1
|
Cai Y, Xu W, Tang J, Cao N, Lan Q, Lu L, Jiang S. A bivalent protein targeting glycans and HR1 domain in spike protein potently inhibited infection of SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:128. [PMID: 34238357 PMCID: PMC8264481 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00638-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Our previous studies have shown that combining the antiviral lectin GRFT and the pan-CoV fusion inhibitory peptide EK1 results in highly potent inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we aimed to design and construct a bivalent protein consisting of GRFT and EK1 components and evaluate its inhibitory activity and mechanism of action against infection by SARS-CoV-2 and its mutants, as well as other human coronaviruses (HCoVs). Methods The bivalent proteins were expressed in E. coli and purified with Ni-NTA column. HIV backbone-based pseudovirus (PsV) infection and HCoV S-mediated cell–cell fusion assays were performed to test their inhibitory activity. ELISA and Native-PAGE were conducted to illustrate the mechanism of action of these bivalent proteins. Five-day-old newborn mice were intranasally administrated with a selected bivalent protein before or after HCoV-OC43 challenge, and its protective effect was monitored for 14 days. Results Among the three bivalent proteins purified, GL25E exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against infection of SARS-CoV-2 PsVs expressing wild-type and mutated S protein. GL25E was significantly more effective than GRFT and EK1 alone in inhibiting HCoV S-mediated cell–cell fusion, as well as infection by SARS-CoV-2 and other HCoVs, including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-OC43. GL25E could inhibit authentic SASR-CoV-2, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E infection in vitro and prevent newborn mice from authentic HCoV-OC43 infection in vivo. GL25E could bind to glycans in the S1 subunit and HR1 in the S2 subunit in S protein, showing a mechanism of action similar to that of GRFT and EK1 alone. Conclusions Since GL25E showed highly potent and broad-spectrum inhibitory activity against infection of SARS-CoV-2 and its mutants, as well as other HCoVs, it is a promising candidate for further development as a broad-spectrum anti-HCoV therapeutic and prophylactic to treat and prevent COVID-19 and other emerging HCoV diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanxing Cai
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jiayi Tang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Najing Cao
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qiaoshuai Lan
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kramzer LF, Hamorsky KT, Graebing PW, Wang L, Fuqua JL, Matoba N, Lasnik AB, Moncla BJ, Zhang J, Palmer KE, Rohan LC. Preformulation Characterization of Griffithsin, a Biopharmaceutical Candidate for HIV Prevention. AAPS PharmSciTech 2021; 22:83. [PMID: 33625602 PMCID: PMC7903873 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-021-01931-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Griffithsin (GRFT) has shown potent anti-HIV activity, and it is being developed as a drug candidate for HIV prevention. Successful implementation requires thorough understanding of its preformulation characterization. In this work, preformulation assessments were conducted to characterize GRFT and identify its degradation pathways under selected conditions of temperature, light, pH, shear, ionic strength, and oxidation. Compatibility with vaginal fluid simulant, vaginal enzymes, Lactobacillus spp., and human cervicovaginal secretions was assessed. The purity, melting temperature, and HIV gp120-binding affinity of GRFT stored at 4°C and 25°C in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were assessed for 2 years. Chemical modifications were evaluated by intact mass analysis and peptide sequencing. Excised human ectocervical tissue permeability and localization of GRFT were evaluated. Our results demonstrated GRFT to be safe and stable under all the preformulation assessment conditions studied except oxidative stress. When GRFT was exposed to hydrogen peroxide or human cervicovaginal secretion, methionine 78 in the protein sequence underwent oxidation. GRFT did not permeate through human cervical tissue but adhered to the superficial epithelial tissue. The 2-year stability study revealed no significant change in GRFT's aggregation, degradation, melting temperature, or gp120-binding affinity despite a slow increase in oxidation over time. These studies elucidated desirable safety and bioactivity profile for GRFT, showing promise as a potential drug candidate for HIV prevention. However, susceptibility to oxidative degradation was identified. Effective protection of GRFT from oxidation is required for further development.
Collapse
|
3
|
Habibi P, Soccol CR, O'Keefe BR, Krumpe LRH, Wilson J, de Macedo LLP, Faheem M, Dos Santos VO, Prado GS, Botelho MA, Lacombe S, Grossi-de-Sa MF. Gene-silencing suppressors for high-level production of the HIV-1 entry inhibitor griffithsin in Nicotiana benthamiana. Process Biochem 2018; 70:45-54. [PMID: 32288594 PMCID: PMC7108441 DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
HIV inhibitor expressed via three gene silencing suppressors. The salt treatment increased the amount of Griffithsin production. Anti-Hiv activity was confirmed via in vitro.
The exploration of emerging host organisms for the economic and efficient production of protein microbicides against HIV is urgently needed in resource-poor areas worldwide. In this study, the production of the novel HIV entry inhibitor candidate, griffithsin (GRFT), was investigated using Nicotiana benthamiana as the expression platform based on a non-viral vector. To increase the yield of recombinant GRFT, the RNA silencing defense mechanism of N. benthamiana was abolished by using three gene silencing suppressors. A transient expression system was used by transferring the GRFT gene, which encodes 122 amino acids, under the control of the enhanced CaMV 35S promoter. The presence of correctly assembled GRFT in transgenic leaves was confirmed using immunoglobulin-specific sandwich ELISA. The data demonstrated that the use of three gene silencing suppressors allowed the highest accumulation of GRFT, with a yield of 400 μg g−1 fresh weight, and this amount was reduced to 287 μg g−1 after purification, representing a recovery of 71.75%. The analysis also showed that the ability of GRFT expressed in N. benthamiana to bind to glycoprotein 120 is close to that of the GRFT protein purified from E. coli. Whole-cell assays using purified GRFT showed that our purified GRFT was potently active against HIV. This study provides the first high-level production of the HIV-1 entry inhibitor griffithsin with a non-viral expression system and illustrates the robustness of the co-agroinfiltration expression system improved through the use of three gene silencing suppressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peyman Habibi
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.,Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB-Final W5 Norte - CP 02372, Brasília-DF, Brazil
| | - Carlos Ricardo Soccol
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Barry R O'Keefe
- Molecular Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA.,Natural Products Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Lauren R H Krumpe
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Molecular Targets Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Wilson
- Molecular Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | | | - Muhammad Faheem
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB-Final W5 Norte - CP 02372, Brasília-DF, Brazil
| | | | - Guilherme Souza Prado
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB-Final W5 Norte - CP 02372, Brasília-DF, Brazil
| | | | - Severine Lacombe
- IRD, CIRAD, Universite Montpellier, Interactions Plantes Microorganismes et Environnement (IPME), Montpellier, France
| | - Maria Fatima Grossi-de-Sa
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB-Final W5 Norte - CP 02372, Brasília-DF, Brazil.,Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília-DF, Brazil.,Post Graduation Program in Biotechnology, University Potiguar, Natal, RN, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|