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Seminars in cell & developmental biology 19: 329-340 Liu F, Poursine-Laurent J, Wu HY, Link DC (1997) Interleukin-6 and the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor are major independent regulators of granulopoiesis in vivo but are not required for lineage commitment or terminal differentiation. The Journal of experimental medicine 196: 641-653. pmid:12208879 Gong G, Waris G, Tanveer R, Siddiqui A (2001) Human hepatitis C virus NS5A protein alters intracellular calcium levels, induces oxidative stress, and activates STAT-3 and NF-kappa B. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 98: 9599-9604. pmid:11481452 Pinkham C, An S, Lundberg L, Bansal N, Benedict A, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109: 600-605. pmid:22190485 Docherty JJ, Sweet TJ, Bailey E, Faith SA, Booth T (2006) Resveratrol inhibition of varicella-zoster virus replication In vitro. Nature 513: 481-483. pmid:25254460 Clinicaltrials.gov (2017) AZD9150 With MEDI4736 in Patients With Advanced Pancreatic, Non-Small Lung and Colorectal Cancer Clinicaltrials.gov (2017) MEDI4736 Alone and in Combination With Tremelimumab or AZD9150 in Adult Subjects With Relapsed/Refractory DLBCL Clinicaltrials.gov (2017) Study to Assess MEDI4736 With Either AZD9150 or AZD5069 in Advanced Solid Tumors & Relapsed Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head & Neck Hubbard JM, Grothey A (2017) Napabucasin: An Update on the First-in-Class Cancer Stemness Inhibitor.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)—a new coronavirus that has led to a worldwide pandemic 1 —has a furin cleavage site (PRRAR) in its spike protein that is absent in other group-2B coronaviruses 2 . To explore whether the furin cleavage site contributes to infection and pathogenesis in this virus, we generated a mutant SARS-CoV-2 that lacks the furin cleavage site (ΔPRRA). Here we report that replicates of ΔPRRA SARS-CoV-2 had faster kinetics, improved fitness in Vero E6 cells and reduced spike protein processing, as compared to parental SARS-CoV-2. However, the ΔPRRA mutant had reduced replication in a human respiratory cell line and was attenuated in both hamster and K18-hACE2 transgenic mouse models of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Despite reduced disease, the ΔPRRA mutant conferred protection against rechallenge with the parental SARS-CoV-2. Importantly, the neutralization values of sera from patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and monoclonal antibodies against the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 were lower against the ΔPRRA mutant than against parental SARS-CoV-2, probably owing to an increased ratio of particles to plaque-forming units in infections with the former. Together, our results demonstrate a critical role for the furin cleavage site in infection with SARS-CoV-2 and highlight the importance of this site for evaluating the neutralization activities of antibodies. Experimental deletion of the furin cleavage site of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein highlights an important role for this site in infection and the need to consider this site when evaluating the neutralization activities of antibodies.

The emergence of several new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in recent months has raised concerns around the potential impact on ongoing vaccination programs. Data from clinical trials and real-world evidence suggest that current vaccines remain highly effective against the alpha variant (B.1.1.7), while some vaccines have reduced efficacy and effectiveness against symptomatic disease caused by the beta variant (B.1.351) and the delta variant (B.1.617.2); however, effectiveness against severe disease and hospitalization caused by delta remains high. The emergence of several new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in recent months has raised concerns around the potential impact on ongoing vaccination programs. Data from clinical trials and real-world evidence suggest that current vaccines remain highly effective against the alpha variant (B.1.1.7), while some vaccines have reduced efficacy and effectiveness against symptomatic disease caused by the beta variant (B.1.351) and the delta variant (B.1.617.2); however, effectiveness against severe disease and hospitalization caused by delta remains high. Although data on the effectiveness of the primary regimen against omicron (B.1.1.529) are limited, booster programs using mRNA vaccines have been shown to restore protection against infection and symptomatic disease (regardless of the vaccine used for the primary regimen) and maintain high effectiveness against hospitalization. However, effectiveness against infection and symptomatic disease wanes with time after the booster dose. Studies have demonstrated reductions of varying magnitude in neutralizing activity of vaccine-elicited antibodies against a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants, with the omicron variant in particular exhibiting partial immune escape. However, evidence suggests that T-cell responses are preserved across vaccine platforms, regardless of variant of concern. Nevertheless, various mitigation strategies are under investigation to address the potential for reduced efficacy or effectiveness against current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants, including modification of vaccines for certain variants (including omicron), multivalent vaccine formulations, and different delivery mechanisms.

Interaction of cell surface glycoproteins with endogenous lectins on the cell surface regulates formation and maintenance of plasma membrane domains, clusters signaling complexes, and controls the residency time of glycoproteins on the plasma membrane. Galectin-9 is a soluble, secreted lectin that binds to glycoprotein receptors to form galectin-glycoprotein lattices on the cell surface. Whereas galectin-9 binding to specific glycoprotein receptors induces death of CD4 Th1 cells, CD4 Th2 cells are resistant to galectin-9 death due to alternative glycosylation. On Th2 cells, galectin-9 binds cell surface protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), increasing retention of PDI on the cell surface and altering the redox status at the plasma membrane. Cell surface PDI regulates integrin function on platelets and also enhances susceptibility of T cells to infection with HIV. We find that galectin-9 binding to PDI on Th2 cells results in increased cell migration through extracellular matrix via β3 integrins, identifying a unique mechanism to regulate T-cell migration. In addition, galectin-9 binding to PDI on T cells potentiates infection with HIV. We identify a mechanism for regulating cell surface redox status via a galectin-glycoprotein lattice, to regulate distinct T-cell functions.

The genome of SARS-CoV-2 encodes two viral proteases (NSP3/papain-like protease and NSP5/3C-like protease) that are responsible for cleaving viral polyproteins during replication. Here, we discovered new functions of the NSP3 and NSP5 proteases of SARS-CoV-2, demonstrating that they could directly cleave proteins involved in the host innate immune response. We identified 3 proteins that were specifically and selectively cleaved by NSP3 or NSP5: IRF-3, and NLRP12 and TAB1, respectively. Direct cleavage of IRF3 by NSP3 could explain the blunted Type-I IFN response seen during SARS-CoV-2 infections while NSP5 mediated cleavage of NLRP12 and TAB1 point to a molecular mechanism for enhanced production of cytokines and inflammatory response observed in COVID-19 patients. We demonstrate that in the mouse NLRP12 protein, one of the recognition site is not cleaved in our in-vitro assay. We pushed this comparative alignment of IRF-3 and NLRP12 homologs and show that the lack or presence of cognate cleavage motifs in IRF-3 and NLRP12 could contribute to the presentation of disease in cats and tigers, for example. Our findings provide an explanatory framework for indepth studies into the pathophysiology of COVID-19.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected at least 180 million people since its identification as the cause of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid pace of vaccine development has resulted in multiple vaccines already in use worldwide. The contemporaneous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 ‘variants of concern’ (VOC) across diverse geographic locales underscores the need to monitor the efficacy of vaccines being administered globally. All WHO designated VOC carry spike (S) polymorphisms thought to enable escape from neutralizing antibodies. Here, we characterize the neutralizing activity of post-Sputnik V vaccination sera against the ensemble of S mutations present in alpha (B.1.1.7) and beta (B.1.351) VOC. Using de novo generated replication-competent vesicular stomatitis virus expressing various SARS-CoV-2-S in place of VSV-G (rcVSV-CoV2-S), coupled with a clonal 293T-ACE2 + TMPRSS2 + cell line optimized for highly efficient S-mediated infection, we determine that only 1 out of 12 post-vaccination serum samples shows effective neutralization (IC 90 ) of rcVSV-CoV2-S: B.1.351 at full serum strength. The same set of sera efficiently neutralize S from B.1.1.7 and exhibit only moderately reduced activity against S carrying the E484K substitution alone. Taken together, our data suggest that control of some emergent SARS-CoV-2 variants may benefit from updated vaccines. Here, the authors characterize the neutralization capacity of post-Sputnik V vaccination sera against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7 (alpha) and B.1.351 (beta), showing the latter to exhibit resistance to neutralization in vitro.

Paramyxovirus (PMV) entry requires the coordinated action of two envelope glycoproteins, the receptor binding protein (RBP) and fusion protein (F). The sequence of events that occurs during the PMV entry process is tightly regulated. This regulation ensures entry will only initiate when the virion is in the vicinity of a target cell membrane. Here, we review recent structural and mechanistic studies to delineate the entry features that are shared and distinct amongst the Paramyxoviridae. In general, we observe overarching distinctions between the protein-using RBPs and the sialic acid- (SA-) using RBPs, including how their stalk domains differentially trigger F. Moreover, through sequence comparisons, we identify greater structural and functional conservation amongst the PMV fusion proteins, as compared to the RBPs. When examining the relative contributions to sequence conservation of the globular head versus stalk domains of the RBP, we observe that, for the protein-using PMVs, the stalk domains exhibit higher conservation and find the opposite trend is true for SA-using PMVs. A better understanding of conserved and distinct features that govern the entry of protein-using versus SA-using PMVs will inform the rational design of broader spectrum therapeutics that impede this process.

Nipah and Hendra viruses are recently emerged bat-borne paramyxoviruses (genus Henipavirus ) causing severe encephalitis and respiratory disease in humans with fatality rates ranging from 40–75%. Despite the severe pathogenicity of these viruses and their pandemic potential, no therapeutics or vaccines are currently approved for use in humans. Favipiravir (T-705) is a purine analogue antiviral approved for use in Japan against emerging influenza strains; and several phase 2 and 3 clinical trials are ongoing in the United States and Europe. Favipiravir has demonstrated efficacy against a broad spectrum of RNA viruses, including members of the Paramyxoviridae , Filoviridae , Arenaviridae families , and the Bunyavirales order. We now demonstrate that favipiravir has potent antiviral activity against henipaviruses. In vitro , favipiravir inhibited Nipah and Hendra virus replication and transcription at micromolar concentrations. In the Syrian hamster model, either twice daily oral or once daily subcutaneous administration of favipiravir for 14 days fully protected animals challenged with a lethal dose of Nipah virus. This first successful treatment of henipavirus infection in vivo with a small molecule drug suggests that favipiravir should be further evaluated as an antiviral treatment option for henipavirus infections.

  The subfamily Paramyxovirinae is currently classified into seven genera (Fig 1) (http://www.ictvonline.org/virusTaxonomy.asp). Because of conservation of sequence and functionality, it has been proposed that phylogenetic analysis of large polymerase (L) (Fig 1A), fusion (F) (Fig 1B), and matrix (M) protein sequences should be used for classification of paramyxoviruses [12]. Unlike ephrinB2 and nectin-4, SLAM/F1 exhibits a relatively lower level of sequence conservation between species (e.g., human and feline SLAM/F1 receptors exhibit 66% sequence identity at the amino acid level). [...]whilst our receptor-binding site conservation analysis may be useful for predicting the capacity of emerging viruses to utilize the well-conserved ephrinB2 and nectin-4 receptors of any vertebrate species, the sequence divergence of the SLAM/F1 receptor is likely to limit the predictive power of SLAM/F1 usage in vertebrate species other than primates.

Approximately 10% of infants infected with SARS-CoV-2 will experience COVID-19 illness requiring advanced care. A potential mechanism to protect this population is passive immunization via the milk of a previously infected person. We and others have reported on the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in human milk. We now report the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgA in the milk of 74 COVID-19-recovered participants, and find that 89% of samples are positive for Spike-specific IgA. In a subset of these samples, 95% exhibited robust IgA activity as determined by endpoint binding titer, with 50% considered high-titer. These IgA-positive samples were also positive for Spike-specific secretory antibody. Levels of IgA antibodies and secretory antibodies were shown to be strongly positively correlated. The secretory IgA response was dominant among the milk samples tested compared to the IgG response, which was present in 75% of samples and found to be of high-titer in only 13% of cases. Our IgA durability analysis using 28 paired samples, obtained 4–6 weeks and 4–10 months after infection, found that all samples exhibited persistently significant Spike-specific IgA, with 43% of donors exhibiting increasing IgA titers over time. Finally, COVID-19 and pre-pandemic control milk samples were tested for the presence of neutralizing antibodies; 6 of 8 COVID-19 samples exhibited neutralization of Spike-pseudotyped VSV (IC 50 range, 2.39–89.4ug/mL) compared to 1 of 8 controls. IgA binding and neutralization capacities were found to be strongly positively correlated. These data are highly relevant to public health, not only in terms of the protective capacity of these antibodies for breastfed infants, but also for the potential use of such antibodies as a COVID-19 therapeutic, given that secretory IgA is highly in all mucosal compartments.