Characterization of human tibrovirus envelope glycoproteins.

Tibroviruses are novel rhabdoviruses detected in humans, cattle, and arthropods. Four tibroviruses are known to infect humans: Bas-Congo virus (BASV), Ekpoma virus 1 (EKV-1), Ekpoma virus 2, and Mundri virus. However, since none of them has been isolated, their biological properties are largely unknown. We aimed to characterize the human tibrovirus glycoprotein (G), which likely plays a pivotal role in viral tropism and pathogenicity. Human tibrovirus Gs were found to share some primary structures and display 14 conserved cysteine residues, although their overall amino acid homology was low (29%-48%). Multiple potential glycosylation sites were found on the G molecules, and endoglycosidase H- and peptide-N-glycosidase F-sensitive glycosylation was confirmed. AlphaFold-predicted three-dimensional (3D) structures of human tibrovirus Gs were overall similar. Membrane fusion mediated by these tibrovirus Gs was induced by acidic pH. The low pH-induced conformational change that triggers fusion was reversible. Virus-like particles (VLPs) were produced by transient expression of Gs in cultured cells and used to produce mouse antisera. Using vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus pseudotyped with Gs, we found that the antisera to the respective tibrovirus VLPs showed limited cross-neutralizing activity. It was also found that human C-type lectins and T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 1 acted as attachment factors for G-mediated entry into cells. Interestingly, BASV-G showed the highest ability to utilize these molecules. The viruses infected a wide range of cell lines with preferential tropism for human-derived cells whereas the preference of EKV-1 was unique compared with the other human tibroviruses. These findings provide fundamental information to understand the biological properties of the human tibroviruses. IMPORTANCE: Human tibroviruses are poorly characterized emerging rhabdoviruses associated with either asymptomatic infection or severe disease with a case fatality rate as high as 60% in humans. However, the extent and burden of human infection as well as factors behind differences in infection outcomes are largely unknown. In this study, we characterized human tibrovirus glycoproteins, which play a key role in virus-host interactions, mainly focusing on their structural and antigenic differences and cellular tropism. Our results provide critical information for understanding the biological properties of these novel viruses and for developing appropriate preparedness interventions such as diagnostic tools, vaccines, and effective therapies.

Genetic and antigenic characterization of H5 and H7 avian influenza viruses isolated from migratory waterfowl in Mongolia from 2017 to 2019.

The circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of various subtypes (e.g., H5N1, H5N6, H5N8, and H7N9) in poultry remains a global concern for animal and public health. Migratory waterfowls play important roles in the transmission of these viruses across countries. To monitor virus spread by wild birds, active surveillance for avian influenza in migratory waterfowl was conducted in Mongolia from 2015 to 2019. In total, 5000 fecal samples were collected from lakesides in central Mongolia, and 167 influenza A viruses were isolated. Two H5N3, four H7N3, and two H7N7 viruses were characterized in this study. The amino acid sequence at hemagglutinin (HA) cleavage site of those isolates suggested low pathogenicity in chickens. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all H5 and H7 viruses were closely related to recent H5 and H7 low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) isolated from wild birds in Asia and Europe. Antigenicity of H7Nx was similar to those of typical non-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (AIVs). While HPAIVs or A/Anhui/1/2013 (H7N9)-related LPAIVs were not detected in migratory waterfowl in Mongolia, sporadic introductions of AIVs including H5 and H7 viruses into Mongolia through the wild bird migration were identified. Thus, continued monitoring of H5 and H7 AIVs in both domestic and wild birds is needed for the early detection of HPAIVs spread into the country.

Capillary zone electrophoresis determination of fluoride in seawater using transient isotachophoresis.

We developed capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with indirect UV detection for the determination of fluoride (F-) in seawater using transient isotachophoresis (tITP) as an on-line concentration procedure. A method of correcting sample salinity effects was also proposed so that F- concentrations were obtained using a calibration graph. The proposed method is simple: it requires no sample pretreatment aside from dilution. The following optimum conditions were established: background electrolyte (BGE), 5 mM 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (PDC) adjusted to pH 3.5 containing 0.03% m/v hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC); detection wavelength, 200 nm; vacuum (50 kPa) injection period of sample, 5 s (254 nL); and applied voltage, 23 kV with the sample inlet side as the cathode. The limit of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) and limit of quantification (LOQ, S/N = 10) for F- reached 0.024 and 0.070 mg/L, respectively. The respective values of the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the peak area, peak height, and migration time for F- were 2.5, 3.4, and 0.30%. The proposed method was applied for the determination of F- in seawater samples collected from coastal waters of western Japan during August 26-28, 2014. Both results obtained using standard addition method and a calibration graph agreed with those obtained using a conventional spectrophotometric method.

Highly sensitive tITP-CZE determination of l-histidine and creatinine in human blood plasma using field-amplified sample injection with mobility-boost effect.

2D computer simulation revealed that amino acids and weak electrolytes were cationized because of the migration of counter-ion from a BGE zone to a sample zone, which encouraged electrokinetic injection (EKI) of these analytes (by the mobility-boost (MB) effect). To investigate the effects of kinds and concentrations of counter-ions on the MB effect and the analyte amount injected into the capillary, experiments, and 1D computer simulations were performed. When acetate was used as the counter-ion, the LODs (S/N = 3) of l-histidine and creatinine, respectively, reached 0.10 and 0.25 nM because of the concentration effect by transient ITP (tITP). The concentrations of l-histidine and creatinine in human blood plasma obtained using the proposed method were agreed with those obtained using the conventional methods. The proposed method can be applied to the analysis of amino acids and weak bases that have similar pI and pKa to l-histidine and creatinine.

Seroprevalence of Bas-Congo virus in Mangala, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Bas-Congo virus (BASV), an emerging tibrovirus, was associated with an outbreak of acute haemorrhagic fever in Mangala, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in 2009. In 2012, neutralising antibodies to BASV were detected in the lone survivor and one of his close contacts. However, subsequent serological and molecular surveys were unsuccessful as neither BASV antibodies nor its RNA were detected. In this study, we determined the seroprevalence of BASV infection in Mangala 13 years after the initial outbreak. METHODS: We conducted a population-based serological survey from Jan 17 to Jan 23, 2022. Consenting individuals at least 5 years of age, living in Mangala for at least 4 weeks, and who had no contraindication to venepuncture were enrolled. Participants were interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. We supplemented the collected serum samples with 284 archived samples from Matadi and Kinshasa. All samples were tested for antibodies to BASV and other tibroviruses using a pseudovirus-based neutralisation test. FINDINGS: Among the 267 individuals from Mangala, the prevalence of BASV antibodies was 55% (95% CI 49-61; n=147). BASV seropositivity odds significantly increased with age (5·2 [95% CI 2·1-12·9] to 83·9 [20·8-337·7] times higher in participants aged 20 years or older than participants aged 5-19 years). Some occupational categories (eg, farmer or public servant) were associated with seropositivity. Only nine (6%) of 160 samples from Matadi and one (<1%) of 124 samples from Kinshasa had neutralising antibodies to BASV. Moreover, we also detected neutralising antibodies to other tibroviruses-Ekpoma virus 1, Ekpoma virus 2, and Mundri virus-in 84 (31%), 251 (94%), and 219 (82%) of 267 Mangala samples; 14 (9%), 62 (39%), and 120 (75%) of 160 Matadi samples; and six (5%), five (4%), and 33 (27%) of 124 Kinshasa samples, respectively. INTERPRETATION: Human infection with BASV and other tibroviruses seems common in Mangala, although no deadly outbreak has been reported since 2009. Exposure to BASV might be highly restricted to Mangala and the increasing prevalence of neutralising antibodies with age suggests regular contact with the virus in this city. Altogether, our findings suggest that human infection with tibroviruses could be common in the study areas and not associated with deadly haemorrhagic or debilitating syndromes. FUNDING: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) and Japan Program for Infectious Diseases Research and Infrastructure from AMED.

Human ACE2 Genetic Polymorphism Affecting SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 Entry into Cells.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2 have a single envelope glycoprotein (S protein) that binds to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the host cell membrane. Previous mutational scanning studies have suggested that some substitutions corresponding to single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in human ACE2 affect the binding affinity to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. However, the importance of these substitutions in actual virus infection is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of the reported ACE2 SNV substitutions on the entry of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 into cells, using vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus (VSIV) pseudotyped with S proteins of these coronaviruses (CoVs). HEK293T cells transfected with plasmids expressing ACE2 having each SNV substitution were infected with the pseudotyped VSIVs and relative infectivities were determined compared to the cells expressing wild-type ACE2. We found that some of the SNV substitutions positively or negatively affected the infectivities of the pseudotyped viruses. Particularly, the H505R substitution significantly enhanced the infection with the pseudotyped VSIVs, including those having the substitutions found in the S protein RBD of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Our findings suggest that human ACE2 SNVs may potentially affect cell susceptibilities to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 are known to cause severe pneumonia in humans. The S protein of these CoVs binds to the ACE2 molecule on the plasma membrane and mediates virus entry into cells. The interaction between the S protein and ACE2 is thought to be important for host susceptibility to these CoVs. Although previous studies suggested that some SNV substitutions in ACE2 might affect the binding to the S protein, it remains elusive whether these SNV substitutions actually alter the efficiency of the entry of SARS CoVs into cells. We analyzed the impact of the ACE2 SNVs on the cellular entry of SARS CoVs using pseudotyped VSIVs having the S protein on the viral surface. We found that some of the SNV substitutions positively or negatively affected the infectivities of the viruses. Our data support the notion that genetic polymorphisms of ACE2 may potentially influence cell susceptibilities to SARS CoVs.

Single Nucleotide Variants of the Human TIM-1 IgV Domain with Reduced Ability to Promote Viral Entry into Cells.

Human T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 1 (hTIM-1) is known to promote cellular entry of enveloped viruses. Previous studies suggested that the polymorphisms of hTIM-1 affected its function. Here, we analyzed single nucleotide variants (SNVs) of hTIM-1 to determine their ability to promote cellular entry of viruses using pseudotyped vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus (VSIV). We obtained hTIM-1 sequences from a public database (Ensembl genome browser) and identified 35 missense SNVs in 3 loops of the hTIM-1 immunoglobulin variable (IgV) domain, which had been reported to interact with the Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) and phosphatidylserine (PS) in the viral envelope. HEK293T cells transiently expressing wildtype hTIM-1 or its SNV mutants were infected with VSIVs pseudotyped with filovirus or arenavirus GPs, and their infectivities were compared. Eleven of the thirty-five SNV substitutions reduced the efficiency of hTIM-1-mediated entry of pseudotyped VSIVs. These SNV substitutions were found not only around the PS-binding pocket but also in other regions of the molecule. Taken together, our findings suggest that some SNVs of the hTIM-1 IgV domain have impaired ability to interact with PS and/or viral GPs in the viral envelope, which may affect the hTIM-1 function to promote viral entry into cells.

A Simple Flow Injection Analysis-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method to Reduce False Positives of C5-Acylcarnitines Due to Pivaloylcarnitine Using Reference Ions.

Flow injection analysis−tandem mass spectrometry (FIA-TMS) has been applied in a first-tier test of newborn screening (NBS). Although isovalerylcarnitine (i-C5), which is a diagnostic indicator of isovaleric acidemia (IVA), is isobaric with pivaloylcarnitine (p-C5), 2-methylbutyrylcarnitine, and n-valerylcarnitine, these isomers cannot be distinguished by the FIA-TMS. There are many reports of false positives derived from p-C5 due to the use of pivalate-conjugated antibiotics. In this study, we developed a new FIA-TMS method to distinguish i-C5 and p-C5. We found that the intensity ratio of product ions for i-C5 and p-C5 was different in a certain range even under the same analytical conditions. The product ions with the most distinct differences in ionic intensity between the isomers and the collision energies that produce them were determined to be m/z 246.2 > 187.1 and −15 V, respectively. In addition to the quantification ion, a reference ion was defined, and the similarity of the i-C5 and p-C5 reference ion ratios (i-C5 score and p-C5 score, respectively) were used to estimate which isomer (i-C5 and p-C5) was responsible for elevated C5 acylcarnitine in dried blood spots (DBSs). As a result of analyses of 11 DBS samples derived from pivalate-conjugated antibiotics and four DBS samples from IVA patients using our method, it was found that our method was able to correctly determine the type of C5-acylcarnitine (i-C5 or p-C5) in the DBS samples. Implementation of this new FIA-TMS method into the current NBS protocol will allow for a reduction in false positives in IVA.

Mapping of Antibody Epitopes on the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Nucleoprotein.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a nairovirus, is a tick-borne zoonotic virus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans. The CCHFV nucleoprotein (NP) is the antigen most used for serological screening of CCHFV infection in animals and humans. To gain insights into antibody epitopes on the NP molecule, we produced recombinant chimeric NPs between CCHFV and Nairobi sheep disease virus (NSDV), which is another nairovirus, and tested rabbit and mouse antisera/immune ascites, anti-NP monoclonal antibodies, and CCHFV-infected animal/human sera for their reactivities to the NP antigens. We found that the amino acids at positions 161-320 might include dominant epitopes recognized by anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies, whereas cross-reactivity between anti-CCHFV and anti-NSDV antibodies was limited. Their binding capacities were further tested using a series of synthetic peptides whose sequences were derived from CCHFV NP. IgG antibodies in CCHFV-infected monkeys and patients were reactive to some of the synthetic peptide antigens (e.g., amino acid residues at positions 131-150 and 211-230). Only a few peptides were recognized by IgG antibodies in the anti-NSDV serum. These results provide useful information to improve NP-based antibody detection assays as well as antigen detection tests relying on anti-NP monoclonal antibodies.

Multiple Routes of Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection is generally known for many viruses. A potential risk of ADE in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has also been discussed since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; however, clinical evidence of the presence of antibodies with ADE potential is limited. Here, we show that ADE antibodies are produced by SARS-CoV-2 infection and the ADE process can be mediated by at least two different host factors, Fcγ receptor (FcγR) and complement component C1q. Of 89 serum samples collected from acute or convalescent COVID-19 patients, 62.9% were found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG. FcγR- and/or C1q-mediated ADE were detected in 50% of the IgG-positive sera, whereas most of them showed neutralizing activity in the absence of FcγR and C1q. Importantly, ADE antibodies were found in 41.4% of the acute COVID-19 patients. Neutralizing activity was also detected in most of the IgG-positive sera, but it was counteracted by ADE in subneutralizing conditions in the presence of FcγR or C1q. Although the clinical importance of ADE needs to be further investigated with larger numbers of COVID-19 patient samples, our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 utilizes multiple mechanisms of ADE. C1q-mediated ADE may particularly have a clinical impact since C1q is present at high concentrations in plasma and its receptors are ubiquitously expressed on the surfaces of many types of cells, including respiratory epithelial cells, which SARS-CoV-2 primarily infects. IMPORTANCE Potential risks of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been discussed and the proposed mechanism mostly depends on the Fc gamma receptor (FcγR). However, since FcγRs are exclusively expressed on immune cells, which are not primary targets of SARS-CoV-2, the clinical importance of ADE of SARS-CoV-2 infection remains controversial. Our study demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces antibodies that increase SARS-CoV-2 infection through another ADE mechanism in which complement component C1q mediates the enhancement. Although neutralizing activity was also detected in the serum samples, it was counteracted by ADE in the presence of FcγR or C1q. Considering the ubiquity of C1q and its cellular receptors, C1q-mediated ADE may more likely occur in respiratory epithelial cells, which SARS-CoV-2 primarily infects. Our data highlight the importance of careful monitoring of the antibody properties in COVID-19 convalescent and vaccinated individuals.

Fecal metabolite analysis of Japanese macaques in Yakushima by LC-MS/MS and LC-QTOF-MS.

We performed a comprehensive fecal metabolite analysis using LC-MS/MS and LC-QTOF-MS approaches as a preliminary study. Feces of Japanese macaques on Yakushima Island were collected from five monkeys at two separate locations. Using the former methodology, 59 substances such as free amino acids, nucleotides, nucleosides and nucleic acid bases, and organic acids in the citrate cycle were quantitatively detected and successfully differentiated in two different monkey groups by the concentrations of nucleic acid metabolites and free amino acids. In the latter, around 12,000 substances were detected both by positive and negative mode in each sample. Differences in signal intensities were observed between two monkey groups in the concentrations of plant secondary metabolites such as cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoids, and phenolics.

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Cellular Entry and Host Range Restriction of Lujo Virus.

Like other human-pathogenic arenaviruses, Lujo virus (LUJV) is a causative agent of viral hemorrhagic fever in humans. LUJV infects humans with high mortality rates, but the susceptibilities of other animal species and the molecular determinants of its host specificity remain unknown. We found that mouse- and hamster-derived cell lines (NIH 3T3 and BHK, respectively) were less susceptible to a replication-incompetent recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (Indiana) pseudotyped with the LUJV glycoprotein (GP) (VSVΔG*-LUJV/GP) than were human-derived cell lines (HEK293T and Huh7). To determine the cellular factors involved in the differential susceptibilities between the human and mouse cell lines, we focused on the CD63 molecule, which is required for pH-activated GP-mediated membrane fusion during LUJV entry into host cells. The exogenous introduction of human CD63, but not mouse or hamster CD63, into BHK cells significantly increased susceptibility to VSVΔG*-LUJV/GP. Using chimeric human-mouse CD63 proteins, we found that the amino acid residues at positions 141 to 150 in the large extracellular loop (LEL) region of CD63 were important for the cellular entry of VSVΔG*-LUJV/GP. By site-directed mutagenesis, we further determined that a phenylalanine at position 143 in human CD63 was the key residue for efficient membrane fusion and VSVΔG*-LUJV/GP infection. Our data suggest that the interaction of LUJV GP with the LEL region of CD63 is essential for cell susceptibility to LUJV, thus providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular entry of LUJV and the host range restriction of this virus. IMPORTANCE Lujo virus (LUJV) infects humans with high mortality rates, but the host range of LUJV remains unknown. We found that rodent-derived cell lines were less susceptible to LUJV infection than were human-derived cell lines, and the differential susceptibilities were determined by the difference of CD63, the intercellular receptor of LUJV. We further identified an amino acid residue on human CD63 important for efficient LUJV infection. These results suggest that the interaction between LUJV glycoprotein and CD63 is one of the important factors determining the host range of LUJV. Our findings on the CD63-regulated susceptibilities of the cell lines to LUJV infection provide important information for the development of anti-LUJV drugs as well as the identification of natural hosts of LUJV. Importantly, our data support a concept explaining the molecular mechanism underlying viral tropisms controlled by endosomal receptors.

An ion-pair free LC-MS/MS method for quantitative metabolite profiling of microbial bioproduction systems.

Data-driven engineering of microbes has been demonstrated for the sustainable production of high-performance chemicals. Metabolic profiling analysis is essential to increase the productivity of target compounds. However, improvement of comprehensive analysis methodologies is required for the high demands of metabolic engineering. Therefore, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based methodology was designed and applied to cover a wide target range with high precision. Ion-pair free separation of metabolites on a pentafluorophenyl propyl column enabled high-precision quantification of 113 metabolites. The method was further evaluated for high reproducibility and robustness. Target analytes consisted of primary metabolites and intermediate metabolites for microbial production of high-performance chemicals. 95 metabolites could be detected with high reproducibility of peak area (intraday data: CV<15%), and 53 metabolites could be sensitively determined within a wide dynamic linear range (3-4 orders of magnitude). The developed system was further applied to the metabolomic analysis of various prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Differences due to culture media and metabolic phenotypes could be observed when comparing the metabolomes of conventional and non-conventional yeast. Furthermore, almost all Kluyveromyces marxianus metabolites could be detected with moderate reproducibility (CV<40%, among independent extractions), where 41 metabolites were detected with very high reproducibility (CV<15%). In addition, the accuracy was validated via a spike-and-recovery test,and 78 metabolites were detected with analyte recovery in the 80-120% range. Together these results establish ion-pair free metabolic profiling as a comprehensive and precise tool for data-driven bioengineering applications.

Structural Requirements in the Hemagglutinin Cleavage Site-Coding RNA Region for the Generation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) with H5 and H7 hemagglutinin (HA) subtypes are derived from their low pathogenic counterparts following the acquisition of multiple basic amino acids in their HA cleavage site. It has been suggested that consecutive adenine residues and a stem-loop structure in the viral RNA region that encodes the cleavage site are essential for the acquisition of the polybasic cleavage site. By using a reporter assay to detect non-templated nucleotide insertions, we found that insertions more frequently occurred in the RNA region (29 nucleotide-length) encoding the cleavage site of an H5 HA gene that was predicted to have a stem-loop structure containing consecutive adenines than in a mutated corresponding RNA region that had a disrupted loop structure with fewer adenines. In virus particles generated by using reverse genetics, nucleotide insertions that created additional codons for basic amino acids were found in the RNA region encoding the cleavage site of an H5 HA gene but not in the mutated RNA region. We confirmed the presence of virus clones with the ability to replicate without trypsin in a plaque assay and to cause lethal infection in chicks. These results demonstrate that the stem-loop structure containing consecutive adenines in HA genes is a key molecular determinant for the emergence of H5 HPAIVs.

Metabolomic LC-MS/MS analyses and meta 16S rRNA gene analyses on cecal feces of Japanese rock ptarmigans reveal fundamental differences between semi-wild and captive raised individuals.

Ex situ conservation of Japanese rock ptarmigans began in 2015 with the aim of reintroducing artificially raised birds into their original habitat. However, the current raising method in captivity seems insufficient in terms of the survivability of artificially raised birds in natural conditions. Feeding management is one potential reason for such insufficiency. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the hydrophilic metabolites by LC-MS/MS for the cecal feces of Japanese rock ptarmigans under in situ and ex situ conservation to reveal their gut chemical environment. We also analyzed the developmental processes of cecal microbiomes both in situ semi-wild and ex situ captive individuals. Metabolites of nucleic acid were rich in the in situ individuals, and free amino acids were rich in the ex situ individuals. The differences in the microbiome composition between in situ and ex situ individuals were also pronounced; major genera of in situ individuals were not detected or few in ex situ individuals. The alpha diversity of the cecal microbiome of semi-wild chicks at 1 week of age was almost the same as that of their hens, while it was very low in captive individuals. Sub-therapeutic use of oxytetracycline, a diet rich in protein and energy, and isolation from adult birds are considered to be causes for these great differences in gut chemical and microbiological environment between in situ and ex situ individuals.

A Surrogate Animal Model for Screening of Ebola and Marburg Glycoprotein-Targeting Drugs Using Pseudotyped Vesicular Stomatitis Viruses.

Filoviruses, including Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV), cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates with high mortality rates. There is no approved therapy against these deadly viruses. Antiviral drug development has been hampered by the requirement of a biosafety level (BSL)-4 facility to handle infectious EBOV and MARV because of their high pathogenicity to humans. In this study, we aimed to establish a surrogate animal model that can be used for anti-EBOV and -MARV drug screening under BSL-2 conditions by focusing on the replication-competent recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) pseudotyped with the envelope glycoprotein (GP) of EBOV (rVSV/EBOV) and MARV (rVSV/MARV), which has been investigated as vaccine candidates and thus widely used in BSL-2 laboratories. We first inoculated mice, rats, and hamsters intraperitoneally with rVSV/EBOV and found that only hamsters showed disease signs and succumbed within 4 days post-infection. Infection with rVSV/MARV also caused lethal infection in hamsters. Both rVSV/EBOV and rVSV/MARV were detected at high titers in multiple organs including the liver, spleen, kidney, and lungs of infected hamsters, indicating acute and systemic infection resulting in fatal outcomes. Therapeutic effects of passive immunization with an anti-EBOV neutralizing antibody were specifically observed in rVSV/EBOV-infected hamsters. Thus, this animal model is expected to be a useful tool to facilitate in vivo screening of anti-filovirus drugs targeting the GP molecule.

Free D-amino acids produced by commensal bacteria in the colonic lumen.

D-amino acids (D-AAs) have various biological activities, such as activation of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor as a co-agonist by D-Ser. Since several free D-AAs are released in the broth monocultured with bacterium and D-AAs are probably utilized for bacterial communication, we presume that intestinal microbiota releases several kinds of free D-AAs, which may be involved in the hosts' health. However, presently, only four free D-AAs have been found in the ceacal lumen, but not in the colonic lumen. Here, we showed, by simultaneous analysis of chiral AAs using high-sensitivity liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), that 12 free D-AAs (D-Ala, D-Arg, D-Asp, D-Gln, D-Glu, D-allo-Ile, D-Leu, D-Lys, D-Met, D-Phe, D-Ser, and D-Trp) are produced by intestinal microbiota and identified bacterial groups belonging to Firmicutes as the relevant bacterial candidates.

Capillary zone electrophoresis determination of aniline and pyridine in sewage samples using transient isotachophoresis with a system-induced terminator.

Transient isotachophoresis (tITP) with a system-induced terminator (SIT) was developed for capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) determination of aniline (An+) and pyridine (Py+) in sewage samples. After sample injection, a water vial was set at the sample-inlet side. Then voltage was applied to generate a system-induced terminator (H+). Experiments and simulations revealed a concentration effect by tITP with an SIT: background electrolyte (BGE) - 100mM acetic acid (AcOH) and 50mM NaOH (pH 4.6); detection wavelength - 200nm for An+ and 254nm for Py+; vacuum injection period - 15s (190nL); SIT generation - 10kV applied for 80s with the sample inlet side anode; separation voltage - 20kV with the sample inlet side anode. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N=3) of An+ and Py+ respectively reached 10 and 42µg/L, with good repeatability (peak area RSDs≤6.9%) and calibration graph linearity (R2=0.9997). The proposed method was applied for determination of An+ and Py+ in sewage samples. Recoveries of An+ (0.50mg/L) and Py+ (2.0mg/L) in spiked sewage samples were 94-104%.

Role of counter-ions in background electrolyte for the analysis of cationgenic weak electrolytes and amino acids in neutral aqueous solutions by capillary electrophoresis with electrokinetic injection.

We elucidated theoretically and experimentally that counter-ions in background electrolyte (BGE) play a role of booster for electrokinetic injection (EKI) for the determination of cationgenic weak electrolytes and amino acids in neutral aqueous solutions using capillary electrophoresis (CE). The pH change in the sample solution caused by the migration of counter-ions resulted in the increase of analyte mobility and hence the increase of the amount of analyte injected into the capillary. This type of EKI was named as counter-ion boosted EKI. Using the counter-ion boosted EKI-capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), the limit of detections (LODs, S/N=3) for creatinine (4.8nM) and l-histidine (9.0nM) were lowest ever achieved by CE with UV detection. The RSDs (n=3) of the migration time for creatinine and l-histidine were obtained as 0.35% and 0.34%, for peak areas of 13% and 12%, and for peak heights of 12% and 8.5%, respectively. The concentrations of creatinine and l-histidine in a urine sample obtained by the proposed method were within those reported with a good recovery.