RESUMO
The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) plays a key role in viral infectivity. It is also the major antigen stimulating the host's protective immune response, specifically, the production of neutralizing antibodies. Recently, a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 possessing multiple mutations in the S protein, designated P.1, emerged in Brazil. Here, we characterized a P.1 variant isolated in Japan by using Syrian hamsters, a well-established small animal model for the study of SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19). In hamsters, the variant showed replicative abilities and pathogenicity similar to those of early and contemporary strains (i.e., SARS-CoV-2 bearing aspartic acid [D] or glycine [G] at position 614 of the S protein). Sera and/or plasma from convalescent patients and BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccinees showed comparable neutralization titers across the P.1 variant, S-614D, and S-614G strains. In contrast, the S-614D and S-614G strains were less well recognized than the P.1 variant by serum from a P.1-infected patient. Prior infection with S-614D or S-614G strains efficiently prevented the replication of the P.1 variant in the lower respiratory tract of hamsters upon reinfection. In addition, passive transfer of neutralizing antibodies to hamsters infected with the P.1 variant or the S-614G strain led to reduced virus replication in the lower respiratory tract. However, the effect was less pronounced against the P.1 variant than the S-614G strain. These findings suggest that the P.1 variant may be somewhat antigenically different from the early and contemporary strains of SARS-CoV-2.
Assuntos
COVID-19/virologia , SARS-CoV-2/fisiologia , SARS-CoV-2/patogenicidade , Replicação Viral , Animais , Anticorpos Neutralizantes , COVID-19/diagnóstico por imagem , COVID-19/patologia , Cricetinae , Humanos , Imunogenicidade da Vacina , Pulmão/patologia , Mesocricetus , Camundongos , Glicoproteína da Espícula de Coronavírus/genética , Microtomografia por Raio-XRESUMO
Cystathionine ß-synthase (CBS) catalyzes the condensation of homocysteine with serine or cysteine to form cystathionine and water or hydrogen sulfide (H2S), respectively. In addition to pyridoxal phosphate, human CBS has a heme cofactor with cysteine and histidine as ligands. While Fe(III)-CBS is inert to exogenous ligands, Fe(II)-CBS can be reversibly inhibited by carbon monoxide (CO) and reoxidized by O2 to yield superoxide radical. In this study, we have examined the kinetics of Fe(II)CO-CBS formation and reoxidation. Reduction of Fe(III)-CBS by dithionite showed a square root dependence on concentration, indicating that the reductant species was the sulfur dioxide radical anion (SO2(â¢-)) that exists in rapid equilibrium with S2O4(2-). Formation of Fe(II)CO-CBS from Fe(II)-CBS and 1 mM CO occurred with a rate constant of (3.1 ± 0.4) × 10(-3) s(-1) (pH 7.4, 25 °C). The reaction of Fe(III)-CBS with the reduced form of the flavoprotein methionine synthase reductase in the presence of CO and NADPH resulted in its reduction and carbonylation to form Fe(II)CO-CBS. Fe(II)-CBS was formed as an intermediate with a rate constant of (9.3 ± 2.5) × 10(2) M(-1) s(-1). Reoxidation of Fe(II)CO-CBS by O2 was multiphasic. The major phase showed a hyperbolic dependence on O2 concentration. Although H2S is a product of the CBS reaction and a potential heme ligand, we did not find evidence of an effect of exogenous H2S on activity or heme binding. Reversible reduction of CBS by a physiologically relevant oxidoreductase is consistent with a regulatory role for the heme and could constitute a mechanism for cross talk among the CO, H2S, and superoxide signaling pathways.