1
|
Alzua GP, Pihl AF, Offersgaard A, Velázquez-Moctezuma R, Duarte Hernandez CR, Augestad EH, Fahnøe U, Mathiesen CK, Krarup H, Law M, Prentoe J, Bukh J, Gottwein JM. Identification of novel neutralizing determinants for protection against HCV. Hepatology 2023; 77:982-996. [PMID: 36056620 PMCID: PMC9936975 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS HCV evasion of neutralizing antibodies (nAb) results in viral persistence and poses challenges to the development of an urgently needed vaccine. N-linked glycosylation of viral envelope proteins is a key mechanism for such evasion. To facilitate rational vaccine design, we aimed to identify determinants of protection of conserved neutralizing epitopes. APPROACH AND RESULTS Using a reverse evolutionary approach, we passaged genotype 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, and 4a HCV with envelope proteins (E1 and E2) derived from chronically infected patients without selective pressure by nAb in cell culture. Compared with the original viruses, HCV recombinants, engineered to harbor substitutions identified in polyclonal cell culture-passaged viruses, showed highly increased fitness and exposure of conserved neutralizing epitopes in antigenic regions 3 and 4, associated with protection from chronic infection. Further reverse genetic studies of acquired E1/E2 substitutions identified positions 418 and 532 in the N1 and N6 glycosylation motifs, localizing to adjacent E2 areas, as key regulators of changes of the E1/E2 conformational state, which governed viral sensitivity to nAb. These effects were independent of predicted glycan occupancy. CONCLUSIONS We show how N-linked glycosylation motifs can trigger dramatic changes in HCV sensitivity to nAb, independent of glycan occupancy. These findings aid in the understanding of HCV nAb evasion and rational vaccine design, as they can be exploited to stabilize the structurally flexible envelope proteins in an open conformation, exposing important neutralizing epitopes. Finally, this work resulted in a panel of highly fit cell culture infectious HCV recombinants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Garazi P Alzua
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Anne F Pihl
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Anna Offersgaard
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Rodrigo Velázquez-Moctezuma
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Carlos R Duarte Hernandez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Elias H Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Christian K Mathiesen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Henrik Krarup
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics , Aalborg University Hospital , Aalborg , Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine , Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark
| | - Mansun Law
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California , USA
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Judith M Gottwein
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital-Hvidovre , Hvidovre , Denmark.,Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Augestad EH, Bukh J, Prentoe J. Hepatitis C virus envelope protein dynamics and the link to hypervariable region 1. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 50:69-75. [PMID: 34403905 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Conformational dynamics of viral envelope proteins seem to be involved in mediating evasion from neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) by mechanisms that limit exposure of conserved protein motifs. For hepatitis C virus (HCV), molecular studies have only recently begun to unveil how such dynamics of the envelope protein heterodimer, E1/E2, are linked to viral entry and NAb evasion. Here, we review data suggesting that E1/E2 exists in an equilibrium between theoretical 'open' (NAb-sensitive) and 'closed' (NAb-resistant) conformational states. We describe how this equilibrium is influenced by viral sequence polymorphisms and that it is critically dependent on the N-terminal region of E2, termed hypervariable region 1 (HVR1). Finally, we discuss how it appears that the virus binding site for the HCV entry co-receptor CD81 is less available in 'closed' E1/E2 states and that NAb-resistant viruses require a more intricate entry pathway involving also the entry co-receptor, SR-BI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elias H Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Olesen CH, Augestad EH, Troise F, Bukh J, Prentoe J. In vitro adaptation and characterization of attenuated hypervariable region 1 swap chimeras of hepatitis C virus. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009720. [PMID: 34280245 PMCID: PMC8321405 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronically infects 70 million people worldwide with an estimated annual disease-related mortality of 400,000. A vaccine could prevent spread of this pervasive human pathogen, but has proven difficult to develop, partly due to neutralizing antibody evasion mechanisms that are inherent features of the virus envelope glycoproteins, E1 and E2. A central actor is the E2 motif, hypervariable region 1 (HVR1), which protects several non-overlapping neutralization epitopes through an incompletely understood mechanism. Here, we show that introducing different HVR1-isolate sequences into cell-culture infectious JFH1-based H77 (genotype 1a) and J4 (genotype 1b) Core-NS2 recombinants can lead to severe viral attenuation. Culture adaptation of attenuated HVR1-swapped recombinants permitted us to identify E1/E2 substitutions at conserved positions both within and outside HVR1 that increased the infectivity of attenuated HVR1-swapped recombinants but were not adaptive for original recombinants. H77 recombinants with HVR1 from multiple other isolates consistently acquired substitutions at position 348 in E1 and position 385 in HVR1 of E2. Interestingly, HVR1-swapped J4 recombinants primarily acquired other substitutions: F291I (E1), F438V (E2), F447L/V/I (E2) and V710L (E2), indicating a different adaptation pathway. For H77 recombinants, the adaptive E1/E2 substitutions increased sensitivity to the neutralizing monoclonal antibodies AR3A and AR4A, whereas for J4 recombinants, they increased sensitivity to AR3A, while having no effect on sensitivity to AR4A. To evaluate effects of the substitutions on AR3A and AR4A binding, we performed ELISAs on extracted E1/E2 protein and performed immunoprecipitation of relevant viruses. However, extracted E1/E2 protein and immunoprecipitation of HCV particles only reproduced the neutralization phenotypes of the J4 recombinants. Finally, we found that the HVR1-swap E1/E2 substitutions decrease virus entry dependency on co-receptor SR-BI. Our study identifies E1/E2 positions that could be critical for intra-complex HVR1 interactions while emphasizing the need for developing novel tools for molecular studies of E1/E2 interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Holmboe Olesen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elias H. Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Fulvia Troise
- Ceinge Biotecnologie Avanzate Via Gaetano Salvatore, Napoli, Italy
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chen F, Tzarum N, Lin X, Giang E, Velázquez-Moctezuma R, Augestad EH, Nagy K, He L, Hernandez M, Fouch ME, Grinyó A, Chavez D, Doranz BJ, Prentoe J, Stanfield RL, Lanford R, Bukh J, Wilson IA, Zhu J, Law M. Functional convergence of a germline-encoded neutralizing antibody response in rhesus macaques immunized with HCV envelope glycoproteins. Immunity 2021; 54:781-796.e4. [PMID: 33675683 PMCID: PMC8046733 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [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: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Human IGHV1-69-encoded broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that target the hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope glycoprotein (Env) E2 are important for protection against HCV infection. An IGHV1-69 ortholog gene, VH1.36, is preferentially used for bnAbs isolated from HCV Env-immunized rhesus macaques (RMs). Here, we studied the genetic, structural, and functional properties of VH1.36-encoded bnAbs generated by vaccination, in comparison to IGHV1-69-encoded bnAbs from HCV patients. Global B cell repertoire analysis confirmed the expansion of VH1.36-derived B cells in immunized animals. Most E2-specific, VH1.36-encoded antibodies cross-neutralized HCV. Crystal structures of two RM bnAbs with E2 revealed that the RM bnAbs engaged conserved E2 epitopes using similar molecular features as human bnAbs but with a different binding mode. Longitudinal analyses of the RM antibody repertoire responses during immunization indicated rapid lineage development of VH1.36-encoded bnAbs with limited somatic hypermutation. Our findings suggest functional convergence of a germline-encoded bnAb response to HCV Env with implications for vaccination in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Netanel Tzarum
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Xiaohe Lin
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Erick Giang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Rodrigo Velázquez-Moctezuma
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elias H Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kenna Nagy
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Linling He
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | | | | | - Deborah Chavez
- Southwest National Primate Research Center at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 788227, USA
| | | | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robyn L Stanfield
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Robert Lanford
- Southwest National Primate Research Center at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 788227, USA
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Jiang Zhu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Mansun Law
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Velázquez-Moctezuma R, Augestad EH, Castelli M, Holmboe Olesen C, Clementi N, Clementi M, Mancini N, Prentoe J. Mechanisms of Hepatitis C Virus Escape from Vaccine-Relevant Neutralizing Antibodies. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:291. [PMID: 33804732 PMCID: PMC8004074 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9030291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major causative agent of acute and chronic hepatitis. It is estimated that 400,000 people die every year from chronic HCV infection, mostly from severe liver-related diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Although HCV was discovered more than 30 years ago, an efficient prophylactic vaccine is still missing. The HCV glycoprotein complex, E1/E2, is the principal target of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and, thus, is an attractive antigen for B-cell vaccine design. However, the high genetic variability of the virus necessitates the identification of conserved epitopes. Moreover, the high intrinsic mutational capacity of HCV allows the virus to continually escape broadly NAbs (bNAbs), which is likely to cause issues with vaccine-resistant variants. Several studies have assessed the barrier-to-resistance of vaccine-relevant bNAbs in vivo and in vitro. Interestingly, recent studies have suggested that escape substitutions can confer antibody resistance not only by direct modification of the epitope but indirectly through allosteric effects, which can be grouped based on the breadth of these effects on antibody susceptibility. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of HCV-specific NAbs, with a special focus on vaccine-relevant bNAbs and their targets. We highlight antibody escape studies pointing out the different methodologies and the escape mutations identified thus far. Finally, we analyze the antibody escape mechanisms of envelope protein escape substitutions and polymorphisms according to the most recent evidence in the HCV field. The accumulated knowledge in identifying bNAb epitopes as well as assessing barriers to resistance and elucidating relevant escape mechanisms may prove critical in the successful development of an HCV B-cell vaccine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Velázquez-Moctezuma
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (R.V.-M.); (E.H.A.); (C.H.O.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Elias H. Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (R.V.-M.); (E.H.A.); (C.H.O.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Matteo Castelli
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Università “Vita-Salute” San Raffaele, 20132 Milano, Italy; (M.C.); (N.C.); (M.C.); (N.M.)
| | - Christina Holmboe Olesen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (R.V.-M.); (E.H.A.); (C.H.O.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Nicola Clementi
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Università “Vita-Salute” San Raffaele, 20132 Milano, Italy; (M.C.); (N.C.); (M.C.); (N.M.)
| | - Massimo Clementi
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Università “Vita-Salute” San Raffaele, 20132 Milano, Italy; (M.C.); (N.C.); (M.C.); (N.M.)
| | - Nicasio Mancini
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Università “Vita-Salute” San Raffaele, 20132 Milano, Italy; (M.C.); (N.C.); (M.C.); (N.M.)
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (R.V.-M.); (E.H.A.); (C.H.O.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Augestad EH, Castelli M, Clementi N, Ströh LJ, Krey T, Burioni R, Mancini N, Bukh J, Prentoe J. Global and local envelope protein dynamics of hepatitis C virus determine broad antibody sensitivity. Sci Adv 2020; 6:eabb5938. [PMID: 32923643 PMCID: PMC7449684 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb5938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Broad antibody sensitivity differences of hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolates and their ability to persist in the presence of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) remain poorly understood. Here, we show that polymorphisms within glycoprotein E2, including hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) and antigenic site 412 (AS412), broadly affect NAb sensitivity by shifting global envelope protein conformation dynamics between theoretical "closed," neutralization-resistant and "open," neutralization-sensitive states. The conformational space of AS412 was skewed toward β-hairpin-like conformations in closed states, which also depended on HVR1, assigning function to these enigmatic E2 regions. Scavenger receptor class B, type I entry dependency of HCV was associated with NAb resistance and correlated perfectly with decreased virus propensity to interact with HCV co-receptor CD81, indicating that decreased NAb sensitivity resulted in a more complex entry pathway. This link between global E1/E2 states and functionally distinct AS412 conformations has important implications for targeting AS412 in rational HCV vaccine designs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elias H. Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Matteo Castelli
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Università “Vita-Salute” San Raffaele, Milano, 20132, Italy
| | - Nicola Clementi
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Università “Vita-Salute” San Raffaele, Milano, 20132, Italy
| | - Luisa J. Ströh
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Thomas Krey
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner sites Hannover-Braunschweig and Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
- Center of Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Luebeck, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Roberto Burioni
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Università “Vita-Salute” San Raffaele, Milano, 20132, Italy
| | - Nicasio Mancini
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Università “Vita-Salute” San Raffaele, Milano, 20132, Italy
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Corresponding author.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Tzarum N, Giang E, Kadam RU, Chen F, Nagy K, Augestad EH, Velázquez-Moctezuma R, Keck ZY, Hua Y, Stanfield RL, Dreux M, Prentoe J, Foung SKH, Bukh J, Wilson IA, Law M. An alternate conformation of HCV E2 neutralizing face as an additional vaccine target. Sci Adv 2020; 6:eabb5642. [PMID: 32754640 PMCID: PMC7380959 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb5642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
To achieve global elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV), an effective cross-genotype vaccine is needed. The HCV envelope glycoprotein E2 is the main target for neutralizing antibodies (nAbs), which aid in HCV clearance and protection. E2 is structurally flexible and functions in engaging host receptors. Many nAbs bind to the "neutralizing face" on E2, including several broadly nAbs encoded by the VH1-69 germline gene family that bind to a similar conformation (A) of this face. Here, a previously unknown conformation (B) of the neutralizing face is revealed in crystal structures of two of four additional E2-VH1-69 nAb complexes. In this conformation, the E2 front-layer region is displaced upon antibody binding, exposing residues in the back layer for direct antibody interaction. This E2 B structure may represent another conformational state in the viral entry process that is susceptible to antibody neutralization and thus provide a new target for rational vaccine development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Netanel Tzarum
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Erick Giang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Rameshwar U. Kadam
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Fang Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kenna Nagy
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Elias H. Augestad
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rodrigo Velázquez-Moctezuma
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Zhen-Yong Keck
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yuanzi Hua
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Robyn L. Stanfield
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Marlene Dreux
- CIRI, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Univ Lyon, F-69007, Lyon, France
| | - Jannick Prentoe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Steven K. H. Foung
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ian A. Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Corresponding author. (M.L.); (I.A.W.)
| | - Mansun Law
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Corresponding author. (M.L.); (I.A.W.)
| |
Collapse
|