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Song Y, Myers R, Mehl F, Murphy L, Brooks B, Wilson JM, Kadl A, Woodfolk J, Zeichner SL. ACE-2-like enzymatic activity is associated with immunoglobulin in COVID-19 patients. mBio 2024; 15:e0054124. [PMID: 38501835 PMCID: PMC11005375 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00541-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Many mechanisms responsible for COVID-19 pathogenesis are well-established, but COVID-19 includes features with unclear pathogenesis, such as autonomic dysregulation, coagulopathies, and high levels of inflammation. The receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) is angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). We hypothesized that some COVID-19 patients may develop antibodies that have a negative molecular image of RBD sufficiently similar to ACE2 to yield ACE2-like catalytic activity-ACE2-like abzymes. To explore this hypothesis, we studied patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who had plasma samples available obtained about 7 days after admission. ACE2 is a metalloprotease that requires Zn2+ for activity. However, we found that the plasma from some patients studied could specifically cleave a synthetic ACE2 peptide substrate, even though the plasma samples were collected using disodium EDTA anticoagulant. When we spiked plasma with synthetic ACE2, no ACE2 substrate cleavage activity was observed unless Zn2+ was added or the plasma was diluted to decrease EDTA concentration. After processing samples by 100 kDa size exclusion columns and protein A/G adsorption, which depleted immunoglobulin by >99.99%, the plasma samples did not cleave the ACE2 substrate peptide. The data suggest that some patients with COVID-19 develop antibodies with abzyme-like activity capable of cleaving synthetic ACE2 substrate. Since abzymes can exhibit promiscuous substrate specificities compared to the enzyme whose active site image they resemble, and since proteolytic cascades regulate many physiologic processes, anti-RBD abzymes may contribute to some otherwise obscure COVID-19 pathogenesis. IMPORTANCE We provide what we believe to be the first description of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-like enzymatic activity associated with immunoglobulin in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 includes many puzzling clinical features that have unclear pathogenesis, including a hyperinflammatory state, abnormalities of the clotting cascade, and blood pressure instability. We hypothesized that some patients with COVID-19 patients may produce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 with enzymatic activity, or abzymes, that target important proteolytic regulatory cascades. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds ACE2 on the surface of the future host cell. This means that the RBD has a negative molecular image of ACE2. We hypothesized that some antibodies produced against the RBD would have, in turn, a negative molecular image of the RBD sufficiently similar to ACE2 to have ACE2-like catalytic activity. In other words, some anti-RBD antibodies would be ACE2-like abzymes. Abzymes elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection have the potential to affect host physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Song
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Regan Myers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Frances Mehl
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Lila Murphy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Bailey Brooks
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Wilson
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Alexandra Kadl
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Judith Woodfolk
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Steven L. Zeichner
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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Kodadek T. Catalytic Protein Inhibitors. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202316726. [PMID: 38064411 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202316726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Many of the highest priority targets in a wide range of disease states are difficult-to-drug proteins. The development of reversible small molecule inhibitors for the active sites of these proteins with sufficient affinity and residence time on-target is an enormous challenge. This has engendered interest in strategies to increase the potency of a given protein inhibitor by routes other than further improvement in gross affinity. Amongst these, the development of catalytic protein inhibitors has garnered the most attention and investment, particularly with respect to protein degraders, which catalyze the destruction of the target protein. This article discusses the genesis of the burgeoning field of catalytic inhibitors, the current state of the art, and exciting future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kodadek
- Department of Chemistry, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, 120 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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Da Silva L, Klopfenstein T, Gendrin V, Clouet J, Toko L, Richier Q, Leriche T, Nicolas R, Queijo A, Sreiri N, Lacombe K, Zayet S. Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients Receiving Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibodies: A Diagnostic Challenged by Negative Nasopharyngeal RT-PCR and Successful Treatment with COVID-19 High-Titer Convalescent Plasma. Viruses 2023; 15:2220. [PMID: 38005897 PMCID: PMC10675708 DOI: 10.3390/v15112220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
We highlighted in this current paper similar prolonged respiratory presentation with COVID-19 pneumonia in four severely immunocompromised patients currently being treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), such as ocrelizumab and rituximab, for multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid polyarthritis. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on a nasopharyngeal swab specimen was negative in all patients. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A high titer of post-vaccine COVID-19 convalescent plasma was administered with complete recovery in all patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Da Silva
- Infectious Diseases Department, Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France; (L.D.S.); (V.G.); (L.T.); (A.Q.); (N.S.)
| | - Timothée Klopfenstein
- Infectious Diseases Department, Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France; (L.D.S.); (V.G.); (L.T.); (A.Q.); (N.S.)
| | - Vincent Gendrin
- Infectious Diseases Department, Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France; (L.D.S.); (V.G.); (L.T.); (A.Q.); (N.S.)
| | - Julien Clouet
- Infectious Diseases Department, Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France; (L.D.S.); (V.G.); (L.T.); (A.Q.); (N.S.)
| | - Lynda Toko
- Infectious Diseases Department, Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France; (L.D.S.); (V.G.); (L.T.); (A.Q.); (N.S.)
| | - Quentin Richier
- Infectious Diseases Department, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, Saint-Antoine Hospital, 75012 Paris, France; (Q.R.)
| | - Thomas Leriche
- Rheumatology Department, Nord Franche-Comte Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France;
| | - Raoul Nicolas
- Pneumologie Department, Nord Franche-Comte Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France;
| | - Alexis Queijo
- Infectious Diseases Department, Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France; (L.D.S.); (V.G.); (L.T.); (A.Q.); (N.S.)
| | - Nour Sreiri
- Infectious Diseases Department, Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France; (L.D.S.); (V.G.); (L.T.); (A.Q.); (N.S.)
| | - Karine Lacombe
- Infectious Diseases Department, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, Saint-Antoine Hospital, 75012 Paris, France; (Q.R.)
- INSERM, Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health (IPLESP), Sorbonne University, 75646 Paris, France
| | - Souheil Zayet
- Infectious Diseases Department, Nord Franche-Comté Hospital, 90400 Trevenans, France; (L.D.S.); (V.G.); (L.T.); (A.Q.); (N.S.)
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Timofeeva AM, Sedykh SE, Dmitrenok PS, Nevinsky GA. Identification of Antibody-Mediated Hydrolysis Sites of Oligopeptides Corresponding to the SARS-CoV-2 S-Protein by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14342. [PMID: 37762643 PMCID: PMC10531968 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies recognizing RBD and the S-protein have been previously demonstrated to be formed in humans after SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination with the Sputnik V adenovirus vaccine. These antibodies were found to be active when hydrolyzing FITC-labeled oligopeptides corresponding to linear epitopes of the S-protein. The thin-layer chromatography method allows the relative accumulation of the reaction product to be estimated but cannot identify hydrolysis sites. This study used the MALDI-TOF MS method to establish oligopeptide hydrolysis sites. Using the MALDI-TOF MS method in combination with the analysis of known hydrolysis sites characteristic of canonical proteases allowed us to establish the unique hydrolysis sites inherent only to catalytically active antibodies. We have discovered two 12-mer oligopeptides to have six hydrolysis sites equally distributed throughout the oligopeptide. The other three oligopeptides were found to have two to three closely spaced hydrolysis sites. In contrast to trypsin and chymotrypsin proteases, the catalytically active antibodies of COVID-19 patients have their peptide bond hydrolyzed mainly after proline, threonine, glycine, or serine residues. Here, we propose a new high-throughput experimental method for analyzing the proteolytic activity of natural antibodies produced in viral pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Timofeeva
- SB RAS Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Sergey E. Sedykh
- SB RAS Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Pavel S. Dmitrenok
- Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Far East Branch RAS, 100 let Vladivostoku Ave. 159, Vladivostok 690022, Russia
| | - Georgy A. Nevinsky
- SB RAS Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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Timofeeva AM, Sedykh SE, Sedykh TA, Nevinsky GA. Natural Antibodies Produced in Vaccinated Patients and COVID-19 Convalescents Recognize and Hydrolyze Oligopeptides Corresponding to the S-Protein of SARS-CoV-2. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1494. [PMID: 37766170 PMCID: PMC10535122 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11091494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The S-protein is the major antigen of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, against which protective antibodies are generated. The S-protein gene was used in adenoviral vectors and mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. While the primary function of antibodies is to bind to antigens, catalytic antibodies can hydrolyze various substrates, including nucleic acids, proteins, oligopeptides, polysaccharides, and some other molecules. In this study, antibody fractions with affinity for RBD and S-protein (RBD-IgG and S-IgG) were isolated from the blood of COVID-19 patients vaccinated with Sputnik V. The fractions were analyzed for their potential to hydrolyze 18-mer oligopeptides corresponding to linear fragments of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein. Here, we show that the IgG antibodies hydrolyze six out of nine oligopeptides efficiently, with the antibodies of COVID-19-exposed donors demonstrating the most significant activity. The IgGs of control donors not exposed to SARS-CoV-2 were found to be inactive in oligopeptide hydrolysis. The antibodies of convalescents and vaccinated patients were found to hydrolyze oligopeptides in a wide pH range, with the optimal pH range between 6.5 and 7.5. The hydrolysis of most oligopeptides by RBD-IgG antibodies is inhibited by thiol protease inhibitors, whereas S-IgG active centers generally combine several types of proteolytic activities. Ca2+ ions increase the catalytic activity of IgG preparations containing metalloprotease-like active centers. Thus, the proteolytic activity of natural antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 protein is believed to be due to the similarity of catalytic antibodies' active centers to canonical proteases. This work raises the question of the possible physiological role of proteolytic natural RBD-IgG and S-IgG resulting from vaccination and exposure to COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Timofeeva
- SB RAS Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Sergey E. Sedykh
- SB RAS Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Tatyana A. Sedykh
- SB RAS Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Georgy A. Nevinsky
- SB RAS Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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McNamara RP. Catalytic spike antibodies: A new paradigm in neutralization. Cell Chem Biol 2023; 30:701-702. [PMID: 37478826 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
In this issue, McConnell et al.10 demonstrate that COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP)-derived antibodies can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 by proteolytically cleaving the spike protein. The CCP antibody-mediated catalysis has broader implications beyond COVID-19 and can be applicable in understanding the mechanism of antibody-based neutralization of different pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P McNamara
- Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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