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Huttner A, Agnandji ST, Engler O, Hooper JW, Kwilas S, Ricks K, Clements TL, Jonsdottir HR, Nakka SS, Rothenberger S, Kremsner P, Züst R, Medaglini D, Ottenhoff T, Harandi AM, Siegrist CA. Antibody responses to recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-Zaire Ebolavirus vaccination for Ebola virus disease across doses and continents: 5-year durability. Clin Microbiol Infect 2023; 29:1587-1594. [PMID: 37661067 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To report 5-year persistence and avidity of antibodies produced by the live-attenuated recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) expressing the Zaire Ebolavirus (ZEBOV) glycoprotein (GP), known as rVSV-ZEBOV (Ervebo®). METHODS Healthy adults vaccinated with 300,000 or 10-50 million plaque-forming units of rVSV-ZEBOV in the WHO-coordinated trials of 2014-2015 were followed for up to 4 (Lambaréné, Gabon) and 5 (Geneva, Switzerland) years. We report seropositivity rates, geometric mean titres (GMTs), and population distribution of ZEBOV-GP ELISA IgG antibodies, neutralizing antibodies (pseudovirus and live-virus neutralization) and antibody avidity; the primary outcome was ZEBOV-GP ELISA IgG GMTs at 4 or 5 years compared with 1 year (Y1) after immunization. RESULTS Among the 168 eligible vaccinees (Geneva: 97 and Lambaréné: 71) enrolled 1 year post-immunization, 146 (87%) remained enrolled at 4 years (Geneva: n = 88, Lambaréné: n = 58), and 84 (87%, Geneva) at 5 years post-vaccination. ZEBOV-GP ELISA IgG GMTs plateaued, with no declining trend from 1 year through the last time point assessed (1147.8 [95% CI 874.3-1507.0] at Y1 versus 1548.1 [95% CI 1136.6-2108.5] at Y5 in Geneva volunteers receiving ≥10 million plaque-forming units of rVSV-ZEBOV), their avidity matching that of ZEBOV convalescents. Live-virus neutralizing antibodies were detected for shorter periods and in fewer vaccinees (53/95 [56%] at Y1 versus 35/84 [42%] at Y5 in Geneva volunteers, all dose levels). DISCUSSION Titres at Y1 emerged as a correlate of antibody persistence at Y5. The findings of persistent ZEBOV-GP ELISA IgG titres yet shorter-lasting, lower titres of live-virus neutralizing antibodies suggest the contribution of antibody-mediated protective mechanisms other than neutralization. Long-term clinical efficacy of rVSV-ZEBOV, however, requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Huttner
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Clinical Trials Unit, Centre for Clinical Research, University Hospitals of Geneva and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland; Centre for Vaccinology, University Hospitals of Geneva and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Selidji Todagbe Agnandji
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Campus CERMEL, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Reisemedizin und Humanparasitologie Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; GermanCenter for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Olivier Engler
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Jay W Hooper
- Foundational Science Directorate, US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Steve Kwilas
- Foundational Science Directorate, US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Keersten Ricks
- Foundational Science Directorate, US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Tamara L Clements
- Foundational Science Directorate, US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Hulda R Jonsdottir
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Sravya Sowdamini Nakka
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sylvia Rothenberger
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland; Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Peter Kremsner
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Campus CERMEL, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Reisemedizin und Humanparasitologie Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; GermanCenter for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Roland Züst
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Donata Medaglini
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Tom Ottenhoff
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden Hospital Centre and University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ali M Harandi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Vaccine Evaluation Centre, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Claire-Anne Siegrist
- Centre for Vaccinology, University Hospitals of Geneva and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
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Meier P, Clement P, Altenried S, Reina G, Ren Q, Züst R, Enger O, Choi F, Nestle N, Deisenroth T, Neubauer P, Wick P. Quaternary ammonium-based coating of textiles is effective against bacteria and viruses with a low risk to human health. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20556. [PMID: 37996620 PMCID: PMC10667359 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47707-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
While the global healthcare system is slowly recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, new multi-drug-resistant pathogens are emerging as the next threat. To tackle these challenges there is a need for safe and sustainable antiviral and antibacterial functionalized materials. Here we develop an 'easy-to-apply' procedure for the surface functionalization of textiles, rendering them antiviral and antibacterial and assessing the performance of these textiles. A metal-free quaternary ammonium-based coating was applied homogeneously and non-covalently to hospital curtains. Abrasion, durability testing, and aging resulted in little change in the performance of the treated textile. Additionally, qualitative and quantitative antibacterial assays on Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumanii revealed excellent antibacterial activity with a CFU reduction of 98-100% within only 4 h of exposure. The treated curtain was aged 6 months before testing. Similarly, the antiviral activity tested according to ISO-18184 with murine hepatitis virus (MHV) showed > 99% viral reduction with the functionalized curtain. Also, the released active compounds of the coating 24 ± 5 µg mL-1 revealed no acute in vitro skin toxicity (IC50: 95 µg mL-1) and skin sensitization. This study emphasizes the potential of safe and sustainable metal-free textile coatings for the rapid antiviral and antibacterial functionalization of textiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Meier
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Pietro Clement
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Altenried
- Biointerfaces Laboratory, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Giacomo Reina
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Qun Ren
- Biointerfaces Laboratory, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Roland Züst
- Federal Office for Civil Protection FOCP, Spiez Laboratory, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Enger
- Technology Scouting & Incubation, BASF Schweiz AG, 4005, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Francis Choi
- BASF Corporation, 1609 Biddle Avenue, Wyandotte, MI, 48192, USA
| | - Nikolaus Nestle
- BASF SE, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Ted Deisenroth
- Formulation Research, BASF Corporation, 500 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, USA
| | - Peter Neubauer
- Chair of Bioprocess Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, TU Berlin, 13355, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Wick
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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Züst R, Ackermann-Gäumann R, Liechti N, Siegrist D, Ryter S, Portmann J, Lenz N, Beuret C, Koller R, Staehelin C, Kuenzli AB, Marschall J, Rothenberger S, Engler O. Presence and Persistence of Andes Virus RNA in Human Semen. Viruses 2023; 15:2266. [PMID: 38005942 PMCID: PMC10675069 DOI: 10.3390/v15112266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
When infecting humans, Andes orthohantavirus (ANDV) may cause a severe disease called hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Following non-specific symptoms, the infection may progress to a syndrome of hemorrhagic fever combined with hyper-acute cardiopulmonary failure. The case fatality rate ranges between 25-40%, depending on the outbreak. In this study, we present the follow-up of a male patient who recovered from HCPS six years ago. We demonstrate that the ANDV genome persists within the reproductive tract for at least 71 months. Genome sequence analysis early and late after infection reveals a low number of mutations (two single nucleotide variants and one deletion), suggesting limited replication activity. We can exclude the integration of the viral genome into the host genome, since the treatment of the specimen with RNAse led to a loss of signal. We demonstrate a long-lasting, strong neutralizing antibody response using pseudovirions expressing the ANDV glycoprotein. Taken together, our results show that ANDV has the potential for sexual transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Züst
- Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland (O.E.)
| | | | - Nicole Liechti
- Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland (O.E.)
| | - Denise Siegrist
- Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland (O.E.)
| | - Sarah Ryter
- Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland (O.E.)
| | - Jasmine Portmann
- Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland (O.E.)
| | - Nicole Lenz
- Food Microbial Systems, Risk Assessment and Mitigation Group, Agroscope, 3097 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian Beuret
- Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland (O.E.)
| | - Roger Koller
- Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia Staehelin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andrea B. Kuenzli
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Marschall
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sylvia Rothenberger
- Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland (O.E.)
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Engler
- Spiez Laboratory, Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland (O.E.)
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Jonsdottir HR, Zysset D, Lenz N, Siegrist D, Ruedin Y, Ryter S, Züst R, Geissmann Y, Ackermann-Gäumann R, Engler OB, Weber B. Virucidal activity of three standard chemical disinfectants against Ebola virus suspended in tripartite soil and whole blood. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15718. [PMID: 37735604 PMCID: PMC10514052 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42376-8] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Proper disinfection and inactivation of highly pathogenic viruses is an essential component of public health and prevention. Depending on environment, surfaces, and type of contaminant, various methods of disinfection must be both efficient and available. To test both established and novel chemical disinfectants against risk group 4 viruses in our maximum containment facility, we developed a standardized protocol and assessed the chemical inactivation of the two Ebola virus variants Mayinga and Makona suspended in two different biological soil loads. Standard chemical disinfectants ethanol and sodium hypochlorite completely inactivate both Ebola variants after 30 s in suspension at 70% and 0.5% v/v, respectively, concentrations recommended for disinfection by the World Health Organization. Additionally, peracetic acid is also inactivating at 0.2% v/v under the same conditions. Continued vigilance and optimization of current disinfection protocols is extremely important due to the continuous presence of Ebola virus on the African continent and increased zoonotic spillover of novel viral pathogens. Furthermore, to facilitate general pandemic preparedness, the establishment and sharing of standardized protocols is very important as it allows for rapid testing and evaluation of novel pathogens and chemical disinfectants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hulda R Jonsdottir
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland.
- Department of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergology, Inselspital University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Daniel Zysset
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland.
| | - Nicole Lenz
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
- Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agroscope, Federal Office for Agriculture, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Denise Siegrist
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Yelena Ruedin
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Ryter
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Roland Züst
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Yannick Geissmann
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Rahel Ackermann-Gäumann
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
- ADMED Microbiologie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
| | - Olivier B Engler
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Weber
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
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5
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Deuel JW, Lauria E, Lovey T, Zweifel S, Meier MI, Züst R, Gültekin N, Stettbacher A, Schlagenhauf P. Persistence, prevalence, and polymorphism of sequelae after COVID-19 in unvaccinated, young adults of the Swiss Armed Forces: a longitudinal, cohort study (LoCoMo). Lancet Infect Dis 2022; 22:1694-1702. [PMID: 36030795 PMCID: PMC9411260 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(22)00449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Persistent COVID-19 sequelae could have global, public health ramifications. We therefore aimed to describe sequelae presenting more than 180 days after COVID-19-focussing on several organ systems, general health, and laboratory parameters-in non-hospitalised, unvaccinated, young adults. METHODS We did a longitudinal cohort study of all army bases in Switzerland. Eligible participants were personnel of the Swiss Armed Forces (SAF) who were aged 18-30 years with a positive or negative RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 during their service between March 1, 2020, and Dec 31, 2020. Exclusion criteria were unwillingness to participate in testing. Females or men with a known reproductive anomaly were excluded from the optional component of male fertility testing. COVID-19 was defined as a positive diagnostic RT-PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 with concurrent symptoms compatible with COVID-19. Participants were subdivided into four groups: control group (ie, serologically negative), asymptomatic infection group (ie, serologically positive but with no symptoms), non-recent COVID-19 group (>180 days since positive PCR test), and recent COVID-19 group (≤180 days since positive PCR test). Outcomes of interest were part of a comprehensive, intensive test battery that was administered during a single day. The test battery quantified the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, renal, ophthalmological, male reproductive, psychological, general health, and laboratory parameters. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT04942249. FINDINGS Between May 20, 2021, and Nov 26, 2021, we enrolled 501 participants. 29 (6%) of 501 were female and 464 (93%) were male, and the median age was 21 years (IQR 21-23). Eight (2%) of 501 had incomplete data and were not included into the study groups. 177 participants had previous COVID-19 that was more than 180 days (mean 340 days) since diagnosis (ie, the non-recent COVID-19 group) compared with 251 serologically negative individuals (ie, the control group). We included 19 participants in the recent COVID-19 group and 46 in the asymptomatic infection group. We found a significant trend towards metabolic disorders in participants of the non-recent COVID-19 group compared with those in the control group: higher BMI (median 24·0 kg/m2 [IQR 22·0-25·8] vs 23·2 kg/m2 [27·1-25·0]; p=0·035), lower aerobic threshold (39% [36-43] vs 41% [37-46]; p=0·012), and higher blood cholesterol (4·2 μM [3·7-4·7] vs 3·9 μM [3·5-4·5]; p<0·0001) and LDL concentrations (2·4 μM [1·9-2·9] vs 2·2 μM [1·7-2·7]; p=0·001). The only significant psychosocial difference was found in the results of the Chalder Fatigue scale with the non-recent COVID-19 group reporting higher fatigue scores than the control group (median 12 points [IQR 11-15] vs 11 [9-14]; p=0·027). No significant differences in other psychosocial questionnaire scores, ophthalmological outcomes, and sperm quality or motility were reported between the control group and non-recent COVID-19 group. INTERPRETATION Young, previously healthy, individuals largely recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the constellation of higher BMI, dyslipidaemia, and lower physical endurance 180 days after COVID-19 is suggestive of a higher risk of developing metabolic disorders and possible cardiovascular complications. These findings will guide future investigations and follow-up management. FUNDING Swiss Armed Forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Werner Deuel
- Department of Global and Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland,Division of Medical Oncology and Haematology, University Hospital of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Elisa Lauria
- Department of Global and Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thibault Lovey
- Department of Global and Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sandrine Zweifel
- Division of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Roland Züst
- Spiez Laboratory, Austrasse, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Nejla Gültekin
- Medical Services, Swiss Armed Forces, Ittigen, Switzerland
| | | | - Patricia Schlagenhauf
- Department of Global and Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Centre of Competence for Military Medicine Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; WHO Collaborating Centre for Travellers' Health, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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Bielecki M, Züst R, Siegrist D, Meyerhofer D, Crameri GAG, Stanga ZG, Stettbacher A, Buehrer TW, Deuel JW. Social Distancing Alters the Clinical Course of COVID-19 in Young Adults: A Comparative Cohort Study. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 72:598-603. [PMID: 32594121 PMCID: PMC7337655 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social distancing and stringent hygiene seem to be effective in reducing the number of transmitted virus particles, and therefore the infectivity, of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and could alter the mode of transmission of the disease. However, it is not known if such practices can change the clinical course in infected individuals. METHODS We prospectively studied an outbreak of COVID-19 in Switzerland among a population of 508 predominantly male soldiers with a median age of 21 years. We followed the number of infections in 2 spatially separated cohorts with almost identical baseline characteristics with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) before and after implementation of stringent social distancing. RESULTS Of the 354 soldiers infected prior to the implementation of social distancing, 30% fell ill from COVID-19, while no soldier in a group of 154, in which infections appeared after implementation of social distancing, developed COVID-19 despite the detection of viral RNA in the nasal and virus-specific antibodies within this group. CONCLUSIONS Social distancing not only can slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of young, healthy adults but it can also prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 while still inducing an immune response and colonizing nasal passages. Viral inoculum during infection or mode of transmission may be a key factor determining the clinical course of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Bielecki
- Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Worblentalstrasse, Ittigen, Switzerland
- Swiss Armed Forces, Sanitary Medical School, Piazza d’armi, Airolo, Switzerland
- University of Zurich, Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Travel Clinic, Hirschengraben, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Roland Züst
- Federal Office for Civil Protection FOCP, Spiez Laboratory, Austrasse, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Denise Siegrist
- Federal Office for Civil Protection FOCP, Spiez Laboratory, Austrasse, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Daniele Meyerhofer
- Swiss Armed Forces, Sanitary Medical School, Piazza d’armi, Airolo, Switzerland
| | | | - Zeno Giovanni Stanga
- Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Worblentalstrasse, Ittigen, Switzerland
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Stettbacher
- Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Worblentalstrasse, Ittigen, Switzerland
| | | | - Jeremy Werner Deuel
- Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Worblentalstrasse, Ittigen, Switzerland
- Swiss Armed Forces, Sanitary Medical School, Piazza d’armi, Airolo, Switzerland
- University of Cambridge, Department of Haematology and MRC - Wellcome Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Jonsdottir HR, Bielecki M, Siegrist D, Buehrer TW, Züst R, Deuel JW. Titers of Neutralizing Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Are Independent of Symptoms of Non-Severe COVID-19 in Young Adults. Viruses 2021; 13:v13020284. [PMID: 33673067 PMCID: PMC7918933 DOI: 10.3390/v13020284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutralizing antibodies are an important part of the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2. It is currently unclear to what extent such antibodies are produced after non-severe disease or asymptomatic infection. We studied a cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infections among a homogeneous population of 332 predominantly male Swiss soldiers and determined the neutralizing antibody response with a serum neutralization assay using a recombinant SARS-CoV-2-GFP. All patients with non-severe COVID-19 showed a swift humoral response within two weeks after the onset of symptoms, which remained stable for the duration of the study. One month after the outbreak, titers in COVID-19 convalescents did not differ from the titers of asymptomatically infected individuals. Furthermore, symptoms of COVID-19 did not correlate with neutralizing antibody titers. Therefore, we conclude that asymptomatic infection can induce the same humoral immunity as non-severe COVID-19 in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michel Bielecki
- Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Worblentalstrasse, 3063 Ittigen, Switzerland; (M.B.); (T.W.B.)
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Travel Clinic, Hirschengraben, University of Zurich, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Denise Siegrist
- SPIEZ Laboratory, Austrasse, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland; (H.R.J.); (D.S.)
| | - Thomas W. Buehrer
- Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Worblentalstrasse, 3063 Ittigen, Switzerland; (M.B.); (T.W.B.)
| | - Roland Züst
- SPIEZ Laboratory, Austrasse, 3700 Spiez, Switzerland; (H.R.J.); (D.S.)
- Correspondence: (R.Z.); (J.W.D.)
| | - Jeremy W. Deuel
- Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Worblentalstrasse, 3063 Ittigen, Switzerland; (M.B.); (T.W.B.)
- Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Department of Haematology and MRC—Wellcome Stem Cell Institute, Puddicombe Way, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 AW, UK
- Correspondence: (R.Z.); (J.W.D.)
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Signer J, Jonsdottir HR, Albrich WC, Strasser M, Züst R, Ryter S, Ackermann-Gäumann R, Lenz N, Siegrist D, Suter A, Schoop R, Engler OB. Author Correction: In vitro virucidal activity of Echinaforce ®, an Echinacea purpurea preparation, against coronaviruses, including common cold coronavirus 229E and SARS-CoV-2. Virol J 2020; 17:172. [PMID: 33168000 PMCID: PMC7649903 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-020-01439-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Werner C Albrich
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Marc Strasser
- SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Roland Züst
- SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Ryter
- SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicole Lenz
- SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
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Abstract
In March 2020, we observed an outbreak of COVID-19 among a relatively homogenous group of 199 young (median age 21 years; 87% men) Swiss recruits. By comparing physical endurance before and in median 45 days after the outbreak, we found a significant decrease in predicted maximal aerobic capacity in COVID-19 convalescent but not in asymptomatically infected and SARS-CoV-2 naive recruits. This finding might be indicative of lung injury after apparently mild COVID-19 in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michel Bielecki
- University of Zurich, Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Travel Clinic, Zürich, Switzerland.,Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Ittigen, Switzerland
| | - Roland Züst
- Federal Office for Civil Protection FOCP, Spiez Laboratory, Spiez, Switzerland
| | | | - Zeno Stanga
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Ittigen, Switzerland
| | - Jeremy Werner Deuel
- University of Cambridge, Department of Haematology and Wellcome - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Swiss Armed Forces, Medical Services, Ittigen, Switzerland
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10
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Signer J, Jonsdottir HR, Albrich WC, Strasser M, Züst R, Ryter S, Ackermann-Gäumann R, Lenz N, Siegrist D, Suter A, Schoop R, Engler OB. In vitro virucidal activity of Echinaforce®, an Echinacea purpurea preparation, against coronaviruses, including common cold coronavirus 229E and SARS-CoV-2. Virol J 2020; 17:136. [PMID: 32907596 PMCID: PMC7479405 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-020-01401-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [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: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronaviruses (CoVs) were long thought to only cause mild respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms in humans but outbreaks of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)-CoV, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-CoV-1, and the recently identified SARS-CoV-2 have cemented their zoonotic potential and their capacity to cause serious morbidity and mortality, with case fatality rates ranging from 4 to 35%. Currently, no specific prophylaxis or treatment is available for CoV infections. Therefore we investigated the virucidal and antiviral potential of Echinacea purpurea (Echinaforce®) against human coronavirus (HCoV) 229E, highly pathogenic MERS- and SARS-CoVs, as well as the newly identified SARS-CoV-2, in vitro. METHODS To evaluate the antiviral potential of the extract, we pre-treated virus particles and cells and evaluated remaining infectivity by limited dilution. Furthermore, we exposed cells to the extract after infection to further evaluate its potential as a prophylaxis and treatment against coronaviruses. We also determined the protective effect of Echinaforce® in re-constituted nasal epithelium. RESULTS In the current study, we found that HCoV-229E was irreversibly inactivated when exposed to Echinaforce® at 3.2 μg/ml IC50. Pre-treatment of cell lines, however, did not inhibit infection with HCoV-229E and post-infection treatment had only a marginal effect on virus propagation at 50 μg/ml. However, we did observe a protective effect in an organotypic respiratory cell culture system by exposing pre-treated respiratory epithelium to droplets of HCoV-229E, imitating a natural infection. The observed virucidal activity of Echinaforce® was not restricted to common cold coronaviruses, as both SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoVs were inactivated at comparable concentrations. Finally, the causative agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 was also inactivated upon treatment with 50μg/ml Echinaforce®. CONCLUSIONS These results show that Echinaforce® is virucidal against HCoV-229E, upon direct contact and in an organotypic cell culture model. Furthermore, MERS-CoV and both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 were inactivated at similar concentrations of the extract. Therefore we hypothesize that Echinacea purpurea preparations, such as Echinaforce®, could be effective as prophylactic treatment for all CoVs due to their structural similarities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Werner C Albrich
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Marc Strasser
- SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Roland Züst
- SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Ryter
- SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicole Lenz
- SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland
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11
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Ackermann-Gäumann R, Siegrist D, Züst R, Signer J, Lenz N, Engler O. Standardized focus assay protocol for biosafety level four viruses. J Virol Methods 2018; 264:51-54. [PMID: 30513365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Working in accordance with biosafety level four practices is highly complex and time-consuming. Therefore, the respective laboratory protocols should be as uniform as possible, simple to perform and straightforward in readout. Here we describe the successful application of a standardized 24-well plate focus assay protocol for the titration of Zaire ebolavirus (two isolates), Marburg virus (three isolates), Lassa virus (two isolates), Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (one isolate), and tick-borne encephalitis virus (two isolates). Viral titers are determined based on a simple visual readout. The protocol exhibits high precision, with coefficients of variation for interassay variability ranging between 0.05 and 0.21 and those for intraassay variability between 0.08 and 0.23. All reagents required for the test, including primary and secondary antibodies, are commercially available, facilitating the establishment of the protocol in other laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Denise Siegrist
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland.
| | - Roland Züst
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland.
| | - Johanna Signer
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland.
| | - Nicole Lenz
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland.
| | - Olivier Engler
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, 3700, Spiez, Switzerland.
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12
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Züst R, Li SH, Xie X, Velumani S, Chng M, Toh YX, Zou J, Dong H, Shan C, Pang J, Qin CF, Newell EW, Shi PY, Fink K. Characterization of a candidate tetravalent vaccine based on 2'-O-methyltransferase mutants. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0189262. [PMID: 29298302 PMCID: PMC5751980 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is one of the most widespread arboviruses. The four DENV serotypes infect about 400 million people every year, causing 96 million clinical dengue cases, of which approximately 500’000 are severe and potentially life-threatening. The only licensed vaccine has a limited efficacy and is only recommended in regions with high endemicity. We previously reported that 2’-O-methyltransferase mutations in DENV-1 and DENV-2 block their capacity to inhibit type I IFNs and render the viruses attenuated in vivo, making them amenable as vaccine strains; here we apply this strategy to all four DENV serotypes to generate a tetravalent, non-chimeric live-attenuated dengue vaccine. 2’-O-methyltransferase mutants of all four serotypes are highly sensitive to type I IFN inhibition in human cells. The tetravalent formulation is attenuated and immunogenic in mice and cynomolgus macaques and elicits a response that protects from virus challenge. These results show the potential of 2’-O-methyltransferase mutant viruses as a safe, tetravalent, non-chimeric dengue vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Züst
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shi-Hua Li
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Chromos, Singapore, Singapore
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xuping Xie
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Chromos, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States of America
| | - Sumathy Velumani
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Melissa Chng
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ying-Xiu Toh
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jing Zou
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Chromos, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States of America
| | - Hongping Dong
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Chromos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chao Shan
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Chromos, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States of America
| | - Jassia Pang
- Biological Resource Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cheng-Feng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Evan W. Newell
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Chromos, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States of America
- Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States of America
- * E-mail: (KF); (PYS)
| | - Katja Fink
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail: (KF); (PYS)
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13
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Kindler E, Gil-Cruz C, Spanier J, Li Y, Wilhelm J, Rabouw HH, Züst R, Hwang M, V’kovski P, Stalder H, Marti S, Habjan M, Cervantes-Barragan L, Elliot R, Karl N, Gaughan C, van Kuppeveld FJM, Silverman RH, Keller M, Ludewig B, Bergmann CC, Ziebuhr J, Weiss SR, Kalinke U, Thiel V. Early endonuclease-mediated evasion of RNA sensing ensures efficient coronavirus replication. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006195. [PMID: 28158275 PMCID: PMC5310923 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses are of veterinary and medical importance and include highly pathogenic zoonotic viruses, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. They are known to efficiently evade early innate immune responses, manifesting in almost negligible expression of type-I interferons (IFN-I). This evasion strategy suggests an evolutionary conserved viral function that has evolved to prevent RNA-based sensing of infection in vertebrate hosts. Here we show that the coronavirus endonuclease (EndoU) activity is key to prevent early induction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) host cell responses. Replication of EndoU-deficient coronaviruses is greatly attenuated in vivo and severely restricted in primary cells even during the early phase of the infection. In macrophages we found immediate induction of IFN-I expression and RNase L-mediated breakdown of ribosomal RNA. Accordingly, EndoU-deficient viruses can retain replication only in cells that are deficient in IFN-I expression or sensing, and in cells lacking both RNase L and PKR. Collectively our results demonstrate that the coronavirus EndoU efficiently prevents simultaneous activation of host cell dsRNA sensors, such as Mda5, OAS and PKR. The localization of the EndoU activity at the site of viral RNA synthesis-within the replicase complex-suggests that coronaviruses have evolved a viral RNA decay pathway to evade early innate and intrinsic antiviral host cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eveline Kindler
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Federal Department of Home Affairs, Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
| | - Cristina Gil-Cruz
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Julia Spanier
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Yize Li
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Jochen Wilhelm
- Universities Giessen & Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL), Giessen, Germany
| | - Huib H. Rabouw
- Virology Division, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Mihyun Hwang
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Philip V’kovski
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Federal Department of Home Affairs, Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Biomedical Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hanspeter Stalder
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Federal Department of Home Affairs, Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
| | - Sabrina Marti
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Federal Department of Home Affairs, Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Ruth Elliot
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Nadja Karl
- Institute for Medical Virology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christina Gaughan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Frank J. M. van Kuppeveld
- Virology Division, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Robert H. Silverman
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Markus Keller
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Burkhard Ludewig
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia C. Bergmann
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - John Ziebuhr
- Institute for Medical Virology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Susan R. Weiss
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Volker Thiel
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Federal Department of Home Affairs, Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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14
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Abstract
The 5' end of eukaryotic mRNA contains the type-1 (m7GpppNm) or type-2 (m7GpppNmNm) cap structure. Many viruses have evolved various mechanisms to develop their own capping enzymes (e.g. flavivirus and coronavirus) or to 'steal' caps from host mRNAs (e.g. influenza virus). Other viruses have developed 'cap-mimicking' mechanisms by attaching a peptide to the 5' end of viral RNA (e.g. picornavirus and calicivirus) or by having a complex 5' RNA structure (internal ribosome entry site) for translation initiation (e.g. picornavirus, pestivirus and hepacivirus). Here we review the diverse viral RNA capping mechanisms. Using flavivirus as a model, we summarize how a single methyltransferase catalyses two distinct N-7 and 2'-O methylations of viral RNA cap in a sequential manner. For antiviral development, a structural feature unique to the flavivirus methyltransferase was successfully used to design selective inhibitors that block viral methyltransferase without affecting host methyltransferases. Functionally, capping is essential for prevention of triphosphate-triggered innate immune activation; N-7 methylation is critical for enhancement of viral translation; and 2'-O methylation is important for subversion of innate immune response during viral infection. Flaviviruses defective in 2'-O methyltransferase are replicative, but their viral RNAs lack 2'-O methylation and are recognized and eliminated by the host immune response. Such mutant viruses could be rationally designed as live attenuated vaccines. This concept has recently been proved with Japanese encephalitis virus and dengue virus. The findings obtained with flavivirus should be applicable to other RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongping Dong
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, 10 Biopolis Road, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Katja Fink
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 8A Biomedical Grove, Singapore 138648, Singapore
| | - Roland Züst
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 8A Biomedical Grove, Singapore 138648, Singapore
| | - Siew Pheng Lim
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, 10 Biopolis Road, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Cheng-Feng Qin
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, 10 Biopolis Road, Singapore 138670, Singapore
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15
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Züst R, Dong H, Li XF, Chang DC, Zhang B, Balakrishnan T, Toh YX, Jiang T, Li SH, Deng YQ, Ellis BR, Ellis EM, Poidinger M, Zolezzi F, Qin CF, Shi PY, Fink K. Rational design of a live attenuated dengue vaccine: 2'-o-methyltransferase mutants are highly attenuated and immunogenic in mice and macaques. PLoS Pathog 2013; 9:e1003521. [PMID: 23935499 PMCID: PMC3731252 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [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: 10/08/2012] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and infects at least 100 million people every year. Progressive urbanization in Asia and South-Central America and the geographic expansion of Aedes mosquito habitats have accelerated the global spread of dengue, resulting in a continuously increasing number of cases. A cost-effective, safe vaccine conferring protection with ideally a single injection could stop dengue transmission. Current vaccine candidates require several booster injections or do not provide protection against all four serotypes. Here we demonstrate that dengue virus mutants lacking 2′-O-methyltransferase activity are highly sensitive to type I IFN inhibition. The mutant viruses are attenuated in mice and rhesus monkeys and elicit a strong adaptive immune response. Monkeys immunized with a single dose of 2′-O-methyltransferase mutant virus showed 100% sero-conversion even when a dose as low as 1,000 plaque forming units was administrated. Animals were fully protected against a homologous challenge. Furthermore, mosquitoes feeding on blood containing the mutant virus were not infected, whereas those feeding on blood containing wild-type virus were infected and thus able to transmit it. These results show the potential of 2′-O-methyltransferase mutant virus as a safe, rationally designed dengue vaccine that restrains itself due to the increased susceptibility to the host's innate immune response. The four serotypes of dengue virus cause severe outbreaks globally in tropical countries with thousands of patients requiring hospitalization. The health care and indirect economic cost of dengue in endemic countries is huge. Despite this, no clinically approved vaccine or antiviral treatment is currently available. Dengue transmission could be stopped with a vaccine that provides full protection to all serotypes. Dengue afflicts many developing countries and a vaccine should therefore be cost-effective and should provide protection with ideally a single injection. Here we present a novel dengue vaccine approach that harbours mutation(s) in the 2′-O-methyltransferase (MTase), a viral enzyme that methylates viral RNA as a strategy to escape the host immune response. Non-methylated RNA is recognized as “foreign” and triggers an interferon response in the cell. The MTase mutant virus is immediately recognized by the host's immune response and hardly has a chance to spread in the organism while an immune response is efficiently triggered by the initially infected cells. Mice and monkeys infected with the mutant virus developed an immune response that fully protected them from a challenge with wild-type virus. Furthermore, we show that MTase mutant dengue virus cannot infect Aedes mosquitoes. Collectively, the results suggest 2′-O-MTase mutant dengue virus as a safe, highly immunogenic vaccine approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Züst
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
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16
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Nindl V, Maier R, Ratering D, De Giuli R, Züst R, Thiel V, Scandella E, Di Padova F, Kopf M, Rudin M, Rülicke T, Ludewig B. Cooperation of Th1 and Th17 cells determines transition from autoimmune myocarditis to dilated cardiomyopathy. Eur J Immunol 2012; 42:2311-21. [DOI: 10.1002/eji.201142209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2011] [Revised: 04/27/2012] [Accepted: 05/24/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Nindl
- Institute of Immunobiology; Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen; St. Gallen; Switzerland
| | - Reinhard Maier
- Institute of Immunobiology; Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen; St. Gallen; Switzerland
| | - David Ratering
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering; University and ETH Zurich; Zurich; Switzerland
| | - Rita De Giuli
- Institute of Immunobiology; Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen; St. Gallen; Switzerland
| | - Roland Züst
- Institute of Immunobiology; Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen; St. Gallen; Switzerland
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Immunobiology; Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen; St. Gallen; Switzerland
| | - Elke Scandella
- Institute of Immunobiology; Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen; St. Gallen; Switzerland
| | - Franco Di Padova
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR); Basel; Switzerland
| | - Manfred Kopf
- Institute of Integrative Biology; ETH Zürich; Zürich; Switzerland
| | - Markus Rudin
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering; University and ETH Zurich; Zurich; Switzerland
| | - Thomas Rülicke
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science; University of Veterinary Medicine; Vienna; Austria
| | - Burkhard Ludewig
- Institute of Immunobiology; Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen; St. Gallen; Switzerland
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17
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van den Worm SHE, Eriksson KK, Zevenhoven JC, Weber F, Züst R, Kuri T, Dijkman R, Chang G, Siddell SG, Snijder EJ, Thiel V, Davidson AD. Reverse genetics of SARS-related coronavirus using vaccinia virus-based recombination. PLoS One 2012; 7:e32857. [PMID: 22412934 PMCID: PMC3296753 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2011] [Accepted: 01/31/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a zoonotic disease caused by SARS-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV) that emerged in 2002 to become a global health concern. Although the original outbreak was controlled by classical public health measures, there is a real risk that another SARS-CoV could re-emerge from its natural reservoir, either in its original form or as a more virulent or pathogenic strain; in which case, the virus would be difficult to control in the absence of any effective antiviral drugs or vaccines. Using the well-studied SARS-CoV isolate HKU-39849, we developed a vaccinia virus-based SARS-CoV reverse genetic system that is both robust and biosafe. The SARS-CoV genome was cloned in separate vaccinia virus vectors, (vSARS-CoV-5prime and vSARS-CoV-3prime) as two cDNAs that were subsequently ligated to create a genome-length SARS-CoV cDNA template for in vitro transcription of SARS-CoV infectious RNA transcripts. Transfection of the RNA transcripts into permissive cells led to the recovery of infectious virus (recSARS-CoV). Characterization of the plaques produced by recSARS-CoV showed that they were similar in size to the parental SARS-CoV isolate HKU-39849 but smaller than the SARS-CoV isolate Frankfurt-1. Comparative analysis of replication kinetics showed that the kinetics of recSARS-CoV replication are similar to those of SARS-CoV Frankfurt-1, although the titers of virus released into the culture supernatant are approximately 10-fold less. The reverse genetic system was finally used to generate a recSARS-CoV reporter virus expressing Renilla luciferase in order to facilitate the analysis of SARS-CoV gene expression in human dendritic cells (hDCs). In parallel, a Renilla luciferase gene was also inserted into the genome of human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E). Using this approach, we demonstrate that, in contrast to HCoV-229E, SARS-CoV is not able to mediate efficient heterologous gene expression in hDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoerd H. E. van den Worm
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jessika C. Zevenhoven
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Friedemann Weber
- Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Roland Züst
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Kuri
- Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ronald Dijkman
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Guohui Chang
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart G. Siddell
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Eric J. Snijder
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrew D. Davidson
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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18
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Pfefferle S, Schöpf J, Kögl M, Friedel CC, Müller MA, Carbajo-Lozoya J, Stellberger T, von Dall’Armi E, Herzog P, Kallies S, Niemeyer D, Ditt V, Kuri T, Züst R, Pumpor K, Hilgenfeld R, Schwarz F, Zimmer R, Steffen I, Weber F, Thiel V, Herrler G, Thiel HJ, Schwegmann-Weßels C, Pöhlmann S, Haas J, Drosten C, von Brunn A. The SARS-coronavirus-host interactome: identification of cyclophilins as target for pan-coronavirus inhibitors. PLoS Pathog 2011; 7:e1002331. [PMID: 22046132 PMCID: PMC3203193 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 327] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 09/08/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are important human and animal pathogens that induce fatal respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological disease. The outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002/2003 has demonstrated human vulnerability to (Coronavirus) CoV epidemics. Neither vaccines nor therapeutics are available against human and animal CoVs. Knowledge of host cell proteins that take part in pivotal virus-host interactions could define broad-spectrum antiviral targets. In this study, we used a systems biology approach employing a genome-wide yeast-two hybrid interaction screen to identify immunopilins (PPIA, PPIB, PPIH, PPIG, FKBP1A, FKBP1B) as interaction partners of the CoV non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1). These molecules modulate the Calcineurin/NFAT pathway that plays an important role in immune cell activation. Overexpression of NSP1 and infection with live SARS-CoV strongly increased signalling through the Calcineurin/NFAT pathway and enhanced the induction of interleukin 2, compatible with late-stage immunopathogenicity and long-term cytokine dysregulation as observed in severe SARS cases. Conversely, inhibition of cyclophilins by cyclosporine A (CspA) blocked the replication of CoVs of all genera, including SARS-CoV, human CoV-229E and -NL-63, feline CoV, as well as avian infectious bronchitis virus. Non-immunosuppressive derivatives of CspA might serve as broad-range CoV inhibitors applicable against emerging CoVs as well as ubiquitous pathogens of humans and livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Pfefferle
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institute, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Virology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Julia Schöpf
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, München, Germany
| | | | - Caroline C. Friedel
- Institute for Informatics, LMU Munich, München, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Javier Carbajo-Lozoya
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, München, Germany
| | - Thorsten Stellberger
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, München, Germany
| | | | - Petra Herzog
- Institute of Virology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefan Kallies
- Institute of Virology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Vanessa Ditt
- Institute of Virology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Kuri
- IMMH, Albert-Ludwigs-University-Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Roland Züst
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Ksenia Pumpor
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Rolf Hilgenfeld
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | | | - Ralf Zimmer
- Institute for Informatics, LMU Munich, München, Germany
| | - Imke Steffen
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Friedemann Weber
- IMMH, Albert-Ludwigs-University-Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Institute of Virology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Georg Herrler
- Institute of Virology, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heinz-Jürgen Thiel
- Institute for Virology, Fachbereich Veterinärmedizin, Justus-Liebig Universität Gießen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jürgen Haas
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, München, Germany
- Division of Pathway Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (AvB); (CD); (JH)
| | - Christian Drosten
- Institute of Virology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- * E-mail: (AvB); (CD); (JH)
| | - Albrecht von Brunn
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, München, Germany
- * E-mail: (AvB); (CD); (JH)
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19
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Kuri T, Eriksson KK, Putics A, Züst R, Snijder EJ, Davidson AD, Siddell SG, Thiel V, Ziebuhr J, Weber F. The ADP-ribose-1''-monophosphatase domains of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and human coronavirus 229E mediate resistance to antiviral interferon responses. J Gen Virol 2011; 92:1899-1905. [PMID: 21525212 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.031856-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Several plus-strand RNA viruses encode proteins containing macrodomains. These domains possess ADP-ribose-1″-phosphatase (ADRP) activity and/or bind poly(ADP-ribose), poly(A) or poly(G). The relevance of these activities in the viral life cycle has not yet been resolved. Here, we report that genetically engineered mutants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E) expressing ADRP-deficient macrodomains displayed an increased sensitivity to the antiviral effect of alpha interferon compared with their wild-type counterparts. The data suggest that macrodomain-associated ADRP activities may have a role in viral escape from the innate immune responses of the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kuri
- Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, D-79008 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Klara K Eriksson
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Akos Putics
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Würzburg, D-97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Roland Züst
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Eric J Snijder
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew D Davidson
- Division of Virology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Stuart G Siddell
- Division of Virology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Volker Thiel
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - John Ziebuhr
- Institute of Medical Virology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Friedemann Weber
- Institute for Virology, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, D-79008 Freiburg, Germany
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20
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Züst R, Cervantes-Barragan L, Habjan M, Maier R, Neuman BW, Ziebuhr J, Szretter KJ, Baker SC, Barchet W, Diamond MS, Siddell SG, Ludewig B, Thiel V. Ribose 2'-O-methylation provides a molecular signature for the distinction of self and non-self mRNA dependent on the RNA sensor Mda5. Nat Immunol 2011; 12:137-43. [PMID: 21217758 PMCID: PMC3182538 DOI: 10.1038/ni.1979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 580] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2010] [Accepted: 12/02/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The biological role of 2′-O-methylation of host and viral mRNA has remained elusive. Thiel and co-workers show that this modification modulates the induction of type I interferon and sensitivity to interferon. The 5′ cap structures of higher eukaryote mRNAs have ribose 2′-O-methylation. Likewise, many viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm of eukaryotes have evolved 2′-O-methyltransferases to autonomously modify their mRNAs. However, a defined biological role for 2′-O-methylation of mRNA remains elusive. Here we show that 2′-O-methylation of viral mRNA was critically involved in subverting the induction of type I interferon. We demonstrate that human and mouse coronavirus mutants lacking 2′-O-methyltransferase activity induced higher expression of type I interferon and were highly sensitive to type I interferon. Notably, the induction of type I interferon by viruses deficient in 2′-O-methyltransferase was dependent on the cytoplasmic RNA sensor Mda5. This link between Mda5-mediated sensing of viral RNA and 2′-O-methylation of mRNA suggests that RNA modifications such as 2′-O-methylation provide a molecular signature for the discrimination of self and non-self mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Züst
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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21
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Bocharov G, Züst R, Cervantes-Barragan L, Luzyanina T, Chiglintsev E, Chereshnev VA, Thiel V, Ludewig B. A systems immunology approach to plasmacytoid dendritic cell function in cytopathic virus infections. PLoS Pathog 2010; 6:e1001017. [PMID: 20661432 PMCID: PMC2908624 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1001017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 01/22/2010] [Accepted: 06/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC)-mediated protection against cytopathic virus infection involves various molecular, cellular, tissue-scale, and organism-scale events. In order to better understand such multiscale interactions, we have implemented a systems immunology approach focusing on the analysis of the structure, dynamics and operating principles of virus-host interactions which constrain the initial spread of the pathogen. Using high-resolution experimental data sets coming from the well-described mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) model, we first calibrated basic modules including MHV infection of its primary target cells, i.e. pDCs and macrophages (Mphis). These basic building blocks were used to generate and validate an integrative mathematical model for in vivo infection dynamics. Parameter estimation for the system indicated that on a per capita basis, one infected pDC secretes sufficient type I IFN to protect 10(3) to 10(4) Mphis from cytopathic viral infection. This extremely high protective capacity of pDCs secures the spleen's capability to function as a 'sink' for the virus produced in peripheral organs such as the liver. Furthermore, our results suggest that the pDC population in spleen ensures a robust protection against virus variants which substantially down-modulate IFN secretion. However, the ability of pDCs to protect against severe disease caused by virus variants exhibiting an enhanced liver tropism and higher replication rates appears to be rather limited. Taken together, this systems immunology analysis suggests that antiviral therapy against cytopathic viruses should primarily limit viral replication within peripheral target organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady Bocharov
- Institute of Numerical Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Roland Züst
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | | | - Tatyana Luzyanina
- Institute of Mathematical Problems in Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | | | - Valery A. Chereshnev
- Institute of Immunology and Physiology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- VetSuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (BL); (VT)
| | - Burkhard Ludewig
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- VetSuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (BL); (VT)
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22
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Cervantes-Barragán L, Kalinke U, Züst R, König M, Reizis B, López-Macías C, Thiel V, Ludewig B. Type I IFN-mediated protection of macrophages and dendritic cells secures control of murine coronavirus infection. J Immunol 2009; 182:1099-106. [PMID: 19124753 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.182.2.1099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The swift production of type I IFNs is one of the fundamental aspects of innate immune responses against viruses. Plasmacytoid dendritic cell-derived type I IFNs are of prime importance for the initial control of highly cytopathic viruses such as the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). The aim of this study was to determine the major target cell populations of this first wave of type I IFNs. Generation of bone marrow-chimeric mice expressing the type I IFN receptor (IFNAR) on either hemopoietic or non-bone marrow-derived cells revealed that the early control of MHV depended mainly on IFNAR expression on hemopoietic cells. To establish which cell population responds most efficiently to type I IFNs, mice conditionally deficient for the IFNAR on different leukocyte subsets were infected with MHV. This genetic analysis revealed that IFNAR expression on LysM+ macrophages and CD11c+ dendritic cells was most important for the early containment of MHV within secondary lymphoid organs and to prevent lethal liver disease. This study identifies type I IFN-mediated cross-talk between plasmacytoid dendritic cells on one side and macrophages and conventional dendritic cells on the other, as an essential cellular pathway for the control of fatal cytopathic virus infection.
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23
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Züst R, Cervantes-Barragán L, Kuri T, Blakqori G, Weber F, Ludewig B, Thiel V. Coronavirus non-structural protein 1 is a major pathogenicity factor: implications for the rational design of coronavirus vaccines. PLoS Pathog 2007; 3:e109. [PMID: 17696607 PMCID: PMC1941747 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.0030109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2007] [Accepted: 06/12/2007] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Attenuated viral vaccines can be generated by targeting essential pathogenicity factors. We report here the rational design of an attenuated recombinant coronavirus vaccine based on a deletion in the coding sequence of the non-structural protein 1 (nsp1). In cell culture, nsp1 of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), like its SARS-coronavirus homolog, strongly reduced cellular gene expression. The effect of nsp1 on MHV replication in vitro and in vivo was analyzed using a recombinant MHV encoding a deletion in the nsp1-coding sequence. The recombinant MHV nsp1 mutant grew normally in tissue culture, but was severely attenuated in vivo. Replication and spread of the nsp1 mutant virus was restored almost to wild-type levels in type I interferon (IFN) receptor-deficient mice, indicating that nsp1 interferes efficiently with the type I IFN system. Importantly, replication of nsp1 mutant virus in professional antigen-presenting cells such as conventional dendritic cells and macrophages, and induction of type I IFN in plasmacytoid dendritic cells, was not impaired. Furthermore, even low doses of nsp1 mutant MHV elicited potent cytotoxic T cell responses and protected mice against homologous and heterologous virus challenge. Taken together, the presented attenuation strategy provides a paradigm for the development of highly efficient coronavirus vaccines. Prevention of viral diseases by vaccination aims for controlled induction of protective immune responses against viral pathogens. Live viral vaccines consist of attenuated, replication-competent viruses that are believed to be superior in the induction of broad immune responses, including cell-mediated immunity. The recent proceedings in the area of virus reverse genetics allows for the rational design of recombinant vaccines by targeting, i.e., inactivating, viral pathogenicity factors. For coronaviruses, a major pathogenicity factor has now been identified. The effect of coronavirus non-structural protein 1 on pathogenicity has been analyzed in a murine model of coronavirus infection. By deleting a part of this protein, a recombinant virus has been generated that is greatly attenuated in vivo, while retaining immunogenicity. In particular, the mutant virus retained the ability to replicate in professional antigen-presenting cells and fulfilled an important requirement of a promising vaccine candidate: the induction of a protective long-lasting, antigen-specific cellular immune response. This study has implications for the rational design of live attenuated coronavirus vaccines aimed at preventing coronavirus-induced diseases of veterinary and medical importance, including the potentially lethal severe acute respiratory syndrome.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Cells, Cultured
- DNA, Viral
- Disease Models, Animal
- Drug Design
- Gene Deletion
- Gene Silencing
- Hepatitis, Viral, Animal/immunology
- Hepatitis, Viral, Animal/prevention & control
- Humans
- Interferon Type I/deficiency
- Interferon Type I/genetics
- Liver/metabolism
- Liver/pathology
- Liver/virology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Murine hepatitis virus/immunology
- Murine hepatitis virus/pathogenicity
- Recombinant Proteins/immunology
- Vaccines, Attenuated/immunology
- Viral Nonstructural Proteins/genetics
- Viral Nonstructural Proteins/immunology
- Viral Nonstructural Proteins/metabolism
- Viral Vaccines/immunology
- Virulence Factors/immunology
- Virus Replication
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Züst
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Luisa Cervantes-Barragán
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Inmunoquímica, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México City, México
| | - Thomas Kuri
- Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gjon Blakqori
- Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Friedemann Weber
- Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Ludewig
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Volker Thiel
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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24
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Cervantes-Barragan L, Züst R, Weber F, Spiegel M, Lang KS, Akira S, Thiel V, Ludewig B. Control of coronavirus infection through plasmacytoid dendritic-cell-derived type I interferon. Blood 2006; 109:1131-7. [PMID: 16985170 PMCID: PMC8254533 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2006-05-023770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 304] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [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] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This study demonstrates a unique and crucial role of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and pDC-derived type I interferons (IFNs) in the pathogenesis of mouse coronavirus infection. pDCs controlled the fast replicating mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) through the immediate production of type I IFNs. Recognition of MHV by pDCs was mediated via TLR7 ensuring a swift IFN-α production following encounter with this cytopathic RNA virus. Furthermore, the particular type I IFN response pattern was not restricted to the murine coronavirus, but was also found in infection with the highly cytopathic human severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus. Taken together, our results suggest that rapid production of type I IFNs by pDCs is essential for the control of potentially lethal coronavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Cervantes-Barragan
- Research Department, Kantonal Hospital St Gallen, Switzerland, and Abeteilung Virologie, Institut fur Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Universitat Freiburg, Germany
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