Cleavage activation of human-adapted influenza virus subtypes by kallikrein-related peptidases 5 and 12.

A critical step in the influenza virus replication cycle is the cleavage activation of the HA precursor. Cleavage activation of influenza HA enables fusion with the host endosome, allowing for release of the viral genome into the host cell. To date, studies have determined that HA activation is driven by trypsin-like host cell proteases, as well as yet to be identified bacterial proteases. Although the number of host proteases that can activate HA is growing, there is still uncertainty regarding which secreted proteases are able to support multicycle replication of influenza. In this study, we have determined that the kallikrein-related peptidases 5 and 12 are secreted from the human respiratory tract and have the ability to cleave and activate HA from the H1, H2, and H3 subtypes. Each peptidase appears to have a preference for particular influenza subtypes, with kallikrein 5 cleaving the H1 and H3 subtypes most efficiently and kallikrein 12 cleaving the H1 and H2 subtypes most efficiently. Cleavage analysis using HA cleavage site peptide mimics revealed that the amino acids neighboring the arginine cleavage site affect cleavage efficiency. Additionally, the thrombolytic zymogens plasminogen, urokinase, and plasma kallikrein have all been shown to cleave and activate influenza but are found circulating mainly as inactive precursors. Kallikrein 5 and kallikrein 12 were examined for their ability to activate the thrombolytic zymogens, and both resulted in activation of each zymogen, with kallikrein 12 being a more potent activator. Activation of the thrombolytic zymogens may therefore allow for both direct and indirect activation of the HA of human-adapted influenza viruses by kallikrein 5 and kallikrein 12.

When the nose must remain responsive: glutathione conjugation of the mammary pheromone in the newborn rabbit.

In insects, xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes were demonstrated to regulate pheromones inactivation, clearing them from the olfactory periphery and keeping receptors ready for stimulation renewal. Here, we investigate whether similar processes could occur in mammals, focusing on the pheromonal communication between female rabbits and their newborns. Lactating rabbits emit in their milk a volatile aldehyde, 2-methylbut-2-enal, that elicits searching-grasping in neonates; called the mammary pheromone (MP), it is critical for pups which are constrained to find nipples within the 5 min of daily nursing. For newborns, it is thus essential to remain sensitive to this odorant during the whole nursing period to display several actions of sucking. Here, we show that the MP is enzymatically conjugated to glutathione in newborn olfactory epithelium (OE), in accordance with the high mRNA expression of glutathione transferases evidenced by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. This activity in the nose is higher than in the liver and in OE of newborns compared with weanlings (no more responsive to the pheromone). Therefore, the results pinpoint the existence of a high level of MP-glutathione conjugation activity in the OE of young rabbits, especially in the developmental window where the perceptual sensitivity toward the MP is crucial for survival.

Airway protease/antiprotease imbalance in atopic asthmatics contributes to increased influenza A virus cleavage and replication.

Asthmatics are more susceptible to influenza infections, yet mechanisms mediating this enhanced susceptibility are unknown. Influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) protein binds to sialic acid residues on the host cells. HA requires cleavage to allow fusion of the viral HA with host cell membrane, which is mediated by host trypsin-like serine protease. We show data here demonstrating that the protease:antiprotease ratio is increased in the nasal mucosa of asthmatics and that these changes were associated with increased proteolytic activation of influenza. These data suggest that disruption of the protease balance in asthmatics enhances activation and infection of influenza virus.

A novel antibody against the furin cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein: Effects on proteolytic cleavage and ACE2 binding.

SARS-CoV-2 harbors a unique S1/S2 furin cleavage site within its spike protein, which can be cleaved by furin and other proprotein convertases. Proteolytic activation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at the S1/S2 boundary facilitates interaction with host ACE2 receptor for cell entry. To address this, high titer antibody was generated against the SARS-CoV-2-specific furin motif. Using a series of innovative ELISA-based assays, this furin site blocking antibody displayed high sensitivity and specificity for the S1/S2 furin cleavage site, including with a P681R mutation, and demonstrated effective blockage of both enzyme-mediated cleavage and spike-ACE2 interaction. The results suggest that immunological blocking of the furin cleavage site may afford a suitable approach to stem proteolytic activation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and curtail viral infectivity.

Use of nasal cells in micronucleus assays and other genotoxicity studies.

Genotoxicity experiments with exfoliated nasal mucosa cells are a promising minimally invasive approach for the detection of DNA-damaging compounds in ambient air. Results of single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assays with individual cells and organ cultures from bioptic material show that DNA damage caused by compounds such as nitrosamines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticides can be detected. Biochemical studies indicate that enzymes involved in the metabolism of environmental mutagens are represented in nasal cells. Several protocols for experiments with nasal cells have been developed and it was shown that formaldehyde, metals, styrene and crystalline silica induce DNA damage in SCGE and/or in micronucleus studies; furthermore, it was also found that polluted urban air causes DNA instability in nasal epithelial cells. Comparisons of these data with results obtained in lymphocytes and buccal cells indicate that nasal cells are in general equally sensitive. Broad variations in the baseline levels, differences of results obtained in various studies as well as the lack of information concerning the impact of confounding factors on the outcome of experiments with these cells indicate the need for further standardisation of the experimental protocols.

Identification of a specialized adenylyl cyclase that may mediate odorant detection.

The mammalian olfactory system may transduce odorant information via a G protein-mediated adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) cascade. A newly discovered adenylyl cyclase, termed type III, has been cloned, and its expression was localized to olfactory neurons. The type III protein resides in the sensory neuronal cilia, which project into the nasal lumen and are accessible to airborne odorants. The enzymatic activity of the type III adenylyl cyclase appears to differ from nonsensory cyclases. The large difference seen between basal and stimulated activity for the type III enzyme could allow considerable modulation of the intracellular cAMP concentration. This property may represent one mechanism of achieving sensitivity in odorant perception.

Nasal high-mobility group box 1 and caspase in bronchiolitis.

OBJECTIVE: Nasal biomarkers have potential to add objectivity to the clinical assessment of the child with bronchiolitis. We aim to study, if nasal caspase and high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) levels differ between patients who were hospitalized and those discharged from the emergency department (ED), among patients with bronchiolitis. METHODS: Using an observational cross-sectional study design, we recruited patients younger than 24 months presenting to the ED from September 1, 2015 to May 31, 2017 with a diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis. We described the patients' clinical severity measured by the modified respiratory index score (RIS), and performed standardized collection and analysis of nasal caspase and HMGB1 levels. RESULTS: Among 85 patients recruited, the median age was 5.0 months (interquartile range, IQR 3.3-7.2) and the median modified RIS score was 3 (IQR 2-4). Hospitalized patients had a 2.4-fold higher HMGB1 level than patients who were discharged from the ED (2.558 µg/mL [IQR 1.038-5.125] vs 1.056 µg/mL [IQR 0.409-2.395], P = 0.0013). There was no difference in median caspase level between hospitalized and discharged patients. The Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics curve predicting hospitalization was 0.7021 for HMGB1 compared to 0.5709 for RIS in this bronchiolitis cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Our study findings show that nasal HMGB1 levels significantly differentiate between young children with bronchiolitis who were hospitalized compared to those fit for discharge. This exploratory study holds potential for future research on nasal HMGB1 for severity stratification in young children with acute bronchiolitis.

Some biotransformation enzymes responsible for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism in rat nasal turbinates: effects on enzyme activities of in vitro modifiers and intraperitoneal and inhalation exposure of rats to inducing agents.

Respiratory tract biotransformation of many xenobiotics found in inhaled environmental pollutants is generally considered essential for the mutagenic, carcinogenic, and/or toxic response of lung tissue to these xenobiotics. Typical environmental pollutants contain known carcinogens adsorbed onto particles which can deposit in the nasal pharyngeal region of the respiratory tract. The purpose of this study was to characterize the metabolic capacity of rat nasal tissue. Both oxidative and nonoxidative enzyme activities were investigated which included aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), epoxide hydrolase (EH), uridine 5'-diphosphate-glucuronyltransferase (UDPGT), and glutathione transferase. Specific enzyme activities of AHH, EH, UDPGT, and glutathione transferase were 0.023, 6.4, 20.4, and 24.8 nmol product per mg protein per min, respectively. Benzo(a)pyrene was metabolized by AHH to dihydrodiols, quinones, and phenols in quantities which were about 10 times greater than those reported for rat lung microsomes. Small, but detectable, quantities of benzo(a)pyrene tetrols were also measured in reaction flasks in which rat nasal tissue was incubated with benzo(a)-pyrene. Attempts to increase the microsomal enzyme activities of AHH, EH, and UDPGT by pretreating rats with various inducing agents by both i.p. injection (phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene, Aroclor 1254, and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxine) and inhalation exposure (BaP) resulted in rat nasal monooxygenases only being induced (2-fold) after pretreatment with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxine. Phenobarbital increased enzyme activities of EH and UDPGT by about 50%. These data suggest that rat nasal tissue may contain multiple forms of cytochrome P-450 and of EH and UDPGT. The results from this study support the notion that nasal tissue may be important in determining the metabolic fate of inhaled xenobiotics.

Genetic Ablation of Type III Adenylyl Cyclase Exerts Region-Specific Effects on Cilia Architecture in the Mouse Nose.

We recently reported that olfactory sensory neurons in the dorsal zone of the mouse olfactory epithelium exhibit drastic location-dependent differences in cilia length. Furthermore, genetic ablation of type III adenylyl cyclase (ACIII), a key olfactory signaling protein and ubiquitous marker for primary cilia, disrupts the cilia length pattern and results in considerably shorter cilia, independent of odor-induced activity. Given the significant impact of ACIII on cilia length in the dorsal zone, we sought to further investigate the relationship between cilia length and ACIII level in various regions throughout the mouse olfactory epithelium. We employed whole-mount immunohistochemical staining to examine olfactory cilia morphology in phosphodiesterase (PDE) 1C-/-;PDE4A-/- (simplified as PDEs-/- hereafter) and ACIII-/- mice in which ACIII levels are reduced and ablated, respectively. As expected, PDEs-/- animals exhibit dramatically shorter cilia in the dorsal zone (i.e., where the cilia pattern is found), similar to our previous observation in ACIII-/- mice. Remarkably, in a region not included in our previous study, ACIII-/- animals (but not PDEs-/- mice) have dramatically elongated, comet-shaped cilia, as opposed to characteristic star-shaped olfactory cilia. Here, we reveal that genetic ablation of ACIII has drastic, location-dependent effects on cilia architecture in the mouse nose. These results add a new dimension to our current understanding of olfactory cilia structure and regional organization of the olfactory epithelium. Together, these findings have significant implications for both cilia and sensory biology.

Inhibition of rabbit nasal and hepatic cytochrome P-450-dependent hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) N-demethylase by methylenedioxyphenyl compounds.

Eighteen methylenedioxyphenyl (MDP) compounds, including some commonly inhaled by people, were tested for the ability to inhibit rabbit nasal microsomal cytochrome P-450-dependent hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) N-demethylase. For comparison, liver microsomes were also used. Nasal cytochrome P-450 from rabbits metabolized MDP compounds to form cytochrome P-450-metabolite (P-450-MI) complexes as indicated by difference spectra in the Soret region. Several of the MDP compounds were potent inhibitors of nasal P-450-dependent N-demethylase. If inhibition of nasal P-450 also occurs in vivo after inhibiting MDP compounds are inhaled, the metabolism of concurrently or subsequently inhaled compounds may be altered.

Microdisc-electrophoretic study of deoxyribonucleases in cow snout epidermis.

Acid and neutral deoxyribonucleases (DNases) of the cow snout epidermis were investigated by the microdisc-electrophoresis of polyacrylamide gels containing highly polymerized DNA and by isoelectric focusing techniques. The nucleases were characterized with respect to their pH optimum. An acid DNase at pH 5.0 was detected as a single distinct band after the electrophoretic separation. After isoelectric focussing also, only one acid DNase activity with an isoelectric point (IP) of 6.2 was detectable. Neutral DNases at pH 7.4 were demonstrated as major and minor bands by their different electrophoretic mobilities. In the isoelectric focusing system also, two neutral DNases, a major one (IP, 4.6) and a minor one (IP, 6.4), were found. Characterization with respect to their histologic location showed acid and neutral DNases across the epidermal layers with the highest activities in the upper layers, where DNA concentration had been shown to be lowest. In correlation with their subcellular distribution, the highest activities of both acid and neutral DNase were found in the 105,00 X g supernatant of the subcellular fractions.

Effects of insulin-like growth factor-I on the expression of osteoclasts and osteoblasts in the nasopremaxillary suture under different masticatory loading conditions in growing mice.

It is well accepted that mechanical loading inhibits bone resorption and increases in vivo bone formation. It is also known that cyclic mechanical loading, in particular, can enhance bone formation significantly. These findings suggest a significant role for mechanical stimuli in bone remodelling mediated by various local growth factors including insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Earlier studies showed that the nasal bone length and premaxillary bone width were significantly greater in mice fed a solid diet rather than a granulated diet, and that these dimensions increased significantly in a solid-diet group treated with IGF-I. The present study sought to examine the effect of IGF-I on the expression of osteoclasts and osteoblasts in the nasopremaxillary suture subjected to different masticatory loadings. For the solid-diet groups, the numbers of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclastic cells and osteoblasts were significantly greater in the group injected with IGF-I than in the animals injected with physiological saline. In the groups fed a granulated diet, no significant differences in the numbers of TRAP-positive osteoclastic cells and osteoblasts were found over the entire experimental period between mice injected with either IGF-I or physiological saline. It is shown that IGF-I significantly induces the expression of osteoclasts and osteoblasts and the subsequent bone remodelling, and that the effect may be additive as compared to that of mechanical masticatory loading, which seems to be more important in bone remodelling in terms of the numbers of osteoclasts and osteoblasts.

Expression of 72-kDa gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase-2) in the developing mouse craniofacial complex.

Tissue remodelling is an important feature during embryogenesis. Although the matrix metalloproteinases are believed to participate in these processes, the relation between matrix metalloproteinases and tissue remodelling during craniofacial morphogenesis remains unclear. The purpose of the study was to look for the presence of enzymes involved in extracellular matrix degradation during craniofacial morphogenesis. Protein expression of the matrix metalloproteinase, 72-kDa gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase-2, gelatinase A, 72-kDa type IV collagenase) was studied by gelatine zymography and by indirect immunofluorescence with conventional and confocal microscopy. In the anterior region of the developing mouse face, 72-kDa gelatinase was labelled mainly in the tips and peripheral regions of the nasal and facial prominences. Upon contact and fusion of the prominences, the staining was intensely localized to the zone of the fusion and the tips and peripheral regions of the nasal prominences and the maxilla. The labelling of 72-kDa gelatinase was also present in the peripheral regions of the mandible, second branchial arch, and the face around the developing eye. However, during lens vesicle formation, the staining of 72-kDa gelatinase was absent in the invaginated lens ectoderm. After the lens had completely detached from the surface ectoderm, the staining was resumed in the corneal epithelium and mesenchyme. Gelatine zymography was used to confirm the presence of active and latent 72-kDa gelatinase in the developing mouse craniofacial complex. Collectively, these data indicate that 72-kDa gelatinase may play a significant part in localized tissue remodelling during craniofacial morphogenesis and the aberrant expression or function of the enzyme could be involved in causing facial abnormalities.

Expression of nitric oxide synthases in primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Nitric oxide is believed to play a central role in nonspecific defense of upper airways. Patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia have very low concentration of nasal nitric oxide, which may contribute to the chronic upper airway diseases encountered by these patients. The mechanisms underlying this drop of nasal nitric oxide in primary ciliary dyskinesia are still unknown. The goal of the present work was to study nitric oxide synthases expression in upper airway tissues from patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia. For this purpose, 5 patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia and 10 nonallergic age-matched patients without primary ciliary dyskinesia undergoing nasal polypectomy were included. Nasal nitric oxide concentration was measured before polypectomy, and nitric oxide synthase expression and function were studied in nasal polyps. The nasal nitric oxide in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia was lower than that in patients without primary ciliary dyskinesia (13 [9-16] ppb versus 210 [167-254] ppb, P < .0001). Nitric oxide synthase 2 immunostaining was prominent at the apical part of the ciliated epithelial cells and was similar in both groups. Nitric oxide synthase 3 staining was restricted to endothelial cells in both groups. In addition, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase activity was superimposable to nitric oxide synthases 2 and 3 immunostaining, suggesting a preserved NADPH-activity of nitric oxide synthase. We therefore conclude that the drop in nasal nitric oxide in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia is not secondary to the loss of nitric oxide synthase expression.