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Nguyen THV, Yekwa E, Selisko B, Canard B, Alvarez K, Ferron F. Inhibition of Arenaviridae nucleoprotein exonuclease by bisphosphonate. IUCrJ 2022; 9:468-479. [PMID: 35844481 PMCID: PMC9252148 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252522005061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Arenaviruses are emerging enveloped negative-sense RNA viruses that cause neurological and hemorrhagic diseases in humans. Currently, no FDA-approved vaccine or therapeutic agent is available except for ribavirin, which must be administered early during infection for optimum efficacy. A hallmark of arenavirus infection is rapid and efficient immune suppression mediated by the exonuclease domain encoded by the nucleoprotein. This exonuclease is therefore an attractive target for the design of novel antiviral drugs since exonuclease inhibitors might not only have a direct effect on the enzyme but could also boost viral clearance through stimulation of the innate immune system of the host cell. Here, in silico screening and an enzymatic assay were used to identify a novel, specific but weak inhibitor of the arenavirus exonuclease, with IC50 values of 65.9 and 68.6 µM for Mopeia virus and Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, respectively. This finding was further characterized using crystallographic and docking approaches. This study serves as a proof of concept and may have assigned a new therapeutic purpose for the bisphosphonate family, therefore paving the way for the development of inhibitors against Arenaviridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Hong Van Nguyen
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Elsie Yekwa
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Barbara Selisko
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Bruno Canard
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Leutragraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Karine Alvarez
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - François Ferron
- Aix-Marseille Université and Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS – UMR-7257, 13288 Marseille, France
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Leutragraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
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Carnec X, Mateo M, Page A, Reynard S, Hortion J, Picard C, Yekwa E, Barrot L, Barron S, Vallve A, Raoul H, Carbonnelle C, Ferron F, Baize S. A Vaccine Platform against Arenaviruses Based on a Recombinant Hyperattenuated Mopeia Virus Expressing Heterologous Glycoproteins. J Virol 2018; 92:e02230-17. [PMID: 29593043 PMCID: PMC5974477 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02230-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Several Old World and New World arenaviruses are responsible for severe endemic and epidemic hemorrhagic fevers, whereas other members of the Arenaviridae family are nonpathogenic. To date, no approved vaccines, antivirals, or specific treatments are available, except for Junín virus. However, protection of nonhuman primates against Lassa fever virus (LASV) is possible through the inoculation of the closely related but nonpathogenic Mopeia virus (MOPV) before challenge with LASV. We reasoned that this virus, modified by using reverse genetics, would represent the basis for the generation of a vaccine platform against LASV and other pathogenic arenaviruses. After showing evidence of exoribonuclease (ExoN) activity in NP of MOPV, we found that this activity was essential for multiplication in antigen-presenting cells. The introduction of multiple mutations in the ExoN site of MOPV NP generated a hyperattenuated strain (MOPVExoN6b) that is (i) genetically stable over passages, (ii) has increased immunogenic properties compared to those of MOPV, and (iii) still promotes a strong type I interferon (IFN) response. MOPVExoN6b was further modified to harbor the envelope glycoproteins of heterologous pathogenic arenaviruses, such as LASV or Lujo, Machupo, Guanarito, Chapare, or Sabia virus in order to broaden specific antigenicity while preserving the hyperattenuated characteristics of the parental strain. Our MOPV-based vaccine candidate for LASV, MOPEVACLASV, was used in a one-shot immunization assay in nonhuman primates and fully protected them from a lethal challenge with LASV. Thus, our hyperattenuated strain of MOPV constitutes a promising new live-attenuated vaccine platform to immunize against several, if not all, pathogenic arenaviruses.IMPORTANCE Arenaviruses are emerging pathogens transmitted to humans by rodents and responsible for endemic and epidemic hemorrhagic fevers of global concern. Nonspecific symptoms associated with the onset of infection make these viruses difficult to distinguish from other endemic pathogens. Moreover, the unavailability of rapid diagnosis in the field delays the identification of the virus and early care for treatment and favors spreading. The vaccination of exposed populations would be of great help to decrease morbidity and human-to-human transmission. Using reverse genetics, we generated a vaccine platform for pathogenic arenaviruses based on a modified and hyperattenuated strain of the nonpathogenic Mopeia virus and showed that the Lassa virus candidate fully protected nonhuman primates from a lethal challenge. These results showed that a rationally designed recombinant MOPV-based vaccine is safe, immunogenic, and efficacious in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Carnec
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Mathieu Mateo
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Page
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Stéphanie Reynard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Jimmy Hortion
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Caroline Picard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Elsie Yekwa
- CNRS, Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques UMR 7257, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Laura Barrot
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-INSERM, US003, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Barron
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-INSERM, US003, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Vallve
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-INSERM, US003, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | - Hervé Raoul
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-INSERM, US003, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | | | - François Ferron
- CNRS, Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques UMR 7257, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Sylvain Baize
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
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Yekwa E, Khourieh J, Canard B, Papageorgiou N, Ferron F. Activity inhibition and crystal polymorphism induced by active-site metal swapping. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2017; 73:641-649. [PMID: 28777079 DOI: 10.1107/s205979831700866x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The Arenaviridae family is one of the two RNA viral families that encode a 3'-5' exonuclease in their genome. An exonuclease domain is found in the Arenaviridae nucleoprotein and targets dsRNA specifically. This domain is directly involved in suppression of innate immunity in the host cell. Like most phosphate-processing enzymes, it requires a divalent metal ion such as Mg2+ (or Mn2+) as a cofactor to catalyse nucleotide-cleavage and nucleotide-transfer reactions. On the other hand, calcium (Ca2+) inhibits this enzymatic activity, in spite of the fact that Mg2+ and Ca2+ present comparable binding affinities and biological availabilities. Here, the molecular and structural effects of the replacement of magnesium by calcium and its inhibition mechanism for phosphodiester cleavage, an essential reaction in the viral process of innate immunity suppression, are studied. Biochemical data and high-resolution structures of the Mopeia virus exonuclease domain complexed with each ion are reported for the first time. The consequences of the ion swap for the stability of the protein, the catalytic site and the functional role of a specific metal ion in enabling the catalytic cleavage of a dsRNA substrate are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsie Yekwa
- CNRS, AFMB UMR 7257, 13288 Marseille, France
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