A Sendai virus recombinant vaccine expressing a gene for truncated human metapneumovirus (hMPV) fusion protein protects cotton rats from hMPV challenge.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infections pose a serious health risk to young children, particularly in cases of premature birth. No licensed vaccine exists and there is no standard treatment for hMPV infections apart from supportive hospital care. We describe the production of a Sendai virus (SeV) recombinant that carries a gene for a truncated hMPV fusion (F) protein (SeV-MPV-Ft). The vaccine induces binding and neutralizing antibody responses toward hMPV and protection against challenge with hMPV in a cotton rat system. Results encourage advanced development of SeV-MPV-Ft to prevent the morbidity and mortality caused by hMPV infections in young children.

Influence of antigen insertion site and vector dose on immunogenicity and protective capacity in Sendai virus-based human parainfluenza virus type 3 vaccines.

Recombinant Sendai virus (rSeV) was used as a live, attenuated vaccine vector for intranasal inoculation and mucosal expression of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) surface glycoprotein of human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3). Two vaccine candidates rSeV-HPIV3HN(P-M) and rSeV-HPIV3(F-HN) were constructed in which the HPIV3 HN open reading frame and an additional gene junction was inserted in the P-M and F-HN gene junctions of rSeV, respectively. The rSeV-HPIV3HN(P-M) virus was attenuated compared to rSeV-HPIV3(F-HN) in LLC-MK2 cells, and yet both vaccine candidates grew to similar extents in NHBE cells and in the respiratory tracts of cotton rats. These results suggest that in vitro vector growth in NHBE cells more accurately predicts virus yield in cotton rats than does growth in LLC-MK2 cells. Both vaccine vectors elicited high levels of serum neutralizing antibodies and conferred protection from HPIV3 challenge in cotton rats. Compared to vaccination with a high dose (2,000,000 PFU), intranasal inoculation with a low dose (200 PFU) resulted in a 10-fold decrease in vector growth in the nasal cavity and trachea and a 50-fold decrease in the lungs. However, low-dose vaccination resulted in only modest decreases in anti-HPIV3 antibodies in sera and was sufficient to confer complete protection from HPIV3 challenge. Varying the HPIV3 antigen insertion site and vector dose allowed fine-tuning of the in vivo growth and immunogenicity of rSeV-based vaccines, but all four vaccination strategies tested resulted in complete protection from HPIV3 challenge. These results highlight the versatility of the rSeV platform for developing intranasally administered respiratory virus vaccines.

Illumination of parainfluenza virus infection and transmission in living animals reveals a tissue-specific dichotomy.

The parainfluenza viruses (PIVs) are highly contagious respiratory paramyxoviruses and a leading cause of lower respiratory tract (LRT) disease. Since no vaccines or antivirals exist, non-pharmaceutical interventions are the only means of control for these pathogens. Here we used bioluminescence imaging to visualize the spatial and temporal progression of murine PIV1 (Sendai virus) infection in living mice after intranasal inoculation or exposure by contact. A non-attenuated luciferase reporter virus (rSeV-luc(M-F*)) that expressed high levels of luciferase yet was phenotypically similar to wild-type Sendai virus in vitro and in vivo was generated to allow visualization. After direct intranasal inoculation, we unexpectedly observed that the upper respiratory tract (URT) and trachea supported robust infection under conditions that result in little infection or pathology in the lungs including a low inoculum of virus, an attenuated virus, and strains of mice genetically resistant to lung infection. The high permissivity of the URT and trachea to infection resulted in 100% transmission to naïve contact recipients, even after low-dose (70 PFU) inoculation of genetically resistant BALB/c donor mice. The timing of transmission was consistent with the timing of high viral titers in the URT and trachea of donor animals but was independent of the levels of infection in the lungs of donors. The data therefore reveals a disconnect between transmissibility, which is associated with infection in the URT, and pathogenesis, which arises from infection in the lungs and the immune response. Natural infection after transmission was universally robust in the URT and trachea yet limited in the lungs, inducing protective immunity without weight loss even in genetically susceptible 129/SvJ mice. Overall, these results reveal a dichotomy between PIV infection in the URT and trachea versus the lungs and define a new model for studies of pathogenesis, development of live virus vaccines, and testing of antiviral therapies.

Residues in the heptad repeat a region of the fusion protein modulate the virulence of Sendai virus in mice.

While the molecular basis of fusion (F) protein refolding during membrane fusion has been studied extensively in vitro, little is known about the biological significance of membrane fusion activity in parainfluenza virus replication and pathogenesis in vivo. Two recombinant Sendai viruses, F-L179V and F-K180Q, were generated that contain F protein mutations in the heptad repeat A region of the ectodomain, a region of the protein known to regulate F protein activation. In vitro, the F-L179V virus caused increased syncytium formation (cell-cell membrane fusion) yet had a rate of replication and levels of F protein expression and cleavage similar to wild-type virus. The F-K180Q virus had a reduced replication rate along with reduced levels of F protein expression, cleavage, and fusogenicity. In DBA/2 mice, the hyperfusogenic F-L179V virus induced greater morbidity and mortality than wild-type virus, while the attenuated F-K180Q virus was much less pathogenic. During the first week of infection, virus replication and inflammation in the lungs were similar for wild-type and F-L179V viruses. After approximately 1 week of infection, the clearance of F-L179V virus was delayed, and more extensive interstitial inflammation and necrosis were observed in the lungs, affecting entire lobes of the lungs and having significantly greater numbers of syncytial cell masses in alveolar spaces on day 10. On the other hand, the slower-growing F-K180Q virus caused much less extensive inflammation than wild-type virus, presumably due to its reduced replication rate, and did not cause observable syncytium formation in the lungs. Overall, the results show that residues in the heptad repeat A region of the F protein modulate the virulence of Sendai virus in mice by influencing both the spread and clearance of the virus and the extent and severity of inflammation. An understanding of how the F protein contributes to infection and inflammation in vivo may assist in the development of antiviral therapies against respiratory paramyxoviruses.

Quantum dot ex vivo labeling of neuromuscular synapses.

Nicotinic receptors (nAchRs) are responsible for fast excitatory signaling by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach). They are present on the postsynaptic membrane at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) and also at brain synapses. Alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BTX), a high-affinity nAchR antagonist, inhibits Ach binding and neurotransmission. Here we demonstrate biotinylated alpha-BTX, bound to native mouse diaphragm nAchRs, can be quantified and visualized ex vivo using streptavidin-conjugated quantum dots. This approach provides a novel methodology for the direct assessment of the presence and mobility of neurotransmitter receptors in native tissue.

Synthesis and characterization of a pegylated derivative of 3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridin-4yl)-1H-indole (IDT199): a high affinity SERT ligand for conjugation to quantum dots.

Quantum dots consisting of a cadmium selenide core encapsulated in a shell of cadmium doped zinc sulfide have the potential to revolutionize fluorescent imaging of live cell cultures. In order to utilize these fluorescent probes it is necessary to functionalize them with biologically active ligands. In this paper we report the design and synthesis of a ligand that has a high affinity for the serotonin transporter (SERT) that may be conjugated to quantum dots.

Desvenlafaxine succinate identifies novel antagonist binding determinants in the human norepinephrine transporter.

Desvenlafaxine succinate (DVS) is a recently introduced antagonist of the human norepinephrine and serotonin transporters (hNET and hSERT, respectively), currently in clinical development for use in the treatment of major depressive disorder and vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. Initial evaluation of the pharmacological properties of DVS (J Pharmacol Exp Ther 318:657-665, 2006) revealed significantly reduced potency for the hNET expressed in membranes compared with whole cells when competing for [(3)H]nisoxetine (NIS) binding. Using hNET in transfected human embryonic kidney-293 cells, this difference in potency for DVS at sites labeled by [(3)H]NIS was found to distinguish DVS, the DVS analog rac-(1-[1-(3-chloro-phenyl)-2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-ethyl]cyclohexanol (WY-46824), methylphenidate, and the cocaine analog 3beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropane-2beta-carboxylic acid methyl ester (RTI-55) from other hNET antagonists, such as NIS, mazindol, tricyclic antidepressants, and cocaine. These differences seem not to arise from preparation-specific perturbations of ligand intrinsic affinity or antagonist-specific surface trafficking but rather from protein conformational alterations that perturb the relationships between distinct hNET binding sites. In an initial search for molecular features that differentially define antagonist binding determinants, we document that Val148 in hNET transmembrane domain 3 selectively disrupts NIS binding but not that of DVS.

High affinity inhibitors of the dopamine transporter (DAT): novel biotinylated ligands for conjugation to quantum dots.

Compounds capable of inhibiting the dopamine transporter protein (DAT) that can be conjugated to cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide/core shell nanocrystals may be used to image the location and distribution of the DAT in neuronal cell membranes. This letter describes the synthesis of biotinylated analogs of the DAT antagonists GBR 12909 and GBR 12935 that can be attached to streptavidin coated cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide/core shell nanocrystals.

Inhibitors of the serotonin transporter protein (SERT): the design and synthesis of biotinylated derivatives of 3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridin-4-yl)-1H-indoles. High-affinity serotonergic ligands for conjugation with quantum dots.

There is a growing demand for compounds with specificity for the serotonin transporter protein (SERT) that can be conjugated to cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide core shell nanocrystals. This letter describes the design and synthesis of two different biotinylated SERT antagonists that can be attached to streptavidin-coated cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide core shell nanocrystals.

Labeling cell-surface proteins via antibody quantum dot streptavidin conjugates.

The quantum dot is a novel fluorescent platform that has the potential to become an alternative to conventional organic dyes used to label biological probes such as antibodies or ligands. Compared to typical fluorescent organic dyes, cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide core-shell nanocrystals, or quantum dots, have greater photostability, resist metabolic and chemical degradation, are nontoxic, and display broad emission and narrow excitation bands. When conjugated to generic adaptor molecules such as streptavidin, quantum dots can be used to label different biotinylated antibodies or ligands without having to customize the quantum dot surface chemistry for each antibody or ligand. In this chapter, we outline the methodology for using streptavidin quantum dots to label biotinylated antibodies that target cell-surface ectodomain proteins on both living and fixed cells.

Peptide-conjugated quantum dots: imaging the angiotensin type 1 receptor in living cells.

Peptide-quantum dot conjugates have been prepared by attaching angiotensin II (Ang II) to cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide core-shell nanocrystals using an 1-[3-(Dimethyamino)propyl]-3-ethylcarbo diimide hydrochloride (EDC) coupling. These conjugates have been used to image angiotensin I-expressing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in vitro. When CHO cells were incubated with Ang II before incubating with Ang II-conjugated quantum dots, we were able to block the binding of the dots. The Ang II-quantum dot conjugates did not bind to parental cells and showed similar staining patterns when compared with a commercially available Ang II Alexa 488 conjugate.

Regulation of dopamine D(1) receptor trafficking by protein kinase A-dependent phosphorylation.

The aim of this study was to use pharmacological inhibition of protein kinase A and mutation of potential protein kinase A phosphorylation sites to determine the role of protein kinase A-catalyzed phosphorylation of the dopamine D(1) receptor in agonist-stimulated desensitization and internalization of the receptor. To facilitate purification and imaging of the D(1) receptor, we attached a polyhistidine tag to the amino terminus and enhanced green fluorescent protein to the carboxyl terminus of the receptor (D(1)-EGFP). D(1)-EGFP was similar to the untagged D(1) receptor in terms of affinity for agonist and antagonist ligands, coupling to G proteins, and stimulation of cyclic AMP accumulation. D(1)-EGFP and two mutants in which either Thr268 or Ser380 was replaced with Ala were stably expressed in NS20Y neuroblastoma cells. Pretreatment with the protein kinase A inhibitor H-89 (N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide) or substitution of Ala for Thr268 reduced agonist-stimulated phosphorylation of the receptor and resulted in diminished trafficking of the receptor to the perinuclear region of the cell. Substitution of Ala for Thr268 had no effect, however, on agonist-induced receptor sequestration or desensitization of cyclic AMP accumulation. Substitution of Ala for Ser380 had no effect on D(1) receptor phosphorylation, sequestration, desensitization, or trafficking to the perinuclear region. We conclude that protein kinase A-dependent phosphorylation of the D(1) receptor on Thr268 regulates a late step in the sorting of the receptor to the perinuclear region of the cell, but that phosphorylation of Thr268 is not required for receptor sequestration or maximal desensitization of cyclic AMP accumulation.