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Shum MHH, Lee Y, Tam L, Xia H, Chung OLW, Guo Z, Lam TTY. Binding affinity between coronavirus spike protein and human ACE2 receptor. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:759-770. [PMID: 38304547 PMCID: PMC10831124 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) pose a major risk to global public health due to their ability to infect diverse animal species and potential for emergence in humans. The CoV spike protein mediates viral entry into the cell and plays a crucial role in determining the binding affinity to host cell receptors. With particular emphasis on α- and β-coronaviruses that infect humans and domestic animals, current research on CoV receptor use suggests that the exploitation of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor poses a significant threat for viral emergence with pandemic potential. This review summarizes the approaches used to study binding interactions between CoV spike proteins and the human ACE2 (hACE2) receptor. Solid-phase enzyme immunoassays and cell binding assays allow qualitative assessment of binding but lack quantitative evaluation of affinity. Surface plasmon resonance, Bio-layer interferometry, and Microscale Thermophoresis on the other hand, provide accurate affinity measurement through equilibrium dissociation constants (KD). In silico modeling predicts affinity through binding structure modeling, protein-protein docking simulations, and binding energy calculations but reveals inconsistent results due to the lack of a standardized approach. Machine learning and deep learning models utilize simulated and experimental protein-protein interaction data to elucidate the critical residues associated with CoV binding affinity to hACE2. Further optimization and standardization of existing approaches for studying binding affinity could aid pandemic preparedness. Specifically, prioritizing surveillance of CoVs that can bind to human receptors stands to mitigate the risk of zoonotic spillover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Ho-Hin Shum
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yang Lee
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Centre for Immunology and Infection (C2i), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Leighton Tam
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hui Xia
- Department of Chemistry, South University of Science and Technology of China, China
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Oscar Lung-Wa Chung
- Department of Chemistry, South University of Science and Technology of China, China
| | - Zhihong Guo
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
- Centre for Immunology and Infection (C2i), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
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Debnath U, Mitra A, Dewaker V, Prabhakar YS, Tadala R, Krishnan K, Wagh P, Velusamy U, Baliyan A, Kurpad AV, Bhattacharyya P, Mandal AK. Conformational perturbation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using N-acetyl cysteine: an exploration of probable mechanism of action to combat COVID-19. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:5042-5052. [PMID: 37477247 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2234031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The infection caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) resulted in a pandemic with huge death toll and economic consequences. The virus attaches itself to the human epithelial cells through noncovalent bonding of its spike protein with the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor on the host cell. Based on in silico studies we hypothesized that perturbing the functionally active conformation of spike protein through the reduction of its solvent accessible disulfide bonds, thereby disintegrating its structural architecture, may be a feasible strategy to prevent infection by reducing the binding affinity towards ACE2 enzyme. Proteomics data showed that N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), an antioxidant and mucolytic agent been widely in use in clinical medicine, forms covalent conjugates with solvent accessible cysteine residues of spike protein that were disulfide bonded in the native state. Further, in silico analysis indicated that the presence of the selective covalent conjugation of NAC with Cys525 perturbed the stereo specific orientations of the interacting key residues of spike protein that resulted in threefold weakening in the binding affinity of spike protein with ACE2 receptor. Interestingly, almost all SARS-CoV-2 variants conserved cystine residues in the spike protein. Our finding results possibly provides a molecular basis for identifying NAC and/or its analogues for targeting Cys-525 of the viral spike protein as fusion inhibitor and exploring in vivo pharmaco-preventive and its therapeutic potential activity for COVID-19 disease. However, in-vitro assay and animal model-based experiment are required to validate the probable mechanism of action.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Utsab Debnath
- School of Health Science and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India
| | - Amrita Mitra
- Clinical Proteomics Unit, Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Varun Dewaker
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - Yenamandra S Prabhakar
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - Raghu Tadala
- Waters India Private Limited No. 36A, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Padmakar Wagh
- Waters India Private Limited No. 36A, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Aastha Baliyan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, India
| | - Anura V Kurpad
- Department of Physiology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, India
| | | | - Amit Kumar Mandal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, India
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Mo W, Ni S, Zhou M, Wen J, Qi D, Huang J, Yang Y, Xu Y, Wang X, Zhao Z. An electron density clustering based adaptive segmentation method for protein Raman spectrum calculation. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 314:124155. [PMID: 38552542 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique for protein detection, but the calculation of Raman spectrum is a longstanding challenging problem due to the large sizes and complex structures of protein molecules. Dividing proteins into fragments can greatly accelerate the calculation, but this usually introduces large errors originating from ignored interactions between fragments into obtained spectra. In this paper, we proposed a new adaptive segmentation method based on the strength of interactions and molecular shapes and structures, i.e., electron density clustering, to divide proteins. It can reduce errors of obtained Raman spectra by about 20% compared to the uniform segmentation method without a significant increase in computational cost. This method can facilitate the validation and analysis of detected Raman spectra of proteins and promote the application of Raman spectroscopy in biological detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Mo
- National Key Laboratory of Plasma Physics, Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China; Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Ni
- Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Minjie Zhou
- Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Jiaxing Wen
- National Key Laboratory of Plasma Physics, Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Daojian Qi
- Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Jinglin Huang
- Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Yue Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Plasma Physics, Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Xuewu Wang
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Zongqing Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Plasma Physics, Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China.
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Machado LC, Dezordi FZ, de Lima GB, de Lima RE, Silva LCA, Pereira LDM, da Silva AF, Silva Neto AMD, Oliveira ALSD, Armstrong ADC, Pessoa-E-Silva R, Loyo RM, Silva BDO, de Almeida AR, da Rocha Pitta MG, Santos FDADS, Mendonça Siqueira M, Resende PC, Delatorre E, Naveca FG, Miyajima F, Gräf T, do Carmo RF, Pereira MC, Campos TDL, Bezerra MF, Paiva MHS, Wallau GDL. Spatiotemporal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 lineages during 2020-2021 in Pernambuco-Brazil. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0421823. [PMID: 38651879 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04218-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged as a new threat to humans and spread around the world, leaving a large death toll. As of January 2023, Brazil is among the countries with the highest number of registered deaths. Nonpharmacological and pharmacological interventions have been heterogeneously implemented in the country, which, associated with large socioeconomic differences between the country regions, has led to distinct virus spread dynamics. Here, we investigate the spatiotemporal dispersion of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in the Pernambuco state (Northeast Brazil) throughout the distinct epidemiological scenarios that unfolded in the first 2 years of the pandemic. We generated a total of 1,389 new SARS-CoV-2 genomes from June 2020 to August 2021. This sampling captured the arrival, communitary transmission, and the circulation of the B1.1, B.1.1.28, and B.1.1.33 lineages; the emergence of the former variant of interest P.2; and the emergence and fast replacement of all previous variants by the more transmissible variant of concern P.1 (Gamma). Based on the incidence and lineage spread pattern, we observed an East-to-West to inner state pattern of transmission, which is in agreement with the transmission of more populous metropolitan areas to medium- and small-size country-side cities in the state. Such transmission patterns may be partially explained by the main routes of traffic across municipalities in the state. Our results highlight that the fine-grained intrastate analysis of lineages and incidence spread can provide actionable insights for planning future nonpharmacological intervention for air-borne transmissible human pathogens.IMPORTANCEDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazil was one of the most affected countries, mainly due its continental-size, socioeconomic differences among regions, and heterogeneous implementation of intervention methods. In order to investigate SARS-CoV-2 dynamics in the state of Pernambuco, we conducted a spatiotemporal dispersion study, covering the period from June 2020 to August 2021, to comprehend the dynamics of viral transmission during the first 2 years of the pandemic. Throughout this study, we were able to track three significant epidemiological waves of transmission caused by B1.1, B.1.1.28, B.1.1.33, P.2, and P.1 lineages. These analyses provided valuable insights into the evolution of the epidemiological landscape, contributing to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of virus transmission during the early years of the pandemic in the state of Pernambuco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lais Ceschini Machado
- Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM)-Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Filipe Zimmer Dezordi
- Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM)-Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Núcleo de Bioinformática (NBI), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Barbosa de Lima
- Núcleo de Plataformas Tecnológicas (NPT), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Raul Emídio de Lima
- Núcleo de Plataformas Tecnológicas (NPT), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Lilian Caroliny Amorim Silva
- Núcleo de Plataformas Tecnológicas (NPT), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Leandro de Mattos Pereira
- Núcleo de Bioinformática (NBI), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Freitas da Silva
- Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM)-Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Núcleo de Bioinformática (NBI), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | - André Luiz Sá de Oliveira
- Núcleo de Estatística e Geoprocessamento, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM)- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz Pernambuco- FIOCRUZ-PE, Recife, Brazil
| | | | - Rômulo Pessoa-E-Silva
- Suely-Galdino Therapeutic Innovation Research Center (NUPIT-SG), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Moraes Loyo
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Barbara de Oliveira Silva
- Suely-Galdino Therapeutic Innovation Research Center (NUPIT-SG), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Anderson Rodrigues de Almeida
- Suely-Galdino Therapeutic Innovation Research Center (NUPIT-SG), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Maira Galdino da Rocha Pitta
- Suely-Galdino Therapeutic Innovation Research Center (NUPIT-SG), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | - Marilda Mendonça Siqueira
- Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles (LVRS), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ-Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paola Cristina Resende
- Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles (LVRS), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ-Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Edson Delatorre
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Gomes Naveca
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Doenças Transmissíveis na Amazônia (EDTA), Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, FIOCRUZ-Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Fabio Miyajima
- Analytical Competence Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory (ACME), FIOCRUZ-Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Tiago Gräf
- Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Michelly Cristiny Pereira
- Suely-Galdino Therapeutic Innovation Research Center (NUPIT-SG), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Tulio de Lima Campos
- Núcleo de Bioinformática (NBI), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Matheus Filgueira Bezerra
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Henrique Santos Paiva
- Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM)-Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Núcleo de Ciências da Vida, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Centro Acadêmico do Agreste, Caruaru, Brazil
| | - Gabriel da Luz Wallau
- Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM)-Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Núcleo de Bioinformática (NBI), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), FIOCRUZ-Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Department of Arbovirology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, National Reference Center for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Hamburg, Germany
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Tsukamoto A, Jae Man L, Oyama K, Masuda A, Mon H, Ueda T, Kusakabe T. Effective expression and characterization of the receptor binding domains in SARS-CoV-2 Spike proteins from original strain and variants of concern using Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus in silkworm. Protein Expr Purif 2024; 218:106450. [PMID: 38395208 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2024.106450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
A new coronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is responsible for the global pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020. Through structural analysis, it was found that several amino acid residues in the human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (hACE2) receptor directly interact with those in the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike glycoprotein (S-protein). Various cell lines, including HEK293, HeLa cells, and the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) with the insect cell line Sf9, have been utilized to produce the RBD. In this study, we investigated the use of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) and BEVS. For efficient production of a highly pure recombinant RBD protein, we designed it with two tags (His tag and STREP tag) at the C-terminus and a solubilizing tag (SUMO) at the N-terminus. After expressing the protein using BmNPV and silkworm and purifying it with a HisTrap excel column, the eluted protein was digested with SUMO protease and further purified using a Strep-Tactin Superflow column. As a result, we obtained the RBD as a monomer with a yield of 2.6 mg/10 mL serum (equivalent to 30 silkworms). The RBD showed an affinity for the hACE2 receptor. Additionally, the RBDs from the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants were expressed and purified using the same protocol. It was found that the RBD from the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants could be obtained with yields of 1.4-2.6 mg/10 mL serum and had an affinity to the hACE2 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Tsukamoto
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Lee Jae Man
- Laboratory of Creative Science for Insect Industries, Kyushu University Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Kosuke Oyama
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Akitsu Masuda
- Laboratory of Creative Science for Insect Industries, Kyushu University Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Mon
- Laboratory of Insect Genome Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Tadashi Ueda
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
| | - Takahiro Kusakabe
- Laboratory of Insect Genome Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan.
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Rosa L, Cutone A, Galla R, Uberti F, Valenti P. Neutralizing activity of Usnic acid and β-cyclodextrins complex against SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus. Nat Prod Res 2024; 38:2129-2134. [PMID: 37436919 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2235715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 and its infection severity require an urgent development of antiviral agents. In this respect, Usnic acid (UA), a natural dibenzofuran derivative, exerts antiviral activity against several viruses, though presenting very low solubility and high cytotoxicity. Here, UA was complexed with β-cyclodextrins (β-CDs), a pharmaceutical excipient used to improve drug solubility. The cytotoxic activity, tested on Vero E6 cells, revealed no effect for β-CDs alone whereas significant cytotoxicity for the UA/β-CDs complex was recorded at concentrations ≥ 0.05%. The neutralizing activity towards the fusion of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Pseudovirus showed no effects for β-CDs alone whereas the UA/β-CDs complex, when pre-incubated with the viral particles, efficiently inhibited the Pseudoviral fusion of about 90 and 82% at non-cytotoxic concentrations of 0.03 and 0.01%, respectively. In conclusion, although further evidences are needed to clarify the exact inhibition mechanism, UA/β-CDs complex could be useful in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Rosa
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Antimo Cutone
- Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Pesche, Italy
| | - Rebecca Galla
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
- Noivita srls, spin-off, Novara, Italy
| | - Francesca Uberti
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Piera Valenti
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
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Wang Z, Fan H, Wu J. Food-Derived Up-Regulators and Activators of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2: A Review. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024. [PMID: 38810024 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c01594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a key enzyme in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), also serving as an amino acid transporter and a receptor for certain coronaviruses. Its primary role is to protect the cardiovascular system via the ACE2/Ang (1-7)/MasR cascade. Given the critical roles of ACE2 in regulating numerous physiological functions, molecules that can upregulate or activate ACE2 show vast therapeutic value. There are only a few ACE2 activators that have been reported, a wide range of molecules, including food-derived compounds, have been reported as ACE2 up-regulators. Effective doses of bioactive peptides range from 10 to 50 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day when orally administered for 1 to 7 weeks. Protein hydrolysates require higher doses at 1000 mg/kg BW/day for 20 days. Phytochemicals and vitamins are effective at doses typically ranging from 10 to 200 mg/kg BW/day for 3 days to 6 months, while Traditional Chinese Medicine requires doses of 1.25 to 12.96 g/kg BW/day for 4 to 8 weeks. ACE2 activation is linked to its hinge-bending region, while upregulation involves various signaling pathways, transcription factors, and epigenetic modulators. Future studies are expected to explore novel roles of ACE2 activators or up-regulators in disease treatments and translate the discovery to bedside applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Wang
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-10 Ag/For Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P5, Canada
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R7, Canada
| | - Hongbing Fan
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546, United States
| | - Jianping Wu
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-10 Ag/For Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P5, Canada
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R7, Canada
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Le UNP, Chang YJ, Lu CH, Chen Y, Su WC, Chao ST, Baltina LA, Petrova SF, Li SR, Hung MC, Lai MMC, Baltina LA, Lin CW. Glycyrrhizic acid conjugates with amino acid methyl esters target the main protease, exhibiting antiviral activity against wild-type and nirmatrelvir-resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants. Antiviral Res 2024; 227:105920. [PMID: 38821317 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic is predominantly caused by SARS-CoV-2, with its main protease, Mpro, playing a pivotal role in viral replication and serving as a potential target for inhibiting different variants. In this study, potent Mpro inhibitors were identified from glycyrrhizic acid (GL) derivatives with amino acid methyl/ethyl esters. Out of the 17 derivatives semisynthesized, Compounds 2, 6, 9, and 15, with methionine methyl esters, D-tyrosine methyl esters, glutamic acid methyl esters, and methionines in the carbohydrate moiety, respectively, significantly inhibited wild-type SARS-CoV-2 Mpro-mediated proteolysis, with IC50 values ranging from 0.06 μM to 0.84 μM. They also demonstrated efficacy in inhibiting trans-cleavage by mutant Mpro variants (Mpro_P132H, Mpro_E166V, Mpro_P168A, Mpro_Q189I), with IC50 values ranging from 0.05 to 0.92 μM, surpassing nirmatrelvir (IC50: 1.17-152.9 μM). Molecular modeling revealed stronger interactions with Valine166 in the structural complex of Mpro_E166V with the compounds compared to nirmatrelvir. Moreover, these compounds efficiently inhibited the post-entry viral processes of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 single-round infectious particles (SRIPs), mitigating viral cytopathic effects and reducing replicon-driven GFP reporter signals, as well as in vitro infectivity of wild-type, Mpro_E166V, and Mpro_Q189I SRIPs, with EC50 values ranging from 0.02 to 0.53 μM. However, nirmatrelvir showed a significant decrease in inhibiting the replication of mutant SARS-CoV-2 SRIPs carrying Mpro_E166V (EC50: >20 μM) and Mpro_Q189I (EC50: 13.2 μM) compared to wild-type SRIPs (EC50: 0.06 μM). Overall, this study identifies four GL derivatives as promising lead compounds for developing treatments against various SARS-CoV-2 strains, including Omicron, and nirmatrelvir-resistant variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uyen Nguyen Phuong Le
- Graduate Institute of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Jen Chang
- The Ph.D. Program of Biotechnology and Biomedical Industry, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hao Lu
- The Ph.D. Program of Biotechnology and Biomedical Industry, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Yeh Chen
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chi Su
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Ting Chao
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Lia A Baltina
- Ufa Institute of Chemistry, Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia
| | - Svetlana F Petrova
- Ufa Institute of Chemistry, Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia
| | - Sin-Rong Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 404327, Taiwan
| | - Mien-Chie Hung
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, 404327, Taiwan; Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 404327, Taiwan
| | - Michael M C Lai
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115201, Taiwan
| | - Lidia A Baltina
- Ufa Institute of Chemistry, Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia.
| | - Cheng-Wen Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; The Ph.D. Program of Biotechnology and Biomedical Industry, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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9
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Liu C, Xu S, Zheng Y, Xie Y, Xu K, Chai Y, Luo T, Dai L, Gao GF. Mosaic RBD nanoparticle elicits immunodominant antibody responses across sarbecoviruses. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114235. [PMID: 38748880 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticle vaccines displaying mosaic receptor-binding domains (RBDs) or spike (S) from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or other sarbecoviruses are used in preparedness against potential zoonotic outbreaks. Here, we describe a self-assembling nanoparticle using lumazine synthase (LuS) as the scaffold to display RBDs from different sarbecoviruses. Mosaic nanoparticles induce sarbecovirus cross-neutralizing antibodies comparable to a nanoparticle cocktail. We find mosaic nanoparticles elicit a B cell receptor repertoire using an immunodominant germline gene pair of IGHV14-3:IGKV14-111. Most of the tested IGHV14-3:IGKV14-111 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are broadly cross-reactive to clade 1a, 1b, and 3 sarbecoviruses. Using mAb competition and cryo-electron microscopy, we determine that a representative IGHV14-3:IGKV14-111 mAb, M2-7, binds to a conserved epitope on the RBD, largely overlapping with the pan-sarbecovirus mAb S2H97. This suggests mosaic nanoparticles expand B cell recognition of the common epitopes shared by different clades of sarbecoviruses. These results provide immunological insights into the cross-reactive responses elicited by mosaic nanoparticles against sarbecoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanyu Liu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Senyu Xu
- Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Yuxuan Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yufeng Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Kun Xu
- Research Network of Immunity and Health (RNIH), Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yan Chai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Tingrong Luo
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Lianpan Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - George F Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; Research Network of Immunity and Health (RNIH), Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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10
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Liu B, Niu X, Deng Y, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Gao X, Liang H, Li Z, Wang Q, Cheng Y, Chen Q, Huang S, Pan Y, Su M, Lin X, Niu C, Chen Y, Yang W, Zhang Y, Yan Q, He J, Zhao J, Chen L, Xiong X. An unconventional VH1-2 antibody tolerates escape mutations and shows an antigenic hotspot on SARS-CoV-2 spike. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114265. [PMID: 38805396 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein continues to evolve antigenically, impacting antibody immunity. D1F6, an affinity-matured non-stereotypic VH1-2 antibody isolated from a patient infected with the SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain, effectively neutralizes most Omicron variants tested, including XBB.1.5. We identify that D1F6 in the immunoglobulin G (IgG) form is able to overcome the effect of most Omicron mutations through its avidity-enhanced multivalent S-trimer binding. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and biochemical analyses show that three simultaneous epitope mutations are generally needed to substantially disrupt the multivalent S-trimer binding by D1F6 IgG. Antigenic mutations at spike positions 346, 444, and 445, which appeared in the latest variants, have little effect on D1F6 binding individually. However, these mutations are able to act synergistically with earlier Omicron mutations to impair neutralization by affecting the interaction between D1F6 IgG and the S-trimer. These results provide insight into the mechanism by which accumulated antigenic mutations facilitate evasion of affinity-matured antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banghui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuefeng Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yijun Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoyong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xijie Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zimu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Guangzhou Laboratory & Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyi Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiuluan Chen
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health - Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuangshuang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingxian Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengzhen Su
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiancheng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chuanying Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yinglin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenyi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yudi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qihong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun He
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jincun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Ling Chen
- Guangzhou Laboratory & Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xiaoli Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
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11
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Liu X, Sun S, Liu J, Dang Q, Gao Y, Fang L, Min W. Isolation, Virtual Screening, and Evaluation of Hazelnut-Derived Immunoactive Peptides for the Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:11561-11576. [PMID: 38739709 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c01942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to validate the activity of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.)-derived immunoactive peptides inhibiting the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 and further unveil their interaction mechanism using in vitro assays, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and binding free energy calculations. In general, the enzymatic hydrolysis components, especially molecular weight < 3 kDa, possess good immune activity as measured by the proliferation ability of mouse splenic lymphocytes and phagocytic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages. Over 866 unique peptide sequences were isolated, purified, and then identified by nanohigh-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (NANO-HPLC-MS/MS) from hazelnut protein hydrolysates, but Trp-Trp-Asn-Leu-Asn (WWNLN) and Trp-Ala-Val-Leu-Lys (WAVLK) in particular are found to increase the cell viability and phagocytic capacity of RAW264.7 macrophages as well as promote the secretion of the cytokines nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay elucidated that WWNLN and WAVLK exhibit excellent inhibitory potency against Mpro, with IC50 values of 6.695 and 16.750 μM, respectively. Classical all-atom MD simulations show that hydrogen bonds play a pivotal role in stabilizing the complex conformation and protein-peptide interaction. Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) calculation indicates that WWNLN has a lower binding free energy with Mpro than WAVLK. Furthermore, adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) predictions illustrate favorable drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties of WWNLN compared to WAVLK. This study provides a new understanding of the immunomodulatory activity of hazelnut hydrolysates and sheds light on peptide inhibitors targeting Mpro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Liu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Shuo Sun
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Jiale Liu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Qiao Dang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Yawen Gao
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Li Fang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Weihong Min
- College of Food Science and Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat and Corn Deep Processing, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, P. R. China
- College of Food and Health, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, P. R. China
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12
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Kalashnyk O, Lykhmus O, Sullivan R, Komisarenko S, Skok M. Agonists or positive allosteric modulators of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor prevent interaction of SARS-Cov-2 receptor-binding domain with astrocytoma cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 709:149825. [PMID: 38537599 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
SARS-Cov-2, the virus causing COVID-19, penetrates host target cells via the receptor of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Disrupting the virus interaction with ACE2 affords a plausible mechanism for prevention of cell penetration and inhibiting dissemination of the virus. Our studies demonstrate that ACE2 interaction with the receptor binding domain of SARS-Cov-2 spike protein (RBD) can be impaired by modulating the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) contiguous with ACE2. U373 cells of human astrocytoma origin were shown to bind both ACE2-specific antibody and recombinant RBD in Cell-ELISA. ACE2 was found to interact with α7 nAChR in U373 cell lysates studied by Sandwich ELISA. Our studies demonstrate that inhibition of RBD binding to ACE2-expressing U373 cells were defined with α7 nAChR agonists choline and PNU282987, but not a competitive antagonist methyllicaconitine (MLA). Additionally, the type 2 positive allosteric modulator (PAM2) PNU120596 and hydroxyurea (HU) also inhibited the binding. Our studies demonstrate that activation of α7 AChRs has efficacy in inhibiting the SARS-Cov-2 interaction with the ACE2 receptor and in such a way can prevent virus target cell penetration. These studies also help to clarify the consistent efficacy and positive outcomes for utilizing HU in treating COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena Kalashnyk
- Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, NAS of Ukraine, 9, Leontovycha Str., 01054, Kyiv, Ukraine.
| | - Olena Lykhmus
- Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, NAS of Ukraine, 9, Leontovycha Str., 01054, Kyiv, Ukraine.
| | | | - Serhiy Komisarenko
- Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, NAS of Ukraine, 9, Leontovycha Str., 01054, Kyiv, Ukraine.
| | - Maryna Skok
- Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, NAS of Ukraine, 9, Leontovycha Str., 01054, Kyiv, Ukraine.
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13
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Vishweshwaraiah YL, Hnath B, Wang J, Chandler M, Mukherjee A, Yennawar NH, Booker SJ, Afonin KA, Dokholyan NV. A Piecewise Design Approach to Engineering a Miniature ACE2 Mimic to Bind SARS-CoV-2. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:3238-3246. [PMID: 38700999 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues its global spread, the exploration of novel therapeutic and diagnostic strategies is still needed. The virus enters host cells by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor through the spike protein. Here, we develop an engineered, small, stable, and catalytically inactive version of ACE2, termed miniature ACE2 (mACE2), designed to bind the spike protein with high affinity. Employing a magnetic nanoparticle-based assay, we harnessed the strong binding affinity of mACE2 to develop a sensitive and specific platform for the detection or neutralization of SARS-CoV-2. Our findings highlight the potential of engineered mACE2 as a valuable tool in the fight against SARS-CoV-2. The success of developing such a small reagent based on a piecewise molecular design serves as a proof-of-concept approach for the rapid deployment of such agents to diagnose and fight other viral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brianna Hnath
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
| | - Morgan Chandler
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Neela H Yennawar
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Squire J Booker
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
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14
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Tang X, Liu Y, Wang J, Long T, Yee Mok BW, Huang Y, Peng Z, Jia Q, Liu C, So PK, Pui-Kam Tse S, Hei Ng C, Liu S, Sun F, Tang S, Yao ZP, Chen H, Guo Y. Identifications of novel host cell factors that interact with the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. J Biol Chem 2024:107390. [PMID: 38777146 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells is facilitated by the interaction between the receptor binding domain of its spike protein (CoV2-RBD) and host cell receptor, ACE2, promoting viral membrane fusion. The virus also uses endocytic pathways for entry, but the mediating host factors remain largely unknown. It is also unknown whether mutations in the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 variants promote interactions with additional host factors to promote viral entry. Here, we used the GST pull-down approach to identify novel surface-located host factors that bind to CoV2-RBD. One of these factors, SH3BP4, regulates internalization of CoV2-RBD in an ACE2-independent, but integrin- and clathrin-dependent manner, and mediates SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry, suggesting that SH3BP4 promotes viral entry via the endocytic route. Many of the identified factors, including SH3BP4, ADAM9 and TMEM2, show stronger affinity to CoV2-RBD than to RBD of the less infective SARS-CoV, suggesting SARS-CoV-2-specific utilization. We also found factors preferentially binding to the RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, potentially enhancing its entry. These data identify the repertoire of host cell surface factors that function in the events leading to entry of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Tang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Enzymology and Mechanism of Major Diseases, Auhui Provincial Engineering Research Centre for Molecular Detection and Diagnostics, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China; Division of Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
| | - Yang Liu
- Division of Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
| | - Jinhui Wang
- Division of Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
| | - Teng Long
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics Limited, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bobo Wing Yee Mok
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics Limited, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Division of Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
| | - Ziqing Peng
- Division of Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
| | - Qinyu Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Research Institute for Future Food and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chengxi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Research Institute for Future Food and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Pui-Kin So
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Research Institute for Future Food and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Sirius Pui-Kam Tse
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Research Institute for Future Food and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Cheuk Hei Ng
- Division of Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
| | - Shiyi Liu
- Thrust of Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), China
| | - Fei Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shaojun Tang
- Thrust of Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), China
| | - Zhong-Ping Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Research Institute for Future Food and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Honglin Chen
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics Limited, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yusong Guo
- Division of Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong; Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China.
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15
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Liang R, Fan A, Wang F, Niu Y. Optical lateral flow assays in early diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. ANAL SCI 2024:10.1007/s44211-024-00596-6. [PMID: 38758251 DOI: 10.1007/s44211-024-00596-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
So far, the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading widely worldwide. The early diagnosis of infection by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is essential to provide timely treatment and prevent its further spread. Lateral flow assays (LFAs) have the advantages of rapid detection, simple operation, low cost, ease of mass production, and no need for special devices and professional operators, which make them suitable for self-testing at home. This review focuses on the early diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection based on optical LFAs including colorimetric, fluorescent (FL), chemiluminescent (CL), and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) LFAs for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigens and nucleic acids. The types of recognition components, detection modes used for antigen detection, labels employed in different optical LFAs, and strategies to improve the detection sensitivity of LFAs were reviewed. Meanwhile, LFAs coupled with different nucleic acid amplification techniques and CRISPR-Cas systems for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids were summarized. We hope this review provides research mentalities for developing highly sensitive LFAs that can be used in home self-testing for the early diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rushi Liang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Aiping Fan
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China.
| | - Feiqian Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Yajing Niu
- Beijing Pharma and Biotech Center, Beijing, 100035, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Faraji N, Zeinali T, Joukar F, Aleali MS, Eslami N, Shenagari M, Mansour-Ghanaei F. Mutational dynamics of SARS-CoV-2: Impact on future COVID-19 vaccine strategies. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30208. [PMID: 38707429 PMCID: PMC11066641 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid emergence of multiple strains of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has sparked profound concerns regarding the ongoing evolution of the virus and its potential impact on global health. Classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as variants of concern (VOC), these strains exhibit heightened transmissibility and pathogenicity, posing significant challenges to existing vaccine strategies. Despite widespread vaccination efforts, the continual evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants presents a formidable obstacle to achieving herd immunity. Of particular concern is the coronavirus spike (S) protein, a pivotal viral surface protein crucial for host cell entry and infectivity. Mutations within the S protein have been shown to enhance transmissibility and confer resistance to antibody-mediated neutralization, undermining the efficacy of traditional vaccine platforms. Moreover, the S protein undergoes rapid molecular evolution under selective immune pressure, leading to the emergence of diverse variants with distinct mutation profiles. This review underscores the urgent need for vigilance and adaptation in vaccine development efforts to combat the evolving landscape of SARS-CoV-2 mutations and ensure the long-term effectiveness of global immunization campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloofar Faraji
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Tahereh Zeinali
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Farahnaz Joukar
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Maryam Sadat Aleali
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Narges Eslami
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Mohammad Shenagari
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Fariborz Mansour-Ghanaei
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
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17
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Yang R, Han P, Han P, Li D, Zhao R, Niu S, Liu K, Li S, Tian WX, Gao GF. Molecular basis of hippopotamus ACE2 binding to SARS-CoV-2. J Virol 2024; 98:e0045124. [PMID: 38591877 PMCID: PMC11092335 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00451-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a wide range of hosts, including hippopotami, which are semi-aquatic mammals and phylogenetically closely related to Cetacea. In this study, we characterized the binding properties of hippopotamus angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hiACE2) to the spike (S) protein receptor binding domains (RBDs) of the SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) and variants of concern (VOCs). Furthermore, the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the SARS-CoV-2 PT S protein complexed with hiACE2 was resolved. Structural and mutational analyses revealed that L30 and F83, which are specific to hiACE2, played a crucial role in the hiACE2/SARS-CoV-2 RBD interaction. In addition, comparative and structural analysis of ACE2 orthologs suggested that the cetaceans may have the potential to be infected by SARS-CoV-2. These results provide crucial molecular insights into the susceptibility of hippopotami to SARS-CoV-2 and suggest the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs spillover and the necessity for surveillance. IMPORTANCE The hippopotami are the first semi-aquatic artiodactyl mammals wherein SARS-CoV-2 infection has been reported. Exploration of the invasion mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 will provide important information for the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in hippopotami, as well as other semi-aquatic mammals and cetaceans. Here, we found that hippopotamus ACE2 (hiACE2) could efficiently bind to the RBDs of the SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) and variants of concern (VOCs) and facilitate the transduction of SARS-CoV-2 PT and VOCs pseudoviruses into hiACE2-expressing cells. The cryo-EM structure of the SARS-CoV-2 PT S protein complexed with hiACE2 elucidated a few critical residues in the RBD/hiACE2 interface, especially L30 and F83 of hiACE2 which are unique to hiACE2 and contributed to the decreased binding affinity to PT RBD compared to human ACE2. Our work provides insight into cross-species transmission and highlights the necessity for monitoring host jumps and spillover events on SARS-CoV-2 in semi-aquatic/aquatic mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruirui Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Pu Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Pengcheng Han
- School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dedong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Runchu Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Sheng Niu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Kefang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Shihua Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Xia Tian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - George Fu Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
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18
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Liu B, Liu H, Han P, Wang X, Wang C, Yan X, Lei W, Xu K, Zhou J, Qi J, Fan R, Wu G, Tian WX, Gao GF, Wang Q. Enhanced potency of an IgM-like nanobody targeting conserved epitope in SARS-CoV-2 spike N-terminal domain. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:131. [PMID: 38740785 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01847-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Almost all the neutralizing antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike (S) protein show weakened or lost efficacy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged or emerging variants, such as Omicron and its sub-variants. This suggests that highly conserved epitopes are crucial for the development of neutralizing antibodies. Here, we present one nanobody, N235, displaying broad neutralization against the SARS-CoV-2 prototype and multiple variants, including the newly emerged Omicron and its sub-variants. Cryo-electron microscopy demonstrates N235 binds a novel, conserved, cryptic epitope in the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the S protein, which interferes with the RBD in the neighboring S protein. The neutralization mechanism interpreted via flow cytometry and Western blot shows that N235 appears to induce the S1 subunit shedding from the trimeric S complex. Furthermore, a nano-IgM construct (MN235), engineered by fusing N235 with the human IgM Fc region, displays prevention via inducing S1 shedding and cross-linking virus particles. Compared to N235, MN235 exhibits varied enhancement in neutralization against pseudotyped and authentic viruses in vitro. The intranasal administration of MN235 in low doses can effectively prevent the infection of Omicron sub-variant BA.1 and XBB in vivo, suggesting that it can be developed as a promising prophylactic antibody to cope with the ongoing and future infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, 030801, Jinzhong, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Honghui Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Pu Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Chunmei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, 650504, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Xinxin Yan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, 030801, Jinzhong, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Wenwen Lei
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), 102206, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), 102206, Beijing, China
| | - Jianjie Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxun Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 101408, Beijing, China
| | - Ruiwen Fan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, 030801, Jinzhong, China
| | - Guizhen Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), 102206, Beijing, China.
| | - Wen-Xia Tian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, 030801, Jinzhong, China.
| | - George F Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, 030801, Jinzhong, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China.
| | - Qihui Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, 030801, Jinzhong, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 100101, Beijing, China.
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19
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Cornejo A, Franco C, Rodriguez-Nuñez M, García A, Belisario I, Mayora S, Garzaro DJ, Zambrano JL, Jaspe RC, Hidalgo M, Parra-Giménez N, Claro FE, Liprandi F, de Waard JH, Rangel HR, Pujol FH. Humoral Immunity across the SARS-CoV-2 Spike after Sputnik V (Gam-COVID-Vac) Vaccination. Antibodies (Basel) 2024; 13:41. [PMID: 38804309 PMCID: PMC11130906 DOI: 10.3390/antib13020041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have contributed to attenuating the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic by promoting the development of effective immune responses, thus reducing the spread and severity of the pandemic. A clinical trial with the Sputnik-V vaccine was conducted in Venezuela from December 2020 to July 2021. The aim of this study was to explore the antibody reactivity of vaccinated individuals towards different regions of the spike protein (S). Neutralizing antibody (NAb) activity was assessed using a commercial surrogate assay, detecting NAbs against the receptor-binding domain (RBD), and a plaque reduction neutralization test. NAb levels were correlated with the reactivity of the antibodies to the spike regions over time. The presence of Abs against nucleoprotein was also determined to rule out the effect of exposure to the virus during the clinical trial in the serological response. A high serological reactivity was observed to S and specifically to S1 and the RBD. S2, although recognized with lower intensity by vaccinated individuals, was the subunit exhibiting the highest cross-reactivity in prepandemic sera. This study is in agreement with the high efficacy reported for the Sputnik V vaccine and shows that this vaccine is able to induce an immunity lasting for at least 180 days. The dissection of the Ab reactivity to different regions of S allowed us to identify the relevance of epitopes outside the RBD that are able to induce NAbs. This research may contribute to the understanding of vaccine immunity against SARS-CoV-2, which could contribute to the design of future vaccine strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Cornejo
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica Celular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Caracas 1020A, Venezuela;
| | - Christopher Franco
- Laboratorio de Virología Celular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela; (C.F.); (J.L.Z.)
| | - Mariajose Rodriguez-Nuñez
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela; (M.R.-N.); (D.J.G.); (R.C.J.); (H.R.R.)
| | - Alexis García
- Instituto de Inmunología, Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV), Caracas 1040A, Venezuela; (A.G.); (I.B.); (S.M.)
| | - Inirida Belisario
- Instituto de Inmunología, Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV), Caracas 1040A, Venezuela; (A.G.); (I.B.); (S.M.)
| | - Soriuska Mayora
- Instituto de Inmunología, Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV), Caracas 1040A, Venezuela; (A.G.); (I.B.); (S.M.)
| | - Domingo José Garzaro
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela; (M.R.-N.); (D.J.G.); (R.C.J.); (H.R.R.)
| | - José Luis Zambrano
- Laboratorio de Virología Celular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela; (C.F.); (J.L.Z.)
| | - Rossana Celeste Jaspe
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela; (M.R.-N.); (D.J.G.); (R.C.J.); (H.R.R.)
| | - Mariana Hidalgo
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela;
| | - Nereida Parra-Giménez
- Laboratorio de Fisiología de Parásitos, Centro Biofísica y Bioquímica, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela;
| | - Franklin Ennodio Claro
- Departamento de Tuberculosis, Servicio Autónomo Instituto de Biomedicina “Dr. Jacinto Convit”, UCV, Caracas 1010A, Venezuela; (F.E.C.); (J.H.d.W.)
| | - Ferdinando Liprandi
- Laboratorio de Biología de Virus, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela;
| | - Jacobus Henri de Waard
- Departamento de Tuberculosis, Servicio Autónomo Instituto de Biomedicina “Dr. Jacinto Convit”, UCV, Caracas 1010A, Venezuela; (F.E.C.); (J.H.d.W.)
- Laboratorios de Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias de Salud, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), Quito 170125, Ecuador
| | - Héctor Rafael Rangel
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela; (M.R.-N.); (D.J.G.); (R.C.J.); (H.R.R.)
| | - Flor Helene Pujol
- Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, IVIC, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela; (M.R.-N.); (D.J.G.); (R.C.J.); (H.R.R.)
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20
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Raisinghani N, Alshahrani M, Gupta G, Xiao S, Tao P, Verkhivker G. AlphaFold2 Predictions of Conformational Ensembles and Atomistic Simulations of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike XBB Lineages Reveal Epistatic Couplings between Convergent Mutational Hotspots that Control ACE2 Affinity. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38696745 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we combined AlphaFold-based atomistic structural modeling, microsecond molecular simulations, mutational profiling, and network analysis to characterize binding mechanisms of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with the host receptor ACE2 for a series of Omicron XBB variants including XBB.1.5, XBB.1.5+L455F, XBB.1.5+F456L, and XBB.1.5+L455F+F456L. AlphaFold-based structural and dynamic modeling of SARS-CoV-2 Spike XBB lineages can accurately predict the experimental structures and characterize conformational ensembles of the spike protein complexes with the ACE2. Microsecond molecular dynamics simulations identified important differences in the conformational landscapes and equilibrium ensembles of the XBB variants, suggesting that combining AlphaFold predictions of multiple conformations with molecular dynamics simulations can provide a complementary approach for the characterization of functional protein states and binding mechanisms. Using the ensemble-based mutational profiling of protein residues and physics-based rigorous calculations of binding affinities, we identified binding energy hotspots and characterized the molecular basis underlying epistatic couplings between convergent mutational hotspots. Consistent with the experiments, the results revealed the mediating role of the Q493 hotspot in the synchronization of epistatic couplings between L455F and F456L mutations, providing a quantitative insight into the energetic determinants underlying binding differences between XBB lineages. We also proposed a network-based perturbation approach for mutational profiling of allosteric communications and uncovered the important relationships between allosteric centers mediating long-range communication and binding hotspots of epistatic couplings. The results of this study support a mechanism in which the binding mechanisms of the XBB variants may be determined by epistatic effects between convergent evolutionary hotspots that control ACE2 binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishank Raisinghani
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States
| | - Mohammed Alshahrani
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States
| | - Grace Gupta
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States
| | - Sian Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275, United States
| | - Peng Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275, United States
| | - Gennady Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, California 92618, United States
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21
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Hu Y, Villalan AK, Fan X, Zhang S, Joka FR, Wu X, Wang H, Wang X. Analysis the molecular similarity of least common amino acid sites in ACE2 receptor to predict the potential susceptible species for SARS-CoV-2. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293441. [PMID: 38696505 PMCID: PMC11065212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infections in animals have been reported globally. However, the understanding of the complete spectrum of animals susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 remains limited. The virus's dynamic nature and its potential to infect a wide range of animals are crucial considerations for a One Health approach that integrates both human and animal health. This study introduces a bioinformatic approach to predict potential susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in both domestic and wild animals. By examining genomic sequencing, we establish phylogenetic relationships between the virus and its potential hosts. We focus on the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence and specific regions of the host species' ACE2 receptor. We analyzed and compared ACE2 receptor sequences from 29 species known to be infected, selecting 10 least common amino acid sites (LCAS) from key binding domains based on similarity patterns. Our analysis included 49 species across primates, carnivores, rodents, and artiodactyls, revealing complete consistency in the LCAS and identifying them as potentially susceptible. We employed the LCAS similarity pattern to predict the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection in unexamined species. This method serves as a valuable screening tool for assessing infection risks in domestic and wild animals, aiding in the prevention of disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- YeZhi Hu
- Key Laboratory for Wildlife Diseases and Bio-security Management of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Arivizhivendhan Kannan Villalan
- Key Laboratory for Wildlife Diseases and Bio-security Management of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Xin Fan
- Key Laboratory for Wildlife Diseases and Bio-security Management of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Wildlife Diseases and Bio-security Management of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | | | - XiaoDong Wu
- China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - HaoNing Wang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Harbin University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - XiaoLong Wang
- Key Laboratory for Wildlife Diseases and Bio-security Management of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
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22
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Li Y, Wu M, Fu Y, Xue J, Yuan F, Qu T, Rissanou AN, Wang Y, Li X, Hu H. Therapeutic stapled peptides: Efficacy and molecular targets. Pharmacol Res 2024; 203:107137. [PMID: 38522761 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Peptide stapling, by employing a stable, preformed alpha-helical conformation, results in the production of peptides with improved membrane permeability and enhanced proteolytic stability, compared to the original peptides, and provides an effective solution to accelerate the rapid development of peptide drugs. Various reviews present peptide stapling chemistries, anchoring residues and one- or two-component cyclization, however, therapeutic stapled peptides have not been systematically summarized, especially focusing on various disease-related targets. This review highlights the latest advances in therapeutic peptide drug development facilitated by the application of stapling technology, including different stapling techniques, synthetic accessibility, applicability to biological targets, potential for solving biological problems, as well as the current status of development. Stapled peptides as therapeutic drug candidates have been classified and analysed mainly by receptor- and ligand-based stapled peptide design against various diseases, including cancer, infectious diseases, inflammation, and diabetes. This review is expected to provide a comprehensive reference for the rational design of stapled peptides for different diseases and targets to facilitate the development of therapeutic peptides with enhanced pharmacokinetic and biological properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulei Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China.
| | - Minghao Wu
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yinxue Fu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China
| | - Jingwen Xue
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China
| | - Fei Yuan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China
| | - Tianci Qu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, China
| | - Anastassia N Rissanou
- Theoretical & Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece
| | - Yilin Wang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 131 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Honggang Hu
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China.
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23
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Akagi M, Ohta K, Fukada S, Sakuma M, Naruse T, Nakagawa T, Ono S, Nishi H, Shigeishi H, Aikawa T. ACE2 expression and spike S1 protein-mediated immune responses in oral mucosal cells. Oral Dis 2024; 30:2293-2305. [PMID: 37466124 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES ACE2, known as a host receptor involved with SARS-CoV-2 infection, binds to viral spike proteins for host cell entry. However, details regarding its induction and function in oral mucosal cells remain unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS We examined ACE2 expression and its induction by transfected mimic nucleotides and pro-inflammatory cytokines in oral keratinocytes (RT7) and fibroblasts (GT1). Subsequently, the effects of viral spike S1 protein via ACE2 on CXCL10 expression induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines in both cells were examined. RESULTS ACE2 was constitutively expressed in RT7 and GT1. Transfected Poly(I:C) and Poly(dA:dT) increased ACE2 expression in those cells, while knockdown of RIG-I decreased ACE2 expression induced by those transfected ds nucleotides. IFN-γ and TNF-α enhanced transfected ds nucleotides-induced ACE2 expression in RT7 but not GT1. S1 protein alone did not affect CXCL10 expression in either cell type, whereas it enhanced IFN-β-induced CXCL10 in both, while immune responses of IFN-γ- and TNF-α-induced CXCL10 enhanced by S1 protein were different between RT7 and GT1. Finally, knockdown of ACE2 decreased cytokines and S1 protein mediated-CXCL10 levels in both cells. CONCLUSIONS ACE2 in oral mucosal cells may contribute to development of infection and inflammation in cooperation with pro-inflammatory cytokines following SARS-CoV-2 invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misaki Akagi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kouji Ohta
- Department of Public Oral Health, Program of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Shohei Fukada
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Miyuki Sakuma
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takako Naruse
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takayuki Nakagawa
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Shigehiro Ono
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hiromi Nishi
- Department of General Dentistry, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hideo Shigeishi
- Department of Public Oral Health, Program of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomonao Aikawa
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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24
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Tang J, Hu R, Liu Y, Liu J, Wang G, Lv J, Cheng L, He T, Liu Y, Shao PL, Zhang B. Deciphering ACE2-RBD binding affinity through peptide scanning: A molecular dynamics simulation approach. Comput Biol Med 2024; 173:108325. [PMID: 38513389 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Rapid discovery of target information for protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is significant in drug design, diagnostics, vaccine development, antibody therapy, etc. Peptide microarray is an ideal tool for revealing epitope information of PPIs. In this work, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) were introduced as a model to study the epitope information of RBD-specific binding to ACE2 via a combination of theoretical calculations and experimental validation. Through dock and molecular dynamics simulations, it was found that among the 22 peptide fragments that consist of RBD, #14 (YNYLYRLFRKSNLKP) has the highest binding strength. Subsequently, the experiments of peptide microarray constructed based on plasmonic materials chip also confirmed the theoretical calculation data. Compared to other methods, such as phage display technology and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), this method is rapid and cost-effective, providing insights into the investigation of pathogen invasion processes and the timely development of peptide drugs and other fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahu Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Ruibin Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China; Xianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou, 311231, China
| | - Yiyi Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jingchao Liu
- Institute of Forestry and Pomology, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, 300384, China
| | - Guanghui Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jiahui Lv
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Li Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Tingzhen He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Pan-Lin Shao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China.
| | - Bo Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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25
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Gupta G, Verkhivker G. Exploring Binding Pockets in the Conformational States of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Trimers for the Screening of Allosteric Inhibitors Using Molecular Simulations and Ensemble-Based Ligand Docking. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4955. [PMID: 38732174 PMCID: PMC11084335 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding mechanisms of allosteric regulation remains elusive for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, despite the increasing interest and effort in discovering allosteric inhibitors of the viral activity and interactions with the host receptor ACE2. The challenges of discovering allosteric modulators of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins are associated with the diversity of cryptic allosteric sites and complex molecular mechanisms that can be employed by allosteric ligands, including the alteration of the conformational equilibrium of spike protein and preferential stabilization of specific functional states. In the current study, we combine conformational dynamics analysis of distinct forms of the full-length spike protein trimers and machine-learning-based binding pocket detection with the ensemble-based ligand docking and binding free energy analysis to characterize the potential allosteric binding sites and determine structural and energetic determinants of allosteric inhibition for a series of experimentally validated allosteric molecules. The results demonstrate a good agreement between computational and experimental binding affinities, providing support to the predicted binding modes and suggesting key interactions formed by the allosteric ligands to elicit the experimentally observed inhibition. We establish structural and energetic determinants of allosteric binding for the experimentally known allosteric molecules, indicating a potential mechanism of allosteric modulation by targeting the hinges of the inter-protomer movements and blocking conformational changes between the closed and open spike trimer forms. The results of this study demonstrate that combining ensemble-based ligand docking with conformational states of spike protein and rigorous binding energy analysis enables robust characterization of the ligand binding modes, the identification of allosteric binding hotspots, and the prediction of binding affinities for validated allosteric modulators, which is consistent with the experimental data. This study suggested that the conformational adaptability of the protein allosteric sites and the diversity of ligand bound conformations are both in play to enable efficient targeting of allosteric binding sites and interfere with the conformational changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Gupta
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA;
| | - Gennady Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA;
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
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26
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Fernández-Soto D, Bueno P, Garaigorta U, Gastaminza P, Bueno JL, Duarte RF, Jara R, Valés-Gómez M, Reyburn HT. SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein-specific antibodies from critically ill SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals interact with Fc receptor-expressing cells but do not neutralize the virus. J Leukoc Biol 2024; 115:985-991. [PMID: 38245016 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiae017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The membrane (M) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the key viral proteins regulating virion assembly and morphogenesis. Immunologically, the M protein is a major source of peptide antigens driving T cell responses, and most individuals who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 make antibodies to the N-terminal, surface-exposed peptide of the M protein. We now report that although the M protein is abundant in the viral particle, antibodies to the surface-exposed N-terminal epitope of M do not appear to neutralize the virus. M protein-specific antibodies do, however, activate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion by primary human natural killer cells. Interestingly, while patients with severe or mild disease make comparable levels of M antigen-binding antibodies, M-specific antibodies from the serum of critically ill patients are significantly more potent activators of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity than antibodies found in individuals with mild or asymptomatic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Fernández-Soto
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C. Darwin 3, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Paula Bueno
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C. Darwin 3, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Urtzi Garaigorta
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C. Darwin 3, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Pablo Gastaminza
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C. Darwin 3, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - José L Bueno
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, C. Joaquín Rodrigo 1, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael F Duarte
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, C. Joaquín Rodrigo 1, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Jara
- Immunostep, S.L., Centro Investigación del Cáncer, Avda. Universidad de Coimbra, s/n, Salamanca 37007, Spain
| | - Mar Valés-Gómez
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C. Darwin 3, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Hugh T Reyburn
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C. Darwin 3, Madrid 28049, Spain
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27
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Daviña-Núñez C, Pérez S, Cabrera-Alvargonzález JJ, Rincón-Quintero A, Treinta-Álvarez A, Godoy-Diz M, Suárez-Luque S, Regueiro-García B. Performance of amplicon and capture based next-generation sequencing approaches for the epidemiological surveillance of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 and other variants of concern. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0289188. [PMID: 38683803 PMCID: PMC11057745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
To control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, healthcare systems have focused on ramping up their capacity for epidemiological surveillance through viral whole genome sequencing. In this paper, we tested the performance of two protocols of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid enrichment, an amplicon enrichment using different versions of the ARTIC primer panel and a hybrid-capture method using KAPA RNA Hypercap. We focused on the challenge of the Omicron variant sequencing, the advantages of automated library preparation and the influence of the bioinformatic analysis in the final consensus sequence. All 94 samples were sequenced using Illumina iSeq 100 and analysed with two bioinformatic pipelines: a custom-made pipeline and an Illumina-owned pipeline. We were unsuccessful in sequencing six samples using the capture enrichment due to low reads. On the other hand, amplicon dropout and mispriming caused the loss of mutation G21987A and the erroneous addition of mutation T15521A respectively using amplicon enrichment. Overall, we found high sequence agreement regardless of method of enrichment, bioinformatic pipeline or the use of automation for library preparation in eight different SARS-CoV-2 variants. Automation and the use of a simple app for bioinformatic analysis can simplify the genotyping process, making it available for more diagnostic facilities and increasing global vigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Daviña-Núñez
- Microbiology and Infectology Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Vigo, Spain
- Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Sonia Pérez
- Microbiology and Infectology Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Vigo, Spain
- Microbiology Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo (CHUVI), SERGAS, Vigo, Spain
| | - Jorge Julio Cabrera-Alvargonzález
- Microbiology and Infectology Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Vigo, Spain
- Microbiology Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo (CHUVI), SERGAS, Vigo, Spain
| | - Anniris Rincón-Quintero
- Microbiology and Infectology Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Vigo, Spain
- Microbiology Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo (CHUVI), SERGAS, Vigo, Spain
| | - Ana Treinta-Álvarez
- Microbiology Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo (CHUVI), SERGAS, Vigo, Spain
| | - Montse Godoy-Diz
- Microbiology Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo (CHUVI), SERGAS, Vigo, Spain
| | - Silvia Suárez-Luque
- Dirección Xeral de Saúde Pública, Xunta de Galicia, Consellería de Sanidade, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Benito Regueiro-García
- Microbiology and Infectology Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Vigo, Spain
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28
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Behera LM, Gupta PK, Ghosh M, Shadangi S, Rana S. A Rationally Designed Synthetic Antiviral Peptide Binder Targeting the Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38657271 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus, is the causative agent responsible for the spread of the COVID19 pandemic across the globe. The global impact of the COVID19 pandemic, the successful approval of vaccines for controlling the pandemic, and the further resurgence of COVID19 necessitate the exploration and validation of alternative therapeutic avenues targeting SARS-CoV-2. The initial entry and further invasion by SARS-CoV-2 require strong protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors expressed on the cell surfaces of various tissues. In principle, disruption of the PPIs between the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 and the ACE2 receptor by designer peptides with optimized pharmacology appears to be an ideal choice for potentially preventing viral entry with minimal immunogenicity. In this context, the current study describes a short, synthetic designer peptide (codenamed SR16, ≤18 aa, molecular weight ≤2.5 kDa), which has a few noncoded amino acids, demonstrates a helical conformation in solution, and also engages the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 through a high-affinity interaction, as judged from a battery of biophysical studies. Further, the designer peptide demonstrates resistance to trypsin degradation, appears to be nontoxic to mammalian cells, and also does not induce hemolysis in freshly isolated human erythrocytes. In summary, SR16 appears to be an ideal peptide binder targeting the RBD of SARS-CoV-2, which has the potential for further optimization and development as an antiviral agent targeting SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalita Mohan Behera
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
| | - Pulkit Kr Gupta
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
| | - Manaswini Ghosh
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
| | - Sucharita Shadangi
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
| | - Soumendra Rana
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
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29
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Padariya M, Kalathiya U. Single Ferritin Nanocages Expressing SARS-CoV-2 Spike Variants to Receptor and Antibodies. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:446. [PMID: 38793697 PMCID: PMC11125617 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12050446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 virus variants of concern (VOCs) have rapidly changed their transmissibility and pathogenicity primarily through mutations in the structural proteins. Herein, we present molecular details with dynamics of the ferritin nanocages stitched with synthetic chimeras displaying the Spike receptor binding domains (RBDs). Our findings demonstrated the potential usage of ferritin-based vaccines that may effectively inhibit viral entry by blocking the Spike-ACE2 network and may induce cross-protective antibody responses. Taking the nanocage constructs into consideration, we evaluated the effects of variants on the docked interface of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD with the ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) host cell receptor and neutralizing antibodies (Abs). Investigating the VOCs revealed that most of the mutations reported a possibly reduced structural stability within the Spike RBD domain. Point mutations have moderate or no effect for VVH-72, CR3022, and S309 Abs when bound with the Spike RBD, whereas a significant effect was observed for B38, CB6, and m396 over the surface of the H-ferritin nanocage. In addition to providing useful therapeutic approaches against COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), these structural details can also be used to fight future coronavirus outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monikaben Padariya
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, ul. Kładki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Umesh Kalathiya
- International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, University of Gdansk, ul. Kładki 24, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland
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30
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Hou Q, Jiang J, Na K, Zhang X, Liu D, Jing Q, Yan C, Han Y. Potential therapeutic targets for COVID-19 complicated with pulmonary hypertension: a bioinformatics and early validation study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9294. [PMID: 38653779 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60113-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) are closely correlated. However, the mechanism is still poorly understood. In this article, we analyzed the molecular action network driving the emergence of this event. Two datasets (GSE113439 and GSE147507) from the GEO database were used for the identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs).Common DEGs were selected by VennDiagram and their enrichment in biological pathways was analyzed. Candidate gene biomarkers were selected using three different machine-learning algorithms (SVM-RFE, LASSO, RF).The diagnostic efficacy of these foundational genes was validated using independent datasets. Eventually, we validated molecular docking and medication prediction. We found 62 common DEGs, including several ones that could be enriched for Immune Response and Inflammation. Two DEGs (SELE and CCL20) could be identified by machine-learning algorithms. They performed well in diagnostic tests on independent datasets. In particular, we observed an upregulation of functions associated with the adaptive immune response, the leukocyte-lymphocyte-driven immunological response, and the proinflammatory response. Moreover, by ssGSEA, natural killer T cells, activated dendritic cells, activated CD4 T cells, neutrophils, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells were correlated with COVID-19 and PH, with SELE and CCL20 showing the strongest correlation with dendritic cells. Potential therapeutic compounds like FENRETI-NIDE, AFLATOXIN B1 and 1-nitropyrene were predicted. Further molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations showed that 1-nitropyrene had the most stable binding with SELE and CCL20.The findings indicated that SELE and CCL20 were identified as novel diagnostic biomarkers for COVID-19 complicated with PH, and the target of these two key genes, FENRETI-NIDE and 1-nitropyrene, was predicted to be a potential therapeutic target, thus providing new insights into the prediction and treatment of COVID-19 complicated with PH in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingbin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Jinping Jiang
- Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Kun Na
- State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Dan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Quanmin Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Chenghui Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China.
| | - Yaling Han
- State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China.
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31
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Wang TH, Shao HP, Zhao BQ, Zhai HL. Molecular Insights into the Variability in Infection and Immune Evasion Capabilities of SARS-CoV-2 Variants: A Sequence and Structural Investigation of the RBD Domain. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:3503-3523. [PMID: 38517012 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants continuously emerge, an increasing number of mutations are accumulating in the Spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) region. Through sequence analysis of various Variants of Concern (VOC), we identified that they predominantly fall within the ο lineage although recent variants introduce any novel mutations in the RBD. Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to compute the binding free energy of these variants with human Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Structurally, the binding interface of the ο RBD displays a strong positive charge, complementing the negatively charged binding interface of ACE2, resulting in a significant enhancement in the electrostatic potential energy for the ο variants. Although the increased potential energy is partially offset by the rise in polar solvation free energy, enhanced electrostatic potential contributes to the long-range recognition between the ο variant's RBD and ACE2. We also conducted simulations of glycosylated ACE2-RBD proteins. The newly emerged ο (JN.1) variant has added a glycosylation site at N-354@RBD, which significantly weakened its binding affinity with ACE2. Further, our interaction studies with three monoclonal antibodies across multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains revealed a diminished neutralization efficacy against the ο variants, primarily attributed to the electrostatic repulsion between the antibodies and RBD interface. Considering the characteristics of the ο variant and the trajectory of emerging strains, we propose that newly developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 RBD should have surfaces rich in negative potential and, postbinding, exhibit strong van der Waals interactions. These findings provide invaluable guidance for the formulation of future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Hua Wang
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Hai Ping Shao
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Bing Qiang Zhao
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Hong Lin Zhai
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
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32
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Sultana N, Nagesha SN, Reddy CNL, Ramesh BN, Shyamalamma S, Shashidhara KS, Satish KM, Pradeep C, Vidyadhar GD. Computational analysis of affinity dynamics between the variants of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (RBD) and human ACE-2 receptor. Virol J 2024; 21:88. [PMID: 38641844 PMCID: PMC11031966 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02365-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a significant worldwide health emergency known as the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis has been marked by the widespread of various variants, with certain ones causing notable apprehension. In this study, we harnessed computational techniques to scrutinize these Variants of Concern (VOCs), including various Omicron subvariants. Our approach involved the use of protein structure prediction algorithms and molecular docking techniques, we have investigated the effects of mutations within the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 and how these mutations influence its interactions with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE-2) receptor. Further we have predicted the structural alterations in the RBD of naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 variants using the tr-Rosetta algorithm. Subsequent docking and binding analysis employing HADDOCK and PRODIGY illuminated crucial interactions occurring at the Receptor-Binding Motif (RBM). Our findings revealed a hierarchy of increased binding affinity between the human ACE2 receptor and the various RBDs, in the order of wild type (Wuhan-strain) < Beta < Alpha < Gamma < Omicron-B.1.1.529 < Delta < Omicron-BA.2.12.1 < Omicron-BA.5.2.1 < Omicron-BA.1.1. Notably, Omicron-BA.1.1 demonstrated the highest binding affinity of -17.4 kcal mol-1 to the hACE2 receptor when compared to all the mutant complexes. Additionally, our examination indicated that mutations occurring in active residues of the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) consistently improved the binding affinity and intermolecular interactions in all mutant complexes. Analysis of the differences among variants has laid a foundation for the structure-based drug design targeting the RBD region of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishad Sultana
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - S N Nagesha
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Hassan, UAS, Bangalore, 573 225, India.
| | | | - B N Ramesh
- ICAR-PHT, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - S Shyamalamma
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - K S Shashidhara
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Hassan, UAS, Bangalore, 573 225, India
| | - K M Satish
- Department Biotechnology, KSNUAHS, Shivamogga, 577 412, India
| | - C Pradeep
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - G D Vidyadhar
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
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33
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Peng C, Lv X, Zhang Z, Lin J, Li D. The Recognition Pathway of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Receptor-Binding Domain to Human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2. Molecules 2024; 29:1875. [PMID: 38675695 PMCID: PMC11054751 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29081875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread around the world. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is a critical component that directly interacts with host ACE2. Here, we simulate the ACE2 recognition processes of RBD of the WT, Delta, and OmicronBA.2 variants using our recently developed supervised Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (Su-GaMD) approach. We show that RBD recognizes ACE2 through three contact regions (regions I, II, and III), which aligns well with the anchor-locker mechanism. The higher binding free energy in State d of the RBDOmicronBA.2-ACE2 system correlates well with the increased infectivity of OmicronBA.2 in comparison with other variants. For RBDDelta, the T478K mutation affects the first step of recognition, while the L452R mutation, through its nearby Y449, affects the RBDDelta-ACE2 binding in the last step of recognition. For RBDOmicronBA.2, the E484A mutation affects the first step of recognition, the Q493R, N501Y, and Y505H mutations affect the binding free energy in the last step of recognition, mutations in the contact regions affect the recognition directly, and other mutations indirectly affect recognition through dynamic correlations with the contact regions. These results provide theoretical insights for RBD-ACE2 recognition and may facilitate drug design against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Haihe Education Park, 38 Tongyan Road, Tianjin 300350, China; (C.P.); (X.L.)
| | - Xinyue Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Haihe Education Park, 38 Tongyan Road, Tianjin 300350, China; (C.P.); (X.L.)
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- Xiongan Institute of Innovation, Xiong’an New Area 070001, China;
| | - Jianping Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Haihe Education Park, 38 Tongyan Road, Tianjin 300350, China; (C.P.); (X.L.)
| | - Dongmei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Haihe Education Park, 38 Tongyan Road, Tianjin 300350, China; (C.P.); (X.L.)
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Raisinghani N, Alshahrani M, Gupta G, Verkhivker G. Ensemble-Based Mutational Profiling and Network Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Omicron XBB Lineages for Interactions with the ACE2 Receptor and Antibodies: Cooperation of Binding Hotspots in Mediating Epistatic Couplings Underlies Binding Mechanism and Immune Escape. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4281. [PMID: 38673865 PMCID: PMC11049863 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we performed a computational study of binding mechanisms for the SARS-CoV-2 spike Omicron XBB lineages with the host cell receptor ACE2 and a panel of diverse class one antibodies. The central objective of this investigation was to examine the molecular factors underlying epistatic couplings among convergent evolution hotspots that enable optimal balancing of ACE2 binding and antibody evasion for Omicron variants BA.1, BA2, BA.3, BA.4/BA.5, BQ.1.1, XBB.1, XBB.1.5, and XBB.1.5 + L455F/F456L. By combining evolutionary analysis, molecular dynamics simulations, and ensemble-based mutational scanning of spike protein residues in complexes with ACE2, we identified structural stability and binding affinity hotspots that are consistent with the results of biochemical studies. In agreement with the results of deep mutational scanning experiments, our quantitative analysis correctly reproduced strong and variant-specific epistatic effects in the XBB.1.5 and BA.2 variants. It was shown that Y453W and F456L mutations can enhance ACE2 binding when coupled with Q493 in XBB.1.5, while these mutations become destabilized when coupled with the R493 position in the BA.2 variant. The results provided a molecular rationale of the epistatic mechanism in Omicron variants, showing a central role of the Q493/R493 hotspot in modulating epistatic couplings between convergent mutational sites L455F and F456L in XBB lineages. The results of mutational scanning and binding analysis of the Omicron XBB spike variants with ACE2 receptors and a panel of class one antibodies provide a quantitative rationale for the experimental evidence that epistatic interactions of the physically proximal binding hotspots Y501, R498, Q493, L455F, and F456L can determine strong ACE2 binding, while convergent mutational sites F456L and F486P are instrumental in mediating broad antibody resistance. The study supports a mechanism in which the impact on ACE2 binding affinity is mediated through a small group of universal binding hotspots, while the effect of immune evasion could be more variant-dependent and modulated by convergent mutational sites in the conformationally adaptable spike regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishank Raisinghani
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (N.R.); (M.A.); (G.G.)
| | - Mohammed Alshahrani
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (N.R.); (M.A.); (G.G.)
| | - Grace Gupta
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (N.R.); (M.A.); (G.G.)
| | - Gennady Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (N.R.); (M.A.); (G.G.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
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Elste J, Cast N, Udawatte S, Adhikari K, Payen SH, Verma SC, Shukla D, Swanson-Mungerson M, Tiwari V. Co-Expression of Niemann-Pick Type C1-Like1 (NPC1L1) with ACE2 Receptor Synergistically Enhances SARS-CoV-2 Entry and Fusion. Biomedicines 2024; 12:821. [PMID: 38672177 PMCID: PMC11048565 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells has been shown to be a cholesterol-rich, lipid raft-dependent process. In this study, we investigated if the presence of a cholesterol uptake receptor Niemann-pick type c1-like1 (NPC1L1) impacts SARS-CoV-2 cell entry. Initially, we utilized reporter-based pseudovirus cell entry assays and a spike (S) glycoprotein-mediated cell-to-cell fusion assay. Using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells, which lack endogenous receptors for SARS-CoV-2 entry, our data showed that the co-expression of NPC1L1 together with the ACE2 receptor synergistically increased SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry even more than the cells expressing ACE-2 receptor alone. Similar results were also found with the HEK293T cells endogenously expressing the ACE2 receptor. Co-cultures of effector cells expressing S glycoprotein together with target cells co-expressing ACE-2 receptor with NPC1L1 significantly promoted quantitative cell-to-cell fusion, including syncytia formation. Finally, we substantiated that an elevated expression of NPC1L1 enhanced entry, whereas the depletion of NPC1L1 resulted in a diminished SARS-CoV-2 entry in HEK293T-ACE2 cells using authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus in contrast to their respective control cells. Collectively, these findings underscore the pivotal role of NPC1L1 in facilitating the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2. Importance: Niemann-Pick type C1-like1 (NPC1L1) is an endosomal membrane protein that regulates intracellular cholesterol trafficking. This protein has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in the life cycle of several clinically important viruses. Although SARS-CoV-2 exploits cholesterol-rich lipid rafts as part of its viral entry process, the role of NPC1L1 in SARS-CoV-2 entry remains unclear. Our research represents the first-ever demonstration of NPC1L1's involvement in facilitating SARS-CoV-2 entry. The observed role of NPC1L1 in human kidney cells is not only highly intriguing but also quite relevant. This relevance stems from the fact that NPC1L1 exhibits high expression levels in several organs, including the kidneys, and the fact that kidney damages are reported during severe cases of SARS-CoV-2. These findings may help us understand the new functions and mechanisms of NPC1L1 and could contribute to the identification of new antiviral targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Elste
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA; (J.E.); (N.C.); (M.S.-M.)
| | - Nicole Cast
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA; (J.E.); (N.C.); (M.S.-M.)
| | - Shalini Udawatte
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA;
| | - Kabita Adhikari
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA; (K.A.); (S.H.P.); (S.C.V.)
| | - Shannon Harger Payen
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA; (K.A.); (S.H.P.); (S.C.V.)
| | - Subhash C. Verma
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA; (K.A.); (S.H.P.); (S.C.V.)
| | - Deepak Shukla
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Michelle Swanson-Mungerson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA; (J.E.); (N.C.); (M.S.-M.)
| | - Vaibhav Tiwari
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA; (J.E.); (N.C.); (M.S.-M.)
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Liu S, Chen H, Chen X, Luo N, Peraramelli S, Gong X, Zhang MJ, Ou L. Utilizing noncatalytic ACE2 protein mutant as a competitive inhibitor to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1365803. [PMID: 38646520 PMCID: PMC11032047 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1365803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Angiotensin converting-enzyme 2 (ACE2) is an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of angiotensin 2 into angiotensin 1-7. ACE2 also serves as the receptor of several coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, ACE2 could be utilized as a therapeutic target for treating these coronaviruses, ideally lacking enzymatic function. Methods Based on structural analysis, specific mutations were introduced to generate mutants of ACE2 and ACE2-Fc (fusion protein of ACE2 and Fc region of IgG1). The enzyme activity, binding affinity, and neutralization abilities were measured. Results and discussion As predicted, five mutants (AMI081, AMI082, AMI083, AMI084, AMI090) have completely depleted ACE2 enzymatic activities. More importantly, enzyme-linked receptor-ligand assay (ELRLA) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) results showed that 2 mutants (AMI082, AMI090) maintained binding activity to the viral spike proteins of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. In An in vitro neutralization experiment using a pseudovirus, SARS-CoV-2 S1 spike protein-packed lentivirus particles, was also performed, showing that AMI082 and AMI090 significantly reduced GFP transgene expression. Further, in vitro virulent neutralization assays using SARS-CoV-2 (strain name: USA-WA1/2020) showed that AMI082 and AMI090 had remarkable inhibitory effects, indicated by comparable IC50 to wildtype ACE2 (5.33 µg/mL). In addition to the direct administration of mutant proteins, an alternative strategy for treating COVID-19 is through AAV delivery to achieve long-lasting effects. Therefore, AAV5 encoding AMI082 and AMI090 were packaged and transgene expression was assessed. In summary, these ACE2 mutants represent a novel approach to prevent or treat COVID-19 and other viruses with the same spike protein.
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Raisinghani N, Alshahrani M, Gupta G, Xiao S, Tao P, Verkhivker G. Predicting Functional Conformational Ensembles and Binding Mechanisms of Convergent Evolution for SARS-CoV-2 Spike Omicron Variants Using AlphaFold2 Sequence Scanning Adaptations and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.02.587850. [PMID: 38617283 PMCID: PMC11014522 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.02.587850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we combined AlphaFold-based approaches for atomistic modeling of multiple protein states and microsecond molecular simulations to accurately characterize conformational ensembles and binding mechanisms of convergent evolution for the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Omicron variants BA.1, BA.2, BA.2.75, BA.3, BA.4/BA.5 and BQ.1.1. We employed and validated several different adaptations of the AlphaFold methodology for modeling of conformational ensembles including the introduced randomized full sequence scanning for manipulation of sequence variations to systematically explore conformational dynamics of Omicron Spike protein complexes with the ACE2 receptor. Microsecond atomistic molecular dynamic simulations provide a detailed characterization of the conformational landscapes and thermodynamic stability of the Omicron variant complexes. By integrating the predictions of conformational ensembles from different AlphaFold adaptations and applying statistical confidence metrics we can expand characterization of the conformational ensembles and identify functional protein conformations that determine the equilibrium dynamics for the Omicron Spike complexes with the ACE2. Conformational ensembles of the Omicron RBD-ACE2 complexes obtained using AlphaFold-based approaches for modeling protein states and molecular dynamics simulations are employed for accurate comparative prediction of the binding energetics revealing an excellent agreement with the experimental data. In particular, the results demonstrated that AlphaFold-generated extended conformational ensembles can produce accurate binding energies for the Omicron RBD-ACE2 complexes. The results of this study suggested complementarities and potential synergies between AlphaFold predictions of protein conformational ensembles and molecular dynamics simulations showing that integrating information from both methods can potentially yield a more adequate characterization of the conformational landscapes for the Omicron RBD-ACE2 complexes. This study provides insights in the interplay between conformational dynamics and binding, showing that evolution of Omicron variants through acquisition of convergent mutational sites may leverage conformational adaptability and dynamic couplings between key binding energy hotspots to optimize ACE2 binding affinity and enable immune evasion.
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Galeota E, Bevilacqua V, Gobbini A, Gruarin P, Bombaci M, Pesce E, Favalli A, Lombardi A, Vincenti F, Ongaro J, Fabbris T, Curti S, Martinovic M, Toccafondi M, Lorenzo M, Critelli A, Clemente F, Crosti M, Sarnicola ML, Martinelli M, La Sala L, Espadas A, Donnici L, Borghi MO, De Feo T, De Francesco R, Prati D, Meroni PL, Notarbartolo S, Geginat J, Gori A, Bandera A, Abrignani S, Grifantini R. Tracking the immune response profiles elicited by the BNT162b2 vaccine in COVID-19 unexperienced and experienced individuals. Clin Immunol 2024; 261:110164. [PMID: 38417765 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.110164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Multiple vaccines have been approved to control COVID-19 pandemic, with Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) being widely used. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of the immune response elicited after three doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine in individuals who have previously experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection and in unexperienced ones. We conducted immunological analyses and single-cell transcriptomics of circulating T and B lymphocytes, combined to CITE-seq or LIBRA-seq, and VDJ-seq. We found that antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 Spike, NTD and RBD from wild-type, delta and omicron VoCs show comparable dynamics in both vaccination groups, with a peak after the second dose, a decline after six months and a restoration after the booster dose. The antibody neutralization activity was maintained, with lower titers against the omicron variant. Spike-specific memory B cell response was sustained over the vaccination schedule. Clonal analysis revealed that Spike-specific B cells were polyclonal, with a partial clone conservation from natural infection to vaccination. Spike-specific T cell responses were oriented towards effector and effector memory phenotypes, with similar trends in unexperienced and experienced individuals. The CD8 T cell compartment showed a higher clonal expansion and persistence than CD4 T cells. The first two vaccinations doses tended to induce new clones rather than promoting expansion of pre-existing clones. However, we identified a fraction of Spike-specific CD8 T cell clones persisting from natural infection that were boosted by vaccination and clones specifically induced by vaccination. Collectively, our observations revealed a moderate effect of the second dose in enhancing the immune responses elicited after the first vaccination. Differently, we found that a third dose was necessary to restore comparable levels of neutralizing antibodies and Spike-specific T and B cell responses in individuals who experienced a natural SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Galeota
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Bevilacqua
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Gobbini
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Gruarin
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Mauro Bombaci
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Pesce
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Favalli
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy; Ph.D. Program in Translational and Molecular Medicine, Dottorato in Medicina Molecolare e Traslazionale (DIMET), University of Milan-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Andrea Lombardi
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy; Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science (MACH), University of Milano, Milan 20122, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Francesca Vincenti
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Jessica Ongaro
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Tanya Fabbris
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Serena Curti
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Martinovic
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Mirco Toccafondi
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Mariangela Lorenzo
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Angelica Critelli
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Clemente
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Mariacristina Crosti
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Lucia Sarnicola
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Alejandro Espadas
- Laboratory of Transplant Immunology - North Italy Transplant program (NITp) - Foundation IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan, Italy
| | - Lorena Donnici
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Orietta Borghi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Immunorheumatology Research Laboratory, Milan, Italy
| | - Tullia De Feo
- Laboratory of Transplant Immunology - North Italy Transplant program (NITp) - Foundation IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaele De Francesco
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Prati
- Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hematology, Foundation IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan, Italy
| | - Pier Luigi Meroni
- IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Immunorheumatology Research Laboratory, Milan, Italy
| | - Samuele Notarbartolo
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Jens Geginat
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Gori
- Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science (MACH), University of Milano, Milan 20122, Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Ospedale "Luigi Sacco", Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bandera
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy; Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science (MACH), University of Milano, Milan 20122, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Sergio Abrignani
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Renata Grifantini
- INGM, Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy; CheckmAb Srl, Milan, Italy.
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Olumuyide E, Agwuegbo CC, Ahmed EN. Exploring the Heart Failure Connection in Long COVID Patients: A Narrative Review. Cureus 2024; 16:e58694. [PMID: 38774167 PMCID: PMC11108637 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In this narrative review, we explore the relationship between long COVID patients and their risk of developing heart failure (HF). Patients with long COVID face a heightened risk of HF, a critical cardiovascular complication linked to the prolonged effects of COVID-19. Clinical manifestations of long COVID-associated HF present diagnostic challenges, complicating patient management. Multidisciplinary care is essential to address these complexities effectively. We found that long COVID can result in various cardiovascular issues including HF. The current view is long COVID leads to HF by activating systemic inflammation by causing endothelial dysfunction, which leads to activation of the complement pathways, tissue factor pathways, and Von Willebrand factor; activation of all these factors leads to venous and arterial thrombosis, which could lead to clogging of blood vessel of the heart leading to cardiovascular complications. The association between long COVID and HF can be challenging despite being recognized as comorbidity because biomarkers are not dependable in determining whether a patient had HF before or after contracting COVID-19. Emerging therapeutic modalities offer hope for improving outcomes, but further research is needed to refine management strategies and mitigate long-term cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Olumuyide
- Internal Medicine, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, USA
| | | | - Eman N Ahmed
- Internal Medicine, Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU
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Fumagalli V, Ravà M, Marotta D, Di Lucia P, Bono EB, Giustini L, De Leo F, Casalgrandi M, Monteleone E, Mouro V, Malpighi C, Perucchini C, Grillo M, De Palma S, Donnici L, Marchese S, Conti M, Muramatsu H, Perlman S, Pardi N, Kuka M, De Francesco R, Bianchi ME, Guidotti LG, Iannacone M. Antibody-independent protection against heterologous SARS-CoV-2 challenge conferred by prior infection or vaccination. Nat Immunol 2024; 25:633-643. [PMID: 38486021 PMCID: PMC11003867 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-024-01787-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Vaccines have reduced severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) morbidity and mortality, yet emerging variants challenge their effectiveness. The prevailing approach to updating vaccines targets the antibody response, operating under the presumption that it is the primary defense mechanism following vaccination or infection. This perspective, however, can overlook the role of T cells, particularly when antibody levels are low or absent. Here we show, through studies in mouse models lacking antibodies but maintaining functional B cells and lymphoid organs, that immunity conferred by prior infection or mRNA vaccination can protect against SARS-CoV-2 challenge independently of antibodies. Our findings, using three distinct models inclusive of a novel human/mouse ACE2 hybrid, highlight that CD8+ T cells are essential for combating severe infections, whereas CD4+ T cells contribute to managing milder cases, with interferon-γ having an important function in this antibody-independent defense. These findings highlight the importance of T cell responses in vaccine development, urging a broader perspective on protective immunity beyond just antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Fumagalli
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Micol Ravà
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Marotta
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Di Lucia
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa B Bono
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Leonardo Giustini
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica De Leo
- Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Violette Mouro
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Malpighi
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Perucchini
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Grillo
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara De Palma
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Charles River Laboratories, Calco, Italy
| | - Lorena Donnici
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare (INGM) 'Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Marchese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Conti
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare (INGM) 'Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', Milan, Italy
| | - Hiromi Muramatsu
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mirela Kuka
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaele De Francesco
- Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare (INGM) 'Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', Milan, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco E Bianchi
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
- Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
| | - Luca G Guidotti
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
| | - Matteo Iannacone
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
- Experimental Imaging Centre, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
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41
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Li Z, Zhang Z, Rosen ST, Feng M. Function and mechanism of bispecific antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2. CELL INSIGHT 2024; 3:100150. [PMID: 38374826 PMCID: PMC10875118 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2024.100150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
As the dynamic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 led to reduced efficacy in monoclonal neutralizing antibodies and emergence of immune escape, the role of bispecific antibodies becomes crucial in bolstering antiviral activity and suppressing immune evasion. This review extensively assesses a spectrum of representative bispecific antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2, delving into their characteristics, design formats, mechanisms of action, and associated advantages and limitations. The analysis encompasses factors influencing the selection of parental antibodies and strategies for incorporating added benefits in bispecific antibody design. Furthermore, how different classes of parental antibodies contribute to augmenting the broad-spectrum neutralization capability within bispecific antibodies is discussed. In summary, this review presents analyses and discussions aimed at offering valuable insights for shaping future strategies in bispecific antibody design to effectively confront the challenges posed by SARS-CoV-2 and propel advancements in antiviral therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaohui Li
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Zengyuan Zhang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Southern California, CA, USA
| | - Steven T. Rosen
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Mingye Feng
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
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42
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Liang Z, Tong J, Wu X, Liu S, Wu J, Yu Y, Zhang L, Zhao C, Lu Q, Nie J, Huang W, Wang Y. Development of a SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assay based on a pseudotyped virus using a HIV system. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e517. [PMID: 38525106 PMCID: PMC10959455 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Regarding the extensive global attention to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that constitutes an international public health emergency, pseudovirus neutralization assays have been widely applied due to their advantages of being able to be conducted in biosafety level 2 laboratories and having a high safety factor. In this study, by adding a blue fluorescent protein (AmCyan) gene to the HIV system pSG3-△env backbone plasmid HpaI and truncating the C-terminal 21 amino acids of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S), high-titer SARS-CoV-2-Sdel21-AmCyan fluorescent pseudovirus was successfully packaged. The fluorescent pseudovirus was used to establish a neutralization assay in a 96-well plate using 293T cells stably transfected with the AF cells. Then, parameters such as the ratio of backbone and membrane plasmid, sensitive cells, inoculation of cells and virus, as well as incubation and detection time were optimized. The pseudovirus neutralization assay demonstrated high accuracy, sensitivity, repeatability, and a strong correlation with the luminescent pseudovirus neutralization assay. Additionally, we scaled up the neutralizing antibody determination method by increasing the plate size from 96 wells to 384 wells. We have established a robust fluorescent pseudotyped virus neutralization assay for SARS-CoV-2 using the HIV system, providing a foundation for serum neutralization antibody detection, monoclonal antibody screening, and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziteng Liang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeDongcheng District, BeijingChina
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Jincheng Tong
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Xi Wu
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Shuo Liu
- Changping LaboratoryChangping District, BeijingChina
| | - Jiajing Wu
- Beijing Yunling Biotechnology Co., Ltd.BeijingChina
| | - Yuanling Yu
- Changping LaboratoryChangping District, BeijingChina
| | - Li Zhang
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Chenyan Zhao
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Qiong Lu
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Jianhui Nie
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Weijin Huang
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Youchun Wang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeDongcheng District, BeijingChina
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
- Changping LaboratoryChangping District, BeijingChina
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43
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Tomris I, van der Woude R, de Paiva Froes Rocha R, Torrents de la Peña A, Ward AB, de Vries RP. Viral envelope proteins fused to multiple distinct fluorescent reporters to probe receptor binding. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4974. [PMID: 38533540 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Enveloped viruses carry one or multiple proteins with receptor-binding functionalities. Functional receptors can be glycans, proteinaceous, or both; therefore, recombinant protein approaches are instrumental in attaining new insights regarding viral envelope protein receptor-binding properties. Visualizing and measuring receptor binding typically entails antibody detection or direct labeling, whereas direct fluorescent fusions are attractive tools in molecular biology. Here, we report a suite of distinct fluorescent fusions, both N- and C-terminal, for influenza A virus hemagglutinins and SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD. The proteins contained three or six fluorescent protein barrels and were applied directly to cells to assess receptor binding properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilhan Tomris
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Roosmarijn van der Woude
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Rebeca de Paiva Froes Rocha
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Alba Torrents de la Peña
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Robert P de Vries
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
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44
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Tan ZH, Yong KY, Shu JJ. Predicting potential SARS-CoV-2 spillover and spillback in animals. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2024; 57:225-237. [PMID: 38262772 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading rapidly around the world, causing countries to impose lockdowns and efforts to develop vaccines on a global scale. However, human-to-animal and animal-to-human transmission cannot be ignored, as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can spread rapidly in farmed and wild animals. This could create a worrying cycle of SARS-CoV-2 spillover from humans to animals and spillback of new strains back into humans, rendering vaccines ineffective. METHOD This study provides a key indicator of animals that may be potential susceptible hosts for SARS-CoV-2 and coronavirus infections by analysing the phylogenetic distance between host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and the coronavirus spike protein. Crucially, our analysis identifies animals that are at elevated risk from a spillover and spillback incident. RESULTS One group of animals has been identified as potentially susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 by harbouring a parasitic coronavirus spike protein similar to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. These animals may serve as amplification hosts in spillover events from zoonotic reservoirs. This group consists of a mixture of animals infected internally and naturally: minks, dogs, cats, tigers. Additionally, no internal or natural infections have been found in masked palm civet. CONCLUSION Tracing interspecies transmission in multi-host environments based solely on in vitro and in vivo examinations of animal susceptibility or serology is a time-consuming task. This approach allows rapid identification of high-risk animals to prioritize research and assessment of the risk of zoonotic disease transmission in the environment. It is a tool to rapidly identify zoonotic species that may cause outbreaks or participate in expansion cycles of coexistence with their hosts. This prevents the spread of coronavirus infections between species, preventing spillover and spillback incidents from occurring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Hian Tan
- School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Kian Yan Yong
- School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Jian-Jun Shu
- School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore.
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45
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Li W, Xu Z, Niu T, Xie Y, Zhao Z, Li D, He Q, Sun W, Shi K, Guo W, Chang Z, Liu K, Fan Z, Qi J, Gao GF. Key mechanistic features of the trade-off between antibody escape and host cell binding in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spike proteins. EMBO J 2024; 43:1484-1498. [PMID: 38467833 PMCID: PMC11021471 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00062-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Since SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged, it is constantly evolving into multiple sub-variants, including BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB, XBB.1.5 and the recently emerged BA.2.86 and JN.1. Receptor binding and immune evasion are recognized as two major drivers for evolution of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. However, the underlying mechanism of interplay between two factors remains incompletely understood. Herein, we determined the structures of human ACE2 complexed with BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB and XBB.1.5 RBDs. Based on the ACE2/RBD structures of these sub-variants and a comparison with the known complex structures, we found that R346T substitution in the RBD enhanced ACE2 binding upon an interaction with the residue R493, but not Q493, via a mechanism involving long-range conformation changes. Furthermore, we found that R493Q and F486V exert a balanced impact, through which immune evasion capability was somewhat compromised to achieve an optimal receptor binding. We propose a "two-steps-forward and one-step-backward" model to describe such a compromise between receptor binding affinity and immune evasion during RBD evolution of Omicron sub-variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zepeng Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Tianhui Niu
- Air Force Medical University, Air Force Medical center, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Yufeng Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhennan Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Dedong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Qingwen He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Wenqiao Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Kaiyuan Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Wenjing Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Chang
- Department of Pathogen Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Kefang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Fan
- Institutional Core Facility, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
| | - Jianxun Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - George F Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
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46
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Birtles D, Abbas W, Lee J. Bis(Monoacylglycero)Phosphate Promotes Membrane Fusion Facilitated by the SARS-CoV-2 Fusion Domain. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:2675-2683. [PMID: 38466655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a critical component of the viral lifecycle. For SARS-CoV-2, fusion is facilitated by the spike glycoprotein and can take place via either the plasma membrane or the endocytic pathway. The fusion domain (FD), which is found within the spike glycoprotein, is primarily responsible for the initiation of fusion as it embeds itself within the target cell's membrane. A preference for SARS-CoV-2 to fuse at low pH akin to the environment of the endocytic pathway has already been established; however, the impact of the target cell's lipid composition on the FD has yet to be explored. Here, we have shown that the SARS-CoV-2 FD preferentially initiates fusion at the late endosomal membrane over the plasma membrane, on the basis of lipid composition alone. A positive, fusogenic relationship with anionic lipids from the plasma membrane (POPS: 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine) and endosomal membrane (BMP: bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate) was established, with a large preference demonstrated for the latter. When comparing the binding affinity and secondary structure of the FD in the presence of different anionic lipids, little deviation was evident while the charge was maintained. However, it was discovered that BMP had a subtle, negative impact on lipid packing in comparison to that of POPS. Furthermore, an inverse relationship between lipid packing and the fusogenecity of the SARS-CoV-2 FD was witnessed. In conclusion, the SARS-CoV-2 FD preferentially initiates fusion at a membrane resembling that of the late endosomal compartment, predominately due to the presence of BMP and its impact on lipid packing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Birtles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park 20742, Maryland, United States
| | - Wafa Abbas
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park 20742, Maryland, United States
| | - Jinwoo Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park 20742, Maryland, United States
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Niu S, Zhao Z, Liu Z, Rong X, Chai Y, Bai B, Han P, Shang G, Ren J, Wang Y, Zhao X, Liu K, Tian WX, Wang Q, Gao GF. Structural basis and analysis of hamster ACE2 binding to different SARS-CoV-2 spike RBDs. J Virol 2024; 98:e0115723. [PMID: 38305152 PMCID: PMC10949455 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01157-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Pet golden hamsters were first identified being infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) delta variant of concern (VOC) and transmitted the virus back to humans in Hong Kong in January 2022. Here, we studied the binding of two hamster (golden hamster and Chinese hamster) angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) proteins to the spike protein receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV-2 prototype and eight variants, including alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and four omicron sub-variants (BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, and BA.4/BA.5). We found that the two hamster ACE2s present slightly lower affinity for the RBDs of all nine SARS-CoV-2 viruses tested than human ACE2 (hACE2). Furthermore, the similar infectivity to host cells expressing hamster ACE2s and hACE2 was confirmed with the nine pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Additionally, we determined two cryo-electron microscopy (EM) complex structures of golden hamster ACE2 (ghACE2)/delta RBD and ghACE2/omicron BA.3 RBD. The residues Q34 and N82, which exist in many rodent ACE2s, are responsible for the lower binding affinity of ghACE2 compared to hACE2. These findings suggest that all SARS-CoV-2 VOCs may infect hamsters, highlighting the necessity of further surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in these animals.IMPORTANCESARS-CoV-2 can infect many domestic animals, including hamsters. There is an urgent need to understand the binding mechanism of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants to hamster receptors. Herein, we showed that two hamster angiotensin-converting enzyme 2s (ACE2s) (golden hamster ACE2 and Chinese hamster ACE2) can bind to the spike protein receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV-2 prototype and eight variants and that pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 viruses can infect hamster ACE2-expressing cells. The binding pattern of golden hamster ACE2 to SARS-CoV-2 RBDs is similar to that of Chinese hamster ACE2. The two hamster ACE2s present slightly lower affinity for the RBDs of all nine SARS-CoV-2 viruses tested than human ACE2. We solved the cryo-electron microscopy (EM) structures of golden hamster ACE2 in complex with delta RBD and omicron BA.3 RBD and found that residues Q34 and N82 are responsible for the lower binding affinity of ghACE2 compared to hACE2. Our work provides valuable information for understanding the cross-species transmission mechanism of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Niu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Zhennan Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhimin Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Xiaoyu Rong
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yan Chai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Bai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pengcheng Han
- School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guijun Shang
- Cryo-EM Center, Shanxi Academy of Advanced Research and Innovation, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jianle Ren
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kefang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-xia Tian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Qihui Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - George Fu Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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48
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Dhami LS, Dahal P, Thapa B, Gautam N, Pantha N, Adhikari R, Adhikari NP. Insights from in silico study of receptor energetics of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:8794-8806. [PMID: 38420855 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04997c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of new variants of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with increased infectivity, superior virulence, high transmissibility, and unmatched immune escape has demonstrated the adaptability and evolutionary fitness of the virus. The subject of relative order of the binding affinity of SARS-CoV-2 variants with the human ACE2 (hACE2) receptor is hotly debated and its resolution has implications for drug design and development. In this work, we have investigated the energetics of the binding of receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs): Beta (B.1.351), Delta (B.1.617.2), Omicron (B.1.1.529), variant of interest (VOI): Kappa (B.1.617.1), and Delta Plus (B.1.617.2.1) variant with the human ACE2 receptor by using the umbrella sampling (US) method. Our work indicates that Delta and Delta Plus variants have greater values of the US binding free energy than Wild-type (WT), whereas Beta, Kappa, and Omicron variants have lower values. Further analysis of hydrogen bonding, salt bridges, non-bonded interaction energy, and contact surface area at the RBD-hACE2 interface establish Delta as the variant with the highest binding affinity among these variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lokendra Singh Dhami
- Central Department of Physics, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal.
| | - Prabin Dahal
- Central Department of Physics, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal.
| | - Bidhya Thapa
- Central Department of Physics, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal.
- Padma Kanya Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Bagbazar, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal
| | - Narayan Gautam
- Central Department of Physics, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal.
- Tri-chandra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Ghantaghar, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal
| | - Nurapati Pantha
- Central Department of Physics, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal.
| | - Rameshwar Adhikari
- Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology (RECAST), Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal
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49
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Raisinghani N, Alshahrani M, Gupta G, Xiao S, Tao P, Verkhivker G. AlphaFold2-Enabled Atomistic Modeling of Structure, Conformational Ensembles, and Binding Energetics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86 Spike Protein with ACE2 Host Receptor and Antibodies: Compensatory Functional Effects of Binding Hotspots in Modulating Mechanisms of Receptor Binding and Immune Escape. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:1657-1681. [PMID: 38373700 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The latest wave of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants displayed a growth advantage and increased viral fitness through convergent evolution of functional hotspots that work synchronously to balance fitness requirements for productive receptor binding and efficient immune evasion. In this study, we combined AlphaFold2-based structural modeling approaches with atomistic simulations and mutational profiling of binding energetics and stability for prediction and comprehensive analysis of the structure, dynamics, and binding of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86 spike variant with ACE2 host receptor and distinct classes of antibodies. We adapted several AlphaFold2 approaches to predict both the structure and conformational ensembles of the Omicron BA.2.86 spike protein in the complex with the host receptor. The results showed that the AlphaFold2-predicted structural ensemble of the BA.2.86 spike protein complex with ACE2 can accurately capture the main conformational states of the Omicron variant. Complementary to AlphaFold2 structural predictions, microsecond molecular dynamics simulations reveal the details of the conformational landscape and produced equilibrium ensembles of the BA.2.86 structures that are used to perform mutational scanning of spike residues and characterize structural stability and binding energy hotspots. The ensemble-based mutational profiling of the receptor binding domain residues in the BA.2 and BA.2.86 spike complexes with ACE2 revealed a group of conserved hydrophobic hotspots and critical variant-specific contributions of the BA.2.86 convergent mutational hotspots R403K, F486P, and R493Q. To examine the immune evasion properties of BA.2.86 in atomistic detail, we performed structure-based mutational profiling of the spike protein binding interfaces with distinct classes of antibodies that displayed significantly reduced neutralization against the BA.2.86 variant. The results revealed the molecular basis of compensatory functional effects of the binding hotspots, showing that BA.2.86 lineage may have evolved to outcompete other Omicron subvariants by improving immune evasion while preserving binding affinity with ACE2 via through a compensatory effect of R493Q and F486P convergent mutational hotspots. This study demonstrated that an integrative approach combining AlphaFold2 predictions with complementary atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and robust ensemble-based mutational profiling of spike residues can enable accurate and comprehensive characterization of structure, dynamics, and binding mechanisms of newly emerging Omicron variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishank Raisinghani
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States of America
| | - Mohammed Alshahrani
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States of America
| | - Grace Gupta
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States of America
| | - Sian Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275, United States of America
| | - Peng Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275, United States of America
| | - Gennady Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, California 92618, United States of America
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Feinstein P. Rapid Degradation of the Human ACE2 Receptor Upon Binding and Internalization of SARS-Cov-2-Spike-RBD Protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.07.583884. [PMID: 38496410 PMCID: PMC10942428 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.07.583884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
It is widely accepted that the SARS-CoV-2 betacoronavirus infects humans through binding the human Angiotensin Receptor 2 (ACE2) that lines the nasal cavity and lungs, followed by import into a cell utilizing the Transmembrane Protease, Serine 2 (TMPRSS2) cofactor. ACE2 binding is mediated by an approximately 200-residue portion of the SARS-CoV-2 extracellular spike protein, the receptor binding domain (RBD). Robust interactions are shown using a novel cell-based assay between an RBD membrane tethered-GFP fusion protein and the membrane bound ACE2-Cherry fusion protein. Several observations were not predicted including, quick and sustained interactions leading to internalization of RBD fusion protein into the ACE2 cells and rapid downregulation of the ACE2-Cherry fluorescence. Targeted mutation in the RBD disulfide Loop 4 led to a loss of internalization for several variants tested. However, a secreted RBD did not cause ACE2 downregulation of ACE2-Cherry fluorescence. Thus, the membrane associated form of RBD found on the viral coat may have long-term system wide consequences on ACE2 expressing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Feinstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY 10065
- The Graduate Center Programs in Biochemistry, Biology and CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016
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