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Qin H, Luo J, Zhao N, Lou W, Chen P, Wang H, Pan Z, Xiong X. Xuanfei Formula inhibited RSV infection by normalizing the SREBP2-mediated cholesterol synthesis process. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1387062. [PMID: 38765687 PMCID: PMC11100329 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1387062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and aims Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children and the elderly, often progressing to pneumonia and severe sequelae. However, there are currently no feasible and cost-effective interventions with proven efficacy for children, making medications with anti-RSV activity urgently needed. Traditional Chinese medicine has shown promising therapeutic efficacy in alleviating viral infection symptoms. Therefore, we aimed to develop effective strategies for RSV treatment based on traditional Chinese medicine. Methods and results The infection status was assessed in BALB/c mice with or without Xuanfei Formula (XFF) treatment over a one-week period using H&E staining, cytokine assays and RSV titer testing after RSV challenge. Remarkably, on the first day of XFF intervention, both the pro-inflammation cytokine levels in the serum and RSV-N gene copies in the lung of mice were plummeted, compared to the RSV-infected group. This implied that XFF might possess the immune-independent anti-RSV capability. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we employed transcriptome analysis followed by k-means analysis. The reversal effects of XFF against RSV primarily focused on the processes of innate and adaptive immunity. Additionally, we found that XFF administration corrected the disordered fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism processes during RSV infection. Lipidomics profiling indicated consistent cholesterol abundance with transcriptional changes but not fatty acids. Cholesterol synthesis-related genes mRNA levels and cholesterol synthesis intermediates detection supported XFF's repression upon cholesterol biosynthesis. Aberrantly increased cholesterol production has been reported as necessary for RSV infection. To mimic that, we observed lovastatin treatment inhibited RSV replication and pro-inflammation cytokine expression in vitro. Transcription factor prediction of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in cholesterol synthesis implicated SREBP2. Through network pharmacology, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were identified as the effective active ingredients within the XFF, with the help of further molecular docking and mass spectrum detection. In vitro experiments demonstrated β-sitosterol and stigmasterol reinforced the bonding between SREBP cleavage-activation protein (SCAP) and insulin-induced gene proteins (INSIGs) to inhibit SREBP2 cleavage maturation and consequent RSV infection. Conclusion Xuanfei Formula (XFF) exhibits excellent anti-RSV efficacy by inhibiting SREBP2-mediated cholesterol synthesis to reduce RSV replication and ameliorate inflammation in the lung of infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Qin
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jin Luo
- Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Nan Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wange Lou
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huihao Wang
- Information Department, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zishu Pan
- College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoli Xiong
- Clinical Laboratory, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Chu KB, Quan FS. Respiratory Viruses and Virus-like Particle Vaccine Development: How Far Have We Advanced? Viruses 2023; 15:v15020392. [PMID: 36851606 PMCID: PMC9965150 DOI: 10.3390/v15020392] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
With technological advancements enabling globalization, the intercontinental transmission of pathogens has become much easier. Respiratory viruses are one such group of pathogens that require constant monitoring since their outbreak leads to massive public health crises, as exemplified by the influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2. To prevent the transmission of these highly contagious viruses, developing prophylactic tools, such as vaccines, is of considerable interest to the scientific community. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are highly sought after as vaccine platforms for their safety and immunogenicity profiles. Although several VLP-based vaccines against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus have been approved for clinical use by the United States Food and Drug Administration, VLP vaccines against the three aforementioned respiratory viruses are lacking. Here, we summarize the most recent progress in pre-clinical and clinical VLP vaccine development. We also outline various strategies that contributed to improving the efficacy of vaccines against each virus and briefly discuss the stability aspect of VLPs that makes it a highly desired vaccine platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Back Chu
- Medical Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species and Biomedical Science Institute, Core Research Institute (CRI), Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Fu-Shi Quan
- Medical Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species and Biomedical Science Institute, Core Research Institute (CRI), Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence:
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Luo J, Qin H, Lei L, Lou W, Li R, Pan Z. Virus-like particles containing a prefusion-stabilized F protein induce a balanced immune response and confer protection against respiratory syncytial virus infection in mice. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1054005. [PMID: 36578490 PMCID: PMC9792133 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1054005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a serious respiratory pathogen in infants and young children worldwide. Currently, no licensed RSV vaccines are available. In this study, we explored stable prefusion conformation virus-like particles (Pre-F VLPs) as RSV vaccine candidates. RSV fusion (F) protein mutants were constructed to form stabilized Pre-F or postfusion (Post-F) configurations. VLPs containing Pre-F or Post-F protein were generated using a recombinant baculovirus (rBV)-insect cell expression system. The assembly and immunological properties of Pre-F or Post-F VLPs were investigated. Pre-F and Post-F VLPs contained antigenic sites Ø and I of pre- and postfusion conformations, respectively. Compared with Post-F VLPs, immunization with Pre-F VLPs elicited upregulation of IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-10 and downregulation of IL-4 and IL-5 cytokine production in mice. A high percentage of CD25+ Foxp3+ cells or a low percentage of IL-17A-producing cells among CD4+ T cells was observed in the lungs of mice vaccinated with Pre-F VLPs. Importantly, immunization with Pre-F VLPs induced a high level of RSV neutralizing antibody and a balanced immune response, which protected mice against RSV infection without evidence of immunopathology. Our results suggested that Pre-F VLPs generated from rBV-insect cells represent promising RSV vaccine candidates.
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Caoili SEC. Comprehending B-Cell Epitope Prediction to Develop Vaccines and Immunodiagnostics. Front Immunol 2022; 13:908459. [PMID: 35874755 PMCID: PMC9300992 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.908459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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