Multi-omics data integration and network-based analysis drives a multiplex drug repurposing approach to a shortlist of candidate drugs against COVID-19.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is undeniably the most severe global health emergency since the 1918 Influenza outbreak. Depending on its evolutionary trajectory, the virus is expected to establish itself as an endemic infectious respiratory disease exhibiting seasonal flare-ups. Therefore, despite the unprecedented rally to reach a vaccine that can offer widespread immunization, it is equally important to reach effective prevention and treatment regimens for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Contributing to this effort, we have curated and analyzed multi-source and multi-omics publicly available data from patients, cell lines and databases in order to fuel a multiplex computational drug repurposing approach. We devised a network-based integration of multi-omic data to prioritize the most important genes related to COVID-19 and subsequently re-rank the identified candidate drugs. Our approach resulted in a highly informed integrated drug shortlist by combining structural diversity filtering along with experts' curation and drug-target mapping on the depicted molecular pathways. In addition to the recently proposed drugs that are already generating promising results such as dexamethasone and remdesivir, our list includes inhibitors of Src tyrosine kinase (bosutinib, dasatinib, cytarabine and saracatinib), which appear to be involved in multiple COVID-19 pathophysiological mechanisms. In addition, we highlight specific immunomodulators and anti-inflammatory drugs like dactolisib and methotrexate and inhibitors of histone deacetylase like hydroquinone and vorinostat with potential beneficial effects in their mechanisms of action. Overall, this multiplex drug repurposing approach, developed and utilized herein specifically for SARS-CoV-2, can offer a rapid mapping and drug prioritization against any pathogen-related disease.

BRCA2 germline mutations in Cypriot patients with familial breast/ovarian cancer.

Germline mutations in the BRCA2 gene have been shown to be associated with familial female and male breast cancer. Mutations occur throughout the entire coding region of the gene, and there is considerable ethnic and geographical diversity in the deleterious mutations detected in different populations. No data exist on the role of the BRCA2 gene in the Cypriot population. In this study we present the results of characterizing mutations in the BRCA2 gene, in 26 Cypriot families with multiple cases of breast/ovarian cancer. The entire coding region, including splice sites, of BRCA2 were sequenced using cycle sequencing. In total 29 BRCA2 variants were detected which include 3 truncating mutations, 8 missense mutations, 6 polymorphisms and 12 intronic variants. The 3 truncating mutations are frameshift mutation 8984delG (exon 22), and two nonsense mutations, namely C1913X (exon 11) which is a novel mutation, and K3326X (exon 27). It is of interest that frameshift mutation 8984delG was the most frequent, since it was detected in 5 patients from three different families. Among the 6 polymorphisms detected, polymorphism T77T is novel and similarly 4 of the 12 intronic variants were also novel, namely IVS1+8G>A, IVS1-96insA, IVS4+36A>G and IVS11-51G>T. These results show that deleterious BRCA2 mutations, occur at the same frequency, about 20%, in Cypriot families, as that recorded in other European populations. We conclude that the BRCA2 gene plays a significant role in the familial breast cancer phenotype in the Cypriot population.

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer in Cyprus: identification of a founder BRCA2 mutation.

The entire coding regions of the two breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 from breast cancer patients from 40 Cypriot families with multiple cases of breast and ovarian cancer were sequenced. A total of four protein-truncating mutations were found in six families. In BRCA1, a novel truncating mutation 5429delG was found in exon 21. In BRCA2, three truncating mutations were detected: a frameshift 8984delG in exon 22 and two nonsense mutations C1913X in exon 11 and K3326X in exon 27. It is noted that mutation 8984delG was found in three separate families, and haplotype analysis showed that this may be a founder mutation in the Cypriot population. In addition, a pair of rare variants, Q356R and S1512I, was detected in BRCA1 in patients belonging to two Cypriot families. The simultaneous presence of this pair of missense mutations may be associated with the breast cancer phenotype in the Cypriot population. We conclude that the BRCA2 gene appears to play a more important role in familial breast cancer in the Cypriot population than BRCA1.

Q356R and S1512I are BRCA1 variants that may be associated with breast cancer in a Cypriot family.

A molecular study was performed on BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in a Cypriot family, with a history of both male and female breast cancers. Three variants were detected in the BRCA1 gene, two of which are missense mutations at nucleotide positions 1186 in exon 11 (Q356R), and 4654 in exon 15 (S1512I). The third variant is a polymorphism at position 2430 in exon 11 (771L). Similarly in the BRCA2 gene two variants were detected: a missense mutation at position 1342, exon 10 (H372N), and a polymorphism at position 3624 in exon 11 (1132K). Since these BRCA2 variants appear to be polymorphisms in the Cypriot population, we suggest that the two BRCA1 mutations, Q356R and S1512I, may be related to the breast cancer phenotype.

Molecular typing and epidemiology of enteroviruses in Cyprus, 2003-2007.

Human enteroviruses (HEVs) are responsible for a wide spectrum of clinical diseases. Even though usually associated with non-specific febrile illness, they are the most common cause of viral meningitis and pose a serious public-health problem, especially during outbreaks. Rapid detection and identification of HEV serotypes in clinical specimens are important in appropriate patient management and epidemiological investigation. A 5 year study (2003-2007) of clinical specimens from patients with viral meningitis and/or symptoms of enteroviral infection was carried out in Cyprus to determine the underlying enteroviral aetiology. Reverse transcription, followed by a sequential PCR strategy targeting the 5' non-coding region and VP1 region, was used for typing the isolated enteroviruses. The serotype of each isolate was determined by blast search of the VP1 amplicon sequence against GenBank. Clinical specimens from a total of 146 patients were diagnosed as enterovirus-positive. Twenty-two different serotypes were identified. The main strains identified were echovirus 18 and echovirus 30, followed by coxsackievirus B5, echovirus 9, echovirus 6, coxsackievirus A10 and coxsackievirus B2. However, rapid changes in serotype frequency and diversity were observed over time. Serotype distribution corresponded essentially with observations reported from other European countries in the same period. The present report demonstrates the epidemiology of enteroviruses in Cyprus from 2003 to 2007.

An in-house method for the detection and quantification of HCV in serum samples using a TaqMan assay real time PCR approach.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most common viral infections worldwide causing major human chronic pathology. Viral RNA can be detected 1-3 weeks after infection and in cases where HCV RNA is still detectable after 6 months, the patient is considered to be chronically infected. Early detection is crucial in preventing loss of treatment opportunities. METHODS: Here, we present an in-house real time PCR TaqMan probe based screening method for the detection and quantification of the six recognized HCV genotypes and evaluate its efficiency with the use of quality control for molecular diagnostics HCV quantification panels. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The quantification method presented performed well with all quality control panels and is therefore an attractive approach for the clinical setting.