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Kunamneni A, Montera MA, Durvasula R, Alles SRA, Goyal S, Westlund KN. Rapid Generation and Molecular Docking Analysis of Single-Chain Fragment Variable (scFv) Antibody Selected by Ribosome Display Targeting Cholecystokinin B Receptor (CCK-BR) for Reduction of Chronic Neuropathic Pain. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11035. [PMID: 37446213 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311035] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A robust cell-free platform technology, ribosome display in combination with cloning, expression, and purification was utilized to develop single chain Fragment variable (scFv) antibody variants as pain therapy directed at the mouse cholecystokinin B (CCK-B) receptor. Three effective CCK-B peptide-specific scFvs were generated through ribosomal display technology. Soluble expression and ELISA analysis showed that one antibody, scFv77-2 had the highest binding and could be purified from bacterial cells in large quantities. Octet measurements further revealed that the CCK-B scFv77-2 antibody had binding kinetics of KD = 1.794 × 10-8 M. Molecular modeling and docking analyses suggested that the scFv77-2 antibody shaped a proper cavity to embed the whole CCK-B peptide molecule and that a steady-state complex was formed relying on intermolecular forces, including hydrogen bonding, electrostatic force, and hydrophobic interactions. Thus, the scFv antibody can be applied for mechanistic intermolecular interactions and functional in vivo studies of CCK-BR. The high affinity scFv77-2 antibody showed good efficacy with binding to CCK-BR tested in a chronic pain model. In vivo studies validated the efficacy of the CCK-B receptor (CCK-BR) scFv77-2 antibody as a potential therapy for chronic trigeminal nerve injury-induced pain. Mice were given a single dose of the CCK-B receptor (CCK-BR) scFv antibody 3 weeks after induction of a chronic trigeminal neuropathic pain model, during the transition from acute to chronic pain. The long-term effectiveness for the reduction of mechanical hypersensitivity was evident, persisting for months. The anxiety- and depression-related behaviors typically accompanying persisting hypersensitivity subsequently never developed in the mice given CCK-BR scFv. The effectiveness of the antibody is the basis for further development of the lead CCK-BR scFv as a promising non-opioid therapeutic for chronic pain and the long-term reduction of chronic pain- and anxiety-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adinarayana Kunamneni
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224-1865, USA
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153-3328, USA
| | - Marena A Montera
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224-1865, USA
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153-3328, USA
| | - Sascha R A Alles
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA
| | - Sachin Goyal
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA
| | - Karin N Westlund
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA
- Biomedical Laboratory Research & Development (121F), New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM 87108-5153, USA
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Prabhakaran D, Day GS, Munipalli B, Rush BK, Pudalov L, Niazi SK, Brennan E, Powers HR, Durvasula R, Athreya A, Blackmon K. Neurophenotypes of COVID-19: Risk factors and recovery outcomes. Brain Behav Immun Health 2023; 30:100648. [PMID: 37293441 PMCID: PMC10239310 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is associated with risk of persistent neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric complications. It is unclear whether the neuropsychological manifestations of COVID-19 present as a uniform syndrome or as distinct neurophenotypes with differing risk factors and recovery outcomes. We examined post-acute neuropsychological profiles following SARS-CoV-2 infection in 205 patients recruited from inpatient and outpatient populations, using an unsupervised machine learning cluster analysis, with objective and subjective measures as input features. This resulted in three distinct post-COVID clusters. In the largest cluster (69%), cognitive functions were within normal limits, although mild subjective attention and memory complaints were reported. Vaccination was associated with membership in this "normal cognition" phenotype. Cognitive impairment was present in the remaining 31% of the sample but clustered into two differentially impaired groups. In 16% of participants, memory deficits, slowed processing speed, and fatigue were predominant. Risk factors for membership in the "memory-speed impaired" neurophenotype included anosmia and more severe COVID-19 infection. In the remaining 15% of participants, executive dysfunction was predominant. Risk factors for membership in this milder "dysexecutive" neurophenotype included disease-nonspecific factors such as neighborhood deprivation and obesity. Recovery outcomes at 6-month follow-up differed across neurophenotypes, with the normal cognition group showing improvement in verbal memory and psychomotor speed, the dysexecutive group showing improvement in cognitive flexibility, and the memory-speed impaired group showing no objective improvement and relatively worse functional outcomes compared to the other two clusters. These results indicate that there are multiple post-acute neurophenotypes of COVID-19, with different etiological pathways and recovery outcomes. This information may inform phenotype-specific approaches to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Prabhakaran
- Mayo Clinic, Center for Individualized Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
- University of California, San Diego, Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Gregory S Day
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurology, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Bala Munipalli
- Mayo Clinic, Department of General Internal Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Beth K Rush
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Lauren Pudalov
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Shehzad K Niazi
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Emily Brennan
- Mayo Clinic, Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Healthcare Delivery, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Harry R Powers
- Mayo Clinic, Division of Infectious Diseases, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Mayo Clinic, Division of Infectious Diseases, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Arjun Athreya
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN, USA
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Karen Blackmon
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Gupta Y, Savytskyi OV, Coban M, Venugopal A, Pleqi V, Weber CA, Chitale R, Durvasula R, Hopkins C, Kempaiah P, Caulfield TR. Protein structure-based in-silico approaches to drug discovery: Guide to COVID-19 therapeutics. Mol Aspects Med 2023; 91:101151. [PMID: 36371228 PMCID: PMC9613808 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2022.101151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
With more than 5 million fatalities and close to 300 million reported cases, COVID-19 is the first documented pandemic due to a coronavirus that continues to be a major health challenge. Despite being rapid, uncontrollable, and highly infectious in its spread, it also created incentives for technology development and redefined public health needs and research agendas to fast-track innovations to be translated. Breakthroughs in computational biology peaked during the pandemic with renewed attention to making all cutting-edge technology deliver agents to combat the disease. The demand to develop effective treatments yielded surprising collaborations from previously segregated fields of science and technology. The long-standing pharmaceutical industry's aversion to repurposing existing drugs due to a lack of exponential financial gain was overrun by the health crisis and pressures created by front-line researchers and providers. Effective vaccine development even at an unprecedented pace took more than a year to develop and commence trials. Now the emergence of variants and waning protections during the booster shots is resulting in breakthrough infections that continue to strain health care systems. As of now, every protein of SARS-CoV-2 has been structurally characterized and related host pathways have been extensively mapped out. The research community has addressed the druggability of a multitude of possible targets. This has been made possible due to existing technology for virtual computer-assisted drug development as well as new tools and technologies such as artificial intelligence to deliver new leads. Here in this article, we are discussing advances in the drug discovery field related to target-based drug discovery and exploring the implications of known target-specific agents on COVID-19 therapeutic management. The current scenario calls for more personalized medicine efforts and stratifying patient populations early on for their need for different combinations of prognosis-specific therapeutics. We intend to highlight target hotspots and their potential agents, with the ultimate goal of using rational design of new therapeutics to not only end this pandemic but also uncover a generalizable platform for use in future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Gupta
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Oleksandr V Savytskyi
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; In Vivo Biosystems, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Matt Coban
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Vasili Pleqi
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Caleb A Weber
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Rohit Chitale
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; The Council on Strategic Risks, 1025 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas R Caulfield
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of QHS Computational Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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Asiedu SO, Gupta Y, Nicolaescu V, Gula H, Caulfield TR, Durvasula R, Kempaiah P, Kwofie SK, Wilson MD. Mycolactone: A Broad Spectrum Multitarget Antiviral Active in the Picomolar Range for COVID-19 Prevention and Cure. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087151. [PMID: 37108313 PMCID: PMC10139166 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087151] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown computationally that Mycolactone (MLN), a toxin produced by Mycobacterium ulcerans, strongly binds to Munc18b and other proteins, presumably blocking degranulation and exocytosis of blood platelets and mast cells. We investigated the effect of MLN on endocytosis using similar approaches, and it bound strongly to the N-terminal of the clathrin protein and a novel SARS-CoV-2 fusion protein. Experimentally, we found 100% inhibition up to 60 nM and 84% average inhibition at 30 nM in SARS-CoV-2 live viral assays. MLN was also 10× more potent than remdesivir and molnupiravir. MLN's toxicity against human alveolar cell line A549, immortalized human fetal renal cell line HEK293, and human hepatoma cell line Huh7.1 were 17.12%, 40.30%, and 36.25%, respectively. The cytotoxicity IC50 breakpoint ratio versus anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity was more than 65-fold. The IC50 values against the alpha, delta, and Omicron variants were all below 0.020 µM, and 134.6 nM of MLN had 100% inhibition in an entry and spread assays. MLN is eclectic in its actions through its binding to Sec61, AT2R, and the novel fusion protein, making it a good drug candidate for treating and preventing COVID-19 and other similarly transmitted enveloped viruses and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Osei Asiedu
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box GA 337, Ghana
| | - Yash Gupta
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Vlad Nicolaescu
- Department of Microbiology, Ricketts Laboratory, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Haley Gula
- Department of Microbiology, Ricketts Laboratory, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Thomas R Caulfield
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of QHS Computational Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Samuel K Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box 77, Ghana
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box GA 337, Ghana
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5
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Prabhakaran D, Day GS, Munipalli B, Rush BK, Pudalov L, Niazi SK, Brennan E, Powers HR, Durvasula R, Athreya A, Blackmon K. Neurophenotypes of COVID-19: risk factors and recovery outcomes. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-2363210. [PMID: 36597538 PMCID: PMC9810229 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2363210/v2] [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] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is associated with risk of persistent neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric complications, termed "long COVID". It is unclear whether the neuropsychological manifestations of COVID-19 present as a uniform syndrome or as distinct neurophenotypes with differing risk factors and recovery outcomes. We examined post-acute neuropsychological profiles following SARS-CoV-2 infection in 205 patients recruited from inpatient and outpatient populations, using an unsupervised machine learning cluster analysis, with objective and subjective measures as input features. This resulted in three distinct post-COVID clusters. In the largest cluster (69%), cognitive functions were within normal limits, although mild subjective attention and memory complaints were reported. Vaccination was associated with membership in this "normal cognition" phenotype. Cognitive impairment was present in the remaining 31% of the sample but clustered into two differentially impaired groups. In 16% of participants, memory deficits, slowed processing speed, and fatigue were predominant. Risk factors for membership in the "memory-speed impaired" neurophenotype included anosmia and more severe COVID-19 infection. In the remaining 15% of participants, executive dysfunction was predominant. Risk factors for membership in this milder "dysexecutive" neurophenotype included disease-nonspecific factors such as neighborhood deprivation and obesity. Recovery outcomes at 6-month follow-up differed across neurophenotypes, with the normal cognition group showing improvement in verbal memory and psychomotor speed, the dysexecutive group showing improvement in cognitive flexibility, and the memory-speed impaired group showing no objective improvement and relatively worse functional outcomes compared to the other two clusters. These results indicate that there are multiple post-acute neurophenotypes of long COVID, with different etiological pathways and recovery outcomes. This information may inform phenotype-specific approaches to treatment.
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6
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Prabhakaran D, Day G, Munipalli B, Rush B, Pudalov L, Niazi S, Brennan E, Powers H, Durvasula R, Athreya A, Blackmon K. Neurophenotypes of COVID-19: risk factors and recovery outcomes. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-2363210. [PMID: 36597538 PMCID: PMC9810229 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2363210/v1] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is associated with risk of persistent neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric complications, termed "long COVID". It is unclear whether the neuropsychological manifestations of COVID-19 present as a uniform syndrome or as distinct neurophenotypes with differing risk factors and recovery outcomes. We examined post-acute neuropsychological profiles following SARS-CoV-2 infection in 205 patients recruited from inpatient and outpatient populations, using an unsupervised machine learning cluster analysis, with objective and subjective measures as input features. This resulted in three distinct post-COVID clusters. In the largest cluster (69%), cognitive functions were within normal limits, although mild subjective attention and memory complaints were reported. Vaccination was associated with membership in this "normal cognition" phenotype. Cognitive impairment was present in the remaining 31% of the sample but clustered into two differentially impaired groups. In 16% of participants, memory deficits, slowed processing speed, and fatigue were predominant. Risk factors for membership in the "memory-speed impaired" neurophenotype included anosmia and more severe COVID-19 infection. In the remaining 15% of participants, executive dysfunction was predominant. Risk factors for membership in this milder "dysexecutive" neurophenotype included disease-nonspecific factors such as neighborhood deprivation and obesity. Recovery outcomes at 6-month follow-up differed across neurophenotypes, with the normal cognition group showing improvement in verbal memory and psychomotor speed, the dysexecutive group showing improvement in cognitive flexibility, and the memory-speed impaired group showing no objective improvement and relatively worse functional outcomes compared to the other two clusters. These results indicate that there are multiple post-acute neurophenotypes of long COVID, with different etiological pathways and recovery outcomes. This information may inform phenotype-specific approaches to treatment.
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Gupta Y, Maciorowski D, Medernach B, Becker DP, Durvasula R, Libertin CR, Kempaiah P. Iron dysregulation in COVID-19 and reciprocal evolution of SARS-CoV-2: Natura nihil frustra facit. J Cell Biochem 2022; 123:601-619. [PMID: 34997606 PMCID: PMC9015563 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
After more than a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 infection rates with newer variants continue to devastate much of the world. Global healthcare systems are overwhelmed with high positive patient numbers. Silent hypoxia accompanied by rapid deterioration and some cases with septic shock is responsible for COVID-19 mortality in many hospitalized patients. There is an urgent need to further understand the relationships and interplay with human host components during pathogenesis and immune evasion strategies. Currently, acquired immunity through vaccination or prior infection usually provides sufficient protection against the emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 except Omicron variant requiring recent booster. New strains have shown higher viral loads and greater transmissibility with more severe disease presentations. Notably, COVID-19 has a peculiar prognosis in severe patients with iron dysregulation and hypoxia which is still poorly understood. Studies have shown abnormally low serum iron levels in severe infection but a high iron overload in lung fibrotic tissue. Data from our in-silico structural analysis of the spike protein sequence along with host proteolysis processing suggests that the viral spike protein fragment mimics Hepcidin and is resistant to the major human proteases. This functional spike-derived peptide dubbed "Covidin" thus may be intricately involved with host ferroportin binding and internalization leading to dysregulated host iron metabolism. Here, we propose the possible role of this potentially allogenic mimetic hormone corresponding to severe COVID-19 immunopathology and illustrate that this molecular mimicry is responsible for a major pathway associated with severe disease status. Furthermore, through 3D molecular modeling and docking followed by MD simulation validation, we have unraveled the likely role of Covidin in iron dysregulation in COVID-19 patients. Our meta-analysis suggests the Hepcidin mimetic mechanism is highly conserved among its host range as well as among all new variants to date including Omicron. Extensive analysis of current mutations revealed that new variants are becoming alarmingly more resistant to selective human proteases associated with host defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Gupta
- Infectious DiseasesMayo ClinicJacksonvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Dawid Maciorowski
- School of Medicine and Public HealthUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Brian Medernach
- Department of MedicineLoyola University Medical CenterChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Daniel P. Becker
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryLoyola University ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
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Verma JS, Libertin CR, Gupta Y, Khanna G, Kumar R, Arora BS, Krishna L, Fasina FO, Hittner JB, Antoniades A, van Regenmortel MHV, Durvasula R, Kempaiah P, Rivas AL. Multi-Cellular Immunological Interactions Associated With COVID-19 Infections. Front Immunol 2022; 13:794006. [PMID: 35281033 PMCID: PMC8913044 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.794006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
To rapidly prognosticate and generate hypotheses on pathogenesis, leukocyte multi-cellularity was evaluated in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients treated in India or the United States (152 individuals, 384 temporal observations). Within hospital (<90-day) death or discharge were retrospectively predicted based on the admission complete blood cell counts (CBC). Two methods were applied: (i) a "reductionist" one, which analyzes each cell type separately, and (ii) a "non-reductionist" method, which estimates multi-cellularity. The second approach uses a proprietary software package that detects distinct data patterns generated by complex and hypothetical indicators and reveals each data pattern's immunological content and associated outcome(s). In the Indian population, the analysis of isolated cell types did not separate survivors from non-survivors. In contrast, multi-cellular data patterns differentiated six groups of patients, including, in two groups, 95.5% of all survivors. Some data structures revealed one data point-wide line of observations, which informed at a personalized level and identified 97.8% of all non-survivors. Discovery was also fostered: some non-survivors were characterized by low monocyte/lymphocyte ratio levels. When both populations were analyzed with the non-reductionist method, they displayed results that suggested survivors and non-survivors differed immunologically as early as hospitalization day 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitender S. Verma
- Central Institute of Orthopaedics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Jitender S. Verma, ; Prakasha Kempaiah, ; Ariel L. Rivas,
| | | | - Yash Gupta
- Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Geetika Khanna
- Central Institute of Orthopaedics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Rohit Kumar
- Respiratory Medicine, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Balvinder S. Arora
- Department of Microbiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Loveneesh Krishna
- Central Institute of Orthopaedics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Folorunso O. Fasina
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - James B. Hittner
- Psychology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, United States
| | | | - Marc H. V. van Regenmortel
- Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Higher School of Biotechnology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Jitender S. Verma, ; Prakasha Kempaiah, ; Ariel L. Rivas,
| | - Ariel L. Rivas
- Center for Global Health-Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- *Correspondence: Jitender S. Verma, ; Prakasha Kempaiah, ; Ariel L. Rivas,
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Kumar S, Gupta Y, Zak SE, Upadhyay C, Sharma N, Herbert AS, Durvasula R, Potemkin V, Dye JM, Poonam, Kempaiah P, Rathi B. A novel compound active against SARS-CoV-2 targeting uridylate-specific endoribonuclease (NendoU/NSP15): in silico and in vitro investigations. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:1757-1764. [PMID: 34778776 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00202c] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
NendoU (NSP15) is an Mn(2+)-dependent, uridylate-specific enzyme, which leaves 2'-3'-cyclic phosphates 5' to the cleaved bond. Our in-house library was subjected to high throughput virtual screening (HTVS) to identify compounds with potential to inhibit NendoU enzyme, high-rank compounds (those that bound to multiple target structures) were further subjected to 100 nanoseconds MD simulations. Among these, one was found to be bound highly stable within the active site of the NendoU protein structure. Here, we are reporting a derivative of piperazine based '(2S,3S)-3-amino-1-(4-(4-(tert-butyl)benzyl)piperazin-1-yl)-4-phenylbutan-2-ol' (IV) from our in-house libraries having potential efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in in vitro assays. This compound demonstrated inhibition of viral replication at the same level as Ivermectin, a known SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor, which is not used due to its toxicity at a higher than the currently approved dosage. Compound IV was not toxic to the cell lines up to a 50 μM concentration and exhibited IC50s of 4.97 μM and 8.46 μM in viral entry and spread assay, respectively. Therefore, this novel class of NendoU inhibitor could provide new insights for the development of treatment options for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi Delhi India
| | - Yash Gupta
- Division of Infectious Diseases Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville Florida USA
| | - Samantha E Zak
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Fort Detrick MD USA.,The Geneva Foundation 917 Pacific Avenue Tacoma WA USA
| | - Charu Upadhyay
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi Delhi India
| | - Neha Sharma
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi India
| | - Andrew S Herbert
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Fort Detrick MD USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Division of Infectious Diseases Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville Florida USA
| | - Vladimir Potemkin
- South Ural State University, Laboratory of Computational Modelling of Drugs 454080 Russia
| | - John M Dye
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Fort Detrick MD USA.,The Geneva Foundation 917 Pacific Avenue Tacoma WA USA
| | - Poonam
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi Delhi India
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Division of Infectious Diseases Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville Florida USA
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi India .,South Ural State University, Laboratory of Computational Modelling of Drugs 454080 Russia
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Gupta Y, Kumar S, Zak SE, Jones KA, Upadhyay C, Sharma N, Azizi SA, Kathayat RS, Poonam, Herbert AS, Durvasula R, Dickinson BC, Dye JM, Rathi B, Kempaiah P. Antiviral evaluation of hydroxyethylamine analogs: Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3CLpro), a virtual screening and simulation approach. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 47:116393. [PMID: 34509862 PMCID: PMC8416325 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The continued toll of COVID-19 has halted the smooth functioning of civilization on a global scale. With a limited understanding of all the essential components of viral machinery and the lack of structural information of this new virus, initial drug discovery efforts had limited success. The availability of high-resolution crystal structures of functionally essential SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including 3CLpro, supports the development of target-specific therapeutics. 3CLpro, the main protease responsible for the processing of viral polypeptide, plays a vital role in SARS-CoV-2 viral replication and translation and is an important target in other coronaviruses. Additionally, 3CLpro is the target of repurposed drugs, such as lopinavir and ritonavir. In this study, target proteins were retrieved from the protein data bank (PDB IDs: 6 M03, 6LU7, 2GZ7, 6 W63, 6SQS, 6YB7, and 6YVF) representing different open states of the main protease to accommodate macromolecular substrate. A hydroxyethylamine (HEA) library was constructed from harvested chemical structures from all the series being used in our laboratories for screening against malaria and Leishmania parasites. The database consisted of ∼1000 structure entries, of which 70% were new to ChemSpider at the time of screening. This in-house library was subjected to high throughput virtual screening (HTVS), followed by standard precision (SP) and then extra precision (XP) docking (Schrodinger LLC 2021). The ligand strain and complex energy of top hits were calculated by Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) method. Promising hit compounds (n = 40) specifically binding to 3CLpro with high energy and average MM/GBSA scores were then subjected to (100-ns) MD simulations. Using this sequential selection followed by an in-silico validation approach, we found a promising HEA-based compound (N,N'-((3S,3'S)-piperazine-1,4-diylbis(3-hydroxy-1-phenylbutane-4,2-diyl))bis(2-(5-methyl-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)-3-phenylpropanamide)), which showed high in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Further to reduce the size of the otherwise larger ligand, a pharmacophore-based predicted library of ∼42 derivatives was constructed, which were added to the previous compound library and rescreened virtually. Out of several hits from the predicted library, two compounds were synthesized, tested against SARS-CoV-2 culture, and found to have markedly improved antiviral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Gupta
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Sumit Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Samantha E Zak
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA; The Geneva Foundation, 917 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - Krysten A Jones
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Charu Upadhyay
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Neha Sharma
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, India
| | - Saara-Anne Azizi
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rahul S Kathayat
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Poonam
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Andrew S Herbert
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Bryan C Dickinson
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - John M Dye
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA; The Geneva Foundation, 917 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA, USA.
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, India.
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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11
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Westlund K, Montera M, Goins A, Alles S, Afaghpour-Becklund M, Bartel R, Durvasula R, Kunamneni A. Single-chain Fragment variable antibody targeting cholecystokinin-B receptor for pain reduction. Neurobiol Pain 2021; 10:100067. [PMID: 34458647 PMCID: PMC8378781 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2021.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The cholecystokinin B receptor and its neuropeptide ligand are upregulated in chronic neuropathic pain models. Single-chain Fragment variable antibodies were generated as preferred non-opioid targeting therapy blocking the cholecystokinin B receptor to inhibit chronic neuropathic pain models in vivo and in vitro. Engineered antibodies of this type feature binding activity similar to monoclonal antibodies but with stronger affinity and increased tissue penetrability due to their smaller size. More importantly, single-chain Fragment variable antibodies have promising biotherapeutic applications for both nervous and immune systems, now recognized as interactive in chronic pain. A mouse single-chain Fragment variable antibody library recognizing a fifteen amino acid extracellular peptide fragment of the cholecystokinin B receptor was generated from immunized spleens. Ribosome display, a powerful cell-free technology, was applied for recombinant antibody selection. Antibodies with higher affinity, stability, solubility, and binding specificity for cholecystokinin B not A receptor were selected and optimized for in vivo and in vitro efficacy. A single dose of the lead candidate reduced mechanical and cold hypersensitivity in two rodent models of neuropathic pain for at least seven weeks. Continuing efficacy was evident with either intraperitoneal or intranasal dosing. Likewise, the lead single-chain Fragment variable antibody totally prevented development of anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and cognitive deficits typical in the models. Reduction of neuronal firing frequency was evident in trigeminal ganglia primary neuronal cultures treated in vitro with the cholecystokinin B receptor antibody. Immunofluorescent staining intensity in the trigeminal neuron primary cultures was significantly reduced incrementally after overnight binding with increasingly higher dilutions of the single-chain Fragment variable antibody. While it is reported that single-chain Fragment variable antibodies are removed systemically within 2-6 h, Western blot evidence indicates the His-tag marker remained after 7 weeks in the trigeminal ganglia and in the dorsolateral medulla, providing evidence of brain and ganglia penetrance known to be compromised in overactivated states. This project showcases the in vivo efficacy of our lead single-chain Fragment variable antibody indicating its potential for development as a non-opioid, non-addictive therapeutic intervention for chronic pain. Importantly, studies by others have indicated treatments with cholecystokinin B receptor antagonists suppress maintenance and reactivation of morphine dependence in place preference tests while lowering tolerance and dose requirements. Our future studies remain to address these potential benefits that may accompany the cholecystokinin B receptor biological therapy. Both chronic sciatic and orofacial pain can be unrelenting and excruciating, reducing quality of life as well as diminishing physical and mental function. An effective non-opiate, non-addictive therapy with potential to significantly reduce chronic neuropathic pain long term is greatly needed.
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Key Words
- ANOVA, analysis of variance
- ARM, antibody ribosome mRNA
- Anxiety
- BBB, blood–brain barrier
- CCK-8, cholecystokinin octapeptide
- CCK-BR, cholecystokinin B receptor
- CPP, conditioned place preference
- Chronic pain
- DRG, dorsal root ganglia
- Depression
- Eukaryotic ribosome display
- FRICT-ION, foramen rotundum inflammatory compression trigeminal infraorbital nerve model
- GPCR, G-protein-coupled receptor
- IACUC, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
- ION, infraorbital nerve
- MΩ, megaOhms
- PBS, phosphate buffered saline
- SEM, standard error of the mean
- TG, trigeminal ganglia
- ms, milliseconds
- pA, picoAmps
- scFv
- scFv, single-chain Fragment variable antibody
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Affiliation(s)
- K.N. Westlund
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of
New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106-0001, USA
- Biomedical Laboratory Research & Development (121F), New Mexico VA
Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - M.A. Montera
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of
New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106-0001, USA
| | - A.E. Goins
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of
New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106-0001, USA
| | - S.R.A. Alles
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of
New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106-0001, USA
| | - M. Afaghpour-Becklund
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of
New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106-0001, USA
| | - R. Bartel
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, University of
New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106-0001, USA
| | - R. Durvasula
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo
Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL
60153-3328, USA
| | - A. Kunamneni
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo
Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL
60153-3328, USA
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12
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Gupta Y, Maciorowski D, Zak SE, Kulkarni CV, Herbert AS, Durvasula R, Fareed J, Dye JM, Kempaiah P. Heparin: A simplistic repurposing to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission in light of its in-vitro nanomolar efficacy. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 183:203-212. [PMID: 33915212 PMCID: PMC8074525 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.04.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The world is currently facing a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. The greatest threat that is disrupting the normal functioning of society is the exceptionally high species independent transmission. Drug repurposing is understood to be the best strategy to immediately deploy well-characterized agents against new pathogens. Several repurposable drugs are already in evaluation for determining suitability to treat COVID-19. One such promising compound includes heparin, which is widely used in reducing thrombotic events associated with COVID-19 induced pathology. As part of identifying target-specific antiviral compounds among FDA and world-approved libraries using high-throughput virtual screening (HTVS), we previously evaluated top hits for anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Here, we report results of highly efficacious viral entry blocking properties of heparin (IC50 = 12.3 nM) in the complete virus assay, and further, propose ways to use it as a potential transmission blocker. Exploring further, our in-silico analysis indicated that the heparin interacts with post-translational glycoconjugates present on spike proteins. The patterns of accessible spike-glycoconjugates in open and closed states are completely contrasted by one another. Heparin-binding to the open conformation of spike structurally supports the state and may aid ACE2 binding as reported with cell surface-bound heparan sulfate. We also studied spike protein mutant variants' heparin interactions for possible resistance. Based on available data and optimal absorption properties by the skin, heparin could potentially be used to block SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Studies should be designed to exploit its nanomolar antiviral activity to formulate heparin as topical or inhalation-based formulations, particularly on exposed areas and sites of primary viremia e.g. ACE2 rich epithelia of the eye (conjunctiva/lids), nasal cavity, and mouth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Gupta
- Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Samantha E Zak
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA; The Geneva Foundation, 917 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | | | - Andrew S Herbert
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | | | - Jawed Fareed
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - John M Dye
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA; The Geneva Foundation, 917 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA, USA
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13
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Gomes B, Ogélio H, Brant F, Pereira-Pinto CJ, Workman MJ, Costa M, Lima JBP, Martins AJ, Ramalho-Ortigao M, Durvasula R, Hurwitz I, David MR, Genta FA. High larvicidal efficacy of yeast-encapsulated orange oil against Aedes aegypti strains from Brazil. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:272. [PMID: 34022935 PMCID: PMC8140510 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04733-2] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Botanical substances such as essential oils (EOs) have demonstrated insecticidal properties and are a valid option for vector control. However, free EOs are unreliable as mosquito larvicides due their easy degradation by environmental exposure to ultraviolet light and higher temperatures. Here, we assessed the efficacy of a mosquito larvicide based on orange oil in a yeast-based delivery system against Aedes aegypti strains with different resistance status towards chemical neurotoxic insecticides. This larvicide preparation was physicochemically characterized in a previous report. Methods Larvae of four Ae. aegypti strains from different regions of Brazil and different resistance profiles for deltamethrin (pyrethroid) and temephos (organophosphate) were tested against yeast-encapsulated orange oil (YEOO) in laboratory conditions for measurement of LC50 and LC90 values. The same assays were performed with the Belo Horizonte strain under environmental conditions (natural light and temperature). The resistance profiles of these strains were compared to the Rockefeller reference strain in all conditions. Results YEOO was found to be a highly active larvicide (LC50 < 50 mg/L) against all Ae. aegypti strains tested in both laboratory conditions (LC50 = 8.1–24.7 mg/L) and environmental conditions with natural light and temperature fluctuation (LC50 = 20.0–49.9 mg/L). Moreover, all strains were considered susceptible (RR < 5) to YEOO, considering resistance ratios calculated based on the Rockefeller strain. The resistance ratios were only higher than 2.5 for LC90–95 of Belo Horizonte in the laboratory, probably due the higher heterogeneity associated with older egg papers (> 5 months). Conclusion YEOO demonstrates high larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti strains with resistant phenotypes for deltamethrin (PY) and temephos (OP). This larvicidal activity suggests the potential for the development of YEOO as an alternative intervention to synthetic insecticides in integrated vector management programs, for populations with resistance to commonly used insecticides. Graphic Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04733-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Gomes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica E Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Huarlen Ogélio
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabiane Brant
- Laboratório de Bioquímica E Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Camila Jesus Pereira-Pinto
- Laboratório de Bioquímica E Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Michael J Workman
- Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Monique Costa
- Laboratório de Fisiologia E Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Bento Pereira Lima
- Laboratório de Fisiologia E Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ademir Jesus Martins
- Laboratório de Fisiologia E Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência E Tecnologia Em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Ramalho-Ortigao
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Ivy Hurwitz
- Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Mariana Rocha David
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernando Ariel Genta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica E Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .,Instituto Nacional de Ciência E Tecnologia Em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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14
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Gupta Y, Goicoechea S, Pearce CM, Mathur R, Romero JG, Kwofie SK, Weyenberg MC, Daravath B, Sharma N, Poonam, Akala HM, Kanzok SM, Durvasula R, Rathi B, Kempaiah P. The emerging paradigm of calcium homeostasis as a new therapeutic target for protozoan parasites. Med Res Rev 2021; 42:56-82. [PMID: 33851452 DOI: 10.1002/med.21804] [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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Calcium channels (CCs), a group of ubiquitously expressed membrane proteins, are involved in many pathophysiological processes of protozoan parasites. Our understanding of CCs in cell signaling, organelle function, cellular homeostasis, and cell cycle control has led to improved insights into their structure and functions. In this article, we discuss CCs characteristics of five major protozoan parasites Plasmodium, Leishmania, Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma, and Cryptosporidium. We provide a comprehensive review of current antiparasitic drugs and the potential of using CCs as new therapeutic targets. Interestingly, previous studies have demonstrated that human CC modulators can kill or sensitize parasites to antiparasitic drugs. Still, none of the parasite CCs, pumps, or transporters has been validated as drug targets. Information for this review draws from extensive data mining of genome sequences, chemical library screenings, and drug design studies. Parasitic resistance to currently approved therapeutics is a serious and emerging threat to both disease control and management efforts. In this article, we suggest that the disruption of calcium homeostasis may be an effective approach to develop new anti-parasite drug candidates and reduce parasite resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Gupta
- Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, USA
| | - Steven Goicoechea
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Catherine M Pearce
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Raman Mathur
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jesus G Romero
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Samuel K Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Matthew C Weyenberg
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Bharathi Daravath
- Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Neha Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College University Enclave, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Poonam
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House University Enclave, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | | | - Stefan M Kanzok
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, USA
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College University Enclave, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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15
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Kumar S, Sharma PP, Shankar U, Kumar D, Joshi SK, Pena L, Durvasula R, Kumar A, Kempaiah P, Poonam, Rathi B. Discovery of New Hydroxyethylamine Analogs against 3CL pro Protein Target of SARS-CoV-2: Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, and Structure-Activity Relationship Studies. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:5754-5770. [PMID: 32551639 PMCID: PMC7304236 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has caused a recent pandemic called COVID-19 and a severe health threat around the world. In the current situation, the virus is rapidly spreading worldwide, and the discovery of a vaccine and potential therapeutics are critically essential. The crystal structure for the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease (3CLpro), was recently made available and is considerably similar to the previously reported SARS-CoV. Due to its essentiality in viral replication, it represents a potential drug target. Herein, a computer-aided drug design (CADD) approach was implemented for the initial screening of 13 approved antiviral drugs. Molecular docking of 13 antivirals against the 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease (3CLpro) enzyme was accomplished, and indinavir was described as a lead drug with a docking score of -8.824 and a XP Gscore of -9.466 kcal/mol. Indinavir possesses an important pharmacophore, hydroxyethylamine (HEA), and thus, a new library of HEA compounds (>2500) was subjected to virtual screening that led to 25 hits with a docking score more than indinavir. Exclusively, compound 16 with a docking score of -8.955 adhered to drug-like parameters, and the structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis was demonstrated to highlight the importance of chemical scaffolds therein. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation analysis performed at 100 ns supported the stability of 16 within the binding pocket. Largely, our results supported that this novel compound 16 binds with domains I and II, and the domain II-III linker of the 3CLpro protein, suggesting its suitability as a strong candidate for therapeutic discovery against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House,
University of Delhi, Delhi 110007,
India
| | - Prem Prakash Sharma
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug
Discovery, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007,
India
| | - Uma Shankar
- Descipline of Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, Simrol, Indore
453552, India
| | - Dhruv Kumar
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine & Stem Cell
Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Sec-125,
Noida 201313, India
| | - Sanjeev K. Joshi
- Technology Advisor, Defence Research
& Development Organization, HQ, Rajaji Marg, New Delhi 110011,
India
| | - Lindomar Pena
- Department of Virology, Aggeu Magalhaes
Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, 50670-420
Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University
Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South First Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
60153, United States
| | - Amit Kumar
- Descipline of Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, Simrol, Indore
453552, India
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University
Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South First Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
60153, United States
| | - Poonam
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House,
University of Delhi, Delhi 110007,
India
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug
Discovery, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007,
India
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16
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Maciorowski D, Ogaugwu C, Durvasula SR, Durvasula R, Kunamneni A. Therapeutic and Vaccine Options for COVID-19: Status after Six Months of the Disease Outbreak. SLAS Discov 2020; 26:311-329. [PMID: 33319627 PMCID: PMC8940856 DOI: 10.1177/2472555220979579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
An outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by an infection of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. This new virus belongs to the group of enveloped RNA beta-coronaviruses. Symptoms may differ in various infected persons, but major presentations include dry cough, nasal congestion, shortness of breath, fever, and general malaise. The disease appears to be more severe in patients above the age of 60 years and those with underlying conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory disease, and hypertension. There is still no approved vaccine against COVID-19, but more than a hundred are at different stages of development. It is known that the development of new drugs takes a relatively long time, so several known and already-approved drugs are being repurposed for the treatment of this disease. In this review, we explore the therapeutic and vaccine options that are available for COVID-19 6 months after its outbreak. Most noteworthy among the therapeutic options are dexamethasone, remdesivir, Avigan (favipiravir) and convalescent plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawid Maciorowski
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Christian Ogaugwu
- Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | | | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA
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17
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Maciorowski D, Idrissi SZE, Gupta Y, Medernach BJ, Burns MB, Becker DP, Durvasula R, Kempaiah P. A Review of the Preclinical and Clinical Efficacy of Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, and Lopinavir-Ritonavir Treatments against COVID-19. SLAS Discov 2020; 25:1108-1122. [PMID: 32942923 PMCID: PMC8960157 DOI: 10.1177/2472555220958385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In December of 2019, an outbreak of a novel coronavirus flared in Wuhan, the capital city of the Hubei Province, China. The pathogen has been identified as a novel enveloped RNA beta-coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a disease characterized by severe atypical pneumonia known as coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Typical symptoms of this disease include cough, fever, malaise, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal symptoms, anosmia, and, in severe cases, pneumonia.1 The high-risk group of COVID-19 patients includes people over the age of 60 years as well as people with existing cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes mellitus. Epidemiological investigations have suggested that the outbreak was associated with a live animal market in Wuhan. Within the first few months of the outbreak, cases were growing exponentially all over the world. The unabated spread of this deadly and highly infectious virus is a health emergency for all nations in the world and has led to the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a pandemic on March 11, 2020. In this report, we consolidate and review the available clinically and preclinically relevant results emanating from in vitro animal models and clinical studies of drugs approved for emergency use as a treatment for COVID-19, including remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and lopinavir-ritonavir combinations. These compounds have been frequently touted as top candidates to treat COVID-19, but recent clinical reports suggest mixed outcomes on their efficacies within the current clinical protocol frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawid Maciorowski
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Yash Gupta
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Brian J Medernach
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Ravi Durvasula
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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18
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Kumar S, Goicoechea S, Kumar S, Pearce CM, Durvasula R, Kempaiah P, Rathi B, Poonam. Oseltamivir analogs with potent anti-influenza virus activity. Drug Discov Today 2020; 25:1389-1402. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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19
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Kunamneni A, Montera M, Suri N, Westlund KN, Alles SR, Pappu S, Durvasula R. Therapeutic anti‐P2X4 receptor scFv antibody for chronic neuropathic pain. FASEB J 2020. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.05215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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20
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Kwofie SK, Broni E, Dankwa B, Enninful KS, Kwarko GB, Darko L, Durvasula R, Kempaiah P, Rathi B, Miller Iii WA, Yaya A, Wilson MD. Outwitting an Old Neglected Nemesis: A Review on Leveraging Integrated Data-Driven Approaches to Aid in Unraveling of Leishmanicides of Therapeutic Potential. Curr Top Med Chem 2020; 20:349-366. [PMID: 31994465 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666200128160454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The global prevalence of leishmaniasis has increased with skyrocketed mortality in the past decade. The causative agent of leishmaniasis is Leishmania species, which infects populations in almost all the continents. Prevailing treatment regimens are consistently inefficient with reported side effects, toxicity and drug resistance. This review complements existing ones by discussing the current state of treatment options, therapeutic bottlenecks including chemoresistance and toxicity, as well as drug targets. It further highlights innovative applications of nanotherapeutics-based formulations, inhibitory potential of leishmanicides, anti-microbial peptides and organometallic compounds on leishmanial species. Moreover, it provides essential insights into recent machine learning-based models that have been used to predict novel leishmanicides and also discusses other new models that could be adopted to develop fast, efficient, robust and novel algorithms to aid in unraveling the next generation of anti-leishmanial drugs. A plethora of enriched functional genomic, proteomic, structural biology, high throughput bioassay and drug-related datasets are currently warehoused in both general and leishmania-specific databases. The warehoused datasets are essential inputs for training and testing algorithms to augment the prediction of biotherapeutic entities. In addition, we demonstrate how pharmacoinformatics techniques including ligand-, structure- and pharmacophore-based virtual screening approaches have been utilized to screen ligand libraries against both modeled and experimentally solved 3D structures of essential drug targets. In the era of data-driven decision-making, we believe that highlighting intricately linked topical issues relevant to leishmanial drug discovery offers a one-stop-shop opportunity to decipher critical literature with the potential to unlock implicit breakthroughs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel K Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana.,West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States
| | - Emmanuel Broni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Bismark Dankwa
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kweku S Enninful
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Gabriel B Kwarko
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Louis Darko
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College University Enclave, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Whelton A Miller Iii
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Physics, & Engineering, Lincoln University, Lincoln University, PA 19352, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States
| | - Abu Yaya
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States.,Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
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21
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Kunamneni A, Clarke EC, Ye C, Bradfute SB, Durvasula R. Generation and Selection of a Panel of Pan-Filovirus Single-Chain Antibodies using Cell-Free Ribosome Display. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 101:198-206. [PMID: 31074409 PMCID: PMC6609206 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Filoviruses, which include ebolaviruses and marburgvirus, can cause outbreaks of highly lethal hemorrhagic fever. This disease causes significant morbidity and mortality in humans and non-human primates, with human fatality rates reaching 90% during some outbreaks. Currently, there is lack of licensed vaccines or antivirals for these viruses. Since early symptoms of filovirus infection mimic more common diseases, there is a strong unmet public health and biodefense need for broad-spectrum filovirus rapid diagnostics. We have generated a panel of mouse single-chain Fv-antibodies (scFvs) to filovirus glycoproteins (GPs) using cell-free ribosome display and determined their cross-reactivity profiles to all known filovirus species. Two scFvs (4-2 and 22-1) were able to detect all known Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus species. This is the first report on ribosome display scFvs that can detect a broad set of filovirus GPs, which demonstrates the potential for use in diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adinarayana Kunamneni
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Elizabeth C Clarke
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Chunyan Ye
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Steven B Bradfute
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
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22
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Workman MJ, Gomes B, Weng JL, Ista LK, Jesus CP, David MR, Ramalho-Ortigao M, Genta FA, Matthews SK, Durvasula R, Hurwitz I. Yeast-encapsulated essential oils: a new perspective as an environmentally friendly larvicide. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:19. [PMID: 31931883 PMCID: PMC6958686 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3870-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [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: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective mosquito control approaches incorporate both adult and larval stages. For the latter, physical, biological, and chemical control have been used with varying results. Successful control of larvae has been demonstrated using larvicides including insect growth regulators, e.g. the organophosphate temephos, as well as various entomopathogenic microbial species. However, a variety of health and environmental issues are associated with some of these. Laboratory trials of essential oils (EO) have established the larvicidal activity of these substances, but there are currently no commercially available EO-based larvicides. Here we report on the development of a new approach to mosquito larval control using a novel, yeast-based delivery system for EO. METHODS Food-grade orange oil (OO) was encapsulated into yeast cells following an established protocol. To prevent environmental contamination, a proprietary washing strategy was developed to remove excess EO that is adsorbed to the cell exterior during the encapsulation process. The OO-loaded yeast particles were then characterized for OO loading, and tested for efficacy against Aedes aegypti larvae. RESULTS The composition of encapsulated OO extracted from the yeast microparticles was demonstrated not to differ from that of un-encapsulated EO when analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. After lyophilization, the oil in the larvicide comprised 26-30 percentage weight (wt%), and is consistent with the 60-65% reduction in weight observed after the drying process. Quantitative bioassays carried with Liverpool and Rockefeller Ae. aegypti strains in three different laboratories presented LD50 of 5.1 (95% CI: 4.6-5.6) to 27.6 (95% CI: 26.4-28.8) mg/l, for L1 and L3/L4 mosquito larvae, respectively. LD90 ranged between 18.9 (95% CI: 16.4-21.7) mg/l (L1 larvae) to 76.7 (95% CI: 69.7-84.3) mg/l (L3/L4 larvae). CONCLUSIONS The larvicide based on OO encapsulated in yeast was shown to be highly active (LD50 < 50 mg/l) against all larval stages of Ae. aegypti. These results demonstrate its potential for incorporation in an integrated approach to larval source management of Ae. aegypti. This novel approach can enable development of affordable control strategies that may have significant impact on global health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Workman
- Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Bruno Gomes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ju-Lin Weng
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Linnea K Ista
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Camila P Jesus
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana R David
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Ramalho-Ortigao
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fernando A Genta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC-Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Scott K Matthews
- Department of General Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Ivy Hurwitz
- Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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23
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Kunamneni A, Montera M, Gott K, Durvasula R, Westlund K. Generating highly potent and efficacious antibodies to the cholecystokinin B (CCK‐B) receptor by ribosome display for the treatment of neuropathic pain. FASEB J 2019. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2019.33.1_supplement.lb31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marena Montera
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care MedicineUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNM
| | - Katherine Gott
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care MedicineUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNM
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of MedicineLoyola University Medical CenterChicagoIL
| | - Karin Westlund
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care MedicineUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNM
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24
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Miller Iii WA, Teye J, Achieng AO, Mogire RM, Akala H, Ong'echa JM, Rathi B, Durvasula R, Kempaiah P, Kwofie SK. Antimalarials: Review of Plasmepsins as Drug Targets and HIV Protease Inhibitors Interactions. Curr Top Med Chem 2019; 18:2022-2028. [PMID: 30499404 DOI: 10.2174/1568026619666181130133548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a major global health concern with the majority of cases reported in regions of South-East Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, Western Pacific, the Americas, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 216 million worldwide reported cases of malaria in 2016. It is an infection of the red blood cells by parasites of the genus Plasmodium with most severe and common forms caused by Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum or Pf) and Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax or Pv). Emerging parasite resistance to available antimalarial drugs poses great challenges to treatment. Currently, the first line of defense includes artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), increasingly becoming less effective and challenging to combat new occurrences of drug-resistant parasites. This necessitates the urgent need for novel antimalarials that target new molecular pathways with a different mechanism of action from the traditional antimalarials. Several new inhibitors and potential drug targets of the parasites have been reported over the years. This review focuses on the malarial aspartic proteases known as plasmepsins (Plms) as novel drug targets and antimalarials targeting Plms. It further discusses inhibitors of hemoglobin-degrading plasmepsins Plm I, Plm II, Plm IV and Histo-aspartic proteases (HAP), as well as HIV protease inhibitors of plasmepsins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whelton A Miller Iii
- Department of Chemistry & Physics, Lincoln University, Lincoln University, Baltimore, PA, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Joshua Teye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Angela O Achieng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, School of Public Health and Community Development, Maseno University, Maseno, Kenya
| | - Reagan M Mogire
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Hoseah Akala
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - John M Ong'echa
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College University Enclave, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60153, United States
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60153, United States
| | - Samuel K Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60153, United States.,West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
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25
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Rivas AL, Hoogesteijn AL, Antoniades A, Tomazou M, Buranda T, Perkins DJ, Fair JM, Durvasula R, Fasina FO, Tegos GP, van Regenmortel MHV. Assessing the Dynamics and Complexity of Disease Pathogenicity Using 4-Dimensional Immunological Data. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1258. [PMID: 31249569 PMCID: PMC6582751 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigating disease pathogenesis and personalized prognostics are major biomedical needs. Because patients sharing the same diagnosis can experience different outcomes, such as survival or death, physicians need new personalized tools, including those that rapidly differentiate several inflammatory phases. To address these topics, a pattern recognition-based method (PRM) that follows an inverse problem approach was designed to assess, in <10 min, eight concepts: synergy, pleiotropy, complexity, dynamics, ambiguity, circularity, personalized outcomes, and explanatory prognostics (pathogenesis). By creating thousands of secondary combinations derived from blood leukocyte data, the PRM measures synergic, pleiotropic, complex and dynamic data interactions, which provide personalized prognostics while some undesirable features-such as false results and the ambiguity associated with data circularity-are prevented. Here, this method is compared to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and evaluated with data collected from hantavirus-infected humans and birds that appeared to be healthy. When human data were examined, the PRM predicted 96.9 % of all surviving patients while PCA did not distinguish outcomes. Demonstrating applications in personalized prognosis, eight PRM data structures sufficed to identify all but one of the survivors. Dynamic data patterns also distinguished survivors from non-survivors, as well as one subset of non-survivors, which exhibited chronic inflammation. When the PRM explored avian data, it differentiated immune profiles consistent with no, early, or late inflammation. Yet, PCA did not recognize patterns in avian data. Findings support the notion that immune responses, while variable, are rather deterministic: a low number of complex and dynamic data combinations may be enough to, rapidly, unmask conditions that are neither directly observable nor reliably forecasted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel L. Rivas
- School of Medicine, Center for Global Health-Division of Infectious Diseases, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- *Correspondence: Ariel L. Rivas
| | - Almira L. Hoogesteijn
- Human Ecology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV), Mérida, Mexico
| | | | | | - Tione Buranda
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Douglas J. Perkins
- School of Medicine, Center for Global Health-Division of Infectious Diseases, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jeanne M. Fair
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Folorunso O. Fasina
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Marc H. V. van Regenmortel
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), School of Biotechnology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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26
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Kunamneni A, Ye C, Bradfute SB, Durvasula R. Ribosome display for the rapid generation of high-affinity Zika-neutralizing single-chain antibodies. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205743. [PMID: 30444865 PMCID: PMC6239285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging pathogen with no approved therapeutics and only limited diagnostics available. To address this gap, six mouse single-chain antibodies (scFvs) to ZIKV envelope (E) protein were isolated rapidly and efficiently from a ribosome-displayed antibody library constructed from the spleens of five immunized mice. Methodology/Results In this report, we have generated a panel of mouse scFvs to ZIKV E protein using ribosome display. The six scFvs demonstrated no cross-reactivity with DENV2 NGC envelope protein, suggesting specificity for ZIKV E protein. These scFvs showed differences in their affinity: two (scFv45-3, scFv63-1) of them were dominant after four rounds of panning, and showed higher affinity (an apparent Kd values from 19 to 27 nM) than the other four (scFv5-1, scFv7-2, scFv38-1, and scFv51-2). All six scFvs showed ZIKV-neutralizing activity in the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) assay and their neutralizing activity was positively correlated with their affinities. Conclusions/Significance The scFvs (45–3 and 63–1) with highest affinity may have dual utility as diagnostics capable of recognizing ZIKV E subtypes and may be further developed to treat ZIKV infection. Our approach has the added advantage of generating Fc receptor-deficient antibodies, minimizing concern of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adinarayana Kunamneni
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, United States of America
| | - Chunyan Ye
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Steven B. Bradfute
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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27
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Kumar Singh A, Rajendran V, Singh S, Kumar P, Kumar Y, Singh A, Miller W, Potemkin V, Poonam, Grishina M, Gupta N, Kempaiah P, Durvasula R, Singh BK, Dunn BM, Rathi B. Antiplasmodial activity of hydroxyethylamine analogs: Synthesis, biological activity and structure activity relationship of plasmepsin inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:3837-3844. [PMID: 29983285 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Malaria, particularly in endemic countries remains a threat to the human health and is the leading the cause of mortality in the tropical and sub-tropical areas. Herein, we explored new C2 symmetric hydroxyethylamine analogs as the potential inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum; 3D7) in in-vitro cultures. All the listed compounds were also evaluated against crucial drug targets, plasmepsin II (Plm II) and IV (Plm IV), enzymes found in the digestive vacuole of the P. falciparum. Analog 10f showed inhibitory activities against both the enzymes Plm II and Plm IV (Ki, 1.93 ± 0.29 µM for Plm II; Ki, 1.99 ± 0.05 µM for Plm IV). Among all these analogs, compounds 10g selectively inhibited the activity of Plm IV (Ki, 0.84 ± 0.08 µM). In the in vitro screening assay, the growth inhibition of P. falciparum by both the analogs (IC50, 2.27 ± 0.95 µM for 10f; IC50, 3.11 ± 0.65 µM for 10g) displayed marked killing effect. A significant growth inhibition of the P. falciparum was displayed by analog 12c with IC50 value of 1.35 ± 0.85 µM, however, it did not show inhibitory activity against either Plms. The hemolytic assay suggested that the active compounds selectively inhibit the growth of the parasite. Further, potent analogs (10f and 12c) were evaluated for their cytotoxicity towards mammalian HepG2 and vero cells. The selectivity index (SI) values were noticed greater than 10 for both the analogs that suggested their poor toxicity. The present study indicates these analogs as putative lead structures and could serve as crucial for the development of new drug molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kumar Singh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Vinoth Rajendran
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi 110021, India
| | - Snigdha Singh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India; Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Yogesh Kumar
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Archana Singh
- Department of Botany, Hansraj College University Enclave, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Whelton Miller
- Department of Chemistry & Physics, Lincoln University, Lincoln University, PA 19352, USA; Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Vladimir Potemkin
- South Ural State University, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, 454080, Russia
| | - Poonam
- South Ural State University, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, 454080, Russia; Department of Chemistry, Miranda House University Enclave, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 India
| | - Maria Grishina
- South Ural State University, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, 454080, Russia
| | - Nikesh Gupta
- Special Centre for Nanosciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | | | - Ben M Dunn
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, P.O. Box 100245, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India; South Ural State University, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, 454080, Russia.
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Fraihi W, Fares W, Perrin P, Dorkeld F, Sereno D, Barhoumi W, Sbissi I, Cherni S, Chelbi I, Durvasula R, Ramalho-Ortigao M, Gtari M, Zhioua E. An integrated overview of the midgut bacterial flora composition of Phlebotomus perniciosus, a vector of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in the Western Mediterranean Basin. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005484. [PMID: 28355207 PMCID: PMC5386300 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Leishmania developmental life cycle within its sand fly vector occurs exclusively in the lumen of the insect’s digestive tract in the presence of symbiotic bacteria. The composition of the gut microbiota and the factors that influence its composition are currently poorly understood. A set of factors, including the host and its environment, may influence this composition. It has been demonstrated that the insect gut microbiota influences the development of several human pathogens, such as Plasmodium falciparum. For sand flies and Leishmania, understanding the interactions between the parasite and the microbial environment of the vector midgut can provide new tools to control Leishmania transmission. Methodology/Principal findings The midguts of female Phlebotomus perniciosus from laboratory colonies or from the field were collected during the months of July, September and October 2011 and dissected. The midguts were analyzed by culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. A total of 441 and 115 cultivable isolates were assigned to 30 and 11 phylotypes from field-collected and colonized P. perniciosus, respectively. Analysis of monthly variations in microbiota composition shows a species diversity decline in October, which is to the end of the Leishmania infantum transmission period. In parallel, a compilation and a meta-analysis of all available data concerning the microbiota of two Psychodidae genera, namely Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia, was performed and compared to P. perniciosus, data obtained herein. This integrated analysis did not reveal any substantial divergences between Old and New world sand flies with regards to the midgut bacterial phyla and genera diversity. But clearly, most bacterial species (>76%) are sparsely distributed between Phlebotominae species. Conclusion/Significance Our results pinpoint the need for a more exhaustive understanding of the bacterial richness and abundance at the species level in Phlebotominae sand flies in order to capture the role of midgut bacteria during Leishmania development and transmission. The occurrence of Bacillus subtilis in P. perniciosus and at least two other sand fly species studied so far suggests that this bacterial species is a potential candidate for paratransgenic or biolological approaches for the control of sand fly populations in order to prevent Leishmania transmission. The use of conventional microbiological methods gave us the opportunity to investigate the richness of symbiotic bacteria that inhabit the gut of P. perniciosus during its main period of activity. Our results were subsequently analyzed in the framework of what has been done on sand flies microbiota in order to validate our results and to address the question of the definition of the core bacterial microbiota of sand flies. A meta-analysis on the respective gut microbiota of Old and New World sand flies shows that the majority of bacterial species is observed only in one host whereas less than 8% are shared by more than two hosts. Our results pinpoint the need for a more exhaustive understanding of the microbiota composition and dynamic in phlebotominae, with the aim to implement new biological approaches for the control of sand fly populations in order to prevent Leishmania transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Fraihi
- Laboratory of Vector Ecology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, University of Tunis-El Manar, Faculty of Sciences, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Wasfi Fares
- Laboratory of Vector Ecology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Pascale Perrin
- MIVEGEC/Université de Montpellier CNRS/UMR 5244/IRD 224 - Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Franck Dorkeld
- INRA - UMR 1062 CBGP (INRA, IRD, CIRAD), Montpellier SupAgro, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Denis Sereno
- MIVEGEC/Université de Montpellier CNRS/UMR 5244/IRD 224 - Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
- UMR177, Centre IRD de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- * E-mail: (EZ); (DS)
| | - Walid Barhoumi
- Laboratory of Vector Ecology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Imed Sbissi
- Laboratory of Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, University of Tunis-El Manar, Faculty of Sciences, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Saifedine Cherni
- Laboratory of Vector Ecology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ifhem Chelbi
- Laboratory of Vector Ecology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, UNM School of Medicine Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Marcelo Ramalho-Ortigao
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Maher Gtari
- Laboratory of Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, University of Tunis-El Manar, Faculty of Sciences, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Elyes Zhioua
- Laboratory of Vector Ecology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
- * E-mail: (EZ); (DS)
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Chatzipanagiotou S, Ioannidis A, Trikka-Graphakos E, Charalampaki N, Sereti C, Piccinini R, Higgins AM, Buranda T, Durvasula R, Hoogesteijn AL, Tegos GP, Rivas AL. Detecting the Hidden Properties of Immunological Data and Predicting the Mortality Risks of Infectious Syndromes. Front Immunol 2016; 7:217. [PMID: 27375617 PMCID: PMC4901050 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To extract more information, the properties of infectious disease data, including hidden relationships, could be considered. Here, blood leukocyte data were explored to elucidate whether hidden information, if uncovered, could forecast mortality. METHODS Three sets of individuals (n = 132) were investigated, from whom blood leukocyte profiles and microbial tests were conducted (i) cross-sectional analyses performed at admission (before bacteriological tests were completed) from two groups of hospital patients, randomly selected at different time periods, who met septic criteria [confirmed infection and at least three systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria] but lacked chronic conditions (study I, n = 36; and study II, n = 69); (ii) a similar group, tested over 3 days (n = 7); and (iii) non-infected, SIRS-negative individuals, tested once (n = 20). The data were analyzed by (i) a method that creates complex data combinations, which, based on graphic patterns, partitions the data into subsets and (ii) an approach that does not partition the data. Admission data from SIRS+/infection+ patients were related to 30-day, in-hospital mortality. RESULTS The non-partitioning approach was not informative: in both study I and study II, the leukocyte data intervals of non-survivors and survivors overlapped. In contrast, the combinatorial method distinguished two subsets that, later, showed twofold (or larger) differences in mortality. While the two subsets did not differ in gender, age, microbial species, or antimicrobial resistance, they revealed different immune profiles. Non-infected, SIRS-negative individuals did not express the high-mortality profile. Longitudinal data from septic patients displayed the pattern associated with the highest mortality within the first 24 h post-admission. Suggesting inflammation coexisted with immunosuppression, one high-mortality sub-subset displayed high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio values and low lymphocyte percents. A second high-mortality subset showed monocyte-mediated deficiencies. Numerous within- and between-subset comparisons revealed statistically significantly different immune profiles. CONCLUSION While the analysis of non-partitioned data can result in information loss, complex (combinatorial) data structures can uncover hidden patterns, which guide data partitioning into subsets that differ in mortality rates and immune profiles. Such information can facilitate diagnostics, monitoring of disease dynamics, and evaluation of subset-specific, patient-specific therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Chatzipanagiotou
- Department of Biopathology and Clinical Microbiology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece
| | - A Ioannidis
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences, University of Peloponnese , Sparta , Greece
| | - E Trikka-Graphakos
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, "Thriasio" General Hospital , Magoula , Greece
| | - N Charalampaki
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, "Thriasio" General Hospital , Magoula , Greece
| | - C Sereti
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, "Thriasio" General Hospital , Magoula , Greece
| | - R Piccinini
- Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of Milan , Milan , Italy
| | - A M Higgins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Global Health, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM , USA
| | - T Buranda
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM , USA
| | - R Durvasula
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Global Health, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM , USA
| | - A L Hoogesteijn
- Human Ecology Department, Cinvestav , Unidad Merida , Mexico
| | - G P Tegos
- Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ariel L Rivas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Global Health, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM , USA
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Heerman M, Weng JL, Hurwitz I, Durvasula R, Ramalho-Ortigao M. Bacterial Infection and Immune Responses in Lutzomyia longipalpis Sand Fly Larvae Midgut. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003923. [PMID: 26154607 PMCID: PMC4495979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The midgut microbial community in insect vectors of disease is crucial for an effective immune response against infection with various human and animal pathogens. Depending on the aspects of their development, insects can acquire microbes present in soil, water, and plants. Sand flies are major vectors of leishmaniasis, and shown to harbor a wide variety of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Sand fly larval stages acquire microorganisms from the soil, and the abundance and distribution of these microorganisms may vary depending on the sand fly species or the breeding site. Here, we assess the distribution of two bacteria commonly found within the gut of sand flies, Pantoea agglomerans and Bacillus subtilis. We demonstrate that these bacteria are able to differentially infect the larval digestive tract, and regulate the immune response in sand fly larvae. Moreover, bacterial distribution, and likely the ability to colonize the gut, is driven, at least in part, by a gradient of pH present in the gut. Symbiotic microorganisms influence many aspects of the physiology of their hosts. In insects, symbiotic bacteria are able among other things to modulate the immune response and the development of the insect from larval stages to adult. Many bacteria first gain access to insect tissues, such as the gut, during larval development, and are acquired from the environment. Thus, depending on the insect ecology, aquatic vs. terrestrial, the bacterial gut flora found in insects can vary widely. Little is known about the events that follow bacterial infection in larval guts and the driving forces for colonization of the gut by such bacteria. We investigated the distribution of two bacteria, a Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and a Gram-negative (Pantoea agglomerans) fed to sand fly larvae. Our results indicate that bacteria distribution in the larval gut is driven by their ability to multiply at a given pH, as pH in the gut also varies. Gut distribution by these bacteria lead to an immune response that the sand fly larva is able to modulate according to the bacterial species. Our findings can influence development of paratransgenic approaches that utilize bacterial symbionts to control vector population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Heerman
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Ju-Lin Weng
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Ivy Hurwitz
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
- New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Marcelo Ramalho-Ortigao
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Durvasula R, Hurwitz I, Fieck A, Rao DS. Culture, growth, pigments and lipid content of Scenedesmus species, an extremophile microalga from Soda Dam, New Mexico in wastewater. ALGAL RES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Abstract
BACKGROUND As an alternative to chemical pesticides, paratransgenesis relies on transformation of symbiotic bacteria of an arthropod vector to deliver molecules that disrupt pathogen transmission. For over a decade paratransgenesis has remained a laboratory-based endeavor owing to regulatory concerns regarding introduction of transformed microorganisms into the environment. To facilitate field application of paratransgenic strategies, risk mitigation approaches that address environmental contamination and gene spread must be developed. RESULTS Using biopolymer manipulation, we introduce a novel microencapsulation platform for containment and targeted delivery of engineered bacteria to the gut of a disease-transmitting arthropod. We demonstrate the first proof of principle of targeted delivery of EPA-approved Pantoea agglomerans E325 in a paratransgenic system to control spread of Pierce's Disease by glassy-winged sharpshooters, (Homalodisca vitripennis) under simulated field conditions. Engineered microcapsules may address regulatory concerns regarding containment of recombinant bacteria and environmental spread of foreign genetic material and may represent an important step in translating paratransgenic science beyond the lab and into the field. CONCLUSIONS We present, for the first time, a microencapsulation strategy to deliver recombinant bacteria to an insect and demonstrate targeted release of bacteria into the physiologically relevant region of the insect gut. This is a first step toward addressing concerns related to field application of recombinant bacteria. Engineered microparticles may decrease environmental contamination, horizontal gene transfer and competition with native species by acting as a barrier between recombinant bacteria and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arinder K Arora
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
| | - Adam Forshaw
- UNM School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
| | - Thomas A Miller
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Global Health, UNM School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
- New Mexico VA Healthcare System, Albuquerque, NM, 87108, USA.
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Maleki-Ravasan N, Oshaghi MA, Afshar D, Arandian MH, Hajikhani S, Akhavan AA, Yakhchali B, Shirazi MH, Rassi Y, Jafari R, Aminian K, Fazeli-Varzaneh RA, Durvasula R. Aerobic bacterial flora of biotic and abiotic compartments of a hyperendemic Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ZCL) focus. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:63. [PMID: 25630498 PMCID: PMC4329651 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0517-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 11/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Identification of the microflora of the sand fly gut and the environmental distribution of these bacteria are important components for paratransgenic control of Leishmania transmission by sand flies. Methods Biotic and abiotic bacterial communities of four compartments of a hyper-endemic focus of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ZCL) were investigated using 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing and phylogenetic tree construction. These compartments include Phlebotomus papatasi’s gut, skin and intestinal tract of great gerbil Rhombomys opimus, the gerbil nest supplies, and plant food sources of the vectors and reservoirs. Results Sequence homology analysis using nine available 16S rDNA data bases revealed 40, 24, 15 and 14 aerobic bacterial species from the vector guts, the gerbil bodies, the gerbil nests, and the plants, respectively. The isolated bacteria belong to wide ranges including aerobic to facultative anaerobic, pathogen to commensals, sand fly oviposition inducers, land to air and ocean habitats, animal and human probiotics, and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Matching data analysis suggested that the adult P. papatasi gut bacteria could be acquired from three routes, adult sugar feeding on the plant saps, adult blood feeding on the animal host, and larval feeding from nest supplies. However, our laboratory experiment showed that none of the bacteria of the reservoir skin was transmitted to female sand fly guts via blood feeding. The microflora of sand fly guts were associated with the sand fly environment in which the predominant bacteria were Microbacterium, Pseudomonas, and Staphylococcus in human dwellings, cattle farms, and rodent colonies, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common bacterium in sand fly guts. Presence of some sand fly ovipoisition inducers such Bacillus spp. and Staphylococcus saprophyticus support association between gut flora and oviposition induction. Conclusions Results of this study showed that Bacillus subtilis and Enterobacter cloacae particularly subsp. dissolvens are circulated among the sand fly guts, the plants, and the sand fly larval breeding places and hence are possible candidates for a paratransgenic approach to reduce Leishmania transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naseh Maleki-Ravasan
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran. .,Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Davoud Afshar
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| | | | - Sara Hajikhani
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Amir Ahmad Akhavan
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Bagher Yakhchali
- Department Industrial and of Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Hasan Shirazi
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Yavar Rassi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Jafari
- Isfahan Health Research Station, National Institute of Health Research (NIHR-IHRS), Esfahan, Iran.
| | - Koorosh Aminian
- Isfahan Province Health Center No1, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | | | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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Jose C, Klein N, Wyss S, Fieck A, Hurwitz I, Durvasula R. Recombinant Arthrobacter β-1, 3-glucanase as a potential effector molecule for paratransgenic control of Chagas disease. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:65. [PMID: 23497594 PMCID: PMC3606369 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2012] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease is most often transmitted to humans by Trypanosoma cruzi infected triatomine bugs, and remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Central and South America. Control of Chagas disease has relied mainly on vector eradication. However, development of insect resistance has prompted us to develop a paratransgenic strategy to control vectorial transmission of T. cruzi. Here, the potential role of recombinant endoglucanases as anti-trypanosomal agents for paratransgenic application is examined. The surface of T. cruzi is covered by a thick coat of mucin-like glycoproteins that have been proposed to play a role in the binding of T. cruzi to the membrane surface of the vector gut. We hypothesize that disruption of these glycoconjugates could arrest parasite development in the vector and abort the transmission cycle. In this work, we examine the effects of recombinant Arthrobacter luteus β-1, 3-glucanase expressed via Rhodococcus rhodnii on T. cruzi Sylvio II strain. Methods and results The coding sequence for β-1, 3-glucanase was cloned in-frame to a heterologous promoter/signal sequence from the Mycobacterium kansasii alpha antigen gene resident in an E. coli/R. rhodnii shuttle vector. The resulting construct was confirmed by sequencing, and electroporated into R. rhodnii. Expression products from positive clones were purified from log phase cultures followed by dialysis into physiological buffers. Lysates and media were quantitated by ELISA against rabbit antibody specific to β-1,3-glucanase. Glucanase-positive samples were applied to live T. cruzi parasites in culture and viability accessed by spectrophotometric and fluorescent microscopic measurements. R. rhodnii-expressed β-1,3-glucanase exhibited toxicity against T. cruzi compared to controls when applied at 5 and 10% of the total culture volume. The decrease in cell viability ranged from a maximum of 50% for the media treatments to 80% for the filtered lysates. Conclusions These results suggest that recombinant β-glucanase could be a powerful addition to the arsenal of effector molecules for paratransgenic control of Chagas disease. In future studies, the ability of β-glucanase to function in combination with other effector molecules will be explored. Dual targeting of T. cruzi should not only slow resistance but also permit synergistic or additive lethal effects on T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christo Jose
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico and New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Sree Hari Rao V, Durvasula R. Modeling the Spread and Outbreak Dynamics of Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus and Its Possible Control. Dynamic Models of Infectious Diseases 2013. [PMCID: PMC7120579 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-9224-5_9] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Avian Influenza, commonly known as Bird Flu, is an epidemic caused by H5N1 Virus, that primarily affects birds such as chickens, wild water birds, ducks, and swans etc. On rare occasions, pigs and humans will also be affected with this virus In recent years this epidemic has emerged as a major global health concern. The present chapter is aimed at developing mathematical models that predict the spread and outbreak diversity of low pathogenic avian influenza virus. Essentially, we present (1) a deterministic mathematical model which deals with the dynamics of human infection by avian influenza both in birds and in human, (2) a discrete dynamical model for the spread of H5N1, and (3) the statistical transmission model of bird flu taking into account the factors that affect the epidemic transmission such as source of infection and social and natural factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. Sree Hari Rao
- Foundation for Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh India
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
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Hurwitz I, Fieck A, Durvasula R. Antimicrobial Peptide Delivery Strategies: Use of Recombinant Antimicrobial Peptides in Paratransgenic Control Systems. Curr Drug Targets 2012; 13:1173-80. [DOI: 10.2174/138945012802002366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2011] [Revised: 02/14/2012] [Accepted: 05/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Ursic-Bedoya R, Buchhop J, Joy JB, Durvasula R, Lowenberger C. Prolixicin: a novel antimicrobial peptide isolated from Rhodnius prolixus with differential activity against bacteria and Trypanosoma cruzi. Insect Mol Biol 2011; 20:775-86. [PMID: 21906194 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2011.01107.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
We identified and characterized the activity of prolixicin, a novel antimicrobial peptide (AMP) isolated from the hemipteran insect, Rhodnius prolixus. Sequence analysis reveals one region of prolixicin that may be related to the diptericin/attacin family of AMPs. Prolixicin is an 11-kDa peptide containing a putative 21 amino acid signal peptide, two putative phosphorylation sites and no glycosylation sites. It is produced by both adult fat body and midgut tissues in response to bacterial infection of the haemolymph or the midgut. Unlike most insect antibacterial peptides, the prolixicin gene does not seem to be regulated by NF-κB binding sites, but its promoter region contains several GATA sites. Recombinant prolixicin has strong activity against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and differential activity against several Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. No significant toxicity was demonstrated against Trypanosoma cruzi, the human parasite transmitted by R. prolixus.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Ursic-Bedoya
- Simon Fraser University, Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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Hurwitz I, Fieck A, Read A, Hillesland H, Klein N, Kang A, Durvasula R. Paratransgenic control of vector borne diseases. Int J Biol Sci 2011; 7:1334-44. [PMID: 22110385 PMCID: PMC3221369 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.7.1334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 10/01/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional methodologies to control vector borne diseases with chemical pesticides are often associated with environmental toxicity, adverse effects on human health and the emergence of insect resistance. In the paratransgenic strategy, symbiotic or commensal microbes of host insects are transformed to express gene products that interfere with pathogen transmission. These genetically altered microbes are re-introduced back to the insect where expression of the engineered molecules decreases the host's ability to transmit the pathogen. We have successfully utilized this strategy to reduce carriage rates of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, in the triatomine bug, Rhodnius prolixus, and are currently developing this methodology to control the transmission of Leishmania donovani by the sand fly Phlebotomus argentipes. Several effector molecules, including antimicrobial peptides and highly specific single chain antibodies, are currently being explored for their anti-parasite activities in these two systems. In preparation for eventual field use, we are actively engaged in risk assessment studies addressing the issue of horizontal gene transfer from the modified bacteria to environmental microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Angray Kang
- 1. Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, England
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Hurwitz I, Hillesland H, Fieck A, Das P, Durvasula R. The paratransgenic sand fly: a platform for control of Leishmania transmission. Parasit Vectors 2011; 4:82. [PMID: 21595907 PMCID: PMC3121692 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2011] [Accepted: 05/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmania donovani is transmitted by the bite of the sand fly, Phlebotomus argentipes. This parasite is the agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), an endemic disease in Bihar, India, where prevention has relied mainly on DDT spraying. Pesticide resistance in sand fly populations, environmental toxicity, and limited resources confound this approach. A novel paratransgenic strategy aimed at control of vectorial transmission of L. donovani is presented using Bacillus subtilis, a commensal bacterium isolated from the sand fly gut. In this work, B. subtilis expressing Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) was added to sterilized larval chow. Control pots contained larval chow spiked either with untransformed B. subtilis or phosphate-buffered saline. Fourth-instar P. argentipes larvae were transferred into the media and allowed to mature. The number of bacterial colony forming units, relative abundance and the mean microbial load were determined per developmental stage. Results Addition of B. subtilis to larval chow did not affect sand fly emergence rates. B. cereus and Lys fusiformis were identified at each developmental stage, revealing transstadial passage of endogenous microbes. Larvae exposed to an exogenous bolus of B. subtilis harbored significantly larger numbers of bacteria. Bacterial load decreased to a range comparable to sand flies from control pots, suggesting an upper limit to the number of bacteria harbored. Emerging flies reared in larval chow containing transformed B. subtilis carried large numbers of these bacteria in their gut lumens. Strong GFP expression was detected in these paratransgenic flies with no spread of transformed bacteria to other compartments of the insects. This is the first demonstration of paratransgenic manipulation of P. argentipes. Conclusions Paratransgenic manipulation of P. argentipes appears feasible. Expression of leishmanicidal molecules via commensal bacteria commonly found at breeding sites of P. argentipes could render adult sand flies refractory to L. donovani infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy Hurwitz
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, New Mexico, USA.
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Fieck A, Hurwitz I, Kang AS, Durvasula R. Trypanosoma cruzi: synergistic cytotoxicity of multiple amphipathic anti-microbial peptides to T. cruzi and potential bacterial hosts. Exp Parasitol 2010; 125:342-7. [PMID: 20206169 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2010.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2009] [Revised: 02/24/2010] [Accepted: 02/25/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The parasite Trypanasoma cruzi is responsible for Chagas disease and its triatomine vector, Rhodnius prolixus, has a symbiotic relationship with the soil bacterium, Rhodococcus rhodnii. R. rhodnii that was previously genetically engineered to produce the anti-microbial peptide, cecropin A was co-infected with T. cruzi into R. prolixus resulting in clearance of the infectious T. cruzi in 65% of the vectors. Similar anti-microbial peptides have been isolated elsewhere and were studied for differential toxicity against T. cruzi and R. rhodnii. Of the six anti-microbial peptides tested, apidaecin, magainin II, melittin, and cecropin A were deemed potential candidates for the Chagas paratransgenic system as they were capable of killing T.cruzi at concentrations that exhibit little or no toxic effects on R. rhodnii. Subsequent treatments of T. cruzi with these peptides in pair-wise combinations resulted in synergistic killing, indicating that improvement of the 65% parasite clearance seen in previous experiments may be possible utilizing combinations of different anti-microbial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabeth Fieck
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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Subhadra B, Hurwitz I, Fieck A, Rao DVS, Subba Rao G, Durvasula R. Development of paratransgenic Artemia as a platform for control of infectious diseases in shrimp mariculture. J Appl Microbiol 2009; 108:831-840. [PMID: 19702854 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04479.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
AIM To study the accumulation and retention of recombinant proteins in Artemia gut for optimizing paratransgenic disease control in shrimp aquaculture. METHODS AND RESULTS Transgenic Escherichia coli expressing fluorescent marker proteins and the transgenic cyanobacterium Synechococcus bacillarus expressing a functional murine single chain antibody, DB3, were fed to Artemia franciscana. Stable expression and retention of several marker molecules (e.g. GFP, DS Red and DB3) up to 10 h after of feeding with E. coli were evident within the gut of Artemia. Engineered strains of S. bacillarus expressing DB3 accumulated within the gut of Artemia with detectable antibody activity for 8-10 h of feeding via ELISA, coincident with the time period of the highest density of transgenic S. bacillarus in the Artemia gut. CONCLUSIONS Artemia fed transgenic bacteria or algae accumulated recombinant proteins for up to 10 h that retained biological activity. Co-delivery of multiple recombinant proteins simultaneously in the gut of Artemia was also demonstrated. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Expression of molecules that target infectious agents of mariculture in shrimp via commonly deployed feed organisms such as Artemia could potentially offer powerful new tools in the ongoing global effort to increase food supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Subhadra
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - I Hurwitz
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - A Fieck
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - D V S Rao
- Emeritus Scientist, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - G Subba Rao
- Shree Vasudha Laboratories, Visakhapatnam, India
| | - R Durvasula
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Durvasula R, Ahmed SM, Vashisht A, Studd JWW. Hormone replacement therapy and malignant melanoma: to prescribe or not to prescribe? Climacteric 2009. [DOI: 10.1080/cmt.5.2.197.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Hillesland H, Ghosh K, Subhadra B, Das P, Hurwitz I, Read A, Durvasula R, McKelvey R. Identification of Aerobic Gut Bacteria from the Kala Azar Vector, Phlebotomus argentipes: A Platform for Potential Paratransgenic Manipulation of Sand Flies. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2008. [DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2008.79.881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Hillesland H, Read A, Subhadra B, Hurwitz I, McKelvey R, Ghosh K, Das P, Durvasula R. Identification of aerobic gut bacteria from the kala azar vector, Phlebotomus argentipes: a platform for potential paratransgenic manipulation of sand flies. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2008; 79:881-886. [PMID: 19052297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is an understudied parasitic disease responsible for significant global morbidity and mortality. We are presently investigating a method of disease prevention termed paratransgenesis. In this approach, symbiotic or commensal bacteria are transformed to produce anti-Leishmania molecules. The transformed bacteria are delivered back to sand flies to inactivate the parasite within the vector itself. In this study, we identified 28 distinct gut microorganisms from Phlebotomus argentipes trapped from four visceral leishmaniasis-endemic sites in India. A significant percent of Staphylococcus spp., environmental bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae were identified. Two non-pathogenic organisms, Bacillus megaterium and Brevibacterium linens, were also isolated. Both organisms are also used extensively in industry. Our results indicate that B. megaterium and B. linens are possible candidates for use in a model of paratransgenesis to prevent transmission of Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Hillesland
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
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Durvasula R, Ahmed SM, Vashisht A, Studd JWW. Hormone replacement therapy and malignant melanoma: to prescribe or not to prescribe? Climacteric 2002; 5:197-200. [PMID: 12051116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
The mean age of presentation of malignant melanoma in women is the early fifties, a time that may be concomitant with the onset of the menopause. As the lesion can often be successfully surgically excised, many women will enter the menopause disease-free but in need of treatment for their menopausal symptoms. Melanoma has traditionally been considered to be an estrogen receptor-positive tumor, whose prognosis is adversely affected by estrogen, whether during pregnancy or in association with the oral contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Recent evidence now refutes this. As most recurrences occur in the first 2 years following treatment, it may be prudent to defer HRT until this time. There is a particular paucity of information pertaining to HRT and melanoma, such that, at present, there appears to be no justification for withholding this potentially beneficial therapy from menopausal women who have undergone treatment for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Durvasula
- Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, UK
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Hiromura K, Haseley LA, Zhang P, Monkawa T, Durvasula R, Petermann AT, Alpers CE, Mundel P, Shankland SJ. Podocyte expression of the CDK-inhibitor p57 during development and disease. Kidney Int 2001; 60:2235-46. [PMID: 11737597 DOI: 10.1046/j.1523-1755.2001.00057.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mature podocyte is a terminally differentiated cell with a limited proliferative capacity. The precise cell cycle proteins necessary for establishing podocyte quiescence during development or permitting podocyte cell cycle re-entry in disease states have not been fully defined. Accordingly, we studied the role of the cyclin dependent kinase (CDK)-inhibitor p57Kip2 (p57) in modulating these processes. METHODS The expression of p57 protein in relation to markers of DNA synthesis was examined in developing mouse kidneys, and in the passive Heymann nephritis (PHN) and anti-glomerular antibody models of glomerular disease by immunohistochemistry. The role of p57 in glomerulogenesis was explored by examining renal tissue from embryonic p57-/- mice, and the expression of p21, p27 and p57 protein and mRNA was examined in podocytes in vitro. RESULTS The de novo expression of p57 during glomerulogenesis coincides with the cessation of podocyte proliferation, and the establishment of a mature phenotype, and p57 is expressed exclusively in podocytes in mature glomeruli. However, p57 knockout mice have normal glomerular podocyte development. In addition, mRNA but not protein levels of p57 increased upon differentiation of podocytes in vitro. There was a marked decrease in p57 expression in both animal models of podocyte injury. This was diffuse in PHN, whereas in the murine model, loss of expression of p57 occurred predominantly in proliferating podocytes, expressing proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). CONCLUSION Despite the de novo expression of p57 protein coinciding with the cessation of primitive podocyte proliferation during glomerulogenesis, embryonic p57-/- mice glomeruli were histologically normal. Cultured podocytes did not require changes in p57 protein levels to undergo differentiation. These data suggest that p57 alone is not required for podocyte differentiation, and that other cell cycle regulators may play a role. Furthermore, although injury to mature podocytes in experimental glomerular disease is associated with a decrease in p57, the levels of all three members of the Cip/Kip family of CDK inhibitors appear to determine the capability of podocytes to proliferate.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Hiromura
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
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Hinkin C, Stefaniak M, Castellon S, Lam M, Hardy D, Zolnikov B, Durvasula R. Executive dysfunction in HIV-1 infection. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2000. [DOI: 10.1093/arclin/15.8.717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Durvasula R, Sue S. Severity of disturbance among Asian American outpatients. Cult Divers Ment Health 2000; 2:43-51. [PMID: 9225560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Although Asian Americans are low utilizers of mental health services, they may suffer from a greater degree of disturbance by the time they are accepted for services. In this study, thousands of Asian and White clients who utilized a large mental health system over a 5-year period were compared on three measures of severity of disturbance: severity of diagnosis, ratings of functioning, and presence of psychotic features. Results for all three indicators supported the hypothesis that Asian Americans show greater disturbance than do Whites. The findings provide convincing evidence of greater disturbance among Asian American clients. It is suggested that for cultural reasons, only the most severely disturbed Asian clients use mental health services.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Durvasula
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095-1563, USA
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