ABSTRACT
The ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently affecting millions of lives worldwide. Large retrospective studies indicate that an elevated level of inflammatory cytokines and pro-inflammatory factors are associated with both increased disease severity and mortality. Here, using multidimensional epigenetic, transcriptional, in vitro, and in vivo analyses, we report that topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) inhibition suppresses lethal inflammation induced by SARS-CoV-2. Therapeutic treatment with two doses of topotecan (TPT), an FDA-approved TOP1 inhibitor, suppresses infection-induced inflammation in hamsters. TPT treatment as late as 4 days post-infection reduces morbidity and rescues mortality in a transgenic mouse model. These results support the potential of TOP1 inhibition as an effective host-directed therapy against severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. TPT and its derivatives are inexpensive clinical-grade inhibitors available in most countries. Clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of repurposing TOP1 inhibitors for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in humans.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 Drug Treatment , DNA Topoisomerases, Type I/metabolism , SARS-CoV-2/metabolism , Topoisomerase I Inhibitors/pharmacology , Topotecan/pharmacology , Animals , COVID-19/enzymology , COVID-19/pathology , Chlorocebus aethiops , Humans , Inflammation/drug therapy , Inflammation/enzymology , Inflammation/pathology , Inflammation/virology , Mesocricetus , Mice , Mice, Transgenic , THP-1 Cells , Vero CellsABSTRACT
We show that SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interacts with both cellular heparan sulfate and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) through its receptor-binding domain (RBD). Docking studies suggest a heparin/heparan sulfate-binding site adjacent to the ACE2-binding site. Both ACE2 and heparin can bind independently to spike protein in vitro, and a ternary complex can be generated using heparin as a scaffold. Electron micrographs of spike protein suggests that heparin enhances the open conformation of the RBD that binds ACE2. On cells, spike protein binding depends on both heparan sulfate and ACE2. Unfractionated heparin, non-anticoagulant heparin, heparin lyases, and lung heparan sulfate potently block spike protein binding and/or infection by pseudotyped virus and authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus. We suggest a model in which viral attachment and infection involves heparan sulfate-dependent enhancement of binding to ACE2. Manipulation of heparan sulfate or inhibition of viral adhesion by exogenous heparin presents new therapeutic opportunities.
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus/physiology , Heparitin Sulfate/metabolism , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/metabolism , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/metabolism , Amino Acid Sequence , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 , Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification , Binding Sites , COVID-19 , Cell Line , Coronavirus Infections/pathology , Coronavirus Infections/virology , Heparin/chemistry , Heparin/metabolism , Heparitin Sulfate/chemistry , Humans , Kidney/metabolism , Lung/metabolism , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Pandemics , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/chemistry , Pneumonia, Viral/pathology , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , Protein Binding , Protein Domains , Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis , Recombinant Proteins/chemistry , Recombinant Proteins/isolation & purification , SARS-CoV-2 , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/chemistry , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Virus InternalizationABSTRACT
The nuclear RNA exosome is an essential multi-subunit complex that controls RNA homeostasis. Congenital mutations in RNA exosome genes are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Little is known about the role of the RNA exosome in the cellular response to pathogens. Here, using NGS and human and mouse genetics, we show that influenza A virus (IAV) ribogenesis and growth are suppressed by impaired RNA exosome activity. Mechanistically, the nuclear RNA exosome coordinates the initial steps of viral transcription with RNAPII at host promoters. The viral polymerase complex co-opts the nuclear RNA exosome complex and cellular RNAs en route to 3' end degradation. Exosome deficiency uncouples chromatin targeting of the viral polymerase complex and the formation of cellular:viral RNA hybrids, which are essential RNA intermediates that license transcription of antisense genomic viral RNAs. Our results suggest that evolutionary arms races have shaped the cellular RNA quality control machinery.
Subject(s)
Host-Pathogen Interactions , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/physiology , Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype/physiology , Influenza, Human/virology , RNA Polymerase II/metabolism , A549 Cells , Animals , Chromatin Immunoprecipitation , Exoribonucleases/genetics , Exosome Multienzyme Ribonuclease Complex/genetics , Exosomes/metabolism , Humans , Mass Spectrometry , Mice , Mutation , Neurodegenerative Diseases/virology , RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , Ribosomes/genetics , Transcription, GeneticABSTRACT
Dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in the immune response to viral infection through the facilitation of cell-intrinsic antiviral activity and the activation of adaptive immunity. HIV-1 infection of DCs triggers an IRF3-dependent innate immune response, which requires the activity of cyclic GAMP synthase (cGAS). We report the results of a targeted RNAi screen utilizing primary human monocyte-derived DCs (MDDCs) to identify immune regulators that directly interface with HIV-1-encoded features to initiate this innate response. Polyglutamine binding protein 1 (PQBP1) emerged as a strong candidate through this analysis. We found that PQBP1 directly binds to reverse-transcribed HIV-1 DNA and interacts with cGAS to initiate an IRF3-dependent innate response. MDDCs derived from Renpenning syndrome patients, who harbor mutations in the PQBP1 locus, possess a severely attenuated innate immune response to HIV-1 challenge, underscoring the role of PQBP1 as a proximal innate sensor of a HIV-1 infection.
Subject(s)
Carrier Proteins/metabolism , HIV-1/immunology , Immunity, Innate , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , Nucleotidyltransferases/metabolism , Base Sequence , Cell Line , Cerebral Palsy/immunology , DNA, Viral/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins , HIV-1/physiology , Humans , Mental Retardation, X-Linked/immunology , Molecular Sequence DataABSTRACT
We have previously described polyglutamine-binding protein 1 (PQBP1) as an adapter required for the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-mediated innate response to the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and other lentiviruses. Cytoplasmic HIV-1 DNA is a transient and low-abundance pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP), and the mechanism for its detection and verification is not fully understood. Here, we show a two-factor authentication strategy by the innate surveillance machinery to selectively respond to the low concentration of HIV-1 DNA, while distinguishing these species from extranuclear DNA molecules. We find that, upon HIV-1 infection, PQBP1 decorates the intact viral capsid, and this serves as a primary verification step for the viral nucleic acid cargo. As reverse transcription and capsid disassembly initiate, cGAS is recruited to the capsid in a PQBP1-dependent manner. This positions cGAS at the site of PAMP generation and sanctions its response to a low-abundance DNA PAMP.
Subject(s)
HIV-1 , Capsid/metabolism , DNA/metabolism , DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , HIV-1/genetics , Humans , Immunity, Innate , Nucleotidyltransferases/metabolism , Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules/metabolismABSTRACT
A deficient interferon (IFN) response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been implicated as a determinant of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To identify the molecular effectors that govern IFN control of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we conducted a large-scale gain-of-function analysis that evaluated the impact of human IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) on viral replication. A limited subset of ISGs were found to control viral infection, including endosomal factors inhibiting viral entry, RNA binding proteins suppressing viral RNA synthesis, and a highly enriched cluster of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/Golgi-resident ISGs inhibiting viral assembly/egress. These included broad-acting antiviral ISGs and eight ISGs that specifically inhibited SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 replication. Among the broad-acting ISGs was BST2/tetherin, which impeded viral release and is antagonized by SARS-CoV-2 Orf7a protein. Overall, these data illuminate a set of ISGs that underlie innate immune control of SARS-CoV-2/SARS-CoV-1 infection, which will facilitate the understanding of host determinants that impact disease severity and offer potential therapeutic strategies for COVID-19.
Subject(s)
Antigens, CD/genetics , Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics , Interferon Regulatory Factors/genetics , Interferon Type I/genetics , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Viral Proteins/genetics , Animals , Antigens, CD/chemistry , Antigens, CD/immunology , Binding Sites , Cell Line, Tumor , Chlorocebus aethiops , Endoplasmic Reticulum/genetics , Endoplasmic Reticulum/immunology , Endoplasmic Reticulum/virology , GPI-Linked Proteins/chemistry , GPI-Linked Proteins/genetics , GPI-Linked Proteins/immunology , Gene Expression Regulation , Golgi Apparatus/genetics , Golgi Apparatus/immunology , Golgi Apparatus/virology , HEK293 Cells , Host-Pathogen Interactions/immunology , Humans , Immunity, Innate , Interferon Regulatory Factors/classification , Interferon Regulatory Factors/immunology , Interferon Type I/immunology , Molecular Docking Simulation , Protein Binding , Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical , Protein Conformation, beta-Strand , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Signal Transduction , Vero Cells , Viral Proteins/chemistry , Viral Proteins/immunology , Virus Internalization , Virus Release/genetics , Virus Release/immunology , Virus Replication/genetics , Virus Replication/immunologyABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic is the third outbreak this century of a zoonotic disease caused by a coronavirus, following the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 20031 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 20122. Treatment options for coronaviruses are limited. Here we show that clofazimine-an anti-leprosy drug with a favourable safety profile3-possesses inhibitory activity against several coronaviruses, and can antagonize the replication of SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV in a range of in vitro systems. We found that this molecule, which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, inhibits cell fusion mediated by the viral spike glycoprotein, as well as activity of the viral helicase. Prophylactic or therapeutic administration of clofazimine in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis led to reduced viral loads in the lung and viral shedding in faeces, and also alleviated the inflammation associated with viral infection. Combinations of clofazimine and remdesivir exhibited antiviral synergy in vitro and in vivo, and restricted viral shedding from the upper respiratory tract. Clofazimine, which is orally bioavailable and comparatively cheap to manufacture, is an attractive clinical candidate for the treatment of outpatients and-when combined with remdesivir-in therapy for hospitalized patients with COVID-19, particularly in contexts in which costs are an important factor or specialized medical facilities are limited. Our data provide evidence that clofazimine may have a role in the control of the current pandemic of COVID-19 and-possibly more importantly-in dealing with coronavirus diseases that may emerge in the future.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Clofazimine/pharmacology , Coronavirus/classification , Coronavirus/drug effects , SARS-CoV-2/drug effects , Adenosine Monophosphate/analogs & derivatives , Adenosine Monophosphate/pharmacology , Adenosine Monophosphate/therapeutic use , Alanine/analogs & derivatives , Alanine/pharmacology , Alanine/therapeutic use , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacokinetics , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Antiviral Agents/pharmacokinetics , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Biological Availability , Cell Fusion , Cell Line , Clofazimine/pharmacokinetics , Clofazimine/therapeutic use , Coronavirus/growth & development , Coronavirus/pathogenicity , Cricetinae , DNA Helicases/antagonists & inhibitors , Drug Synergism , Female , Humans , Life Cycle Stages/drug effects , Male , Mesocricetus , Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis , SARS-CoV-2/growth & development , Species Specificity , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/antagonists & inhibitors , Transcription, Genetic/drug effects , Transcription, Genetic/geneticsABSTRACT
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019 has triggered an ongoing global pandemic of the severe pneumonia-like disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)1. The development of a vaccine is likely to take at least 12-18 months, and the typical timeline for approval of a new antiviral therapeutic agent can exceed 10 years. Thus, repurposing of known drugs could substantially accelerate the deployment of new therapies for COVID-19. Here we profiled a library of drugs encompassing approximately 12,000 clinical-stage or Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved small molecules to identify candidate therapeutic drugs for COVID-19. We report the identification of 100 molecules that inhibit viral replication of SARS-CoV-2, including 21 drugs that exhibit dose-response relationships. Of these, thirteen were found to harbour effective concentrations commensurate with probable achievable therapeutic doses in patients, including the PIKfyve kinase inhibitor apilimod2-4 and the cysteine protease inhibitors MDL-28170, Z LVG CHN2, VBY-825 and ONO 5334. Notably, MDL-28170, ONO 5334 and apilimod were found to antagonize viral replication in human pneumocyte-like cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, and apilimod also demonstrated antiviral efficacy in a primary human lung explant model. Since most of the molecules identified in this study have already advanced into the clinic, their known pharmacological and human safety profiles will enable accelerated preclinical and clinical evaluation of these drugs for the treatment of COVID-19.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/analysis , Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Betacoronavirus/drug effects , Coronavirus Infections/drug therapy , Coronavirus Infections/virology , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Drug Repositioning , Pneumonia, Viral/drug therapy , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , Adenosine Monophosphate/analogs & derivatives , Adenosine Monophosphate/pharmacology , Alanine/analogs & derivatives , Alanine/pharmacology , Alveolar Epithelial Cells/cytology , Alveolar Epithelial Cells/drug effects , Betacoronavirus/growth & development , COVID-19 , Cell Line , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/analysis , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Synergism , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Humans , Hydrazones , Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/cytology , Models, Biological , Morpholines/analysis , Morpholines/pharmacology , Pandemics , Pyrimidines , Reproducibility of Results , SARS-CoV-2 , Small Molecule Libraries/analysis , Small Molecule Libraries/pharmacology , Triazines/analysis , Triazines/pharmacology , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Virus Replication/drug effects , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was rapidly declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Early clinical symptomatology focused mainly on respiratory illnesses. However, a variety of neurological manifestations in both adults and newborns are now well-documented. To experimentally determine whether SARS-CoV-2 could replicate in and affect human brain cells, we infected iPSC-derived human brain organoids. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2 can productively replicate and promote death of neural cells, including cortical neurons. This phenotype was accompanied by loss of excitatory synapses in neurons. Notably, we found that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved antiviral Sofosbuvir was able to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and rescued these neuronal alterations in infected brain organoids. Given the urgent need for readily available antivirals, these results provide a cellular basis supporting repurposed antivirals as a strategic treatment to alleviate neurocytological defects that may underlie COVID-19- related neurological symptoms.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 Drug Treatment , SARS-CoV-2 , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Sofosbuvir/pharmacology , Sofosbuvir/therapeutic use , Organoids , Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Brain , Cell Death , SynapsesABSTRACT
The HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu modulates membrane protein trafficking and degradation to provide evasion of immune surveillance. Targets of Vpu include CD4, HLAs, and BST-2. Several cellular pathways co-opted by Vpu have been identified, but the picture of Vpu's itinerary and activities within membrane systems remains incomplete. Here, we used fusion proteins of Vpu and the enzyme ascorbate peroxidase (APEX2) to compare the ultrastructural locations and the proximal proteomes of wild type Vpu and Vpu-mutants. The proximity-omes of the proteins correlated with their ultrastructural locations and placed wild type Vpu near both retromer and ESCRT-0 complexes. Hierarchical clustering of protein abundances across the mutants was essential to interpreting the data and identified Vpu degradation-targets including CD4, HLA-C, and SEC12 as well as Vpu-cofactors including HGS, STAM, clathrin, and PTPN23, an ALIX-like protein. The Vpu-directed degradation of BST-2 was supported by STAM and PTPN23 and to a much lesser extent by the retromer subunits Vps35 and SNX3. PTPN23 also supported the Vpu-directed decrease in CD4 at the cell surface. These data suggest that Vpu directs targets from sorting endosomes to degradation at multi-vesicular bodies via ESCRT-0 and PTPN23.
Subject(s)
Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport/metabolism , HIV Infections/virology , Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins/metabolism , Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor/metabolism , Proteome/metabolism , Sorting Nexins/metabolism , Vesicular Transport Proteins/metabolism , Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins/metabolism , Viroporin Proteins/metabolism , Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport/genetics , HIV Infections/genetics , HIV Infections/metabolism , HIV-1/physiology , HeLa Cells , Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins/genetics , Humans , Microscopy, Electron , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs , Protein Multimerization , Protein Transport , Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor/genetics , Proteome/analysis , Sorting Nexins/chemistry , Sorting Nexins/genetics , Vesicular Transport Proteins/chemistry , Vesicular Transport Proteins/genetics , Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins/genetics , Viroporin Proteins/geneticsABSTRACT
Leukemias bearing fusions of the AF10/MLLT10 gene are associated with poor prognosis, and therapies targeting these fusion proteins (FPs) are lacking. To understand mechanisms underlying AF10 fusion-mediated leukemogenesis, we generated inducible mouse models of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) driven by the most common AF10 FPs, PICALM/CALM-AF10 and KMT2A/MLL-AF10, and performed comprehensive characterization of the disease using transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and functional genomic approaches. Our studies provide a detailed map of gene networks and protein interactors associated with key AF10 fusions involved in leukemia. Specifically, we report that AF10 fusions activate a cascade of JAK/STAT-mediated inflammatory signaling through direct recruitment of JAK1 kinase. Inhibition of the JAK/STAT signaling by genetic Jak1 deletion or through pharmacological JAK/STAT inhibition elicited potent antioncogenic effects in mouse and human models of AF10 fusion AML. Collectively, our study identifies JAK1 as a tractable therapeutic target in AF10-rearranged leukemias.
Subject(s)
Carcinogenesis , Gene Rearrangement , Janus Kinases , MAP Kinase Signaling System/genetics , Neoplasm Proteins , STAT Transcription Factors , Transcription Factors , Animals , Carcinogenesis/genetics , Carcinogenesis/metabolism , Female , Humans , Janus Kinases/genetics , Janus Kinases/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Inbred NOD , Mice, SCID , Neoplasm Proteins/genetics , Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism , STAT Transcription Factors/genetics , STAT Transcription Factors/metabolism , Transcription Factors/genetics , Transcription Factors/metabolism , U937 CellsABSTRACT
Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2) rely upon host-encoded proteins to facilitate their replication. Here, we combined genome-wide siRNA analyses with interrogation of human interactome databases to assemble a host-pathogen biochemical network containing 213 confirmed host cellular factors and 11 HIV-1-encoded proteins. Protein complexes that regulate ubiquitin conjugation, proteolysis, DNA-damage response, and RNA splicing were identified as important modulators of early-stage HIV-1 infection. Additionally, over 40 new factors were shown to specifically influence the initiation and/or kinetics of HIV-1 DNA synthesis, including cytoskeletal regulatory proteins, modulators of posttranslational modification, and nucleic acid-binding proteins. Finally, 15 proteins with diverse functional roles, including nuclear transport, prostaglandin synthesis, ubiquitination, and transcription, were found to influence nuclear import or viral DNA integration. Taken together, the multiscale approach described here has uncovered multiprotein virus-host interactions that likely act in concert to facilitate the early steps of HIV-1 infection.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections/virology , HIV-1/physiology , Host-Pathogen Interactions , Proteins/metabolism , Virus Replication , Cell Line , Humans , RNA Interference , Two-Hybrid System TechniquesABSTRACT
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that is a serious global health problem. Evasion of IFN-mediated antiviral signaling is a common defense strategy that pathogenic viruses use to replicate and propagate in their host. In this study, we show that SARS-CoV-2 is able to efficiently block STAT1 and STAT2 nuclear translocation in order to impair transcriptional induction of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Our results demonstrate that the viral accessory protein Orf6 exerts this anti-IFN activity. We found that SARS-CoV-2 Orf6 localizes at the nuclear pore complex (NPC) and directly interacts with Nup98-Rae1 via its C-terminal domain to impair docking of cargo-receptor (karyopherin/importin) complex and disrupt nuclear import. In addition, we show that a methionine-to-arginine substitution at residue 58 impairs Orf6 binding to the Nup98-Rae1 complex and abolishes its IFN antagonistic function. All together our data unravel a mechanism of viral antagonism in which a virus hijacks the Nup98-Rae1 complex to overcome the antiviral action of IFN.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/metabolism , Interferons/metabolism , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/metabolism , Nuclear Pore/metabolism , STAT1 Transcription Factor/metabolism , STAT2 Transcription Factor/metabolism , Viral Proteins/metabolism , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus , Animals , Binding Sites , Chlorocebus aethiops , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins/chemistry , Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins/metabolism , Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins/chemistry , Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins/metabolism , Protein Binding , Signal Transduction , Vero CellsABSTRACT
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a public health emergency of international concern in 2016, and it is still identified as a priority disease. Although most infected individuals are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms, a risk of neurologic complications is associated with infection in adults. Additionally, infection during pregnancy is directly linked to microcephaly and other congenital malformations. Since there are no currently available vaccines or approved therapeutics for this virus, there is a critical unmet need in developing treatments to prevent future ZIKV outbreaks. Toward this end, we performed a large-scale cell-based high-content screen of 51,520 chemical compounds to identify potential antiviral drug candidates. The compound (2E)-N-benzyl-3-(4-butoxyphenyl)prop-2-enamide (SBI-0090799) was found to inhibit replication of multiple ZIKV strains and in different cell systems. SBI-0090799 did not affect viral entry or RNA translation but suppressed RNA replication by preventing the formation of the membranous replication compartment. Selection of drug-resistant viruses identified single-amino-acid substitutions in the N-terminal region of nonstructural protein NS4A, arguing this is the likely drug target. These resistance mutations rescued viral RNA replication and restored the formation of the membranous replication compartment. This mechanism of action is similar to clinically approved NS5A inhibitors for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Taken together, SBI-0090799 represents a promising lead candidate for the development of an antiviral treatment against ZIKV infection for the mitigation of severe complications and potential resurgent outbreaks of the virus. IMPORTANCE This study describes the elucidation of (2E)-N-benzyl-3-(4-butoxyphenyl)prop-2-enamide (SBI-0090799) as a selective and potent inhibitor of Zika virus (ZIKV) replication using a high-throughput screening approach. Mapping and resistance studies, supported by electron microscopy observations, indicate that the small molecule is functioning through inhibition of NS4A-mediated formation of ZIKV replication compartments in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Intriguingly, this defines a novel nonenzymatic target and chemical matter for the development of a new class of ZIKV antivirals. Moreover, chemical modulation affecting this nonstructural protein mirrors the identification and development of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A inhibitor daclatasvir and its derivatives, similarly interfering with the formation of the viral replication compartment and also targeting a protein with no enzymatic activity, which have been part of a curative strategy for HCV.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Drug Discovery/methods , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Virus Replication/drug effects , Zika Virus Infection/drug therapy , Zika Virus/drug effects , Animals , Astrocytes , Chlorocebus aethiops , Dendritic Cells , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Primary Cell Culture , Vero Cells , Viral Replication Compartments/drug effectsABSTRACT
Tremendous progress has been made to control the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, effective therapeutic options are still rare. Drug repurposing and combination represent practical strategies to address this urgent unmet medical need. Viruses, including coronaviruses, are known to hijack host metabolism to facilitate viral proliferation, making targeting host metabolism a promising antiviral approach. Here, we describe an integrated analysis of 12 published in vitro and human patient gene expression datasets on SARS-CoV-2 infection using genome-scale metabolic modeling (GEM), revealing complicated host metabolism reprogramming during SARS-CoV-2 infection. We next applied the GEM-based metabolic transformation algorithm to predict anti-SARS-CoV-2 targets that counteract the virus-induced metabolic changes. We successfully validated these targets using published drug and genetic screen data and by performing an siRNA assay in Caco-2 cells. Further generating and analyzing RNA-sequencing data of remdesivir-treated Vero E6 cell samples, we predicted metabolic targets acting in combination with remdesivir, an approved anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug. Our study provides clinical data-supported candidate anti-SARS-CoV-2 targets for future evaluation, demonstrating host metabolism targeting as a promising antiviral strategy.
Subject(s)
Adenosine Monophosphate/analogs & derivatives , Alanine/analogs & derivatives , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , COVID-19/metabolism , Metabolic Networks and Pathways/genetics , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2/physiology , Adenosine Monophosphate/therapeutic use , Alanine/therapeutic use , Animals , COVID-19/virology , Caco-2 Cells , Chlorocebus aethiops , Datasets as Topic , Drug Development , Drug Repositioning , Host-Pathogen Interactions , Humans , RNA, Small Interfering , Sequence Analysis, RNA , Vero Cells , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
Influenza A virus (IAV) is a human respiratory pathogen that causes yearly global epidemics, as well as sporadic pandemics due to human adaptation of pathogenic strains. Efficient replication of IAV in different species is, in part, dictated by its ability to exploit the genetic environment of the host cell. To investigate IAV tropism in human cells, we evaluated the replication of IAV strains in a diverse subset of epithelial cell lines. HeLa cells were refractory to the growth of human H1N1 and H3N2 viruses and low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses. Interestingly, a human isolate of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus successfully propagated in HeLa cells to levels comparable to those in a human lung cell line. Heterokaryon cells generated by fusion of HeLa and permissive cells supported H1N1 virus growth, suggesting the absence of a host factor(s) required for the replication of H1N1, but not H5N1, viruses in HeLa cells. The absence of this factor(s) was mapped to reduced nuclear import, replication, and translation, as well as deficient viral budding. Using reassortant H1N1:H5N1 viruses, we found that the combined introduction of nucleoprotein (NP) and hemagglutinin (HA) from an H5N1 virus was necessary and sufficient to enable H1N1 virus growth. Overall, this study suggests that the absence of one or more cellular factors in HeLa cells results in abortive replication of H1N1, H3N2, and LPAI viruses, which can be circumvented upon the introduction of H5N1 virus NP and HA. Further understanding of the molecular basis of this restriction will provide important insights into the virus-host interactions that underlie IAV pathogenesis and tropism.IMPORTANCE Many zoonotic avian influenza A viruses have successfully crossed the species barrier and caused mild to life-threatening disease in humans. While human-to-human transmission is limited, there is a risk that these zoonotic viruses may acquire adaptive mutations enabling them to propagate efficiently and cause devastating human pandemics. Therefore, it is important to identify viral determinants that provide these viruses with a replicative advantage in human cells. Here, we tested the growth of influenza A virus in a subset of human cell lines and found that abortive replication of H1N1 viruses in HeLa cells can be circumvented upon the introduction of H5N1 virus HA and NP. Overall, this work leverages the genetic diversity of multiple human cell lines to highlight viral determinants that could contribute to H5N1 virus pathogenesis and tropism.
Subject(s)
Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype/genetics , Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype/metabolism , Viral Tropism/genetics , A549 Cells , Animals , Birds , Cell Line , Dogs , HEK293 Cells , HeLa Cells , Humans , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/genetics , Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype/genetics , Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype/metabolism , Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype/pathogenicity , Influenza A virus/genetics , Influenza A virus/metabolism , Influenza A virus/pathogenicity , Influenza in Birds/genetics , Influenza in Birds/metabolism , Influenza, Human/genetics , Influenza, Human/virology , Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells , Viral Tropism/immunology , Virus Replication/geneticsABSTRACT
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has a small genome and therefore relies heavily on the host cellular machinery to replicate. Identifying which host proteins and complexes come into physical contact with the viral proteins is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of how HIV rewires the host's cellular machinery during the course of infection. Here we report the use of affinity tagging and purification mass spectrometry to determine systematically the physical interactions of all 18 HIV-1 proteins and polyproteins with host proteins in two different human cell lines (HEK293 and Jurkat). Using a quantitative scoring system that we call MiST, we identified with high confidence 497 HIV-human protein-protein interactions involving 435 individual human proteins, with â¼40% of the interactions being identified in both cell types. We found that the host proteins hijacked by HIV, especially those found interacting in both cell types, are highly conserved across primates. We uncovered a number of host complexes targeted by viral proteins, including the finding that HIV protease cleaves eIF3d, a subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3. This host protein is one of eleven identified in this analysis that act to inhibit HIV replication. This data set facilitates a more comprehensive and detailed understanding of how the host machinery is manipulated during the course of HIV infection.
Subject(s)
HIV-1/chemistry , HIV-1/metabolism , Host-Pathogen Interactions , Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins/metabolism , Protein Interaction Mapping/methods , Protein Interaction Maps/physiology , Affinity Labels , Amino Acid Sequence , Conserved Sequence , Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3/chemistry , Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3/metabolism , HEK293 Cells , HIV Infections/metabolism , HIV Infections/virology , HIV Protease/metabolism , HIV-1/physiology , Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins/analysis , Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins/chemistry , Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins/isolation & purification , Humans , Immunoprecipitation , Jurkat Cells , Mass Spectrometry , Protein Binding , Reproducibility of Results , Virus ReplicationABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: MxB restricts HIV-1 infection by directly interacting with the HIV-1 core, which is made of viral capsid; however, the contribution of MxB to the HIV-1 restriction observed in alpha interferon (IFN-α)-treated human cells is unknown. To understand this contribution, we used HIV-1 bearing the G208R capsid mutant (HIV-1-G208R), which overcomes the restriction imposed by cells expressing MxB. Here we showed that the reason why MxB does not block HIV-1-G208R is that MxB does not interact with HIV-1 cores bearing the mutation G208R. To understand whether MxB contributes to the HIV-1 restriction imposed by IFN-α-treated human cells, we challenged IFN-α-treated cells with HIV-G208R and found that MxB does not contribute to the restriction imposed by IFN-α-treated cells. To more directly test the contribution of MxB, we challenged IFN-α-treated human cells that are knocked out for the expression of MxB with HIV-1. These experiments suggested that MxB does not contribute to the HIV-1 restriction observed in IFN-α-treated human cells. IMPORTANCE: MxB is a restriction factor that blocks HIV-1 infection in human cells. Although it has been postulated that MxB is the factor that blocks HIV-1 infection in IFN-α-treated cells, this is a hard concept to grasp due to the great number of genes that are induced by IFN-α in cells from the immune system. The work presented here elegantly demonstrates that MxB has minimal or no contribution to the ability of IFN-α-treated human cells to block HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, this work suggests the presence of novel restriction factors in IFN-α-treated human cells that block HIV-1 infection.
Subject(s)
HIV-1/immunology , Interferon-alpha/metabolism , Myxovirus Resistance Proteins/metabolism , Cell Line , Gene Knockout Techniques , Humans , Myxovirus Resistance Proteins/geneticsABSTRACT
Influenza A virus is an RNA virus that encodes up to 11 proteins and this small coding capacity demands that the virus use the host cellular machinery for many aspects of its life cycle. Knowledge of these host cell requirements not only informs us of the molecular pathways exploited by the virus but also provides further targets that could be pursued for antiviral drug development. Here we use an integrative systems approach, based on genome-wide RNA interference screening, to identify 295 cellular cofactors required for early-stage influenza virus replication. Within this group, those involved in kinase-regulated signalling, ubiquitination and phosphatase activity are the most highly enriched, and 181 factors assemble into a highly significant host-pathogen interaction network. Moreover, 219 of the 295 factors were confirmed to be required for efficient wild-type influenza virus growth, and further analysis of a subset of genes showed 23 factors necessary for viral entry, including members of the vacuolar ATPase (vATPase) and COPI-protein families, fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) proteins, and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3)-beta. Furthermore, 10 proteins were confirmed to be involved in post-entry steps of influenza virus replication. These include nuclear import components, proteases, and the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaM kinase) IIbeta (CAMK2B). Notably, growth of swine-origin H1N1 influenza virus is also dependent on the identified host factors, and we show that small molecule inhibitors of several factors, including vATPase and CAMK2B, antagonize influenza virus replication.