Biology subjects

Brown, R. J. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Brown, R. J. P..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

SARS-CoV-2 entry route impacts a range of downstream viral and cellular processes

SARS-CoV-2 entry is promoted by both cell-surface TMPRSS2 and endolysosomal cathepsins. To investigate the impact of differentially routed virions on host and viral processes, lung epithelial cells expressing distinct combinations of entry factors were infected with authentic viruses. Entry route determined early rates of viral replication and transcription, egress and inhibitor sensitivity, with differences observed between virus strains. Transcriptional profiling revealed that induction of innate immunity was correlated to viral genome and transcript abundance in infected cells. Surface entry triggered early activation of antiviral responses, reducing cumulative virion production, while endolysosomal entry delayed antiviral responses and prolonged virus shedding due to extended cell viability. The likely molecular footprints of escape from antiviral effector targeting were also recorded in viral genomes and correlated with entry route-dependent immune status of cells. TMPRSS2 orthologues from diverse mammals, but not zebra fish, facilitated infection enhancement, which was more pronounced for ancestral strains. Leveraging RNA-seq and scRNA-seq datasets from SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters, we validate aspects of our model in vivo. In summary, we demonstrate that distinct cellular and viral processes are linked to viral entry route, collectively modulating virus shedding, cell-death rates and viral genome evolution.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

In contrast to TH2-biased approaches, TH1 COVID-19 vaccines protect Syrian hamsters from severe disease in the absence of dexamethasone-treatable vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory pathology

Since December 2019, the novel human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has spread globally, causing millions of deaths. Unprecedented efforts have enabled development and authorization of a range of vaccines, which reduce transmission rates and confer protection against the associated disease COVID-19. These vaccines are conceptually diverse, including e.g. classical adjuvanted whole-inactivated virus, viral vectors, and mRNA vaccines. We have analysed two prototypic model vaccines, the strongly TH1-biased measles vaccine-derived candidate MeVvac2-SARS2-S(H) and a TH2-biased Alum-adjuvanted, non-stabilized Spike (S) protein side-by-side, for their ability to protect Syrian hamsters upon challenge with a low-passage SARS-CoV-2 patient isolate. As expected, the MeVvac2-SARS2-S(H) vaccine protected the hamsters safely from severe disease. In contrast, the protein vaccine induced vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD) with massive infiltration of eosinophils into the lungs. Global RNA-Seq analysis of hamster lungs revealed reduced viral RNA and less host dysregulation in MeVvac2-SARS2-S(H) vaccinated animals, while S protein vaccination triggered enhanced host gene dysregulation compared to unvaccinated control animals. Of note, mRNAs encoding the major eosinophil attractant CCL-11, the TH2 response-driving cytokine IL-19, as well as TH2-cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 were exclusively up-regulated in the lungs of S protein vaccinated animals, consistent with previously described VAERD induced by RSV vaccine candidates. IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 were also up-regulated in S-specific splenocytes after protein vaccination. Using scRNA-Seq, T cells and innate lymphoid cells were identified as the source of these cytokines, while Ccl11 and Il19 mRNAs were expressed in lung macrophages displaying an activated phenotype. Interestingly, the amount of viral reads in this macrophage population correlated with the abundance of Fc-receptor reads. These findings suggest that VAERD is triggered by induction of TH2-type helper cells secreting IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, together with stimulation of macrophage subsets dependent on non-neutralizing antibodies. Via this mechanism, uncontrolled eosinophil recruitment to the infected tissue occurs, a hallmark of VAERD immunopathogenesis. These effects could effectively be treated using dexamethasone and were not observed in animals vaccinated with MeVvac2-SARS2-S(H). Taken together, our data validate the potential of TH2-biased COVID-19 vaccines and identify the transcriptional mediators that underlie VAERD, but confirm safety of TH1-biased vaccine concepts such as vector-based or mRNA vaccines. Dexamethasone, which is already in use for treatment of severe COVID-19, may alleviate such VAERD, but in-depth scrutiny of any next-generation protein-based vaccine candidates is required, prior and after their regulatory approval.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2021

Initial HCV infection of adult hepatocytes triggers a temporally structured transcriptional program containing diverse pro- and anti-viral elements

Transcriptional profiling provides global snapshots of virus-mediated cellular reprogramming, which can simultaneously encompass pro- and antiviral components. To determine early transcriptional signatures associated with HCV infection of authentic target cells, we performed ex vivo infections of adult primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) from seven donors. Longitudinal sampling identified minimal gene dysregulation at six hours post infection (hpi). In contrast, at 72 hpi, massive increases in the breadth and magnitude of HCV-induced gene dysregulation were apparent, affecting gene classes associated with diverse biological processes. Comparison with HCV-induced transcriptional dysregulation in Huh-7.5 cells identified limited overlap between the two systems. Of note, in PHHs, HCV infection initiated broad upregulation of canonical interferon (IFN)-mediated defense programs, limiting viral RNA replication and abrogating virion release. We further find that constitutive expression of IRF1 in PHHs maintains a steady-state antiviral program in the absence of infection, which can additionally reduce HCV RNA translation and replication. We also detected infection-induced downregulation of [~]90 genes encoding components of the EIF2 translation initiation complex and ribosomal subunits in PHHs, consistent with a signature of translational shutoff. As HCV polyprotein translation occurs independently of the EIF2 complex, this process is likely pro-viral: only translation initiation of host transcripts is arrested. The combination of antiviral intrinsic and inducible immunity, balanced against pro-viral programs, including translational arrest, maintains HCV replication at a low-level in PHHs. This may ultimately keep HCV under the radar of extra-hepatocyte immune surveillance while initial infection is established, promoting tolerance, preventing clearance and facilitating progression to chronicity. IMPORTANCEAcute HCV infections are often asymptomatic and therefore frequently undiagnosed. We endeavored to recreate this understudied phase of HCV infection using explanted PHHs and monitored host responses to initial infection. We detected temporally distinct virus-induced perturbations in the transcriptional landscape, which were initially narrow but massively amplified in breadth and magnitude over time. At 72 hpi, we detected dysregulation of diverse gene programs, concurrently promoting both virus clearance and virus persistence. On the one hand, baseline expression of IRF1 combined with infection-induced upregulation of IFN-mediated effector genes suppresses virus propagation. On the other, we detect transcriptional signatures of host translational inhibition, which likely reduces processing of IFN-regulated gene transcripts and facilitates virus survival. Together, our data provide important insights into constitutive and virus-induced transcriptional programs in PHHs, and identifies simultaneous antagonistic dysregulation of pro-and anti-viral programs which may facilitate host tolerance and promote viral persistence.

immunology↗