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Brudenell EL, Pohare MB, Zafred D, Phipps J, Hornsby HR, Darby JF, Dai J, Liggett E, Cain KM, Barran PE, de Silva TI, Sayers JR. Efficient overexpression and purification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nucleocapsid proteins in Escherichia coli. Biochem J 2024; 481:669-682. [PMID: 38713013 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20240019] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The fundamental biology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleocapsid protein (Ncap), its use in diagnostic assays and its potential application as a vaccine component have received considerable attention since the outbreak of the Covid19 pandemic in late 2019. Here we report the scalable expression and purification of soluble, immunologically active, SARS-CoV-2 Ncap in Escherichia coli. Codon-optimised synthetic genes encoding the original Ncap sequence and four common variants with an N-terminal 6His affinity tag (sequence MHHHHHHG) were cloned into an inducible expression vector carrying a regulated bacteriophage T5 synthetic promoter controlled by lac operator binding sites. The constructs were used to express Ncap proteins and protocols developed which allow efficient production of purified Ncap with yields of over 200 mg per litre of culture media. These proteins were deployed in ELISA assays to allow comparison of their responses to human sera. Our results suggest that there was no detectable difference between the 6His-tagged and untagged original Ncap proteins but there may be a slight loss of sensitivity of sera to other Ncap isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Brudenell
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Manoj B Pohare
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Domen Zafred
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Janine Phipps
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Hailey R Hornsby
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - John F Darby
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Junxiao Dai
- Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Ellen Liggett
- Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Kathleen M Cain
- Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Perdita E Barran
- Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Jon R Sayers
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
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2
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Wu SW, Chen YJ, Chang YW, Huang CY, Liu BH, Yu FY. Novel enzyme-linked aptamer-antibody sandwich assay and hybrid lateral flow strip for SARS-CoV-2 detection. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:5. [PMID: 38169397 PMCID: PMC10762915 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02191-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
We have successfully generated oligonucleotide aptamers (Apts) and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the recombinant nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2. Apts were obtained through seven rounds of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), while mAbs were derived from the 6F6E11 hybridoma cell line. Leveraging these Apts and mAbs, we have successfully devised two innovative and remarkably sensitive detection techniques for the rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 N protein in nasopharyngeal samples: the enzyme-linked aptamer-antibody sandwich assay (ELAAA) and the hybrid lateral flow strip (hybrid-LFS). ELAAA exhibited an impressive detection limit of 0.1 ng/mL, while hybrid-LFS offered a detection range of 0.1 - 0.5 ng/mL. In the evaluation using ten nasopharyngeal samples spiked with known N protein concentrations, ELAAA demonstrated an average recovery rate of 92%. Additionally, during the assessment of five nasopharyngeal samples from infected individuals and ten samples from healthy volunteers, hybrid-LFS displayed excellent sensitivity and specificity. Our study introduces a novel and efficient on-site approach for SARS-CoV-2 detection in nasopharyngeal samples. The reliable hybrid Apt-mAb strategy not only advances virus diagnostic methods but also holds promise in combating the spread of related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Wei Wu
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 1, Jen Ai Rd, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Ju Chen
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec. 1, Chien Kuo N. Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Wen Chang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec. 1, Chien Kuo N. Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec. 1, Chien Kuo N. Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Biing-Hui Liu
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 1, Jen Ai Rd, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
| | - Feng-Yih Yu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec. 1, Chien Kuo N. Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No.110, Sec. 1, Chien Kuo N. Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
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3
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Lao T, Farnos O, Bueno A, Alvarez A, Rodríguez E, Palacios J, de la Luz KR, Kamen A, Carpio Y, Estrada MP. Transient Expression in HEK-293 Cells in Suspension Culture as a Rapid and Powerful Tool: SARS-CoV-2 N and Chimeric SARS-CoV-2N-CD154 Proteins as a Case Study. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3050. [PMID: 38002050 PMCID: PMC10669214 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11113050] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In a previous work, we proposed a vaccine chimeric antigen based on the fusion of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein to the extracellular domain of the human CD40 ligand (CD154). This vaccine antigen was named N-CD protein and its expression was carried out in HEK-293 stably transfected cells, grown in adherent conditions and serum-supplemented medium. The chimeric protein obtained in these conditions presented a consistent pattern of degradation. The immunization of mice and monkeys with this chimeric protein was able to induce a high N-specific IgG response with only two doses in pre-clinical experiments. In order to explore ways to diminish protein degradation, in the present work, the N and N-CD proteins were produced in suspension cultures and serum-free media following transient transfection of the HEK-293 clone 3F6, at different scales, including stirred-tank controlled bioreactors. The results showed negligible or no degradation of the target proteins. Further, clones stably expressing N-CD were obtained and adapted to suspension culture, obtaining similar results to those observed in the transient expression experiments in HEK-293-3F6. The evidence supports transient protein expression in suspension cultures and serum-free media as a powerful tool to produce in a short period of time high levels of complex proteins susceptible to degradation, such as the SARS-CoV-2 N protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thailin Lao
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana 10600, Cuba; (T.L.)
| | - Omar Farnos
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0E9, Canada; (O.F.); (A.K.)
| | - Alexi Bueno
- Process Development Department, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba (J.P.); (K.R.d.l.L.)
| | - Anays Alvarez
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana 10600, Cuba; (T.L.)
| | - Elsa Rodríguez
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana 10600, Cuba; (T.L.)
| | - Julio Palacios
- Process Development Department, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba (J.P.); (K.R.d.l.L.)
| | - Kathya Rashida de la Luz
- Process Development Department, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba (J.P.); (K.R.d.l.L.)
| | - Amine Kamen
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0E9, Canada; (O.F.); (A.K.)
| | - Yamila Carpio
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana 10600, Cuba; (T.L.)
| | - Mario Pablo Estrada
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana 10600, Cuba; (T.L.)
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Shukla E, Choudhury L, Rastogi S, Chawla A, Bhattacharya S, Kaushik U, Mittal M, Rathore AS, Pandey G. Improved Stability and Manufacturability of Nucleocapsid Antigens for SARS-CoV2 Diagnostics through Protein Engineering. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1524. [PMID: 37892206 PMCID: PMC10604654 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on human health management. A rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV2 at the point-of-care (POC) is critical to prevent disease spread. As a POC device for remote settings, a LFIA should not require cold-chain maintenance and should be kept at normal temperatures. Antigen stability can be enhanced by addressing instability issues when dealing with fragile components, such as proteinaceous capture antigens. This study used immunologically guided protein engineering to enhance the capture nucleocapsid (NP) antigen stability of SARS-CoV2. A search of the IEDB database revealed that antibodies detecting epitopes are almost uniformly distributed over NP1-419. In contrast, N-terminal stretches of NP1-419 are theoretically more unstable than C-terminal stretches. We identified NP250-365 as a NP stretch with a low instability index and B-cell epitopes. Apart from NP1-419, two other variants (NP121-419 and NP250-365) were cloned, expressed, and purified. The degradation pattern of the proteins was observed on SDS-PAGE after three days of stability studies at -20 °C, 4 °C, and 37 °C. NP1-419 was the most degraded while NP250-365 exhibited the least degradation. Also, NP1-419, NP250-365, and NP121-419 reacted with purified antibodies from COVID-19 patient serum. Our results suggest that NP250-365 may be used as a stable capture antigen in LFIA devices to detect COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esha Shukla
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
| | - Lipsa Choudhury
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
| | - Saurabh Rastogi
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
| | - Arshmeet Chawla
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
| | - Sanghati Bhattacharya
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Umesh Kaushik
- Medsource Ozone Biomedicals Pvt. Ltd., Parmeshwari Colony, Faridabad 121003, India
| | - Manan Mittal
- Medsource Ozone Biomedicals Pvt. Ltd., Parmeshwari Colony, Faridabad 121003, India
| | - Anurag Singh Rathore
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Gaurav Pandey
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
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5
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Miyamura S, Oe R, Nakahara T, Koresawa H, Okada S, Taue S, Tokizane Y, Minamikawa T, Yano TA, Otsuka K, Sakane A, Sasaki T, Yasutomo K, Kajisa T, Yasui T. Rapid, high-sensitivity detection of biomolecules using dual-comb biosensing. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14541. [PMID: 37752134 PMCID: PMC10522648 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41436-3] [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: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid, sensitive detection of biomolecules is important for biosensing of infectious pathogens as well as biomarkers and pollutants. For example, biosensing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still strongly required for the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Here, we aim to achieve the rapid and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein antigen by enhancing the performance of optical biosensing based on optical frequency combs (OFC). The virus-concentration-dependent optical spectrum shift produced by antigen-antibody interactions is transformed into a photonic radio-frequency (RF) shift by a frequency conversion between the optical and RF regions in the OFC, facilitating rapid and sensitive detection with well-established electrical frequency measurements. Furthermore, active-dummy temperature-drift compensation with a dual-comb configuration enables the very small change in the virus-concentration-dependent signal to be extracted from the large, variable background signal caused by temperature disturbance. The achieved performance of dual-comb biosensing will greatly enhance the applicability of biosensors to viruses, biomarkers, environmental hormones, and so on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shogo Miyamura
- Graduate School of Advanced Technology and Science, Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Ryo Oe
- Graduate School of Advanced Technology and Science, Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Takuya Nakahara
- Graduate School of Advanced Technology and Science, Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Hidenori Koresawa
- Graduate School of Advanced Technology and Science, Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Shota Okada
- Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Shuji Taue
- School of System Engineering, Kochi University of Technology, 185 Miyanokuchi, Tosayamada, Kami, Kochi, 782-8502, Japan
| | - Yu Tokizane
- Division of Next-Generation Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Takeo Minamikawa
- Division of Interdisciplinary Researches for Medicine and Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Taka-Aki Yano
- Division of Next-Generation Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Kunihiro Otsuka
- Division of Interdisciplinary Researches for Medicine and Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
- Department of Immunology and Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Ayuko Sakane
- Division of Interdisciplinary Researches for Medicine and Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Takuya Sasaki
- Division of Interdisciplinary Researches for Medicine and Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Koji Yasutomo
- Division of Interdisciplinary Researches for Medicine and Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
- Department of Immunology and Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Taira Kajisa
- Division of Interdisciplinary Researches for Medicine and Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan.
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary New Science, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama, 350-8585, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Yasui
- Division of Next-Generation Photonics, Institute of Post-LED Photonics (pLED), Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami-Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan.
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6
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Vidal LEL, Figueira-Mansur J, Jurgilas PB, Argondizzo APC, Pestana CP, Martins FO, da Silva Junior HC, Miguez M, Loureiro BO, Marques CDFS, Trinta KS, da Silva LBR, de Mello MB, da Silva ED, Bastos RC, Esteves G. Process development and characterization of recombinant nucleocapsid protein for its application on COVID-19 diagnosis. Protein Expr Purif 2023; 207:106263. [PMID: 36921810 PMCID: PMC10012136 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2023.106263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic was caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (Sars-CoV-2). The nucleocapsid (N) protein from Sars-CoV-2 is a highly immunogenic antigen and responsible for genome packing. Serological assays are important tools to detect previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2, complement epidemiological studies, vaccine evaluation and also in COVID-19 surveillance. SARS-CoV-2 N (r2N) protein was produced in Escherichia coli, characterized, and the immunological performance was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and beads-based array immunoassay. r2N protein oligomers were evidenced when it is associated to nucleic acid. Benzonase treatment reduced host nucleic acid associated to r2N protein, but crosslinking assay still demonstrates the presence of higher-order oligomers. Nevertheless, after RNase treatment the higher-order oligomers reduced, and dimer form increased, suggesting RNA contributes to the oligomer formation. Structural analysis revealed nucleic acid did not interfere with the thermal stability of the recombinant protein. Interestingly, nucleic acid was able to prevent r2N protein aggregation even with increasing temperature while the protein benzonase treated begin aggregation process above 55 °C. In immunological characterization, ELISA performed with 233 serum samples presented a sensitivity of 97.44% (95% Confidence Interval, CI, 91.04%, 99.69%) and a specificity of 98.71% (95% CI, 95.42%, 99.84%) while beads-based array immunoassay carried out with 217 samples showed 100% sensitivity and 98.6% specificity. The results exhibited an excellent immunological performance of r2N protein in serologic assays showing that, even in presence of nucleic acid, it can be used as a component of an immunoassay for the sensitive and specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luãnna Elisa Liebscher Vidal
- Macromolecules Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil.
| | - Janaina Figueira-Mansur
- Recombinant Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Barbosa Jurgilas
- Macromolecules Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Correa Argondizzo
- Recombinant Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Pinheiro Pestana
- Recombinant Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Otaviano Martins
- Recombinant Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Haroldo Cid da Silva Junior
- Immunological Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Mariana Miguez
- Recombinant Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Bernardo Oliveira Loureiro
- Diagnostic Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Christiane de Fátima Silva Marques
- Diagnostic Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Karen Soares Trinta
- Diagnostic Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Leila Botelho Rodrigues da Silva
- Diagnostic Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Marcelle Bral de Mello
- Diagnostic Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Edimilson Domingos da Silva
- Diagnostic Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Renata Chagas Bastos
- Macromolecules Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Esteves
- Recombinant Technology Laboratory, Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
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7
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Ly H. Assessing the Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Free-Living and Captive Animals. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121405. [PMID: 36558740 PMCID: PMC9788107 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Several animal species, including cats, dogs, hamsters, mink, big cats, great apes and white-tailed deer, etc [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN 55108, USA
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8
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Henri J, Minder L, Mohanasundaram K, Dilly S, Goupil-Lamy A, Di Primo C, Slama Schwok A. Neuropeptides, New Ligands of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleoprotein, a Potential Link between Replication, Inflammation and Neurotransmission. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27228094. [PMID: 36432196 PMCID: PMC9698730 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27228094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This work identifies new ligands of the nucleoprotein N of SARS-CoV-2 by in silico screening, which used a new model of N, built from an Alphafold model refined by molecular dynamic simulations. The ligands were neuropeptides, such as substance P (1-7) and enkephalin, bound at a large site of the C-terminal or associated with the N-terminal β-sheet. The BA4 and BA5 Omicron variants of N also exhibited a large site as in wt N, and an increased flexibility of the BA5 variant, enabling substance P binding. The binding sites of some ligands deduced from modeling in wt N were assessed by mutation studies in surface plasmon resonance experiments. Dynamic light scattering showed that the ligands impeded RNA binding to N, which likely inhibited replication. We suggest that the physiological role of these neuropeptides in neurotransmission, pain and vasodilation for cholecystokinin and substance P could be altered by binding to N. We speculate that N may link between viral replication and multiple pathways leading to long COVID-19 symptoms. Therefore, N may constitute a "danger hub" that needs to be inhibited, even at high cost for the host. Antivirals targeted to N may therefore reduce the risk of brain fog and stroke, and improve patients' health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Henri
- Laboratoire de Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, UMR-CNRS 7238, Sorbonne Université, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Laetitia Minder
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie (IECB), CNRS, INSERM UAR 3033, US001, Univ. Bordeaux, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Kevin Mohanasundaram
- Saint Antoine Hospital, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, Sorbonne Université, Biology and Cancer Therapeutics, INSERM U938, F-75231 Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Dilly
- Saint Antoine Hospital, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, Sorbonne Université, Biology and Cancer Therapeutics, INSERM U938, F-75231 Paris, France
| | - Anne Goupil-Lamy
- Biovia, Dassault Systèmes, 10 Rue Marcel Dassault, CS40501, CEDEX, F-78946 Vélizy-Villacoublay, France
| | - Carmelo Di Primo
- CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, IECB, Univ. Bordeaux, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Anny Slama Schwok
- Saint Antoine Hospital, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, Sorbonne Université, Biology and Cancer Therapeutics, INSERM U938, F-75231 Paris, France
- Correspondence: or
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9
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McCarthy MW. Outpatient treatment options to address the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2022; 20:1129-1133. [PMID: 35549623 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2022.2077191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION : On November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization's Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution designated PANGO lineage B.1.1.529 a variant of concern and gave it the designation Omicron. The following day, the United Kingdom reported its first two cases of Omicron, a novel variant that was thought to be more transmissible than other variants such as Delta, Beta, and Alpha. AREAS COVERED : Omicron has since become the dominant variant around the world, accounting for unprecedented case counts and hospitalizations. Omicron's high rate of spread has been attributed to a variety of factors, including enhanced replication in the upper airways (bronchi) as well as immune evasion. EXPERT OPINION : These intrinsic factors have implications for the approach to treatment. Monoclonal antibody therapies, which were highly effective against prior SARS-CoV-2 variants, were rendered largely ineffective against Omicron, and other antiviral options remain severely limited due to supply issues. This manuscript reviews the landscape of Omicron therapeutics and looks ahead to examine how these treatments and others may be used in the future to address the expanding threat of the Omicron variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W McCarthy
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
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10
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Adler JM, Weber C, Wernike K, Michelitsch A, Friedrich K, Trimpert J, Beer M, Kohn B, Osterrieder K, Müller E. Prevalence of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies in cats in Germany and other European countries in the early phase of the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 69:439-450. [PMID: 35238485 PMCID: PMC9115359 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12932] [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: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
During the first months of the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), cases of human‐to‐cat transmission were reported. Seroconversion was shown in cats infected under experimental and natural conditions. This large‐scale survey of 1,005 serum samples was conducted to investigate anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody prevalence in domestic cats during the first 7 months of the pandemic in Germany and other European countries. In addition, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of two multispecies SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results were confirmed by using an indirect immunofluorescence test (iIFT) and a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT). Sera that were highly positive for feline coronavirus (FCoV) antibodies (n = 103) were included to correct for cross‐reactivity of the tests used. Our results showed an overall SARS‐CoV‐2 seropositivity of 1.9% (n = 19) in a receptor‐binding domain (RBD)‐based ELISA, additional 0.8% (n = 8) were giving inconclusive results. In contrast, a nucleocapsid‐based ELISA revealed 0.5% (n = 5) positive and 0.2% (n = 2) inconclusive results. While the iIFT and sVNT confirmed 100% of positive and 50%–57.1% of the doubtful results as determined in the RBD ELISA, the nucleocapsid‐based assay showed a high discrepancy and only one of the five positive results could be confirmed. The results indicate significant deficits of the nucleocapsid‐based ELISA with respect to sensitivity and specificity. Due to a significantly higher rate (5.8%) of positive results in the group of highly FCoV antibody‐positive samples, cross‐reactivity of the FCoV‐ELISA with SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies cannot be excluded. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of direct contact of domestic cats (n = 23) to SARS‐CoV‐2 positive owners. Considering one inconclusive result, which got confirmed by iIFT, this exposure did not lead to a significantly higher prevalence (4.4%; p = .358) among tested subjects. Overall, we conclude that cats are a negligible entity with respect to virus transmission in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Maria Adler
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Laboklin GmbH & Co.KG, Bad Kissingen, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Wernike
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anna Michelitsch
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | - Jakob Trimpert
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Barbara Kohn
- Klinik für kleine Haustiere, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Osterrieder
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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11
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Murphy HL, Ly H. Understanding the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) exposure in companion, captive, wild, and farmed animals. Virulence 2021; 12:2777-2786. [PMID: 34696707 PMCID: PMC8667879 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1996519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several animal species, including ferrets, hamsters, monkeys, and raccoon dogs, have been shown to be susceptible to experimental infection by the human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which were responsible for the 2003 SARS outbreak and the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, respectively. Emerging studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 natural infection of pet dogs and cats is also possible, but its prevalence is not fully understood. Experimentally, it has been demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 replicates more efficiently in cats than in dogs and that cats can transmit the virus through aerosols. With approximately 470 million pet dogs and 370 million pet cats cohabitating with their human owners worldwide, the finding of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in these household pets has important implications for potential zoonotic transmission events during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as future SARS-related outbreaks. Here, we describe some of the ongoing worldwide surveillance efforts to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in companion, captive, wild, and farmed animals, as well as provide some perspectives on these efforts including the intra- and inter-species coronavirus transmissions, evolution, and their implications on the human-animal interface along with public health. Some ongoing efforts to develop and implement a new COVID-19 vaccine for animals are also discussed. Surveillance initiatives to track SARS-CoV-2 exposures in animals are necessary to accurately determine their impact on veterinary and human health, as well as define potential reservoir sources of the virus and its evolutionary and transmission dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L. Murphy
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, Comparative & Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, Comparative & Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
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