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Biology subjects

Olagnier, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Olagnier, D..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Distinct SARS-CoV-2 sensing pathways in pDCs driving TLR7-antiviral vs. TLR2-immunopathological responses in COVID-19

Understanding the molecular pathways driving the acute antiviral and inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is critical for developing treatments for severe COVID-19. Here we show that in COVID-19 patients, circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) decline early after symptom onset and this correlated with COVID-19 disease severity. This transient depletion coincides with decreased expression of antiviral type I IFN and the systemic inflammatory cytokines CXCL10 and IL-6. Importantly, COVID-19 disease severity correlated with decreased pDC frequency in peripheral blood. Using an in vitro stem cell-based human pDC model, we demonstrate that pDCs directly sense SARS-CoV-2 and in response produce multiple antiviral (IFN and IFN{lambda}1) and inflammatory (IL-6, IL-8, CXCL10) cytokines. This immune response is sufficient to protect epithelial cells from de novo SARS-CoV-2 infection. Targeted deletion of specific sensing pathways identified TLR7-MyD88 signaling as being crucial for production of the antiviral IFNs, whereas TLR2 is responsible for the inflammatory IL-6 response. Surprisingly, we found that SARS-CoV-2 engages the neuropilin-1 receptor on pDCs to mitigate the antiviral IFNs but not the IL-6 response. These results demonstrate distinct sensing pathways used by pDCs to elicit antiviral vs. immunopathological responses to SARS-CoV-2 and suggest that targeting neuropilin-1 on pDCs may be clinically relevant for mounting TLR7-mediated antiviral protection. One Sentence SummarypDCs sense SARS-CoV-2 and elicit antiviral protection of lung epithelial cells through TLR7, while recognition of TLR2 elicits an IL-6 inflammatory response associated with immunopathology. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=163 SRC="FIGDIR/small/469755v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (35K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@fe64daorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18f4278org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@54de50org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1cf67cb_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG O_FLOATNOGraphical abstract:C_FLOATNO SARS-CoV-2 sensing by plasmacytoid dendritic cells. SARS-CoV-2 is internalized by pDCs via a yet unknown endocytic mechanism. The intracellular TLR7 sensor detects viral RNA and induces a signaling cascade involving MyD88-IRAK4-TRAF6 (1) to induce CXCL10 and, via IRF7 phosphorylation and translocation, inducing type I and III Interferons (2). Once secreted, type I and III IFNs initiate autocrine and paracrine signals that induce the expression of IFN stimulated genes (ISGs), thereby facilitating an antiviral response that can protect the cell against infection. However, SARS-CoV-2, has the intrinsic property to facilitate CD304 signaling, potentially by interfering with IRF7 nuclear translocation, thereby inhibiting type I IFN production and thus reducing the antiviral response generated by the pDC (4). Furthermore, the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) glycoprotein is sensed by the extracellular TLR2/6 heterodimer and this facilitates production of the inflammatory IL-6 cytokine (5). Illustration was created with BioRender.com C_FIG

immunology↗

The synthetic triterpenoids CDDO-TFEA and CDDO-Me, but not CDDO, are potent BACH1 inhibitors

The transcription factor BACH1 is a potential target against a variety of chronic conditions linked to oxidative stress and inflammation, and formation of cancer metastasis. However, only a few BACH1 degraders/inhibitors have been described. BACH1 is a transcriptional repressor of heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), which is positively regulated by transcription factor NRF2 and is highly inducible by derivatives of the synthetic oleanane triterpenoid 2- cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO). Most of the therapeutic activities of these compounds are due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which are widely attributed to their ability to activate NRF2. However, with such a broad range of action, these drugs may have other molecular targets that have not been fully identified and could also be of importance for their therapeutic profile. Herein we identified BACH1 as a target of CDDO-derivatives, but not CDDO. While both CDDO and CDDO-derivatives activate NRF2 similarly, only CDDO-derivatives inhibit BACH1, which explains the much higher potency of CDDO-derivatives as HMOX1 inducers compared with unmodified CDDO. Notably, we demonstrate that CDDO-derivatives inhibit BACH1 via a novel mechanism that reduces BACH1 nuclear levels while accumulating its cytoplasmic form. Altogether, our study identifies CDDO-derivatives as dual KEAP1/BACH1 inhibitors, providing a rationale for further therapeutic uses of these drugs.

cell biology↗

Identification of SARS-CoV2-mediated suppression of NRF2 signaling reveals a potent antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity of 4-octyl-itaconate and dimethyl fumarate

Antiviral strategies to inhibit Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) and the pathogenic consequences of COVID-19 are urgently required. Here we demonstrate that the NRF2 anti-oxidant gene expression pathway is suppressed in biopsies obtained from COVID-19 patients. Further, we uncover that NRF2 agonists 4-octyl-itaconate (4-OI) and the clinically approved dimethyl fumarate (DMF) induce a cellular anti-viral program, which potently inhibits replication of SARS-CoV2 across cell lines. The anti-viral program extended to inhibit the replication of several other pathogenic viruses including Herpes Simplex Virus-1 and-2, Vaccinia virus, and Zika virus through a type I interferon (IFN)-independent mechanism. In addition, induction of NRF2 by 4-OI and DMF limited host inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV2 infection associated with airway COVID-19 pathology. In conclusion, NRF2 agonists 4-OI and DMF induce a distinct IFN-independent antiviral program that is broadly effective in limiting virus replication and suppressing the pro-inflammatory responses of human pathogenic viruses, including SARS-CoV2. One Sentence SummaryNRF2 agonists 4-octyl-itaconate (4-OI) and dimethyl fumarate inhibited SARS-CoV2 replication and virus-induced inflammatory responses, as well as replication of other human pathogenic viruses.

microbiology↗