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Cho BH, Kim J, Jang YS. The Papain-like Protease Domain of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Conjugated with Human Beta-Defensin 2 and Co1 Induces Mucosal and Systemic Immune Responses against the Virus. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:441. [PMID: 38675823 PMCID: PMC11053661 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12040441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Most of the licensed vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 target spike proteins to induce viral neutralizing antibodies. However, currently prevalent SARS-CoV-2 variants contain many mutations, especially in their spike proteins. The development of vaccine antigens with conserved sequences that cross-react with variants of SARS-CoV-2 is needed to effectively defend against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Given that viral infection is initiated in the respiratory mucosa, strengthening the mucosal immune response would provide effective protection. We constructed a mucosal vaccine antigen using the papain-like protease (PLpro) domain of non-structural protein 3 of SARS-CoV-2. To potentiate the mucosal immune response, PLpro was combined with human beta-defensin 2, an antimicrobial peptide with mucosal immune adjuvant activity, and Co1, an M-cell-targeting ligand. Intranasal administration of the recombinant PLpro antigen conjugate into C57BL/6 and hACE2 knock-in (KI) mice induced antigen-specific T-cell and antibody responses with complement-dependent cytotoxic activity. Viral challenge experiments using the Wuhan and Delta strains of SARS-CoV-2 provided further evidence that immunized hACE2 KI mice were protected against viral challenge infections. Our study shows that PLpro is a useful candidate vaccine antigen against SARS-CoV-2 infection and that the inclusion of human beta-defensin 2 and Co1 in the recombinant construct may enhance the efficacy of the vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeol-Hee Cho
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea;
| | - Ju Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology and the Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yong-Suk Jang
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Molecular Biology and the Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea;
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2
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Tan TJC, Verma AK, Odle A, Lei R, Meyerholz DK, Matreyek KA, Perlman S, Wong LYR, Wu NC. Evidence of antigenic drift in the fusion machinery core of SARS-CoV-2 spike. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317222121. [PMID: 38557175 PMCID: PMC11009667 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317222121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Antigenic drift of SARS-CoV-2 is typically defined by mutations in the N-terminal domain and receptor binding domain of spike protein. In contrast, whether antigenic drift occurs in the S2 domain remains largely elusive. Here, we perform a deep mutational scanning experiment to identify S2 mutations that affect binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike to three S2 apex public antibodies. Our results indicate that spatially diverse mutations, including D950N and Q954H, which are observed in Delta and Omicron variants, respectively, weaken the binding of spike to these antibodies. Although S2 apex antibodies are known to be nonneutralizing, we show that they confer protection in vivo through Fc-mediated effector functions. Overall, this study indicates that the S2 domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike can undergo antigenic drift, which represents a potential challenge for the development of more universal coronavirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. C. Tan
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Abhishek K. Verma
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
| | - Abby Odle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
| | - Ruipeng Lei
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | | | - Kenneth A. Matreyek
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH44106
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
| | - Lok-Yin Roy Wong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
- Center for Virus-Host-Innate Immunity, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ07103
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ07103
| | - Nicholas C. Wu
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
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3
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Addetia A, Stewart C, Seo AJ, Sprouse KR, Asiri AY, Al-Mozaini M, Memish ZA, Alshukairi A, Veesler D. Mapping immunodominant sites on the MERS-CoV spike glycoprotein targeted by infection-elicited antibodies in humans. bioRxiv 2024:2024.03.31.586409. [PMID: 38617298 PMCID: PMC11014493 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.31.586409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Middle-East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) first emerged in 2012 and causes human infections in endemic regions. Most vaccines and therapeutics in development against MERS-CoV focus on the spike (S) glycoprotein to prevent viral entry into target cells. These efforts, however, are limited by a poor understanding of antibody responses elicited by infection along with their durability, fine specificity and contribution of distinct S antigenic sites to neutralization. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed S-directed binding and neutralizing antibody titers in plasma collected from individuals infected with MERS-CoV in 2017-2019 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic). We observed that binding and neutralizing antibodies peak 1 to 6 weeks after symptom onset/hospitalization, persist for at least 6 months, and broadly neutralize human and camel MERS-CoV strains. We show that the MERS-CoV S1 subunit is immunodominant and that antibodies targeting S1, particularly the RBD, account for most plasma neutralizing activity. Antigenic site mapping revealed that polyclonal plasma antibodies frequently target RBD epitopes, particularly a site exposed irrespective of the S trimer conformation, whereas targeting of S2 subunit epitopes is rare, similar to SARS-CoV-2. Our data reveal in unprecedented details the humoral immune responses elicited by MERS-CoV infection, which will guide vaccine and therapeutic design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Addetia
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Cameron Stewart
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Albert J Seo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kaitlin R Sprouse
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ayed Y Asiri
- Al-Hayat National Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maha Al-Mozaini
- Department of Infection and Immunity, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ziad A Memish
- King Saud Medical City, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Abeer Alshukairi
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - David Veesler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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4
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Wang W, Meng X, Cui H, Zhang C, Wang S, Feng N, Zhao Y, Wang T, Yan F, Xia X. Self-assembled ferritin-based nanoparticles elicit a robust broad-spectrum protective immune response against SARS-CoV-2 variants. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:130820. [PMID: 38484812 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants has resulted in global economic losses and posed a threat to human health. The pandemic highlights the urgent need for an efficient, easily producible, and broad-spectrum vaccine. Here, we present a potentially universal strategy for the rapid and general design of vaccines, focusing on the design and testing of omicron BA.5 RBD-conjugated self-assembling ferritin nanoparticles (NPs). The covalent bonding of RBD-Fc to protein A-ferritin was easily accomplished through incubation, resulting in fully multivalent RBD-conjugated NPs that exhibited high structural uniformity, stability, and efficient assembly. The ferritin nanoparticle vaccine synergistically stimulated the innate immune response, Tfh-GCB-plasma cell-mediated activation of humoral immunity and IFN-γ-driven cellular immunity. This nanoparticle vaccine induced a high level of cross-neutralizing responses and protected golden hamsters challenged with multiple mutant strains from infection-induced clinical disease, providing a promising strategy for broad-spectrum vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis. In conclusion, the nanoparticle conjugation platform holds promise for its potential universality and competitive immunization efficacy and is expected to facilitate the rapid manufacturing and broad application of next-generation vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, Jilin, China
| | - Xianyong Meng
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, Jilin, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China
| | - Huan Cui
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, 2596 Lucky South Street, Baoding 071000, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, 2596 Lucky South Street, Baoding 071000, China
| | - Shen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, Jilin, China
| | - Na Feng
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, Jilin, China
| | - Yongkun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, Jilin, China
| | - Tiecheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, Jilin, China
| | - Feihu Yan
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, Jilin, China.
| | - Xianzhu Xia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130122, Jilin, China.
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5
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Wei MZ, Chen L, Zhang R, Chen Z, Shen YJ, Zhou BJ, Wang KG, Shan CL, Zhu EP, Cheng ZT. Overview of the recent advances in porcine epidemic diarrhea vaccines. Vet J 2024; 304:106097. [PMID: 38479492 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Vaccination is the most effective means of preventing and controlling porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED). Conventional vaccines developed from porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) GI-a subtypes (CV777 and SM98) have played a vital role in preventing classical PED. However, with the emergence of PEDV mutants in 2010, conventional PEDV GI-a subtype-targeting vaccines no longer provide adequate protection against PEDV GII mutants, thereby making novel-type PED vaccine development an urgent concern to be addressed. Novel vaccines, including nucleic acid vaccines, genetically engineered subunit vaccines, and live vector vaccines, are associated with several advantages, such as high safety and stability, clear targeting, high yield, low cost, and convenient usage. These vaccines can be combined with corresponding ELISA kits to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals, which is beneficial for disease confirmation. This review provides a detailed overview of the recent advancements in PED vaccines, emphasizing on the research and application evaluation of novel PED vaccines. It also considers the future directions and challenges in advancing these vaccines to widespread use in clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Zhan Wei
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Lan Chen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Ze Chen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yan-Juan Shen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Bi-Jun Zhou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Kai-Gong Wang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Chun-Lan Shan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Er-Peng Zhu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
| | - Zhen-Tao Cheng
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
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6
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Zhang X, Wu J, Luo Y, Wang Y, Wu Y, Xu X, Zhang Y, Kong R, Chi Y, Sun Y, Chen S, He Q, Zhu F, Zhou Z. CovEpiAb: a comprehensive database and analysis resource for immune epitopes and antibodies of human coronaviruses. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae183. [PMID: 38653491 PMCID: PMC11036340 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses have threatened humans repeatedly, especially COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2, which has posed a substantial threat to global public health. SARS-CoV-2 continuously evolves through random mutation, resulting in a significant decrease in the efficacy of existing vaccines and neutralizing antibody drugs. It is critical to assess immune escape caused by viral mutations and develop broad-spectrum vaccines and neutralizing antibodies targeting conserved epitopes. Thus, we constructed CovEpiAb, a comprehensive database and analysis resource of human coronavirus (HCoVs) immune epitopes and antibodies. CovEpiAb contains information on over 60 000 experimentally validated epitopes and over 12 000 antibodies for HCoVs and SARS-CoV-2 variants. The database is unique in (1) classifying and annotating cross-reactive epitopes from different viruses and variants; (2) providing molecular and experimental interaction profiles of antibodies, including structure-based binding sites and around 70 000 data on binding affinity and neutralizing activity; (3) providing virological characteristics of current and past circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants and in vitro activity of various therapeutics; and (4) offering site-level annotations of key functional features, including antibody binding, immunological epitopes, SARS-CoV-2 mutations and conservation across HCoVs. In addition, we developed an integrated pipeline for epitope prediction named COVEP, which is available from the webpage of CovEpiAb. CovEpiAb is freely accessible at https://pgx.zju.edu.cn/covepiab/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - JingCheng Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yuanyuan Luo
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yilin Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yujie Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaobin Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yufang Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ruiying Kong
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ying Chi
- Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou 310058, China
- ZJU-UoE Institute, Zhejiang University, Haining 314400, China
| | - Yisheng Sun
- Key Lab of Vaccine, Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Shuqing Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Zhejiang University Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Engineering Research Center of Innovative Anticancer Drugs, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Feng Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Zhejiang University Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Engineering Research Center of Innovative Anticancer Drugs, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhan Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Zhejiang University Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Engineering Research Center of Innovative Anticancer Drugs, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou 310058, China
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China
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7
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Polo-Megías D, Cano-Muñoz M, Berruezo AG, Laumond G, Moog C, Conejero-Lara F. Investigating vulnerability of the conserved SARS-CoV-2 spike's heptad repeat 2 as target for fusion inhibitors using chimeric miniproteins. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 262:130132. [PMID: 38354919 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 membrane fusion is a highly desired target to combat COVID-19. The interaction between the spike's heptad repeat (HR) regions 1 (HR1) and 2 (HR2) is a crucial step during the fusion process and these highly conserved HR regions constitute attractive targets for fusion inhibitors. However, the relative importance of each subregion of the long HR1-HR2 interface for viral inhibition remains unclear. Here, we designed, produced, and characterized a series of chimeric miniproteins that mimic two different half subdomains of HR1. The proteins were designed as single polypeptide chains that spontaneously fold into antiparallel trimeric helical bundles aimed at structurally imitate the molecular surface of each HR1 half subregion. All the miniproteins folded stably as helical structures and could bind complementary HR2 peptides with moderate affinity. However, only the miniproteins mimicking the N-terminal HR1 half subdomain, but not those imitating C-terminal one, could inhibit cell infection by SARS-COV-2 real viruses in cell cultures. Most interestingly, the inhibitory activity of the miniproteins correlated with their structural stability, but not with their relative binding affinity for HR2 peptides. These results are highly relevant for designing more focused and active fusion inhibitors targeting the highly conserved HR2 region of the Spike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Polo-Megías
- Departamento de Química Física, Instituto de Biotecnología y Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Mario Cano-Muñoz
- Departamento de Química Física, Instituto de Biotecnología y Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Alberto G Berruezo
- Departamento de Química Física, Instituto de Biotecnología y Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Géraldine Laumond
- Laboratoire d'ImmunoRhumatologie Moléculaire, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR_S 1109, Institut Thématique Interdisciplinaire (ITI) de Médecine de Précision de Strasbourg, Transplantex NG, Faculté de Médecine, Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire OMICARE, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Christiane Moog
- Laboratoire d'ImmunoRhumatologie Moléculaire, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR_S 1109, Institut Thématique Interdisciplinaire (ITI) de Médecine de Précision de Strasbourg, Transplantex NG, Faculté de Médecine, Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire OMICARE, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; Vaccine Research Institute (VRI), F-94000 Créteil, France
| | - Francisco Conejero-Lara
- Departamento de Química Física, Instituto de Biotecnología y Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.
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8
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Hsieh CL, Leist SR, Miller EH, Zhou L, Powers JM, Tse AL, Wang A, West A, Zweigart MR, Schisler JC, Jangra RK, Chandran K, Baric RS, McLellan JS. Prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 S2-only antigen provides protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1553. [PMID: 38378768 PMCID: PMC10879192 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45404-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ever-evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) have diminished the effectiveness of therapeutic antibodies and vaccines. Developing a coronavirus vaccine that offers a greater breadth of protection against current and future VOCs would eliminate the need to reformulate COVID-19 vaccines. Here, we rationally engineer the sequence-conserved S2 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and characterize the resulting S2-only antigens. Structural studies demonstrate that the introduction of interprotomer disulfide bonds can lock S2 in prefusion trimers, although the apex samples a continuum of conformations between open and closed states. Immunization with prefusion-stabilized S2 constructs elicits broadly neutralizing responses against several sarbecoviruses and protects female BALB/c mice from mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 lethal challenge and partially protects female BALB/c mice from mouse-adapted SARS-CoV lethal challenge. These engineering and immunogenicity results should inform the development of next-generation pan-coronavirus therapeutics and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Lin Hsieh
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Sarah R Leist
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Emily Happy Miller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
- Department of Medicine-Infectious Diseases, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Ling Zhou
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - John M Powers
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Alexandra L Tse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Albert Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Ande West
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Mark R Zweigart
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jonathan C Schisler
- McAllister Heart Institute and Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Rohit K Jangra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Kartik Chandran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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9
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Zhou F, Vahokoski J, Langeland N, Cox RJ. Impact of ageing on homologous and human-coronavirus-reactive antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination or infection. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:37. [PMID: 38378953 PMCID: PMC10879087 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00817-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The endemic human coronaviruses (HCoVs) circulate worldwide yet remain understudied and unmitigated. The observation of elevated levels of HCoV reactive antibodies in COVID-19 patients highlights the urgent necessity of better understanding of HCoV specific immunity. Here, we characterized in-depth the de novo SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody responses and the boosting of HCoV-reactive antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination or infection in individuals up to 98 years old. All the vaccinees were home-dwelling with no documented SARS-CoV-2 infection before receiving the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2). The first two vaccine doses elicited potent SARS-CoV-2 spike binding antibodies in individuals up to 80 years. The third dose largely boosted the previously low S2 domain binding and neutralizing antibodies in elderly 80-90 years old, but less so in those above 90 years. The endemic betacoronavirus (HKU1 and OC43) reactive antibodies were boosted in all vaccinees, although to a lesser extent in those above 80 years old. COVID-19 patients had potent elevation of alpha- and betacoronavirus (229E, NL63, HKU1 and OC43) reactive antibodies. In both patients and vaccinees, S2 domain specific antibody increases correlated with SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing and HCoV-reactive antibody responses in all ages, indicating S2 domain as a candidate for future universal coronavirus vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhou
- Influenza Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Juha Vahokoski
- Influenza Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Nina Langeland
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospitalen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Rebecca J Cox
- Influenza Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Microbiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
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10
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Ponpinit T, Joyjinda Y, Ampoot W, Yomrat S, Virojanapirom P, Ruchisrisarod C, Saraya AW, Hemachudha P, Hemachudha T. Spike S2 Subunit: Possible Target for Detecting Novel SARS-CoV-2 Variants with Multiple Mutations. Trop Med Infect Dis 2024; 9:50. [PMID: 38393139 PMCID: PMC10893286 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9020050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Novel SARS-CoV-2 variants have multiple mutations that may impact molecular diagnostics. The markedly conserved S2 subunit may be utilized to detect new variants. A comparison of 694 specimens (2019-2022) in Thailand using a commercial RT-PCR kit and the kit in combination with S2 primers and a probe was performed. Delayed amplification in ORF1ab was detected in one BA.4 omicron, whereas no amplification problem was encountered in the S2 target. There were no statistically significant differences in mean Ct value between the target genes (E, N, ORF1ab, and S2) and no significant differences in mean Ct value between the reagents. Furthermore, 230,821 nucleotide sequences submitted by 20 representative counties in each region (Jan-Oct 2022) have been checked for mutations in S2 primers and probe using PrimerChecker; there is a very low chance of encountering performance problems. The S2 primers and probe are still bound to the top five currently circulating variants in all countries and Thailand without mismatch recognition (Jun-Nov 2023). This study shows the possible benefits of detecting S2 in combination with simultaneously detecting three genes in a kit without affecting the Ct value of each target. The S2 subunit may be a promising target for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants with multiple mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teerada Ponpinit
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
| | - Yutthana Joyjinda
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
| | - Weenassarin Ampoot
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
| | - Siriporn Yomrat
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
| | - Phatthamon Virojanapirom
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
| | - Chanida Ruchisrisarod
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
| | - Abhinbhen W. Saraya
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Pasin Hemachudha
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Thiravat Hemachudha
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (Y.J.); (W.A.); (S.Y.); (P.V.); (C.R.); (A.W.S.); (P.H.)
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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11
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Wang F, Yang G, Yan L. Crystal Structures of Fusion Cores from CCoV-HuPn-2018 and SADS-CoV. Viruses 2024; 16:272. [PMID: 38400047 PMCID: PMC10893436 DOI: 10.3390/v16020272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cross-species spillover to humans of coronaviruses (CoVs) from wildlife animal reservoirs poses marked and global threats to human and animal health. Recently, sporadic infection of canine coronavirus-human pneumonia-2018 (CCoV-HuPn-2018) in hospitalized patients with pneumonia genetically related to canine and feline coronavirus were identified. In addition, swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) had the capability of broad tropism to cultured cells including from humans. Together, the transmission of Alphacoronaviruses that originated in wildlife to humans via intermediate hosts was responsible for the high-impact emerging zoonosis. Entry of CoV is mainly mediated by Spike and formation of a typical six helix bundle (6-HB) structure in the postfusion state of Spike is pivotal. Here, we present the complete fusion core structures of CCoV-HuPn-2018 and SADS-CoV from Alphacoronavirus at 2.10 and 2.59 Å, respectively. The overall structure of the CCoV-HuPn-2018 fusion core is similar to Alphacoronavirus like HCoV-229E, while SADS-CoV is analogous to Betacoronavirus like SARS-CoV-2. Collectively, we provide a structural basis for the development of pan-CoV small molecules and polypeptides based on the HR1-HR2 complex, concerning CCoV-HuPn-2018 and SADS-CoV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulian Wang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China;
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China;
| | - Lei Yan
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China;
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12
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Ye F, Li C, Liu FL, Liu X, Xu P, Luo RH, Song W, Zheng YT, Ying T, Yu B, Wang P. Semisynthesis of homogeneous spike RBD glycoforms from SARS-CoV-2 for profiling the correlations between glycan composition and function. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwae030. [PMID: 38333067 PMCID: PMC10852988 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Vaccines have been the primary remedy in the global fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein, a critical viral immunogen, is affected by the heterogeneity of its glycan structures and relatively low immunogenicity. Here, we describe a scalable synthetic platform that enables the precise synthesis of homogeneously glycosylated RBD, facilitating the elucidation of carbohydrate structure-function relationships. Five homogeneously glycosylated RBDs bearing biantennary glycans were prepared, three of which were conjugated to T-helper epitope (Tpep) from tetanus toxoid to improve their weak immune response. Relative to natural HEK293-derived RBD, synthetic RBDs with biantennary N-glycan elicited a higher level of neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in mice. Furthermore, RBDs containing Tpep elicited significant immune responses in transgenic mice expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. Our collective data suggest that trimming the N-glycans and Tpep conjugation of RBD could potentially serve as an effective strategy for developing subunit vaccines providing efficient protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farong Ye
- Center for Chemical Glycobiology, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Cheng Li
- MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Feng-Liang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Xinliang Liu
- Center for Chemical Glycobiology, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Peng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Rong-Hua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Wenping Song
- MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yong-Tang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Tianlei Ying
- MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Biao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Center for Chemical Glycobiology, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shenzhen 518057, China
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13
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Johnson NV, Wall SC, Kramer KJ, Holt CM, Periasamy S, Richardson S, Suryadevara N, Andreano E, Paciello I, Pierleoni G, Piccini G, Huang Y, Ge P, Allen JD, Uno N, Shiakolas AR, Pilewski KA, Nargi RS, Sutton RE, Abu-Shmais AA, Parks R, Haynes BF, Carnahan RH, Crowe JE, Montomoli E, Rappuoli R, Bukreyev A, Ross TM, Sautto GA, McLellan JS, Georgiev IS. Discovery and Characterization of a Pan-betacoronavirus S2-binding antibody. bioRxiv 2024:2024.01.15.575741. [PMID: 38293237 PMCID: PMC10827111 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Three coronaviruses have spilled over from animal reservoirs into the human population and caused deadly epidemics or pandemics. The continued emergence of coronaviruses highlights the need for pan-coronavirus interventions for effective pandemic preparedness. Here, using LIBRA-seq, we report a panel of 50 coronavirus antibodies isolated from human B cells. Of these antibodies, 54043-5 was shown to bind the S2 subunit of spike proteins from alpha-, beta-, and deltacoronaviruses. A cryo-EM structure of 54043-5 bound to the pre-fusion S2 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike defined an epitope at the apex of S2 that is highly conserved among betacoronaviruses. Although non-neutralizing, 54043-5 induced Fc-dependent antiviral responses, including ADCC and ADCP. In murine SARS-CoV-2 challenge studies, protection against disease was observed after introduction of Leu234Ala, Leu235Ala, and Pro329Gly (LALA-PG) substitutions in the Fc region of 54043-5. Together, these data provide new insights into the protective mechanisms of non-neutralizing antibodies and define a broadly conserved epitope within the S2 subunit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole V. Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Steven C. Wall
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 73232, USA
| | - Kevin J. Kramer
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 73232, USA
| | - Clinton M. Holt
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Program in Chemical and Physical Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Sivakumar Periasamy
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Simone Richardson
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2131, South Africa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
| | | | - Emanuele Andreano
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery (MAD) Lab, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Ida Paciello
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery (MAD) Lab, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Giulio Pierleoni
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery (MAD) Lab, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena 53100, Italy
| | | | - Ying Huang
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34987, USA
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Pan Ge
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34987, USA
| | - James D. Allen
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34987, USA
| | - Naoko Uno
- Department of Infection Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44196, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Andrea R. Shiakolas
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 73232, USA
| | - Kelsey A. Pilewski
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 73232, USA
| | - Rachel S. Nargi
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Rachel E. Sutton
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Alexandria A. Abu-Shmais
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 73232, USA
| | - Robert Parks
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Barton F. Haynes
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Robert H. Carnahan
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - James E. Crowe
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 73232, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Emanuele Montomoli
- VisMederi Research S.r.l., Siena 53100, Italy
- VisMederi S.r.l, Siena 53100, Italy
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Rino Rappuoli
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery (MAD) Lab, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena 53100, Italy
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Alexander Bukreyev
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Ted M. Ross
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34987, USA
- Department of Infection Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44196, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Giuseppe A. Sautto
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34987, USA
| | - Jason S. McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Ivelin S. Georgiev
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 73232, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Program in Computational Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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14
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Wang X, Sun L, Liu Z, Xing L, Zhu Y, Xu W, Xia S, Lu L, Jiang S. An engineered recombinant protein containing three structural domains in SARS-CoV-2 S2 protein has potential to act as a pan-human coronavirus entry inhibitor or vaccine antigen. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2244084. [PMID: 37534910 PMCID: PMC10424610 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2244084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
The threat to global health caused by three highly pathogenic human coronaviruses (HCoV), SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, calls for the development of pan-HCoV therapeutics and vaccines. This study reports the design and engineering of a recombinant protein designated HR1LS. It contains three linked molecules, each consisting of three structural domains, including a heptad repeat 1 (HR1), a central helix (CH), and a stem helix (SH) region, in the S2 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. It was found that HR1LS protein automatically formed a trimer able to bind with heptad repeat 2 (HR2) region in the SARS-CoV-2 S2 subunit, thus potently inhibiting HCoV fusion and entry into host cells. Furthermore, immunization of mice with HR1LS, when combined with CF501 adjuvant, resulted in the production of neutralizing antibodies against infection of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, as well as SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63 and MjHKU4r-CoV-1. These results suggest that HR1LS is a promising candidate for further development as a novel HR1-trimer-based pan-HCoV entry inhibitor or vaccine for the treatment and prevention of infection by SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, but also other HCoVs with the potential to cause future emerging and re-emerging infectious coronavirus diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lujia Sun
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zezhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Pharmacology & Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lixiao Xing
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yun Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuai Xia
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, The Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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15
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Yánez Arcos DL, Thirumuruganandham SP. Structural and pKa Estimation of the Amphipathic HR1 in SARS-CoV-2: Insights from Constant pH MD, Linear vs. Nonlinear Normal Mode Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16190. [PMID: 38003380 PMCID: PMC10671649 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of molecular interactions and functions is imperative for unraveling the intricacies of viral protein behavior and conformational dynamics during cellular entry. Focusing on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SARS-CoV-2 sp), a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on a subset comprising 131 A-chain structures in presence of various inhibitors was conducted. Our analyses unveiled a compelling correlation between PCA modes and Anisotropic Network Model (ANM) modes, underscoring the reliability and functional significance of low-frequency modes in adapting to diverse inhibitor binding scenarios. The role of HR1 in viral processing, both linear Normal Mode Analysis (NMA) and Nonlinear NMA were implemented. Linear NMA exhibited substantial inter-structure variability, as evident from a higher Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) range (7.30 Å), nonlinear NMA show stability throughout the simulations (RMSD 4.85 Å). Frequency analysis further emphasized that the energy requirements for conformational changes in nonlinear modes are notably lower compared to their linear counterparts. Using simulations of molecular dynamics at constant pH (cpH-MD), we successfully predicted the pKa order of the interconnected residues within the HR1 mutations at lower pH values, suggesting a transition to a post-fusion structure. The pKa determination study illustrates the profound effects of pH variations on protein structure. Key results include pKa values of 9.5179 for lys-921 in the D936H mutant, 9.50 for the D950N mutant, and a slightly higher value of 10.49 for the D936Y variant. To further understand the behavior and physicochemical characteristics of the protein in a biologically relevant setting, we also examine hydrophobic regions in the prefused states of the HR1 protein mutants D950N, D936Y, and D936H in our study. This analysis was conducted to ascertain the hydrophobic moment of the protein within a lipid environment, shedding light on its behavior and physicochemical properties in a biologically relevant context.
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16
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Le K, Kannappan S, Kim T, Lee JH, Lee HR, Kim KK. Structural understanding of SARS-CoV-2 virus entry to host cells. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1288686. [PMID: 38033388 PMCID: PMC10683510 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1288686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a major global health concern associated with millions of fatalities worldwide. Mutant variants of the virus have further exacerbated COVID-19 mortality and infection rates, emphasizing the urgent need for effective preventive strategies. Understanding the viral infection mechanism is crucial for developing therapeutics and vaccines. The entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells is a key step in the infection pathway and has been targeted for drug development. Despite numerous reviews of COVID-19 and the virus, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews focusing on the structural aspects of viral entry. In this review, we analyze structural changes in Spike proteins during the entry process, dividing the entry process into prebinding, receptor binding, proteolytic cleavage, and membrane fusion steps. By understanding the atomic-scale details of viral entry, we can better target the entry step for intervention strategies. We also examine the impacts of mutations in Spike proteins, including the Omicron variant, on viral entry. Structural information provides insights into the effects of mutations and can guide the development of therapeutics and vaccines. Finally, we discuss available structure-based approaches for the development of therapeutics and vaccines. Overall, this review provides a detailed analysis of the structural aspects of SARS-CoV-2 viral entry, highlighting its significance in the development of therapeutics and vaccines against COVID-19. Therefore, our review emphasizes the importance of structural information in combating SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Le
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Institute of Antibacterial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Shrute Kannappan
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Institute of Antibacterial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Advanced Materials Technology Core Research Institute, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Truc Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Institute of Antibacterial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Heon Lee
- Research Center for Advanced Materials Technology Core Research Institute, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- School of Advanced Materials and Science Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Ra Lee
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, College of Science and Technology, Korea University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Kyu Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Institute of Antibacterial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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Sobhani K, Cheng S, Binder RA, Mantis NJ, Crawford JM, Okoye N, Braun JG, Joung S, Wang M, Lozanski G, King CL, Roback JD, Granger DA, Boppana SB, Karger AB. Clinical Utility of SARS-CoV-2 Serological Testing and Defining a Correlate of Protection. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1644. [PMID: 38005976 PMCID: PMC10674881 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Herein, we review established clinical use cases for SARS-CoV-2 antibody measures, which include diagnosis of recent prior infection, isolating high titer convalescent plasma, diagnosing multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), and booster dosing in the immunosuppressed and other populations. We then address whether an antibody correlate of protection (CoP) for SARS-CoV-2 has been successfully defined with the following considerations: Antibody responses in the immunocompetent, vaccine type, variants, use of binding antibody tests vs. neutralization tests, and endpoint measures. In the transition from the COVID-19 pandemic to endemic, there has been much interest in defining an antibody CoP. Due to the high mutability of respiratory viruses and our current knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 variants defining a CoP for prevention of infection is unrealistic. However, a CoP may be defined for prevention of severe disease requiring hospitalization and/or death. Most SARS-CoV-2 CoP research has focused on neutralization measurements. However, there can be significant differences in neutralization test methods, and disparate responses to new variants depending on format. Furthermore, neutralization assays are often impractical for high throughput applications (e.g., assessing humoral immune response in populations or large cohorts). Nevertheless, CoP studies using neutralization measures are reviewed to determine where there is consensus. Alternatively, binding antibody tests could be used to define a CoP. Binding antibody assays tend to be highly automatable, high throughput, and therefore practical for large population applications. Again, we review studies for consensus on binding antibody responses to vaccines, focusing on standardized results. Binding antibodies directed against the S1 receptor binding domain (S1-RBD) of the viral spike protein can provide a practical, indirect measure of neutralization. Initially, a response for S1-RBD antibodies may be selected that reflects the peak response in immunocompetent populations and may serve as a target for booster dosing in the immunocompromised. From existing studies reporting peak S1-RBD responses in standardized units, an approximate range of 1372-2744 BAU/mL for mRNA and recombinant protein vaccines was extracted that could serve as an initial CoP target. This target would need to be confirmed and potentially adjusted for updated vaccines, and almost certainly for other vaccine formats (i.e., viral vector). Alternatively, a threshold or response could be defined based on outcomes over time (i.e., prevention of severe disease). We also discuss the precedent for clinical measurement of antibodies for vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g., hepatitis B). Lastly, cellular immunity is briefly addressed for its importance in the nature and durability of protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimia Sobhani
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Susan Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (S.C.)
| | - Raquel A. Binder
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Mantis
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - James M. Crawford
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Nkemakonam Okoye
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Jonathan G. Braun
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
- F. Widjaja Inflammatory Bowel Disease Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Sandy Joung
- Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (S.C.)
| | - Minhao Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (S.C.)
| | - Gerard Lozanski
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Christopher L. King
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University and Veterans Affairs Research Service, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - John D. Roback
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Douglas A. Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Suresh B. Boppana
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Microbiology, Heersink School of Medicine, UAB, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Amy B. Karger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
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18
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Lu Y, Shen F, He W, Li A, Li M, Feng X, Zheng Y, Pang W. HR121 targeting HR2 domain in S2 subunit of spike protein can serve as a broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor via intranasal administration. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023:S2211-3835(23)00192-2. [PMID: 37360013 PMCID: PMC10219671 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The continuously emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants pose a great challenge to the efficacy of current drugs, this necessitates the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. In the previous study, we designed a recombinant protein, heptad repeat (HR) 121, as a variant-proof vaccine. Here, we found it can act as a fusion inhibitor and demonstrated broadly neutralizing activities against SARS-CoV-2 and its main variants. Structure analysis suggested that HR121 targets the HR2 domain in SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) 2 subunit to block virus-cell fusion. Functional experiments demonstrated that HR121 can bind HR2 at serological-pH and endosomal-pH, highlighting its inhibition capacity when SARS-CoV-2 enters via either cellular membrane fusion or endosomal route. Importantly, HR121 can effectively inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron variant pseudoviruses entering the cells, as well as block authentic SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron BA.2 replications in human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells. After intranasal administration to Syrian golden hamsters, it can protect hamsters from SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron BA.2 infection. Together, our results suggest that HR121 is a potent drug candidate with broadly neutralizing activities against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Lu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fan Shen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenqiang He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Anqi Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Minghua Li
- Kunming National High-level Biosafety Research Center for Non-human Primates, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650107, China
| | - Xiaoli Feng
- Kunming National High-level Biosafety Research Center for Non-human Primates, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650107, China
| | - Yongtang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Pang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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19
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Liu M, Wang J, Shi S, Gao Y, Zhang Y, Yuan Z, Huang E, Li S, Liu S, Song G. Optimization, and biological evaluation of 3-O-β-chacotriosyl betulinic acid amide derivatives as novel small-molecule Omicron. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 256:115463. [PMID: 37209612 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron viruses possess a high antigenic shift, and the approved anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs are extremely limited, which makes the development of new antiviral drugs for the clinical treatment and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks imperative. We have previously discovered a new series of markedly potent small-molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 virus entry, exampled by the hit compound 2. Here, we report a further study of bioisosteric replacement of the eater linker at the C-17 position of 2 with a variety of aromatic amine moieties, followed by a focused structure-activity relationship study, leading to the discovery of a series of novel 3-O-β-chacotriosyl BA amide derivatives as small-molecule Omicron fusion inhibitors with improved potency and selectivity index. Particularly, our medicinal chemistry efforts have resulted in a potent, and efficacious lead compound S-10 with appreciable pharmacokinetic properties, which exhibited broad-spectrum potency against Omicron and other variants with EC50 values ranging from 0.82 to 5.45 μM. Mutagenesis studies confirmed that inhibition of Omicron viral entry was mediated by the direct interaction with S in the prefusion state. These results reveal that S-10 is suitable for further optimization as Omicron fusion inhibitors, with the potential to be developed as therapeutic agents for the treatment and control of SARS-CoV-2 ant its variants infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Jinshen Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Shanshan Shi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Basic Medicine and Public Hygiene, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yongfeng Gao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yixiao Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Ziying Yuan
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Enlin Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Sumei Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, College of Basic Medicine and Public Hygiene, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Shuwen Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
| | - Gaopeng Song
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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20
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Guo L, Lin S, Chen Z, Cao Y, He B, Lu G. Targetable elements in SARS-CoV-2 S2 subunit for the design of pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitors and vaccines. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:197. [PMID: 37164987 PMCID: PMC10170451 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01472-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused devastating impacts on the public health and the global economy. Rapid viral antigenic evolution has led to the continual generation of new variants. Of special note is the recently expanding Omicron subvariants that are capable of immune evasion from most of the existing neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). This has posed new challenges for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Therefore, exploring broad-spectrum antiviral agents to combat the emerging variants is imperative. In sharp contrast to the massive accumulation of mutations within the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), the S2 fusion subunit has remained highly conserved among variants. Hence, S2-based therapeutics may provide effective cross-protection against new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we summarize the most recently developed broad-spectrum fusion inhibitors (e.g., nAbs, peptides, proteins, and small-molecule compounds) and candidate vaccines targeting the conserved elements in SARS-CoV-2 S2 subunit. The main focus includes all the targetable S2 elements, namely, the fusion peptide, stem helix, and heptad repeats 1 and 2 (HR1-HR2) bundle. Moreover, we provide a detailed summary of the characteristics and action-mechanisms for each class of cross-reactive fusion inhibitors, which should guide and promote future design of S2-based inhibitors and vaccines against new coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyan Guo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Sheng Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Zimin Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
- Disaster Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Bin He
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
| | - Guangwen Lu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
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21
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Gong YM, Wei XF, Zheng YY, Li Y, Yu Q, Li PF, Zhu B. Combining Phage Display Technology with In Silico-Designed Epitope Vaccine to Elicit Robust Antibody Responses against Emerging Pathogen Tilapia Lake Virus. J Virol 2023; 97:e0005023. [PMID: 36975794 PMCID: PMC10134809 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00050-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Antigen epitope identification is a critical step in the vaccine development process and is a momentous cornerstone for the development of safe and efficient epitope vaccines. In particular, vaccine design is difficult when the function of the protein encoded by the pathogen is unknown. The genome of Tilapia lake virus (TiLV), an emerging virus from fish, encodes protein functions that have not been elucidated, resulting in a lag and uncertainty in vaccine development. Here, we propose a feasible strategy for emerging viral disease epitope vaccine development using TiLV. We determined the targets of specific antibodies in serum from a TiLV survivor by panning a Ph.D.-12 phage library, and we identified a mimotope, TYTTRMHITLPI, referred to as Pep3, which provided protection against TiLV after prime-boost vaccination; its immune protection rate was 57.6%. Based on amino acid sequence alignment and structure analysis of the target protein from TiLV, we further identified a protective antigenic site (399TYTTRNEDFLPT410) which is located on TiLV segment 1 (S1). The epitope vaccine with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH-S1399-410) corresponding to the mimotope induced the tilapia to produce a durable and effective antibody response after immunization, and the antibody depletion test confirmed that the specific antibody against S1399-410 was necessary to neutralize TiLV. Surprisingly, the challenge studies in tilapia demonstrated that the epitope vaccine elicited a robust protective response against TiLV challenge, and the survival rate reached 81.8%. In conclusion, this study revealed a concept for screening antigen epitopes of emerging viral diseases, providing promising approaches for development and evaluation of protective epitope vaccines against viral diseases. IMPORTANCE Antigen epitope determination is an important cornerstone for developing efficient vaccines. In this study, we attempted to explore a novel approach for epitope discovery of TiLV, which is a new virus in fish. We investigated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of all antigenic sites (mimotopes) identified in serum of primary TiLV survivors by using a Ph.D.-12 phage library. We also recognized and identified the natural epitope of TiLV by bioinformatics, evaluated the immunogenicity and protective effect of this antigenic site by immunization, and revealed 2 amino acid residues that play important roles in this epitope. Both Pep3 and S1399-410 (a natural epitope identified by Pep3) elicited antibody titers in tilapia, but S1399-410 was more prominent. Antibody depletion studies showed that anti-S1399-410-specific antibodies were essential for neutralizing TiLV. Our study demonstrated a model for combining experimental and computational screens to identify antigen epitopes, which is attractive for epitope-based vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ming Gong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xue-Feng Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yu-Ying Zheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yang Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qing Yu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biotechnology and Modern Ecological Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Marine Sciences, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Peng-Fei Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biotechnology and Modern Ecological Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Marine Sciences, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Biology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
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22
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Liu Z, Lu L, Jiang S. Application of "B+1" heterologous boosting strategy for preventing infection of SARS-CoV-2 variants with resistance to broad-spectrum coronavirus vaccines. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2192817. [PMID: 36927258 PMCID: PMC10071895 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2192817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
First-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines based on different platforms have significantly reduced hospitalization and death. However, the constant evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has only prolonged the global pandemic. Recent emergence of the Omicron subvariants XBB and BQ.1.1 has posed an unprecedented challenge to the efficacy of current broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Several lines of evidence have demonstrated that the majority of the therapeutic monoclonal neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) lost their activities against XBB and BQ.1.1 [1,2]. Dramatic decline of the neutralizing antibody titer against XBB and BQ.1.1 was founded in the sera from vaccinees and infected persons [2,3]. Some SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants, such as XBB and BQ.1.1, are even more resistant than SARS-CoV to NAbs elicited by SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain, although there are about 50 different amino acids between RBDs of SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain and SARS-CoV, and 21 different amino acids between RBDs of SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain and BQ.1.1, suggesting that the global pandemic has remarkably promoted the immune escape mutations of some Omicron subvariants. This calls for the development of a novel immunization strategy to prevent infection from dominantly circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants with exceptional resistance to neutralizing antibodies elicited by broad-spectrum vaccines, such as XBB and BQ.1.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zezhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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23
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Felbinger N, Trudil D, Loomis L, Ascione R, Siragusa G, Haba S, Rastogi S, Mucci A, Claycomb M, Snowberger S, Luke B, Francesconi S, Tsang S. Epitope mapping of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein differentiates the antibody binding activity in vaccinated and infected individuals. Front Virol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fviro.2023.988109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have attempted to characterize the antibody response of individuals to the SARS-CoV-2 virus on a linear peptide level by utilizing peptide microarrays. These studies have helped to identify epitopes that have potential to be used for diagnostic tests to identify infected individuals. The immunological responses of individuals who have received the two most popular vaccines available in the US, the Moderna mRNA-1273 or the Pfizer BNT162b2 mRNA vaccines, have not been characterized. We aimed to identify linear peptides of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that elicited high IgG or IgA binding activity and to compare the immunoreactivity of infected individuals to those who received both doses of either vaccine by utilizing peptide microarrays. Our results revealed peptide epitopes of significant IgG binding among recently infected individuals. Some of these peptides are located near variable regions of the receptor binding domains as well as the conserved region in the c-terminal of the spike protein implicated in the high infectivity of SARS-CoV-2. Vaccinated individuals lacked a response to these distinct markers despite the overall antibody binding activity being similar.
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24
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Shen F, Yang CX, Lu Y, Zhang M, Tian RR, Dong XQ, Li AQ, Zheng YT, Pang W. Significant neutralizing escapes of Omicron and its sublineages in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals vaccinated with inactivated vaccines. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28516. [PMID: 36680413 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In China, most SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals had been vaccinated with inactivated vaccines. However, little is known about their immune resistances to the previous variants of concerns (VOCs) and the current Omicron sublineages. Here, we collected convalescent serum samples from SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals during the ancestral, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 waves, and evaluated their cross-neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against the previous VOCs and the current Omicron sublineages using VSV-based pseudoviruses. In the convalescents who had been unvaccinated and vaccinated with two doses of inactivated vaccines, we found infections from either the ancestral or the Delta strain elicited moderate cross-nAbs to previous VOCs, but very few cross-nAbs to the Omicron sublineages, including BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, and BA.4/5. The individuals who had been vaccinated with two doses of inactivated vaccines before Omicron BA.1 infection had moderate nAbs to Omicron BA.1, but weak cross-nAbs to the other Omicron sublineages. While three doses of inactivated vaccines followed Omicron BA.1 infection induced elevated and still weak cross-nAbs to other Omicron sublineages. Our results indicate that the Omicron sublineages show significant immune escape in the previously SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals and thus highlights the importance of vaccine boosters in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Shen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cui-Xian Yang
- Yunnan Provincial Infectious Disease Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Ying Lu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mi Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Infectious Disease Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Ren-Rong Tian
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Xing-Qi Dong
- Yunnan Provincial Infectious Disease Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - An-Qi Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-Tang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Pang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused devastating human and economic costs. Vaccination is an important step in controlling the pandemic. Severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, infects cells by binding a cellular receptor through the receptor-binding domain (RBD) within the S1 subunit of the spike (S) protein. Viral entry and membrane fusion are mediated by the S2 subunit. AREAS COVERED SARS-CoV-2 S protein, particularly RBD, serves as an important target for vaccines. Here we review the structure and function of SARS-CoV-2 S protein and its RBD, summarize current COVID-19 vaccines targeting the RBD, and outline potential strategies for improving RBD-based vaccines. Overall, this review provides important information that will facilitate rational design and development of safer and more effective COVID-19 vaccines. EXPERT OPINION The S protein of SARS-CoV-2 harbors numerous mutations, mostly in the RBD, resulting in multiple variant strains. Although many COVID-19 vaccines targeting the RBD of original virus strain (and previous variants) can prevent infection of these strains, their ability against recent dominant variants, particularly Omicron and its offspring, is significantly reduced. Collective efforts are needed to develop effective broad-spectrum vaccines to control current and future variants that have pandemic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Guan
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Lanying Du
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Peng
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang-Xin Fu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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