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Lladós G, Massanella M, Coll-Fernández R, Rodríguez R, Hernández E, Lucente G, López C, Loste C, Santos JR, España-Cueto S, Nevot M, Muñoz-López F, Silva-Arrieta S, Brander C, Durà MJ, Cuadras P, Bechini J, Tenesa M, Martinez-Piñeiro A, Herrero C, Chamorro A, Garcia A, Grau E, Clotet B, Paredes R, Mateu L. Vagus nerve dysfunction in the post-COVID-19 condition: a pilot cross-sectional study. Clin Microbiol Infect 2024; 30:515-521. [PMID: 37984511 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.11.007] [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: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) is a disabling syndrome affecting at least 5%-10% of subjects who survive COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 mediated vagus nerve dysfunction could explain some PCC symptoms, such as dysphonia, dysphagia, dyspnea, dizziness, tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension, gastrointestinal disturbances, or neurocognitive complaints. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional pilot study in subjects with PCC with symptoms suggesting vagus nerve dysfunction (n = 30) and compared them with subjects fully recovered from acute COVID-19 (n = 14) and with individuals never infected (n = 16). We evaluated the structure and function of the vagus nerve and respiratory muscles. RESULTS Participants were mostly women (24 of 30, 80%), and the median age was 44 years (interquartile range [IQR] 35-51 years). Their most prevalent symptoms were cognitive dysfunction 25 of 30 (83%), dyspnea 24 of 30 (80%), and tachycardia 24 of 30 (80%). Compared with COVID-19-recovered and uninfected controls, respectively, subjects with PCC were more likely to show thickening and hyperechogenic vagus nerve in neck ultrasounds (cross-sectional area [CSA] [mean ± standard deviation]: 2.4 ± 0.97mm2 vs. 2 ± 0.52mm2 vs. 1.9 ± 0.73 mm2; p 0.08), reduced esophageal-gastric-intestinal peristalsis (34% vs. 0% vs. 21%; p 0.02), gastroesophageal reflux (34% vs. 19% vs. 7%; p 0.13), and hiatal hernia (25% vs. 0% vs. 7%; p 0.05). Subjects with PCC showed flattening hemidiaphragms (47% vs. 6% vs. 14%; p 0.007), and reductions in maximum inspiratory pressure (62% vs. 6% vs. 17%; p ≤ 0.001), indicating respiratory muscle weakness. The latter findings suggest additional involvement of the phrenic nerve. DISCUSSION Vagus and phrenic nerve dysfunction contribute to the complex and multifactorial pathophysiology of PCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Lladós
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; Red Española de la Investigación en COVID Persistente (REiCOP), Madrid, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Marta Massanella
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, CIBERINFEC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roser Coll-Fernández
- Red Española de la Investigación en COVID Persistente (REiCOP), Madrid, Spain; Department of Rehabilitation, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Raúl Rodríguez
- Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Electra Hernández
- Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Giuseppe Lucente
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Cristina López
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; Red Española de la Investigación en COVID Persistente (REiCOP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cora Loste
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; Red Española de la Investigación en COVID Persistente (REiCOP), Madrid, Spain; University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain
| | - José Ramón Santos
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; Red Española de la Investigación en COVID Persistente (REiCOP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio España-Cueto
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Maria Nevot
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Francisco Muñoz-López
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Sandra Silva-Arrieta
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Christian Brander
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Maria José Durà
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Rehabilitation, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Patricia Cuadras
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Jordi Bechini
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Tenesa
- Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Alicia Martinez-Piñeiro
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Cristina Herrero
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Anna Chamorro
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Anna Garcia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Eulalia Grau
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Roger Paredes
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, CIBERINFEC, Madrid, Spain; University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain; Center for Global Health and Diseases, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Lourdes Mateu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Germans Trias Long-COVID Unit, Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain; Red Española de la Investigación en COVID Persistente (REiCOP), Madrid, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain.
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Mateu L, Tebe C, Loste C, Santos JR, Lladós G, López C, España-Cueto S, Toledo R, Font M, Chamorro A, Muñoz-López F, Nevot M, Vallejo N, Teis A, Puig J, Fumaz CR, Muñoz-Moreno JA, Prats A, Estany-Quera C, Coll-Fernández R, Herrero C, Casares P, Garcia A, Clotet B, Paredes R, Massanella M. Determinants of the onset and prognosis of the post-COVID-19 condition: a 2-year prospective observational cohort study. Lancet Reg Health Eur 2023; 33:100724. [PMID: 37954002 PMCID: PMC10636281 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Background At least 5-10% of subjects surviving COVID-19 develop the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) or "Long COVID". The clinical presentation of PCC is heterogeneous, its pathogenesis is being deciphered, and objective, validated biomarkers are lacking. It is unknown if PCC is a single entity or a heterogeneous syndrome with overlapping pathophysiological basis. The large US RECOVER study identified four clusters of subjects with PCC according to their presenting symptoms. However, the long-term clinical implications of PCC remain unknown. Methods We conducted a 2-year prospective cohort study of subjects surviving COVID-19, including individuals fulfilling the WHO PCC definition and subjects with full clinical recovery. We systematically collected post-COVID-19 symptoms using prespecified questionnaires and performed additional diagnostic imaging tests when needed. Factors associated with PCC were identified and modelled using logistic regression. Unsupervised clustering analysis was used to group subjects with PCC according to their presenting symptoms. Factors associated with PCC recovery were modelled using a direct acyclic graph approach. Findings The study included 548 individuals, 341 with PCC, followed for a median of 23 months (IQR 16.5-23.5), and 207 subjects fully recovered. In the model with the best fit, subjects who were male and had tertiary studies were less likely to develop PCC, whereas a history of headache, or presence of tachycardia, fatigue, neurocognitive and neurosensitive complaints and dyspnea at COVID-19 diagnosis predicted the development of PCC. The cluster analysis revealed the presence of three symptom clusters with an additive number of symptoms. Only 26 subjects (7.6%) recovered from PCC during follow-up; almost all of them (n = 24) belonged to the less symptomatic cluster A, dominated mainly by fatigue. Recovery from PCC was more likely in subjects who were male, required ICU admission, or had cardiovascular comorbidities, hyporexia and/or smell/taste alterations during acute COVID-19. Subjects presenting with muscle pain, impaired attention, dyspnea, or tachycardia, conversely, were less likely to recover from PCC. Interpretation Preexisting medical and socioeconomic factors, as well as acute COVID-19 symptoms, are associated with the development of and recovery from the PCC. Recovery is extremely rare during the first 2 years, posing a major challenge to healthcare systems. Funding Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Mateu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat de Vic – UCC, Vic, Catalonia, Spain
- REICOP, Spain
| | - Cristian Tebe
- Biostatistics Unit, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Cora Loste
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat de Vic – UCC, Vic, Catalonia, Spain
- REICOP, Spain
| | - José Ramón Santos
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Gemma Lladós
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- REICOP, Spain
| | - Cristina López
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sergio España-Cueto
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ruth Toledo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marta Font
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Anna Chamorro
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Francisco Muñoz-López
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Maria Nevot
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Nuria Vallejo
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Albert Teis
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Puig
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carmina R. Fumaz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- REICOP, Spain
| | - José A. Muñoz-Moreno
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Anna Prats
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- REICOP, Spain
| | - Carla Estany-Quera
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Roser Coll-Fernández
- REICOP, Spain
- Department of Rehabilitation, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Cristina Herrero
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Patricia Casares
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ana Garcia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat de Vic – UCC, Vic, Catalonia, Spain
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- CIBER Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Roger Paredes
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundació Lluita Contra les Infeccions, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat de Vic – UCC, Vic, Catalonia, Spain
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- CIBER Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Marta Massanella
- REICOP, Spain
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- CIBER Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
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Gutiérrez-Chamorro L, Riveira-Muñoz E, Barrios C, Palau V, Nevot M, Pedreño-López S, Senserrich J, Massanella M, Clotet B, Cabrera C, Mitjà O, Crespo M, Pascual J, Riera M, Ballana E. SARS-CoV-2 Infection Modulates ACE2 Function and Subsequent Inflammatory Responses in Swabs and Plasma of COVID-19 Patients. Viruses 2021; 13:v13091715. [PMID: 34578296 PMCID: PMC8471465 DOI: 10.3390/v13091715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a host ectopeptidase and the receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, albeit virus-ACE2 interaction goes far beyond viral entry into target cells. Controversial data exists linking viral infection to changes in ACE2 expression and function, which might influence the subsequent induction of an inflammatory response. Here, we tested the significance of soluble ACE2 enzymatic activity longitudinally in nasopharyngeal swabs and plasma samples of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, along with the induction of inflammatory cytokines. Release of soluble functional ACE2 increases upon SARS-CoV-2 infection in swabs and plasma of infected patients, albeit rapidly decreasing during infection course in parallel with ACE2 gene expression. Similarly, SARS-CoV-2 infection also induced the expression of inflammatory cytokines. These changes positively correlated with the viral load. Overall, our results demonstrate the existence of mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 modulates ACE2 expression and function, intracellular viral sensing and subsequent inflammatory response, offering new insights into ACE2 dynamics in the human upper respiratory tract and pointing towards soluble ACE2 levels as a putative early biomarker of infection severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Gutiérrez-Chamorro
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Eva Riveira-Muñoz
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Clara Barrios
- Hospital del Mar Department of Nephrology, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (C.B.); (V.P.); (M.C.); (J.P.)
| | - Vanesa Palau
- Hospital del Mar Department of Nephrology, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (C.B.); (V.P.); (M.C.); (J.P.)
| | - Maria Nevot
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Sònia Pedreño-López
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Jordi Senserrich
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Marta Massanella
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
- Fight AIDS and Infectious Diseases Foundation, 08916 Badalona, Spain;
- Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain
- Universitat Central de Catalunya, Universitat de Vic, 08500 Vic, Spain
| | - Cecilia Cabrera
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
| | - Oriol Mitjà
- Fight AIDS and Infectious Diseases Foundation, 08916 Badalona, Spain;
- Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain
- Universitat Central de Catalunya, Universitat de Vic, 08500 Vic, Spain
- Lihir Medical Centre-International SOS, Londolovit, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea
| | - Marta Crespo
- Hospital del Mar Department of Nephrology, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (C.B.); (V.P.); (M.C.); (J.P.)
| | - Julio Pascual
- Hospital del Mar Department of Nephrology, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (C.B.); (V.P.); (M.C.); (J.P.)
| | - Marta Riera
- Hospital del Mar Department of Nephrology, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (C.B.); (V.P.); (M.C.); (J.P.)
- Correspondence: (M.R.); (E.B.)
| | - Ester Ballana
- IrsiCaixa-AIDS Research Institute, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (L.G.-C.); (E.R.-M.); (M.N.); (S.P.-L.); (J.S.); (M.M.); (B.C.); (C.C.)
- Correspondence: (M.R.); (E.B.)
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Martínez MA, Jordan-Paiz A, Franco S, Nevot M. Synonymous genome recoding: a tool to explore microbial biology and new therapeutic strategies. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:10506-10519. [PMID: 31584076 PMCID: PMC6846928 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic genome recoding is a new means of generating designed organisms with altered phenotypes. Synonymous mutations introduced into the protein coding region tolerate modifications in DNA or mRNA without modifying the encoded proteins. Synonymous genome-wide recoding has allowed the synthetic generation of different small-genome viruses with modified phenotypes and biological properties. Recently, a decreased cost of chemically synthesizing DNA and improved methods for assembling DNA fragments (e.g. lambda red recombination and CRISPR-based editing) have enabled the construction of an Escherichia coli variant with a 4-Mb synthetic synonymously recoded genome with a reduced number of sense codons (n = 59) encoding the 20 canonical amino acids. Synonymous genome recoding is increasing our knowledge of microbial interactions with innate immune responses, identifying functional genome structures, and strategically ameliorating cis-inhibitory signaling sequences related to splicing, replication (in eukaryotes), and complex microbe functions, unraveling the relevance of codon usage for the temporal regulation of gene expression and the microbe mutant spectrum and adaptability. New biotechnological and therapeutic applications of this methodology can easily be envisaged. In this review, we discuss how synonymous genome recoding may impact our knowledge of microbial biology and the development of new and better therapeutic methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Angel Martínez
- IrsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Badalona, Spain
| | - Ana Jordan-Paiz
- IrsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Badalona, Spain
| | - Sandra Franco
- IrsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Badalona, Spain
| | - Maria Nevot
- IrsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Badalona, Spain
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Nevot M, Parera M, Martrus G, Martínez MA. A21 Evolvability of HIV-1 is influenced by codon pair usage. Virus Evol 2018. [PMCID: PMC5905444 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vey010.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M Nevot
- Irsicaixa, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - M Parera
- Irsicaixa, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - G Martrus
- Irsicaixa, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - M A Martínez
- Irsicaixa, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
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Martínez MA, Jordan-Paiz A, Franco S, Nevot M. Synonymous Virus Genome Recoding as a Tool to Impact Viral Fitness. Trends Microbiol 2016; 24:134-147. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2015] [Revised: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Franco S, Tural C, Nevot M, Moltó J, Rockstroh JK, Clotet B, Martinez MA. Detection of a sexually transmitted hepatitis C virus protease inhibitor-resistance variant in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected homosexual man. Gastroenterology 2014; 147:599-601.e1. [PMID: 24859204 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Revised: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
There is an international epidemic of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among human immunodeficiency virus-infected men who have sex with men. Transmission of HCV variants that are resistant to recently approved direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) could be an important clinical and public health problem. We document a case of transmission of a DAA-resistant variant of HCV from a patient who was treated with telaprevir to his sexual partner. The transmission of HCV DAA-resistant variants could impair therapeutic regimens that include DAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristina Tural
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain; Universitat de Vic (UVic) Barcelona, Spain; Fundació Lluita contra la SIDA, Badalona, Spain
| | | | - José Moltó
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain; Universitat de Vic (UVic) Barcelona, Spain; Fundació Lluita contra la SIDA, Badalona, Spain
| | | | - Bonaventura Clotet
- Fundació irsiCaixa, Badalona, Spain; Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain; Universitat de Vic (UVic) Barcelona, Spain; Fundació Lluita contra la SIDA, Badalona, Spain
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Nevot M, Boesecke C, Parera M, Andrés C, Franco S, Revollo B, Ingiliz P, Tural C, Clotet B, Rockstroh JK, Martinez MA. Hepatitis C virus NS3/4A quasispecies diversity in acute hepatitis C infection in HIV-1 co-infected patients. J Viral Hepat 2014; 21:e19-28. [PMID: 24674023 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.12254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The growing number of cases of acute hepatitis C (AHC) infections among human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in the last 10 years has promoted the search for predictors of AHC clearance as well as for epidemiological networks of viral transmission. We characterized the diversity and catalytic efficiency of HCV NS3/4A protease quasispecies in AHC patients coinfected with HIV-1. Plasma samples obtained at HCV diagnosis from 18 MSM HIV-coinfected patients with AHC were studied. Five HCV monoinfected patient samples with AHC were also investigated. An average of 39 clones from each sample was analysed. The catalytic efficiency of the dominant quasispecies (i.e. the most abundant) from each quasispecies was also assayed for mitochondrial antiviral signalling protein (MAVS) cleavage. Phylogenetic analysis identified two clusters of patients with highly related viruses, suggesting a common source of HCV infection. None of the 18 MSM HIV-coinfected patients spontaneously cleared HCV, although 78% of the treated patients achieved a sustained virological response after early treatment with pegylated interferon (pegIFN) plus ribavirin (RBV). The synonymous-nonsynonymous (ds/dn) mutation ratio, a marker of selective pressure, was higher in AHC compared to 26 HIV-1-infected men with genotype 1a chronic hepatitis C (CHC) (P < 0.0001). NS3/4A proteases from AHC patients also exhibited higher catalytic efficiency compared to CHC patients (P < 0.0001). No differences were found when ds/dn mutation ratios and NS3/4A protease catalytic efficiencies from AHC HIV-coinfected patients were compared with AHC monoinfected patients. The presence of epidemiological networks of HCV transmission was confirmed among HIV-1-positive MSM. In addition, substantial genetic diversity was demonstrated in AHC. NS3/4A protease efficiency cleaving MAVS may be associated with virus transmission and response to pegIFN/RBV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Nevot
- Fundació irsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Spain
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Martrus G, Nevot M, Andres C, Clotet B, Martinez MA. Changes in codon-pair bias of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 have profound effects on virus replication in cell culture. Retrovirology 2013; 10:78. [PMID: 23885919 PMCID: PMC3726367 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-10-78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has a biased nucleotide composition different from human genes. This raises the question of how evolution has chosen the nucleotide sequence of HIV-1 that is observed today, or to what extent the actual encoding contributes to virus replication capacity, evolvability and pathogenesis. Here, we applied the previously described synthetic attenuated virus engineering (SAVE) approach to HIV-1. Results Using synonymous codon pairs, we rationally recoded and codon pair–optimized and deoptimized different moieties of the HIV-1 gag and pol genes. Deoptimized viruses had significantly lower viral replication capacity in MT-4 and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Varying degrees of ex vivo attenuation were obtained, depending upon both the specific deoptimized region and the number of deoptimized codons. A protease optimized virus carrying 38 synonymous mutations was not attenuated and displayed a replication capacity similar to that of the wild-type virus in MT-4 cells and PBMCs. Although attenuation is based on several tens of nucleotide changes, deoptimized HIV-1 reverted to wild-type virulence after serial passages in MT-4 cells. Remarkably, no reversion was observed in the optimized virus. Conclusion These data demonstrate that SAVE is a useful strategy to phenotypically affect the replicative properties of HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Martrus
- Fundació irsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Badalona 08916, Spain
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Nevot M, Martrus G, Clotet B, Martínez MA. RNA interference as a tool for exploring HIV-1 robustness. J Mol Biol 2011; 413:84-96. [PMID: 21875599 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2011] [Revised: 08/10/2011] [Accepted: 08/16/2011] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that target viral genes can efficiently inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication. Nevertheless, there is the potential for viral escape, particularly with a highly mutable target such as HIV-1. We present a novel strategy for anticipating and preventing viral escape using second-generation siRNAs. The evolutionary capacity of HIV-1 was tested by exerting strong selective pressure on a highly conserved sequence in the HIV-1 genome. We assayed the antiviral efficacy of five overlapping siRNAs directed against an essential region of the HIV-1 protease. Serial viral transfers in U87-CD4-CXCR4 cells were performed using four of the siRNAs. This procedure was repeated until virus breakthrough was detected. After several serial culture passages, resistant virus with a single point mutation in the targeted region was detected in the culture supernatants. The emergence of resistant virus was confirmed by molecular cloning and DNA sequencing of viral RNA. The most common escape route was the D30N mutation. Importantly, the addition of a second-generation siRNA that matched the D30N mutation restored viral inhibition and delayed development of escape variants. Passages performed with both siRNAs prevented the emergence of the D30N escape mutant and forced the virus to develop new escape routes. Thus, second-generation siRNAs can be used to block escape from RNA interference (RNAi) and to search for new RNAi escape routes. The protocol described here may be useful for exploring the sequence space available for HIV-1 evolution and for producing attenuated or deleterious viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Nevot
- Fundació irsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain
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Nevot M, Deroncelé V, Montes MJ, Mercade E. Effect of incubation temperature on growth parameters ofPseudoalteromonas antarcticaNF3and its production of extracellular polymeric substances. J Appl Microbiol 2008; 105:255-63. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2008.03769.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Nevot M, Deroncelé V, Messner P, Guinea J, Mercadé E. Characterization of outer membrane vesicles released by the psychrotolerant bacterium Pseudoalteromonas antarctica NF3. Environ Microbiol 2007; 8:1523-33. [PMID: 16913913 PMCID: PMC4379500 DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01043.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pseudoalteromonas antarctica NF3 is an Antarctic psychrotolerant Gram-negative bacterium that accumulates large amounts of an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) with high protein content. Transmission electron microscopy analysis after high-pressure freezing and freeze substitution (HPF-FS) shows that the EPS is composed of a capsular polymer and large numbers of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). These vesicles are bilayered structures and predominantly spherical in shape, with an average diameter of 25-70 nm, which is similar to what has been observed in OMVs from other Gram-negative bacteria. Analyses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phospholipids and protein profiles of OMVs are consistent with the bacterial outer membrane origin of these vesicles. In an initial attempt to elucidate the functions of OMVs proteins, we conducted a proteomic analysis on 1D SDS-PAGE bands. Those proteins putatively identified match with outer membrane proteins and proteins related to nutrient processing and transport in Gram-negative bacteria. This approach suggests that OMVs present in the EPS from P. antarctica NF3, might function to deliver proteins to the external media, and therefore play an important role in the survival of the bacterium in the extreme Antarctic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Nevot
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Víctor Deroncelé
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paul Messner
- Zentrum für NanoBiotechnologie, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jesús Guinea
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Mercadé
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain
- For correspondence. ; Tel. (+34) 93 402 4496; Fax (+34) 93 402 4498
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Nevot M, Deroncele V, López-Iglesias C, Bozal N, Guinea J, Mercade E. Ultrastructural analysis of the extracellular matter secreted by the psychrotolerant bacterium Pseudoalteromonas antarctica NF3. Microb Ecol 2006; 51:501-7. [PMID: 16645922 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-006-9065-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2006] [Accepted: 01/12/2006] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The psychrotolerant strain Pseudoalteromonas antarctica NF3, a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from muddy soil samples of Antarctica, secretes large amounts of a mucoid exopolymer with a high protein content. It has self-assembly properties and capacity to coat and protect liposomes against surfactants. We examined the ultrastructure of P. antarctica and the extracellular matter it secretes by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after high-pressure freezing, freeze substitution (HPF-FS), and Epon embedding, and compared this with information obtained by conventional methods. The improvements brought about by HPF-FS to the ultrastructural preservation of the extracellular matter allowed us to establish for the first time, in P. antarctica NF3, the presence of two components: a large amount of cell-derived outer membrane vesicles containing proteins and a capsular polymer around the cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Nevot
- Scientific-Technical Services of the University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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