scholarly journals Modification of Cysteine Residues In Vitro and In Vivo Affects the Immunogenicity and Antigenicity of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I–restricted Viral Determinants

1999 ◽  
Vol 189 (11) ◽  
pp. 1757-1764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weisan Chen ◽  
Jonathan W. Yewdell ◽  
Rodney L. Levine ◽  
Jack R. Bennink

In studying the subdominant status of two cysteine-containing influenza virus nuclear protein (NP) determinants (NP39–47 and NP218–226) restricted by H-2Kd, we found that the antigenicity of synthetic peptides was enhanced 10–100-fold by treatment with reducing agents, despite the fact that the affinity for Kd was not enhanced. Reducing agents also markedly enhanced the immunogenicity of cysteine-containing peptides, as measured by propagation of long-term T cell lines in vitro. Similar enhancing effects were obtained by substituting cysteine with alanine or serine in the synthetic peptides, demonstrating that sulfhydryl modification of cysteine is responsible for the impaired antigenicity and immunogenicity of NP39–47 and NP218–226. We found similar effects for two widely studied, cysteine-containing peptides from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. The major modifications of cysteine-containing synthetic peptides are cysteinylation and dimerization occurring through cysteine residues. We demonstrate that both of these modifications occur in cells synthesizing a cytosolic NP218–226 minigene product and, further, that T cells specific for cysteinylated NP218–226 are induced by influenza virus infection in mice, demonstrating that this modification occurs in vivo. These findings demonstrate that posttranslational modifications affect the immunogenicity and antigenicity of cysteine-containing viral peptides and that this must be considered in studying the status of such peptides in immunodominance hierarchies.

Biomaterials ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 138 ◽  
pp. 22-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumati Bhatia ◽  
Daniel Lauster ◽  
Markus Bardua ◽  
Kai Ludwig ◽  
Stefano Angioletti-Uberti ◽  
...  

2000 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 200-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Pica ◽  
Anna Teresa Palamara ◽  
Antonio Rossi ◽  
Alessandra De Marco ◽  
Carla Amici ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT 9-Deoxy-Δ9,Δ12-13,14-dihydro-prostaglandin D2 (Δ12-PGJ2), a natural cyclopentenone metabolite of prostaglandin D2, is shown to possess therapeutic efficacy against influenza A virus A/PR8/34 (H1N1) infection in vitro and in vivo. The results indicate that the antiviral activity is associated with induction of cytoprotective heat shock proteins and suggest novel strategies for treatment of influenza virus infection.


Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Jungang Chen ◽  
Chang Ke ◽  
Haiwei Zhang ◽  
Shoujun Zhang ◽  
...  

Influenza virus infections can lead to viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome in severe cases, causing significant morbidity and mortality and posing a great threat to human health. Because of the diversity of influenza virus strains and drug resistance to the current direct antiviral agents, there have been no effective drugs as yet to cure all patients infected by influenza viruses. Natural products from plants contain compounds with diverse structures that have the potential to interact with multiple host and virus factors. In this study, we identified the ethanol extract of Caesalpinia decapetala (Roth) Alston (EEC) as an inhibitor against the replication of a panel of influenza A and B viruses both on human pulmonary epithelial A549 and human monocytic U937 cells. The animal study revealed that EEC administration reduces the weight loss and improves the survival rate of mice infected with lethal influenza virus. Also, EEC treatment attenuated lung injury and reduced virus titer significantly. In conclusion, we showed that EEC has antiviral activity both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that the plant C. decapetala has the potential to be further developed as a resource of new anti-influenza drugs.


2011 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 1083-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. Wallach ◽  
Richard J. Webby ◽  
Fakhrul Islam ◽  
Stephen Walkden-Brown ◽  
Eva Emmoth ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTInfluenza viruses remain a major threat to global health due to their ability to undergo change through antigenic drift and antigenic shift. We postulated that avian IgY antibodies represent a low-cost, effective, and well-tolerated approach that can easily be scaled up to produce enormous quantities of protective antibodies. These IgY antibodies can be administered passively in humans (orally and intranasally) and can be used quickly and safely to help in the fight against an influenza pandemic. In this study, we raised IgY antibodies against H1N1, H3N2, and H5N1 influenza viruses. We demonstrated that, using whole inactivated viruses alone and in combination to immunize hens, we were able to induce a high level of anti-influenza virus IgY in the sera and eggs, which lasted for at least 2 months after two immunizations. Furthermore, we found that by use ofin vitroassays to test for the ability of IgY to inhibit hemagglutination (HI test) and virus infectivity (serum neutralization test), IgYs inhibited the homologous as well as in some cases heterologous clades and strains of viruses. Using anin vivomouse model system, we found that, when administered intranasally 1 h prior to infection, IgY to H5N1 protected 100% of the mice against lethal challenge with H5N1. Of particular interest was the finding that IgY to H5N1 cross-protected against A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) bothin vitroandin vivo. Based on our results, we conclude that anti-influenza virus IgY can be used to help prevent influenza virus infection.


2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 3889-3897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia A. Ilyushina ◽  
Alan Hay ◽  
Neziha Yilmaz ◽  
Adrianus C. M. Boon ◽  
Robert G. Webster ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We studied the effects of a neuraminidase inhibitor (oseltamivir) and an inhibitor of influenza virus polymerases (ribavirin) against two highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses. In vitro, A/Vietnam/1203/04 virus (clade 1) was highly susceptible to oseltamivir carboxylate (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 0.3 nM), whereas A/Turkey/15/06 virus (clade 2.2) had reduced susceptibility (IC50 = 5.5 nM). In vivo, BALB/c mice were treated with oseltamivir (1, 10, 50, or 100 mg/kg of body weight/day), ribavirin (37.5, 55, or 75 mg/kg/day), or the combination of both drugs for 8 days, starting 4 h before virus inoculation. Monotherapy produced a dose-dependent antiviral effect against the two H5N1 viruses in vivo. Three-dimensional analysis of the drug-drug interactions revealed that oseltamivir and ribavirin interacted principally in an additive manner, with several exceptions of marginal synergy or marginal antagonism at some concentrations. The combination of ribavirin at 37.5 mg/kg/day and oseltamivir at 1 mg/kg/day and the combination of ribavirin at 37.5 mg/kg/day and oseltamivir at 10 mg/kg/day were synergistic against A/Vietnam/1203/04 and A/Turkey/15/06 viruses, respectively. These optimal oseltamivir-ribavirin combinations significantly inhibited virus replication in mouse organs, prevented the spread of H5N1 viruses beyond the respiratory tract, and abrogated the cytokine response (P < 0.01). Importantly, we observed clear differences between the efficacies of the drug combinations against two H5N1 viruses: higher doses were required for the protection of mice against A/Turkey/15/06 virus than for the protection of mice against A/Vietnam/1203/04 virus. Our preliminary results suggest that oseltamivir-ribavirin combinations can have a greater or lesser antiviral effect than monotherapy, depending on the H5N1 virus and the concentrations used.


Vaccines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 519
Author(s):  
Amir Tukhvatulin ◽  
Alina Dzharullaeva ◽  
Alina Erokhova ◽  
Anastasia Zemskaya ◽  
Maxim Balyasin ◽  
...  

Along with their excellent safety profiles, subunit vaccines are typically characterized by much weaker immunogenicity and protection efficacy compared to whole-pathogen vaccines. Here, we present an approach aimed at bridging this disadvantage that is based on synergistic collaboration between pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) belonging to different families. We prepared a model subunit vaccine formulation using an influenza hemagglutinin antigen incorporated into poly-(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles adjuvanted with monophosphoryl lipid A (TLR4 agonist) and muramyl dipeptide (NOD2 agonist). The efficacy studies were conducted in comparison to control vaccine formulations containing individual PRR agonists. We show that the complex adjuvant based on TLR4 and NOD2 agonists potentiates proinflammatory cell responses (measured by activity of transcription factors and cytokine production both in vitro and in vivo) and enhances the phagocytosis of vaccine particles up to comparable levels of influenza virus uptake. Finally, mice immunized with vaccine nanoparticles containing both PRR agonists exhibited enhanced humoral (IgG, hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers) and cellular (percentage of proliferating CD4+ T-cells, production of IFNɣ) immunity, leading to increased resistance to lethal influenza challenge. These results support the idea that complex adjuvants stimulating different PRRs may present a better alternative to individual PAMP-based adjuvants and could further narrow the gap between the efficacy of subunit versus whole-pathogen vaccines.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 2122-2132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn M. Covés-Datson ◽  
Steven R. King ◽  
Maureen Legendre ◽  
Auroni Gupta ◽  
Susana M. Chan ◽  
...  

There is a strong need for a new broad-spectrum antiinfluenza therapeutic, as vaccination and existing treatments are only moderately effective. We previously engineered a lectin, H84T banana lectin (H84T), to retain broad-spectrum activity against multiple influenza strains, including pandemic and avian, while largely eliminating the potentially harmful mitogenicity of the parent compound. The amino acid mutation at position 84 from histidine to threonine minimizes the mitogenicity of the wild-type lectin while maintaining antiinfluenza activity in vitro. We now report that in a lethal mouse model H84T is indeed nonmitogenic, and both early and delayed therapeutic administration of H84T intraperitoneally are highly protective, as is H84T administered subcutaneously. Mechanistically, attachment, which we anticipated to be inhibited by H84T, was only somewhat decreased by the lectin. Instead, H84T is internalized into the late endosomal/lysosomal compartment and inhibits virus–endosome fusion. These studies reveal that H84T is efficacious against influenza virus in vivo, and that the loss of mitogenicity seen previously in tissue culture is also seen in vivo, underscoring the potential utility of H84T as a broad-spectrum antiinfluenza agent.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document