Adaptation of African swine fever virus to MA-104 cells: Implications of unique genetic variations.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a large, double-stranded DNA virus that causes a fatal, contagious disease specifically in pigs. However, prevention and control of ASFV outbreaks have been hampered by the lack of an effective vaccine or antiviral treatment for ASFV. Although ASFV has been reported to adapt to a variety of continuous cell lines, the phenotypic and genetic changes associated with ASFV adaptation to MA-104 cells remain poorly understood. Here, we adapted ASFV field isolates to efficiently propagate through serial viral passages in MA-104 cells. The adapted ASFV strain developed a pronounced cytopathic effect and robust infection in MA-104 cells. Interestingly, the adapted variant maintained its tropism in primary porcine kidney macrophages. Whole genome analysis of the adapted virus revealed unique gene deletions in the left and right variable regions of the viral genome compared to other previously reported cell culture-adapted ASFV strains. Notably, gene duplications at the 5' and 3' ends of the viral genome were in reverse complementary alignment with their paralogs. Single point mutations in protein-coding genes and intergenic regions were also observed in the viral genome. Collectively, our results shed light on the significance of these unique genetic changes during adaptation, which facilitate the growth of ASFV in MA-104 cells.

SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant replicates and induces syncytia formation in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived macrophages.

Alveolar macrophages are tissue-resident immune cells that protect epithelial cells in the alveoli from invasion by pathogens, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Therefore, the interaction between macrophages and SARS-CoV-2 is inevitable. However, little is known about the role of macrophages in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we generated macrophages from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to investigate the susceptibility of hiPSC-derived macrophages (iMΦ) to the authentic SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants as well as their gene expression profiles of proinflammatory cytokines during infection. With undetectable angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mRNA and protein expression, iMΦ were susceptible to productive infection with the Delta variant, whereas infection of iMΦ with the Omicron variant was abortive. Interestingly, Delta induced cell-cell fusion or syncytia formation in iMΦ, which was not observed in Omicron-infected cells. However, iMΦ expressed moderate levels of proinflammatory cytokine genes in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, in contrast to strong upregulation of these cytokine genes in response to polarization by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). Overall, our findings indicate that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant can replicate and cause syncytia formation in macrophages, suggesting that the Delta variant can enter cells with undetectable ACE2 levels and exhibit greater fusogenicity.

Cross-Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibodies in Convalescent and Immunized Human Sera against the Bat and Pangolin Coronaviruses.

Coronaviruses isolated from bats and pangolins are closely related to SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. These so-called sarbecoviruses are thought to pose an acute pandemic threat. As SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination have become more widespread, it is not known whether neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can cross-neutralize coronaviruses transmitted by bats or pangolins. In this study, we analyzed antibody-mediated neutralization with serum samples from COVID-19 patients (n = 31) and those immunized with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (n = 20) against lentivirus-based pseudo-viruses carrying the spike derived from ancestral SARS-CoV-2, bat (RaTG13 or RshSTT182), or pangolin coronaviruses (PCoV-GD). While SARS-CoV-2, PCoV-GD, and RshSTT182 spikes could promote cell-cell fusion in VeroE6 cells, the RaTG13 spike did not. RaTG13, on the other hand, was able to induce cell-cell fusion in cells overexpressing ACE2. Dramatic differences in neutralization activity were observed, with the highest level observed for RaTG13, which was even significantly higher than SARS-CoV-2, PCoV-GD, and RshSTT182 pseudo-viruses. Interestingly, pseudo-viruses containing the chimeric protein in which the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of PCoV-GD spike was replaced by that of RaTG13 could be strongly neutralized, whereas those carrying RaTG13 with the RBD of PCoV-GD were significantly less neutralized. Because the high neutralizing activity against RaTG13 appears to correlate with its low affinity for binding to the human ACE2 receptor, our data presented here might shed light on how pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2 might contribute to protection against related sarbecoviruses with potential spillover to the human host.

Chimeric Virus-like Particle-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Confers Strong Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Viremia in K18-hACE2 Mice.

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are highly immunogenic and versatile subunit vaccines composed of multimeric viral proteins that mimic the whole virus but lack genetic material. Due to the lack of infectivity, VLPs are being developed as safe and effective vaccines against various infectious diseases. In this study, we generated a chimeric VLP-based COVID-19 vaccine stably produced by HEK293T cells. The chimeric VLPs contain the influenza virus A matrix (M1) proteins and the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan strain spike (S) proteins with a deletion of the polybasic furin cleavage motif and a replacement of the transmembrane and cytoplasmic tail with that of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA). These resulting chimeric S-M1 VLPs, displaying S and M1, were observed to be enveloped particles that are heterogeneous in shape and size. The intramuscular vaccination of BALB/c mice in a prime-boost regimen elicited high titers of S-specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies. After immunization and a challenge with SARS-CoV-2 in K18-hACE2 mice, the S-M1 VLP vaccination resulted in a drastic reduction in viremia, as well as a decreased viral load in the lungs and improved survival rates compared to the control mice. Balanced Th1 and Th2 responses of activated S-specific T-cells were observed. Moderate degrees of inflammation and viral RNA in the lungs and brains were observed in the vaccinated group; however, brain lesion scores were less than in the PBS control. Overall, we demonstrate the immunogenicity of a chimeric VLP-based COVID-19 vaccine which confers strong protection against SARS-CoV-2 viremia in mice.

A Single-Cycle Influenza A Virus-Based SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Elicits Potent Immune Responses in a Mouse Model.

The use of virus-vectored platforms has increasingly gained attention in vaccine development as a means for delivering antigenic genes of interest into target hosts. Here, we describe a single-cycle influenza virus-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine designated as scPR8-RBD-M2. The vaccine utilizes the chimeric gene encoding 2A peptide-based bicistronic protein cassette of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and influenza matrix 2 (M2) protein. The C-terminus of the RBD was designed to link with the cytoplasmic domain of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) to anchor the RBD on the surface of producing cells and virus envelope. The chimeric RBD-M2 gene was incorporated in place of the HA open-reading frame (ORF) between the 3' and 5' UTR of HA gene for the virus rescue in MDCK cells stably expressing HA. The virus was also constructed with the disrupted M2 ORF in segment seven to ensure that M2 from the RBD-M2 was utilized. The chimeric gene was intact and strongly expressed in infected cells upon several passages, suggesting that the antigen was stably maintained in the vaccine candidate. Mice inoculated with scPR8-RBD-M2 via two alternative prime-boost regimens (intranasal-intranasal or intranasal-intramuscular routes) elicited robust mucosal and systemic humoral immune responses and cell-mediated immunity. Notably, we demonstrated that immunized mouse sera exhibited neutralizing activity against pseudotyped viruses bearing SARS-CoV-2 spikes from various variants, albeit with varying potency. Our study warrants further development of a replication-deficient influenza virus as a promising SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate.

A Single V672F Substitution in the Spike Protein of Field-Isolated PEDV Promotes Cell⁻Cell Fusion and Replication in VeroE6 Cells.

While porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infects and replicates in enterocytes lining villi of neonatal piglets with high efficiency, naturally isolated variants typically grow poorly in established cell lines, unless adapted by multiple passages. Cells infected with most cell-adapted PEDVs usually displayed large syncytia, a process triggered by the spike protein (S). To identify amino acids responsible for S-mediated syncytium formation, we constructed and characterized chimeric S proteins of the cell-adapted variant, YN144, in which the receptor binding domain (RBD) and S1/S2 cleavage site were replaced with those of a poorly culturable field isolate (G2). We demonstrated that the RBD, not the S1/S2 cleavage site, is critical for syncytium formation mediated by chimeric S proteins. Further mutational analyses revealed that a single mutation at the amino acid residue position 672 (V672F) could enable the chimeric S with the entire RBD derived from the G2 strain to trigger large syncytia. Moreover, recombinant PEDV viruses bearing S of the G2 strain with the single V672F substitution could induce extensive syncytium formation and replicate efficiently in VeroE6 cells stably expressing porcine aminopeptidase N (VeroE6-APN). Interestingly, we also demonstrated that while the V672F mutation is critical for the syncytium formation in VeroE6-APN cells, it exerts a minimal effect in Huh-7 cells, thereby suggesting the difference in receptor preference of PEDV among host cells.

Characterization of influenza A virus pseudotyped with the spike protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus.

The coronavirus spike protein and the influenza virus hemagglutinin are class I viral membrane fusion proteins. While the two proteins display strong structural conservation and the mechanisms underlying membrane fusion are similar, they share no sequence similarity. Whether they are functionally interchangeable is currently unknown. In this study, we constructed scIAV-S, a single-cycle influenza A virus pseudotyped with the spike protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and demonstrated that this virus could infect cultured cells and trigger massive syncytium formation. Treatment with endocytosis inhibitors did not affect syncytium formation by infected cells. Moreover, the infectivity of scIAV-S was associated with the degree of cell adaptation of PEDV-S. Intriguingly, scIAV-S lacking functional neuraminidase (NA) exhibited substantially higher infectivity, suggesting a pivotal role of the sialic acid in the binding/entry of PEDV. Together, scIAV-S offers a robust platform for the investigation of the entry mechanism of PEDV or, possibly, of other coronaviruses.

Bioactive compounds from the seed fungus Menisporopsis theobromae BCC 3975.

Eight new compounds (2-9), together with a known dithiodiketopiperazine (1), were isolated from the seed fungus Menisporopsis theobromae BCC 3975. The structures of these substances were elucidated by analyses of spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 and 4 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against BC-1 cell lines with IC50 values of 29.2 and 57.4 microM, respectively. Cytotoxicity of 1, 2, 4, and 9 against the NCI-H187 cell line showed respective IC50 values of 22.9, 20.3, 1.8, and 56.6 microM. Compounds 2 and 4 exhibited antimalarial activity with IC50 values of 2.95 and 28.8 microM, respectively. Substances 1, 4, 7, 8, and 9 possessed weak antimycobacterial activity (MIC 154.8-952.3 microM), while compounds 2 and 3 showed potent antimycobacterial activity with respective MIC values of 1.24 and 7.14 microM.

Bioactive constituents of the root bark of Artocarpus rigidus subsp. rigidus.

Investigation of the chemical constituents of the root bark of Artocarpus rigidus BLUME subsp. rigidus has led to the isolation of six, structurally diverse phenolic compounds. These included two new compounds with modified skeletons, the flavonoid 7-demethylartonol E (1) and the chromone artorigidusin (2), together with four known phenolic compounds, the xanthone artonol B (3), the flavonoid artonin F (4), the flavonoid cycloartobiloxanthone (5), and the xanthone artoindonesianin C (6). Compounds 1, 4, and 5 exhibited antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. All compounds showed antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with 4 being the most active compound (MIC 6.25 microg/ml). Compounds 5 and 6 were active against KB cells, whereas 2, 5, and 6 showed varying toxicity to BC cells. Compounds 1-3, 5, and 6 were active in the NCI-H187 cytotoxicity assay, with 3 being the most active compound (IC(50) 1.26 microg/ml).

An antimalarial tetrapeptide from the entomopathogenic fungus Hirsutella sp. BCC 1528.

Hirsutellic acid A (1), a new linear tetrapeptide possessing an anthranilic acid residue at the C-terminus, was isolated from a fermentation broth of the entomopathogenic fungus Hirsutella sp. BCC 1528. The structure of this compound was elucidated by NMR and MS analyses, and its absolute configuration was deduced by HPLC analysis of the acid hydrolysate using a chiral column. Hirsutellic acid A exhibits activity against the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum K1 with an IC(50) value of 8.0 microM, while it was noncytotoxic to Vero cells at a concentration of 95 microM.

A cytotoxic xanthone dimer from the entomopathogenic fungus Aschersonia sp. BCC 8401.

Ascherxanthone A (1), a novel symmetrical tetrahydroxanthone dimer, was isolated from the entomopathogenic fungus Aschersonia sp. BCC 8401. The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, especially 2D-NMR. Compound 1 exhibited activity against Plasmodium falciparum K1 with an IC(50) value of 0.20 microg/mL, but it also showed cytotoxic activities against Vero cells and three tumor cell lines.

New antimycobacterial and antimalarial 8,9-secokaurane diterpenes from Croton kongensis.

Two new 8,9-secokaurane diterpenes, ent-8,9-seco-7alpha,11beta-diacetoxykaura-8(14),16-dien-9,15-dione (1) and ent-8,9-seco-8,14-epoxy-7alpha-hydroxy-11beta-acetoxy-16-kauren-9,15-dione (2), together with two known compounds, ent-8,9-seco-7alpha-hydroxy-11beta-acetoxykaura-8(14),16-dien-9,15-dione (3) and ent-7beta-hydroxy-15-oxokaur-16-en-18-yl acetate, were isolated from Croton kongensis. This is the first report on the presence of 8,9-secokauranes in the plant genus Croton. Diterpenes 1-3 exhibited antimycobacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 25.0, 6.25, and 6.25 microg/mL, respectively, and possessed antimalarial activity with IC(50) ranges of 1.0-2.8 microg/mL. They also demonstrated comparable cytotoxicity toward the Vero (IC(50) ranged from 0.9 to 3.2 microg/mL), KB (IC(50) from 1.2 to 13.8 microg/mL), and BC cell lines (IC(50) from 1.1 to 2.2 microg/mL, except for compound 1, which was inactive against BC cells).