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Kashif M, Acharya S, Khalil A. Molecular Interactions Leading to Advancements in the Techniques for COVID-19 Detection: A Review. J AOAC Int 2024; 107:519-528. [PMID: 38310327 DOI: 10.1093/jaoacint/qsae010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Since 2019 the world has been in a combat with the highly contagious disease COVID-19 which is caused by the rapid transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Detection of this disease in an early stage helps to control its spread and management. To combat this epidemic with one-time effective medication, improved quick analytical procedures must be developed and validated. The requirement for accurate and precise analytical methods for the diagnosis of the virus and antibodies in infected patients has been a matter of concern. The global impact of this virus has motivated scientists and researchers to investigate and develop various analytical diagnostic techniques. This review includes the study of standard methods which are reliable and accredited for the analytical recognition of the said virus. For early detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, RT-PCR (Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) is an accurate method among other methods and, thus, considered as the "gold standard" technique. Here, we outline the most extensively used analytical methods for diagnosing COVID-19, along with a brief description of each technique and its analytical aspects/perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Kashif
- Aligarh Muslim University, Analytical Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002, India
| | - Swati Acharya
- Aligarh Muslim University, Analytical Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002, India
| | - Adila Khalil
- Aligarh Muslim University, Analytical Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002, India
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Li Y, Ash K, Alamilla I, Joyner D, Williams DE, McKay PJ, Green B, DeBlander S, North C, Kara-Murdoch F, Swift C, Hazen TC. COVID-19 trends at the University of Tennessee: predictive insights from raw sewage SARS-CoV-2 detection and evaluation and PMMoV as an indicator for human waste. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1379194. [PMID: 38605711 PMCID: PMC11007199 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1379194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has become a valuable tool for monitoring the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 on university campuses. However, concerns about effectiveness of raw sewage as a COVID-19 early warning system still exist, and it's not clear how useful normalization by simultaneous comparison of Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV) is in addressing variations resulting from fecal discharge dilution. This study aims to contribute insights into these aspects by conducting an academic-year field trial at the student residences on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus, raw sewage. This was done to investigate the correlations between SARS-CoV-2 RNA load, both with and without PMMoV normalization, and various parameters, including active COVID-19 cases, self-isolations, and their combination among all student residents. Significant positive correlations between SARS-CoV-2 RNA load a week prior, during the monitoring week, and the subsequent week with active cases. Despite these correlations, normalization by PMMoV does not enhance these associations. These findings suggest the potential utility of SARS-CoV-2 RNA load as an early warning indicator and provide valuable insights into the application and limitations of WBE for COVID-19 surveillance specifically within the context of raw sewage on university campuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Kurt Ash
- Department of Civil and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | | | - Dominique Joyner
- Department of Civil and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Daniel Edward Williams
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Peter J. McKay
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Brianna Green
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Sydney DeBlander
- College of Natural Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Carman North
- Student Health Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Fadime Kara-Murdoch
- Department of Civil and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH, United States
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Cynthia Swift
- Department of Civil and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Terry C. Hazen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
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Firoozi Z, Mohammadisoleimani E, Bagheri F, Taheri A, Pezeshki B, Naghizadeh MM, Daraei A, Karimi J, Gholampour Y, Mansoori Y, Montaseri Z. Evaluation of the Expression of Infection-Related Long Noncoding RNAs among COVID-19 Patients: A Case-Control Study. Genet Res (Camb) 2024; 2024:3391054. [PMID: 38389521 PMCID: PMC10883746 DOI: 10.1155/2024/3391054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a worldwide pandemic, activates signaling cascades and leads to innate immune responses and secretion of multiple chemokines and cytokines. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a crucial role in inflammatory pathways. Through our search on the PubMed database, we discovered that existing research has primarily focused on examining the regulatory impacts of five lncRNAs in the context of viral infections. However, their role in regulating other conditions, including SARS-CoV-2, has not been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the expression pattern of lncRNAs in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and their potential roles in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Potentially significant competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks of these five lncRNAs were found using online in-silico techniques. Methods Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood samples of the control group consisted of 45 healthy people, and a total of 53 COVID-19-infected patients in case group, with a written informed consent, was collected. PBMCs were extracted, and then, the RNA extraction and complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis was performed. The expression of five lncRNAs (lnc ISR, lnc ATV, lnc PAAN, lnc SG20, and lnc HEAL) was assessed by real-time PCR. In order to evaluate the biomarker roles of genes, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn. Results Twenty-four (53.3%) and 29 (54.7%) of healthy and COVID-19-infected participants were male, respectively. The most prevalent symptoms were as follows: cough, general weakness, contusion, headache, and sore throat. The results showed that three lncRNAs, including lnc ISR, lnc ATV, and lnc HEAL, were expressed dramatically higher in the case group compared to healthy controls. According to ROC curve analysis, lnc ATV has a higher AUC and is a better biomarker to differentiate COVID-19 patients from the healthy controls. Then, using bioinformatics methods, the ceRNA network of these lncRNAs enabled the identification of mRNAs and miRNAs with crucial functions in COVID-19. Conclusion The considerable higher expression of ISR, ATV, and HEAL lncRNAs and the significant area under curve (AUC) in ROC curve demonstrate that these RNAs probably have a potential role in controlling the host innate immune responses and regulate the viral replication of SARS-CoV-2. However, these assumptions need further in vitro and in vivo investigations to be confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Firoozi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- USERN Office, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Elham Mohammadisoleimani
- USERN Office, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Bagheri
- USERN Office, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- Department of Internal Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Atefeh Taheri
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Babak Pezeshki
- Department of Internal Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | | | - Abdolreza Daraei
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Jalal Karimi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Yousef Gholampour
- Department of Internal Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Yaser Mansoori
- Department of Medical Genetics, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- USERN Office, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Zahra Montaseri
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
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Atzler F, Dahms F, Paul G, Perisic S. The swab site of the upper airways influences the diagnostic sensitivity for the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29390. [PMID: 38235822 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The cycle-threshold-value (CT -value) is a quantitative value of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which represents the gold standard for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV 2). The CT -value can be used to indicate the viral load in swabs of the airways. The collection of a specimen is the only part of the testing process, which is performed manually and carries, therefore, a high potential for increasing measurement variability. The comparison of different PCR results is often difficult since the exact swabbing technique of each test and how do swabs relate in a direct comparison is unknown. For these reasons, the infection course in a patient can be hard infer even after multiple swabs. As the Omicron variant spread from 06/2022 to 08/2022, all common modalities of the upper airway swabs (nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, combined naso-oropharyngeal, nasal orifice swabs as well as swabs of the buccal mucosa), which were performed on patients with a suspected infection with SARS CoV 2. RT-PCR was used for SARS CoV 2 RNA detection and the sample comparison was based on the CT -values obtained. Viral loads can vary significantly depending on the swab sites of the upper airways. For the maximum clinical sensitivity, a combined naso-oropharyngeal swab should be considered. In case a single point and single sample measurement is the norm, a nasopharyngeal swab can deliver the highest viral load at the presumed beginning of the infection. Furthermore, the findings of this study can be valuable to correctly interpret results of different PCR with different sampling techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fynn Atzler
- Stuttgart Site, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Stuttgart, Germany
- Department für Interdisziplinäre Akut-, Notfall-, und Intensivmedizin, Klinikum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Florian Dahms
- Department für Interdisziplinäre Akut-, Notfall-, und Intensivmedizin, Klinikum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Gregor Paul
- III. Medizinische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Stojan Perisic
- Zentralinstitut für Klinische Chemie und Laboratoriumsmedizin, Klinikum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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Mazziotta C, Iaquinta MR, Tramarin ML, Badiale G, Cervellera CF, Tonnini G, Patergnani S, Pinton P, Lanza G, Gafà R, Tognon M, Martini F, De Mattei M, Rotondo JC. Hsa-microRNA-1249-3p/Homeobox A13 axis modulates the expression of β-catenin gene in human epithelial cells. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22872. [PMID: 38129477 PMCID: PMC10739948 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49837-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Intercellular adhesion is a key function for epithelial cells. The fundamental mechanisms relying on epithelial cell adhesion have been partially uncovered. Hsa-microRNA-1249-3p (hsa-miR-1249-3p) plays a role in the epithelial mesenchymal transition in carcinoma cells, but its physiological function in epithelial cells is unknown. We aimed to investigate the role and molecular mechanisms of hsa-miR-1249-3p on epithelial cell functions. Hsa-miR-1249-3p was overexpressed in human epithelial cells and uterine cervical tissues, compared to cervical carcinoma cells and precancerous tissues, respectively. Hsa-miR-1249-3p was analyzed to verify its regulatory function on Homeobox A13 (HOXA13) target gene and its downstream cell adhesion gene β-catenin. Functional experiments indicated that hsa-miR-1249-3p inhibition prompted the mRNA and protein overexpression of HOXA13 which, in turn, led to the β-catenin protein expression. Moreover, hsa-miR-1249-3p inhibition induced a strong colony forming ability in epithelial cells, suggesting the miR involvement in cell adhesion machinery. These data indicate that hsa-miR-1249-3p regulates the expression of HOXA13 and its downstream cell adhesion gene β-catenin, possible resulting in cell adhesion modification in epithelial cells. This study will allow the set-up of further investigations aimed at exploring the relationship between the hsa-miR-1249-3p/HOXA13 axis and downstream cell adhesion genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Iaquinta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Letizia Tramarin
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giada Badiale
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Christian Felice Cervellera
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giulia Tonnini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Simone Patergnani
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Paolo Pinton
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giovanni Lanza
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberta Gafà
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Monica De Mattei
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
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Muniz-Santos R, Magno-França A, Jurisica I, Cameron LC. From Microcosm to Macrocosm: The -Omics, Multiomics, and Sportomics Approaches in Exercise and Sports. OMICS : A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2023; 27:499-518. [PMID: 37943554 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2023.0169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
This article explores the progressive integration of -omics methods, including genomics, metabolomics, and proteomics, into sports research, highlighting the development of the concept of "sportomics." We discuss how sportomics can be used to comprehend the multilevel metabolism during exercise in real-life conditions faced by athletes, enabling potential personalized interventions to improve performance and recovery and reduce injuries, all with a minimally invasive approach and reduced time. Sportomics may also support highly personalized investigations, including the implementation of n-of-1 clinical trials and the curation of extensive datasets through long-term follow-up of athletes, enabling tailored interventions for athletes based on their unique physiological responses to different conditions. Beyond its immediate sport-related applications, we delve into the potential of utilizing the sportomics approach to translate Big Data regarding top-level athletes into studying different human diseases, especially with nontargeted analysis. Furthermore, we present how the amalgamation of bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and integrative computational analysis aids in investigating biochemical pathways, and facilitates the search for various biomarkers. We also highlight how sportomics can offer relevant information about doping control analysis. Overall, sportomics offers a comprehensive approach providing novel insights into human metabolism during metabolic stress, leveraging cutting-edge systems science techniques and technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renan Muniz-Santos
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, The Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Magno-França
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, The Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Igor Jurisica
- Osteoarthritis Research Program, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Schroeder Arthritis Institute and Data Science Discovery Centre for Chronic Diseases, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
- Departments of Medical Biophysics and Computer Science, and Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - L C Cameron
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, The Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Yari P, Liang S, Chugh VK, Rezaei B, Mostufa S, Krishna VD, Saha R, Cheeran MCJ, Wang JP, Gómez-Pastora J, Wu K. Nanomaterial-Based Biosensors for SARS-CoV-2 and Future Epidemics. Anal Chem 2023; 95:15419-15449. [PMID: 37826859 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Parsa Yari
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Shuang Liang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Vinit Kumar Chugh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Bahareh Rezaei
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Shahriar Mostufa
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Venkatramana Divana Krishna
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | - Renata Saha
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Maxim C-J Cheeran
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | - Jian-Ping Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Jenifer Gómez-Pastora
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Kai Wu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
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Sha A, Liu Y, Hao H. Current state-of-the-art and potential future therapeutic drugs against COVID-19. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1238027. [PMID: 37691829 PMCID: PMC10485263 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1238027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to endanger human health, and its therapeutic drugs are under intensive research and development. Identifying the efficacy and toxicity of drugs in animal models is helpful for further screening of effective medications, which is also a prerequisite for drugs to enter clinical trials. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) invades host cells mainly by the S protein on its surface. After the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome is injected into the cells, M protein will help assemble and release new viruses. RdRp is crucial for virus replication, assembly, and release of new virus particles. This review analyzes and discusses 26 anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs based on their mechanism of action, effectiveness and safety in different animal models. We propose five drugs to be the most promising to enter the next stage of clinical trial research, thus providing a reference for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailong Sha
- School of Teacher Education, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing, China
- School of Biology and Food Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Liu
- School of Biology and Food Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiyan Hao
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing, China
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Tsikopoulos K, Drago L, Meroni G, Kitridis D, Chalidis B, Papageorgiou F, Papaioannidou P. In vitro laboratory infection research in orthopaedics: Why, when, and how. World J Orthop 2023; 14:598-603. [PMID: 37662661 PMCID: PMC10473912 DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v14.i8.598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The musculoskeletal system involves multiple tissues which are constantly exposed to being exposed to various biological and mechanical stimuli. As such, isolating and studying a particular system from a complex human clinical environment is not always a realistic expectation. On top of that, recruitment limitations, in addition to the nature of orthopaedic interventions and their associated cost, sometimes preclude consideration of human trials to answer a clinical question. Therefore, in this mini review, we sought to rationalize the rapid evolution of biomedical research at a basic scientific level and explain why the perception of orthopaedic conditions has fundamentally changed over the last decades. In more detail, we highlight that the number of orthopaedic in vitro publications has soared since 1990. Last but not least, we elaborated on the minimum requirements for conducting a scientifically sound infection-related laboratory experiment to offer valuable information to clinical practitioners. We also explained the rationale behind implementing molecular biology techniques, ex vivo experiments, and artificial intelligence in this type of laboratory research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Tsikopoulos
- 1st Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
| | - Lorenzo Drago
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Gabriele Meroni
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Dimitrios Kitridis
- 1st Department of Orthopaedic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 57010, Greece
| | - Byron Chalidis
- 1st Department of Orthopaedic, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 57010, Greece
| | - Fotios Papageorgiou
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 404 General Army Hospital, Larisa 41222, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Papaioannidou
- 1st Department of Pharmacology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
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10
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Guarino M, Perna B, Maritati M, Remelli F, Trevisan C, Spampinato MD, Costanzini A, Volpato S, Contini C, De Giorgio R. Presepsin levels and COVID-19 severity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:993-1002. [PMID: 36380007 PMCID: PMC9666937 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-022-00936-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Plasmatic presepsin (PSP) is a novel biomarker reported to be useful for sepsis diagnosis and prognosis. During the pandemic, only few studies highlighted a possible correlation between PSP and COVID-19 severity, but results remain inconsistent. The present study aims to establish the correlation between PSP and COVID-19 severity. English-language papers assessing a correlation between COVID-19 and PSP from MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, MeSH, LitCovid NLM, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus and the World Health Organization (WHO) website, published from January 2020 were considered with no publication date limitations. Two independent reviewers performed data abstraction and quality assessment, and one reviewer resolved inconsistencies. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022325971).Fifteen articles met our eligibility criteria. The aggregate study population included 1373 COVID-19 patients who had undergone a PSP assessment. The random-effect meta-analysis was performed in 7 out of 15 selected studies, considering only those reporting the mean PSP levels in low- and high-severity cases (n = 707).The results showed that the pooled mean difference of PSP levels between high- and low-severity COVID-19 patients was 441.70 pg/ml (95%CI: 150.40-732.99 pg/ml).Our data show that presepsin is a promising biomarker that can express COVID-19 severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Guarino
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University Ferrara, Via A. Moro, 44124,, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Benedetta Perna
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University Ferrara, Via A. Moro, 44124,, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Martina Maritati
- Infectious and Dermatology Diseases, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Francesca Remelli
- Department of Medical Sciences, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Caterina Trevisan
- Department of Medical Sciences, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Michele Domenico Spampinato
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University Ferrara, Via A. Moro, 44124,, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Anna Costanzini
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University Ferrara, Via A. Moro, 44124,, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Stefano Volpato
- Department of Medical Sciences, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Carlo Contini
- Infectious and Dermatology Diseases, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberto De Giorgio
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, University Ferrara, Via A. Moro, 44124,, Ferrara, Italy.
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Zhu JH, Tai CH, Ping CF, Chou PH, Tsai YL, Chung S, Bradner L, Pentella M, Gauger P, Zhang J. Evaluation of a Sample-to-Result POCKIT Central SARS-CoV-2 PCR System. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2219. [PMID: 37443612 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13132219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of COVID-19 has caused unprecedented impacts on global public health and many other aspects. Meanwhile, many types of methods have been developed to detect the causative agent, SARS-CoV-2; this has greatly advanced the technologies in the diagnostic field. Here, we describe the development and validation of a sample-in-result-out POCKIT Central SARS-CoV-2 PCR system for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with a commercial reference real-time RT-PCR assay (TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit). Both assays were specific and did not cross-react with non-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Both assays were able to detect various SARS-CoV-2 strains including some variants. Based on testing serial dilutions of SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 isolate, the limit of detection was 0.8 TCID50/mL (1.87 × 103 genomic copies/mL) for POCKIT Central SARS-CoV-2 PCR and 0.16 TCID50/mL (3.75 × 102 genomic copies/mL) for the reference PCR. Subsequently, 183 clinical samples were tested by both assays and the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and agreement of the POCKIT Central SARS-CoV-2 PCR were 91.7%, 100%, and 94.0%, respectively, when compared to the reference PCR. The compact sample-to-result POCKIT Central SARS-CoV-2 PCR system is a simplified and efficient point-of-care tool for SARS-CoV-2 detection. In addition, this platform can be readily adapted to detect other human and animal viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Hui Zhu
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Chia-Hsing Tai
- GeneReach Biotechnology Corporation, Taichung 407, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Fong Ping
- GeneReach Biotechnology Corporation, Taichung 407, Taiwan
| | - Pin-Hsing Chou
- GeneReach Biotechnology Corporation, Taichung 407, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Long Tsai
- GeneReach Biotechnology Corporation, Taichung 407, Taiwan
| | - Simon Chung
- GeneReach Biotechnology Corporation, Taichung 407, Taiwan
| | - Laura Bradner
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Michael Pentella
- State Hygienic Laboratory, University of Iowa, Coralville, IA 52241, USA
| | - Phillip Gauger
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Jianqiang Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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12
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Wani SA, Gulzar B, Khan MS, Majid S, Bhat IA. Impact of Age and Clinico-Biochemical Parameters on Clinical Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Intervirology 2023; 66:88-96. [PMID: 37263256 PMCID: PMC10353304 DOI: 10.1159/000530906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The surge in novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leading to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has overwhelmed the health system. To help health-care workers and policy makers prioritize treatment and to decrease the burden on health systems caused by COVID-19, clinical severity along with various clinico-biochemical parameters was evaluated by designing a cross-sectional study comprising 236 SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals from Kashmir Valley, India. METHODS Briefly, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for the confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The principles of spectrophotometry and chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) were employed to estimate the levels of glucose, TSH, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in serum of infected patients. RESULTS A total of 236 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were taken for this cross-sectional study. Patients with COVID-19 had a male predominance (72.9 vs. 27.1%) and a higher prevalence of 25-hydroxy vitamin D deficiency (72.0 vs. 28.0%) with a mean 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels of 24.0 ± 13.9 in ng/mL. We observed a varied clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection with 36.4%, 23.7%, and 29.7% patients having mild, moderate, and severe disease, respectively. We observed that severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection was significantly associated with older age group, hypertension, low TSH levels, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D deficiency. CONCLUSION We conclude that not only old age but also hypertension and low levels of TSH and 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels could significantly lead to clinical severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shariq Ahmad Wani
- Department of Medicine, Government Medical College Srinagar and Associated Hospitals, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Babar Gulzar
- Department of Medicine, Government Medical College Srinagar and Associated Hospitals, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Mosin Saleem Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, Government Medical College Baramulla and Associated Hospitals, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Sabhiya Majid
- Department of Biochemistry, Government Medical College Baramulla and Associated Hospitals, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Irfan Ahmad Bhat
- Department of Medicine, Government Medical College Srinagar and Associated Hospitals, Jammu and Kashmir, India
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Bajpai J, Kant S, Verma AK, Pradhan A. Monoclonal antibody for COVID-19: Unveiling the recipe of a new cocktail. World J Respirol 2023; 12:1-9. [DOI: 10.5320/wjr.v12.i1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a tremendous adverse impact on the global health system, public sector, and social aspects. It is unarguably the worst pandemic of the century. However, COVID-19 management is a mystery in front of us, and an authentic treatment is urgently needed. Various repurposed drugs, like ivermectin, remdesivir, tocilizumab, baricitinib, etc., have been used to treat COVID-19, but none are promising. Antibody therapy and their combinations are emerging modalities for treating moderate COVID-19, and they have shown the potential to reduce hospitalisations. One antibody monotherapy, bamlanivimab, and two cocktails, casirivimab/imdevimab and bamlanivimab/ esterivimab, have received authorization for emergency use by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of mild COVID-19 in high risk individuals. The European Emergency has made similar recommendations for use of the drug in COVID-19 patients without oxygen therapy. This brief review will focus on monoclonal antibodies and their combination cocktail therapy in managing COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Bajpai
- Department ofRespiratory Medicine, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, India
| | - Surya Kant
- Department ofRespiratory Medicine, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, India
| | - Ajay Kumar Verma
- Department ofRespiratory Medicine, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, India
| | - Akshyaya Pradhan
- Department ofCardiology, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, India
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Cervellera CF, Mazziotta C, Di Mauro G, Iaquinta MR, Mazzoni E, Torreggiani E, Tognon M, Martini F, Rotondo JC. Immortalized erythroid cells as a novel frontier for in vitro blood production: current approaches and potential clinical application. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:139. [PMID: 37226267 PMCID: PMC10210309 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03367-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood transfusions represent common medical procedures, which provide essential supportive therapy. However, these procedures are notoriously expensive for healthcare services and not without risk. The potential threat of transfusion-related complications, such as the development of pathogenic infections and the occurring of alloimmunization events, alongside the donor's dependence, strongly limits the availability of transfusion units and represents significant concerns in transfusion medicine. Moreover, a further increase in the demand for donated blood and blood transfusion, combined with a reduction in blood donors, is expected as a consequence of the decrease in birth rates and increase in life expectancy in industrialized countries. MAIN BODY An emerging and alternative strategy preferred over blood transfusion is the in vitro production of blood cells from immortalized erythroid cells. The high survival capacity alongside the stable and longest proliferation time of immortalized erythroid cells could allow the generation of a large number of cells over time, which are able to differentiate into blood cells. However, a large-scale, cost-effective production of blood cells is not yet a routine clinical procedure, as being dependent on the optimization of culture conditions of immortalized erythroid cells. CONCLUSION In our review, we provide an overview of the most recent erythroid cell immortalization approaches, while also describing and discussing related advancements of establishing immortalized erythroid cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Felice Cervellera
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences, Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giulia Di Mauro
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Iaquinta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences, Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Elisa Mazzoni
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences-DOCPAS, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Elena Torreggiani
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences-DOCPAS, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
- Department of Medical Sciences, Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
- Department of Medical Sciences, Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
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15
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Simon DS, Yew CW, Kumar VS. Multiplexed Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Coupled with a Nucleic Acid-Based Lateral Flow Dipstick as a Rapid Diagnostic Method to Detect SARS-CoV-2. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1233. [PMID: 37317207 PMCID: PMC10223058 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the high reproduction rate of COVID-19, it is important to identify and isolate infected patients at the early stages of infection. The limitations of current diagnostic methods are speed, cost, and accuracy. Furthermore, new viral variants have emerged with higher rates of infectivity and mortality, many with mutations at various primer binding sites, which may evade detection via conventional PCR kits. Therefore, a rapid method that is sensitive, specific, and cost-effective is needed for a point-of-care molecular test. Accordingly, we developed a rapid molecular SARS-CoV-2 detection kit with high specificity and sensitivity, RT-PCR, taking advantage of the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique. Four sets of six primers were designed based on conserved regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome: two outer, two inner and two loop primers. Using the optimized protocol, SARS-CoV-2 genes were detected as quickly as 10 min but were most sensitive at 30 min, detecting as little as 100 copies of template DNA. We then coupled the RT-LAMP with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) for multiplex detection. The LFD could detect two genic amplifications on a single strip, making it suitable for multiplexed detection. The development of a multiplexed RT-LAMP-LFD reaction on crude VTM samples would be suitable for the point-of-care diagnosis of COVID-19 in diagnostic laboratories as well as in private homes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vijay Subbiah Kumar
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia; (D.S.S.); (C.-W.Y.)
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Sagoe KO, Kyama MC, Maina N, Kamita M, Njokah M, Thiong'o K, Kanoi BN, Wandera EA, Ndegwa D, Kinyua DM, Gitaka J. Application of Hybridization Chain Reaction/CRISPR-Cas12a for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13091644. [PMID: 37175035 PMCID: PMC10178590 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13091644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally, the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a significant impact on life. The need for ongoing SARS-CoV-2 screening employing inexpensive and quick diagnostic approaches is undeniable, given the ongoing pandemic and variations in vaccine administration in resource-constrained regions. This study presents results as proof of concept to use hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas12a complex for detecting SARS-CoV-2. HCR hairpin probes were designed using the NUPACK web-based program and further used to amplify the SARS-CoV-2 N gene in archived nasopharyngeal samples. The results were visualized using agarose gels and CRISPR Cas12a-based lateral flow strips. The assay was evaluated using the gold standard, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The results show the comparative efficiency of HCR to RT-PCR. This study shows that HCR and CRISPR are viable alternatives for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 in samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Obaayaa Sagoe
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation (PAUSTI), Nairobi P.O. Box 62000-00200, Kenya
| | - Mutinda Cleophas Kyama
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Nairobi P.O. Box 62000-00200, Kenya
| | - Naomi Maina
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Health Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Nairobi P.O. Box 62000-00200, Kenya
| | - Moses Kamita
- Directorate of Research and Innovation, Mount Kenya University, Thika P.O. Box 342-01000, Kenya
| | - Muturi Njokah
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Health Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Nairobi P.O. Box 62000-00200, Kenya
| | - Kelvin Thiong'o
- Center for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi P.O. Box 54840-00200, Kenya
| | - Bernard N Kanoi
- Directorate of Research and Innovation, Mount Kenya University, Thika P.O. Box 342-01000, Kenya
| | - Ernest Apondi Wandera
- Directorate of Research and Innovation, Mount Kenya University, Thika P.O. Box 342-01000, Kenya
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi P.O. Box 54840-00200, Kenya
| | - Davies Ndegwa
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi P.O. Box 30195-00100, Kenya
| | - Dickson Mwenda Kinyua
- Department of Physical Sciences, Meru University of Science & Technology, Meru P.O. Box 972-60200, Kenya
- Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kirinyaga University, Kerugoya P.O. Box 143-10300, Kenya
| | - Jesse Gitaka
- Directorate of Research and Innovation, Mount Kenya University, Thika P.O. Box 342-01000, Kenya
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Cut TG, Mavrea A, Cumpanas AA, Novacescu D, Oancea CI, Bratosin F, Marinescu AR, Laza R, Mocanu A, Pescariu AS, Manolescu D, Dumache R, Enache A, Hogea E, Lazureanu VE. A Retrospective Assessment of Sputum Samples and Antimicrobial Resistance in COVID-19 Patients. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040620. [PMID: 37111506 PMCID: PMC10143659 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Data on bacterial or fungal pathogens and their impact on the mortality rates of Western Romanian COVID-19 patients are scarce. As a result, the purpose of this research was to determine the prevalence of bacterial and fungal co- and superinfections in Western Romanian adults with COVID-19, hospitalized in in-ward settings during the second half of the pandemic, and its distribution according to sociodemographic and clinical conditions. The unicentric retrospective observational study was conducted on 407 eligible patients. Expectorate sputum was selected as the sampling technique followed by routine microbiological investigations. A total of 31.5% of samples tested positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, followed by 26.2% having co-infections with Klebsiella pneumoniae among patients admitted with COVID-19. The third most common Pathogenic bacteria identified in the sputum samples was Escherichia coli, followed by Acinetobacter baumannii in 9.3% of samples. Commensal human pathogens caused respiratory infections in 67 patients, the most prevalent being Streptococcus penumoniae, followed by methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 53.4% of sputum samples tested positive for Candida spp., followed by 41.1% of samples with Aspergillus spp. growth. The three groups with positive microbial growth on sputum cultures had an equally proportional distribution of patients admitted to the ICU, with an average of 30%, compared with only 17.3% among hospitalized COVID-19 patients with negative sputum cultures (p = 0.003). More than 80% of all positive samples showed multidrug resistance. The high prevalence of bacterial and fungal co-infections and superinfections in COVID-19 patients mandates for strict and effective antimicrobial stewardship and infection control policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talida Georgiana Cut
- Department XIII, Discipline of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Doctoral School, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Center for Ethics in Human Genetic Identifications, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, Splaiul Independentei, Nr. 54, 50085 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adelina Mavrea
- Department VII, Internal Medicine II, Discipline of Cardiology, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alin Adrian Cumpanas
- Department XV, Discipline of Urology, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Dorin Novacescu
- Doctoral School, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, Splaiul Independentei, Nr. 54, 50085 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Iulian Oancea
- Department XIII, Discipline of Pneumology, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Center for Research and Innovation in Precision Medicine of Respiratory Diseases (CRIPMRD), Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Felix Bratosin
- Department XIII, Discipline of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Doctoral School, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Adelina Raluca Marinescu
- Department XIII, Discipline of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ruxandra Laza
- Department XIII, Discipline of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alexandra Mocanu
- Department XIII, Discipline of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Doctoral School, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alexandru Silvius Pescariu
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, Splaiul Independentei, Nr. 54, 50085 Bucharest, Romania
- Department VII, Internal Medicine II, Discipline of Cardiology, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Diana Manolescu
- Department XV, Discipline of Radiology, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Raluca Dumache
- Center for Ethics in Human Genetic Identifications, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Department VIII, Discipline of Forensic Medicine, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alexandra Enache
- Center for Ethics in Human Genetic Identifications, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Department VIII, Discipline of Forensic Medicine, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Elena Hogea
- Department XIV, Discipline of Microbiology, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Voichita Elena Lazureanu
- Department XIII, Discipline of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
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18
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Mihajlovic S, Nikolic D, Milicic B, Santric-Milicevic M, Glushkova N, Nurgalieva Z, Lackovic M. Association of Pre-Pregnancy Obesity and COVID-19 with Poor Pregnancy Outcome. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12082936. [PMID: 37109271 PMCID: PMC10144693 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12082936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES During the COVID-19 pandemic, a possible overlap of obesity and COVID-19 infection has raised concerns among patients and healthcare professionals about protecting pregnant women from developing a severe infection and unwanted pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of body mass index with clinical, laboratory, and radiology diagnostic parameters as well as pregnancy complications and maternal outcomes in pregnant patients with COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinical status, laboratory, and radiology diagnostic parameters and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed for pregnant women hospitalized between March 2020 and November 2021 in one tertiary-level university clinic in Belgrade, Serbia, due to infection with SARS-CoV-2. Pregnant women were divided into the three sub-groups according to their pre-pregnancy body mass index. For testing the differences between groups, a two-sided p-value <0.05 (the Kruskal-Wallis and ANOVA tests) was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Out of 192 hospitalized pregnant women, obese pregnant women had extended hospitalizations, including ICU duration, and they were more likely to develop multi-organ failure, pulmonary embolism, and drug-resistant nosocomial infection. Higher maternal mortality rates, as well as poor pregnancy outcomes, were also more likely to occur in the obese group of pregnant women. Overweight and obese pregnant women were more likely to develop gestational hypertension, and they had a higher grade of placental maturity. CONCLUSIONS Obese pregnant women hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection were more likely to develop severe complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sladjana Mihajlovic
- University Hospital "Dragisa Misovic", Heroja Milana Tepica 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dejan Nikolic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Children's Hospital, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Biljana Milicic
- Department of Medical Statistics and Informatics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milena Santric-Milicevic
- Institute of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Center-School of Public Health and Health Management, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Natalya Glushkova
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Care, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050044, Kazakhstan
| | - Zhansaya Nurgalieva
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Care, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050044, Kazakhstan
| | - Milan Lackovic
- University Hospital "Dragisa Misovic", Heroja Milana Tepica 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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19
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Contini C, Rotondo JC, Perna B, Guarino M, De Giorgio R. Special Issue: Advances in SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041048. [PMID: 37110471 PMCID: PMC10145712 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a life-threatening disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus which was first reported in late 2019 in China, from where it then spread worldwide [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Contini
- Infectious and Dermatology Diseases, St. Anna University-Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Benedetta Perna
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University-Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Matteo Guarino
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University-Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberto De Giorgio
- Department of Translational Medicine, St. Anna University-Hospital of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
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20
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Rodrigues-da-Silva RN, Conte FP, da Silva G, Carneiro-Alencar AL, Gomes PR, Kuriyama SN, Neto AAF, Lima-Junior JC. Identification of B-Cell Linear Epitopes in the Nucleocapsid (N) Protein B-Cell Linear Epitopes Conserved among the Main SARS-CoV-2 Variants. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040923. [PMID: 37112903 PMCID: PMC10145278 DOI: 10.3390/v15040923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Nucleocapsid (N) protein is highlighted as the main target for COVID-19 diagnosis by antigen detection due to its abundance in circulation early during infection. However, the effects of the described mutations in the N protein epitopes and the efficacy of antigen testing across SARS-CoV-2 variants remain controversial and poorly understood. Here, we used immunoinformatics to identify five epitopes in the SARS-CoV-2 N protein (N(34-48), N(89-104), N(185-197), N(277-287), and N(378-390)) and validate their reactivity against samples from COVID-19 convalescent patients. All identified epitopes are fully conserved in the main SARS-CoV-2 variants and highly conserved with SARS-CoV. Moreover, the epitopes N(185-197) and N(277-287) are highly conserved with MERS-CoV, while the epitopes N(34-48), N(89-104), N(277-287), and N(378-390) are lowly conserved with common cold coronaviruses (229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1). These data are in accordance with the observed conservation of amino acids recognized by the antibodies 7R98, 7N0R, and 7CR5, which are conserved in the SARS-CoV-2 variants, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV but lowly conserved in common cold coronaviruses. Therefore, we support the antigen tests as a scalable solution for the population-level diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, but we highlight the need to verify the cross-reactivity of these tests against the common cold coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo N Rodrigues-da-Silva
- Laboratory of Immunological Technology, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Fernando P Conte
- Eukaryotic Pilot Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Gustavo da Silva
- Laboratory of Immunological Technology, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Ana L Carneiro-Alencar
- Laboratory of Immunological Technology, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Paula R Gomes
- Getulio Vargas State Hospital, Rio de Janeiro 21070-061, Brazil
| | - Sergio N Kuriyama
- SENAI Innovation Institute for Green Chemistry, Rio de Janeiro 20271-030, Brazil
| | - Antonio A F Neto
- SENAI Innovation Institute for Green Chemistry, Rio de Janeiro 20271-030, Brazil
| | - Josué C Lima-Junior
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
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21
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Tsounis EP, Triantos C, Konstantakis C, Marangos M, Assimakopoulos SF. Intestinal barrier dysfunction as a key driver of severe COVID-19. World J Virol 2023; 12:68-90. [PMID: 37033148 PMCID: PMC10075050 DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v12.i2.68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The intestinal lumen harbors a diverse consortium of microorganisms that participate in reciprocal crosstalk with intestinal immune cells and with epithelial and endothelial cells, forming a multi-layered barrier that enables the efficient absorption of nutrients without an excessive influx of pathogens. Despite being a lung-centered disease, severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects multiple systems, including the gastrointestinal tract and the pertinent gut barrier function. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can inflict either direct cytopathic injury to intestinal epithelial and endothelial cells or indirect immune-mediated damage. Alternatively, SARS-CoV-2 undermines the structural integrity of the barrier by modifying the expression of tight junction proteins. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 induces profound alterations to the intestinal microflora at phylogenetic and metabolomic levels (dysbiosis) that are accompanied by disruption of local immune responses. The ensuing dysregulation of the gut-lung axis impairs the ability of the respiratory immune system to elicit robust and timely responses to restrict viral infection. The intestinal vasculature is vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2-induced endothelial injury, which simultaneously triggers the activation of the innate immune and coagulation systems, a condition referred to as “immunothrombosis” that drives severe thrombotic complications. Finally, increased intestinal permeability allows an aberrant dissemination of bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin into the systemic circulation and contributes, to a certain degree, to the over-exuberant immune responses and hyper-inflammation that dictate the severe form of COVID-19. In this review, we aim to elucidate SARS-CoV-2-mediated effects on gut barrier homeostasis and their implications on the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efthymios P Tsounis
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University Hospital of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece
| | - Christos Triantos
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University Hospital of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece
| | - Christos Konstantakis
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University Hospital of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece
| | - Markos Marangos
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, University Hospital of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece
| | - Stelios F Assimakopoulos
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, University Hospital of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece
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22
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Van Poelvoorde LAE, Picalausa C, Gobbo A, Verhaegen B, Lesenfants M, Herman P, Van Hoorde K, Roosens NHC. Development of a Droplet Digital PCR to Monitor SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant BA.2 in Wastewater Samples. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030729. [PMID: 36985302 PMCID: PMC10059707 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based surveillance can be used as a complementary method to other SARS-CoV-2 surveillance systems. It allows the emergence and spread of infections and SARS-CoV-2 variants to be monitored in time and place. This study presents an RT-ddPCR method that targets the T19I amino acid mutation in the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes, which is specific to the BA.2 variant (omicron). The T19I assay was evaluated both in silico and in vitro for its inclusivity, sensitivity, and specificity. Moreover, wastewater samples were used as a proof of concept to monitor and quantify the emergence of the BA.2 variant from January until May 2022 in the Brussels-Capital Region which covers a population of more than 1.2 million inhabitants. The in silico analysis showed that more than 99% of the BA.2 genomes could be characterized using the T19I assay. Subsequently, the sensitivity and specificity of the T19I assay were successfully experimentally evaluated. Thanks to our specific method design, the positive signal from the mutant probe and wild-type probe of the T19I assay was measured and the proportion of genomes with the T19I mutation, characteristic of the BA.2 mutant, compared to the entire SARS-CoV-2 population was calculated. The applicability of the proposed RT-ddPCR method was evaluated to monitor and quantify the emergence of the BA.2 variant over time. To validate this assay as a proof of concept, the measurement of the proportion of a specific circulating variant with genomes containing the T19I mutation in comparison to the total viral population was carried out in wastewater samples from wastewater treatment plants in the Brussels-Capital Region in the winter and spring of 2022. This emergence and proportional increase in BA.2 genomes correspond to what was observed in the surveillance using respiratory samples; however, the emergence was observed slightly earlier, which suggests that wastewater sampling could be an early warning system and could be an interesting alternative to extensive human testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Corinne Picalausa
- Transversal Activities in Applied Genomics, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Andrea Gobbo
- Transversal Activities in Applied Genomics, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Marie Lesenfants
- Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Nancy H. C. Roosens
- Transversal Activities in Applied Genomics, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Correspondence:
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23
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Yan BC, Luo RR. Thyrotoxicosis in patients with a history of Graves’ disease after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (adenovirus vector vaccine): Two case reports. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11:1122-1128. [PMID: 36874429 PMCID: PMC9979287 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i5.1122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which were approved for emergency use have been administered on a large scale globally to contain the pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to save lives. Vaccine safety is one of the issues under surveillance and a possible correlation between vaccines and thyroid function has been reported. However, reports of the impact of coronavirus vaccines on those with Graves’ disease (GD) are rare.
CASE SUMMARY This paper presents two patients with underlying GD in remission, both developed thyrotoxicosis and one developed thyroid storm following the adenovirus-vectored vaccine (Oxford-AstraZeneca, United Kingdom). The objective of this article is to raise awareness regarding a possible association between COVID-19 vaccination and the onset of thyroid dysfunction in patients with underlying GD in remission.
CONCLUSION Receiving either the mRNA or an adenovirus-vectored vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 could be safe under effective treatment. Vaccine induced thyroid dysfunction has been reported, but the pathophysiology still not well understood. Further investigation is required to evaluate the possible predisposing factors for developing thyrotoxicosis especially in patients with underlying GD. However, early awareness of thyroid dysfunction following vaccination could avoid a life-threatening event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Chang Yan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 220, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Rong Luo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 220, Taiwan
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24
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Lee M, Major M, Hong H. Distinct Conformations of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Spike Protein and Its Interaction with ACE2 and Antibody. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3774. [PMID: 36835186 PMCID: PMC9967551 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Since November 2021, Omicron has been the dominant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has continuously impacted human health. Omicron sublineages are still increasing and cause increased transmission and infection rates. The additional 15 mutations on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of Omicron spike proteins change the protein conformation, enabling the Omicron variant to evade neutralizing antibodies. For this reason, many efforts have been made to design new antigenic variants to induce effective antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development. However, understanding the different states of Omicron spike proteins with and without external molecules has not yet been addressed. In this review, we analyze the structures of the spike protein in the presence and absence of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and antibodies. Compared to previously determined structures for the wildtype spike protein and other variants such as alpha, beta, delta, and gamma, the Omicron spike protein adopts a partially open form. The open-form spike protein with one RBD up is dominant, followed by the open-form spike protein with two RBD up, and the closed-form spike protein with the RBD down. It is suggested that the competition between antibodies and ACE2 induces interactions between adjacent RBDs of the spike protein, which lead to a partially open form of the Omicron spike protein. The comprehensive structural information of Omicron spike proteins could be helpful for the efficient design of vaccines against the Omicron variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeongsang Lee
- National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Marian Major
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Huixiao Hong
- National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
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25
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Mazziotta C, Tognon M, Martini F, Torreggiani E, Rotondo JC. Probiotics Mechanism of Action on Immune Cells and Beneficial Effects on Human Health. Cells 2023; 12:cells12010184. [PMID: 36611977 PMCID: PMC9818925 DOI: 10.3390/cells12010184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune cells and commensal microbes in the human intestine constantly communicate with and react to each other in a stable environment in order to maintain healthy immune activities. Immune system-microbiota cross-talk relies on a complex network of pathways that sustain the balance between immune tolerance and immunogenicity. Probiotic bacteria can interact and stimulate intestinal immune cells and commensal microflora to modulate specific immune functions and immune homeostasis. Growing evidence shows that probiotic bacteria present important health-promoting and immunomodulatory properties. Thus, the use of probiotics might represent a promising approach for improving immune system activities. So far, few studies have been reported on the beneficial immune modulatory effect of probiotics. However, many others, which are mainly focused on their metabolic/nutritional properties, have been published. Therefore, the mechanisms behind the interaction between host immune cells and probiotics have only been partially described. The present review aims to collect and summarize the most recent scientific results and the resulting implications of how probiotic bacteria and immune cells interact to improve immune functions. Hence, a description of the currently known immunomodulatory mechanisms of probiotic bacteria in improving the host immune system is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazziotta
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Tognon
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fernanda Martini
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Elena Torreggiani
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.T.); (J.C.R.); Tel.: +39-053-2455-557 (E.T.); +39-053-245-5536 (J.C.R.)
| | - John Charles Rotondo
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 64/b, Fossato di Mortara Street, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.T.); (J.C.R.); Tel.: +39-053-2455-557 (E.T.); +39-053-245-5536 (J.C.R.)
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26
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Sohn EJ. Functional Analysis of Monkeypox and Interrelationship between Monkeypox and COVID-19 by Bioinformatic Analysis. Genet Res (Camb) 2023; 2023:8511036. [PMID: 37006463 PMCID: PMC10063359 DOI: 10.1155/2023/8511036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of monkeypox may be considered a novel and urgent threat after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). No wide-ranging studies have been conducted on this disease since it was first reported. We systematically assessed the functional role of gene expression in cells infected with the monkeypox virus using transcriptome profiling and compared the functional relation with that of COVID-19. Based on the Gene Expression Omnibus database, we obtained 212 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of GSE36854 and GSE21001 of monkeypox datasets. Enrichment analyses, including KEGG and gene ontology (GO) analyses, were performed to identify the common function of 212 DEGs of GSE36854 and GSE21001. CytoHubba and Molecular Complex Detection were performed to determine the core genes after a protein-protein interaction (PPI). Metascape/COVID-19 was used to compare DEGs of monkeypox and COVID-19. GO analysis of 212 DEGs of GSE36854 and GSE21001 for monkeypox infection showed cellular response to cytokine stimulus, cell activation, and cell differentiation regulation. KEGG analysis of 212 DEGs of GSE36854 and GSE21001 for monkeypox infection showed involvement of monkeypox in COVID-19, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, inflammatory bowel disease, atherosclerosis, TNF signaling, and T cell receptor signaling. By comparing our data with published transcriptome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections in other cell lines, the common function of monkeypox and COVID-19 includes cytokine signaling in the immune system, TNF signaling, and MAPK cascade regulation. Thus, our data suggest that the molecular connections identified between COVID-19 and monkeypox elucidate the causes of monkeypox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Jung Sohn
- College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
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27
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García-Salazar G, Urbán-Morlán Z, Mendoza-Elvira S, Quintanar-Guerrero D, Mendoza S. Broad Antiviral Spectrum of Glycyrrhizic Acid for Human and Veterinary Medicine: Reality or Fiction? Intervirology 2022; 66:41-53. [PMID: 36455522 PMCID: PMC10015762 DOI: 10.1159/000528198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging virus infections provoke health problems in people and animals, which generate social and economic issues worldwide. This has spurred the search for new pharmacological strategies to confront them. SUMMARY The purpose of this review is to draw the reader's attention to pharmacological evaluations of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and its analogs on the broad range of viruses known in human and veterinary medicine. GA is the main water-soluble constituent extracted from the roots of plants from the genus Glycyrrhiza, commonly known as licorice root. It has long been used due to its broad spectrum of bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, and antitumor properties. It has also been proposed as an antiviral agent. Medicines derived from GA are currently being used to combat acute and chronic hepatitis and herpes viruses. KEY MESSAGES This review suggests that GA could be a new broad-spectrum antiviral due to its ability to inhibit DNA or RNA viruses both in vitro and in vivo. GA could be a potential drug for preventing and/or treating various viral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilberto García-Salazar
- Departamento de Investigación y Posgrado en Alimentos, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico,
| | - Zaida Urbán-Morlán
- Facultad de Química, Centro de Información de Medicamentos, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Susana Mendoza-Elvira
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Virología de las Enfermedades Respiratorias del Cerdo, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - David Quintanar-Guerrero
- Laboratorio de Investigación y Posgrado en Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Sandra Mendoza
- Departamento de Investigación y Posgrado en Alimentos, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
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28
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Hayashi T, Sano K, Yaegashi N, Konishi I. Pathological Evidence for Residual SARS-CoV-2 in the Micrometastatic Niche of a Patient with Ovarian Cancer. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:5879-5889. [PMID: 36547061 PMCID: PMC9776863 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44120400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In previous clinical studies, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in cancer patients has a high risk of aggravation and mortality than in healthy infected individuals. Inoculation with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. However, vaccination-induced anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody production is said to be lower in cancer patients than in healthy individuals. In addition, the rationale for why the condition of patients with cancer worsens with COVID-19 is not well understood. Therefore, we examined the infection status of SARS-CoV-2 in the primary tumor and micrometastasis tissues of the patient with cancer and COVID-19. In this study, the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was observed, and SARS-CoV-2 particles was detected in ovarian tissue cells in contact with the micrometastatic niche of the patient with high-grade serous ovarian cancer. We believe that the severity of COVID-19 in patients with cancer can be attributed to these pathological features. Therefore, the pathological findings of patients with advanced and recurrent ovarian cancer infected with SARS-CoV-2 may help decrease COVID-19 severity in patients with other cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Hayashi
- National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Centre, Kyoto 612-8555, Japan
- The Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
- PRUM-iBio Study Group, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Headquarter, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
- Correspondence:
| | - Kenji Sano
- PRUM-iBio Study Group, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Headquarter, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
- Department of Pathology, Shinshu University Hospital, Nagano 390-8621, Japan
| | - Nobuo Yaegashi
- The Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
- PRUM-iBio Study Group, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Headquarter, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Ikuo Konishi
- National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Centre, Kyoto 612-8555, Japan
- The Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
- PRUM-iBio Study Group, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Headquarter, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
- Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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29
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SARSPLEX: Multiplex Serological ELISA with a Holistic Approach. Viruses 2022; 14:v14122593. [PMID: 36560597 PMCID: PMC9786076 DOI: 10.3390/v14122593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, there are over 602 million severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases and 6.4 million COVID-19 disease-related deaths worldwide. With ambitious vaccine strategies, reliable and accurate serological testing is needed to monitor the dynamics of the novel coronavirus pandemic and community immunity. We set out to improve serological testing of the immune response against SARS-CoV-2. We hypothesize that by multiplexing the serological diagnostic test kit (SARSPLEX) and screening for three antibodies, an even more robust diagnostic can be developed. A total of 293 sera were analyzed for IgM, IgG, or IgA immune reactions to the subunit 1 spike glycoprotein and the nucleocapsid protein in a standardized ELISA platform. Testing IgM, IgG, and IgA demonstrated high positive and negative agreements compared to RT-PCR and serology reference tests. Comparison with the pre-2019-CoV (n = 102) samples highlighted the specificity of this test kit and indicated that no unspecific binding, even with the summer flu patients (n = 44), was detected. In addition, SARSPLEX demonstrated to be a valuable occupational surveillance tool used in a functional medicine facility. With increased and broader testing, SARSPLEX will be a valuable tool in monitoring immunity and aid in prioritizing access to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for high-risk patients.
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30
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Costantino A, Morlacchi L, Donato MF, Gramegna A, Farina E, Dibenedetto C, Campise M, Redaelli M, Perego M, Alfieri C, Blasi F, Lampertico P, Favi E. Hesitancy toward the Full COVID-19 Vaccination among Kidney, Liver and Lung Transplant Recipients in Italy. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1899. [PMID: 36366406 PMCID: PMC9698445 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination hesitancy is a threat as COVID-19 vaccines have reduced both viral transmission and virus-associated mortality rates, particularly in high-risk subgroups. Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) are particularly vulnerable, as the underlying causes of their organ failure and the chronic immunosuppression are associated with a lower immune response to COVID-19 vaccines, and with an excessive risk of death due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to evaluate COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and its reasons in a population of SOTRs. METHODS All the SOTRs attending our post-transplant clinics were asked to fill in a vaccination status form with specific validated questions related to their willingness to receive a third vaccine dose. In the case of negative answers, the patients were encouraged to explain the reasons for their refusal. Among the SOTRs (1899), 1019 were investigated (53.7%). RESULTS Overall, 5.01% (51/1019) of the SOTRs raised concerns regarding the future third dose vaccination. In more detail, hesitancy rates were 3.3% (15/453), 4.2% (7/166), and 7.3% (29/400) among the investigated liver, lung, and kidney transplant recipients, respectively (p = 0.0018). The main reasons for hesitancy were fear of adverse events (30/51, 58.8%) and perceived lack of efficacy (21/51, 41.2%). CONCLUSIONS Full adherence to ongoing or future vaccination campaigns is crucial to prevent, or at least reduce, COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality in fragile patients. The identification of the reasons influencing COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in these patients is very important to establish appropriate and targeted patient-doctor communication strategies, and to further implement specific vaccination campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Costantino
- Division of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20214 Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Letizia Morlacchi
- Respiratory Unit and Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Francesca Donato
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Gramegna
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20124 Milan, Italy
- Respiratory Unit and Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Farina
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Dibenedetto
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Mariarosaria Campise
- Nephrology Dialysis and Transplantation, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Redaelli
- Kidney Transplantation, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Perego
- Kidney Transplantation, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Carlo Alfieri
- Nephrology Dialysis and Transplantation, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20124 Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Blasi
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20124 Milan, Italy
- Respiratory Unit and Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Lampertico
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
- CRC “A. M. and A. Migliavacca” Center for Liver Disease, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Evaldo Favi
- Kidney Transplantation, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20124 Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20124 Milan, Italy
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31
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Wang B, Shen WB, Yang P, Turan S. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces activation of ferroptosis in human placenta. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1022747. [PMID: 36425527 PMCID: PMC9679405 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1022747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis, a regulated non-apoptotic form of cell death, has been implicated in the response to varied types of infectious agents including virus. In this study, we sought to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 infection can induce activation of ferroptosis in the human placenta. We collected placentas from 23 pregnant females with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 following delivery and then used RNA in situ hybridization assay for detection of viral positive-sense strand (PSS) to confirm that these placentas have been infected. We also used immunohistochemistry assay to assess expression levels of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), an essential executioner of ferroptosis in the same specimens. Our results showed that ACSL4 expression was significantly increased in the group with positive positive-sense strand staining compared to their negative counterparts (p = 0.00022). Furthermore, we found that there was a positive trend for increased PSS staining along with increased ACSL4 expression. Our study supports that ferroptosis is activated in the response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in the human placenta, highlighting a molecular mechanism potentially linking this coronavirus infection and pathogenesis of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Peixin Yang
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sifa Turan
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Development of CRISPR-Mediated Nucleic Acid Detection Technologies and Their Applications in the Livestock Industry. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13112007. [PMID: 36360244 PMCID: PMC9690124 DOI: 10.3390/genes13112007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid rate of virus transmission and pathogen mutation and evolution highlight the necessity for innovative approaches to the diagnosis and prevention of infectious diseases. Traditional technologies for pathogen detection, mostly PCR-based, involve costly/advanced equipment and skilled personnel and are therefore not feasible in resource-limited areas. Over the years, many promising methods based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and the associated protein systems (CRISPR/Cas), i.e., orthologues of Cas9, Cas12, Cas13 and Cas14, have been reported for nucleic acid detection. CRISPR/Cas effectors can provide one-tube reaction systems, amplification-free strategies, simultaneous multiplex pathogen detection, visual colorimetric detection, and quantitative identification as alternatives to quantitative PCR (qPCR). This review summarizes the current development of CRISPR/Cas-mediated molecular diagnostics, as well as their design software and readout methods, highlighting technical improvements for integrating CRISPR/Cas technologies into on-site applications. It further highlights recent applications of CRISPR/Cas-based nucleic acid detection in livestock industry, including emerging infectious diseases, authenticity and composition of meat/milk products, as well as sex determination of early embryos.
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Rahman S, Hossain MJ, Nahar Z, Shahriar M, Bhuiyan MA, Islam MR. Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Subvariants: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2022; 16:11786302221129396. [PMID: 36299441 PMCID: PMC9585367 DOI: 10.1177/11786302221129396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has become the most devastating pandemic of the 21st century since its appearance in December 2019. Like other RNA viruses, continuous mutation is common for coronavirus to create several variants and subvariants. The main reason behind this mutation and evolvement of SARS-CoV-2 was its structural spike (S) glycoprotein. Coronavirus has become a threat to global public health due to its high mutation capability and antibody neutralizing capacity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 5 major variants of concern (VOC) are Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529). Recently, different Omicron subvariants have gained worldwide dominance, such as BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5. However, there is a discernible drop in this symptomatic sickness globally due to the success of numerous monoclonal antibodies and vaccinations. Here we also discussed the currently dominant Omicron subvariants and the effectiveness of antiviral agents and vaccines. Based on the available data and our knowledge, we can suggest that the global healthcare organizations can decide on the declaration of the end of the pandemic phase of COVID-19 soon; however, the covid-19 will continue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smaranika Rahman
- Department of Pharmacy, University of
Asia Pacific, Farmgate, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Jamal Hossain
- Department of Pharmacy, State
University of Bangladesh, Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zabun Nahar
- Department of Pharmacy, University of
Asia Pacific, Farmgate, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Shahriar
- Department of Pharmacy, University of
Asia Pacific, Farmgate, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md. Rabiul Islam
- Department of Pharmacy, University of
Asia Pacific, Farmgate, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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34
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Chang CH, Kao SP, Ding DC. Transient ischemic attack after mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:9929-9935. [PMID: 36186193 PMCID: PMC9516928 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i27.9929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thrombocytopenia with thrombosis syndrome has been reported after vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 with two mRNA vaccines. The syndrome is characterized by thrombosis, especially cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and may lead to stroke. Pregnant women with stroke show higher rates of pregnancy loss and experience serious pregnancy complications. We present the case of a 24-year-old pregnant woman with a transient ischemic attack (TIA) that developed after vaccination with the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine (at 37 2/7 wk).
CASE SUMMARY TIA occurred 13 d following the coronavirus disease vaccination. At 39 1/7 wk of pregnancy, the patient presented with sudden onset of right eye blurred vision with headache, dizziness with nausea, right-hand weakness, anomia, and alexia. The symptoms lasted 3 h; TIA was diagnosed. Blood test results revealed elevated D-dimer, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed no acute hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke. At pregnancy 37 6/7 wk, she was admitted for cesarean delivery to reduce subsequent risk of stroke during labor. Body mass index on admission was 19.8 kg/m2. Magnetic resonance angiography and transesophageal echocardiography showed no abnormalities. The next day, a mature female baby weighing 2895 g and measuring 50 cm was delivered. Apgar scores were 8 and 9 in the first and fifth minutes. D-dimer levels decreased on postoperative day 4. After discharge, the autoimmune panel was within normal limits, including antinuclear and antiphospholipid antibodies.
CONCLUSION TIA might be developed after the mRNA vaccines in pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Han Chang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Po Kao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970, Taiwan
| | - Dah-Ching Ding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 970, Taiwan
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IgA-Based Secretory Response in Tears of COVID-19 Patients: A Potential Biomarker of Pro-Inflammatory State in Course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101098. [PMID: 36297155 PMCID: PMC9610380 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucosal immunity, including secretory IgA (sIgA), plays an important role in the early defence against SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the local immune response in tears in relation to blood antibody reservoirs has not yet been conducted. A total of 179 symptomatic laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients were included in this single-centre study. Conjunctival swabs were analysed by a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. In parallel, tear samples collected by Schirmer test strips and plasma samples were analysed by ELISA to detect anti-S1 IgA levels. The concentrations of selected inflammatory cytokines in tears were determined by a magnetic bead assay. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 sIgA was present in the tears of 81 (45.25%) confirmed COVID-19 patients, and the tear IgA levels were correlated with the plasma IgA levels (Rs = +0.29, p = 0.0003). SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the conjunctival sac was identified in 18 COVID-19 patients (10%). Positive correlations between the tear IgA level and the concentrations of several cytokines TNF-α (Rs = +0.23, p = 0.002), IL-1β (Rs = +0.25, p < 0.001), IL-2 (Rs = +0.20, p = 0.007), IL-4 (Rs = +0.16, p = 0.04), IL-5 (Rs = +0.36, p < 0.001), IL-6 (Rs = +0.32, p < 0.001), IL-8 (Rs = +0.31, p < 0.001), VEGF (Rs = +0.25, p < 0.001) and GM-CSF (Rs = +0.27, p < 0.001) were also found. Quantitative tear film-based sIgA could potentially serve as a rapid and easily accessible biomarker of external mucosal immunity to SARS-CoV-2. The concentration of sIgA is directly related to individual host immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Evaluation of Next-Generation Sequencing Applied to Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium hominis Epidemiological Study. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11080938. [PMID: 36015058 PMCID: PMC9414878 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11080938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. Nowadays, most of the C. parvum and C. hominis epidemiological studies are based on gp60 gene subtyping using the Sanger sequencing (SgS) method. Unfortunately, SgS presents the limitation of being unable to detect mixed infections. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) seems to be an interesting solution to overcome SgS limits. Thus, the aim of our study was to (i) evaluate the reliability of NGS as a molecular typing tool for cryptosporidiosis, (ii) investigate the genetic diversity of the parasite and the frequency of mixed infections, (iii) assess NGS usefulness in Cryptosporidium sp. outbreak investigations, and (iv) assess an interpretation threshold of sequencing data. Methods. 108 DNA extracts from positive samples were sequenced by NGS. Among them, two samples were used to validate the reliability of the subtyping obtained by NGS and its capacity to detect DNA mixtures. In parallel, 106 samples from French outbreaks were used to expose NGS to epidemic samples. Results. NGS proved suitable for Cryptosporidium sp. subtyping at the gp60 gene locus, bringing more genetic information compared to SgS, especially by working on many samples simultaneously and detecting more diversity. Conclusions. This study confirms the usefulness of NGS applied to C. hominis and C. parvum epidemiological studies, especially aimed at detecting minority variants.
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Role of Intracellular Pulmonary Pathogens during SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the First Pandemic Wave of COVID-19: Clinical and Prognostic Significance in a Case Series of 1200 Patients. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081636. [PMID: 36014055 PMCID: PMC9412488 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Since 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic (COVID-19) has caused millions of deaths worldwide and is the second most serious pandemic after the Spanish flu. Despite SARS-CoV-2 infection having a dominant effect on morbidity and life-threatening outcomes, the role of bacterial co-infection in patients with COVID-19 is poorly understood. The present study aimed to verify the existence of bacterial co-infections and their possible role as cofactors worsening COVID-19-related clinical manifestations. Methods: All patients with suspected SARS-CoV-infection, hospitalised in COVID-19 wards at the Sant'Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, were retrospectively included in this single-centre study and their specific bacterial serologies were assessed. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 1204 individual records were retrieved. Among them, 959 were excluded because of a negative nasopharyngeal swab or missing data; of the eligible 245 patients, 51 were co-infected. Compared to patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection alone, those with Chlamydia pneumoniae or Mycoplasma pneumoniae co-infections had worse respiratory/radiological features and more intensive care unit admissions. However, the co-infection did not result in a higher mortality rate. Conclusions: The present study, comparing clinical, laboratory and radiological findings between patients with COVID-19 vs. those with co-infections (C. pneumoniae or M. pneumoniae) showed that, on admission, these features were worse in co-infected patients, although the mortality rate did not differ between the two groups.
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Comparison of a Blood Self-Collection System with Routine Phlebotomy for SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Testing. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12081857. [PMID: 36010206 PMCID: PMC9406345 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12081857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced researchers to reconsider in-person assessments due to transmission risk. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of using the Tasso-SST (Tasso, Inc, Seattle, Washington) device for blood self-collection for use in SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing in an ongoing COVID-19 prevalence and immunity research study. 100 participants were recruited between January and March 2021 from a previously identified sub-cohort of the Cabarrus County COVID-19 Prevalence and Immunity (C3PI) Study who were under-going bimonthly COVID-19 antibody testing. Participants were given a Tasso-SST kit and asked to self-collect blood during a scheduled visit where trained laboratory personnel performed routine phlebotomy. All participants completed an after-visit survey about their experience. Overall, 70.0% of participants were able to collect an adequate sample for testing using the device. Among those with an adequate sample, there was a high concordance in results between the Tasso-SST and phlebotomy blood collection methods (Cohen’s kappa coefficient = 0.88, Interclass correlation coefficient 0.98 [0.97, 0.99], p < 0.0001). The device received a high-level (90.0%) of acceptance among all participants. Overall, the Tasso-SST could prove to be a valuable tool for seroprevalence testing. However, future studies in larger, diverse populations over longer periods may provide a better understanding of device usability and acceptance among older participants and those with comorbidities in various use scenarios.
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