90K/LGALS3BP expression is upregulated in COVID-19 but may not restrict SARS-CoV-2 infection

Glycoprotein 90K, encoded by the interferon-stimulated gene LGALS3BP, displays broad antiviral activity. It reduces HIV-1 infectivity by interfering with Env maturation and virion incorporation, and increases survival of Influenza A virus-infected mice via antiviral innate immune signaling. Its antiviral potential in SARS-CoV-2 infection remains largely unknown. Here, we analyzed the expression of 90K/LGALS3BP in 44 hospitalized COVID-19 patients at multiple levels. We quantified 90K protein concentrations in serum and PBMCs as well as LGALS3BP mRNA levels. Complementary, we analyzed two single cell RNA-sequencing datasets for expression of LGALS3BP in respiratory specimens and PBMCs from COVID-19 patients. Finally, we analyzed the potential of 90K to interfere with SARS-CoV-2 infection of HEK293T/ACE2, Calu-3 and Caco-2 cells using authentic virus. 90K protein serum concentrations were significantly elevated in COVID-19 patients compared to uninfected sex- and age-matched controls. Furthermore, PBMC-associated concentrations of 90K protein were overall reduced by SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo, suggesting enhanced secretion into the extracellular space. Mining of published PBMC scRNA-seq datasets uncovered monocyte-specific induction of LGALS3BP mRNA expression in COVID-19 patients. In functional assays, neither 90K overexpression in susceptible cell lines nor exogenous addition of purified 90K consistently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our data suggests that 90K/LGALS3BP contributes to the global type I IFN response during SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo without displaying detectable antiviral properties in vitro.

90K predicts the prognosis of glioma patients and enhances tumor lysate-pulsed DC vaccine for immunotherapy of GBM in vitro

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between 90K expression with glioma malignancy and prognosis. Additionally, the enhancement effect of 90K in the Dendritic cell (DC) vaccine for Immunotherapy of glioblastoma (GBM) was evaluated in vitro.

METHODS

The expression of 90K protein in glioma tissues was detected by western blot. The relationship between the 90K expression and the tumor grade as well as the prognosis of patients was further analyzed by mining TCGA and CGGA database. The concentration of IL-12p70 and IL-10 was detected by ELISA. T lymphocyte proliferation and lethal effect of cytotoxic T cell (CTL) were detected by CCK-8.

RESULTS

The expression of 90K was significantly higher in glioma than normal tissue and increased with tumor grade (P< 0.05). Higher 90K expression was observed in IDH wildtype glioma than IDH mutant and predicted worse overall survival for glioma patients. The concentration of IL-12p70 and IFN-γ was the highest in the Apoptosis U251-90K-DC group, in which group the ability to kill U251 cells by CTL was also the strongest.

CONCLUSION

90K was a useful biomarker for glioma malignancy and patient prognosis. The appearance of 90K enhanced the effect of Apoptosis U251-DC vaccine for immunotherapy of GBM.

Induction of 90K-specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes for Colon Cancer Immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Dendritic cell (DC)-based tumor vaccine is an attractive modality for the treatment of colon cancer because it has been recurred and produced few side effects in patients. Secretory glycoprotein 90K has been found at elevated level in various cancer tissues and sera. We investigated to establish a more effective DC vaccine for the treatment of colon cancer in which the levels of 90K are elevated.

METHODS

We obtained the concentrated 90K from 293T cells stably expressing 90K. DCs were cultured from peripheral blood monocytes, and a DC vaccine pulsed with tumor lysate was compared with a DC vaccine pulsed with 90K. We measured the functional activity for CTLs by using IFN-γ-enzyme linked immunoabsorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay.

RESULTS

DCs pulsed with tumor lysate+90K exhibited the enhanced T cell stimulation, polarization of naïve T cell toward Th1. The CTLs generated by DCs pulsed with 90K efficiently lysed HCT116 cells. The results indicate that 90K-speicifc-CTLs can recognize 90K proteins naturally presented by colon cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that 90K-specific CTLs generated by 90K-pulsed DCs could be useful effector cells for immunotherapy in colon cancer.