z, Li B, Liu M, Chen Z, Li P, Du R, Su M, Anirudhan V, Achi JG, Tian J, Rong L, Cui Q. Development of a virus-based affinity ultrafiltration method for screening virus-surface-protein-targeted compounds from complex matrixes: Herbal medicines as a case study. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29517. [PMID: 38476091 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29517] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Herbal medicines (HMs) are one of the main sources for the development of lead antiviral compounds. However, due to the complex composition of HMs, the screening of active compounds within these is inefficient and requires a significant time investment. We report a novel and efficient virus-based screening method for antiviral active compounds in HMs. This method involves the centrifugal ultrafiltration of viruses, known as the virus-based affinity ultrafiltration method (VAUM). This method is suitable to identify virus specific active compounds from complex matrices such as HMs. The effectiveness of the VAUM was evaluated using influenza A virus (IAV) H1N1. Using this method, four compounds that bind to the surface protein of H1N1 were identified from dried fruits of Terminalia chebula (TC). Through competitive inhibition assays, the influenza surface protein, neuraminidase (NA), was identified as the target protein of these four TC-derived compounds. Three compounds were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), and their anti-H1N1 activities were verified by examining the cytopathic effect (CPE) and by performing a virus yield reduction assay. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that these three compounds directly bind to NA and inhibit its activity. In summary, we describe here a VAUM that we designed, one that can be used to accurately screen antiviral active compounds in HMs and also help improve the efficiency of screening antiviral drugs found in natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyuan Li
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Baohong Li
- Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Miaomiao Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Zinuo Chen
- Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Ming Su
- Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Varada Anirudhan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jazmin G Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jingzhen Tian
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
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Gaisina I, Li P, Du R, Cui Q, Dong M, Zhang C, Manicassamy B, Caffrey M, Moore T, Cooper L, Rong L. An orally active entry inhibitor of influenza A viruses protects mice and synergizes with oseltamivir and baloxavir marboxil. Sci Adv 2024; 10:eadk9004. [PMID: 38394202 PMCID: PMC10889430 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk9004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Seasonal or pandemic illness caused by influenza A viruses (IAVs) is a major public health concern due to the high morbidity and notable mortality. Although there are several approved drugs targeting different mechanisms, the emergence of drug resistance calls for new drug candidates that can be used alone or in combinations. Small-molecule IAV entry inhibitor, ING-1466, binds to hemagglutinin (HA) and blocks HA-mediated viral infection. Here, we show that this inhibitor demonstrates preventive and therapeutic effects in a mouse model of IAV with substantial improvement in the survival rate. When administered orally it elicits a therapeutic effect in mice, even after the well-established infection. Moreover, the combination of ING-1466 with oseltamivir phosphate or baloxavir marboxil enhances the therapeutic effect in a synergistic manner. Overall, ING-1466 has excellent oral bioavailability and in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity profile, suggesting that it can be developed for monotherapy or combination therapy for the treatment of IAV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Gaisina
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and UICentre, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Chicago BioSolutions Inc., Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Ping Li
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, China
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, China
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, China
| | - Meiyue Dong
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, China
| | - Chengcheng Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, China
| | - Balaji Manicassamy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Michael Caffrey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Terry Moore
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and UICentre, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 26 60612, USA
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Chicago BioSolutions Inc., Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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Dong M, Galvan Achi JM, Du R, Rong L, Cui Q. Development of SARS-CoV-2 entry antivirals. Cell Insight 2024; 3:100144. [PMID: 38323318 PMCID: PMC10844678 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2023.100144] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
The global outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) threatened human health and public safety. The development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies have been essential to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Particularly, antivirals targeting viral entry have become an attractive target for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies. In this review, we elucidate the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 viral entry and summarize the development of antiviral inhibitors targeting viral entry. Moreover, we speculate upon future directions toward more potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 entry. This study is expected to provide novel insights for the efficient discovery of promising candidate drugs against the entry of SARS-CoV-2, and contribute to the development of broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiyue Dong
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Jazmin M. Galvan Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL60612, USA
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, 266122, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL60612, USA
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, 266122, China
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Caffrey M, Jayakumar N, Caffrey V, Anirudan V, Rong L, Paprotny I. VLP-Based Model for Study of Airborne Viral Pathogens. bioRxiv 2024:2024.01.03.574055. [PMID: 38260552 PMCID: PMC10802359 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the danger of airborne viral pathogens. The lack of model systems to study airborne pathogens limits the understanding of airborne pathogen distribution, as well as potential surveillance and mitigation strategies. In this work, we develop a novel model system to study airborne pathogens using virus like particles (VLP). Specifically, we demonstrate the ability to aerosolize VLP and detect and quantify aerosolized VLP RNA by Reverse Transcription-Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) in real-time fluorescent and colorimetric assays. Importantly, the VLP model presents many advantages for the study of airborne viral pathogens: (i) similarity in size and surface components; (ii) ease of generation and noninfectious nature enabling study of BSL3 and BSL4 viruses; (iii) facile characterization of aerosolization parameters; (iv) ability to adapt the system to other viral envelope proteins including those of newly discovered pathogens and mutant variants; (v) the ability to introduce viral sequences to develop nucleic acid amplification assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Caffrey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Nitin Jayakumar
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Veronique Caffrey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Varada Anirudan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Igor Paprotny
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
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Du R, Achi JG, Cui Q, Rong L. Paving new roads toward the advancement of broad-spectrum antiviral agents. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29369. [PMID: 38180269 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29369] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Broad-spectrum antivirals (BSAs) have the advantageous property of being effective against a wide range of viruses with a single drug, offering a promising therapeutic solution for the largely unmet need in treating both existing and emerging viral infections. In this review, we summarize the current strategies for the development of novel BSAs, focusing on either targeting the commonalities during the replication of multiple viruses or the systemic immunity of humans. In comparison to BSAs that target viral replication, these immuno-modulatory agents possess an expanded spectrum of antiviral activity. However, antiviral immunity is a double-edged sword, and maintaining immune homeostasis ultimately dictates the health status of hosts during viral infections. Therefore, establishing an ideal goal for immuno-modulation in antiviral interventions is crucial. Herein we propose a bionic approach for immuno-modulation inspired by mimicking bats, which possess a more robust immune system for combating viral invasions, compared to humans. In addition, we discuss an empirical approach to treat diverse viral infections using traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), mainly through bidirectional immuno-modulation to restore the disrupted homeostasis. Advancing our understanding of both the immune system of bats and the mechanisms underlying antiviral TCMs will significantly contribute to the future development of novel BSAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruikun Du
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Jazmin G Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Izaguirre G, Phan LMU, Asif S, Alam S, Meyers C, Rong L. Diversity in Proprotein Convertase Reactivity among Human Papillomavirus Types. Viruses 2023; 16:39. [PMID: 38257739 PMCID: PMC10820984 DOI: 10.3390/v16010039] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The cleavage of viral surface proteins by furin is associated with some viruses' high virulence and infectivity. The human papillomavirus (HPV) requires the proteolytic processing of its capsid proteins for activation before entry. Variability in reactivity with furin and other proprotein convertases (PCs) among HPV types was investigated. HPV16, the most prevalent and carcinogenic HPV type, reacted with PCs with the broadest selectivity compared to other types in reactions of pseudoviral particles with the recombinant PCs, furin, PC4, PC5, PACE4, and PC7. Proteolytic preactivation was assessed using a well-established entry assay into PC-inhibited cells based on the green fluorescent protein as a reporter. The inhibition of the target cell PC activity with serpin-based PC-selective inhibitors also showed a diversity of PC selectivity among HPV types. HPV16 reacted with furin at the highest rate compared to the other types in time-dependent preactivation reactions and produced the highest entry values standardized to pseudoviral particle concentration. The predominant expression of furin in keratinocytes and the high reactivity of HPV16 with this enzyme highlight the importance of selectively targeting furin as a potential antiviral therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Izaguirre
- Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Lam Minh Uyen Phan
- Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Shaan Asif
- Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Samina Alam
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Penn State University, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Craig Meyers
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Penn State University, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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Liu M, Zhao F, Xu J, Zhu X, Zhao Y, Wen R, Anirudhan V, Rong L, Tian J, Cui Q. Qingjin Huatan decoction protects mice against influenza a virus pneumonia via the chemokine signaling pathways. J Ethnopharmacol 2023; 317:116745. [PMID: 37336335 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Qingjin Huatan Decoction (QJHTT) consists of 11 herbal medicines: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis, Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC., Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl., Morus alba L., Fritillaria thunbergii Miq., Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim., Citrus reticulata Blanco, Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. As a traditional compound Chinese medicinal formula, QJHTT has been used for more than 400 years in China. Historically, it was used to treat respiratory diseases and had shown beneficial clinical results for diseases related to lung inflammation. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the therapeutic effect of QJHTT on influenza A virus (IAV) pneumonia in mice and explore its possible mechanism of action. MATERIALS AND METHODS The components in QJHTT were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and some antiviral active components reported in the literature were determined and quantified by HPLC. The protective effects of QJHTT were investigated using lethal and sublethal doses (2 LD50 or 0.8 LD50 viral suspension, separately) of H1N1-infected mice. Mortality and lung lesions in H1N1-infected mice were used to evaluate the efficacy of QJHTT. The potential mechanism of QJHTT in the treatment of viral pneumonia was determined at the gene level by RNA sequencing and validated by qRT-PCR. Following this, the changes in protein levels of JAK2/STAT3 were analyzed since it is a key downstream target of the chemokine signaling pathways. Preliminary elucidation of the mechanism of QJHTT to protect mice against IAV pneumonia through this pathway was conducted. RESULTS In this study, 12 antiviral active constituents including baicalin, geniposide, and mangiferin were identified from QJHTT. In vivo treatment of QJHTT reduced the virus titers of lung tissue significantly and improved the survival rate, lung index, and pulmonary histopathological changes; additionally, a reduction in the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ inflammatory factors in H1N1-infected mice was observed. RNA-seq analysis and qRT-PCR showed that QJHTT primarily reversed the activities CCL2, CCL7, CCR1, and other chemokines and their reception-related genes, suggesting that QJHTT may produce disease-resistant pneumonia by inhibiting the downstream JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Western blot analysis confirmed that QJHTT effectively reduced the protein levels of JAK2, STAT3, and related phosphorylated products in the lung tissue of H1N1-infected mice. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated that QJHTT alleviated IAV pneumonia in mice by regulating related chemokines and their receptor-related genes in lung tissue, thereby inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 pathway. This could pave way for the design of novel therapeutic strategies to treat viral pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266041, China
| | - Fangshu Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Jinke Xu
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Xiaojing Zhu
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Yangang Zhao
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266041, China
| | - Rou Wen
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Varada Anirudhan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
| | - Jingzhen Tian
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266041, China.
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266041, China; Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China.
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10
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Dong M, Wang Y, Li P, Chen Z, Anirudhan V, Cui Q, Rong L, Du R. Allopregnanolone targets nucleoprotein as a novel influenza virus inhibitor. Virol Sin 2023; 38:931-939. [PMID: 37741571 PMCID: PMC10786660 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2023.09.003] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) poses a global public health concern and remains an imminent threat to human health. Emerging antiviral resistance to the currently approved influenza drugs emphasizes the urgent need for new therapeutic entities against IAV. Allopregnanolone (ALLO) is a natural product that has been approved as an antidepressant drug. In the present study, we repurposed ALLO as a novel inhibitor against IAVs. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that ALLO inhibited virus replication by interfering with the nucleus translocation of viral nucleoprotein (NP). In addition, ALLO showed significant synergistic activity with compound 16, a hemagglutinin inhibitor of IAVs. In summary, we have identified ALLO as a novel influenza virus inhibitor targeting NP, providing a promising candidate that deserves further investigation as a useful anti-influenza strategy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiyue Dong
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Yanyan Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Ping Li
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Zinuo Chen
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Varada Anirudhan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, 60612, USA
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266122, China.
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, 60612, USA.
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266122, China.
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11
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Liang CY, Huang I, Han J, Sownthirarajan B, Kulhankova K, Murray NB, Taherzadeh M, Archer-Hartmann S, Pepi L, Manivasagam S, Plung J, Sturtz M, Yu Y, Vogel OA, Kandasamy M, Gourronc FA, Klingelhutz AJ, Choudhury B, Rong L, Perez JT, Azadi P, McCray PB, Neelamegham S, Manicassamy B. Avian influenza A viruses exhibit plasticity in sialylglycoconjugate receptor usage in human lung cells. J Virol 2023; 97:e0090623. [PMID: 37843369 PMCID: PMC10688379 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00906-23] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE It is well known that influenza A viruses (IAV) initiate host cell infection by binding to sialic acid, a sugar molecule present at the ends of various sugar chains called glycoconjugates. These sugar chains can vary in chain length, structure, and composition. However, it remains unknown if IAV strains preferentially bind to sialic acid on specific glycoconjugate type(s) for host cell infection. Here, we utilized CRISPR gene editing to abolish sialic acid on different glycoconjugate types in human lung cells, and evaluated human versus avian IAV infections. Our studies show that both human and avian IAV strains can infect human lung cells by utilizing any of the three major sialic acid-containing glycoconjugate types, specifically N-glycans, O-glycans, and glycolipids. Interestingly, simultaneous elimination of sialic acid on all three major glycoconjugate types in human lung cells dramatically decreased human IAV infection, yet had little effect on avian IAV infection. These studies show that avian IAV strains effectively utilize other less prevalent glycoconjugates for infection, whereas human IAV strains rely on a limited repertoire of glycoconjugate types. The remarkable ability of avian IAV strains to utilize diverse glycoconjugate types may allow for easy transmission into new host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chieh-Yu Liang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, lowa, USA
| | - Iris Huang
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Julianna Han
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | - Nathan B. Murray
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Mehrnoush Taherzadeh
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Lauren Pepi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Jesse Plung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, lowa, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Miranda Sturtz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, lowa, USA
| | - Yolanda Yu
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Olivia A. Vogel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, lowa, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | | | - Biswa Choudhury
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jasmine T. Perez
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Paul B. McCray
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, lowa, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, lowa, USA
| | - Sriram Neelamegham
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Balaji Manicassamy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, lowa, USA
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12
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Zhu M, Anirudhan V, Du R, Rong L, Cui Q. Influenza virus cell entry and targeted antiviral development. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e29181. [PMID: 37930075 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29181] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Influenza virus infection is currently one of the most prevalent and transmissible diseases in the world causing local outbreaks every year. It has the potential to cause devastating global pandemics as well. The development of anti-influenza drugs possessing novel mechanisms of action is urgently needed to control the spread of influenza infections; thus, drugs that inhibit influenza virus entry into target cells are emerging as a hot research topic. In addition to discussing the biological significance of hemagglutinin in viral replication, this article provides recent updates on the natural products, small molecules, proteins, peptides, and neutralizing antibody-like proteins that have anti-influenza potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murong Zhu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Varada Anirudhan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
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13
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Richner J, Class J, Simons L, Lorenzo-Redondo R, Cooper L, Dangi T, Penaloza-MacMaster P, Ozer E, Rong L, Hultquist J. SARS-CoV-2 Bottlenecks and Tissue-Specific Adaptation in the Central Nervous System. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-3220157. [PMID: 37790412 PMCID: PMC10543031 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3220157/v1] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Severe COVID-19 and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection are associated with neurological complications that may be linked to direct infection of the central nervous system (CNS), but the selective pressures ruling neuroinvasion are poorly defined. Here, we assessed SARS-CoV-2 evolution in the lung versus CNS of infected mice. Higher levels of viral diversity were observed in the CNS than the lung after intranasal challenge with a high frequency of mutations in the Spike furin cleavage site (FCS). Deletion of the FCS significantly attenuated virulence after intranasal challenge, with lower viral titers and decreased morbidity compared to the wild-type virus. Intracranial inoculation of the FCS-deleted virus, however, was sufficient to restore virulence. After intracranial inoculation, both viruses established infection in the lung, but this required reversion of the FCS deletion. Cumulatively, these data suggest a critical role for the FCS in determining SARS-CoV-2 tropism and compartmentalization with possible implications for the treatment of neuroinvasive COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago
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14
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Lin X, Zhu M, Zhao X, Si L, Dong M, Anirudhan V, Cui Q, Rong L, Du R. Optimization and applications of an in vivo bioluminescence imaging model of influenza A virus infections. Virol Sin 2023; 38:631-634. [PMID: 37141991 PMCID: PMC10436047 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2023.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
•The in vivo BLI model of IAV infections can simplify the determination of viral load in living animals. •The in vivo BLI model of IAV infections allow longitudinal measurements of virus infection/spread in living animals. •The in vivo BLI model of IAV infections improved the throughput of animal models. •The advanced BLI models can facilitate studies in both basic and applied virology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Lin
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 50355, China
| | - Murong Zhu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 50355, China
| | - Xiujuan Zhao
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 50355, China
| | - Longlong Si
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Meiyue Dong
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 50355, China
| | - Varada Anirudhan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 50355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266122, China.
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 50355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266122, China.
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15
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Li Z, Li B, Chen Z, Xu J, El Sabbagh A, Zhao Y, Du R, Rong L, Tian J, Cui Q. Licochalcone A plays dual antiviral roles by inhibiting RSV and protecting against host damage. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e29059. [PMID: 37635463 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29059] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes lower respiratory tract diseases and bronchiolitis in children and elderly individuals. There are no effective drugs currently available to treat RSV infection. In this study, we report that Licochalcone A (LCA) can inhibit RSV replication and mitigate RSV-induced cell damage in vitro, and that LCA exerts a protective effect by reducing the viral titer and inflammation in the lungs of infected mice in vivo. We suggest that the mechanism of action occurs through pathways of antioxidant stress and inflammation. Further mechanistic results demonstrate that LCA can induce nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) translocation into the nucleus, activate heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and inhibit reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative stress. LCA also works to reverse the decrease in I-kappa-B-alpha (IкBα) levels caused by RSV, which in turn inhibits inflammation through the associated nuclear factor kappa B and tumor necrosis factor-α signaling pathways. The combined action of the two cross-talking pathways protects hosts from RSV-induced damage. To conclude, our study is the first of its kind to establish evidence of LCA as a viable treatment for RSV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyuan Li
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Baohong Li
- Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Zinuo Chen
- Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Jinke Xu
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, China
| | - Asma El Sabbagh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Yangang Zhao
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Ruikun Du
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jingzhen Tian
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Qinghua Cui
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Innovative Institute of Chinse Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
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16
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Li P, Ju H, Zhang Y, Achi JG, Kang D, Zou J, Du R, Cui Q, Liu X, Rong L, Zhan P. Discovery of ligustrazine and chalcone derivatives as novel viral nucleoprotein nuclear export inhibitors against influenza viruses. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28968. [PMID: 37489704 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28968] [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] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Influenza viruses pose a significant threat to human health worldwide due to seasonal epidemics and occasional global pandemics. These viruses can cause severe upper respiratory tract infections that contribute to high morbidity and mortality rates. The emergence of drug-resistant influenza viruses has created the need for the development of novel broad-spectrum antivirals. Here, we present a novel anti-influenza agent with new targets and mechanisms of action to address this problem. Our findings led to the discovery of a novel influenza virus inhibitor, a ligustrazine derivative known as A9. We have found that it exhibits broad-spectrum antiviral properties against influenza A and B viruses (IAV and IBV, respectively), including oseltamivir-resistant strain. Through multiple bioassays such as time-of-addition assay, indirect immunofluorescence assay, and nuclear-cytoplasmic fractionation assay, we demonstrated that A9 inhibits the nuclear export of the viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP). Furthermore, escape mutant analyses and affinity studies determined by surface plasmon resonance indicated that A9 specifically targets the nucleoprotein. In addition, four chalcone derivatives developed from A9 (B14, B29, B31, and B32), were found to effectively inhibit the replication of influenza virus through the same mechanism of action. In this manuscript we highlight A9 and its four derivatives as potential leads for the treatment of IAV and IBV infections, and their unique and novel mechanism of action probable benefit the field of anti-influenza drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Han Ju
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jazmin Galvan Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Dongwei Kang
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jinmi Zou
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xinyong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Peng Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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17
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Zhou L, Xiong Y, Cooper L, Shepherd S, Song T, Dwivedy A, Rong L, Wang T, Cunningham BT, Wang X. Designer DNA NanoGripper. bioRxiv 2023:2023.04.26.538490. [PMID: 37162861 PMCID: PMC10168355 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.26.538490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
DNA has shown great biocompatibility, programmable mechanical properties, and structural addressability at the nanometer scale, making it a versatile material for building high precision nanorobotics for biomedical applications. Herein, we present design principle, synthesis, and characterization of a DNA nanorobotic hand, called the "NanoGripper", that contains a palm and four bendable fingers as inspired by human hands, bird claws, and bacteriophages evolved in nature. Each NanoGripper finger has three phalanges connected by two flexible and rotatable joints that are bendable in response to binding to other entities. Functions of the NanoGripper have been enabled and driven by the interactions between moieties attached to the fingers and their binding partners. We showcase that the NanoGripper can be engineered to interact with and capture various objects with different dimensions, including gold nanoparticles, gold NanoUrchins, and SARS-CoV-2 virions. When carrying multiple DNA aptamer nanoswitches programmed to generate fluorescent signal enhanced on a photonic crystal platform, the NanoGripper functions as a sensitive viral biosensor that detects intact SARS-CoV-2 virions in human saliva with a limit of detection of ~ 100 copies/mL, providing RT-PCR equivalent sensitivity. Additionally, we use confocal microscopy to visualize how the NanoGripper-aptamer complex can effectively block viral entry into the host cells, indicating the viral inhibition. In summary, we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of a complex nanomachine that can be readily tailored for specific applications. The study highlights a path toward novel, feasible, and efficient solutions for the diagnosis and therapy of other diseases such as HIV and influenza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifeng Zhou
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yanyu Xiong
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Skye Shepherd
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Tingjie Song
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Abhisek Dwivedy
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Tong Wang
- Advanced Science Research Center at Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Brian T. Cunningham
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Xing Wang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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18
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Liu JM, Liang L, Zhang JX, Rong L, Zhang ZY, Wu Y, Zhao XD, Li T. [Pathological evaluation of endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer and precancerous lesion in 411 cases]. Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2023; 55:299-307. [PMID: 37042141 PMCID: PMC10091249] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the pathological characteristics of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) specimens for early gastric cancer and precancerous lesions, accumulating experience for clinical management and pathological analysis. METHODS A total of 411 cases of early gastric cancer or precancerous lesions underwent ESD. According to the Japanese guidelines for ESD treatment of early gastric cancer and classification of gastric carcinoma, the clinicopathological data, pathologic evaluation, concordance rate of pathological diagnosis between preoperative endoscopic forceps biopsies and their ESD specimens (in 400 cases), as well as the risk factors of non-curative resection of early gastric cancer, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS 23.4% (96/411) of the 411 cases were adenoma/low-grade dysplasia and 76.6% (315/411) were early gastric cancer. The latter included 28.0% (115/411) non-invasive carcinoma/high-grade dysplasia and 48.7% (200/411) invasive carcinoma. The concordance rate of pathological diagnosis between endoscopic forceps biopsies and ESD specimens was 66.0% (264/400), correlating with pathological diagnosis and lesion location (P < 0.01). The rate of upgraded diagnosis and downgraded diagnosis after ESD was 29.8% (119/400) and 4.2% (17/400), respectively. Among the 315 cases of early gastric cancer, there were 277 cases (87.9%) of differentiated type and 38 cases (12.1%) of undifferentiated type. In the study, 262 cases (83.2%) met with absolute indication, while 53 cases (16.8%) met relative indication. En bloc and curative resection rates were 98.1% and 82.9%, respectively. Risk factors for non-curative resection included a long diameter >20 mm (OR=3.631, 95%CI: 1.170-11.270, P=0.026), tumor infiltration into submucosa (OR=69.761, 95%CI: 21.033-231.376, P < 0.001)and undifferentiated tumor histology (OR=16.950, 95%CI: 4.585-62.664, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Several subjective and objective factors, such as the limitations of biopsy samples, the characteristics and distribution of the lesions, different pathological understanding, and the endoscopic sampling and observation, can lead to the differences between the preoperative and postoperative pathological diagnosis of ESD. In particular, the pathological upgrade of postoperative diagnosis was more significant and should receive more attention by endoscopists and pathologists. The curative resection rate of early gastric cancer in ESD was high. Non-curative resection was related to the long diameter, the depth of tumor invasion and histological classification. ESD can also be performed in undifferentiated early gastric cancer if meeting the indication criteria. The comprehensive and standardized pathological analysis of ESD specimens is clinically important to evaluate the curative effect of ESD operation and patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Liu
- Department of Pathology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - L Liang
- Department of Pathology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - J X Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - L Rong
- Center of Endoscopy, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Z Y Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Y Wu
- Department of Pathology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - X D Zhao
- Center of Endoscopy, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - T Li
- Department of Pathology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
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19
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Jones M, Tangel V, White R, Rong L. The IMPACT Score: Does Sex Matter. J Heart Lung Transplant 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.02.723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
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20
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Chen Z, Du R, Cooper L, Achi JG, Dong M, Ran Y, Zhang J, Zhan P, Rong L, Cui Q. Sulforaphane is a reversible covalent inhibitor of 3-chymotrypsin-like protease of SARS-CoV-2. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28609. [PMID: 36840402 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has posed a major public health threat worldwide and emphasizes an urgent need for effective therapeutics. Recently, Ordonez et al. identified sulforaphane (SFN) as a novel coronavirus inhibitor both in vitro and in mice, but the mechanism of action remains elusive. In this study we independently discovered SFN for its inhibitory effect against SARS-CoV-2 using a target-based screening approach, identifying the viral 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro ) as a target of SFN. Mechanistically, SFN inhibits 3CLpro in a reversible, mixed-type manner. Moreover, enzymatic kinetics studies reveal that SFN is a slow-binding inhibitor, following a two-step interaction. Initially, an encounter complex forms by specific binding of SFN to the active pocket of 3CLpro ; subsequently, the isothiocyanate group of SFN as "warhead" reacts covalently to the catalytic cysteine in a slower velocity, stabilizing the SFN-3CLpro complex. Our study has identified a new lead of the covalent 3CLpro inhibitors which has potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinuo Chen
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China.,2Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266122, China
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Jazmin Galvan Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Meiyue Dong
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Yan Ran
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Jiwei Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Peng Zhan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China.,2Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266122, China
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21
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Du R, Cui Q, Chen Z, Zhao X, Lin X, Rong L. Revisiting influenza A virus life cycle from a perspective of genome balance. Virol Sin 2023; 38:1-8. [PMID: 36309307 PMCID: PMC10006207 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) genome comprises eight negative-sense RNA segments, of which the replication is well orchestrated and the delicate balance of multiple segments are dynamically regulated throughout IAV life cycle. However, previous studies seldom discuss these balances except for functional hemagglutinin-neuraminidase balance that is pivotal for both virus entry and release. Therefore, we attempt to revisit IAV life cycle by highlighting the critical role of "genome balance". Moreover, we raise a "balance regression" model of IAV evolution that the virus evolves to rebalance its genome after reassortment or interspecies transmission, and direct a "balance compensation" strategy to rectify the "genome imbalance" as a result of artificial modifications during creation of recombinant IAVs. This review not only improves our understanding of IAV life cycle, but also facilitates both basic and applied research of IAV in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruikun Du
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266122, China.
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China; Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, 266122, China
| | - Zinuo Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Xiujuan Zhao
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Xiaojing Lin
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, 60612, USA.
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22
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Zhang C, Zhang G, Zhang Y, Lin X, Zhao X, Cui Q, Rong L, Du R. Development of an HiBiT-tagged reporter H3N2 influenza A virus and its utility as an antiviral screening platform. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28345. [PMID: 36424458 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The balance of the segmented genome derived from naturally occurring influenza A viruses (IAVs) is delicate and vulnerable to foreign insertions, thus most reporter IAVs up to date are generated using the backbone of the laboratory-adapted strains. In this study, we constructed a reporter influenza A/H3N2 virus (A/NY-HiBiT) which was derived from a clinical isolate, by placing a minimized HiBiT tag to the N-terminus of the viral nuclear-export protein (NEP). Here, we show that this 11-amino acid HiBiT tag did not adversely impact the viral genome balance, and the recombinant A/NY-HiBiT virus maintains its relative stability. Moreover, the replication profile of the HiBiT-tagged virus can be measured by a simple Nano-Glo assay, providing a robust high-throughput screening (THS) platform. We used this platform to evaluate a collection of the pre-purified fractions which were derived from rare Chinese medicinal materials, and we identified three fractions, including wild Trametes robiniophila (50% methanol fraction), Ganoderma (water fraction), and wild Phellinus igniarius (ethyl acetate fraction), as potent anti-IAV actives. Our results demonstrate that this IAV reporter can be used as a powerful HTS platform for antiviral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengcheng Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Guoying Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaojing Lin
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiujuan Zhao
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China.,Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China.,Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
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23
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Zhang L, Narayanan KK, Cooper L, Chan KK, Skeeters SS, Devlin CA, Aguhob A, Shirley K, Rong L, Rehman J, Malik AB, Procko E. An ACE2 decoy can be administered by inhalation and potently targets omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2. EMBO Mol Med 2022. [PMID: 36094679 DOI: 10.1101/2022.03.28.486075v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) neutralize infection and are efficacious for the treatment of COVID-19. However, SARS-CoV-2 variants, notably sublineages of B.1.1.529/omicron, have emerged that escape antibodies in clinical use. As an alternative, soluble decoy receptors based on the host entry receptor ACE2 broadly bind and block S from SARS-CoV-2 variants and related betacoronaviruses. The high-affinity and catalytically active decoy sACE22 .v2.4-IgG1 was previously shown to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants when administered intravenously. Here, inhalation of aerosolized sACE22 .v2.4-IgG1 increased survival and ameliorated lung injury in K18-hACE2 mice inoculated with P.1/gamma virus. Loss of catalytic activity reduced the decoy's therapeutic efficacy, which was further confirmed by intravenous administration, supporting dual mechanisms of action: direct blocking of S and turnover of ACE2 substrates associated with lung injury and inflammation. Furthermore, sACE22 .v2.4-IgG1 tightly binds and neutralizes BA.1, BA.2, and BA.4/BA.5 omicron and protects K18-hACE2 mice inoculated with a high dose of BA.1 omicron virus. Overall, the therapeutic potential of sACE22 .v2.4-IgG1 is demonstrated by the inhalation route and broad neutralization potency persists against highly divergent SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianghui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kui K Chan
- Cyrus Biotechnology, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jalees Rehman
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Asrar B Malik
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- Cyrus Biotechnology, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
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24
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Zhang L, Narayanan KK, Cooper L, Chan KK, Skeeters SS, Devlin CA, Aguhob A, Shirley K, Rong L, Rehman J, Malik AB, Procko E. An ACE2 decoy can be administered by inhalation and potently targets omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2. EMBO Mol Med 2022; 14:e16109. [PMID: 36094679 PMCID: PMC9539395 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202216109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) neutralize infection and are efficacious for the treatment of COVID-19. However, SARS-CoV-2 variants, notably sublineages of B.1.1.529/omicron, have emerged that escape antibodies in clinical use. As an alternative, soluble decoy receptors based on the host entry receptor ACE2 broadly bind and block S from SARS-CoV-2 variants and related betacoronaviruses. The high-affinity and catalytically active decoy sACE22 .v2.4-IgG1 was previously shown to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants when administered intravenously. Here, inhalation of aerosolized sACE22 .v2.4-IgG1 increased survival and ameliorated lung injury in K18-hACE2 mice inoculated with P.1/gamma virus. Loss of catalytic activity reduced the decoy's therapeutic efficacy, which was further confirmed by intravenous administration, supporting dual mechanisms of action: direct blocking of S and turnover of ACE2 substrates associated with lung injury and inflammation. Furthermore, sACE22 .v2.4-IgG1 tightly binds and neutralizes BA.1, BA.2, and BA.4/BA.5 omicron and protects K18-hACE2 mice inoculated with a high dose of BA.1 omicron virus. Overall, the therapeutic potential of sACE22 .v2.4-IgG1 is demonstrated by the inhalation route and broad neutralization potency persists against highly divergent SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianghui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular BiologyThe University of Illinois College of MedicineChicagoILUSA
- Present address:
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of MedicineUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical CenterPittsburghPAUSA
| | | | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyThe University of Illinois College of MedicineChicagoILUSA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyThe University of Illinois College of MedicineChicagoILUSA
| | - Jalees Rehman
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular BiologyThe University of Illinois College of MedicineChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsThe University of Illinois College of MedicineChicagoILUSA
| | - Asrar B Malik
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular BiologyThe University of Illinois College of MedicineChicagoILUSA
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of IllinoisUrbanaILUSA
- Cyrus Biotechnology, Inc.SeattleWAUSA
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25
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Alqarni S, Cooper L, Galvan Achi J, Bott R, Sali VK, Brown A, Santarsiero BD, Krunic A, Manicassamy B, Peet NP, Zhang P, Thatcher GRJ, Gaisina IN, Rong L, Moore TW. Synthesis, Optimization, and Structure-Activity Relationships of Imidazo[1,2- a]pyrimidines as Inhibitors of Group 2 Influenza A Viruses. J Med Chem 2022; 65:14104-14120. [PMID: 36260129 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The influenza A virus (IAV) is a highly contagious virus that causes pandemics and seasonal epidemics, which are major public health issues. Current anti-influenza therapeutics are limited partly due to the continuous emergence of drug-resistant IAV strains; thus, there is an unmet need to develop novel anti-influenza therapies. Here, we present a novel imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidine scaffold that targets group 2 IAV entry. We have explored three different regions of the lead compound, and we have developed a series of small molecules that have nanomolar activity against oseltamivir-sensitive and -resistant forms of group 2 IAVs. These small molecules target hemagglutinin (HA), which mediates the viral entry process. Mapping a known small-molecule-binding cavity of the HA structure with resistant mutants suggests that these molecules bind to that cavity and block HA-mediated membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saad Alqarni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Ha'il, Ha'il 81442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Jazmin Galvan Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Ryan Bott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Veeresh Kumar Sali
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Andrew Brown
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Bernard D Santarsiero
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Aleksej Krunic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Balaji Manicassamy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Norton P Peet
- Chicago BioSolutions Inc., Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Pin Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Gregory R J Thatcher
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Irina N Gaisina
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States.,Chicago BioSolutions Inc., Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States.,Chicago BioSolutions Inc., Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Terry W Moore
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States.,UI Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
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26
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Zhao X, Lin X, Li P, Chen Z, Zhang C, Manicassamy B, Rong L, Cui Q, Du R. Expanding the tolerance of segmented Influenza A Virus genome using a balance compensation strategy. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010756. [PMID: 35926068 PMCID: PMC9380948 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Reporter viruses provide powerful tools for both basic and applied virology studies, however, the creation and exploitation of reporter influenza A viruses (IAVs) have been hindered by the limited tolerance of the segmented genome to exogenous modifications. Interestingly, our previous study has demonstrated the underlying mechanism that foreign insertions reduce the replication/transcription capacity of the modified segment, impairing the delicate balance among the multiple segments during IAV infection. In the present study, we developed a “balance compensation” strategy by incorporating additional compensatory mutations during initial construction of recombinant IAVs to expand the tolerance of IAV genome. As a proof of concept, promoter-enhancing mutations were introduced within the modified segment to rectify the segments imbalance of a reporter influenza PR8-NS-Gluc virus, while directed optimization of the recombinant IAV was successfully achieved. Further, we generated recombinant IAVs expressing a much larger firefly luciferase (Fluc) by coupling with a much stronger compensatory enhancement, and established robust Fluc-based live-imaging mouse models of IAV infection. Our strategy feasibly expands the tolerance for foreign gene insertions in the segmented IAV genome, which opens up better opportunities to develop more versatile reporter IAVs as well as live attenuated influenza virus-based vaccines for other important human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiujuan Zhao
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaojing Lin
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Ping Li
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Zinuo Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Chengcheng Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Balaji Manicassamy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, United States of America
- * E-mail: (LR); (QC); (RD)
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
- * E-mail: (LR); (QC); (RD)
| | - Ruikun Du
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, China
- * E-mail: (LR); (QC); (RD)
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27
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Yang S, Rong L, Xiumei Z, Lina W, Haiyan W, Caihong M, Ping L, Jie Q. P-583 PCOS patients got better IVF/ICSI outcomes with “higher” progesterone level on hCG day: a retrospective study of Ten years data. Hum Reprod 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deac107.537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Study question
We aimed to investigate whether serum Progesterone (P) on the day of hCG trigger can be used as a biomarker to predict the IVF/ICSI outcomes in PCOS patients.
Summary answer
PCOS patients got better IVF/ICSI outcomes with “higher” progesterone level (2.7-5.9mmol/L).
What is known already
There were several studies suggesting serum Progesterone (P) on the day of hCG trigger can be used as a biomarker to predict IVF outcomes, and to decide fresh cycle embryo transfer or frozen all. But there was few study focus on PCOS patients.
Study design, size, duration
This is a single-center retrospective cohort study in PCOS women undergoing the first transfer of an IVF cycle between January 1st 2010 and December 31th 2019. There were 141,539 oocyte retrieval cycles during the study period, and 97,189 cycles were their first IVF cycle. PCOS was diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria. Among them, 3,146 cycles full filled the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and all with two embryos transferred on Day 3.
Participants/materials, setting, methods
We compared the live birth rate of fresh embryo transfer, stratified for serum P level. We looked for interaction between serum P level and live birth rate of fresh cycles. The serum P level within normal range (< 6nmol/L) on the day of hCG trigger day was divided into 4 quartiles. The four quartiles were defined as ≤ 1.35 nmol/L (Q1), >1.35-1.93 nmol/L (Q2), >1.93-2.7 nmol/L (Q3), >2.7 nmol/L (Q4).
Main results and the role of chance
The baseline characteristics with no different between groups, except BMI. The patients in Q4 group with lowest BMI, significantly higher number of oocytes retrieved and live birth rate (P < 0.05) . The Logistic regression analysis of the relative factors on live birth rate including BMI, basal LH and number of oocytes retrieved [P = 0.003, 0.030, 0.037 respectively, 95%CI (1.022, 1.111), (1.004, 1.076), (1.002, 1.082)].
Limitations, reasons for caution
Due to the retrospective nature of this study, a well-designed and matched large sample prospective study is needed. The definition of elevated P level and the method of hormonal assessments were different between studies, this limiting the comprehensive analysis of researches and the further verification of existing results.
Wider implications of the findings
PCOS patients who with normal range P level on hCG day, got better IVF/ICSI outcomes with “higher” progesterone level (2.7-5.9mmol/L). Weight control is important for PCOS patients accepting IVF treatment.
Trial registration number
NOT APPLICABLE
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Affiliation(s)
- S Yang
- Peking University Third Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology- Reproductive Medicine Center , Beijing, China
| | - L Rong
- Peking University Third Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology- Reproductive Medicine Center , Beijing, China
| | - Z Xiumei
- Peking University Third Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology- Reproductive Medicine Center , Beijing, China
| | - W Lina
- Peking University Third Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology- Reproductive Medicine Center , Beijing, China
| | - W Haiyan
- Peking University Third Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology- Reproductive Medicine Center , Beijing, China
| | - M Caihong
- Peking University Third Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology- Reproductive Medicine Center , Beijing, China
| | - L Ping
- Peking University Third Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology- Reproductive Medicine Center , Beijing, China
| | - Q Jie
- Peking University Third Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology- Reproductive Medicine Center , Beijing, China
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28
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Zhao Y, Tsang NY, Xu X, Zhao C, Ku CF, Li W, Zhu Y, Liu K, Rong L, Zhang HJ. Axial Chirality and Antiviral Activity Evaluation of Arylnaphthalene Lignan Glycosides from Justicia procumbens. ASIAN J ORG CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ajoc.202200267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhao
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Teaching and Research Division HONG KONG
| | - Nga Yi Tsang
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Teaching and Research Division HONG KONG
| | - Xinya Xu
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Teaching and Research Division HONG KONG
| | - Chenliang Zhao
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Teaching and Research Division HONG KONG
| | - Chuen Fai Ku
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Teaching and Research Division HONG KONG
| | - Wanfei Li
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Teaching and Research Division HONG KONG
| | - Yu Zhu
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Teaching and Research Division HONG KONG
| | - Kanglun Liu
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Teaching and Research Division HONG KONG
| | - Lijun Rong
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Immunology UNITED STATES
| | - Hong-Jie Zhang
- Hong Kong Baptist University School of Chinese Medicine Hong Kong HONG KONG
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29
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Rong L, Xing W, Li L. [Genetic analysis of an infant with rare type of trisomy 21 syndrome]. Zhonghua Yi Xue Yi Chuan Xue Za Zhi 2022; 39:634-636. [PMID: 35773770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the genetic cause for an infant with mental retardation through molecular cytogenetic analysis. METHODS Conventional G-banding analysis of peripheral blood for the family was first conducted. Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) was performed to further ascertain the size and origin of the abnormal chromosome fragments of the patient. RESULTS We identified a Chinese infant who carries an unbalanced, maternally inherited karyotype 48, XY, +der(X) (Yqter→Yq11.221∷Xp22.31→Xqter), +21 in which karyotype and CMA analyses disclosed Xp22.31→Xqter duplication of 147.3 Mb and Yq11.221→Yq11.23 duplication of 12.7 Mb. CONCLUSION Accompany with cytogenetic analysis, CMA can accurately identify the origin and size of the abnormal chromosomes, contributing to the precisely genetic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Rong
- Institute of Genetics, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, Shandong 276003, China.
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Li WF, Liang ZM, Zhao CL, Tsang NY, Li JX, Liu YH, He K, Pan LT, Rong L, Zou J, Zhang HJ. 3,4- Seco-Isopimarane Diterpenes from the Twigs and Leaves of Isodon Flavidus. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27103098. [PMID: 35630575 PMCID: PMC9143206 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27103098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Three isopimarane diterpenes [fladins B (1), C (2), and D (3)] were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Chinese folk medicine, Isodon flavidus. The chemical structures were determined by the analysis of the comprehensive spectroscopic data, and the absolute configuration was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The structures of 1–3 were formed from isopimaranes through the rearrangement of ring A by the bond break at C-3 and C-4 to form a new δ-lactone ring system between C-3 and C-9. This structure type represents the first discovery of a natural isopimarane diterpene with an unusual lactone moiety at C-9 and C-10. In the crystal of 1, molecules are linked to each other by intermolecular O-H···O bonds, forming chains along the b axis. Compounds 1–3 were evaluated for their bioactivities against different diseases. None of these compounds displayed cytotoxic activities against HCT116 and A549 cancer cell lines, antifungal activities against Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes, or antiviral activities against HIV entry at 20 µg/mL (62.9–66.7) µM. Compounds 1 and 3 did not show antiviral activities against Ebola entry at 20 µg/mL either; only 2 was found to show an 81% inhibitory effect against Ebola entry activity at 20 µg/mL (66.7 µM). The bioactivity evidence suggested that this type of compound could be a valuable antiviral lead for further structure modification to improve the antiviral potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Fei Li
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongqing South Road, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.-F.L.); (C.-L.Z.); (J.-X.L.); (Y.-H.L.); (K.H.); (L.-T.P.)
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (Z.-M.L.); (N.Y.T.)
| | - Zheng-Ming Liang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (Z.-M.L.); (N.Y.T.)
| | - Chen-Liang Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongqing South Road, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.-F.L.); (C.-L.Z.); (J.-X.L.); (Y.-H.L.); (K.H.); (L.-T.P.)
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (Z.-M.L.); (N.Y.T.)
| | - Nga Yi Tsang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (Z.-M.L.); (N.Y.T.)
| | - Ji-Xin Li
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongqing South Road, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.-F.L.); (C.-L.Z.); (J.-X.L.); (Y.-H.L.); (K.H.); (L.-T.P.)
| | - Ya-Hua Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongqing South Road, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.-F.L.); (C.-L.Z.); (J.-X.L.); (Y.-H.L.); (K.H.); (L.-T.P.)
| | - Kang He
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongqing South Road, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.-F.L.); (C.-L.Z.); (J.-X.L.); (Y.-H.L.); (K.H.); (L.-T.P.)
| | - Lu-Tai Pan
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongqing South Road, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.-F.L.); (C.-L.Z.); (J.-X.L.); (Y.-H.L.); (K.H.); (L.-T.P.)
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Juan Zou
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongqing South Road, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.-F.L.); (C.-L.Z.); (J.-X.L.); (Y.-H.L.); (K.H.); (L.-T.P.)
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (H.-J.Z.); Tel.: +852-34112956 (H.-J.Z.)
| | - Hong-Jie Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (Z.-M.L.); (N.Y.T.)
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (H.-J.Z.); Tel.: +852-34112956 (H.-J.Z.)
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Qing E, Li P, Cooper L, Schulz S, Jäck HM, Rong L, Perlman S, Gallagher T. Inter-domain communication in SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins controls protease-triggered cell entry. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110786. [PMID: 35477024 PMCID: PMC9015963 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve into variants of concern (VOC), with greatest variability in the multidomain, entry-facilitating spike proteins. To recognize the significance of adaptive spike protein changes, we compare variant SARS-CoV-2 virus particles in several assays reflecting authentic virus-cell entry. Virus particles with adaptive changes in spike amino-terminal domains (NTDs) are hypersensitive to proteolytic activation of membrane fusion, an essential step in virus-cell entry. Proteolysis is within fusion domains (FDs), at sites over 10 nm from the VOC-specific NTD changes, indicating allosteric inter-domain control of fusion activation. In addition, NTD-specific antibodies block FD cleavage, membrane fusion, and virus-cell entry, suggesting restriction of inter-domain communication as a neutralization mechanism. Finally, using structure-guided mutagenesis, we identify an inter-monomer β sheet structure that facilitates NTD-to-FD transmissions and subsequent fusion activation. This NTD-to-FD axis that sensitizes viruses to infection and to NTD-specific antibody neutralization provides new context for understanding selective forces driving SARS-CoV-2 evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enya Qing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Pengfei Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Sebastian Schulz
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Hans-Martin Jäck
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Tom Gallagher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA,Corresponding author
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Wang Z, Kim J, Zhang P, Galvan Achi JM, Jiang Y, Rong L. Current therapy and development of therapeutic agents for lung cancer. Cell Insight 2022; 1:100015. [PMID: 37193130 PMCID: PMC10120308 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2022.100015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In the past decades, great progress has been made for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Yet, lung cancer remains as the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In this manuscript, we describe the current genetic and molecular characterization of lung cancer subtypes, review up-to-date treatment options for lung cancer patients, summarize the antibodies and small molecule drugs under clinical development, and elaborate on the expression and characteristics of important RTK primary targets and representative preclinical agents which may provide new opportunities for lung cancer treatment. Since gefitinib was first introduced to non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients in 2002, remarkable progress has been made in targeted therapy for NSCLC patients with the development of multiple generations of small molecule inhibitors targeting relevant driver mutations. However, very little achievement has been made in the development of targeted drugs for small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). The successful harness of immune checkpoint inhibitors against PD-1/PD-L1 has marked a major advancement in recent lung cancer treatment. Looking forward, therapeutic strategies that tackle brain metastasis are highly desirable, the combination of molecular testing and strategies tailored to tackle tumor heterogeneity and resistance mechanisms is the key direction for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilai Wang
- Chicago BioSolutions, Inc., 2242 W Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Jiyeon Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Pin Zhang
- Chicago BioSolutions, Inc., 2242 W Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Jazmin M. Galvan Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Yuwei Jiang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
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33
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Zhang L, Narayanan KK, Cooper L, Chan KK, Devlin CA, Aguhob A, Shirley K, Rong L, Rehman J, Malik AB, Procko E. An engineered ACE2 decoy receptor can be administered by inhalation and potently targets the BA.1 and BA.2 omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2. bioRxiv 2022. [PMID: 35378764 PMCID: PMC8978935 DOI: 10.1101/2022.03.28.486075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein neutralize infection and are efficacious for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19. However, SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged that partially or fully escape monoclonal antibodies in clinical use. Notably, the BA.2 sublineage of B.1.1.529/omicron escapes nearly all monoclonal antibodies currently authorized for therapeutic treatment of COVID-19. Decoy receptors, which are based on soluble forms of the host entry receptor ACE2, are an alternative strategy that broadly bind and block S from SARS-CoV-2 variants and related betacoronaviruses. The high-affinity and catalytically active decoy sACE22.v2.4-IgG1 was previously shown to be effective in vivo against SARS-CoV-2 variants when administered intravenously. Here, the inhalation of sACE22.v2.4-IgG1 is found to increase survival and ameliorate lung injury in K18-hACE2 transgenic mice inoculated with a lethal dose of the virulent P.1/gamma virus. Loss of catalytic activity reduced the decoy’s therapeutic efficacy supporting dual mechanisms of action: direct blocking of viral S and turnover of ACE2 substrates associated with lung injury and inflammation. Binding of sACE22.v2.4-IgG1 remained tight to S of BA.1 omicron, despite BA.1 omicron having extensive mutations, and binding exceeded that of four monoclonal antibodies approved for clinical use. BA.1 pseudovirus and authentic virus were neutralized at picomolar concentrations. Finally, tight binding was maintained against S from the BA.2 omicron sublineage, which differs from S of BA.1 by 26 mutations. Overall, the therapeutic potential of sACE22.v2.4-IgG1 is further confirmed by inhalation route and broad neutralization potency persists against increasingly divergent SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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34
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Cooper L, Achi JG, Rong L. Comparative analyses of small molecule and antibody inhibition on glycoprotein-mediated entry of Měngla virus with other filoviruses. J Med Virol 2022; 94:3263-3269. [PMID: 35332563 PMCID: PMC9161972 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The ability of viruses in the filoviridae family (Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg Virus (MARV)) to cause severe human disease and their pandemic potential makes all emerging filoviral pathogens a concern to humanity. Měnglà Virus (MLAV) belonging to the new genus Dianlovirus was recently discovered in the liver of bats from Měnglà County, Yunnan Province, China. The capacity of MLAV to utilize NPC1 as an endosomal receptor, to transduce mammalian cells, and suppress IFN response suggests that this potential pathogen could cause human illness. Despite great effort by researchers, only the viral genome has been recovered and isolation of live MLAV had been unsuccessful. Here using a pseudovirus model baring the MLAV glycoprotein (GP), we studied the protease dependence of the MLAV-GP, and the ability of small molecules and antibodies to inhibit MLAV viral entry. Like EBOV and MARV, the MLAV-GP requires proteolytic processing but like MARV it does not depend on cathepsin B activity for viral entry. Furthermore, previously discovered small molecule inhibitors and antibodies are MLAV inhibitors and show the possibility of developing these inhibitors as broad-spectrum filovirus antivirals. Overall, the findings in the study confirmed that MLAV viral entry is biologically distinct but has similarities to MARV. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Jazmin Galvan Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
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35
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Zhang L, Dutta S, Xiong S, Chan M, Chan KK, Fan TM, Bailey KL, Lindeblad M, Cooper LM, Rong L, Gugliuzza AF, Shukla D, Procko E, Rehman J, Malik AB. Engineered ACE2 decoy mitigates lung injury and death induced by SARS-CoV-2 variants. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:342-351. [PMID: 35046611 PMCID: PMC8885411 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00965-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy and emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) escaping vaccine-induced immune responses highlight the urgency for new COVID-19 therapeutics. Engineered angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) proteins with augmented binding affinities for SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein may prove to be especially efficacious against multiple variants. Using molecular dynamics simulations and functional assays, we show that three amino acid substitutions in an engineered soluble ACE2 protein markedly augmented the affinity for the S protein of the SARS-CoV-2 WA-1/2020 isolate and multiple VOCs: B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma) and B.1.617.2 (Delta). In humanized K18-hACE2 mice infected with the SARS-CoV-2 WA-1/2020 or P.1 variant, prophylactic and therapeutic injections of soluble ACE22.v2.4-IgG1 prevented lung vascular injury and edema formation, essential features of CoV-2-induced SARS, and above all improved survival. These studies demonstrate broad efficacy in vivo of an engineered ACE2 decoy against SARS-CoV-2 variants in mice and point to its therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianghui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Soumajit Dutta
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Shiqin Xiong
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Matthew Chan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Kui K Chan
- Cyrus Biotechnology, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Timothy M Fan
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Keith L Bailey
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Matthew Lindeblad
- Toxicology Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Laura M Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Anthony F Gugliuzza
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Diwakar Shukla
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | - Jalees Rehman
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Asrar B Malik
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Tsang NY, Li WF, Varhegyi E, Rong L, Zhang HJ. Ebola Entry Inhibitors Discovered from Maesa perlarius. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052620. [PMID: 35269770 PMCID: PMC8910447 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus disease (EVD), a disease caused by infection with Ebola virus (EBOV), is characterized by hemorrhagic fever and a high case fatality rate. With limited options for the treatment of EVD, anti-Ebola viral therapeutics need to be urgently developed. In this study, over 500 extracts of medicinal plants collected in the Lingnan region were tested against infection with Ebola-virus-pseudotyped particles (EBOVpp), leading to the discovery of Maesa perlarius as an anti-EBOV plant lead. The methanol extract (MPBE) of the stems of this plant showed an inhibitory effect against EBOVpp, with an IC50 value of 0.52 µg/mL, which was confirmed by testing the extract against infectious EBOV in a biosafety level 4 laboratory. The bioassay-guided fractionation of MPBE resulted in three proanthocyanidins (procyanidin B2 (1), procyanidin C1 (2), and epicatechin-(4β→8)-epicatechin-(4β→8)-epicatechin-(4β→8)-epicatechin (3)), along with two flavan-3-ols ((+)-catechin (4) and (−)-epicatechin (5)). The IC50 values of the compounds against pseudovirion-bearing EBOV-GP ranged from 0.83 to 36.0 µM, with 1 as the most potent inhibitor. The anti-EBOV activities of five synthetic derivatives together with six commercially available analogues, including EGCG ((−)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (8)), were further investigated. Molecular docking analysis and binding affinity measurement suggested the EBOV glycoprotein could be a potential molecular target for 1 and its related compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nga Yi Tsang
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; (N.Y.T.); (W.-F.L.)
| | - Wan-Fei Li
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; (N.Y.T.); (W.-F.L.)
| | - Elizabeth Varhegyi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
- Correspondence: (L.R.); (H.-J.Z.); Tel.: +1-312-3550203 (L.R.); +852-34112956 (H.-J.Z.)
| | - Hong-Jie Zhang
- Teaching and Research Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; (N.Y.T.); (W.-F.L.)
- Correspondence: (L.R.); (H.-J.Z.); Tel.: +1-312-3550203 (L.R.); +852-34112956 (H.-J.Z.)
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Shen Z, Ratia K, Cooper L, Kong D, Lee H, Kwon Y, Li Y, Alqarni S, Huang F, Dubrovskyi O, Rong L, Thatcher G, Xiong R. Design of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro Inhibitors for COVID-19 Antiviral Therapy Leveraging Binding Cooperativity. J Med Chem 2022; 65:2940-2955. [PMID: 34665619 PMCID: PMC8547495 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Antiviral agents that complement vaccination are urgently needed to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro), one of only two essential cysteine proteases that regulate viral replication, also dysregulates host immune sensing by binding and deubiquitination of host protein substrates. PLpro is a promising therapeutic target, albeit challenging owing to featureless P1 and P2 sites recognizing glycine. To overcome this challenge, we leveraged the cooperativity of multiple shallow binding sites on the PLpro surface, yielding novel 2-phenylthiophenes with nanomolar inhibitory potency. New cocrystal structures confirmed that ligand binding induces new interactions with PLpro: by closing of the BL2 loop of PLpro forming a novel "BL2 groove" and by mimicking the binding interaction of ubiquitin with Glu167 of PLpro. Together, this binding cooperativity translates to the most potent PLpro inhibitors reported to date, with slow off-rates, improved binding affinities, and low micromolar antiviral potency in SARS-CoV-2-infected human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengnan Shen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- UICentre (Drug Discovery @ UIC), University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Kiira Ratia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Research Resources Center, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Deyu Kong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- UICentre (Drug Discovery @ UIC), University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Hyun Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Research Resources Center, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Youngjin Kwon
- Research Resources Center, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Yangfeng Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- UICentre (Drug Discovery @ UIC), University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Saad Alqarni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Fei Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- UICentre (Drug Discovery @ UIC), University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Oleksii Dubrovskyi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- UICentre (Drug Discovery @ UIC), University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Gregory Thatcher
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Rui Xiong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- UICentre (Drug Discovery @ UIC), University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
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Li N, Wang X, Tibbs J, Che C, Peinetti AS, Zhao B, Liu L, Barya P, Cooper L, Rong L, Wang X, Lu Y, Cunningham BT. Label-Free Digital Detection of Intact Virions by Enhanced Scattering Microscopy. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:1498-1502. [PMID: 34928591 PMCID: PMC9762554 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c09579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Several applications in health diagnostics, food, safety, and environmental monitoring require rapid, simple, selective, and quantitatively accurate viral load monitoring. Here, we introduce the first label-free biosensing method that rapidly detects and quantifies intact virus in human saliva with single-virion resolution. Using pseudotype SARS-CoV-2 as a representative target, we immobilize aptamers with the ability to differentiate active from inactive virions on a photonic crystal, where the virions are captured through affinity with the spike protein displayed on the outer surface. Once captured, the intrinsic scattering of the virions is amplified and detected through interferometric imaging. Our approach analyzes the motion trajectory of each captured virion, enabling highly selective recognition against nontarget virions, while providing a limit of detection of 1 × 103 copies/mL at room temperature. The approach offers an alternative to enzymatic amplification assays for point-of-collection diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nantao Li
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Joseph Tibbs
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Congnyu Che
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Ana Sol Peinetti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Bin Zhao
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Leyang Liu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Priyash Barya
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Xing Wang
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Brian T Cunningham
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Nick Holonyak Jr. Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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Iwanaga N, Cooper L, Rong L, Maness NJ, Beddingfield B, Qin Z, Crabtree J, Tripp RA, Yang H, Blair R, Jangra S, García-Sastre A, Schotsaert M, Chandra S, Robinson JE, Srivastava A, Rabito F, Qin X, Kolls JK. ACE2-IgG1 fusions with improved in vitro and in vivo activity against SARS-CoV-2. iScience 2022; 25:103670. [PMID: 34957381 PMCID: PMC8686446 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19, uses ACE2 as a cell entry receptor. Soluble ACE2 has been shown to have neutralizing antiviral activity but has a short half-life and no active transport mechanism from the circulation into the alveolar spaces of the lung. To overcome this, we constructed an ACE2-human IgG1 fusion protein with mutations in the catalytic domain of ACE2. A mutation in the catalytic domain of ACE2, MDR504, significantly increased binding to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, as well as to a spike variant, in vitro with more potent viral neutralization in plaque assays. Parental administration of the protein showed stable serum concentrations with excellent bioavailability in the epithelial lining fluid of the lung, and ameliorated lung SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo. These data support that the MDR504 hACE2-Fc is an excellent candidate for treatment or prophylaxis of COVID-19 and potentially emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Iwanaga
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Laura Cooper
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Maness
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Brandon Beddingfield
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Zhongnan Qin
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA
| | - Jackelyn Crabtree
- Departments of Infectious Diseases, Animal Health Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602,USA
| | - Ralph A. Tripp
- Departments of Infectious Diseases, Animal Health Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602,USA
| | - Haoran Yang
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Robert Blair
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA
| | - Sonia Jangra
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Michael Schotsaert
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Sruti Chandra
- Departments of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - James E. Robinson
- Departments of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Akhilesh Srivastava
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Felix Rabito
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Xuebin Qin
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA
| | - Jay K. Kolls
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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40
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Brandt P, Grønvig M, Rong L, Zhang G, Gautam K, Kristensen J, Bjerg B. The effect of floor cooling on respiration rate and distribution of pigs in the pen. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.104832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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41
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Zhang L, Dutta S, Xiong S, Chan M, Chan KK, Fan TM, Bailey KL, Lindeblad M, Cooper LM, Rong L, Gugliuzza AF, Shukla D, Procko E, Rehman J, Malik AB. Engineered High-Affinity ACE2 Peptide Mitigates ARDS and Death Induced by Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Variants. bioRxiv 2021:2021.12.21.473668. [PMID: 34981059 PMCID: PMC8722596 DOI: 10.1101/2021.12.21.473668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy and continuing emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern that may escape vaccine-induced immune responses highlight the urgent need for effective COVID-19 therapeutics. Monoclonal antibodies used in the clinic have varying efficacies against distinct SARS-CoV-2 variants; thus, there is considerable interest in engineered ACE2 peptides with augmented binding affinities for SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. These could have therapeutic benefit against multiple viral variants. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show how three amino acid substitutions in an engineered soluble ACE2 peptide (sACE2 2 .v2.4-IgG1) markedly increase affinity for the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein. We demonstrate high binding affinity to S protein of the early SARS-CoV-2 WA-1/2020 isolate and also to multiple variants of concern: B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma), and B.1.617.2 (Delta) SARS-CoV-2 variants. In humanized K18-hACE2 mice, prophylactic and therapeutic administration of sACE2 2 .v2.4-IgG1 peptide prevented acute lung vascular endothelial injury and lung edema (essential features of ARDS) and significantly improved survival after infection by SARS-CoV-2 WA-1/2020 as well as P.1 variant of concern. These studies demonstrate for the first time broad efficacy in vivo of an ACE2 decoy peptide against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and point to its therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianghui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Soumajit Dutta
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shiqin Xiong
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Matthew Chan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Kui K. Chan
- Cyrus Biotechnology, Inc., Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Timothy M. Fan
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Keith L. Bailey
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Matthew Lindeblad
- Toxicology Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Laura M. Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Anthony F. Gugliuzza
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Diwakar Shukla
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jalees Rehman
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Asrar B. Malik
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine and the Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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42
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Chen Z, Du R, Galvan Achi JM, Rong L, Cui Q. SARS-CoV-2 cell entry and targeted antiviral development. Acta Pharm Sin B 2021; 11:3879-3888. [PMID: 34002130 PMCID: PMC8117542 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which threatens human health and public safety. In the urgent campaign to develop anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies, the initial entry step is one of the most appealing targets. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of SARS-CoV-2 cell entry, and the development of targeted antiviral strategies. Moreover, we speculate upon future directions toward next-generation of SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors during the upcoming post-pandemic era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinuo Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Ruikun Du
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266122, China
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Jazmin M. Galvan Achi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Qinghua Cui
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266122, China
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
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43
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Peinetti AS, Lake RJ, Cong W, Cooper L, Wu Y, Ma Y, Pawel GT, Toimil-Molares ME, Trautmann C, Rong L, Mariñas B, Azzaroni O, Lu Y. Direct detection of human adenovirus or SARS-CoV-2 with ability to inform infectivity using DNA aptamer-nanopore sensors. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabh2848. [PMID: 34550739 PMCID: PMC8457657 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh2848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Viral infections are a major global health issue, but no current method allows rapid, direct, and ultrasensitive quantification of intact viruses with the ability to inform infectivity, causing misdiagnoses and spread of the viruses. Here, we report a method for direct detection and differentiation of infectious from noninfectious human adenovirus and SARS-CoV-2, as well as from other virus types, without any sample pretreatment. DNA aptamers are selected from a DNA library to bind intact infectious, but not noninfectious, virus and then incorporated into a solid-state nanopore, which allows strong confinement of the virus to enhance sensitivity down to 1 pfu/ml for human adenovirus and 1 × 104 copies/ml for SARS-CoV-2. Applications of the aptamer-nanopore sensors in different types of water samples, saliva, and serum are demonstrated for both enveloped and nonenveloped viruses, making the sensor generally applicable for detecting these and other emerging viruses of environmental and public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana S. Peinetti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ryan J. Lake
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Wen Cong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Safe Global Water Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yuting Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yuan Ma
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Gregory T. Pawel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - María Eugenia Toimil-Molares
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt 64291, Germany
- Corresponding author. (Y.L.); (O.A.); (B.M.); (L.R.); (M.E.T.-M.)
| | - Christina Trautmann
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt 64291, Germany
- Technische Universitat Darmstadt, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Corresponding author. (Y.L.); (O.A.); (B.M.); (L.R.); (M.E.T.-M.)
| | - Benito Mariñas
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Safe Global Water Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Corresponding author. (Y.L.); (O.A.); (B.M.); (L.R.); (M.E.T.-M.)
| | - Omar Azzaroni
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), CONICET, Boulevard 113 y 64, La Plata 1900, Argentina
- Corresponding author. (Y.L.); (O.A.); (B.M.); (L.R.); (M.E.T.-M.)
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Corresponding author. (Y.L.); (O.A.); (B.M.); (L.R.); (M.E.T.-M.)
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Yang J, Perez EA, Hou C, Zhang P, Van Scoyk M, Winn RA, Rong L, Liu J. Identification of the SARS-CoV-2 Entry Receptor ACE2 as a Direct Target for Transcriptional Repression by Miz1. Front Immunol 2021; 12:648815. [PMID: 34305888 PMCID: PMC8292894 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.648815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence have demonstrated that cigarette smoke or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease upregulates angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the cellular receptor for the entry of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which predisposes individuals to develop severe Coronavirus disease 2019. The reason for this observation is unknown. We recently reported that the loss of function of Miz1 in the lung epithelium in mice leads to a spontaneous COPD-like phenotype, associated with upregulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. We also reported that cigarette smoke exposure downregulates Miz1 in lung epithelial cells and in mice, and Miz1 is also downregulated in the lungs of COPD patients. Here, we provide further evidence that Miz1 directly binds to and represses the promoter of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in mouse and human lung epithelial cells. Our data provide a potential molecular mechanism for the upregulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 observed in smokers and COPD patients, with implication in severe Coronavirus disease 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Edith A Perez
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Changchun Hou
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Pin Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Michelle Van Scoyk
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Robert A Winn
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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45
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Xing S, Ma Y, Rong L. P-260 Plasma exRNA-based identification of novel biomarkers in early gastric cancer. Ann Oncol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.05.314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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46
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Wang Z, Peet NP, Zhang P, Jiang Y, Rong L. Current Development of Glioblastoma Therapeutic Agents. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 20:1521-1532. [PMID: 34172531 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumor in humans. Over the past several decades, despite improvements in neurosurgical techniques, development of powerful chemotherapeutic agents, advances in radiotherapy, and comprehensive genomic profiling and molecular characterization, treatment of GBM has achieved very limited success in increasing overall survival. Thus, identifying and understanding the key molecules and barriers responsible for the malignant phenotypes and treatment resistance of GBM will yield new potential therapeutic targets. We review the most recent development of receptor tyrosine kinase targeted therapy for GBM and discuss the current status of several novel strategies with the emphasis on blood-brain barrier penetration as a major obstacle for small-molecule drugs to achieve their therapeutic goals. Likewise, a major opportunity for the treatment of GBM lies in the use of biomarkers for the discovery and development of new receptor tyrosine kinase targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilai Wang
- Chicago BioSolutions, Inc., Chicago, Illinois.
| | | | - Pin Zhang
- Chicago BioSolutions, Inc., Chicago, Illinois
| | - Yuwei Jiang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
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47
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Chen Z, Cui Q, Caffrey M, Rong L, Du R. Small Molecule Inhibitors of Influenza Virus Entry. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14060587. [PMID: 34207368 PMCID: PMC8234048 DOI: 10.3390/ph14060587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemagglutinin (HA) plays a critical role during influenza virus receptor binding and subsequent membrane fusion process, thus HA has become a promising drug target. For the past several decades, we and other researchers have discovered a series of HA inhibitors mainly targeting its fusion machinery. In this review, we summarize the advances in HA-targeted development of small molecule inhibitors. Moreover, we discuss the structural basis and mode of action of these inhibitors, and speculate upon future directions toward more potent inhibitors of membrane fusion and potential anti-influenza drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyu Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China; (Z.C.); (Q.C.)
| | - Qinghua Cui
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China; (Z.C.); (Q.C.)
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266122, China
| | - Michael Caffrey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA;
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Correspondence: (L.R.); (R.D.); Tel.: +1-312-355-0203 (L.R.); +86-0531-89628505 (R.D.)
| | - Ruikun Du
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China; (Z.C.); (Q.C.)
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
- Qingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao 266122, China
- Correspondence: (L.R.); (R.D.); Tel.: +1-312-355-0203 (L.R.); +86-0531-89628505 (R.D.)
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Sarute N, Cheng H, Yan Z, Salas-Briceno K, Richner J, Rong L, Ross SR. Signal-regulatory protein alpha is an anti-viral entry factor targeting viruses using endocytic pathways. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009662. [PMID: 34097709 PMCID: PMC8211255 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Signal-regulatory protein alpha (SIRPA) is a well-known inhibitor of phagocytosis when it complexes with CD47 expressed on target cells. Here we show that SIRPA decreased in vitro infection by a number of pathogenic viruses, including New World and Old World arenaviruses, Zika virus, vesicular stomatitis virus and pseudoviruses bearing the Machupo virus, Ebola virus and SARS-CoV-2 glycoproteins, but not HSV-1, MLV or mNoV. Moreover, mice with targeted mutation of the Sirpa gene that renders it non-functional were more susceptible to infection with the New World arenaviruses Junín virus vaccine strain Candid 1 and Tacaribe virus, but not MLV or mNoV. All SIRPA-inhibited viruses have in common the requirement for trafficking to a low pH endosomal compartment. This was clearly demonstrated with SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus, which was only inhibited by SIRPA in cells in which it required trafficking to the endosome. Similar to its role in phagocytosis inhibition, SIRPA decreased virus internalization but not binding to cell surface receptors. We also found that increasing SIRPA levels via treatment with IL-4 led to even greater anti-viral activity. These data suggest that enhancing SIRPA’s activity could be a target for anti-viral therapies. Viruses enter cells via different routes. Many RNA viruses require trafficking to a low pH compartment to accomplish entry. Similarly, phagocytosis of dead cells by macrophages results in their degradation in an acidic compartment. Here we show that SIRPA, which is a major inhibitor of phagocytosis, also inhibits infection by a variety of viruses that enter via acidic compartments, including many human pathogens such as Zika, Ebola and SARS-CoV-2. These findings suggest that phagocytosis and virus endocytosis share a common mechanistic pathway, and could lead to new approaches to the development of anti-viral therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Sarute
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Han Cheng
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Zhonghao Yan
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Karen Salas-Briceno
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Justin Richner
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Lijun Rong
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Susan R. Ross
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Wan T, Liu X, Su Y, Zou J, Wu X, Jiang C, Cao C, Yao M, Zhou Y, Rong L, Li B, Wen L, Feng Q. Biological differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine from excessive to deficient syndromes in AIDS: Comparative microRNA microarray profiling and syndrome-specific biomarker identification. J Med Virol 2021; 93:3634-3646. [PMID: 33289096 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely applied as a supplementary therapy of human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in China. TCM has a positive effect on improving the quality of life, prolonging life, and ameliorating the symptoms of HIV/AIDS patients. Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney (YDSK) syndrome is a typical deficient TCM syndrome in AIDS patients, and accumulation of heat-toxicity (AHT) syndrome is a common excessive syndrome in the earlier stage of AIDS. Thus, accurate diagnosis of these two syndromes can improve the targeted treatment effect, and predict the prognosis of the disease. However, the scientific basis of TCM syndromes remains lacking, greatly hindering the accuracy of diagnosis and effectiveness of treatment. In this research, microRNA (miRNA) microarray and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction combined with bioinformatics were used for comparative analysis between YDSK and AHT patients. Significantly differential expressed miRNAs (SDE-miRNAs) of each TCM syndrome were identified, including hsa-miR-766-3p and hsa-miR-1260a and so on, as well hsa-miR-6124, hsa-let-7g-5p and so on, for YDSK and AHT, respectively. Biological differences were found between their SDE-miRNAs based on bioinformatics analyses, for example, ErbB signaling pathway mainly linked to AHT, while focal adhesion dominated in YDSK. Syndrome-specific SDE-miRNAs were further identified as potential biomarkers, including hsa-miR-30e-5p, hsa-miR-144-5p for YDSK and hsa-let-7g-5p, hsa-miR-126-3p for AHT, respectively. All of them have laid biological and clinical bases for TCM diagnosis and treatment of AIDS syndrome at the miRNA level, offering potential diagnostic indicators of immune reconstitution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingjun Wan
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiyang Liu
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yue Su
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxi Zou
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xi Wu
- Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Cen Jiang
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunhui Cao
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingyue Yao
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuyu Zhou
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Baixue Li
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Li Wen
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Quansheng Feng
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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50
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Amaya M, Cheng H, Borisevich V, Navaratnarajah CK, Cattaneo R, Cooper L, Moore TW, Gaisina IN, Geisbert TW, Rong L, Broder CC. A recombinant Cedar virus based high-throughput screening assay for henipavirus antiviral discovery. Antiviral Res 2021; 193:105084. [PMID: 34077807 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105084] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are highly pathogenic, bat-borne paramyxoviruses in the genus Henipavirus that cause severe and often fatal acute respiratory and/or neurologic diseases in humans and livestock. There are currently no approved antiviral therapeutics or vaccines for use in humans to treat or prevent NiV or HeV infection. To facilitate development of henipavirus antivirals, a high-throughput screening (HTS) platform was developed based on a well-characterized recombinant version of the nonpathogenic Henipavirus, Cedar virus (rCedV). Using reverse genetics, a rCedV encoding firefly luciferase (rCedV-Luc) was rescued and its utility evaluated for high-throughput antiviral compound screening. The luciferase reporter gene signal kinetics of rCedV-Luc in different human cell lines was characterized and validated as an authentic real-time measure of viral growth. The rCedV-Luc platform was optimized as an HTS assay that demonstrated high sensitivity with robust Z' scores, excellent signal-to-background ratios and coefficients of variation. Eight candidate compounds that inhibited rCedV replication were identified for additional validation and demonstrated that 4 compounds inhibited authentic NiV-Bangladesh replication. Further evaluation of 2 of the 4 validated compounds in a 9-point dose response titration demonstrated potent antiviral activity against NiV-Bangladesh and HeV, with minimal cytotoxicity. This rCedV reporter can serve as a surrogate yet authentic BSL-2 henipavirus platform that will dramatically accelerate drug candidate identification in the development of anti-henipavirus therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moushimi Amaya
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Han Cheng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Viktoriya Borisevich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | | | - Roberto Cattaneo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Laura Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Terry W Moore
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Irina N Gaisina
- Chicago BioSolutions Inc., 2242 W Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Thomas W Geisbert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Lijun Rong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
| | - Christopher C Broder
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
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