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Mariën J, Sage M, Bangura U, Lamé A, Koropogui M, Rieger T, Soropogui B, Douno M, Magassouba N, Fichet-Calvet E. Rodent control strategies and Lassa virus: some unexpected effects in Guinea, West Africa. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2341141. [PMID: 38597241 PMCID: PMC11034454 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2024.2341141] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) is the host of Lassa mammarenavirus, causing Lassa haemorrhagic fever in West Africa. As there is currently no operational vaccine and therapeutic drugs are limited, we explored rodent control as an alternative to prevent Lassa virus spillover in Upper Guinea, where the disease is highly endemic in rural areas. In a seven-year experiment, we distributed rodenticides for 10-30 days once a year and, in the last year, added intensive snap trapping for three months in all the houses of one village. We also captured rodents both before and after the intervention period to assess their effectiveness by examining alterations in trapping success and infection rates (Lassa virus RNA and IgG antibodies). We found that both interventions reduced the rodent population by 74-92% but swiftly rebounded to pre-treatment levels, even already six months after the last snap-trapping control. Furthermore, while we observed that chemical control modestly decreased Lassa virus infection rates annually (a reduction of 5% in seroprevalence per year), the intensive trapping unexpectedly led to a significantly higher infection rate (from a seroprevalence of 28% before to 67% after snap trapping control). After seven years, we conclude that annual chemical control, alone or with intensive trapping, is ineffective and sometimes counterproductive in preventing Lassa virus spillover in rural villages. These unexpected findings may result from density-dependent breeding compensation following culling and the survival of a small percentage of chronically infected rodents that may spread the virus to a new susceptible generation of mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Mariën
- Evolutionary Ecology group, Department of Biology University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Virus Ecology unit, Department of Biomedical sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mickaël Sage
- Faune INNOV’ R&D – Wildlife INNOVATION, Besançon, France
| | - Umaru Bangura
- Implementation Research, Zoonoses Control group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alicia Lamé
- Faune INNOV’ R&D – Wildlife INNOVATION, Besançon, France
| | - Michel Koropogui
- Projet des fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, Laboratoire de Virologie, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Toni Rieger
- Department of Virology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Barré Soropogui
- Projet des fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, Laboratoire de Virologie, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Moussa Douno
- Projet des fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, Laboratoire de Virologie, Conakry, Guinea
| | - N’Faly Magassouba
- Projet des fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, Laboratoire de Virologie, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Elisabeth Fichet-Calvet
- Implementation Research, Zoonoses Control group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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2
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Woolsey C, Cross RW, Prasad AN, Agans KN, Borisevich V, Deer DJ, Dobias NS, Fears AC, Harrison MB, Heinrich ML, Fenton KA, Garry RF, Branco LM, Geisbert TW. Monoclonal antibody therapy demonstrates increased virulence of a lineage VII strain of Lassa virus in nonhuman primates. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2301061. [PMID: 38164768 PMCID: PMC10810630 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2301061] [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: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogen that causes high morbidity and mortality. Recently, we showed that a combination of three broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies known as Arevirumab-3 (8.9F, 12.1F, 37.2D) based on the lineage IV Josiah strain protected 100% of cynomolgus macaques against heterologous challenge with lineage II and III strains of LASV when therapy was initiated beginning at day 8 after challenge. LASV strains from Benin and Togo represent a new lineage VII that are more genetically diverse from lineage IV than strains from lineages II and III. Here, we tested the ability of Arevirumab-3 to protect macaques against a LASV lineage VII Togo isolate when treatment was administered beginning 8 days after exposure. Unexpectedly, only 40% of treated animals survived challenge. In a subsequent study we showed that Arevirumab-3 protected 100% of macaques from lethal challenge when treatment was initiated 7 days after LASV Togo exposure. Based on our transcriptomics data, successful Arevirumab-3 treatment correlated with diminished neutrophil signatures and the predicted development of T cell responses. As the in vitro antiviral activity of Arevirumab-3 against LASV Togo was equivalent to lineage II and III strains, the reduced protection in macaques against Togo likely reflects the faster disease course of LASV Togo in macaques than other strains. This data causes concern regarding the ability of heterologous vaccines and treatments to provide cross protection against lineage VII LASV isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Woolsey
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Robert W. Cross
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Abhishek N. Prasad
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Krystle N. Agans
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Viktoriya Borisevich
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel J. Deer
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Natalie S. Dobias
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Alyssa C. Fears
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Mack B. Harrison
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Karla A. Fenton
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Robert F. Garry
- Zalgen Labs, LLC, Frederick, MD, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | - Thomas W. Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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3
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Happi AN, Ogunsanya OA, Ayinla AO, Sijuwola AE, Saibu FM, Akano K, Nwofoke C, Elias OT, Achonduh-Atijegbe O, Daodu RO, Adedokun OA, Adeyemo A, Ogundana KE, Lawal OZ, Parker E, Nosamiefan I, Okolie J, Parker ZF, McCauley MD, Eller LA, Lombardi K, Tiamiyu AB, Iroezindu M, Akinwale E, Njatou TLFA, Mebrahtu T, Broach E, Zuppe A, Prins P, Lay J, Amare M, Modjarrad K, Collins ND, Vasan S, Tucker C, Daye S, Happi CT. Lassa virus in novel hosts: insights into the epidemiology of lassa virus infections in southern Nigeria. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2294859. [PMID: 38088796 PMCID: PMC10810657 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2294859] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Identification of the diverse animal hosts responsible for spill-over events from animals to humans is crucial for comprehending the transmission patterns of emerging infectious diseases, which pose significant public health risks. To better characterize potential animal hosts of Lassa virus (LASV), we assessed domestic and non-domestic animals from 2021-2022 in four locations in southern Nigeria with reported cases of Lassa fever (LF). Birds, lizards, and domestic mammals (dogs, pigs, cattle and goats) were screened using RT-qPCR, and whole genome sequencing was performed for lineage identification on selected LASV positive samples. Animals were also screened for exposure to LASV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Among these animals, lizards had the highest positivity rate by PCR. Genomic sequencing of samples in most infected animals showed sub-lineage 2 g of LASV. Seropositivity was highest among cattle and lowest in pigs. Though the specific impact these additional hosts may have in the broader virus-host context are still unknown - specifically relating to pathogen diversity, evolution, and transmission - the detection of LASV in non-rodent hosts living in proximity to confirmed human LF cases suggests their involvement during transmission as potential reservoirs. Additional epidemiological data comparing viral genomes from humans and animals, as well as those circulating within the environment will be critical in understanding LASV transmission dynamics and will ultimately guide the development of countermeasures for this zoonotic health threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anise Nkenjop Happi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Olusola Akinola Ogunsanya
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Akeemat Opeyemi Ayinla
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Ayotunde Elijah Sijuwola
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Femi Mudasiru Saibu
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Kazeem Akano
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
| | - Cecilia Nwofoke
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Richard Olumide Daodu
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Oluwatobi Abel Adedokun
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Abraham Adeyemo
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Edyth Parker
- Scripps Translational Science Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Iguosadolo Nosamiefan
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Johnson Okolie
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Zahra F. Parker
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Melanie D. McCauley
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Leigh Anne Eller
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kara Lombardi
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Abdulwasiu Bolaji Tiamiyu
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation Medical Research International Ltd/Gte, Abuja, Nigeria
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Michael Iroezindu
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation Medical Research International Ltd/Gte, Abuja, Nigeria
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Edward Akinwale
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation Medical Research International Ltd/Gte, Abuja, Nigeria
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | | | - Tsedal Mebrahtu
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Erica Broach
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anastasia Zuppe
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Petra Prins
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jenny Lay
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mihret Amare
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kayvon Modjarrad
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Natalie D. Collins
- Viral Diseases Program, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Sandhya Vasan
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cynthia Tucker
- One Health Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Sharon Daye
- One Health Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Christian Tientcha Happi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Bangura U, Davis C, Lamin J, Bangura J, Soropogui B, Davison AJ, Nichols J, Vucak M, Dawson M, Ansumana R, Sondufu D, Cadar D, Rieger T, Thomson E, Sahr F, Magassouba N, Ghersi B, Bird BH, Fichet-Calvet E. Spatio-temporal spread of Lassa virus and a new rodent host in the Mano River Union area, West Africa. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2290834. [PMID: 38047354 PMCID: PMC10919312 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2290834] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The spread of Lassa virus (LASV) in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which together are named the Mano River Union (MRU) area, was examined phylogeographically. To provide a reliable evolutionary scenario, new rodent-derived, whole LASV sequences were included. These were generated by metatranscriptomic next-generation sequencing from rodents sampled between 2003 and 2020 in 21 localities of Guinea and Sierra Leone. An analysis was performed using BEAST to perform continuous phylogeographic inference and EvoLaps v36 to visualize spatio-temporal spread. LASV was identified as expected in its primary host reservoir, the Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis), and also in two Guinean multimammate mice (Mastomys erythroleucus) in northern Sierra Leone and two rusty-bellied brush-furred mice (Lophuromys sikapusi) in southern Sierra Leone. This finding is consistent with the latter two species being secondary host reservoirs. The strains in these three species were very closely related in LASV lineage IV. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the most recent common ancestor of lineage IV existed 316-374 years ago and revealed distinct, well-supported clades from Sierra Leone (Bo, Kabala and Kenema), Guinea (Faranah, Kissidougou-Guekedou and Macenta) and Liberia (Phebe-Ganta). The phylogeographic scenario suggests southern Guinea as the point of origin of LASV in the MRU area, with subsequent spread to towards Mali, Liberia and Sierra Leone at a mean speed of 1.6 to 1.1 km/year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umaru Bangura
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Joyce Lamin
- Mercy Hospital Research Laboratory, Bo, Sierra Leone
| | - James Bangura
- University of Makeni and University of California, Davis One Health Program, Makeni, Sierra Leone
| | - Barré Soropogui
- Laboratoire des Fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, Conakry, Guinea
| | | | - Jenna Nichols
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Matej Vucak
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | | | - Dániel Cadar
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Toni Rieger
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Emma Thomson
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Foday Sahr
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Bruno Ghersi
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian H. Bird
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Elisabeth Fichet-Calvet
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
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Wang X, Ye X, Li R, Zai X, Hu M, Wang S, Ren H, Jin Y, Xu J, Yue J. Spatio-temporal spread and evolution of Lassa virus in West Africa. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:314. [PMID: 38486143 PMCID: PMC10941413 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09200-8] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lassa fever is a hemorrhagic disease caused by Lassa virus (LASV), which has been classified by the World Health Organization as one of the top infectious diseases requiring prioritized research. Previous studies have provided insights into the classification and geographic characteristics of LASV lineages. However, the factor of the distribution and evolution characteristics and phylodynamics of the virus was still limited. METHODS To enhance comprehensive understanding of LASV, we employed phylogenetic analysis, reassortment and recombination detection, and variation evaluation utilizing publicly available viral genome sequences. RESULTS The results showed the estimated the root of time of the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) for large (L) segment was approximately 634 (95% HPD: [385879]), whereas the TMRCA for small (S) segment was around 1224 (95% HPD: [10301401]). LASV primarily spread from east to west in West Africa through two routes, and in route 2, the virus independently spread to surrounding countries through Liberia, resulting in a wider spread of LASV. From 1969 to 2018, the effective population size experienced two significant increased, indicating the enhanced genetic diversity of LASV. We also found the evolution rate of L segment was faster than S segment, further results showed zinc-binding protein had the fastest evolution rate. Reassortment events were detected in multiple lineages including sub-lineage IIg, while recombination events were observed within lineage V. Significant amino acid changes in the glycoprotein precursor of LASV were identified, demonstrating sequence diversity among lineages in LASV. CONCLUSION This study comprehensively elucidated the transmission and evolution of LASV in West Africa, providing detailed insights into reassortment events, recombination events, and amino acid variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wang
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
- Medical College of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Xianwei Ye
- Medical College of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Ruihua Li
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Xiaodong Zai
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Mingda Hu
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Shaoyan Wang
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Hongguang Ren
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Yuan Jin
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Junjie Xu
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Junjie Yue
- Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnology & State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
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Cross RW, Fenton KA, Woolsey C, Prasad AN, Borisevich V, Agans KN, Deer DJ, Dobias NS, Fears AC, Heinrich ML, Geisbert JB, Garry RF, Branco LM, Geisbert TW. Monoclonal antibody therapy protects nonhuman primates against mucosal exposure to Lassa virus. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101392. [PMID: 38280377 PMCID: PMC10897540 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101392] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral illness that causes thousands of deaths annually in West Africa. There are currently no Lassa virus (LASV) vaccines or antivirals approved for human use. Recently, we showed that combinations of broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies (BNhuMAbs) known as Arevirumab-2 or Arevirumab-3 protected up to 100% of cynomolgus macaques against challenge with diverse lineages of LASV when treatment was initiated at advanced stages of disease. This previous work assessed efficacy against parenteral exposure. However, transmission of LASV to humans occurs primarily by mucosal exposure to virus shed from Mastomys rodents. Here, we describe the development of a lethal intranasal exposure macaque model of LF. This model is employed to show that Arevirumab cocktails rescue 100% of macaques from lethal LASV infection when treatment is initiated 8 days after LASV exposure. Our work demonstrates BNhuMAbs have utility in treating LASV infection acquired through mucosal exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Cross
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Karla A Fenton
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Courtney Woolsey
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Abhishek N Prasad
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Viktoriya Borisevich
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Krystle N Agans
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel J Deer
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Natalie S Dobias
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Alyssa C Fears
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Joan B Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Robert F Garry
- Zalgen Labs, LLC, Frederick, MD, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | - Thomas W Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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7
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Bohler F, Cashman K, Wilkinson E, Johnson JC, Rosenke K, Shamblin J, Hensley L, Honko A, Shaia C. An atlas of gross and histologic lesions and immunohistochemical immunoreactivity during the temporal progression of aerosolized Lassa virus induced hemorrhagic fever in cynomolgus macaques. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1341891. [PMID: 38404292 PMCID: PMC10884106 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1341891] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) causes an acute multisystemic hemorrhagic fever in humans known as Lassa fever, which is endemic in several African countries. This manuscript focuses on the progression of disease in cynomolgus macaques challenged with aerosolized LASV and serially sampled for the development and progression of gross and histopathologic lesions. Gross lesions were first noted in tissues on day 6 and persisted throughout day 12. Viremia and histologic lesions were first noted on day 6 commencing with the pulmonary system and hemolymphatic system and progressing at later time points to include all systems. Immunoreactivity to LASV antigen was first observed in the lungs of one macaque on day 3 and appeared localized to macrophages with an increase at later time points to include immunoreactivity in all organ systems. Additionally, this manuscript will serve as a detailed atlas of histopathologic lesions and disease progression for comparison to other animal models of aerosolized Arenaviral disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forrest Bohler
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Kathleen Cashman
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Eric Wilkinson
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Joshua C. Johnson
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Kyle Rosenke
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Josh Shamblin
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Lisa Hensley
- Zoonotic and Emerging Disease Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Anna Honko
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Carl Shaia
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Hamilton, MT, United States
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8
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Reyna RA, Littlefield KE, Shehu N, Makishima T, Maruyama J, Paessler S. The Importance of Lassa Fever and Its Disease Management in West Africa. Viruses 2024; 16:266. [PMID: 38400041 PMCID: PMC10892767 DOI: 10.3390/v16020266] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a zoonotic pathogen endemic throughout western Africa and is responsible for a human disease known as Lassa fever (LF). Historically, LASV has been emphasized as one of the greatest public health threats in West Africa, with up to 300,000 cases and 5000 associated deaths per year. This, and the fact that the disease has been reported in travelers, has driven a rapid production of various vaccine candidates. Several of these vaccines are currently in clinical development, despite limitations in understanding the immune response to infection. Alarmingly, the host immune response has been implicated in the induction of sensorineural hearing loss in LF survivors, legitimately raising safety questions about any future vaccines as well as efficacy in preventing potential hearing loss. The objective of this article is to revisit the importance and prevalence of LF in West Africa, with focus on Nigeria, and discuss current therapeutic approaches and ongoing vaccine development. In addition, we aim to emphasize the need for more scientific studies relating to LF-associated hearing loss, and to promote critical discussion about potential risks and benefits of vaccinating the population in endemic regions of West Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Reyna
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Kirsten E. Littlefield
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Nathan Shehu
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Medicine, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos P.M.B. 2076, Nigeria
| | - Tomoko Makishima
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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9
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Keating PM, Schifano NP, Wei X, Kong MY, Lee J. pH-dependent conformational change within the Lassa virus transmembrane domain elicits efficient membrane fusion. Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr 2024; 1866:184233. [PMID: 37734457 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2023.184233] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is the most prevalent member of the arenavirus family and the causative agent of Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic fever. Although there are annual outbreaks in West Africa, and recently isolated cases worldwide, there are no current therapeutics or vaccines, which poses LASV as a significant global public health threat. One of the key steps in LASV infection is the delivery of its genetic material by fusing its viral membrane with the host cell membrane. This process is facilitated by significant conformational changes within glycoprotein 2 (GP2), yielding distinct prefusion and postfusion structural states. However, structural information is missing to understand the changes that occur in the transmembrane domain during the fusion process. Here, we used CD and NMR spectroscopy to show that the transmembrane domain has pH-dependent conformational changes that result in an extension of the alpha helix at the N-terminal end. Proline mutants of key residues in that region prevent the helical extension, as seen in CD and NMR. We developed a modified lipid mixing assay to study the importance of this extension on the function of GP2. Our assay shows that membrane fusion efficiency is optimal at low pH values but introducing the proline mutants results in lower fusion efficiency. These results indicate that these pH-dependent conformational changes are important to the fusion mechanism. This information can be used to design therapeutics to combat Lassa virus infections and prevent its potential spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Keating
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Nicholas P Schifano
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Xinrui Wei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Matthew Y Kong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Jinwoo Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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10
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Martínez-Sobrido L, Ye C, de la Torre JC. Plasmid-Based Lassa Virus Reverse Genetics. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2733:115-131. [PMID: 38064030 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3533-9_8] [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] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Several mammarenaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever (HF) disease in humans and pose a significant public health problem in their endemic regions. The Old World (OW) mammarenavirus Lassa virus (LASV) is estimated to infect several hundred thousand people yearly in West Africa, resulting in high numbers of Lassa fever (LF) cases, a disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. No licensed vaccines are available to combat LASV infection, and anti-LASV drug therapy is limited to the off-label use of ribavirin whose efficacy remains controversial. The development of reverse genetics approaches has provided investigators with a powerful approach for the investigation of the molecular, cell biology and pathogenesis of mammarenaviruses. The use of cell-based minigenome systems has allowed examining the cis- and trans-acting factors involved in viral genome replication and gene transcription, assembly, and budding, which has facilitated the identification of several anti-mammarenavirus candidate drugs. Likewise, it is possible now to rescue infectious recombinant mammarenaviruses from cloned cDNAs containing predetermined mutations in their genomes to investigate virus-host interactions and mechanisms of viral pathogenesis. Reverse genetics have also allowed the generation of mammarenaviruses expressing foreign genes to facilitate virus detection, to identify antiviral drugs, and to generate live-attenuated vaccine (LAV) candidates. Likewise, reverse genetics techniques have allowed the generation of single-cycle infectious, reporter-expressing mammarenaviruses to study some aspects of the biology of HF-causing human mammarenavirus without the need of high security biocontainment laboratories. In this chapter, we describe the experimental procedures to generate recombinant (r)LASV using state-of-the-art plasmid-based reverse genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chengjin Ye
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Juan Carlos de la Torre
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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11
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Ly H. Progress toward the development of Lassa vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:5-7. [PMID: 38044877 PMCID: PMC10757453 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2290683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
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12
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Vega-Rodriguez W, Ly H. Emergence of deadly viral haemorrhagic fever disease outbreaks in West Africa. Virulence 2023; 14:2176980. [PMID: 36748841 PMCID: PMC10732656 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2176980] [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: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) disease outbreaks caused by Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) in West Africa are unique and alarming. The intents of this editorial are to highlight what is known about these viruses and the disease outbreaks that they cause in the African continent and elsewhere and to raise awareness of a related virus called Lassa virus (LASV) that causes endemic viral hemorrhagic fever infections and frequent outbreaks in West Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Widaliz Vega-Rodriguez
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St Paul, MN, USA
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St Paul, MN, USA
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13
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Flannery B, Cain M, Ly H. Recent Discoveries of Novel Mammarenaviruses Infecting Humans and Other Mammals in Asia and Southeast Asia. Virulence 2023; 14:2231392. [PMID: 37394841 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2231392] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammarenaviruses, a genus of the family Arenaviridae, are capable of infecting mammals and are primarily found in rodent reservoirs worldwide. Mammarenaviruses can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents, and though infection is often asymptomatic, some members of this genus can cause viral haemorrhagic fever which has mortality rates ranging from 1% to 50%. These viruses are typically restricted geographically, based on the geographical range of their host reservoirs. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) was previously thought to be the only mammarenavirus found across the globe. However, recent discoveries of two novel human mammarenaviruses, Wenzhou Virus (WENV) and Plateau Pika Virus (PPV), in Asia and Southeast Asia show that mammarenaviruses are more widespread than previously thought. This editorial article aims to raise awareness about these emerging viruses, their genetic and ecological diversities, and clinical significance, and to encourage further study of these emerging viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Flannery
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Michaela Cain
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
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14
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Blacksell SD, Dhawan S, Kusumoto M, Le KK, Summermatter K, O'Keefe J, Kozlovac J, Almuhairi SS, Sendow I, Scheel CM, Ahumibe A, Masuku ZM, Bennett AM, Kojima K, Harper DR, Hamilton K. The Biosafety Research Road Map: The Search for Evidence to Support Practices in the Laboratory-Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever Virus and Lassa Virus. Appl Biosaf 2023; 28:216-229. [PMID: 38090357 PMCID: PMC10712363 DOI: 10.1089/apb.2022.0044] [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] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus and Lassa virus (LASV) are zoonotic agents regarded as high-consequence pathogens due to their high case fatality rates. CCHF virus is a vector-borne disease and is transmitted by tick bites. Lassa virus is spread via aerosolization of dried rat urine, ingesting infected rats, and direct contact with or consuming food and water contaminated with rat excreta. Methods The scientific literature for biosafety practices has been reviewed for both these two agents to assess the evidence base and biosafety-related knowledge gaps. The review focused on five main areas, including the route of inoculation/modes of transmission, infectious dose, laboratory-acquired infections, containment releases, and disinfection and decontamination strategies. Results There is a lack of data on the safe collection and handling procedures for tick specimens and the infectious dose from an infective tick bite for CCHF investigations. In addition, there are gaps in knowledge about gastrointestinal and contact infectious doses for Lassa virus, sample handling and transport procedures outside of infectious disease areas, and the contribution of asymptomatic carriers in viral circulation. Conclusion Due to the additional laboratory hazards posed by these two agents, the authors recommend developing protocols that work effectively and safely in highly specialized laboratories in non-endemic regions and a laboratory with limited resources in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart D. Blacksell
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Research Medicine Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sandhya Dhawan
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Research Medicine Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Marina Kusumoto
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Research Medicine Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kim Khanh Le
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Research Medicine Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Joseph O'Keefe
- Ministry for Primary Industries, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Joseph Kozlovac
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Indrawati Sendow
- Research Center for Veterinary Science, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia
| | - Christina M. Scheel
- WHO Collaborating Center for Biosafety and Biosecurity, Office of the Associate Director for Laboratory Science, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anthony Ahumibe
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Abuja and Prevention, Nigeria
| | - Zibusiso M. Masuku
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Services, Sandringham, South Africa
| | | | - Kazunobu Kojima
- Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David R. Harper
- The Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Hamilton
- World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Paris, France
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15
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Adesina AS, Oyeyiola A, Obadare A, Igbokwe J, Abejegah C, Akhilomen P, Bangura U, Asogun D, Tobin E, Ayodeji O, Osoniyi O, Davis C, Thomson EC, Pahlmann M, Günther S, Fichet-Calvet E, Olayemi A. Circulation of Lassa virus across the endemic Edo-Ondo axis, Nigeria, with cross-species transmission between multimammate mice. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2219350. [PMID: 37288752 PMCID: PMC10251791 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2219350] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We phylogenetically compared sequences of the zoonotic Lassa virus (LASV) obtained from Mastomys rodents in seven localities across the highly endemic Edo and Ondo States within Nigeria. Sequencing 1641 nt from the S segment of the virus genome, we resolved clades within lineage II that were either limited to Ebudin and Okhuesan in Edo state (2g-beta) or along Owo-Okeluse-Ifon in Ondo state (2g-gamma). We also found clades within Ekpoma, a relatively large cosmopolitan town in Edo state, that extended into other localities within Edo (2g-alpha) and Ondo (2g-delta). LASV variants from M. natalensis within Ebudin and Ekpoma in Edo State (dated approximately 1961) were more ancient compared to those from Ondo state (approximately 1977), suggesting a broadly east-west virus migration across south-western Nigeria; a pattern not always consistent with LASV sequences derived from humans in the same localities. Additionally, in Ebudin and Ekpoma, LASV sequences between M. natalensis and M. erythroleucus were interspersed on the phylogenetic tree, but those from M. erythroleucus were estimated to emerge more recently (approximately 2005). Overall, our results show that LASV amplification in certain localities (reaching a prevalence as high as 76% in Okeluse), anthropogenically-aided spread of rodent-borne variants amidst the larger towns (involving communal accommodation such as student hostels), and virus-exchange between syntopic M. natalensis and M. erythroleucus rodents (as the latter, a savanna species, encroaches southward into the degraded forest) pose perpetual zoonotic hazard across the Edo-Ondo Lassa fever belt, threatening to accelerate the dissemination of the virus into non endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adetunji Samuel Adesina
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Akinlabi Oyeyiola
- Natural History Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Adeoba Obadare
- Natural History Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Joseph Igbokwe
- Department of Zoology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Umaru Bangura
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny Asogun
- Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Ekaete Tobin
- Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | | | - Omolaja Osoniyi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Chris Davis
- Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Emma C Thomson
- Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Meike Pahlmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Günther
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Ayodeji Olayemi
- Natural History Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
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16
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Layman NC, Basinski AJ, Zhang B, Eskew EA, Bird BH, Ghersi BM, Bangura J, Fichet-Calvet E, Remien CH, Vandi M, Bah M, Nuismer SL. Predicting the fine-scale spatial distribution of zoonotic reservoirs using computer vision. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1974-1986. [PMID: 37737493 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14307] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Zoonotic diseases threaten human health worldwide and are often associated with anthropogenic disturbance. Predicting how disturbance influences spillover risk is critical for effective disease intervention but difficult to achieve at fine spatial scales. Here, we develop a method that learns the spatial distribution of a reservoir species from aerial imagery. Our approach uses neural networks to extract features of known or hypothesized importance from images. The spatial distribution of these features is then summarized and linked to spatially explicit reservoir presence/absence data using boosted regression trees. We demonstrate the utility of our method by applying it to the reservoir of Lassa virus, Mastomys natalensis, within the West African nations of Sierra Leone and Guinea. We show that, when trained using reservoir trapping data and publicly available aerial imagery, our framework learns relationships between environmental features and reservoir occurrence and accurately ranks areas according to the likelihood of reservoir presence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan C Layman
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Andrew J Basinski
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Boyu Zhang
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Evan A Eskew
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Brian H Bird
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Bruno M Ghersi
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James Bangura
- University of Makeni and University of California, Davis One Health Program, Makeni, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Christopher H Remien
- Department of Mathematics and Statistical Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Mohamed Vandi
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Mohamed Bah
- Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Scott L Nuismer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
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17
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Shaffer M, Fischer RJ, Gallogly S, Ginn O, Munster V, Bibby K. Environmental Persistence and Disinfection of Lassa Virus. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:2285-2291. [PMID: 37877545 PMCID: PMC10617325 DOI: 10.3201/eid2911.230678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever, caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is endemic to West Africa, where ≈300,000 illnesses and ≈5,000 deaths occur annually. LASV is primarily spread by infected multimammate rats via urine and fomites, highlighting the need to understand the environmental fate of LASV. We evaluated persistence of LASV Josiah and Sauerwald strains on surfaces, in aqueous solutions, and with sodium hypochlorite disinfection. Tested strains were more stable in deionized water (first-order rate constant [k] for Josiah, 0.23 days; for Sauerwald, k = 0.34 days) than primary influent wastewater (Josiah, k = 1.3 days; Sauerwald, k = 1.9 days). Both strains had similar decay rates on high-density polyethylene (Josiah, k = 4.3 days; Sauerwald, k = 2.3 days) and stainless steel (Josiah, k = 5.3 days; Sauerwald, k = 2.7 days). Sodium hypochlorite was highly effective at inactivating both strains. Our findings can inform future risk assessment and management efforts for Lassa fever.
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18
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Coler B, Cervantes O, Li M, Coler C, Li A, Shivakumar M, Every E, Schwartz D, Adams Waldorf KM. Common pathways targeted by viral hemorrhagic fever viruses to infect the placenta and increase the risk of stillbirth. Placenta 2023; 141:2-9. [PMID: 36939178 PMCID: PMC10102255 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) are endemic to Africa, South America and Asia and contribute to significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Viruses causing VHFs are typically zoonotic, spreading to humans through livestock, wildlife, or mosquito vectors. Some of the most lethal VHF viruses also impart a high-risk of stillbirth including ebolaviruses, Marburg virus (MARV), Lassa virus (LASV), and Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV). Large outbreaks and epidemics are common, though the impact on the mother, fetus and placenta is understudied from a public health, clinical and basic science perspective. Notably, these viruses utilize ubiquitous cellular surface entry receptors critical for normal placental function to enable viral invasion into multiple key cell types of the placenta and set the stage for maternal-fetal transmission and stillbirth. We employ insights from molecular virology and viral immunology to discuss how trophoblast expression of viral entry receptors for VHF viruses may increase the risk for viral transmission to the fetus and stillbirth. As the frequency of VHF outbreaks is expected to increase with worsening climate change, understanding the pathogenesis of VHF-related diseases in the placenta is paramount to predicting the impact of emerging viruses on the placenta and perinatal outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brahm Coler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Orlando Cervantes
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Miranda Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | | | - Amanda Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Case Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Megana Shivakumar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Emma Every
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Kristina M Adams Waldorf
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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19
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Olejnik J, Hume AJ, Ross SJ, Scoon WA, Seitz S, White MR, Slutzky B, Yun NE, Mühlberger E. Art of the Kill: Designing and Testing Viral Inactivation Procedures for Highly Pathogenic Negative Sense RNA Viruses. Pathogens 2023; 12:952. [PMID: 37513799 PMCID: PMC10386221 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070952] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of highly pathogenic viruses handled under BSL-4 conditions and classified as Select Agents frequently involves the transfer of inactivated materials to lower containment levels for downstream analyses. Adhering to Select Agent and BSL-4 safety regulations requires validation or verification of the inactivation procedures, which comes with an array of challenges for each method. This includes the use of cytotoxic reagents for chemical inactivation and defining the precise inactivation parameters for physical inactivation. Here, we provide a workflow for various inactivation methods using Ebola, Nipah, and Lassa viruses as our examples. We choose three distinct inactivation methods (TRIzol/TRIzol LS, aldehyde fixation using different fixatives, and heat) to highlight the challenges of each method and provide possible solutions. We show that, whereas published chemical inactivation methods are highly reliable, the parameters for heat inactivation must be clearly defined to ensure complete inactivation. In addition to the inactivation data, we also provide examples and templates for the documentation required for approval and use of inactivation SOPs, including an inactivation report, the procedure sections of developed SOPs, and an electronic inactivation certificate that accompanies inactivated samples. The provided information can be used as a roadmap for similar studies at high and maximum containment laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Olejnik
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
| | - Adam J Hume
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
| | - Stephen J Ross
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Whitney A Scoon
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
| | - Scott Seitz
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
| | - Mitchell R White
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
| | - Ben Slutzky
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
| | - Nadezhda E Yun
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
| | - Elke Mühlberger
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02218, USA
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20
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Luo XL, Zhang XD, Li BJ, Qin T, Cao ZJ, Fan QJ, Yang J, Jin D, Lu S, Zheng YY, Xu XF, Pu J, Xu J. Comparative Evaluation of Standard RT-PCR Assays and Commercial Real-Time RT-PCR Kits for Detection of Lassa Virus. Microbiol Spectr 2023:e0501122. [PMID: 36976009 PMCID: PMC10100986 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05011-22] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a causative agent of hemorrhagic fever epidemic in West Africa. In recent years, it has been transmitted several times to North America, Europe, and Asia. Standard reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and real-time RT-PCR are extensively used for early detection of LASV. However, the high nucleotide diversity of LASV strains complicates the development of appropriate diagnostic assays. Here, we analyzed LASV diversity clustered with geographic location and evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of two standard RT-PCR methods (GPC RT-PCR/1994 and 2007) and four commercial real-time RT-PCR kits (namely, Da an, Mabsky, Bioperfectus, and ZJ) to detect six representative LASV lineages using in vitro synthesized RNA templates. The results showed that the GPC RT-PCR/2007 assay had better sensitivity compared to the GPC RT-PCR/1994 assay. The Mabsky and ZJ kits were able to detect all RNA templates of six LASV lineages. Contrastingly, the Bioperfectus and Da an kits failed to detect lineages IV and V/VI. The limit of detection for lineage I with the Da an, Bioperfectus, and ZJ kits were significantly higher than that of the Mabsky kit at an RNA concentration of 1 × 1010 to 1 × 1011 copies/mL. The Bioperfectus and Da an kits detected lineages II and III at an RNA concentration of 1 × 109 copies/mL, higher than that of the other kits. In conclusion, the GPC RT-PCR/2007 assay and the Mabsky kit were suitable assays for the detection of LASV strains based on good analytical sensitivity and specificity. IMPORTANCE Lassa virus (LASV) is a significant human pathogen causing hemorrhagic fever in West Africa. Increased traveling around the world raises the risk of imported cases to other countries. The high nucleotide diversity of LASV strains clustered with geographic location complicates the development of appropriate diagnostic assays. In this study, we showed that the GPC reverse transcription (RT)-PCR/2007 assay and the Mabsky kit are suitable for detecting most LASV strains. Future assays for molecular detection of LASV should be based on specific countries/regions along with new variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Lian Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Xiu-Dan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Bei-Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Tian Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
| | - Qian-Jin Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
- Institute of Public Health, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Yun Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Fang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
| | - Ji Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
| | - Jianguo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changping, Beijing, China
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
- Institute of Public Health, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Laboratorial Science and Technology & Vaccine Research Center, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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21
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Saito T, Reyna RA, Taniguchi S, Littlefield K, Paessler S, Maruyama J. Vaccine Candidates against Arenavirus Infections. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:635. [PMID: 36992218 PMCID: PMC10057967 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030635] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The viral family Arenaviridae contains several members that cause severe, and often lethal, diseases in humans. Several highly pathogenic arenaviruses are classified as Risk Group 4 agents and must be handled in the highest biological containment facility, biosafety level-4 (BSL-4). Vaccines and treatments are very limited for these pathogens. The development of vaccines is crucial for the establishment of countermeasures against highly pathogenic arenavirus infections. While several vaccine candidates have been investigated, there are currently no approved vaccines for arenavirus infection except for Candid#1, a live-attenuated Junin virus vaccine only licensed in Argentina. Current platforms under investigation for use include live-attenuated vaccines, recombinant virus-based vaccines, and recombinant proteins. We summarize here the recent updates of vaccine candidates against arenavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Saito
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Rachel A. Reyna
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Satoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Kirsten Littlefield
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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22
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Whitlock AOB, Bird BH, Ghersi B, Davison AJ, Hughes J, Nichols J, Vučak M, Amara E, Bangura J, Lavalie EG, Kanu MC, Kanu OT, Sjodin A, Remien CH, Nuismer SL. Identifying the genetic basis of viral spillover using Lassa virus as a test case. R Soc Open Sci 2023; 10:221503. [PMID: 36968239 PMCID: PMC10031424 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221503] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The rate at which zoonotic viruses spill over into the human population varies significantly over space and time. Remarkably, we do not yet know how much of this variation is attributable to genetic variation within viral populations. This gap in understanding arises because we lack methods of genetic analysis that can be easily applied to zoonotic viruses, where the number of available viral sequences is often limited, and opportunistic sampling introduces significant population stratification. Here, we explore the feasibility of using patterns of shared ancestry to correct for population stratification, enabling genome-wide association methods to identify genetic substitutions associated with spillover into the human population. Using a combination of phylogenetically structured simulations and Lassa virus sequences collected from humans and rodents in Sierra Leone, we demonstrate that existing methods do not fully correct for stratification, leading to elevated error rates. We also demonstrate, however, that the Type I error rate can be substantially reduced by confining the analysis to a less-stratified region of the phylogeny, even in an already-small dataset. Using this method, we detect two candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with spillover in the Lassa virus polymerase gene and provide generalized recommendations for the collection and analysis of zoonotic viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian H. Bird
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Bruno Ghersi
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Joseph Hughes
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jenna Nichols
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Matej Vučak
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Emmanuel Amara
- University of Makeni and University of California, Davis One Health Program, Makeni, Sierra Leone
| | - James Bangura
- University of Makeni and University of California, Davis One Health Program, Makeni, Sierra Leone
| | - Edwin G. Lavalie
- University of Makeni and University of California, Davis One Health Program, Makeni, Sierra Leone
| | - Marilyn C. Kanu
- University of Makeni and University of California, Davis One Health Program, Makeni, Sierra Leone
| | - Osman T. Kanu
- University of Makeni and University of California, Davis One Health Program, Makeni, Sierra Leone
| | - Anna Sjodin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Christopher H. Remien
- Department of Mathematics and Statistical Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Scott L. Nuismer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
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Taoda Y, Sato A, Toba S, Unoh Y, Kawai M, Sasaki M, Orba Y, Sawa H. Structure-activity relationship studies of anti-bunyaviral cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2023; 83:129175. [PMID: 36758821 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2023.129175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Bunyaviruses, including the Lassa virus (LASV), are known to cause hemorrhagic fever and have a high fatality rate among hospitalized patients, as there are few effective treatments. We focused on the fact that bunyaviruses use cap-dependent endonuclease (CEN) for viral replication, which is similar to influenza viruses. This led us to screen carbamoyl pyridone bicycle (CAB) compounds, which compose a series of baloxavir acid (BXA) derivatives, against lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Junin virus (JUNV) among the bunyaviruses. This led to the discovery of 1c, which has potent anti-bunyaviral activities. In SAR studies, we found that a large lipophilic side chain is preferred for the 1-position of the CAB scaffold, similar to the influenza CEN inhibitor, and that a small alkyl group for the 3-position shows high activity. Moreover, the 7‑carboxyl group of the scaffold is essential for anti-bunyaviral activities, and the antiviral activity is reduced by conversion to various carboxylic acid bioisosteres. The SAR results are discussed using a binding model of 9d in the active center of the known LCMV CEN crystal structure. These compounds show promise as broad-spectrum anti-bunyavirus therapeutics, given their relatively favorable metabolic stability and PK profiles.
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Chen J, Xu L, Wang B, Zhang D, Zhao L, Bei Z, Song Y. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Benzimidazole Derivatives as Potential Lassa Virus Inhibitors. Molecules 2023; 28. [PMID: 36838567 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The Lassa virus (LASV) causes Lassa fever, a highly infectious and lethal agent of acute viral hemorrhagic fever. At present, there are still no effective treatments available, creating an urgent need to develop novel therapeutics. Some benzimidazole compounds targeting the arenavirus envelope glycoprotein complex (GPC) are promising inhibitors of LASV. In this study, we synthesized two series of LASV inhibitors based on the benzimidazole structure. Lentiviral pseudotypes bearing the LASV GPC were established to identify virus entry inhibitors. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was further used to verify the binding activities of the potential compounds. Compounds 7d-Z, 7h-Z, 13c, 13d, and 13f showed relatively excellent antiviral activities with IC50 values ranging from 7.58 to 15.46 nM and their SI values above 1251. These five representative compounds exhibited stronger binding affinity with low equilibrium dissociation constants (KD < 8.25 × 10-7 M) in SPR study. The compound 7h-Z displayed the most potent antiviral activity (IC50 = 7.58 nM) with a relatively high SI value (2496), which could be further studied as a lead compound. The structure-activity relationship indicated that the compounds with lipophilic and spatially larger substituents might possess higher antiviral activity and a much larger safety margin. This study will provide some good guidance for the development of highly active compounds with a novel skeleton against LASV.
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25
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Longet S, Leggio C, Bore JA, Key S, Tipton T, Hall Y, Koundouno FR, Bower H, Bhattacharyya T, Magassouba N, Günther S, Henao-Restrapo AM, Rossman JS, Konde MK, Fornace K, Carroll MW. Influence of Landscape Patterns on Exposure to Lassa Fever Virus, Guinea. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:304-313. [PMID: 36692336 PMCID: PMC9881776 DOI: 10.3201/eid2902.212525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever virus (LASV) is the causative agent of Lassa fever, a disease endemic in West Africa. Exploring the relationships between environmental factors and LASV transmission across ecologically diverse regions can provide crucial information for the design of appropriate interventions and disease monitoring. We investigated LASV exposure in 2 ecologically diverse regions of Guinea. Our results showed that exposure to LASV was heterogenous between and within sites. LASV IgG seropositivity was 11.9% (95% CI 9.7%-14.5%) in a coastal study site in Basse-Guinée, but it was 59.6% (95% CI 55.5%-63.5%) in a forested study site located in Guinée Forestière. Seropositivity increased with age in the coastal site. We also found significant associations between exposure risk for LASV and landscape fragmentation in coastal and forested regions. Our study highlights the potential link between environmental change and LASV emergence and the urgent need for research on land management practices that reduce disease risks.
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26
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Sakabe S, Cubitt B, Martinez-Sobrido L, de la Torre JC. Molecular Engineering of a Mammarenavirus with Unbreachable Attenuation. J Virol 2023; 97:e0138522. [PMID: 36533953 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01385-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Several mammarenaviruses cause severe hemorrhagic fever (HF) disease in humans and pose important public health problems in their regions of endemicity. There are no United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved mammarenavirus vaccines, and current anti-mammarenavirus therapy is limited to an off-label use of ribavirin that has limited efficacy. Mammarenaviruses are enveloped viruses with a bi-segmented negative-strand RNA genome. Each genome segment contains two open reading frames (ORF) separated by a noncoding intergenic region (IGR). The large (L) segment encodes the RNA dependent RNA polymerase, L protein, and the Z matrix protein, whereas the small (S) segment encodes the surface glycoprotein precursor (GPC) and nucleoprotein (NP). In the present study, we document the generation of a recombinant form of the prototypic mammarenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) expressing a codon deoptimized (CD) GPC and containing the IGR of the S segment in both the S and L segments (rLCMV/IGR-CD). We show that rLCMV/IGR-CD is fully attenuated in C57BL/6 (B6) mice but able to provide complete protection upon a single administration against a lethal challenge with LCMV. Importantly, rLCMV/IGR-CD exhibited an unbreachable attenuation for its safe implementation as a live-attenuated vaccine (LAV). IMPORTANCE Several mammarenaviruses cause severe disease in humans and pose important public health problems in their regions of endemicity. Currently, no FDA-licensed mammarenavirus vaccines are available, and anti-mammarenaviral therapy is limited to an off-label use of ribavirin whose efficacy is controversial. Here, we describe the generation of recombinant version of the prototypic mammarenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (rLCMV) combining the features of a codon deoptimized (CD) GPC and the noncoding intergenic region (IGR) of the S segment in both S and L genome segments, called rLCMV/IGR-CD. We present evidence that rLCMV/IGR-CD has excellent safety and protective efficacy features as live-attenuated vaccine (LAV). Importantly, rLCMV/IGR-CD prevents, in coinfected mice, the generation of LCMV reassortants with increased virulence. Our findings document a well-defined molecular strategy for the generation of mammarenavirus LAV candidates able to trigger long-term protective immunity, upon a single immunization, while exhibiting unique enhanced safety features, including unbreachable attenuation.
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27
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Aloke C, Obasi NA, Aja PM, Emelike CU, Egwu CO, Jeje O, Edeogu CO, Onisuru OO, Orji OU, Achilonu I. Combating Lassa Fever in West African Sub-Region: Progress, Challenges, and Future Perspectives. Viruses 2023; 15:146. [PMID: 36680186 PMCID: PMC9864412 DOI: 10.3390/v15010146] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is a rodent-borne disease that threatens human health in the sub-region of West Africa where the zoonotic host of Lassa virus (LASV) is predominant. Currently, treatment options for LF are limited and since no preventive vaccine is approved for its infectivity, there is a high mortality rate in endemic areas. This narrative review explores the transmission, pathogenicity of LASV, advances, and challenges of different treatment options. Our findings indicate that genetic diversity among the different strains of LASV and their ability to circumvent the immune system poses a critical challenge to the development of LASV vaccines/therapeutics. Thus, understanding the biochemistry, physiology and genetic polymorphism of LASV, mechanism of evading host immunity are essential for development of effective LASV vaccines/therapeutics to combat this lethal viral disease. The LASV nucleoprotein (NP) is a novel target for therapeutics as it functions significantly in several aspects of the viral life cycle. Consequently, LASV NP inhibitors could be employed as effective therapeutics as they will potentially inhibit LASV replication. Effective preventive control measures, vaccine development, target validation, and repurposing of existing drugs, such as ribavirin, using activity or in silico-based and computational bioinformatics, would aid in the development of novel drugs for LF management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinyere Aloke
- Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki PMB 1010, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Nwogo Ajuka Obasi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki PMB 1010, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Patrick Maduabuchi Aja
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki PMB 053, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mbarara P.O. Box 1410, Uganda
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Kampala International University, Bushenyi, Ishaka P.O. Box 71, Uganda
| | - Chinedum Uche Emelike
- Department of Physiology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki PMB 1010, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Chinedu Ogbonnia Egwu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki PMB 1010, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Olamide Jeje
- Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
| | - Chuks Oswald Edeogu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki PMB 053, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Olalekan Olugbenga Onisuru
- Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
| | - Obasi Uche Orji
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki PMB 053, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Ikechukwu Achilonu
- Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
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28
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Li Q, Huang W, Wang Y. Pseudotyped Viruses for Mammarenavirus. Adv Exp Med Biol 2023; 1407:279-97. [PMID: 36920703 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-0113-5_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Mammarenaviruses are classified into New World arenaviruses (NW) and Old World arenaviruses (OW). The OW arenaviruses include the first discovered mammarenavirus-lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and the highly lethal Lassa virus (LASV). Mammarenaviruses are transmitted to human by rodents, resulting in severe acute infections and hemorrhagic fever. Pseudotyped viruses have been widely used as a tool in the study of mammarenaviruses. HIV-1, SIV, FIV-based lentiviral vectors, VSV-based vectors, MLV-based vectors, and reverse genetic approaches have been applied in the construction of pseudotyped mammarenaviruses. Pseudotyped mammarenaviruses are commonly used in receptor research, neutralizing antibody detection, inhibitor screening, viral virulence studies, functional analysis of N-linked glycans, and studies of viral infection, endocytosis, and fusion mechanisms.
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29
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Keating PM, Pennington HN, Collins SD, Lee J. Purification and characterization of the Lassa virus transmembrane domain. Biochem Biophys Rep 2022; 33:101409. [PMID: 36583076 PMCID: PMC9792740 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2022.101409] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is the most prevalent arenavirus afflicting humans and has high potential to become a threat to global public health. The transmembrane domain (TM) of the LASV glycoprotein complex forms critical interactions with the LASV stable signal peptide that are important for the maturation and fusion activity of the virus. A further study of the structure-based molecular mechanisms is required to understand the role of the TM in the lifecycle of LASV in greater detail. However, it is challenging to obtain the TM in high quantity and purity due to its hydrophobic nature which results in solubility issues that makes it prone to aggregation in typical buffer systems. Here, we designed a purification and detergent screen protocol for the highly insoluble TM to enhance the yield and purity for structural studies. Based on the detergents tested, the TM had the highest incorporation in LMPG. Circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were utilized to confirm the best detergent system for structural studies. Through CD spectroscopy, we were able to characterize the secondary structure of the TM as largely alpha-helical, while NMR spectroscopy showed a well-structured and stable TM in LMPG. From these results, LMPG was determined to be the optimal detergent for further structural studies.
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30
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Brouwer PJ, Antanasijevic A, Ronk AJ, Müller-Kräuter H, Watanabe Y, Claireaux M, Perrett HR, Bijl TP, Grobben M, Umotoy JC, Schriek AI, Burger JA, Tejjani K, Lloyd NM, Steijaert TH, van Haaren MM, Sliepen K, de Taeye SW, van Gils MJ, Crispin M, Strecker T, Bukreyev A, Ward AB, Sanders RW. Lassa virus glycoprotein nanoparticles elicit neutralizing antibody responses and protection. Cell Host Microbe 2022; 30:1759-1772.e12. [PMID: 36400021 PMCID: PMC9794196 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The Lassa virus is endemic in parts of West Africa, and it causes hemorrhagic fever with high mortality. The development of a recombinant protein vaccine has been hampered by the instability of soluble Lassa virus glycoprotein complex (GPC) trimers, which disassemble into monomeric subunits after expression. Here, we use two-component protein nanoparticles consisting of trimeric and pentameric subunits to stabilize GPC in a trimeric conformation. These GPC nanoparticles present twenty prefusion GPC trimers on the surface of an icosahedral particle. Cryo-EM studies of GPC nanoparticles demonstrated a well-ordered structure and yielded a high-resolution structure of an unliganded GPC. These nanoparticles induced potent humoral immune responses in rabbits and protective immunity against the lethal Lassa virus challenge in guinea pigs. Additionally, we isolated a neutralizing antibody that mapped to the putative receptor-binding site, revealing a previously undefined site of vulnerability. Collectively, these findings offer potential approaches to vaccine and therapeutic design for the Lassa virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J.M. Brouwer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands,Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Aleksandar Antanasijevic
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Adam J. Ronk
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA,Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
| | | | - Yasunori Watanabe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Mathieu Claireaux
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hailee R. Perrett
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Tom P.L. Bijl
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marloes Grobben
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey C. Umotoy
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Angela I. Schriek
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Judith A. Burger
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Khadija Tejjani
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nicole M. Lloyd
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA,Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
| | - Thijs H. Steijaert
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marlies M. van Haaren
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kwinten Sliepen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Steven W. de Taeye
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marit J. van Gils
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Thomas Strecker
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Bukreyev
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA,Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
| | - Andrew B. Ward
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Rogier W. Sanders
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA,Corresponding author
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31
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Schrauf S, Tomberger Y, Nambulli S, Duprex WP, Tschismarov R, Tauber E, Ramsauer K. Biodistribution and toxicology evaluation of a recombinant measles Schwarz-based Lassa vaccine in cynomolgus macaques. J Appl Toxicol 2022; 43:719-733. [PMID: 36480160 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4421] [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: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
MV-LASV is an investigational measles Schwarz-based vaccine for the prevention of Lassa fever. A repeated-dose toxicity study in cynomolgus macaques was performed to assess the biodistribution and local and systemic toxicological effects. Monkeys received three immunizations of MV-LASV or saline intramuscularly with a 2-week interval. An increase in anti-measles antibodies confirmed the reaction of the immune system to the vaccine backbone. Clinical observations, body weight, body temperature, local tolerance, electrocardiogram parameters, various clinical pathology parameters (hematology, coagulation urinalysis, serum chemistry, and C-reactive protein) were monitored. Gross pathology and histopathology of various tissues were evaluated. MV-LASV induced a mild increase in fibrinogen and C-reactive protein concentrations. This coincided with microscopic inflammation at the injection sites which partially or fully resolved following a 3-week recovery period. Viral RNA was found in secondary lymphoid organs and injection sites and gall bladder. No viral shedding to the environment was observed. Overall, the vaccine was locally and systemically well tolerated, supporting a first-in-human study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Schrauf
- Themis Bioscience GmbH, Vienna, Austria, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Yvonne Tomberger
- Themis Bioscience GmbH, Vienna, Austria, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Sham Nambulli
- Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - W Paul Duprex
- Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Roland Tschismarov
- Themis Bioscience GmbH, Vienna, Austria, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Erich Tauber
- Themis Bioscience GmbH, Vienna, Austria, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Katrin Ramsauer
- Themis Bioscience GmbH, Vienna, Austria, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA
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32
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Brisse M, Fernández-Alarcón C, Huang Q, Kirk N, Schleiss MR, Liang Y, Ly H. Hearing loss in outbred Hartley guinea pigs experimentally infected with Pichinde virus as a surrogate model of human mammarenaviral hemorrhagic fevers. Virulence 2022; 13:1049-1061. [PMID: 35758052 PMCID: PMC9794012 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2087948] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is a neglected tropical disease that is caused by Lassa virus (LASV), a human hemorrhagic fever-causing mammarenavirus. A notable sequela of LF is sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) that can develop in about 33% of the patients. Animal models of LF-associated SNHL have been limited in size and scope because LASV is a biosafety level 4 (BSL4) pathogen that requires its handling in a high biocontainment laboratory. In this report, we describe the development of an alternative arenavirus hearing loss model by infecting outbred Hartley guinea pigs with a virulent strain (rP18) of the Pichinde virus (PICV), which is a guinea pig-adapted mammarenavirus that has been used as a surrogate model of mammarenaviral hemorrhagic fevers in a conventional (BSL2) laboratory. By measuring auditory brainstem response (ABR) throughout the course of the virulent rP18 PICV infection, we noticed that some of the animals experienced an acute but transient level of hearing loss. Cochleae of hearing-impaired animals, but not of controls, had demonstrable viral RNA by quantitative RT-PCR, indicating the presence of virus in the affected inner ear with no overt histopathological changes. In contrast, neither the outbred Hartley guinea pigs infected with a known avirulent strain (rP2) of PICV nor those that were mock-infected showed any evidence of hearing loss or viral infection of the inner ear. This is the first report of an immunocompetent small animal model of mammarenavirus-induced hearing loss that can be used to evaluate potential therapeutics against virus-induced hearing impairment under a conventional laboratory setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Brisse
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA,Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Qinfeng Huang
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Natalie Kirk
- Comparative and Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA,Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Mark R. Schleiss
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yuying Liang
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Hinh Ly
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA,Comparative and Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA,Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA,CONTACT Hinh Ly
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33
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Welch SR, Genzer SC, Coleman-McCray JD, Harmon JR, Scholte FEM, Montgomery JM, Spiropoulou CF, Spengler JR. Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:1390-1393. [PMID: 35481464 PMCID: PMC9132395 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2071637] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is endemic to broad regions of West Africa. Infection with Lassa virus (LASV), the etiologic agent of LF, results in a spectrum of clinical signs in humans, including severe and lethal hemorrhagic disease. Person-to-person transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids or contaminated bedding and clothing. To investigate transmission risk in acute LASV infection, we evaluated viral RNA and infectious virus obtained from conjunctival, nasal, oral, genital, and rectal swab specimens from guinea pigs modelling lethal and non-lethal LF. Viral RNA and infectious virus were detected in all specimen types beginning 8 days post infection, prior to onset of fever. In the pre-clinical and clinical period, virus was isolated from a subset of nasal, oral, genital, and rectal swabs, and from all conjunctival swabs. Overall, conjunctival and nasal specimens most frequently yielded infectious virus. These findings indicate mucosal transmission risk based on virus isolation from various sites early in infection and support potential utility of minimally invasive specimen evaluation by RT-qPCR for LASV diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R Welch
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah C Genzer
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - JoAnn D Coleman-McCray
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jessica R Harmon
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Florine E M Scholte
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joel M Montgomery
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christina F Spiropoulou
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jessica R Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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34
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Villalaín J. Interaction of Lassa virus fusion and membrane proximal peptides with late endosomal membranes. Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr 2022; 1864:184031. [PMID: 35964711 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184031] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mammarenaviruses include many significant worldwide-widespread human pathogens, among them Lassa virus (LASV), having a dramatic morbidity and mortality rate. They are a potential high-risk menace to the worldwide public health since there are no treatments and there is a high possibility of animal-to-human and human-to-human viral transmission. These viruses enter into the cells by endocytosis fusing its membrane envelope with the late endosomal membrane thanks to the glycoprotein GP2, a membrane fusion protein of class I. This protein contains different domains, among them the N-terminal fusion peptide (NFP), the internal fusion loop (IFL), the membrane proximal external region (MPER) and the transmembrane domain (TMD). All these domains are implicated in the membrane fusion process. In this work, we have used an all-atom molecular dynamics study to know the binding of these protein domains with a complex membrane mimicking the late endosome one. We show that the NFP/IFL domain is capable of spontaneously inserting into the membrane without a significant change of secondary structure, the MPER domain locates at the bilayer interface with an orientation parallel to the membrane surface and tends to interact with other MPER domains, and the TMD domain tilts inside the bilayer. Moreover, they predominantly interact with negatively charged phospholipids. Overall, these membrane-interacting domains would characterise a target that would make possible to find effective antiviral molecules against LASV in particular and Mammarenaviruses in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Villalaín
- Institute of Research, Development, and Innovation in Healthcare Biotechnology (IDiBE), Universitas "Miguel Hernández", E-03202 Elche-Alicante, Spain.
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35
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Murphy H, Ly H. Understanding Immune Responses to Lassa Virus Infection and to Its Candidate Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1668. [PMID: 36298533 PMCID: PMC9612042 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10101668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is a deadly viral hemorrhagic fever disease that is endemic in several countries in West Africa. It is caused by Lassa virus (LASV), which has been estimated to be responsible for approximately 300,000 infections and 5000 deaths annually. LASV is a highly pathogenic human pathogen without effective therapeutics or FDA-approved vaccines. Here, we aim to provide a literature review of the current understanding of the basic mechanism of immune responses to LASV infection in animal models and patients, as well as to several of its candidate vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hinh Ly
- Comparative & Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
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36
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Cable J, Fauci A, Dowling WE, Günther S, Bente DA, Yadav PD, Madoff LC, Wang L, Arora RK, Van Kerkhove M, Chu MC, Jaenisch T, Epstein JH, Frost SDW, Bausch DG, Hensley LE, Bergeron É, Sitaras I, Gunn MD, Geisbert TW, Muñoz‐Fontela C, Krammer F, de Wit E, Nordenfelt P, Saphire EO, Gilbert SC, Corbett KS, Branco LM, Baize S, van Doremalen N, Krieger MA, Clemens SAC, Hesselink R, Hartman D. Lessons from the pandemic: Responding to emerging zoonotic viral diseases-a Keystone Symposia report. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1518:209-225. [PMID: 36183296 PMCID: PMC9538336 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14898] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caught the world largely unprepared, including scientific and policy communities. On April 10-13, 2022, researchers across academia, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations met at the Keystone symposium "Lessons from the Pandemic: Responding to Emerging Zoonotic Viral Diseases" to discuss the successes and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and what lessons can be applied moving forward. Speakers focused on experiences not only from the COVID-19 pandemic but also from outbreaks of other pathogens, including the Ebola virus, Lassa virus, and Nipah virus. A general consensus was that investments made during the COVID-19 pandemic in infrastructure, collaborations, laboratory and manufacturing capacity, diagnostics, clinical trial networks, and regulatory enhancements-notably, in low-to-middle income countries-must be maintained and strengthened to enable quick, concerted responses to future threats, especially to zoonotic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony Fauci
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)National Institutes of Health (NIH)BethesdaMarylandUSA
| | | | - Stephan Günther
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine and German Center for Infection ResearchHamburgGermany
| | - Dennis A. Bente
- University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston National LaboratoryGalvestonTexasUSA,Division of Biology and Biological EngineeringCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Pragya Dhruv Yadav
- Indian Council of Medical Research‐National Institute of VirologyPuneIndia
| | - Lawrence C. Madoff
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Massachusetts Chan School of MedicineWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Rahul K. Arora
- Department of Community Health SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada,Institute of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | | | - May C. Chu
- Colorado School of Public HealthAnschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Thomas Jaenisch
- Colorado School of Public HealthAnschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | | | | | | | - Lisa E. Hensley
- Partnership for Research on Vaccines and Infectious Diseases in Liberia (PREVAIL)MonroviaLiberia,Division of Clinical ResearchNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Éric Bergeron
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High‐Consequence Pathogens and PathologyCenters for Disease Control and PreventionAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Ioannis Sitaras
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and ImmunologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Michael D. Gunn
- Department of MedicineDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Thomas W. Geisbert
- University of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada,Galveston National Laboratory and Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - César Muñoz‐Fontela
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine and German Center for Infection ResearchHamburgGermany
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology and Department of PathologyIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Emmie de Wit
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of HealthHamiltonMontanaUSA
| | - Pontus Nordenfelt
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Infection Medicine, Faculty of MedicineLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Erica Ollmann Saphire
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine ResearchLa Jolla Institute for ImmunologyLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sarah C. Gilbert
- Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Kizzmekia S. Corbett
- Department of Immunology and Infectious DiseasesHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Sylvain Baize
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales EmergentesInstitut PasteurLyonFrance,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI)LyonFrance,INSERM, Ecole Normale Supérieure de LyonUniversité de LyonLyonFrance
| | - Neeltje van Doremalen
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of HealthHamiltonMontanaUSA
| | - Marco A. Krieger
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas InstituteOswaldo Cruz Foundation ‐ ParanáCuritibaBrazil,Integrated Translational Program in Chagas Disease from Fiocruz (Fio‐Chagas)Oswaldo Cruz Foundation ‐ Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Sue Ann Costa Clemens
- Oxford Vaccine GroupOxford UniversityOxfordUK,Institute for Global HealthUniversity of SienaSienaItaly
| | - Renske Hesselink
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)OsloNorway
| | - Dan Hartman
- Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationSeattleWashingtonUSA
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37
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Okogbenin S, Erameh C, Okoeguale J, Edeawe O, Ekuaze E, Iraoyah K, Agho J, Groger M, Kreuels B, Oestereich L, Babatunde FO, Akhideno P, Günther S, Ramharter M, Omansen T. Two Cases of Lassa Fever Successfully Treated with Ribavirin and Adjunct Dexamethasone for Concomitant Infections. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:2060-2063. [PMID: 36148915 PMCID: PMC9514364 DOI: 10.3201/eid2810.220625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever treated with supportive care and the broad-spectrum antiviral drug ribavirin. The pathophysiology, especially the role of hyperinflammation, of this disease is unknown. We report successful remission of complicated Lassa fever in 2 patients in Nigeria who received the antiinflammatory agent dexamethasone and standard ribavirin.
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38
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Reyna RA, Maruyama J, Mantlo EK, Manning JT, Taniguchi S, Makishima T, Lukashevich IS, Paessler S. Depletion of CD4 and CD8 T Cells Reduces Acute Disease and Is Not Associated with Hearing Loss in ML29-Infected STAT1-/- Mice. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2433. [PMID: 36289695 PMCID: PMC9598517 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102433] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a zoonotic virus endemic to western Africa that can cause a potentially lethal and hemorrhagic disease, Lassa fever (LF). Survivors suffer a myriad of sequelae, most notably sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), the mechanism of which remains unclear. Unfortunately, studies aiming to identify the mechanism of these sequelae are limited due to the biosafety level 4 (BSL4) requirements of LASV itself. ML29, a reassortant virus proposed as an experimental vaccine candidate against LASV, is potentially an ideal surrogate model of LF in STAT1-/- mice due to similar phenotype in these animals. We intended to better characterize ML29 pathogenesis and potential sequelae in this animal model. Our results indicate that while both CD4 and CD8 T cells are responsible for acute disease in ML29 infection, ML29 induces significant hearing loss in a mechanism independent of either CD4 or CD8 T cells. We believe that this model could provide valuable information for viral-associated hearing loss in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Reyna
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Emily K. Mantlo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - John T. Manning
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Satoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Tomoko Makishima
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Igor S. Lukashevich
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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39
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Mizuma K, Takashima A, Cubitt B, de la Torre JC, Iwasaki M. The Pan-ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor afatinib inhibits multiple steps of the mammarenavirus life cycle. Virology 2022; 576:83-95. [PMID: 36183499 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The mammarenavirus Lassa virus (LASV) causes a life-threatening acute febrile disease, Lassa fever (LF). To date, no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-licensed medical countermeasures against LASV are available. This underscores the need for the development of novel anti-LASV drugs. Here, we screen an FDA-approved drug library to identify novel anti-LASV drug candidates using an infectious-free cell line expressing a functional LASV ribonucleoprotein (vRNP), where levels of vRNP-directed reporter gene expression serve as a surrogate for vRNP activity. Our screen identified the pan-ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor afatinib as a potent inhibitor of LASV vRNP activity. Afatinib inhibited multiplication of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) a mammarenavirus closely related to LASV. Cell-based assays revealed that afatinib inhibited multiple steps of the LASV and LCMV life cycles. Afatinib also inhibited multiplication of Junín virus vaccine strain Candid#1, indicating that afatinib can have antiviral activity against a broad range of human pathogenic mammarenaviruses.
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40
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Happi AN, Olumade TJ, Ogunsanya OA, Sijuwola AE, Ogunleye SC, Oguzie JU, Nwofoke C, Ugwu CA, Okoro SJ, Otuh PI, Ngele LN, Ojo OO, Adelabu A, Adeleye RF, Oyejide NE, Njaka CS, Heeney JL, Happi CT. Increased Prevalence of Lassa Fever Virus-Positive Rodents and Diversity of Infected Species Found during Human Lassa Fever Epidemics in Nigeria. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0036622. [PMID: 35913205 PMCID: PMC9430508 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00366-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamics of Lassa virus (LASV) infections in rodent reservoirs and their endemic human caseloads remain poorly understood. During the endemic period, human infections are believed to be associated with the seasonal migration of Mastomys natalensis, thought to be the primary reservoir that triggers multiple spillovers of LASV to humans. It has become imperative to improve LASV diagnosis in rodents while updating their prevalence in two regions of Lassa fever endemicity in Nigeria. Rodents (total, 942) were trapped in Ondo (531) and Ebonyi (411) states between October 2018 and April 2020 for detection of LASV using various tissues. Overall, the LASV prevalence was 53.6%. The outbreak area sampled in Ondo had three and two times higher capture success and LASV prevalence, respectively, than Ebonyi State. This correlated with the higher number of annual cases of Lassa fever (LF) in Ondo State versus Ebonyi State. All rodent genera (Mastomys, Rattus, Crocidura, Mus, and Tatera) captured in both states showed slightly variable LASV positivity, with Rattus spp. being the most predominantly infected (77.3%) rodents in Ondo State versus Mastomys spp. (41.6%) in Ebonyi State. The tissues with the highest LASV positivity were the kidneys, spleen, and testes. The finding of a relatively high LASV prevalence in all of the rodent genera captured highlights the complex interspecies transmission dynamics of LASV infections in the reservoirs and their potential association with increased environmental contact, as well as the risk of zoonotic spillover in these communities, which have the highest prevalence of Lassa fever in Nigeria. IMPORTANCE Our findings show the highest LASV positivity in small rodents ever recorded and the first direct detection of LASV in Tatera spp. Our findings also indicate the abundance of LASV-infected small rodents in houses, with probable interspecies transmission through vertical and horizontal coitus routes. Consequently, we suggest that the abundance of different reservoir species for LASV may fuel the epizootic outbreaks of LF in affected human communities. The high prevalence of LASV with the diversity of affected rodents has direct implications for our understanding of the transmission risk, mitigation, and ultimately, the prevention of LF in humans. Optimal tissues for LASV detection in rodents are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anise N. Happi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
| | - Testimony J. Olumade
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
- Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
| | - Olusola A. Ogunsanya
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
| | - Ayotunde E. Sijuwola
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
| | | | - Judith U. Oguzie
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
- Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
| | - Cecilia Nwofoke
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Chinedu A. Ugwu
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
- Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
| | - Samuel J. Okoro
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | - Patricia I. Otuh
- Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia, Nigeria
| | - Louis N. Ngele
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Nicholas E. Oyejide
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
| | | | - Jonathan L. Heeney
- Lab of Viral Zoonotics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Christian T. Happi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
- Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
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Di D, Huang Q, Ly H, Liang Y. Evaluating the Biological Role of Lassa Viral Z Protein-Mediated RIG-I Inhibition Using a Replication-Competent Trisegmented Pichinde Virus System in an Inducible RIG-IN Expression Cell Line. J Virol 2022; 96:e0075422. [PMID: 35913216 PMCID: PMC9400496 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00754-22] [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: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a mammarenavirus that can cause lethal Lassa fever disease with no FDA-approved vaccine and limited treatment options. Fatal LASV infections are associated with innate immune suppression. We have previously shown that the small matrix Z protein of LASV, but not of a nonpathogenic arenavirus Pichinde virus (PICV), can inhibit the cellular RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs), but its biological significance has not been evaluated in an infectious virus due to the multiple essential functions of the Z protein required for the viral life cycle. In this study, we developed a stable HeLa cell line (HeLa-iRIGN) that could be rapidly and robustly induced by doxycycline (Dox) treatment to express RIG-I N-terminal effector, with concomitant production of type I interferons (IFN-Is). We also generated recombinant tri-segmented PICVs, rP18tri-LZ, and rP18tri-PZ, which encode LASV Z and PICV Z, respectively, as an extra mScarlet fusion protein that is nonessential for the viral life cycle. Upon infection, rP18tri-LZ consistently expressed viral genes at a higher level than rP18tri-PZ. rP18tri-LZ also showed a higher level of a viral infection than rP18tri-PZ did in HeLa-iRIGN cells, especially upon Dox induction. The heterologous Z gene did not alter viral growth in Vero and A549 cells by growth curve analysis, while LASV Z strongly increased and prolonged viral gene expression, especially in IFN-competent A549 cells. Our study provides important insights into the biological role of LASV Z-mediated RIG-I inhibition and implicates LASV Z as a potential virulence factor. IMPORTANCE Lassa virus (LASV) can cause lethal hemorrhagic fever disease in humans but other arenaviruses, such as Pichinde virus (PICV), do not cause obvious disease. We have previously shown that the Z protein of LASV but not of PICV can inhibit RIG-I, a cytosolic innate immune receptor. In this study, we developed a stable HeLa cell line that can be induced to express the RIG-I N-terminal effector domain, which allows for timely control of RIG-I activation. We also generated recombinant PICVs encoding LASV Z or PICV Z as an extra gene that is nonessential for the viral life cycle. Compared to PICV Z, LASV Z could increase viral gene expression and viral infection in an infectious arenavirus system, especially when RIG-I signaling is activated. Our study presented a convenient cell system to characterize RIG-I signaling and its antagonists and revealed LASV Z as a possible virulence factor and a potential antiviral target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Di
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Qinfeng Huang
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yuying Liang
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA
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Cross RW, Woolsey C, Prasad AN, Borisevich V, Agans KN, Deer DJ, Geisbert JB, Dobias NS, Fenton KA, Geisbert TW. A recombinant VSV-vectored vaccine rapidly protects nonhuman primates against heterologous lethal Lassa fever. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111094. [PMID: 35858566 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the top five pathogens likely to cause a severe outbreak. A recent unprecedented resurgence of LASV in Nigeria caused by genetically diverse strains underscores the need for licensed medical countermeasures. Single-injection vaccines that can rapidly control outbreaks and confer long-term immunity are needed. Vaccination of cynomolgus monkeys with a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus vector expressing the glycoprotein precursor of LASV lineage IV strain Josiah (rVSVΔG-LASV-GPC) induces fast-acting protection in monkeys challenged 3 or 7 days later with a genetically heterologous lineage II isolate of LASV from Nigeria, while nonspecifically vaccinated control animals succumb to challenge. The rVSVΔG-LASV-GPC vaccine induces rapid activation of adaptive immunity and the transcription of natural killer (NK) cell-affiliated mRNAs. This study demonstrates that rVSVΔG-LASV-GPC may provide rapid protection in humans against LASV infections in cases where immediate public-health intervention is required.
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43
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Nguyen THV, Yekwa E, Selisko B, Canard B, Alvarez K, Ferron F. Inhibition of Arenaviridae nucleoprotein exonuclease by bisphosphonate. IUCrJ 2022; 9:468-479. [PMID: 35844481 PMCID: PMC9252148 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252522005061] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Arenaviruses are emerging enveloped negative-sense RNA viruses that cause neurological and hemorrhagic diseases in humans. Currently, no FDA-approved vaccine or therapeutic agent is available except for ribavirin, which must be administered early during infection for optimum efficacy. A hallmark of arenavirus infection is rapid and efficient immune suppression mediated by the exonuclease domain encoded by the nucleoprotein. This exonuclease is therefore an attractive target for the design of novel antiviral drugs since exonuclease inhibitors might not only have a direct effect on the enzyme but could also boost viral clearance through stimulation of the innate immune system of the host cell. Here, in silico screening and an enzymatic assay were used to identify a novel, specific but weak inhibitor of the arenavirus exonuclease, with IC50 values of 65.9 and 68.6 µM for Mopeia virus and Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, respectively. This finding was further characterized using crystallographic and docking approaches. This study serves as a proof of concept and may have assigned a new therapeutic purpose for the bisphosphonate family, therefore paving the way for the development of inhibitors against Arenaviridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Hong Van Nguyen
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Elsie Yekwa
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Barbara Selisko
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Bruno Canard
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Leutragraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Karine Alvarez
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - François Ferron
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Leutragraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
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44
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Buck TK, Enriquez AS, Schendel SL, Zandonatti MA, Harkins SS, Li H, Moon-Walker A, Robinson JE, Branco LM, Garry RF, Saphire EO, Hastie KM. Neutralizing Antibodies against Lassa Virus Lineage I. mBio 2022;:e0127822. [PMID: 35730904 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01278-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is the causative agent of the deadly Lassa fever (LF). Seven distinct LASV lineages circulate through western Africa, among which lineage I (LI), the first to be identified, is particularly resistant to antibody neutralization. Lineage I LASV evades neutralization by half of known antibodies in the GPC-A antibody competition group and all but one of the antibodies in the GPC-B competition group. Here, we solve two cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of LI GP in complex with a GPC-A and a GPC-B antibody. We used complementary structural and biochemical techniques to identify single-amino-acid substitutions in LI that are responsible for immune evasion by each antibody group. Further, we show that LI infection is more dependent on the endosomal receptor lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) for viral entry relative to LIV. In the absence of LAMP1, LI requires a more acidic fusion pH to initiate membrane fusion with the host cell relative to LIV.
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45
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Enriquez AS, Buck TK, Li H, Norris MJ, Moon-Walker A, Zandonatti MA, Harkins SS, Robinson JE, Branco LM, Garry RF, Saphire EO, Hastie KM. Delineating the mechanism of anti- Lassa virus GPC-A neutralizing antibodies. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110841. [PMID: 35613585 PMCID: PMC9258627 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [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: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is the etiologic agent of Lassa Fever, a hemorrhagic disease that is endemic to West Africa. During LASV infection, LASV glycoprotein (GP) engages with multiple host receptors for cell entry. Neutralizing antibodies against GP are rare and principally target quaternary epitopes displayed only on the metastable, pre-fusion conformation of GP. Currently, the structural features of the neutralizing GPC-A antibody competition group are understudied. Structures of two GPC-A antibodies presented here demonstrate that they bind the side of the pre-fusion GP trimer, bridging the GP1 and GP2 subunits. Complementary biochemical analyses indicate that antibody 25.10C, which is broadly specific, neutralizes by inhibiting binding of the endosomal receptor LAMP1 and also by blocking membrane fusion. The other GPC-A antibody, 36.1F, which is lineage-specific, prevents LAMP1 association only. These data illuminate a site of vulnerability on LASV GP and will guide efforts to elicit broadly reactive therapeutics and vaccines. Enriquez et al. present two structures of GPC-A antibody Fab fragments bound to Lassa virus glycoprotein. Complementary biochemical analyses illuminate mechanistic differences between pan-Lassa 25.10C and lineage-specific 36.1F. 25.10C inhibits two steps of Lassa virus infection, LAMP1 binding and membrane fusion, while 36.1F only blocks LAMP1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tierra K Buck
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Haoyang Li
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Alex Moon-Walker
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Program in Virology, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | | | | | - James E Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | | | - Robert F Garry
- Zalgen Labs, LLC, Germantown, MD 20876, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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Mateo M, Hortion J, Perthame E, Picard C, Reynard S, Journeaux A, Germain C, Carnec X, Baillet N, Borges-Cardoso V, Pietrosemoli N, Vallve A, Barron S, Jourjon O, Lacroix O, Duthey A, Dirheimer M, Daniau M, Legras-Lachuer C, Jouvion G, Carbonnelle C, Raoul H, Baize S. Pathogenesis of recent Lassa virus isolates from lineages II and VII in cynomolgus monkeys. Virulence 2022; 13:654-669. [PMID: 35437094 PMCID: PMC9037461 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2060170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The area of Lassa virus (LASV) circulation is expanding, with the emergence of highly pathogenic new LASV lineages. Benin recently became an endemic country for LASV and has seen the emergence of a new LASV lineage (VII). The first two outbreaks in 2014 and 2016 showed a relatively high mortality rate compared to other outbreaks. We infected cynomolgus monkeys with two strains belonging to lineage II and lineage VII that were isolated from deceased patients during the 2016 outbreak in Benin. The lineage VII strain (L7) caused uniform mortality. Death was associated with uncontrolled viral replication, unbalanced inflammatory responses characterized by increased concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, and the absence of efficient immune responses, resembling the pathogenesis associated with the prototypic Josiah strain in monkeys. The lineage II strain (L2) showed apparently lower virulence than its counterpart, with a prolonged time to death and a lower mortality rate. Prolonged survival was associated with better control of viral replication, a moderate inflammatory response, and efficient T-cell responses. Transcriptomic analyses also highlighted important differences in the immune responses associated with the outcome. Both strains caused strong inflammation in several organs. Notably, meningitis and encephalitis were observed in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum in all monkeys, independently of the outcome. Due to their apparently high pathogenicity, emerging strains from lineage VII should be considered in preclinical vaccine testing. Lineage II would also be beneficial in pathogenesis studies to study the entire spectrum of Lassa fever severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Mateo
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Jimmy Hortion
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Emeline Perthame
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Picard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Stéphanie Reynard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Alexandra Journeaux
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Clara Germain
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Xavier Carnec
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Nicolas Baillet
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Virginie Borges-Cardoso
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
| | - Natalia Pietrosemoli
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Audrey Vallve
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM-Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Barron
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM-Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Ophélie Jourjon
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM-Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Orianne Lacroix
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM-Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Aurélie Duthey
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM-Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Manon Dirheimer
- INSERM, Délégation Régionale Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Bron, France
| | | | | | - Gregory Jouvion
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Unité d'Histologie et d'Anatomie Pathologique, Maisons-Alfort, France.,Dynamic Research Group, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaired'Alfort, USC ANSES, Université Paris Est Créteil, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Hervé Raoul
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM-Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Sylvain Baize
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, Lyon France
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Raabe V, Mehta AK, Evans JD. Lassa Virus Infection: a Summary for Clinicians. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 119:187-200. [PMID: 35395384 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This summary on Lassa virus (LASV) infection and Lassa fever disease (LF) was developed from a clinical perspective to provide clinicians a condensed, accessible understanding of the current literature. The information provided highlights pathogenesis, clinical features, and diagnostics with an emphasis on therapies and vaccines that have demonstrated potential value for use in clinical or research environments. METHODS An integrative literature review was conducted on the clinical and pathological features, vaccines, and treatments for LASV infection, with a focus on recent studies and in vivo evidence from humans and/or non-human primates (NHPs), when available. RESULTS Two antiviral medications with potential benefit for the treatment of LASV infection and one for post-exposure prophylaxis were identified, although a larger number of potential candidates are currently being evaluated. Multiple vaccine platforms are in pre-clinical development for LASV prevention, but data from human clinical trials are not yet available. CONCLUSION We provide succinct summaries of medical countermeasures against LASV to give the busy clinician a rapid reference. Although there are no approved drugs or vaccines for LF, we provide condensed information from a literature review for measures that can be taken when faced with a suspected infection, including investigational treatment options and hospital engineering controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Raabe
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY.
| | | | - Jared D Evans
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD.
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48
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Merabet O, Pietrosemoli N, Perthame E, Armengaud J, Gaillard JC, Borges-Cardoso V, Daniau M, Legras-Lachuer C, Carnec X, Baize S. Infection of Human Endothelial Cells with Lassa Virus Induces Early but Transient Activation and Low Type I IFN Response Compared to the Closely-Related Nonpathogenic Mopeia Virus. Viruses 2022; 14:v14030652. [PMID: 35337059 PMCID: PMC8953476 DOI: 10.3390/v14030652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV), an Old World arenavirus, is responsible for hemorrhagic fevers in western Africa. The privileged tropism of LASV for endothelial cells combined with a dysregulated inflammatory response are the main cause of the increase in vascular permeability observed during the disease. Mopeia virus (MOPV) is another arenavirus closely related to LASV but nonpathogenic for non-human primates (NHPs) and has never been described in humans. MOPV is more immunogenic than LASV in NHPs and in vitro in human immune cell models, with more intense type I IFN and adaptive cellular responses. Here, we compared the transcriptomic and proteomic responses of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to infection with the two viruses to further decipher the mechanisms involved in their differences in immunogenicity and pathogenicity. Both viruses replicated durably and efficiently in HUVECs, but the responses they induced were strikingly different. Modest activation was observed at an early stage of LASV infection and then rapidly shut down. By contrast, MOPV induced a late but more intense response, characterized by the expression of genes and proteins mainly associated with the type I IFN response and antigen processing/presentation. Such a response is consistent with the higher immunogenicity of MOPV relative to LASV, whereas the lack of an innate response induced in HUVECs by LASV is consistent with its uncontrolled systemic dissemination through the vascular endothelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Othmann Merabet
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007 Lyon, France; (O.M.); (V.B.-C.); (X.C.)
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Natalia Pietrosemoli
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France; (N.P.); (E.P.)
| | - Emeline Perthame
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France; (N.P.); (E.P.)
| | - Jean Armengaud
- Laboratoire Innovations Technologiques pour la Détection et le Diagnostic (LI2D), Service de Pharmacologie et Immunoanalyse (SPI), Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, 30200 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France; (J.A.); (J.-C.G.)
| | - Jean-Charles Gaillard
- Laboratoire Innovations Technologiques pour la Détection et le Diagnostic (LI2D), Service de Pharmacologie et Immunoanalyse (SPI), Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, 30200 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France; (J.A.); (J.-C.G.)
| | - Virginie Borges-Cardoso
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007 Lyon, France; (O.M.); (V.B.-C.); (X.C.)
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Maïlys Daniau
- ViroScan3D SAS, 01600 Trévoux, France; (M.D.); (C.L.-L.)
| | | | - Xavier Carnec
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007 Lyon, France; (O.M.); (V.B.-C.); (X.C.)
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Sylvain Baize
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007 Lyon, France; (O.M.); (V.B.-C.); (X.C.)
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, 69007 Lyon, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-4-3728-2440
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49
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Ashcroft JW, Olayinka A, Ndodo N, Lewandowski K, Curran MD, Nwafor CD, Madubuike K, Bagnall H, Musa AS, Ahmad A, Akinpelu A, Adeleye A, Martin C, Akano A, Onoja M, Iniobong A, Ukponu W, Arinze C, Ilori E, Mba N, Gannon B, Ahumibe A, Ihekweazu C. Pathogens that Cause Illness Clinically Indistinguishable from Lassa Fever, Nigeria, 2018. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:994-997. [PMID: 35226800 PMCID: PMC9045454 DOI: 10.3201/eid2805.211153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
During the 2018 Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, samples from patients with suspected Lassa fever but negative Lassa virus PCR results were processed through custom gene expression array cards and metagenomic sequencing. Results demonstrated no single etiology, but bacterial and viral pathogens (including mixed co-infections) were detected.
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50
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Wozniak DM, Riesle-Sbarbaro SA, Kirchoff N, Hansen-Kant K, Wahlbrink A, Stern A, Lander A, Hartmann K, Krasemann S, Kurth A, Prescott J. Inoculation route-dependent Lassa virus dissemination and shedding dynamics in the natural reservoir - Mastomys natalensis. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:2313-2325. [PMID: 34792436 PMCID: PMC8654411 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.2008773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV), a Risk Group-4 zoonotic haemorrhagic fever virus, affects sub-Saharan African countries. Lassa fever, caused by LASV, results in thousands of annual deaths. Although decades have elapsed since the identification of the Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) as a natural reservoir of LASV, little effort has been made to characterize LASV infection in its reservoir. The natural route of infection and transmission of LASV within M. natalensis remains unknown, and the clinical impact of LASV in M. natalensis is mostly undescribed. Herein, using an outbred colony of M. natalensis, we investigate the replication and dissemination dynamics of LASV in this reservoir following various inoculation routes. Inoculation with LASV, regardless of route, resulted in a systemic infection and accumulation of abundant LASV-RNA in many tissues. LASV infection in the Natal multimammate mice was subclinical, however, clinical chemistry values were transiently altered and immune infiltrates were observed histologically in lungs, spleens and livers, indicating a minor disease with coordinated immune responses are elicited, controlling infection. Intranasal infection resulted in unique virus tissue dissemination dynamics and heightened LASV shedding, compared to subcutaneous inoculation. Our study provides important insights into LASV infection in its natural reservoir using a contemporary infection system, demonstrating that specific inoculation routes result in disparate dissemination outcomes, suggesting intranasal inoculation is important in the maintenance of LASV in the natural reservoir, and emphasizes that selection of the appropriate inoculation route is necessary to examine aspects of viral replication, transmission and responses to zoonotic viruses in their natural reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- D M Wozniak
- ZBS5-Biosafety Level-4 Laboratory, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - N Kirchoff
- ZBS5-Biosafety Level-4 Laboratory, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - K Hansen-Kant
- ZBS5-Biosafety Level-4 Laboratory, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Wahlbrink
- ZBS5-Biosafety Level-4 Laboratory, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Stern
- ZBS5-Biosafety Level-4 Laboratory, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Lander
- ZBS5-Biosafety Level-4 Laboratory, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - K Hartmann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - S Krasemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - A Kurth
- ZBS5-Biosafety Level-4 Laboratory, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - J Prescott
- ZBS5-Biosafety Level-4 Laboratory, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
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