1
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Nemčovičová I, Lopušná K, Štibrániová I, Benedetti F, Berti F, Felluga F, Drioli S, Vidali M, Katrlík J, Pažitná L, Holazová A, Blahutová J, Lenhartová S, Sláviková M, Klempa B, Ondrejovič M, Chmelová D, Legerská B, Miertuš S, Klacsová M, Uhríková D, Kerti L, Frecer V. Identification and evaluation of antiviral activity of novel compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2 virus by enzymatic and antiviral assays, and computational analysis. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2024; 39:2301772. [PMID: 38221792 PMCID: PMC10791089 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2024.2301772] [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: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The viral genome of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the aetiologic agent of COVID-19, encodes structural, non-structural, and accessory proteins. Most of these components undergo rapid genetic variations, though to a lesser extent the essential viral proteases. Consequently, the protease and/or deubiquitinase activities of the cysteine proteases Mpro and PLpro became attractive targets for the design of antiviral agents. Here, we develop and evaluate new bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanones (BBC) and identify potential antiviral compounds. Three compounds were found to be effective in reducing the SARS-CoV-2 load, with EC50 values in the low micromolar concentration range. However, these compounds also exhibited inhibitory activity IC50 against PLpro at approximately 10-fold higher micromolar concentrations. Although originally developed as PLpro inhibitors, the comparison between IC50 and EC50 of BBC indicates that the mechanism of their in vitro antiviral activity is probably not directly related to inhibition of viral cysteine proteases. In conclusion, our study has identified new potential noncytotoxic antiviral compounds suitable for in vivo testing and further improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Nemčovičová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Lopušná
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Iveta Štibrániová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Fabio Benedetti
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Federico Berti
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fulvia Felluga
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sara Drioli
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Mattia Vidali
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Jaroslav Katrlík
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lucia Pažitná
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Alena Holazová
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jana Blahutová
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Simona Lenhartová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Boris Klempa
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Miroslav Ondrejovič
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Trnava, Slovakia
- ICARST n.o, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Daniela Chmelová
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Barbora Legerská
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Stanislav Miertuš
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Trnava, Slovakia
- ICARST n.o, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Mária Klacsová
- Department of Physical Chemistry of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Daniela Uhríková
- Department of Physical Chemistry of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lukáš Kerti
- Department of Physical Chemistry of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Vladimír Frecer
- Department of Physical Chemistry of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
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2
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Szobi A, Buranovská K, Vojtaššáková N, Lovíšek D, Özbaşak HÖ, Szeibeczederová S, Kapustian L, Hudáčová Z, Kováčová V, Drobná D, Putaj P, Bírová S, Čirková I, Čarnecký M, Kilián P, Jurkáček P, Čabanová V, Boršová K, Sláviková M, Vaňová V, Klempa B, Čekan P, Paul ED. Vivid COVID-19 LAMP is an ultrasensitive, quadruplexed test using LNA-modified primers and a zinc ion and 5-Br-PAPS colorimetric detection system. Commun Biol 2023; 6:233. [PMID: 36864129 PMCID: PMC9979146 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04612-9] [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: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensitive and rapid point-of-care assays have been crucial in the global response to SARS-CoV-2. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has emerged as an important diagnostic tool given its simplicity and minimal equipment requirements, although limitations exist regarding sensitivity and the methods used to detect reaction products. We describe the development of Vivid COVID-19 LAMP, which leverages a metallochromic detection system utilizing zinc ions and a zinc sensor, 5-Br-PAPS, to circumvent the limitations of classic detection systems dependent on pH indicators or magnesium chelators. We make important strides in improving RT-LAMP sensitivity by establishing principles for using LNA-modified LAMP primers, multiplexing, and conducting extensive optimizations of reaction parameters. To enable point-of-care testing, we introduce a rapid sample inactivation procedure without RNA extraction that is compatible with self-collected, non-invasive gargle samples. Our quadruplexed assay (targeting E, N, ORF1a, and RdRP) reliably detects 1 RNA copy/µl of sample (=8 copies/reaction) from extracted RNA and 2 RNA copies/µl of sample (=16 copies/reaction) directly from gargle samples, making it one of the most sensitive RT-LAMP tests and even comparable to RT-qPCR. Additionally, we demonstrate a self-contained, mobile version of our assay in a variety of high-throughput field testing scenarios on nearly 9,000 crude gargle samples. Vivid COVID-19 LAMP can be an important asset for the endemic phase of COVID-19 as well as preparing for future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Szobi
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Katarína Buranovská
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Nina Vojtaššáková
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Daniel Lovíšek
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Halil Önder Özbaşak
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Sandra Szeibeczederová
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Liudmyla Kapustian
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Zuzana Hudáčová
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
- Stanford University, 730 Escondido Rd., Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Viera Kováčová
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
- University of Cologne, Institute for Biological Physics, Zülpicher Str. 77, 50937, Köln, Germany
| | - Diana Drobná
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Piotr Putaj
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Stanislava Bírová
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Ivana Čirková
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Martin Čarnecký
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Peter Kilián
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Peter Jurkáček
- AstonITM s.r.o., Račianska 153, 831 54, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Viktória Čabanová
- Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Kristína Boršová
- Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Veronika Vaňová
- Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Boris Klempa
- Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Pavol Čekan
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia.
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
| | - Evan D Paul
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, 841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia.
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
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3
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Koči J, Novotová M, Sláviková M, Klempa B, Zahradník I. SARS-CoV-2 Exploits Non-Canonical Autophagic Processes to Replicate, Mature, and Egress the Infected Vero E6 Cells. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121535. [PMID: 36558869 PMCID: PMC9781122 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121535] [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] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus transforms the cytoplasm of susceptible cells to support virus replication. It also activates autophagy-like processes, the role of which is not well understood. Here, we studied SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero E6 cells using transmission electron microscopy and autophagy PCR array. After 6-24 h post-infection (hpi), the cytoplasm of infected cells only contained double-membrane vesicles, phagophores, and phagosomes engulfing virus particles and cytoplasmic debris, including damaged mitochondria. The phagosomes interacted with the viral nucleoprotein complex, virus particles, mitochondria, and lipid droplets. The phagosomes transformed into egress vacuoles, which broke through the plasmalemma and discharged the virus particles. The Vero E6 cells exhibited pronounced virus replication at 6 hpi, which stabilized at 18-24 hpi at a high level. The autophagy PCR array tests revealed a significant upregulation of 10 and downregulation of 8 autophagic gene markers out of 84. Altogether, these results underline the importance of autophagy-like processes for SARS-CoV-2 maturation and egress, and point to deviations from a canonical autophagy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juraj Koči
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Correspondence: (J.K.); (I.Z.)
| | - Marta Novotová
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Boris Klempa
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ivan Zahradník
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Correspondence: (J.K.); (I.Z.)
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4
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Radvánszka M, Paul ED, Hajdu R, Boršová K, Kováčová V, Putaj P, Bírová S, Čirková I, Čarnecký M, Buranovská K, Szobi A, Vojtaššáková N, Drobná D, Čabanová V, Sláviková M, Ličková M, Vaňová V, Fumačová Havlíková S, Lukáčiková Ľ, Kajanová I, Koči J, Rusňáková D, Sedláčková T, Max KEA, Tuschl T, Szemes T, Klempa B, Čekan P. Sequential development of several RT-qPCR tests using LNA nucleotides and dual probe technology to differentiate SARS-CoV-2 from influenza A and B. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:1995-2021. [PMID: 35316574 PMCID: PMC9111289 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensitive and accurate RT-qPCR tests are the primary diagnostic tools to identify SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. While many SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR tests are available, there are significant differences in test sensitivity, workflow (e.g. hands-on-time), gene targets and other functionalities that users must consider. Several publicly available protocols shared by reference labs and public health authorities provide useful tools for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, but many have shortcomings related to sensitivity and laborious workflows. Here, we describe a series of SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR tests that are originally based on the protocol targeting regions of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and envelope (E) coding genes developed by the Charité Berlin. We redesigned the primers/probes, utilized locked nucleic acid nucleotides, incorporated dual probe technology and conducted extensive optimizations of reaction conditions to enhance the sensitivity and specificity of these tests. By incorporating an RNase P internal control and developing multiplexed assays for distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A and B, we streamlined the workflow to provide quicker results and reduced consumable costs. Some of these tests use modified enzymes enabling the formulation of a room temperature-stable master mix and lyophilized positive control, thus increasing the functionality of the test and eliminating cold chain shipping and storage. Moreover, a rapid, RNA extraction-free version enables high sensitivity detection of SARS-CoV-2 in about an hour using minimally invasive, self-collected gargle samples. These RT-qPCR assays can easily be implemented in any diagnostic laboratory and can provide a powerful tool to detect SARS-CoV-2 and the most common seasonal influenzas during the vaccination phase of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Radvánszka
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Evan D Paul
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Roman Hajdu
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.,College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Kristína Boršová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Viera Kováčová
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.,Institute for Biological Physics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 77, Köln, 50937, Germany
| | - Piotr Putaj
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Stanislava Bírová
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Ivana Čirková
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Martin Čarnecký
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Katarína Buranovská
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Adrián Szobi
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Nina Vojtaššáková
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Diana Drobná
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Viktória Čabanová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Martina Ličková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Veronika Vaňová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Sabína Fumačová Havlíková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Ľubomíra Lukáčiková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Ivana Kajanová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Koči
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Diana Rusňáková
- Geneton s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovakia
| | - Tatiana Sedláčková
- Geneton s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia
| | - Klaas E A Max
- Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Thomas Tuschl
- Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Tomáš Szemes
- Geneton s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovakia.,Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia
| | - Boris Klempa
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Pavol Čekan
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Ilkovičova 8, Bratislava, 841 04, Slovakia.,MultiplexDX, Inc, One Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
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5
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Ličková M, Fumačová Havlíková S, Sláviková M, Klempa B. Alimentary Infections by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus. Viruses 2021; 14:56. [PMID: 35062261 PMCID: PMC8779402 DOI: 10.3390/v14010056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [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: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) causes serious the neurological disease, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). TBEV can be transmitted to humans by ticks as well as by the alimentary route, which is mediated through the consumption of raw milk products from infected ruminants such as sheep, goats, and cows. The alimentary route of TBEV was recognized in the early 1950s and many important experimental studies were performed shortly thereafter. Nowadays, alimentary TBEV infections are recognized as a relevant factor contributing to the overall increase in TBE incidences in Europe. This review aims to summarize the history and current extent of alimentary TBEV infections across Europe, to analyze experimental data on virus secretion in milk, and to review possible alimentary infection preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Boris Klempa
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia; (M.L.); (S.F.H.); (M.S.)
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6
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Čabanová V, Boršová K, Svitok M, Oboňa J, Svitková I, Barbušinová E, Derka T, Sláviková M, Klempa B. An unwanted companion reaches the country: the first record of the alien mosquito Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald, 1901) in Slovakia. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:572. [PMID: 34772447 PMCID: PMC8588666 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05062-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Invasive mosquitoes of the genus Aedes are quickly spreading around the world. The presence of these alien species is concerning for both their impact on the native biodiversity and their high vector competence. The surveillance of Aedes invasive mosquito (AIM) species is one of the most important steps in vector-borne disease control and prevention. METHODS In 2020, the monitoring of AIM species was conducted in five areas (Bratislava, Zvolen, Banská Bystrica, Prešov, Košice) of Slovakia. The sites were located at points of entry (border crossings with Austria and Hungary) and in the urban and rural zones of cities and their surroundings. Ovitraps were used at the majority of sites as a standard method of monitoring. The collected specimens were identified morphologically, with subsequent molecular identification by conventional PCR (cox1) and Sanger sequencing. The phylogenetic relatedness of the obtained sequences was inferred by the maximum likelihood (ML) method. The nucleotide heterogeneity of the Slovak sequences was analysed by the index of disparity. RESULTS A bush mosquito, Aedes japonicus japonicus, was found and confirmed by molecular methods in three geographically distant areas of Slovakia-Bratislava, Zvolen and Prešov. The presence of AIM species is also likely in Košice; however, the material was not subjected to molecular identification. The nucleotide sequences of some Slovak strains confirm their significant heterogeneity. They were placed in several clusters on the ML phylogenetic tree. Moreover, Ae. j. japonicus was discovered in regions of Slovakia that are not close to a point of entry, where the mosquitoes could find favourable habitats in dendrothelms in city parks or forests. CONCLUSION Despite being a first record of the Ae. j. japonicus in Slovakia, our study indicates that the established populations already exist across the country, underlining the urgent need for intensified surveillance of AIM species as well as mosquito-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktória Čabanová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Kristína Boršová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marek Svitok
- Department of Biology and General Ecology, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jozef Oboňa
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, 17 Novembra č. 1, 081 16 Prešov, Slovakia
| | - Ivana Svitková
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 23 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Barbušinová
- Department of Breeding and Diseases of Game, Fish and Bees, Ecology and Cynology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Tomáš Derka
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Iľkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Boris Klempa
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Boršová K, Paul ED, Kováčová V, Radvánszka M, Hajdu R, Čabanová V, Sláviková M, Ličková M, Lukáčiková Ľ, Belák A, Roussier L, Kostičová M, Líšková A, Maďarová L, Štefkovičová M, Reizigová L, Nováková E, Sabaka P, Koščálová A, Brejová B, Staroňová E, Mišík M, Vinař T, Nosek J, Čekan P, Klempa B. Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 in Slovakia using a novel, multiplexed RT-qPCR assay. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20494. [PMID: 34650153 PMCID: PMC8516907 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99661-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of a novel SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant sparked global alarm due to increased transmissibility, mortality, and uncertainty about vaccine efficacy, thus accelerating efforts to detect and track the variant. Current approaches to detect B.1.1.7 include sequencing and RT-qPCR tests containing a target assay that fails or results in reduced sensitivity towards the B.1.1.7 variant. Since many countries lack genomic surveillance programs and failed assays detect unrelated variants containing similar mutations as B.1.1.7, we used allele-specific PCR, and judicious placement of LNA-modified nucleotides to develop an RT-qPCR test that accurately and rapidly differentiates B.1.1.7 from other SARS-CoV-2 variants. We validated the test on 106 clinical samples with lineage status confirmed by sequencing and conducted a country-wide surveillance study of B.1.1.7 prevalence in Slovakia. Our multiplexed RT-qPCR test showed 97% clinical sensitivity and retesting 6,886 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples obtained during three campaigns performed within one month, revealed pervasive spread of B.1.1.7 with an average prevalence of 82%. Labs can easily implement this test to rapidly scale B.1.1.7 surveillance efforts and it is particularly useful in countries with high prevalence of variants possessing only the ΔH69/ΔV70 deletion because current strategies using target failure assays incorrectly identify these as putative B.1.1.7 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristína Boršová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Evan D Paul
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Viera Kováčová
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Monika Radvánszka
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Roman Hajdu
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Rockville, MD, USA
- School of Life Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Viktória Čabanová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Martina Ličková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ľubomíra Lukáčiková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andrej Belák
- Institute of Ethnology and Social Anthropology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Intervention Team, Ministry of Health, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lucia Roussier
- Intervention Team, Ministry of Health, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michaela Kostičová
- Intervention Team, Ministry of Health, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Institute of Social Medicine and Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Anna Líšková
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Nitra Faculty Hospital, Nitra, Slovakia
| | - Lucia Maďarová
- Regional Authority of Public Health, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Mária Štefkovičová
- Regional Authority of Public Health, Trenčín, Slovakia
- Faculty of Healthcare, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, Trenčín, Slovakia
| | - Lenka Reizigová
- Regional Authority of Public Health, Trenčín, Slovakia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Healthcare and Social Work, Trnava University, Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Elena Nováková
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Peter Sabaka
- Department of Infectology and Geographical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Alena Koščálová
- Department of Infectology and Geographical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Broňa Brejová
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Edita Staroňová
- National Influenza Centre, National Public Health Authority of Slovak Republic in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Matej Mišík
- Institute for Healthcare Analyses, Ministry of Health, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tomáš Vinař
- Department of Applied Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Nosek
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Pavol Čekan
- MultiplexDX, s.r.o., Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia.
- MultiplexDX, Inc., One Research Court, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Boris Klempa
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Opálková Šišková A, Bučková M, Kroneková Z, Kleinová A, Nagy Š, Rydz J, Opálek A, Sláviková M, Eckstein Andicsová A. The Drug-Loaded Electrospun Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Mats for Therapeutic Application. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2021; 11:nano11040922. [PMID: 33916638 PMCID: PMC8066245 DOI: 10.3390/nano11040922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Diclofenac sodium salt (DSS)-loaded electrospun nanofiber mats on the base of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) were investigated as biocompatible nanofibrous mats for medical applications with the ability to inhibit bacterial infections. The paper presents the characteristics of fibrous mats made by electrospinning and determines the effect of medicament on the fiber morphology, chemical, mechanical and thermal properties, as well as wettability. PCL and DSS-loaded PCL nanofibrous mats were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and contact angle measurements. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements confirmed the lifetime of DSS before and after application of high voltage during the electrospinning process. In vitro biocompatibility was studied, and it was proved to be of good viability with ~92% of the diploid human cells culture line composed of lung fibroblast (MRC 5) after 48 h of incubation. Moreover, the significant activity of DSS-loaded nanofibers against cancer cells, Ca Ski and HeLa, was established as well. It was shown that 12.5% (m/V) is the minimal concentration for antibacterial activity when more than 99% of Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and 99% of Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) have been exterminated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Opálková Šišková
- Polymer Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 41 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.K.); (A.K.)
- Correspondence: (A.O.S.); (A.E.A.); Tel.: +421-2-3229-4301 (A.O.S.); +421-2-3229-4357 (A.E.A.)
| | - Mária Bučková
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Zuzana Kroneková
- Polymer Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 41 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.K.); (A.K.)
| | - Angela Kleinová
- Polymer Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 41 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.K.); (A.K.)
| | - Štefan Nagy
- Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 13 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Š.N.); (A.O.)
| | - Joanna Rydz
- Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Curie-Skłodowska 34, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland;
| | - Andrej Opálek
- Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 13 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Š.N.); (A.O.)
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Anita Eckstein Andicsová
- Polymer Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 41 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.K.); (A.K.)
- Correspondence: (A.O.S.); (A.E.A.); Tel.: +421-2-3229-4301 (A.O.S.); +421-2-3229-4357 (A.E.A.)
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9
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Ličková M, Fumačová Havlíková S, Sláviková M, Slovák M, Drexler JF, Klempa B. Dermacentor reticulatus is a vector of tick-borne encephalitis virus. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101414. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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10
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Rego ROM, Trentelman JJA, Anguita J, Nijhof AM, Sprong H, Klempa B, Hajdusek O, Tomás-Cortázar J, Azagi T, Strnad M, Knorr S, Sima R, Jalovecka M, Fumačová Havlíková S, Ličková M, Sláviková M, Kopacek P, Grubhoffer L, Hovius JW. Counterattacking the tick bite: towards a rational design of anti-tick vaccines targeting pathogen transmission. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:229. [PMID: 31088506 PMCID: PMC6518728 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3468-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [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: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematophagous arthropods are responsible for the transmission of a variety of pathogens that cause disease in humans and animals. Ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex are vectors for some of the most frequently occurring human tick-borne diseases, particularly Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). The search for vaccines against these diseases is ongoing. Efforts during the last few decades have primarily focused on understanding the biology of the transmitted viruses, bacteria and protozoans, with the goal of identifying targets for intervention. Successful vaccines have been developed against TBEV and Lyme borreliosis, although the latter is no longer available for humans. More recently, the focus of intervention has shifted back to where it was initially being studied which is the vector. State of the art technologies are being used for the identification of potential vaccine candidates for anti-tick vaccines that could be used either in humans or animals. The study of the interrelationship between ticks and the pathogens they transmit, including mechanisms of acquisition, persistence and transmission have come to the fore, as this knowledge may lead to the identification of critical elements of the pathogens' life-cycle that could be targeted by vaccines. Here, we review the status of our current knowledge on the triangular relationships between ticks, the pathogens they carry and the mammalian hosts, as well as methods that are being used to identify anti-tick vaccine candidates that can prevent the transmission of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan O. M. Rego
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jos J. A. Trentelman
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Juan Anguita
- CIC bioGUNE, 48160 Derio, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48012 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Ard M. Nijhof
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Boris Klempa
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ondrej Hajdusek
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Tal Azagi
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Strnad
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sarah Knorr
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Radek Sima
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Jalovecka
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sabína Fumačová Havlíková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Martina Ličková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Petr Kopacek
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Joppe W. Hovius
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Szabó R, Radosa L, Ličková M, Sláviková M, Heroldová M, Stanko M, Pejčoch M, Osterberg A, Laenen L, Schex S, Ulrich RG, Essbauer S, Maes P, Klempa B. Phylogenetic analysis of Puumala virus strains from Central Europe highlights the need for a full-genome perspective on hantavirus evolution. Virus Genes 2017; 53:913-917. [PMID: 28664467 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-017-1484-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [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: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Puumala virus (PUUV), carried by bank voles (Myodes glareolus), is the medically most important hantavirus in Central and Western Europe. In this study, a total of 523 bank voles (408 from Germany, 72 from Slovakia, and 43 from Czech Republic) collected between the years 2007-2012 were analyzed for the presence of hantavirus RNA. Partial PUUV genome segment sequences were obtained from 51 voles. Phylogenetic analyses of all three genome segments showed that the newfound strains cluster with other Central and Western European PUUV strains. The new sequences from Šumava (Bohemian Forest), Czech Republic, are most closely related to the strains from the neighboring Bavarian Forest, a known hantavirus disease outbreak region. Interestingly, the Slovak strains clustered with the sequences from Bohemian and Bavarian Forests only in the M but not S segment analyses. This well-supported topological incongruence suggests a segment reassortment event or, as we analyzed only partial sequences, homologous recombination. Our data highlight the necessity of sequencing all three hantavirus genome segments and of a broader bank vole screening not only in recognized endemic foci but also in regions with no reported human hantavirus disease cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Róbert Szabó
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Lukáš Radosa
- Institute of Virology, Charité University Hospital, Helmut-Ruska-Haus, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Martina Ličková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marta Heroldová
- Department of Forest Ecology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Milan Pejčoch
- National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anja Osterberg
- Department of Virology & Rickettsiology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Lies Laenen
- Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Unit, KU Leuven, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susanne Schex
- Department of Virology & Rickettsiology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Sandra Essbauer
- Department of Virology & Rickettsiology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Piet Maes
- Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Unit, KU Leuven, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Boris Klempa
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
- Institute of Virology, Charité University Hospital, Helmut-Ruska-Haus, Berlin, Germany.
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Palem RR, Saha N, Shimoga GD, Kronekova Z, Sláviková M, Saha P. Chitosan–silver nanocomposites: New functional biomaterial for health-care applications. INT J POLYM MATER PO 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/00914037.2017.1291516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ramasubba Reddy Palem
- Centre of Polymer Systems, University Institute, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Zlin, Czech Republic
| | - Nabanita Saha
- Centre of Polymer Systems, University Institute, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Zlin, Czech Republic
| | - Ganesh D. Shimoga
- Centre of Polymer Systems, University Institute, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Zlin, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Kronekova
- Department for Biomaterials Research, Polymer Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Petr Saha
- Centre of Polymer Systems, University Institute, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Zlin, Czech Republic
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13
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Hajnická V, Vancová I, Kocáková P, Slovák M, Gasperík J, Sláviková M, Hails RS, Labuda M, Nuttall PA. Manipulation of host cytokine network by ticks: a potential gateway for pathogen transmission. Parasitology 2005; 130:333-42. [PMID: 15796016 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182004006535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are obligatory blood-feeding arthropods that secrete various immunomodulatory molecules to antagonize host inflammatory and immune responses. Cytokines play an important role in regulating these responses. We investigated the extent to which ticks interact with the sophisticated cytokine network by comparing the effect of salivary gland extracts (SGE) of 3 ixodid tick species, Dermacentor reticulatus, Amblyomma variegatum and Ixodes ricinus, all of which are important vectors of tick-borne pathogens. Using specific ELISAs, anti-cytokine activity was demonstrated with 7 cytokines: IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1alpha, RANTES, eotaxin, IL-2 and IL-4. The results varied between species, and between adult males and females of the same species. Relatively high activity levels were detected in saliva of female D. reticulatus, confirming that the observed anti-cytokine activities are an integral part of tick saliva secreted into the host. Results with fractionated SGE indicated that from 2 to 6 putative cytokine binding molecules are produced, depending on species and sex. Binding ability of SGE molecules was verified by cross-linking with radio-isotope labelled MIP-1alpha. By targeting different cytokines, ixodid ticks can manipulate the cytokine network, which will greatly facilitate blood-feeding and provide a gateway for tick-borne pathogens that helps explain why ticks are such efficient and effective disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Hajnická
- Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 842 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Kocáková P, Sláviková M, Hajnická V, Slovák M, Gasperík J, Vancová I, Fuchsberger N, Nuttall PA. Effect of fast protein liquid chromatography fractionated salivary gland extracts from different ixodid tick species on interleukin-8 binding to its cell receptors. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2003; 50:79-84. [PMID: 12735728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Interleukin-8 plays a critical role in inflammatory processes. Hence generation of molecules with anti-IL-8 activity is likely to be important for successful feeding and for survival of the ticks. Anti-IL-8 activity was studied in saliva of three ixodid tick species--Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794), Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann, 1901, and Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius, 1794). The greatest activity was shown in saliva prepared from D. reticulatus. The activity was attributed to tick salivary gland molecules that bind to IL-8, preventing binding of the chemokine to its specific receptor, rather than to occupation of the IL-8 cell receptor by the tick molecules. The distribution of anti-IL-8 activity in fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) fractions of salivary gland extracts (SGE) derived from adult female D. reticulatus, R. appendiculatus and A. variegatum was compared directly by both ELISA and receptor-binding inhibition assays. The correspondence in results with fractions of SGE from ELISA is consistent with detection of tick molecules that inhibit IL-8 binding to its receptor. As IL-8 is an important chemoattractant and activator of neutrophils, the presence of an anti-IL-8 activity in tick saliva indicates that neutrophils play an important role in the host response to parasitism by ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulína Kocáková
- Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 842 45 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Kocáková P, Sláviková M, Hajnická V, Slovák M, Gašperík J, Vančová I, Fuchsberger N, Nuttall PA. Effect of fast protein liquid chromatography fractionated salivary gland extracts from different ixodid tick species on interleukin-8 binding to its cell receptors. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2003. [DOI: 10.14411/fp.2003.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Sláviková M, Kocáková P, Slovák M, Vancová I, Hajnická V, Gasperík J, Fuchsberger N, Nuttall PA. Vesicular stomatitis virus nucleocapsid protein production in cells treated with selected fast protein liquid chromatography fractions of tick salivary gland extracts. Acta Virol 2003; 46:117-20. [PMID: 12387504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
A salivary gland extract (SGE) prepared from 5-days-fed Dermacentor reticulatus female ticks was fractionated by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). The effect of three FPLC fractions selected on the basis of anti-interleukin 8 (anti-IL-8) activity on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) nucleocapsid (N) protein formation in mouse L-cells was determined. Infected 14C-labeled cells treated with the FPLC fractions were analyzed by two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis. The yields of VSV N protein were evaluated by Imagemaster software analysis. Most noticeable was an increase in the N protein production after treatment with the fraction 39 corresponding to the major peak of the anti-IL-8 activity. The nature of the substance in SGE that was responsible for this effect remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Sláviková
- Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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Kubes M, Kocáková P, Slovák M, Sláviková M, Fuchsberger N, Nuttall PA. Heterogeneity in the effect of different ixodid tick species on human natural killer cell activity. Parasite Immunol 2002; 24:23-8. [PMID: 11856443 DOI: 10.1046/j.0141-9838.2001.00434.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Tick saliva plays a vital role in blood-feeding, including manipulation of the host response to tick infestation. Furthermore, a diverse number of tick-borne pathogens are transmitted to vertebrate hosts via tick saliva, some of which exploit the immunomodulatory activities of their vector's saliva. We report that salivary gland extracts (SGE) derived from Dermacentor reticulatus adult ticks induce a decrease in the natural killer (NK) activity of effector cells obtained from healthy human blood donors. The decrease was observed with SGE from both female and male D. reticulatus fed for either 3 or 5 days on mice, but no significant effect was observed with SGE from unfed ticks or ticks that had fed for 1 day. These results indicate that the tick anti-NK factor(s) is only active after blood-feeding has commenced. Microscopic examination revealed that the first step of NK activity, namely effector/target cell conjugate formation, was affected by SGE. The observed reduction in conjugate formation occurred when effector (but not target) cells were treated with SGE for 30 min, and the effect persisted after 12 h of treatment. Similar but less potent anti-NK activity was detected for SGE from Amblyomma variegatum and Haemaphysalis inermis. By contrast, SGE derived from Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus female ticks did not decrease NK activity. The apparent absence of such activity in these two important vectors of tick-borne viruses suggests that control of NK cells does not play an important role in promoting virus transmission, at least for these particular species.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kubes
- Institutes of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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Abstract
Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is one of many mammalian chemokines (chemotactic cytokines) that direct mammalian inflammatory and immune cells to sites of injury and infection. Chemokines are produced locally and act on leucocytes through selective receptors. The principal role of IL-8 is to control the movement and activity of neutrophils. To date, several tick species have been shown to modulate the production or activity of certain cytokines but none of these are chemokines. Using an IL-8 specific ELISA, we showed that salivary gland extracts (SGE) from several ixodid tick species (Dermacentor reticulatus, Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Haemaphysalis inermis and Ixodes ricinus) reduced the level of detectable IL-8. Analyses of fractionated SGE revealed one similar peak of activity for D. reticulatus, A. variegatum and R. appendiculatus; a second peak, observed for D. reticulatus and A. variegatum, differed between the two species. Using radiolabelled IL-8, SGE and peak activity fractions of D. reticulatus were shown to bind the chemokine, and to inhibit binding of IL-8 to its receptors on human granuolocytes enriched for neutrophils. The biological significance of these observations was demonstrated by the ability of SGE to inhibit IL-8 induced chemotaxis of human blood granulocytes. Future isolation and characterization of the active molecules will enable determination of their functional roles in bloodfeeding and effect on tick-borne pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Hajnická
- Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava, Slovakia
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