ABSTRACT
SignificanceSARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve through emerging variants, more frequently observed with higher transmissibility. Despite the wide application of vaccines and antibodies, the selection pressure on the Spike protein may lead to further evolution of variants that include mutations that can evade immune response. To catch up with the virus's evolution, we introduced a deep learning approach to redesign the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) to target multiple virus variants and obtained an antibody that broadly neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Subject(s)
Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/immunology , COVID-19/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/pharmacology , COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology , Complementarity Determining Regions , Deep Learning , Epitopes/immunology , Humans , Immunotherapy/methods , Neutralization Tests/methods , Protein Domains , SARS-CoV-2/pathogenicity , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunologyABSTRACT
RNA viruses generate defective viral genomes (DVGs) that can interfere with replication of the parental wild-type virus. To examine their therapeutic potential, we created a DVG by deleting the capsid-coding region of poliovirus. Strikingly, intraperitoneal or intranasal administration of this genome, which we termed eTIP1, elicits an antiviral response, inhibits replication, and protects mice from several RNA viruses, including enteroviruses, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2. While eTIP1 replication following intranasal administration is limited to the nasal cavity, its antiviral action extends non-cell-autonomously to the lungs. eTIP1 broad-spectrum antiviral effects are mediated by both local and distal type I interferon responses. Importantly, while a single eTIP1 dose protects animals from SARS-CoV-2 infection, it also stimulates production of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies that afford long-lasting protection from SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. Thus, eTIP1 is a safe and effective broad-spectrum antiviral generating short- and long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory infections in animal models.
Subject(s)
Capsid Proteins/genetics , Defective Interfering Viruses/metabolism , Virus Replication/drug effects , Administration, Intranasal , Animals , Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/immunology , Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/pharmacology , COVID-19 , Capsid Proteins/metabolism , Cell Line , Defective Interfering Viruses/pathogenicity , Disease Models, Animal , Genome, Viral/genetics , Humans , Influenza, Human , Interferons/metabolism , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Poliovirus/genetics , Poliovirus/metabolism , Respiratory Tract Infections/virology , SARS-CoV-2/drug effects , SARS-CoV-2/pathogenicityABSTRACT
Many anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (anti-SARS-CoV-2) neutralizing antibodies target the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) binding site on viral spike receptor-binding domains (RBDs). Potent antibodies recognize exposed variable epitopes, often rendering them ineffective against other sarbecoviruses and SARS-CoV-2 variants. Class 4 anti-RBD antibodies against a less-exposed, but more-conserved, cryptic epitope could recognize newly emergent zoonotic sarbecoviruses and variants, but they usually show only weak neutralization potencies. Here, we characterize two class 4 anti-RBD antibodies derived from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) donors that exhibit breadth and potent neutralization of zoonotic coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 variants. C118-RBD and C022-RBD structures reveal orientations that extend from the cryptic epitope to occlude ACE2 binding and CDRH3-RBD main-chain H-bond interactions that extend an RBD ß sheet, thus reducing sensitivity to RBD side-chain changes. A C118-spike trimer structure reveals rotated RBDs that allow access to the cryptic epitope and the potential for intra-spike crosslinking to increase avidity. These studies facilitate vaccine design and illustrate potential advantages of class 4 RBD-binding antibody therapeutics.