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D’Acunto E, Muzi A, Marchese S, Donnici L, Chiarini V, Bucci F, Pavoni E, Ferrara FF, Cappelletti M, Arriga R, Serrao SM, Peluzzi V, Principato E, Compagnone M, Pinto E, Luberto L, Stoppoloni D, Lahm A, Groß R, Seidel A, Wettstein L, Münch J, Goodhead A, Parisot J, De Francesco R, Ciliberto G, Marra E, Aurisicchio L, Roscilli G. Isolation and Characterization of Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies from a Large Panel of Murine Antibodies against RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein. Antibodies (Basel) 2024; 13:5. [PMID: 38247569 PMCID: PMC10801580 DOI: 10.3390/antib13010005] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, once a global crisis, is now largely under control, a testament to the extraordinary global efforts involving vaccination and public health measures. However, the relentless evolution of SARS-CoV-2, leading to the emergence of new variants, continues to underscore the importance of remaining vigilant and adaptable. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have stood out as a powerful and immediate therapeutic response to COVID-19. Despite the success of mAbs, the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 continues to pose challenges and the available antibodies are no longer effective. New variants require the ongoing development of effective antibodies. In the present study, we describe the generation and characterization of neutralizing mAbs against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by combining plasmid DNA and recombinant protein vaccination. By integrating genetic immunization for rapid antibody production and the potent immune stimulation enabled by protein vaccination, we produced a rich pool of antibodies, each with unique binding and neutralizing specificities, tested with the ELISA, BLI and FACS assays and the pseudovirus assay, respectively. Here, we present a panel of mAbs effective against the SARS-CoV-2 variants up to Omicron BA.1 and BA.5, with the flexibility to target emerging variants. This approach ensures the preparedness principle is in place to address SARS-CoV-2 actual and future infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela D’Acunto
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Alessia Muzi
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Silvia Marchese
- INGM-Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Erica Invernizzi”, 20122 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (L.D.); (R.D.F.)
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (DiSFeB), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Lorena Donnici
- INGM-Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Erica Invernizzi”, 20122 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (L.D.); (R.D.F.)
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (DiSFeB), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Federica Bucci
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Emiliano Pavoni
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Fabiana Fosca Ferrara
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Manuela Cappelletti
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Roberto Arriga
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Silvia Maria Serrao
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Valentina Peluzzi
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenia Principato
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Eleonora Pinto
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Laura Luberto
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Daniela Stoppoloni
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Armin Lahm
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Rüdiger Groß
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (R.G.); (A.S.); (J.M.)
| | - Alina Seidel
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (R.G.); (A.S.); (J.M.)
| | - Lukas Wettstein
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (R.G.); (A.S.); (J.M.)
| | - Jan Münch
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (R.G.); (A.S.); (J.M.)
| | - Andrew Goodhead
- Carterra, 825 N. 300 W., Suite C309, Salt Lake City, UT 84103, USA; (A.G.); (J.P.)
| | - Judicael Parisot
- Carterra, 825 N. 300 W., Suite C309, Salt Lake City, UT 84103, USA; (A.G.); (J.P.)
| | - Raffaele De Francesco
- INGM-Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare “Romeo ed Erica Invernizzi”, 20122 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (L.D.); (R.D.F.)
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (DiSFeB), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Gennaro Ciliberto
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCSS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy;
| | - Emanuele Marra
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Luigi Aurisicchio
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
| | - Giuseppe Roscilli
- Takis Biotech, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (F.B.); (E.P.); (F.F.F.); (M.C.); (R.A.); (S.M.S.); (V.P.); (E.P.); (E.P.); (L.L.); (D.S.); (A.L.); (E.M.); (L.A.)
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Ronzoni R, Ferrarotti I, D’Acunto E, Balderacchi AM, Ottaviani S, Lomas DA, Irving JA, Miranda E, Fra A. The Importance of N186 in the Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Shutter Region Is Revealed by the Novel Bologna Deficiency Variant. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5668. [PMID: 34073489 PMCID: PMC8198886 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency causes pulmonary disease due to decreased levels of circulating AAT and consequently unbalanced protease activity in the lungs. Deposition of specific AAT variants, such as the common Z AAT, within hepatocytes may also result in liver disease. These deposits are comprised of ordered polymers of AAT formed by an inter-molecular domain swap. The discovery and characterization of rare variants of AAT and other serpins have historically played a crucial role in the dissection of the structural mechanisms leading to AAT polymer formation. Here, we report a severely deficient shutter region variant, Bologna AAT (N186Y), which was identified in five unrelated subjects with different geographical origins. We characterized the new variant by expression in cellular models in comparison with known polymerogenic AAT variants. Bologna AAT showed secretion deficiency and intracellular accumulation as detergent-insoluble polymers. Extracellular polymers were detected in both the culture media of cells expressing Bologna AAT and in the plasma of a patient homozygous for this variant. Structural modelling revealed that the mutation disrupts the hydrogen bonding network in the AAT shutter region. These data support a crucial coordinating role for asparagine 186 and the importance of this network in promoting formation of the native structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Ronzoni
- UCL Respiratory and the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6JF, UK; (D.A.L.); (J.A.I.)
| | - Ilaria Ferrarotti
- Pneumology Unit, Centre for Diagnosis of Inherited Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, IRCCS San Matteo Hospital Foundation, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (I.F.); (A.M.B.); (S.O.)
| | - Emanuela D’Acunto
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (E.D.); (E.M.)
| | - Alice M. Balderacchi
- Pneumology Unit, Centre for Diagnosis of Inherited Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, IRCCS San Matteo Hospital Foundation, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (I.F.); (A.M.B.); (S.O.)
| | - Stefania Ottaviani
- Pneumology Unit, Centre for Diagnosis of Inherited Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, IRCCS San Matteo Hospital Foundation, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (I.F.); (A.M.B.); (S.O.)
| | - David A. Lomas
- UCL Respiratory and the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6JF, UK; (D.A.L.); (J.A.I.)
| | - James A. Irving
- UCL Respiratory and the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6JF, UK; (D.A.L.); (J.A.I.)
| | - Elena Miranda
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (E.D.); (E.M.)
- Italian Pasteur Institute—Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Annamaria Fra
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
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