1
|
Vásquez V, Orozco J. Clinical validation of SARS-CoV-2 electrochemical immunosensor based on the spike-ACE2 complex. J Virol Methods 2024:114940. [PMID: 38608761 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2024.114940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Advances in health, especially in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, have significantly impacted the way of facing emerging infectious diseases. Yet, events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that there is still a long way to go. Therefore, an urgent need exists for portable and easily deployable point-of-care (POC) detection tools. Biosensors at the POC remain in the laboratory in an analytical characterization step and are not yet mature enough to reach the market massively. In this context, it is necessary to progress in validating these devices to demonstrate their relevance in detecting different disease biomarkers. This work reports on the clinical validation of an electrochemical immunosensor for detecting SARS-CoV-2. METHODS A monocentric retrospective cohort study was conducted with 150 random nasopharyngeal swabs or tracheal aspiration samples tested by RT-PCR. The immunosensor based on magnetic beads and chronoamperometry detected SARS-CoV-2 through the spike-angiotensin-converting protein (ACE2) immunocomplex. RESULTS This biosensor demonstrated 96.04% clinical sensitivity and 87.75% clinical specificity in detecting SARS-CoV-2 in the samples, highly correlated with the RT-PCR gold standard. CONCLUSIONS It demonstrates the potential of electrochemical biosensors to be implemented as highly sensitive and easily deployable detection strategies even in remote locations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Vásquez
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Nanobioengineering. Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, University of Antioquia, Complejo Ruta N, Calle 67 Nº 52-20, Medellín, 050010, Colombia
| | - Jahir Orozco
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Nanobioengineering. Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, University of Antioquia, Complejo Ruta N, Calle 67 Nº 52-20, Medellín, 050010, Colombia.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ramachandran B, Nadeem A, Mohanprasanth A, Saravanan M. Prediction of deleterious non-synonymous SNPs of TMPRSS2 protein combined with Molecular Dynamics Simulations and free energy analysis to identify the potential peptide substrates against SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38592189 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2330710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Globally the SARS-CoV-2 viral infection demands for the new drugs, the TMPRSS2 target plays a vital role in facilitating the virus entry. The aim of the present study is to identify the potential peptide substrate from the Anti-viral database against TMPRSS2 of SARS-CoV-2. The compound screening and variation analysis were performed using molecular docking analysis and online tools such as PROVEAN and SNAP2 server, respectively. The re-docked crystal structure peptide substrate exhibits -128.151 kcal/mol whereas the RRKK peptide substrate shows -134.158 kcal/mol. Further, the selected compounds were proceeded with Molecular Dynamics Simulation, it explores the stability of the complex by revealing the hotspot residues (His296 and Ser441) were active for nucleophilic attack against TMPRSS2. The average Binding Free Energy values computed through MM/GBSA for RRKK, Camostat, and Crystal Structure were shown -69.9278 kcal/mol, -64.5983 kcal/mol, and -63.9755 kcal/mol, respectively against TMPRSS2. The 'rate of acylation' emerges as an indicator for RRKK's efficacy, it maintains the distance of 3.2 Å with Ser441 resembles, whilst its -NH backbone stabilizes at 2.5 Å 'Michaelis Complex' which leads to prevent the entry of SARS-CoV-2 to human cells. The sequence variation analysis explores that the V160 and G6 substitutions are essential to emphasize the uncover possibilities for the ongoing drug discovery research. Therefore, the identified peptide substrate found to be potent against SARS-CoV-2 and these results will be valuable for ongoing drug discovery research.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Balajee Ramachandran
- Structural and Computational Biology Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Science Block, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ahmed Nadeem
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aruchamy Mohanprasanth
- AMR & Nanotherapeutics Lab, Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical, Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Muthupandian Saravanan
- AMR & Nanotherapeutics Lab, Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical, Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cao X, Huang L, Tang M, Liang Y, Liu X, Hou H, Liang S. Antibiotics daptomycin interacts with S protein of SARS-CoV-2 to promote cell invasion of omicron (B1.1.529) pseudovirus. Virulence 2024:2339703. [PMID: 38576396 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2339703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has posed enormous challenges to global public health. The use of antibiotics has greatly increased during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic owing to the presence of bacterial co-infection and secondary bacterial infections. The antibiotics daptomycin (DAP) is widely used in the treatment of infectious diseases caused by gram-positive bacteria owing to its highly efficient antibacterial activity. It is pivotal to study the antibiotics usage options for patients of coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) with pneumonia those need admission to receive antibiotics treatment for bacterial co-infection in managing COVID-19 disease. Herein, we have revealed the interactions of DAP with the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 and the variant Omicron (B1.1.529) using the molecular docking approach and Omicron (B1.1.529) pseudovirus (PsV) mimic invasion. Molecular docking analysis shows that DAP has a certain degree of binding ability to the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 and several derived virus variants, and co-incubation of 1-100 μM DAP with cells promotes the entry of the PsV into human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2)-expressing HEK-293T cells (HEK-293T-hACE2), and this effect is related to the concentration of extracellular calcium ions (Ca2+). The PsV invasion rate in the HEK-293T-hACE2 cells concurrently with DAP incubation was 1.7 times of PsV infection alone. In general, our findings demonstrate that DAP promotes the infection of PsV into cells, which provides certain reference of antibiotics selection and usage optimization for clinicians to treat bacterial coinfection or secondary infection during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xu Cao
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lan Huang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Tang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Liang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinpeng Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huijin Hou
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shufang Liang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hiono T, Sakaue H, Tomioka A, Kaji H, Sasaki M, Orba Y, Sawa H, Kuno A. Combinatorial Approach with Mass Spectrometry and Lectin Microarray Dissected Site-Specific Glycostem and Glycoleaf Features of the Virion-Derived Spike Protein of Ancestral and γ Variant SARS-CoV-2 Strains. J Proteome Res 2024; 23:1408-1419. [PMID: 38536229 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00874] [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] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has impacted public health globally. As the glycosylation of viral envelope glycoproteins is strongly associated with their immunogenicity, intensive studies have been conducted on the glycans of the glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, the spike (S) protein. Here, we conducted intensive glycoproteomic analyses of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein of ancestral and γ-variant strains using a combinatorial approach with two different technologies: mass spectrometry (MS) and lectin microarrays (LMA). Our unique MS1-based glycoproteomic technique, Glyco-RIDGE, in addition to MS2-based Byonic search, identified 1448 (ancestral strain) and 1785 (γ-variant strain) site-specific glycan compositions, respectively. Asparagine at amino acid position 20 (N20) is mainly glycosylated within two successive potential glycosylation sites, N17 and N20, of the γ-variant S protein; however, we found low-frequency glycosylation at N17. Our novel approaches, glycostem mapping and glycoleaf scoring, also illustrate the moderately branched/extended, highly fucosylated, and less sialylated natures of the glycoforms of S proteins. Subsequent LMA analysis emphasized the intensive end-capping of glycans by Lewis fucoses, which complemented the glycoproteomic features. These results illustrate the high-resolution glycoproteomic features of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, contributing to vaccine design and understanding of viral protein synthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Hiono
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Sakaue
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Azusa Tomioka
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kaji
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Michihito Sasaki
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
| | - Yasuko Orba
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Sawa
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kuno
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sheetikov SA, Khmelevskaya AA, Zornikova KV, Zvyagin IV, Shomuradova AS, Serdyuk YV, Shakirova NT, Peshkova IO, Titov A, Romaniuk DS, Shagina IA, Chudakov DM, Kiryukhin DO, Shcherbakova OV, Khamaganova EG, Dzutseva V, Afanasiev A, Bogolyubova AV, Efimov GA. Clonal structure and the specificity of vaccine-induced T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1369436. [PMID: 38629062 PMCID: PMC11018901 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1369436] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Adenovirus vaccines, particularly the COVID-19 Ad5-nCoV adenovirus vaccine, have emerged as promising tools in the fight against infectious diseases. In this study, we investigated the structure of the T cell response to the Spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus used in the COVID-19 Ad5-nCoV adenoviral vaccine in a phase 3 clinical trial (NCT04540419). In 69 participants, we collected peripheral blood samples at four time points after vaccination or placebo injection. Sequencing of T cell receptor repertoires from Spike-stimulated T cell cultures at day 14 from 17 vaccinated revealed a more diverse CD4+ T cell repertoire compared to CD8+. Nevertheless, CD8+ clonotypes accounted for more than half of the Spike-specific repertoire. Our longitudinal analysis showed a peak T cell response at day 14, followed by a decline until month 6. Remarkably, multiple T cell clonotypes persisted for at least 6 months after vaccination, as demonstrated by ex vivo stimulation. Examination of CDR3 regions revealed homologous sequences in both CD4+ and CD8+ clonotypes, with major CD8+ clonotypes sharing high similarity with annotated sequences specific for the NYNYLYRLF peptide, suggesting potential immunodominance. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the immunogenicity of the Ad5-nCoV adenoviral vaccine and highlights its ability to induce robust and durable T cell responses. These findings provide valuable insight into the efficacy of the vaccine against COVID-19 and provide critical information for ongoing efforts to control infectious diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saveliy A. Sheetikov
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandra A. Khmelevskaya
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ksenia V. Zornikova
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ivan V. Zvyagin
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Translational Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Genomics of Adaptive Immunity Department, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alina S. Shomuradova
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yana V. Serdyuk
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Naina T. Shakirova
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Iuliia O. Peshkova
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksei Titov
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitrii S. Romaniuk
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina A. Shagina
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Translational Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Genomics of Adaptive Immunity Department, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry M. Chudakov
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Translational Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Genomics of Adaptive Immunity Department, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Dmitry O. Kiryukhin
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga V. Shcherbakova
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina G. Khamaganova
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vitalina Dzutseva
- Novosibirsk State University, Medical School, Novosibirsk, Russia
- NPO Petrovax Pharm LLC, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Grigory A. Efimov
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology, National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Anzai I, Fujita J, Ono C, Kosaka Y, Miyamoto Y, Shichinohe S, Takada K, Torii S, Taguwa S, Suzuki K, Makino F, Kajita T, Inoue T, Namba K, Watanabe T, Matsuura Y. Characterization of a neutralizing antibody that recognizes a loop region adjacent to the receptor-binding interface of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0365523. [PMID: 38415660 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03655-23] [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: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Although the global crisis caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is over, the global epidemic of the disease continues. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of COVID-19, initiates infection via the binding of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of its spike protein to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptor, and this interaction has been the primary target for the development of COVID-19 therapeutics. Here, we identified neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 by screening mouse monoclonal antibodies and characterized an antibody, CSW1-1805, that targets a narrow region at the RBD ridge of the spike protein. CSW1-1805 neutralized several variants in vitro and completely protected mice from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cryo-EM and biochemical analyses revealed that this antibody recognizes the loop region adjacent to the ACE2-binding interface with the RBD in both a receptor-inaccessible "down" state and a receptor-accessible "up" state and could stabilize the RBD conformation in the up-state. CSW1-1805 also showed different binding orientations and complementarity determining region properties compared to other RBD ridge-targeting antibodies with similar binding epitopes. It is important to continuously characterize neutralizing antibodies to address new variants that continue to emerge. Our characterization of this antibody that recognizes the RBD ridge of the spike protein will aid in the development of future neutralizing antibodies.IMPORTANCESARS-CoV-2 cell entry is initiated by the interaction of the viral spike protein with the host cell receptor. Therefore, mechanistic findings regarding receptor recognition by the spike protein help uncover the molecular mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection and guide neutralizing antibody development. Here, we characterized a SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody that recognizes an epitope, a loop region adjacent to the receptor-binding interface, that may be involved in the conformational transition of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein from a receptor-inaccessible "down" state into a receptor-accessible "up" state, and also stabilizes the RBD in the up-state. Our mechanistic findings provide new insights into SARS-CoV-2 receptor recognition and guidance for neutralizing antibody development.
Collapse
Grants
- JP16H06429, JP16K21723, JP16H06432 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP16H06429, JP16K21723, JP16H06434 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP22H02521 MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- JP21K15042 MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- JP21H02736 MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- JP25K000013 MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- JP20K22630 MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- JP223fa627002, JP22am0401030, JP23fk0108659, JP20jk0210021, JP22gm1610010, JP19fk0108113 Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)
- JP223fa627002 Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)
- JP19fk0108113, JP20fk0108281, JP20pc0101047 Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)
- JP20fk0108401, JP21fk0108493 Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)
- JP21am0101117, JP17pc0101020 Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)
- JPMJOP1861 MEXT | Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
- JPMJMS2025 MEXT | Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Itsuki Anzai
- Department of Molecular Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Junso Fujita
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- JEOL YOKOGUSHI Research Alliance Laboratories, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Chikako Ono
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | | | | | - Shintaro Shichinohe
- Department of Molecular Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kosuke Takada
- Department of Molecular Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shiho Torii
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shuhei Taguwa
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Koichiro Suzuki
- The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University (BIKEN), Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Fumiaki Makino
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- JEOL YOKOGUSHI Research Alliance Laboratories, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- JEOL Ltd., Akishima, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Tsuyoshi Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keiichi Namba
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- JEOL YOKOGUSHI Research Alliance Laboratories, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research and Spring-8 Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tokiko Watanabe
- Department of Molecular Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshiharu Matsuura
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Qian J, Zhang S, Wang F, Li J, Zhang J. What makes SARS-CoV-2 unique? Focusing on the spike protein. Cell Biol Int 2024; 48:404-430. [PMID: 38263600 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.12130] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seriously threatens public health and safety. Genetic variants determine the expression of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins, which are associated with enhanced transmissibility, enhanced virulence, and immune escape. Vaccination is encouraged as a public health intervention, and different types of vaccines are used worldwide. However, new variants continue to emerge, especially the Omicron complex, and the neutralizing antibody responses are diminished significantly. In this review, we outlined the uniqueness of SARS-CoV-2 from three perspectives. First, we described the detailed structure of the spike (S) protein, which is highly susceptible to mutations and contributes to the distinct infection cycle of the virus. Second, we systematically summarized the immunoglobulin G epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 and highlighted the central role of the nonconserved regions of the S protein in adaptive immune escape. Third, we provided an overview of the vaccines targeting the S protein and discussed the impact of the nonconserved regions on vaccine effectiveness. The characterization and identification of the structure and genomic organization of SARS-CoV-2 will help elucidate its mechanisms of viral mutation and infection and provide a basis for the selection of optimal treatments. The leaps in advancements regarding improved diagnosis, targeted vaccines and therapeutic remedies provide sound evidence showing that scientific understanding, research, and technology evolved at the pace of the pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingbo Qian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shichang Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinming Li
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital/National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, China
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jiexin Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Failayev H, Ganoth A, Tsfadia Y. Molecular insights on the coronavirus MERS-CoV interaction with the CD26 receptor. Virus Res 2024; 342:199330. [PMID: 38272241 PMCID: PMC10862065 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2024.199330] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a severe respiratory disease with high fatality rates, caused by the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The virus initiates infection by binding to the CD26 receptor (also known as dipeptidyl peptidase 4 or DPP4) via its spike protein. Although the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein and the complex between RBD and the extracellular domain of CD26 have been studied using X-ray crystallography, conflicting studies exist regarding the importance of certain amino acids outside the resolved RBD-CD26 complex interaction interface. To gain atomic-level knowledge of the RBD-CD26 complex, we employed computational simulations to study the complex's dynamic behavior as it evolves from its crystal structure to a conformation stable in solution. Our study revealed previously unidentified interaction regions and interacting amino acids within the complex, determined a novel comprehensive RBD-binding domain of CD26, and by that expanded the current understanding of its structure. Additionally, we examined the impact of a single amino acid substitution, E513A, on the complex's stability. We discovered that this substitution disrupts the complex through an allosteric domino-like mechanism that affects other residues. Since MERS-CoV is a zoonotic virus, we evaluated its potential risk of human infection via animals, and suggest a low likelihood for possible infection by cats or dogs. The molecular structural information gleaned from our insights into the RBD-CD26 complex pre-dissociative states may be proved useful not only from a mechanistic view but also in assessing inter-species transmission and in developing anti-MERS-CoV antiviral therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hila Failayev
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Assaf Ganoth
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; The Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), P.O. Box 167, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
| | - Yossi Tsfadia
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Laudanski K, Mahmoud MA, Ahmed AS, Susztak K, Mathew A, Chen J. Immunological Signatures in Blood and Urine in 80 Individuals Hospitalized during the Initial Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic with Quantified Nicotine Exposure. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3714. [PMID: 38612525 PMCID: PMC11011256 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073714] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
This research analyzes immunological response patterns to SARS-CoV-2 infection in blood and urine in individuals with serum cotinine-confirmed exposure to nicotine. Samples of blood and urine were obtained from a total of 80 patients admitted to hospital within 24 h of admission (tadm), 48 h later (t48h), and 7 days later (t7d) if patients remained hospitalized or at discharge. Serum cotinine above 3.75 ng/mL was deemed as biologically significant exposure to nicotine. Viral load was measured with serum SARS-CoV-2 S-spike protein. Titer of IgG, IgA, and IgM against S- and N-protein assessed specific antiviral responses. Cellular destruction was measured by high mobility group box protein-1 (HMGB-1) serum levels and heat shock protein 60 (Hsp-60). Serum interleukin 6 (IL-6), and ferritin gauged non-specific inflammation. The immunological profile was assessed with O-link. Serum titers of IgA were lower at tadm in smokers vs. nonsmokers (p = 0.0397). IgM at t48h was lower in cotinine-positive individuals (p = 0.0188). IgG did not differ between cotinine-positive and negative individuals. HMGB-1 at admission was elevated in cotinine positive individuals. Patients with positive cotinine did not exhibit increased markers of non-specific inflammation and tissue destruction. The blood immunological profile had distinctive differences at admission (MIC A/B↓), 48 h (CCL19↓, MCP-3↓, CD28↑, CD8↓, IFNγ↓, IL-12↓, GZNB↓, MIC A/B↓) or 7 days (CD28↓) in the cotinine-positive group. The urine immunological profile showed a profile with minimal overlap with blood as the following markers being affected at tadm (CCL20↑, CXCL5↑, CD8↑, IL-12↑, MIC A/B↑, GZNH↑, TNFRS14↑), t48h (CCL20↓, TRAIL↓) and t7d (EGF↑, ADA↑) in patients with a cotinine-positive test. Here, we showed a distinctive immunological profile in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with confirmed exposure to nicotine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Laudanski
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA;
| | - Mohamed A. Mahmoud
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA; (M.A.M.); (A.S.A.)
| | - Ahmed Sayed Ahmed
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA; (M.A.M.); (A.S.A.)
| | - Kaitlin Susztak
- Department of Nephrology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA;
| | - Amal Mathew
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - James Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jacob IB, Gemmiti A, Xiong W, Reynolds E, Nicholas B, Thangamani S, Jia H, Wang G. Human surfactant protein A inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and alleviates lung injury in a mouse infection model. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1370511. [PMID: 38596675 PMCID: PMC11002091 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1370511] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2)-expressing lung epithelial cells through its spike (S) protein. The S protein is highly glycosylated and could be a target for lectins. Surfactant protein A (SP-A) is a collagen-containing C-type lectin, expressed by mucosal epithelial cells and mediates its antiviral activities by binding to viral glycoproteins. Objective This study examined the mechanistic role of human SP-A in SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and lung injury in vitro and in vivo. Results Human SP-A can bind both SARS-CoV-2 S protein and hACE2 in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.01). Pre-incubation of SARS-CoV-2 (Delta) with human SP-A inhibited virus binding and entry and reduced viral load in human lung epithelial cells, evidenced by the dose-dependent decrease in viral RNA, nucleocapsid protein (NP), and titer (p<0.01). We observed significant weight loss, increased viral burden, and mortality rate, and more severe lung injury in SARS-CoV-2 infected hACE2/SP-A KO mice (SP-A deficient mice with hACE2 transgene) compared to infected hACE2/mSP-A (K18) and hACE2/hSP-A1 (6A2) mice (with both hACE2 and human SP-A1 transgenes) 6 Days Post-infection (DPI). Furthermore, increased SP-A level was observed in the saliva of COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls (p<0.05), but severe COVID-19 patients had relatively lower SP-A levels than moderate COVID-19 patients (p<0.05). Discussion Collectively, human SP-A attenuates SARS-CoV-2-induced acute lung injury (ALI) by directly binding to the S protein and hACE2, and inhibiting its infectivity; and SP-A level in the saliva of COVID-19 patients might serve as a biomarker for COVID-19 severity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ikechukwu B. Jacob
- Department of Surgery, the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Amanda Gemmiti
- Department of Otolaryngology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Weichuan Xiong
- Department of Surgery, the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Erin Reynolds
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Brian Nicholas
- Department of Otolaryngology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Hongpeng Jia
- Department of Surgery, Johns-Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Guirong Wang
- Department of Surgery, the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Shin WR, Kim DY, Kim SY, Ahn G, Park DY, Min J, Ahn JY, Kim YH. In vitro and in vivo validation of the antiviral effect of hCypA against SARS-CoV-2 via binding to the RBD of spike protein. Mol Ther 2024:S1525-0016(24)00170-9. [PMID: 38532628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 has stimulated the rapid development of new biological therapeutics to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, this remains a challenging task. In a previous study using structural analysis, we revealed that human cyclophilin A inhibits the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells by interfering with the interaction of the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 on the host cell surface, highlighting its potential for antiviral therapy. For a comprehensive experimental validation, in this study, we verified the antiviral effects of human cyclophilin A against SARS-CoV-2, including its variants, using in vitro assays and experiments on an in vivo mouse model. Human cyclophilin A demonstrated a highly effective antiviral effect, with an 85% survival rate upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. It also reduced viral titers, inflammation in the lungs and brain, and cytokine release in the serum, suggesting a controlled immune response and potentially faster recovery. Overall, our study provides insights into the potential of human cyclophilin A as a therapeutic agent against SARS-CoV-2, which should guide future clinical trials that might provide an additional therapeutic option for patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Woo-Ri Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-Ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju 28644, South Korea; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 210 S 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Do-Young Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-Ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju 28644, South Korea
| | - Sang Yong Kim
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Shin Ansan University, Danwon-Gu, Ansan 15435, Republic of Korea
| | - Gna Ahn
- Department of Microbiology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-Ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju 28644, South Korea; Center for Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Young Park
- Department of Microbiology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-Ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju 28644, South Korea
| | - Jiho Min
- Graduate School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-Gu Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896, South Korea.
| | - Ji-Young Ahn
- Department of Microbiology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-Ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju 28644, South Korea.
| | - Yang-Hoon Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-Ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju 28644, South Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Prasad R, Kadam A, Padippurackal VV, Pulikuttymadom Balasubramanian A, Kumar Chandrakumaran N, Suresh Rangari K, Dnyaneshwar Khangar P, Ajith H, Natarajan K, Chandramohanadas R, Nelson-Sathi S. Discovery of small molecule entry inhibitors targeting the linoleic acid binding pocket of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38520147 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2327537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Spike glycoprotein has a significant role in the entry of SARS-CoV-2 to host cells, which makes it a potential drug target. Continued accumulation of non-synonymous mutations in the receptor binding domain of spike protein poses great challenges in identifying antiviral drugs targeting this protein. This study aims to identify potential entry inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 using virtual screening and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations from three distinct chemical libraries including Pandemic Response Box, Drugbank and DrugCentral, comprising 6971 small molecules. The molecules were screened against a binding pocket identified in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) region of the spike protein which is known as the linoleic acid binding pocket, a highly conserved motif among several SARS-CoV-2 variants. Through virtual screening and binding free energy calculations, we identified four top-scoring compounds, MMV1579787 ([2-Oxo-2-[2-(3-phenoxyphenyl)ethylamino]ethyl]phosphonic acid), Tretinoin, MMV1633963 ((2E,4E)-5-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)phenyl]penta-2,4-dienoic acid) and Polydatin, which were previously reported to have antibacterial, antifungal or antiviral properties. These molecules showed stable binding on MD simulations over 100 ns and maintained stable interactions with TYR365, PHE338, PHE342, PHE377, TYR369, PHE374 and LEU368 of the spike protein RBD that are found to be conserved among SARS-CoV-2 variants. Our findings were further validated with free energy landscape, principal component analysis and dynamic cross-correlation analysis. Our in silico analysis of binding mode and MD simulation analyses suggest that the identified compounds may impede viral entrance by interacting with the linoleic acid binding site of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 regardless of its variants, and they thus demand for further in vitro and in vivo research.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roshny Prasad
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Anil Kadam
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | | | | | | | - Kartik Suresh Rangari
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | | | - Harikrishnan Ajith
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Kathiresan Natarajan
- Trans-disciplinary Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | | | - Shijulal Nelson-Sathi
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
万 欣, 洪 崇, 王 进, 宋 高, 刘 叔. [3-O-β-chacotriosyl glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives as potential small-molecule SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells]. Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao 2024; 44:474-483. [PMID: 38597438 PMCID: PMC11006688 DOI: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2024.03.08] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the inhibitory activities of 3-O-β-chacotriosyl glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells. METHODS With pentacyclic triterpene saponin glycyrrhizic acid (a natural SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitor) as the lead compound, a series of 3-O-β-chacotriosyl glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives were designed and synthesized based on hypridization principle, and their inhibitory activities against virus entry were tested in SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirusinfected cells. The antiviral targets of the lead compound 1b was identified by pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 infection assay and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay, and the S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion assay was used to evaluate the effect of 1b on virus-cell membrane fusion. Molecular docking and single amino acid mutagenesis were carried out to analyze the effect of 1b on binding activitiy of S protein. RESULTS The lead compound 1b showed significant inhibitory effect against Omicron pseudovirus with an EC50 value of 3.28 μmol/L (P < 0.05), and had broad-spectrum antiviral activity against other SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. Spike-dependent cell-cell fusion assay demonstrated an inhibitory effect of 1b against SARS-CoV-2 S proteinmediated cell-cell fusion. Molecular docking analysis predicted that the lead compound 1b could be well fitted into a cavity between the attachment (S1) and fusion (S2) subunits at the 3-fold axis, where it formed multiple hydrophobic interactions with Glu309, Ser305, Arg765 and Lys964 residues with a KD value of -8.6 kcal/mol. The compound 1b at 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 μmol/L showed a significantly reduced inhibitory activity against the pseudovirus with mutated Arg765, Lys964, Glu309 and Leu303 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION 3-O-β-chacotriosyl glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives are capable of stabilizing spike protein in the pre-fusion step to interfere with the fusion of SARS-CoV-2 with host cell membrane, and can thus serve as potential novel small-molecule SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- 欣 万
- 惠州卫生职业技术学院药学与检验学院,广东 惠州 516000School of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Huizhou Health Sciences Polytechnic, Huizhou 516000, China
| | - 崇竣 洪
- 华南农业大学材料与能源学院,广东 广州 510642College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - 进绅 王
- 南方医科大学药学院,广东 广州 510515School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - 高鹏 宋
- 华南农业大学材料与能源学院,广东 广州 510642College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - 叔文 刘
- 南方医科大学药学院,广东 广州 510515School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Das T, Luo S, Tang H, Fang J, Mao Y, Yen HH, Dash S, Shajahan A, Pepi L, Huang S, Jones VS, Xie S, Huang GF, Lu J, Anderson B, Zhang B, Azadi P, Huang RP. N-glycosylation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at Asn331 and Asn343 is involved in spike-ACE2 binding, virus entry, and regulation of IL-6. Microbiol Immunol 2024. [PMID: 38444370 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.13121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an ongoing global public health crisis. The causative agent, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, enters host cells via molecular interactions between the viral spike protein and the host cell ACE2 surface protein. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is extensively decorated with up to 66 N-linked glycans. Glycosylation of viral proteins is known to function in immune evasion strategies but may also function in the molecular events of viral entry into host cells. Here, we show that N-glycosylation at Asn331 and Asn343 of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is required for it to bind to ACE2 and for the entry of pseudovirus harboring the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein into cells. Interestingly, high-content glycan binding screening data have shown that N-glycosylation of Asn331 and Asn343 of the RBD is important for binding to the specific glycan molecule G4GN (Galβ-1,4 GlcNAc), which is critical for spike-RBD-ACE2 binding. Furthermore, IL-6 was identified through antibody array analysis of conditioned media of the corresponding pseudovirus assay. Mutation of N-glycosylation of Asn331 and Asn343 sites of the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) significantly reduced the transcriptional upregulation of pro-inflammatory signaling molecule IL-6. In addition, IL-6 levels correlated with spike protein levels in COVID-19 patients' serum. These findings establish the importance of RBD glycosylation in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, which can be exploited for the development of novel therapeutics for COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tuhin Das
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
| | - Shuhong Luo
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
- RayBiotech Guangzhou Co. Ltd. Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Tang
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
- RayBiotech Guangzhou Co. Ltd. Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianmin Fang
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
- RayBiotech Guangzhou Co. Ltd. Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yinging Mao
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
| | - Haw-Han Yen
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
| | - Sabyasachi Dash
- Department of Pathology, Center for Vascular Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Asif Shajahan
- Vaccine Research Center, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Lauren Pepi
- Vaccine Research Center, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven Huang
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Shehuo Xie
- RayBiotech Guangzhou Co. Ltd. Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Jinqiao Lu
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Benyue Zhang
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Ruo-Pan Huang
- RayBiotech Life Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
- RayBiotech Guangzhou Co. Ltd. Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
- South China Biochip Research Center, Guangzhou, China
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lin CH, Chang HJ, Lin MW, Yang XR, Lee CH, Lin CS. Inhibitory Efficacy of Main Components of Scutellaria baicalensis on the Interaction between Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 and Human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme II. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2935. [PMID: 38474182 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Blocking the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme II (hACE2) protein serves as a therapeutic strategy for treating COVID-19. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments containing bioactive products could alleviate the symptoms of severe COVID-19. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has complicated the process of developing broad-spectrum drugs. As such, the aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of TCM treatments against SARS-CoV-2 variants through targeting the interaction of the viral spike protein with the hACE2 receptor. Antiviral activity was systematically evaluated using a pseudovirus system. Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) was found to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection, as it mediated the interaction between the viral spike protein and the hACE2 protein. Moreover, the active molecules of S. baicalensis were identified and analyzed. Baicalein and baicalin, a flavone and a flavone glycoside found in S. baicalensis, respectively, exhibited strong inhibitory activities targeting the viral spike protein and the hACE2 protein, respectively. Under optimized conditions, virus infection was inhibited by 98% via baicalein-treated pseudovirus and baicalin-treated hACE2. In summary, we identified the potential SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors from S. baicalensis that mediate the interaction between the Omicron spike protein and the hACE2 receptor. Future studies on the therapeutic application of baicalein and baicalin against SARS-CoV-2 variants are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Han Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Ju Chang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Wei Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Xin-Rui Yang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsiung Lee
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Sheng Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-Devices (IDS2B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Katte RH, Ao Y, Xu W, Han Y, Zhong G, Ghimire D, Florence J, Tucker TA, Lu M. Differentiating Cell Entry Potentials of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Subvariants on Human Lung Epithelium Cells. Viruses 2024; 16:391. [PMID: 38543757 PMCID: PMC10975267 DOI: 10.3390/v16030391] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The surface spike (S) glycoprotein mediates cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the host through fusion at the plasma membrane or endocytosis. Omicron lineages/sublineages have acquired extensive mutations in S to gain transmissibility advantages and altered antigenicity. The fusogenicity, antigenicity, and evasion of Omicron subvariants have been extensively investigated at unprecedented speed to align with the mutation rate of S. Cells that overexpress receptors/cofactors are mostly used as hosts to amplify infection sensitivity to tested variants. However, systematic cell entry comparisons of most prior dominant Omicron subvariants using human lung epithelium cells are yet to be well-studied. Here, with human bronchial epithelium BEAS-2B cells as the host, we compared single-round virus-to-cell entry and cell-to-cell fusion of Omicron BA.1, BA.5, BQ.1.1, CH.1.1, XBB.1.5, and XBB.1.16 based upon split NanoLuc fusion readout assays and the S-pseudotyped lentivirus system. Virus-to-cell entry of tested S variants exhibited cell-type dependence. The parental Omicron BA.1 required more time to develop full entry to HEK293T-ACE2-TMPRSS2 than BEAS-2B cells. Compared to unchanged P681, S-cleavage constructs of P681H/R did not have any noticeable advantages in cell entry. Omicron BA.1 and its descendants entered BEAS-2B cells more efficiently than D614G, and it was slightly less or comparable to that of Delta. Serine protease-pretreated Omicron subvariants enhanced virus-to-cell entry in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting fusion at the plasma membrane persists as a productive cell entry route. Spike-mediated cell-to-cell fusion and total S1/S2 processing of Omicron descendants were similar. Our results indicate no obvious entry or fusion advantages of recent Omicron descendants over preceding variants since Delta, thus supporting immune evasion conferred by antigenicity shifts due to altered S sequences as probably the primary viral fitness driver.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maolin Lu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA; (R.H.K.); (Y.H.); (T.A.T.)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kemerley A, Gupta A, Thirunavukkarasu M, Maloney M, Burgwardt S, Maulik N. COVID-19 Associated Cardiovascular Disease-Risks, Prevention and Management: Heart at Risk Due to COVID-19. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:1904-1920. [PMID: 38534740 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46030124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) virus and the resulting COVID-19 pandemic have had devastating and lasting impact on the global population. Although the main target of the disease is the respiratory tract, clinical outcomes, and research have also shown significant effects of infection on other organ systems. Of interest in this review is the effect of the virus on the cardiovascular system. Complications, including hyperinflammatory syndrome, myocarditis, and cardiac failure, have been documented in the context of COVID-19 infection. These complications ultimately contribute to worse patient outcomes, especially in patients with pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease (CVD). Importantly and interestingly, reports have demonstrated that COVID-19 also causes myocardial injury in adults without pre-existing conditions and contributes to systemic complications in pediatric populations, such as the development of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Although there is still a debate over the exact mechanisms by which such complications arise, understanding the potential paths by which the virus can influence the cardiovascular system to create an inflammatory environment may clarify how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with human physiology. In addition to describing the mechanisms of disease propagation and patient presentation, this review discusses the diagnostic findings and treatment strategies and the evolution of management for patients presenting with cardiovascular complications, focusing on disease treatment and prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Kemerley
- Department of Surgery, Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Abhishek Gupta
- Department of Surgery, Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Mahesh Thirunavukkarasu
- Department of Surgery, Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Monica Maloney
- Department of Surgery, Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Sean Burgwardt
- Department of Surgery, Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Nilanjana Maulik
- Department of Surgery, Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ali MA, Caetano-Anollés G. AlphaFold2 Reveals Structural Patterns of Seasonal Haplotype Diversification in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Variants. Biology (Basel) 2024; 13:134. [PMID: 38534404 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
The slow experimental acquisition of high-quality atomic structures of the rapidly changing proteins of the COVID-19 virus challenges vaccine and therapeutic drug development efforts. Fortunately, deep learning tools such as AlphaFold2 can quickly generate reliable models of atomic structure at experimental resolution. Current modeling studies have focused solely on definitions of mutant constellations of Variants of Concern (VOCs), leaving out the impact of haplotypes on protein structure. Here, we conduct a thorough comparative structural analysis of S-proteins belonging to major VOCs and corresponding latitude-delimited haplotypes that affect viral seasonal behavior. Our approach identified molecular regions of importance as well as patterns of structural recruitment. The S1 subunit hosted the majority of structural changes, especially those involving the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the receptor-binding domain (RBD). In particular, structural changes in the NTD were much greater than just translations in three-dimensional space, altering the sub-structures to greater extents. We also revealed a notable pattern of structural recruitment with the early VOCs Alpha and Delta behaving antagonistically by suppressing regions of structural change introduced by their corresponding haplotypes, and the current VOC Omicron behaving synergistically by amplifying or collecting structural change. Remarkably, haplotypes altering the galectin-like structure of the NTD were major contributors to seasonal behavior, supporting its putative environmental-sensing role. Our results provide an extensive view of the evolutionary landscape of the S-protein across the COVID-19 pandemic. This view will help predict important regions of structural change in future variants and haplotypes for more efficient vaccine and drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Asif Ali
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Gustavo Caetano-Anollés
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Ayyubova G, Gychka SG, Nikolaienko SI, Alghenaim FA, Teramoto T, Shults NV, Suzuki YJ. The Role of Furin in the Pathogenesis of COVID-19-Associated Neurological Disorders. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:279. [PMID: 38398788 PMCID: PMC10890058 DOI: 10.3390/life14020279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurological disorders have been reported in a large number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, suggesting that this disease may have long-term adverse neurological consequences. COVID-19 occurs from infection by a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The membrane fusion protein of SARS-CoV-2, the spike protein, binds to its human host receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), to initiate membrane fusion between the virus and host cell. The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 contains the furin protease recognition site and its cleavage enhances the infectivity of this virus. The binding of SARS-CoV-2 to the ACE2 receptor has been shown to downregulate ACE2, thereby increasing the levels of pathogenic angiotensin II (Ang II). The furin protease cleaves between the S1 subunit of the spike protein with the binding domain toward ACE2 and the S2 subunit with the transmembrane domain that anchors to the viral membrane, and this activity releases the S1 subunit into the blood circulation. The released S1 subunit of the spike protein also binds to and downregulates ACE2, in turn increasing the level of Ang II. Considering that a viral particle contains many spike protein molecules, furin-dependent cleavage would release many free S1 protein molecules, each of which can downregulate ACE2, while infection with a viral particle only affects one ACE2 molecule. Therefore, the furin-dependent release of S1 protein would dramatically amplify the ability to downregulate ACE2 and produce Ang II. We hypothesize that this amplification mechanism that the virus possesses, but not the infection per se, is the major driving force behind COVID-19-associated neurological disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gunel Ayyubova
- Department of Cytology, Embryology and Histology, Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku AZ1022, Azerbaijan;
| | - Sergiy G. Gychka
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Bogomolets National Medical University, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine; (S.G.G.); (S.I.N.)
| | - Sofia I. Nikolaienko
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Bogomolets National Medical University, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine; (S.G.G.); (S.I.N.)
| | - Fada A. Alghenaim
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA;
| | - Tadahisa Teramoto
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA;
| | - Nataliia V. Shults
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA;
| | - Yuichiro J. Suzuki
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Rivera-Benítez JF, Martínez-Bautista R, González-Martínez R, De la Luz-Armendáriz J, Herrera-Camacho I, Rosas-Murrieta N, Márquez-Valdelamar L, Lara R. Phylogenetic and Molecular Analysis of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus in Mexico during the First Reported Outbreaks (2013-2017). Viruses 2024; 16:309. [PMID: 38400084 PMCID: PMC10891996 DOI: 10.3390/v16020309] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The characteristics of the whole PEDV genome that has circulated in Mexico from the first outbreak to the present are unknown. We chose samples obtained from 2013 to 2017 and sequenced them, which enabled us to identify the genetic variation and phylogeny in the virus during the first four years that it circulated in Mexico. A 99% identity was found among the analyzed pandemic strains; however, the 1% difference affected the structure of the S glycoprotein, which is essential for the binding of the virus to the cellular receptor. The S protein induces the most efficacious antibodies; hence, these changes in structure could be implicated in the clinical antecedents of the outbreaks. Antigenic changes could also help PEDV avoid neutralization, even in the presence of previous immunity. The characterization of the complete genome enabled the identification of three circulating strains that have a deletion in ORF1a, which is present in attenuated Asian vaccine strains. The phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome indicates that the first PEDV outbreaks in Mexico were caused by INDEL strains and pandemic strains related to USA strains; however, the possibility of the entry of European strains exists, which may have caused the 2015 and 2016 outbreaks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Francisco Rivera-Benítez
- Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Mexico City 04010, Mexico
| | | | | | - Jazmín De la Luz-Armendáriz
- Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Rumiantes, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
| | - Irma Herrera-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72000, Mexico; (I.H.-C.); (N.R.-M.)
| | - Nora Rosas-Murrieta
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Química, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72000, Mexico; (I.H.-C.); (N.R.-M.)
| | - Laura Márquez-Valdelamar
- Laboratorio de Secuenciación Genómica de la Biodiversidad y de la Salud, UNAM, Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
| | - Rocio Lara
- Programa de Maestría en Ciencias de la Producción y de la Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhao Y, Fan B, Song X, Gao J, Guo R, Yi C, He Z, Hu H, Jiang J, Zhao L, Zhong T, Li B. PEDV-spike-protein-expressing mRNA vaccine protects piglets against PEDV challenge. mBio 2024; 15:e0295823. [PMID: 38231557 PMCID: PMC10865985 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02958-23] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a swine enteropathogenic coronavirus, causes severe diarrhea in neonatal piglets, which is associated with a high mortality rate. Thus, developing effective and safe vaccines remains a top priority for controlling PEDV infection. Here, we designed two lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA (mRNA-LNP) vaccines encoding either the full-length PEDV spike (S) protein or a multiepitope chimeric spike (Sm) protein. We found that the S mRNA-LNP vaccine was superior to the Sm mRNA-LNP vaccine at inducing antibody and cellular immune responses in mice. Evaluation of the immunogenicity and efficacy of the S mRNA vaccine in piglets confirmed that it induced robust PEDV-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in vivo. Importantly, the S mRNA-LNP vaccine not only protected actively immunized piglets against PEDV but also equipped neonatal piglets with effective passive anti-PEDV immunity in the form of colostrum-derived antibodies after the immunization of sows. Our findings suggest that the PEDV-S mRNA-LNP vaccine is a promising candidate for combating PEDV infection.IMPORTANCEPorcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) continues to harm the global swine industry. It is important to develop a highly effective vaccine to control PEDV infection. Here, we report a PEDV spike (S) mRNA vaccine that primes a potent antibody response and antigen-specific T-cell responses in immunized piglets. Active and passive immunization can protect piglets against PED following the virus challenge. This study highlights the efficiency of the PEDV-S mRNA vaccine and represents a viable approach for developing an efficient PEDV vaccine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiang Zhao
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou, China
| | - Baochao Fan
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou, China
| | - Xu Song
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Rongli Guo
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou, China
| | - Cheng Yi
- Suzhou Huiliao Biomedical Technology Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China
| | - Zhaoming He
- Suzhou Huiliao Biomedical Technology Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China
| | - Hongpeng Hu
- Suzhou Huiliao Biomedical Technology Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China
| | - Jianhao Jiang
- Suzhou Huiliao Biomedical Technology Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China
| | - Lixiang Zhao
- Suzhou Huiliao Biomedical Technology Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Tianyi Zhong
- Suzhou Huiliao Biomedical Technology Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China
| | - Bin Li
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Zaccaria M, Genovese L, Lawhorn BE, Dawson W, Joyal AS, Hu J, Autissier P, Nakajima T, Johnson WE, Fofana I, Farzan M, Momeni B. Predicting potential SARS-CoV-2 mutations of concern via full quantum mechanical modelling. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20230614. [PMID: 38320601 PMCID: PMC10846948 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0614] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Ab initio quantum mechanical models can characterize and predict intermolecular binding, but only recently have models including more than a few hundred atoms gained traction. Here, we simulate the electronic structure for approximately 13 000 atoms to predict and characterize binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike variants to the human ACE2 (hACE2) receptor using the quantum mechanics complexity reduction (QM-CR) approach. We compare four spike variants in our analysis: Wuhan, Omicron, and two Omicron-based variants. To assess binding, we mechanistically characterize the energetic contribution of each amino acid involved, and predict the effect of select single amino acid mutations. We validate our computational predictions experimentally by comparing the efficacy of spike variants binding to cells expressing hACE2. At the time we performed our simulations (December 2021), the mutation A484K which our model predicted to be highly beneficial to ACE2 binding had not been identified in epidemiological surveys; only recently (August 2023) has it appeared in variant BA.2.86. We argue that our computational model, QM-CR, can identify mutations critical for intermolecular interactions and inform the engineering of high-specificity interactors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Zaccaria
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Luigi Genovese
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INAC-MEM, L Sim, Grenoble, France
| | | | | | - Andrew S. Joyal
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Jingqing Hu
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ismael Fofana
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Michael Farzan
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Integrated Solutions for Infectious Diseases, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Disease, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Babak Momeni
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Choi A, Kots ED, Singleton DT, Weinstein H, Whittaker GR. Analysis of the molecular determinants for furin cleavage of the spike protein S1/S2 site in defined strains of the prototype coronavirus murine hepatitis virus (MHV). Virus Res 2024; 340:199283. [PMID: 38043726 PMCID: PMC10755501 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199283] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
We analyzed the spike protein S1/S2 cleavage of selected strains of a prototype coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) by the cellular protease furin, in order to understand the structural requirements underlying the sequence selectivity of the scissile segment. The probability of cleavage of selected MHV strains was first evaluated from furin cleavage scores predicted by the ProP computer software, and then cleavage was measured experimentally with a fluorogenic peptide cleavage assay consisting of S1/S2 peptide mimics and purified furin. We found that in vitro cleavability varied across MHV strains in line with predicted results-but with the notable exception of MHV-A59, which was not cleaved despite a high score predicted for its sequence. Using the known X-Ray structure of furin in complex with a substrate-like inhibitor as an initial structural reference, we carried out molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to learn the modes of binding of the peptides in the furin active site, and the suitability of the complex for initiation of the enzymatic cleavage. We identified the 3D structural requirements of the furin active site configuration that enable bound peptides to undergo cleavage, and the way in which the various strains tested experimentally are fulfilling these requirements. We find that despite some flexibility in the organization of the peptide bound to the active site of the enzyme, the presence of a histidine at P2 of MHV-A59 fails to properly orient the sidechain of His194 of the furin catalytic triad and therefore produces a distortion that renders the peptide/complex structural configuration in the active site incompatible with requirements for cleavage initiation. The Ser/Thr in P1 of MHV-2 and MHV-S has a similar effect of distorting the conformation of the furin active site residues produced by the elimination of the canonical salt-bridge formed by arginine in P1 position. This work informs a study of coronavirus infection and pathogenesis with respect to the function of the viral spike protein, and suggests an important process of viral adaptation and evolution within the spike S1/S2 structural loop.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annette Choi
- Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Ekaterina D Kots
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Harel Weinstein
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Gary R Whittaker
- Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA; Public & Ecosystem Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Teshima K, Tanaka T, Ye Z, Ikeda K, Matsuzaki T, Shiroma T, Muroya A, Hosoda M, Yasugi M, Komatsu H. Antiviral activity of curcumin and its analogs selected by an artificial intelligence-supported activity prediction system in SARS-CoV-2-infected VeroE6 cells. Nat Prod Res 2024; 38:867-872. [PMID: 36987590 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2194647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Curcumin has been reported to exert its anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity by inhibiting the binding of spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) to angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). To identify more potent compounds, we evaluated the antiviral activities of curcumin and its analogs in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells. An artificial intelligence-supported activity prediction system was used to select the compounds, and 116 of the 334 curcumin analogs were proposed to have spike RBD-ACE2 binding inhibitory activity. These compounds were narrowed down to eight compounds for confirmatory studies. Six out of the eight compounds showed antiviral activity with EC50 values of less than 30 µM and binding inhibitory activity with IC20 values of less than 30 µM. Structure-activity relationship analyses revealed that the double bonds in the carbon chain connecting the two phenolic groups were essential for both activities. X-ray co-crystallography studies are needed to clarify the true binding pose and design more potent derivatives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Koji Teshima
- Research & Development Headquarters, Lequio Pharma Co., Ltd, Naha, Japan
| | | | | | - Ken Ikeda
- Interprotein Corporation, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Tamotsu Shiroma
- Research & Development Headquarters, Lequio Pharma Co., Ltd, Naha, Japan
| | | | | | - Mayo Yasugi
- Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
- Asian Health Science Institute, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
- Osaka International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Osaka Metropolitan University, Izumisano, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Satapathy P, Kumar P, Gupta JK, Rabaan AA, Al Kaabi NA, Mohanty D, Naveen P, Khatib MN, Gaidhane S, Zahiruddin QS, Neyazi A. The emergence and implications of SARS-CoV-2 omicron subvariant BA.2.86 on global health. Int J Surg 2024; 110:01279778-990000000-00949. [PMID: 38215252 PMCID: PMC11020040 DOI: 10.1097/js9.0000000000001070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 subvariant BA.2.86 "Pirola", first identified in Denmark in August 2023, has manifested with a significantly mutated spike protein profile, suggesting a heightened ability to evade vaccine- and infection-induced antibodies. This article outlines the epidemiological spread, immune response implications, and global responses to BA.2.86. Preliminary observations indicate community transmissions of the subvariant, even among those previously infected or vaccinated. Notably, the BA.2.86 infection has shown potential to amplify antibody responses. The variant's emergence has evoked memories of the Omicron variant's rise in late 2021, though global immunity levels might modulate BA.2.86's impact differently. Continuous genomic surveillance, coupled with integrated diagnostic and epidemiological strategies, proves crucial in early detection and management. The emergence of BA.2.86 reaffirms the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for ongoing research, adaptability, and global collaboration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prakasini Satapathy
- Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- School of Pharmacy, Graphic Era Hill University
- School of Applied and Life Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
| | - Pawan Kumar
- Global Center for Evidence Synthesis, Chandigarh
- EvidenceSynthesis Lab, Kolkata, West Bengal
| | - Jeetendra K. Gupta
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
| | - Ali A. Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan
| | - Nawal A. Al Kaabi
- College of Medicine and Health Science, Khalifa University
- Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | | | | | - Shilpa Gaidhane
- One Health Centre (COHERD), Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
| | | | - Ahmad Neyazi
- Afghanistan Center for Epidemiological Studies
- Academic Affairs, Herat Regional Hospital, Herat, Afghanistan
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
An K, Yang X, Luo M, Yan J, Xu P, Zhang H, Li Y, Wu S, Warshel A, Bai C. Mechanistic study of the transmission pattern of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant. Proteins 2024. [PMID: 38183172 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
The omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) characterized by 30 mutations in its spike protein, has rapidly spread worldwide since November 2021, significantly exacerbating the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In order to investigate the relationship between these mutations and the variant's high transmissibility, we conducted a systematic analysis of the mutational effect on spike-angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) interactions and explored the structural/energy correlation of key mutations, utilizing a reliable coarse-grained model. Our study extended beyond the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike trimer through comprehensive modeling of the full-length spike trimer rather than just the RBD. Our free-energy calculation revealed that the enhanced binding affinity between the spike protein and the ACE2 receptor is correlated with the increased structural stability of the isolated spike protein, thus explaining the omicron variant's heightened transmissibility. The conclusion was supported by our experimental analyses involving the expression and purification of the full-length spike trimer. Furthermore, the energy decomposition analysis established those electrostatic interactions make major contributions to this effect. We categorized the mutations into four groups and established an analytical framework that can be employed in studying future mutations. Additionally, our calculations rationalized the reduced affinity of the omicron variant towards most available therapeutic neutralizing antibodies, when compared with the wild type. By providing concrete experimental data and offering a solid explanation, this study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between theories and observations and lays the foundation for future investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ke An
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, Shenzhen, China
- Chenzhu (MoMeD) Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xianzhi Yang
- Institute of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University (Luohu Hospital Group), Shenzhen, China
| | - Mengqi Luo
- College of Management, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junfang Yan
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peiyi Xu
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Honghui Zhang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- Department of Urology, South China Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Song Wu
- Department of Urology, South China Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Arieh Warshel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Chen Bai
- School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, Shenzhen, China
- Chenzhu (MoMeD) Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Hanisch FG. Site-Specific O-glycosylation of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Its Impact on Immune and Autoimmune Responses. Cells 2024; 13:107. [PMID: 38247799 PMCID: PMC10814047 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020107] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The world-wide COVID-19 pandemic has promoted a series of alternative vaccination strategies aiming to elicit neutralizing adaptive immunity in the human host. However, restricted efficacies of these vaccines targeting epitopes on the spike (S) protein that is involved in primary viral entry were observed and putatively assigned to viral glycosylation as an effective escape mechanism. Besides the well-recognized N-glycan shield covering SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) proteins, immunization strategies may be hampered by heavy O-glycosylation and variable O-glycosites fluctuating depending on the organ sites of primary infection and those involved in immunization. A further complication associated with viral glycosylation arises from the development of autoimmune antibodies to self-carbohydrates, including O-linked blood group antigens, as structural parts of viral proteins. This outline already emphasizes the importance of viral glycosylation in general and, in particular, highlights the impact of the site-specific O-glycosylation of virions, since this modification is independent of sequons and varies strongly in dependence on cell-specific repertoires of peptidyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases with their varying site preferences and of glycan core-specific glycosyltransferases. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the viral O-glycosylation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its impact on virulence and immune modulation in the host.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franz-Georg Hanisch
- Center of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Nawaz S, Juniad S, Fatima A, Saleem M, Fatima U, Ali A. Rapidly Evolving SARS-CoV-2: A Brief Review Regarding the Variants and their Effects on Vaccine Efficacies. Infect Disord Drug Targets 2024; 24:IDDT-EPUB-136969. [PMID: 38178666 DOI: 10.2174/0118715265271109231129112515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Since the commencement of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has resulted in millions of mortalities globally, the efforts to minimize the damages have equally been up to the task. One of those efforts includes the mass vaccine development initiative targeting the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). So far, vaccines have tremendously decreased the rate of transmission and infection in most parts of the world. However, the repeated resurgence of different types of mutated versions of the virus, also known as variants, has somehow created uncertainties about the efficacies of different types of vaccines. This review discusses some of the interesting SARS-CoV-2 features, including general structure, genomics, and mechanisms of variants development and their consequent immune escape. This review also focuses very briefly on antigenic drift, shift, and vaccine-developing platforms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Nawaz
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sara Juniad
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Women University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Aiman Fatima
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Maira Saleem
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Urooj Fatima
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Women University Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Asad Ali
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Feng H, Yang L, Yang H, Cheng D, Li M, Song E, Xu T. A cardiotoxicity-eliminated ACE2 variant as a pan-inhibitor against coronavirus cell invasion. Mol Ther 2024; 32:218-226. [PMID: 37974399 PMCID: PMC10787150 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.11.019] [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: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Human recombinant ACE2 (hrACE2) has been highly anticipated as a successful COVID-19 treatment; however, its potential to cause cardiac side effects has given rise to many concerns. Here, we developed a cardiotoxicity-eliminated hrACE2 variant, which had four mutation sites within hrACE2 (H345L, H374L, H378L, H505L) and was named as hrACE2-4mu. hrACE2-4mu has a consistent binding affinity with the variant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins (SPs) and an efficient ability to block SP-induced SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. In golden hamsters, injection of purified wild-type (WT) hrACE2 rescues the early stages of pneumonia caused by the SPs of the WT, delta, and omicron variants with reduced inflammatory cell infiltration. However, long-term injection of WT hrACE2 induces undesired cardiac fibrosis, as demonstrated by upregulated fibronectin and collagen expression. Our newly developed hrACE2-4mu showed similar protective abilities against a series of coronavirus cell invasions as WT hrACE2, meanwhile it did not cause apparent cardiac side effects. Thus, we generated a cardiotoxicity-eliminated variant of hrACE2 as a pan-inhibitor against coronavirus cell invasion, providing a potential novel strategy for the treatment of COVID-19 and other coronaviruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Han Feng
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Linpu Yang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hang Yang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dongwan Cheng
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Min Li
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Eli Song
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Tao Xu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, China; Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Gabdoulkhakova AG, Mingaleeva RN, Romozanova AM, Sagdeeva AR, Filina YV, Rizvanov AA, Miftakhova RR. Immunology of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Biochemistry (Mosc) 2024; 89:65-83. [PMID: 38467546 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297924010048] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
According to the data from the World Health Organization, about 800 million of the world population had contracted coronavirus infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 by mid-2023. Properties of this virus have allowed it to circulate in the human population for a long time, evolving defense mechanisms against the host immune system. Severity of the disease depends largely on the degree of activation of the systemic immune response, including overstimulation of macrophages and monocytes, cytokine production, and triggering of adaptive T- and B-cell responses, while SARS-CoV-2 evades the immune system actions. In this review, we discuss immune responses triggered in response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus entry into the cell and malfunctions of the immune system that lead to the development of severe disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aida G Gabdoulkhakova
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Russia.
- Kazan State Medical Academy - Branch Campus of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Further Professional Education "Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Kazan, 420012, Russia
| | | | | | | | | | - Albert A Rizvanov
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Russia
- Division of Medical and Biological Sciences, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Kazan, 420111, Russia
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, primarily affects the epithelial compartment in the upper and lower airways. There is evidence that the microvasculature in both the pulmonary and extrapulmonary systems is a major target of SARS-CoV-2. Consistent with this, vascular dysfunction and thrombosis are the most severe complications in COVID-19. The proinflammatory milieu triggered by the hyperactivation of the immune system by SARS-CoV-2 has been suggested to be the main trigger for endothelial dysfunction during COVID-19. More recently, a rapidly growing number of reports have indicated that SARS-CoV-2 can interact directly with endothelial cells through the spike protein, leading to multiple instances of endothelial dysfunction. Here, we describe all the available findings showing the direct effect of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on endothelial cells and offer mechanistic insights into the molecular basis of vascular dysfunction in severe COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Perico
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Centro Anna Maria Astori, Bergamo, Italy.
| | - Ariela Benigni
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Centro Anna Maria Astori, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Remuzzi
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Centro Anna Maria Astori, Bergamo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Zhao J, Kang M, Wu H, Sun B, Baele G, He WT, Lu M, Suchard MA, Ji X, He N, Su S, Veit M. Risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 replicating and evolving in animals. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:79-92. [PMID: 37541811 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.07.002] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
The retransmissions of SARS-CoV-2 from several mammals - primarily mink and white-tailed deer - to humans have raised concerns for the emergence of a new animal-derived SARS-CoV-2 variant to worsen the pandemic. Here, we discuss animal species that are susceptible to natural or experimental infection with SARS-CoV-2 and can transmit the virus to mates or humans. We describe cutting-edge techniques to assess the impact of a mutation in the viral spike (S) protein on its receptor and on antibody binding. Our review of spike sequences of animal-derived viruses identified nine unique amino acid exchanges in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) that are not present in any variant of concern (VOC). These mutations are present in SARS-CoV-2 found in companion animals such as dogs and cats, and they exhibit a higher frequency in SARS-CoV-2 found in mink and white-tailed deer, suggesting that sustained transmissions may contribute to maintaining novel mutations. Four of these exchanges, such as Leu452Met, could undermine acquired immune protection in humans while maintaining high affinity for the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Finally, we discuss important avenues of future research into animal-derived viruses with public health risks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhao
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei Kang
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Clinical Research Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyan Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bowen Sun
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guy Baele
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wan-Ting He
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Meng Lu
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Marc A Suchard
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biomathematics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xiang Ji
- Department of Mathematics, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Na He
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuo Su
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Michael Veit
- Institute for Virology, Center for Infection Medicine, Veterinary Faculty, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Sarmadi S, Rahbar MR, Najafi H, Chukwudozie OS, Morowvat MH. In Silico Design and Evaluation of a Novel Therapeutic Agent Against the Spike Protein as a Novel Treatment Strategy for COVID-19 Treatment. Recent Pat Biotechnol 2024; 18:162-176. [PMID: 37231757 DOI: 10.2174/1872208317666230523105759] [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: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral respiratory disease that is associated with severe damage to other human organs. It causes by a novel coronavirus, and it is spreading all over the world. To date, there is some approved vaccine or therapeutic agent which could be effective against this disease. But their effectiveness against mutated strains is not studied completely. The spike glycoprotein on the surface of the coronaviruses gives the virus the ability to bind to host cell receptors and enter cells. Inhibition of attachment of these spikes can lead to virus neutralization by inhibiting viral entrance. AIMS In this study, we tried to use the virus entrance strategy against itself by utilizing virus receptor (ACE-2) in order to design an engineered protein consisting of a human Fc antibody fragment and a part of ACE-2, which reacts with virus RBD, and we also evaluated this interaction by computational methods and in silico methods. Subsequently, we have designed a new protein structure to bind with this site and inhibit the virus from attaching to its cell receptor, mechanically or chemically. METHODS Various in silico software, bioinformatics, and patent databases were used to retrieve the requested gene and protein sequences. The physicochemical properties and possibility of allergenicity were also examined. Three-dimensional structure prediction and molecular docking were also performed to develop the most suitable therapeutic protein. RESULTS The designed protein consisted of a total of 256 amino acids with a molecular weight of 28984.62 and 5.92 as a theoretical isoelectric point. Instability and aliphatic index and grand average of hydropathicity are 49.99, 69.57 and -0.594, respectively. CONCLUSIONS In silico studies can provide a good opportunity to study viral proteins and new drugs or compounds since they do not need direct exposure to infectious agents or equipped laboratories. The suggested therapeutic agent should be further characterized in vitro and in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soroush Sarmadi
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71468-64685, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, P.O. Box 71441-11731, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Rahbar
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71468-64685, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hamideh Najafi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14199-63111, Tehran, Iran
| | - Onyeka S Chukwudozie
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mohammad Hossein Morowvat
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71468-64685, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71468-64685, Shiraz, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Amin FG, Elfiky AA, Nassar AM. In silico targeting of SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain from different variants with chaga mushroom terpenoids. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:1079-1087. [PMID: 37042960 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2199084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids from the chaga mushroom have been identified as potential antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2. This is because it can firmly bind to the viral spike receptor binding domain (RBD) and the auxiliary host cell receptor glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78). The current work examines the association of the chaga mushroom terpenoids with the RBD of various SARS-CoV-2 variants, including alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and omicron. This association was compared to the SARS-CoV-2 wild-type (WT) RBD using molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamics modeling. The outcomes demonstrated that the mutant RBDs, which had marginally greater average binding affinities (better binding) than the WT, were successfully inhibited by the chaga mushroom terpenoids. The results suggest that the chaga mushroom can be effective against various SARS-CoV-2 variants by targeting both the host-cell surface receptor GRP78 and the viral spike RBD.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fatma G Amin
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Abdo A Elfiky
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Aaya M Nassar
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
- Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Roy U. Computational Investigation of Selected Spike Protein Mutations in SARS-CoV-2: Delta, Omicron, and Some Circulating Subvariants. Pathogens 2023; 13:10. [PMID: 38276156 PMCID: PMC10820870 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Among the multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants recently reported, the Delta variant has generated the most perilous and widespread effects. Another variant, Omicron, has been identified specifically for its high transmissibility. Omicron contains numerous spike (S) protein mutations and numbers much larger than those of its predecessor variants. In this report, the author has discussed some essential structural aspects and time-based structure changes of a selected set of spike protein mutations within the Delta and Omicron variants. The expected impact of multiple point mutations within the spike protein's receptor-binding domain (RBD) and S1 of these variants are examined. Additionally, the RBDs of the more recently emerged subvariants BA.4, BA.5, and BA.2.12.1 are discussed. Within the latter group, BA.5 represents the most prevalent form of SARS-CoV-2 globally until recently. This computational work also briefly explores the temporal mutation profile for the currently circulating variants of interest (VOIs), variants under monitoring (VUMs), and variants being monitored (VBMs) including XBB.1.5, BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBF, EG.5 (or Eris), and BA.2.86 (or Pirola). It is expected that these structural data can facilitate the tasks of identifying drug targets and neutralizing antibodies for the evolving variants/subvariants of SARS-CoV-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Urmi Roy
- Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Kato H, Kurosawa T, Horikawa K, Kimura Y, Miyakawa K, Ryo A, Goto A. Humoral response against spike protein enhanced by fifth and sixth COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in the uninfected and infected subjects. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2278376. [PMID: 37969091 PMCID: PMC10760318 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2278376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody obtained by the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccine declines over time, and additional vaccinations are offered. It is not clear how repeated vaccination affects humoral immunity in uninfected individuals. We analyzed immunoglobulin G for spike protein (S-IgG) titers in COVID-19 uninfected and infected individuals vaccinated up to six times. The geometric mean S-IgG titers were 575.9 AU/mL and 369.0 AU/mL in those who received 6 and 5 doses less than 180 days after the last vaccination in uninfected subjects. In the 180-360 days after the last vaccination, the geometric mean S-IgG titers were 237.9 AU/mL and 128.6 AU/mL in the uninfected subjects who underwent five-dose and four-dose groups, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that S-IgG titer increased 1.261-fold with each additional dose of mRNA vaccine. The S-IgG titers were 2.039-fold higher in the COVID-infected subjects compared to uninfected subjects. The positivity rate of nucleocapsid antibodies, suggesting a history of COVID-19, decreased 82% and 30% of COVID-infected cases after 180 and 360 days of infection, respectively. This result suggested that repeated vaccination with the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine may increase antibody titer in uninfected subjects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hideaki Kato
- Infection Prevention and Control Department, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kurosawa
- Clinical Laboratory Department, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kazuo Horikawa
- Advanced Medical Research Center, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yayoi Kimura
- Advanced Medical Research Center, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kei Miyakawa
- Research Center for Influenza and Respiratory Viruses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashimurayama, Japan
| | - Akihide Ryo
- Department of Virology III, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashimurayama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Goto
- Department of Public Health, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Chawla M, Cuspoca AF, Akthar N, Magdaleno JSL, Rattanabunyong S, Suwattanasophon C, Jongkon N, Choowongkomon K, Shaikh AR, Malik T, Cavallo L. Immunoinformatics-aided rational design of a multi-epitope vaccine targeting feline infectious peritonitis virus. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1280273. [PMID: 38192725 PMCID: PMC10773687 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1280273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a grave and frequently lethal ailment instigated by feline coronavirus (FCoV) in wild and domestic feline species. The spike (S) protein of FCoV assumes a critical function in viral ingress and infection, thereby presenting a promising avenue for the development of a vaccine. In this investigation, an immunoinformatics approach was employed to ascertain immunogenic epitopes within the S-protein of FIP and formulate an innovative vaccine candidate. By subjecting the amino acid sequence of the FIP S-protein to computational scrutiny, MHC-I binding T-cell epitopes were predicted, which were subsequently evaluated for their antigenicity, toxicity, and allergenicity through in silico tools. Our analyses yielded the identification of 11 potential epitopes capable of provoking a robust immune response against FIPV. Additionally, molecular docking analysis demonstrated the ability of these epitopes to bind with feline MHC class I molecules. Through the utilization of suitable linkers, these epitopes, along with adjuvants, were integrated to design a multi-epitope vaccine candidate. Furthermore, the stability of the interaction between the vaccine candidate and feline Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was established via molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation analyses. This suggests good prospects for future experimental validation to ascertain the efficacy of our vaccine candidate in inducing a protective immune response against FIP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohit Chawla
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, Kaust Catalysis Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrés Felipe Cuspoca
- Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica de Colombia (GRECO), Universidad Pedagógica yTecnológica de Colombia, Tunja, Colombia
- Centro de Atención e Investigación Médica–CAIMED, Chía, Colombia
| | - Nahid Akthar
- Department of Research and Innovation, STEMskills Research and Education Lab Private Limited, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Jorge Samuel Leon Magdaleno
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, Kaust Catalysis Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Nathjanan Jongkon
- Department of Social and Applied Science, College of Industrial Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Abdul Rajjak Shaikh
- Department of Research and Innovation, STEMskills Research and Education Lab Private Limited, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Tabarak Malik
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Luigi Cavallo
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, Kaust Catalysis Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Lusiany T, Terada T, Kishikawa JI, Hirose M, Chen DV, Sugihara F, Ismanto HS, van Eerden FJ, Li S, Kato T, Arase H, Yoshiharu M, Okada M, Standley DM. Enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 Infection via Crosslinking of Adjacent Spike Proteins by N-Terminal Domain-Targeting Antibodies. Viruses 2023; 15:2421. [PMID: 38140662 PMCID: PMC10747171 DOI: 10.3390/v15122421] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells is mediated by the interaction between the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) and host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Certain human antibodies, which target the spike N-terminal domain (NTD) at a distant epitope from the host cell binding surface, have been found to augment ACE2 binding and enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection. Notably, these antibodies exert their effect independently of the antibody fragment crystallizable (Fc) region, distinguishing their mode of action from previously described antibody-dependent infection-enhancing (ADE) mechanisms. Building upon previous hypotheses and experimental evidence, we propose that these NTD-targeting infection-enhancing antibodies (NIEAs) achieve their effect through the crosslinking of neighboring spike proteins. In this study, we present refined structural models of NIEA fragment antigen-binding region (Fab)-NTD complexes, supported by molecular dynamics simulations and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). Furthermore, we provide direct evidence confirming the crosslinking of spike NTDs by NIEAs. Collectively, our findings advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying NIEAs and their impact on SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tina Lusiany
- Department of Genome Informatics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan (H.S.I.); (S.L.)
| | - Tohru Terada
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan;
| | - Jun-ichi Kishikawa
- Cryo-EM Structural Biology, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan; (J.-i.K.); (M.H.); (T.K.)
| | - Mika Hirose
- Cryo-EM Structural Biology, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan; (J.-i.K.); (M.H.); (T.K.)
| | - David Virya Chen
- Department of System Immunology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan; (D.V.C.); (F.J.v.E.)
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
| | - Fuminori Sugihara
- Core Facility, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
| | - Hendra Saputra Ismanto
- Department of Genome Informatics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan (H.S.I.); (S.L.)
| | - Floris J. van Eerden
- Department of System Immunology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan; (D.V.C.); (F.J.v.E.)
| | - Songling Li
- Department of Genome Informatics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan (H.S.I.); (S.L.)
- Department of System Immunology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan; (D.V.C.); (F.J.v.E.)
| | - Takayuki Kato
- Cryo-EM Structural Biology, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan; (J.-i.K.); (M.H.); (T.K.)
| | - Hisashi Arase
- Department of Immunochemistry, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan;
- Department of Immunochemistry, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan
| | - Matsuura Yoshiharu
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
| | - Masato Okada
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS, Osaka University, 2-8 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan;
| | - Daron M. Standley
- Department of Genome Informatics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan (H.S.I.); (S.L.)
- Department of System Immunology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan; (D.V.C.); (F.J.v.E.)
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Yagüe Relimpio A, Fink A, Bui DT, Fabritz S, Schröter M, Ruggieri A, Platzman I, Spatz JP. Bottom-up Assembled Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 Miniviruses Reveal Lipid Membrane Affinity of Omicron Variant Spike Glycoprotein. ACS Nano 2023; 17:23913-23923. [PMID: 37976416 PMCID: PMC10722588 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08323] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been brought on by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The spike glycoprotein (S), which decorates the viral envelope forming a corona, is responsible for the binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and initiating the infection. In comparison to previous variants, Omicron S presents additional binding sites as well as a more positive surface charge. These changes hint at additional molecular targets for interactions between virus and cell, such as the cell membrane or proteoglycans on the cell surface. Herein, bottom-up assembled synthetic SARS-CoV-2 miniviruses (MiniVs), with a lipid composition similar to that of infectious particles, are implemented to study and compare the binding properties of Omicron and Alpha variants. Toward this end, a systematic functional screening is performed to study the binding ability of Omicron and Alpha S proteins to ACE2-functionalized and nonfunctionalized planar supported lipid bilayers. Moreover, giant unilamellar vesicles are used as a cell membrane model to perform competitive interaction assays of the two variants. Finally, two cell lines with and without presentation of the ACE2 receptor are used to confirm the binding properties of the Omicron and Alpha MiniVs to the cellular membrane. Altogether, the results reveal a significantly higher affinity of Omicron S toward both the lipid membrane and ACE2 receptor. The research presented here highlights the advantages of creating and using bottom-up assembled SARS-CoV-2 viruses to understand the impact of changes in the affinity of S for ACE2 in infection studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Yagüe Relimpio
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Fink
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Duc Thien Bui
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Fabritz
- Department
for Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Schröter
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alessia Ruggieri
- Heidelberg
University, Medical Faculty, Centre for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID), Department
of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ilia Platzman
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max
Planck-Bristol Center for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, 1 Tankard’s Close, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
| | - Joachim P. Spatz
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max
Planck-Bristol Center for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, 1 Tankard’s Close, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
- Max Planck
School Matter to Life, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Lipskij A, Arbeitman C, Rojas P, Ojeda-May P, Garcia ME. Dramatic Differences between the Structural Susceptibility of the S1 Pre- and S2 Postfusion States of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to External Electric Fields Revealed by Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Viruses 2023; 15:2405. [PMID: 38140646 PMCID: PMC10748067 DOI: 10.3390/v15122405] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In its prefusion state, the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (similarly to other class I viral fusion proteins) is metastable, which is considered to be an important feature for optimizing or regulating its functions. After the binding process of its S1 subunit (S1) with ACE2, the spike protein (S) undergoes a dramatic conformational change where S1 splits from the S2 subunit, which then penetrates the membrane of the host cell, promoting the fusion of the viral and cell membranes. This results in the infection of the host cell. In a previous work, we showed-using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations-that the application of external electric fields (EFs) induces drastic changes and damage in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the wild-type spike protein, as well of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants, leaving a structure which cannot be recognized anymore by ACE2. In this work, we first extend the study to the Delta and Omicron variants and confirm the high sensitivity and extreme vulnerability of the RBD of the prefusion state of S to moderate EF (as weak as 104 V/m), but, more importantly, we also show that, in contrast, the S2 subunit of the postfusion state of the spike protein does not suffer structural damage even if electric field intensities four orders of magnitude higher are applied. These results provide a solid scientific basis to confirm the connection between the prefusion-state metastability of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its susceptibility to be damaged by EF. After the virus docks to the ACE2 receptor, the stable and robust postfusion conformation develops, which exhibits a similar resistance to EF (damage threshold higher than 108 V/m) like most globular proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Lipskij
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
| | - Claudia Arbeitman
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
- CONICET Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina
- GIBIO-Universidad Tecnológica Nacional-Facultad Regional Buenos Aires, Medrano 951, Buenos Aires C1179AAQ, Argentina
| | - Pablo Rojas
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
| | - Pedro Ojeda-May
- High Performance Computing Center North (HPC2N), Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Martin E. Garcia
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Liu D, Shi D, Shi H, Zhang L, Zhang J, Zeng M, Feng T, Yang X, Zhang X, Chen J, Jing Z, Ji Z, Zhang J, Feng L. Cholesterol 25-Hydroxylase Suppresses Swine Acute Diarrhea Syndrome Coronavirus Infection by Blocking Spike Protein-Mediated Membrane Fusion. Viruses 2023; 15:2406. [PMID: 38140647 PMCID: PMC10747074 DOI: 10.3390/v15122406] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) is an emerging porcine intestinal coronavirus that can cause acute diarrhea, vomiting, rapid weight loss, and high mortality in newborn piglets. Cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H) is a molecular mediator of innate antiviral immunity and converts cholesterol to 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC). Previous studies have reported that CH25H and 25HC have an antiviral effect against multiple viruses. However, the interplay between SADS-CoV infection and CH25H or 25HC is still uncertain. Here, we found that CH25H and its enzymatic product 25HC restrained SADS-CoV replication by blocking membrane fusion. Our results show that CH25H was upregulated by SADS-CoV infection in vitro and in vivo, and that it was an IFN-stimulated gene in porcine ileum epithelial cells. Moreover, CH25H and CH25H mutants lacking catalytic activity can inhibit SADS-CoV replication. Furthermore, 25HC significantly suppressed SADS-CoV infection by inhibiting virus entry. Notably, we confirmed that CH25H and 25HC blocked SADS-CoV spike protein-mediated membrane fusion. Our data provide a possible antiviral therapy against SADS-CoV and other conceivable emerging coronaviruses in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Da Shi
- Correspondence: (D.S.); (L.F.); Tel.: +86-189-4606-6048 (L.F.)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Li Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xiangfang District, Haping Road 678, Harbin 150069, China; (D.L.); (H.S.); (L.Z.); (J.Z.); (M.Z.); (T.F.); (X.Y.); (X.Z.); (J.C.); (Z.J.); (Z.J.); (J.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Queirós-Reis L, Mesquita JR, Brancale A, Bassetto M. Exploring the Fatty Acid Binding Pocket in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein - Confirmed and Potential Ligands. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:7282-7298. [PMID: 37991468 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00803] [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] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a respiratory virus responsible for coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and the still ongoing and unprecedented global pandemic. The key viral protein for cell infection is the spike glycoprotein, a surface-exposed fusion protein that both recognizes and mediates entry into host cells. Within the spike glycoprotein, a fatty acid binding pocket (FABP) was confirmed, with the crystallization of linoleic acid (LA) occupying a well-defined site. Importantly, when the pocket is occupied by a fatty acid, an inactive conformation is stabilized, and cell recognition is hindered. In this review, we discuss ligands reported so far for this site, correlating their activity predicted through in silico studies with antispike experimental activity, assessed by either binding assays or cell-infection assays. LA was the first confirmed ligand, cocrystallized in a cryo-EM structure of the spike protein, resulting in increased stability of the inactive conformation of the spike protein. The next identified ligand, lifitegrast, was also experimentally confirmed as a ligand with antiviral activity, suggesting the potential for diverse chemical scaffolds to bind this site. Finally, SPC-14 was also confirmed as a ligand, although no inhibition assays were performed. In this review, we identified 20 studies describing small-molecule compounds predicted to bind the pocket in in silico studies and with confirmed binding or in vitro activity, either inhibitory activity against the spike-ACE2 interaction or antiviral activity in cell-based assays. When considering all ligands confirmed with in vitro assays, a good overall occupation of the pocket should be complemented with the ability to make direct interactions, both hydrophilic and hydrophobic, with key amino acid residues defining the pocket surface. Among the active compounds, long flexible carbon chains are recurrent, with retinoids capable of binding the FABP, although bulkier systems are also capable of affecting viral fitness. Compounds able to bind this site with high affinity have the potential to stabilize the inactive conformation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and therefore reduce the virus's ability to infect new cells. Since this pocket is conserved in highly pathogenic human coronaviruses, including MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, this effect could be exploited for the development of new antiviral agents, with broad-spectrum anticoronavirus activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luís Queirós-Reis
- Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal
| | - Andrea Brancale
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, 166 28 Praha, Czechia
| | - Marcella Bassetto
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3BN, U.K
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Yao Y, Choe U, Li Y, Liu Z, Zeng M, Wang TTY, Sun J, Wu X, Pehrsson P, He X, Zhang Y, Gao B, Moore JC, Chen P, Slavin M, Yu LL. Chemical Composition of Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Extract and Its Inhibitory Effects on SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein-ACE2 Interaction and ACE2 Activity and Free Radical Scavenging Capacities. J Agric Food Chem 2023; 71:18735-18745. [PMID: 37988686 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02301] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated the chemical composition of rosemary water extract (RWE) and its influence on mechanisms by which the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters into cells as a potential route for reducing the risk of COVID-19 disease. Compounds in RWE were identified using UHPLC-MS/MS. The inhibitory effect of RWE was then evaluated on binding between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S-protein) and ACE2 and separately on ACE2 activity/availability. Additionally, total phenolic content (TPC) and free radical scavenging capacities of RWE against HO•, ABTS•+, and DPPH• were assessed. Twenty-one compounds were tentatively identified in RWE, of which tuberonic acid hexoside was identified for the first time in rosemary. RWE dose of 33.3 mg of rosemary equivalents (RE)/mL suppressed the interaction between S-protein and ACE2 by 72.9%, while rosmarinic and caffeic acids at 3.3 μmol/mL suppressed the interaction by 36 and 55%, respectively. RWE at 5.0, 2.5, and 0.5 mg of RE/mL inhibited ACE2 activity by 99.5, 94.5, and 68.6%, respectively, while rosmarinic acid at 0.05 and 0.01 μmol/mL reduced ACE2 activity by 31 and 8%, respectively. RWE had a TPC value of 72.5 mg GAE/g. The results provide a mechanistic basis on which rosemary may reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhang Yao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Uyory Choe
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Yanfang Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Zhihao Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Melody Zeng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Thomas T Y Wang
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Jianghao Sun
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Xianli Wu
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Pamela Pehrsson
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Xiaohua He
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, California 94710, United States
| | - Yaqiong Zhang
- Institute of Food and Nutraceutical Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Boyan Gao
- Institute of Food and Nutraceutical Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jeffrey C Moore
- Moore FoodTech, LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Pei Chen
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Margaret Slavin
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Liangli Lucy Yu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Silva RS, Souza LMP, Costa RKM, Souza FR, Pimentel AS. Absolute binding free energies of the antiviral peptide ATN-161 with protein targets of SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:10546-10557. [PMID: 36476274 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2154848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The interactions of the antiviral pentapeptide ATN-161 with the closed and open conformations of the α5β1 integrin, the SARS-CoV-2 major protease, and the omicron variant spike protein complexed with hACE2 were studied using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Molecular docking was performed to obtain ATN-161 binding poses with these studied protein targets. Subsequently, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to verify the ligand stability at the binding site of each protein target. Pulling simulations, umbrella sampling, and weighted histogram analysis method were used to obtain the potential of mean force of each system and calculate the Gibbs free energy of binding for the ATN-161 peptide in each binding site of these protein targets. The results showed that ATN-161 binds to α5β1 integrin in its active and inactive form, binds weakly to the omicron variant spike protein complexed with hACE2, and strongly binds to the main protease target.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rudielson Santos Silva
- Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Felipe Rodrigues Souza
- Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André Silva Pimentel
- Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Scheim DE, Vottero P, Santin AD, Hirsh AG. Sialylated Glycan Bindings from SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to Blood and Endothelial Cells Govern the Severe Morbidities of COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17039. [PMID: 38069362 PMCID: PMC10871123 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317039] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Consistent with well-established biochemical properties of coronaviruses, sialylated glycan attachments between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) and host cells are key to the virus's pathology. SARS-CoV-2 SP attaches to and aggregates red blood cells (RBCs), as shown in many pre-clinical and clinical studies, causing pulmonary and extrapulmonary microthrombi and hypoxia in severe COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 SP attachments to the heavily sialylated surfaces of platelets (which, like RBCs, have no ACE2) and endothelial cells (having minimal ACE2) compound this vascular damage. Notably, experimentally induced RBC aggregation in vivo causes the same key morbidities as for severe COVID-19, including microvascular occlusion, blood clots, hypoxia and myocarditis. Key risk factors for COVID-19 morbidity, including older age, diabetes and obesity, are all characterized by markedly increased propensity to RBC clumping. For mammalian species, the degree of clinical susceptibility to COVID-19 correlates to RBC aggregability with p = 0.033. Notably, of the five human betacoronaviruses, the two common cold strains express an enzyme that releases glycan attachments, while the deadly SARS, SARS-CoV-2 and MERS do not, although viral loads for COVID-19 and the two common cold infections are similar. These biochemical insights also explain the previously puzzling clinical efficacy of certain generics against COVID-19 and may support the development of future therapeutic strategies for COVID-19 and long COVID patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David E Scheim
- US Public Health Service, Commissioned Corps, Inactive Reserve, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Paola Vottero
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
| | - Alessandro D Santin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, P.O. Box 208063, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Polykretis P, Donzelli A, Lindsay JC, Wiseman D, Kyriakopoulos AM, Mörz M, Bellavite P, Fukushima M, Seneff S, McCullough PA. Autoimmune inflammatory reactions triggered by the COVID-19 genetic vaccines in terminally differentiated tissues. Autoimmunity 2023; 56:2259123. [PMID: 37710966 DOI: 10.1080/08916934.2023.2259123] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
As a result of the spread of SARS-CoV-2, a global pandemic was declared. Indiscriminate COVID-19 vaccination has been extended to include age groups and naturally immune people with minimal danger of suffering serious complications due to COVID-19. Solid immuno-histopathological evidence demonstrates that the COVID-19 genetic vaccines can display a wide distribution within the body, affecting tissues that are terminally differentiated and far away from the injection site. These include the heart and brain, which may incur in situ production of spike protein eliciting a strong autoimmunological inflammatory response. Due to the fact that every human cell which synthesises non-self antigens, inevitably becomes the target of the immune system, and since the human body is not a strictly compartmentalised system, accurate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies are needed in order to determine precisely which tissues can be harmed. Therefore, our article aims to draw the attention of the scientific and regulatory communities to the critical need for biodistribution studies for the genetic vaccines against COVID-19, as well as for rational harm-benefit assessments by age group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Panagis Polykretis
- "Allineare Sanità e Salute" Foundation, Milano, Italy
- Independent Medical Scientific Commission (CMSi), Milano, Italy
| | - Alberto Donzelli
- "Allineare Sanità e Salute" Foundation, Milano, Italy
- Independent Medical Scientific Commission (CMSi), Milano, Italy
| | - Janci C Lindsay
- Toxicology & Molecular Biology, Toxicology Support Services, LLC, Sealy, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Stephanie Seneff
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Sembera J, Baine C, Ankunda V, Katende JS, Oluka GK, Akoli CH, Kato L, Odoch G, Ejou P, Opio S, Musenero M, Kaleebu P, Serwanga J. Sustained spike-specific IgG antibodies following CoronaVac (Sinovac) vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa, but increased breakthrough infections in baseline spike-naive individuals. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1255676. [PMID: 38098482 PMCID: PMC10720323 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1255676] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction This study investigated the antibody responses to the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac (Sinovac Biotech) in the African population to provide valuable insights into long-term immunity and breakthrough infections against SARS-CoV-2 in individuals with varying prior IgG seropositivity. Methods Real-life cohorts were used to longitudinally track antibody levels against the SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleoprotein in 60 participants over 12 months to examine the levels of multiple antibody isotypes (S-IgG, S-IgM, S-IgA, N-IgG, and N-IgM). Results Throughout the 12 months, we observed consistently high and stable seropositivity rates for spike-IgG antibodies, spike-IgM antibodies showed a decline in frequencies over time, and spike-IgA levels remained moderate and stable. Vaccinated individuals previously positive for spike-IgG antibodies demonstrated strong and persistent seropositivity, while those initially negative experienced a gradual and delayed increase in seropositivity rates. The fold change analysis of S- and N- antibody responses demonstrated a consistently stable and comparable profile over time, indicating that vaccine-induced antibody responses remain constant and lack significant fluctuations beyond the initial boost. The study emphasized that individuals lacking previous IgG positivity showed reduced vaccine-induced spike-IgG antibodies and were more susceptible to breakthrough infections, highlighting their higher vulnerability. All cases of breakthrough infections were asymptomatic, indicating the conferred protection to the vaccinated individuals. Discussion The findings corroborated earlier studies on the effectiveness of the CoronaVac vaccine and emphasized the significance of accounting for pre-existing seropositivity in vaccine assessments. This study effectively demonstrated durable antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 in the African population following the CoronaVac vaccination, providing crucial insights for informing vaccination strategies and safeguarding vulnerable populations. Continuous surveillance is imperative for tracking breakthrough infections and monitoring waning immunity. The insights gained offer crucial direction for public health strategies and enhance comprehension of vaccine effectiveness in sub-Saharan Africa. Further research should explore functional outcomes, cellular immune responses, and the vaccine's effectiveness against different variants to enhance our understanding and optimize vaccine strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jackson Sembera
- Department of Immunology, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Claire Baine
- Department of Immunology, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Violet Ankunda
- Department of Immunology, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Joseph Ssebwana Katende
- Department of Immunology, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Gerald Kevin Oluka
- Department of Immunology, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Christine Hermilia Akoli
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Laban Kato
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Geoffrey Odoch
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Peter Ejou
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Solomon Opio
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Monica Musenero
- Science, Technology, and Innovation Secretariat, Office of the President, Government of Uganda, Kampala, Uganda
| | - The COVID-19 Immunoprofiling Team
- Department of Immunology, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Pontiano Kaleebu
- Department of Immunology, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Jennifer Serwanga
- Department of Immunology, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
- Pathogen Genomics, Phenotype, and Immunity Program, Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Ye G, Pan R, Bu F, Zheng J, Mendoza A, Wen W, Du L, Spiller B, Wadzinski BE, Liu B, Perlman S, Li F. Discovery of Nanosota-2, -3, and -4 as super potent and broad-spectrum therapeutic nanobody candidates against COVID-19. J Virol 2023; 97:e0144823. [PMID: 37855638 PMCID: PMC10688364 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01448-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic exposed limitations of conventional antibodies as therapeutics, including high cost, limited potency, ineffectiveness against new viral variants, and primary reliance on injection-only delivery. Nanobodies are single-domain antibodies with therapeutic potentials. We discovered three anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies, named Nanosota-2, -3, and -4, from an immunized alpaca. Nanosota-2 is super potent against prototypic SARS-CoV-2, Nanosota-3 is highly potent against the omicron variant, and Nanosota-4 is effective against both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. In addition to their super potency and combined broad antiviral spectrum, these nanobodies are cost-effective, can be easily adapted to new viral variants through phage display, and can potentially be administered as inhalers. The Nanosota series are powerful therapeutic candidates to combat circulating SARS-CoV-2 and prepare for possible future coronavirus pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gang Ye
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ruangang Pan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Fan Bu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jian Zheng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Alise Mendoza
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Wei Wen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Lanying Du
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Benjamin Spiller
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Brian E. Wadzinski
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota, USA
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Kumar S, Delipan R, Chakraborty D, Kanjo K, Singh R, Singh N, Siddiqui S, Tyagi A, Jha V, Thakur KG, Pandey R, Varadarajan R, Ringe RP. Mutations in S2 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike strongly influence its conformation, fusogenicity, and neutralization sensitivity. J Virol 2023; 97:e0092223. [PMID: 37861334 PMCID: PMC10688319 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00922-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The Omicron subvariants have substantially evaded host-neutralizing antibodies and adopted an endosomal route of entry. The virus has acquired several mutations in the receptor binding domain and N-terminal domain of S1 subunit, but remarkably, also incorporated mutations in S2 which are fixed in Omicron sub-lineage. Here, we found that the mutations in the S2 subunit affect the structural and biological properties such as neutralization escape, entry route, fusogenicity, and protease requirement. In vivo, these mutations may have significant roles in tropism and replication. A detailed understanding of the effects of S2 mutations on Spike function, immune evasion, and viral entry would inform the vaccine design, as well as therapeutic interventions aiming to block the essential proteases for virus entry. Thus, our study has identified the crucial role of S2 mutations in stabilizing the Omicron spike and modulating neutralization resistance to antibodies targeting the S1 subunit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sahil Kumar
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| | - Rathina Delipan
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Kawkab Kanjo
- Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | | | - Nittu Singh
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| | - Samreen Siddiqui
- Max Super Speciality Hospital (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation), Max Healthcare, Delhi, India
| | - Akansha Tyagi
- Max Super Speciality Hospital (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation), Max Healthcare, Delhi, India
| | - Vinitaa Jha
- Max Super Speciality Hospital (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation), Max Healthcare, Delhi, India
| | - Krishan G. Thakur
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| | - Rajesh Pandey
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
| | | | - Rajesh P. Ringe
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Chandigarh, India
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Rahimi N, White MR, Amraei R, Lotfollahzadeh S, Xia C, Michalak M, Costello CE, Mühlberger E. Calreticulin Regulates SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Turnover and Modulates SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity. Cells 2023; 12:2694. [PMID: 38067122 PMCID: PMC10705507 DOI: 10.3390/cells12232694] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular complications are major clinical hallmarks of acute and post-acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the mechanistic details of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity of endothelial cells remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein shares a similarity with the proline-rich binding ena/VASP homology (EVH1) domain and identified the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident calreticulin (CALR) as an S-RBD interacting protein. Our biochemical analysis showed that CALR, via its proline-rich (P) domain, interacts with S-RBD and modulates proteostasis of the S protein. Treatment of cells with the proteasomal inhibitor bortezomib increased the expression of the S protein independent of CALR, whereas the lysosomal/autophagy inhibitor bafilomycin 1A, which interferes with the acidification of lysosome, selectively augmented the S protein levels in a CALR-dependent manner. More importantly, the shRNA-mediated knockdown of CALR increased SARS-CoV-2 infection and impaired calcium homeostasis of human endothelial cells. This study provides new insight into the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, calcium hemostasis, and the role of CALR in the ER-lysosome-dependent proteolysis of the spike protein, which could be associated with cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nader Rahimi
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Mitchell R. White
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA; (M.R.W.); (E.M.)
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Razie Amraei
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Saran Lotfollahzadeh
- Renal Section, Department of Medicine, Medical Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Chaoshuang Xia
- Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA; (C.X.); (C.E.C.)
| | - Marek Michalak
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada;
| | - Catherine E. Costello
- Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA; (C.X.); (C.E.C.)
| | - Elke Mühlberger
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA; (M.R.W.); (E.M.)
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| |
Collapse
|