④TayrF Emerging Microbes Infections ISSN:(Print)2222-1751 (Online)Journal homepage:https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/temi20 An emerging coronavirus causing pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan,China:calling for developing therapeutic and prophylactic strategies Shibo Jiang,Lanying Du Zhengli Shi To cite this artice:Shibo Jing strategies.Emerging Microbes&Infections.9:1.275-277.DOl:10.1080/2222175120201723441 To link to this article:https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2020.1723441 8 uheby informa Published online:31 an 2020. E Submit your article to this journal Article views:6691 d View related articles View Crossmark data☑ Cring aricles:view citing artides Full Terms Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journallnformation?journalCode-temi20
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=temi20 Emerging Microbes & Infections ISSN: (Print) 2222-1751 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/temi20 An emerging coronavirus causing pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China: calling for developing therapeutic and prophylactic strategies Shibo Jiang, Lanying Du & Zhengli Shi To cite this article: Shibo Jiang, Lanying Du & Zhengli Shi (2020) An emerging coronavirus causing pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China: calling for developing therapeutic and prophylactic strategies, Emerging Microbes & Infections, 9:1, 275-277, DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1723441 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2020.1723441 © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group, on behalf of Shanghai Shangyixun Cultural Communication Co., Ltd Published online: 31 Jan 2020. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 6691 View related articles View Crossmark data Citing articles: 8 View citing articles
/10.1080/2221751.2020.172341 ®EMi Taylor&Franc Commentary OPEN ACCESS An emerging coronavirus causing pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan,China: calling for developing therapeutic and prophylactic strategies Shibo Jiang ob Lanying Du and Zhengli shi 4 Academy of Sciences,Wuhan,People'Republic of China ARTICLE HISTORY Received 20 January 2020;Accepted 21 January 2020 In December of 2019,an outbreak of pneumonia 1).Both bat-SL-CoV ZC45 and ZXC21 were found in Chinese horseshoe bats (Rhinolopus sinicus)in ina an stpatien d to a single seaf h ang Pro ince,C ina betwe seafood infect suck wild animals ting that the patho n may he live animals in the seafood market.2019-nCov ma transmitted from an animal to human.The pathog be originated from bats or live animals exposure to the materials contaminated with bat droppings in the t or area orted tha y virus infection including reverse trans ing 25 being discharged and 3 having died.Among the 170 patient (rRT-PCR),reverse transcription loop-mediated iso em sunder treatment in hospitals,126,35,and p://www.hand con T-LA d rea -130-nchina-de d [41.The useful for detecting novel coronaviruses not only in humans,but also in animals for identification of animal hey did not visit the s ahmgh crpirorlntemetiatehoeto 2019-n( WHO utthe putativ the concern of limited human-to-human tran ion of 2019-nCoV (http://www.thatsmags.com/china/post/ by sequencing of the amplicon for characterization nd confrmation (https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream 1e/106 74/WHO ratory B of SARS-Cov and se S al bat Bank.accession no.MN908947).The phylogenetic SLCoVs,we predicted that the cleavage site for ger analysis revealed that the gene sequence of 2016 ting S1 and S2 subunits is located at R694/569 nCoV is 899 identical to that of bat SARS-like corona Figure 1).SI subuni contains id o th (NI tical to that of SARS-CoV Tor2 (JX163927),sug sible for the hinding of the virion to the re ptor on the that 2019-nCoV also belongs to betacoronavirus Line host cell.They also contain several conformational age B,but has closer homology to bat-SL-CoVZC45 neutralizing epitopes,serving as a target for developing and bat-SL-CoVZXC21 than SARS-CoV [2](Figure neutralizing antibodies and vaccines [5].$2 subunit y Lat School of Bas ve nov
Commentary An emerging coronavirus causing pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China: calling for developing therapeutic and prophylactic strategies Shibo Jiang a,b, Lanying Du b and Zhengli Shi c a Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; b Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY, USA; c CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China ARTICLE HISTORY Received 20 January 2020; Accepted 21 January 2020 In December of 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia caused by an unknown aetiology occurred in Wuhan, China and most patients were linked to a single seafood market, which reportedly sold seafood and some live animals, including poultry, bats, marmots and other wild animals, suggesting that the pathogen may be transmitted from an animal to human. The pathogen was soon identified to be a novel coronavirus, 2019- nCoV denoted by WHO [1]. On 19 January 2020, Wuhan Health Commission reported that a total 198 cases in the 25–89-year-old range were confirmed positive for 2019-nCoV, including 25 being discharged and 3 having died. Among the 170 patients under treatment in hospitals, 126, 35, and 9 are in mild, severe, and critical condition, respectively (http://www.thatsmags.com/china/post/30618/newcoronavirus-spreads-to-over-130-in-china-death-tollrises). In addition, two patients in Thailand, one in Japan, and one in South Korea, were detected positive for 2019-nCoV. They did not visit the specific seafood market, but might have close contact with some pneumonia patients during their trip in Wuhan, raising the concern of limited human-to-human transmission of 2019-nCoV (http://www.thatsmags.com/china/post/ 30618/new-coronavirus-spreads-to-over-130-inchina-death-toll-rises). Research scientists have released the full genomic sequence of 2019-nCoV, such as Wuhan-Hu-1 (GenBank, accession no. MN908947). The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the gene sequence of 2016- nCoV is 89% identical to that of bat SARS-like coronavirus ZXC21 (bat-SL-CoVZXC21, accession no. MG772934.1) and ZC45 (MG772933.1), and 82% identical to that of SARS-CoV Tor2 (JX163927), suggesting that 2019-nCoV also belongs to betacoronavirus Lineage B, but has closer homology to bat-SL-CoVZC45 and bat-SL-CoVZXC21 than SARS-CoV [2] (Figure 1). Both bat-SL-CoV ZC45 and ZXC21 were found in Chinese horseshoe bats (Rhinolopus sinicus) in Zhoushan city of Zhejiang Province, China between 2015 and 2017 [3], which can infect suckling rats and cause disease. Given that there were some bats and live animals in the seafood market, 2019-nCoV may be originated from bats or live animals exposure to the materials contaminated with bat droppings in the seafood market or surrounding area. The rapid identification of this novel coronavirus is attributed to recent advances in the detection of respiratory virus infection, including reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), real-time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), and real-time RTLAMP as well as multiplex nucleic acid amplification and microarray-based assays [4]. These methods are useful for detecting novel coronaviruses not only in humans, but also in animals for identification of animal reservoir or intermediate host of 2019-nCoV. WHO recommended that if there is no clue about the putative pathogen from the pneumonia outbreak, a pan-coronavirus assay should be used for amplification followed by sequencing of the amplicon for characterization and confirmation (https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/ handle/10665/330374/WHO-2019-nCoV-laboratory- 2020.1-eng.pdf). By aligning 2019-nCoV S protein sequence with those of SARS-CoV and several batSL-CoVs, we predicted that the cleavage site for generating S1 and S2 subunits is located at R694/S695 (Figure 1). S1 subunit contains two functional domains, the N-terminal domain (NTD) and a receptor-binding domain (RBD), both of which are responsible for the binding of the virion to the receptor on the host cell. They also contain several conformational neutralizing epitopes, serving as a target for developing neutralizing antibodies and vaccines [5]. S2 subunit © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group, on behalf of Shanghai Shangyixun Cultural Communication Co., Ltd This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. CONTACT Shibo Jiang shibojiang@fudan.edu.cn Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China; Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA This article was originally published with errors, which have now been corrected in the online version. Please see Correction (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/ 22221751.2020.1737363) Emerging Microbes & Infections 2020, VOL. 9 https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2020.1723441
276⊙s.al -S1 subunit S2 subunit NTD c RB A R S2 )c s in 2019-n0 SL-CVCASSAR itsgene,.ph ighb nin oV.SP uses using N p:heptad rep TM,t rane domain;CP,yto target sites in 2019 pment or n/entry inhibitors The RBDs of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV contai (HR)1 and 2.Afte in sl to the recentor the S2 subunit change mation by inserting the FP into the host cell membrane and and association bet ween HRI and HR2 to form six ting i into the hos ugh the acid 15.8 n s prote of MERS-CoV tMERS-CoV inte pore for replication in the cell [5].A peptide derived tion suggesting that 2019-nCoV S-RBD o from the HR2 d main of SARS-CoV S protein(SC-1) modified S-RBD of other coronavirus may be applied can interact with HR region in viral developing 2019- vaccines.Of course,the 6.HB of a HR2 domains in viral s protein and thus blocking The recently develoned sars-cov and mers.cov the viral fusion with the host cell [6].Since 2019 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies(mAbs)and nano nCoV S-HR2 identical to that of dies with protective efficacy are specific to the S SARS-CoV ly a tew theprotein ly the RBD 5,8 ected to bea t2019-nCoV h oV S-RE配 tralizin We have recently designed and engineered a pan EKIpeptide,which could ubit MERS-Co S could 唱P ncy is gener [21 Intranasal ntide before or It may take several months or even vears for after viral challenge,EKI peptide can protect human researching and developing neutralizing antibodies DPP4-transgenic mic from MERS-Cov infection against 2019-nCov infection One of the rapid prophylactic tide as inst 2019-nCov infe tion.We have shown that SARS-CoV S-RBD-specific treat infection by 2019-nCoV and other emerging cor- eutralizing mAbs and sera could onaviruses in the future -Cv-L-CoV-W
contains three functional domains, fusion peptide (FP), and heptad repeat (HR) 1 and 2. After binding of RBD in S1 to the receptor, the S2 subunit changes conformation by inserting the FP into the host cell membrane and association between HR1 and HR2 to form sixhelical bundle (6-HB), resulting in the fusion between viral and cellular membranes. The viral genetic materials enter into the host cell through the fusion pore for replication in the cell [5]. A peptide derived from the HR2 domain of SARS-CoV S protein (SC-1) can interact with HR1 region in viral S protein to form heterologous 6-HB, resulting in the inhibition of homologous 6-HB formation between HR1 and HR2 domains in viral S protein and thus blocking the viral fusion with the host cell [6]. Since 2019- nCoV S-HR2 sequence is 100% identical to that of SARS-CoV, while there are only a few mutations of non-critical amino acids in S-HR1 region, SC-1 peptide is expected to be also effective against 2019-nCoV infection. We have recently designed and engineered a panCoV fusion inhibitor, EK1 peptide, which could inhibit infection of five human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and three bat-SL-CoVs [7]. Intranasal application of EK1 peptide before or after viral challenge, EK1 peptide can protect human DPP4-transgenic mice from MERS-CoV infection, suggesting its potential prophylactic and therapeutic effect against 2019-nCoV infection. Once confirmed, we will develop EK1 peptide as a t prophylactic or therapeutic for intranasal application to prevent or treat infection by 2019-nCoV and other emerging coronaviruses in the future. The RBDs of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV contain multiple conformation-dependent neutralizing epitopes that induce more potent neutralizing antibodies and protective efficacy against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infections, respectively, than other regions in S protein [5,8,9]. Modification of MERS-CoV S-RBD amino acid residues based on the structure design could improve its protection against MERS-CoV infection [9], suggesting that 2019-nCoV S-RBD or modified S-RBD of other coronavirus may be applied for developing 2019-nCoV vaccines. Of course, the RBD-containing S and S1 of a coronavirus, e.g. 2019- nCoV, can also be used for vaccine development [8]. The recently developed SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and nanobodies with protective efficacy are specific to the S1 subunit of S protein, particularly the RBD [5,8–10]. Therefore, the 2019-nCoV S-RBD is anticipated to be a key target for developing 2019-nCoV neutralizing mAbs. The neutralizing mAbs targeting non-RBD regions, including NTD and S2 of SARS-CoV and/or MERS-CoV S could also be identified [5,8,11,12], although their neutralizing potency is generally lower than that of RBD-specific mAbs. It may take several months or even years for researching and developing neutralizing antibodies against 2019-nCoV infection. One of the rapid approaches is to evaluate the currently available SARS-CoV neutralizing antibodies with cross-neutralizing and protection activity against 2019-nCoV infection. We have shown that SARS-CoV S-RBD-specific neutralizing mAbs and sera could cross-neutralize bat-SL-CoVs, such as bat-SL-CoV-W1V1 and bat-SLFigure 1. Analysis of the functional domains in 2019-nCoV spike protein and its gene. (A) Phylogenetic analysis of S gene of 2019- nCoV (Wuhan-Hu-1), bat-SL-CoVZXC21, bat-SL-CoVZXC45, SARS-CoV and other coronaviruses using Neighbor-Joining method. (B) The representative scheme of functional domains in S protein of 2019-nCoV. SP, signal peptide; NTD, N-terminal domain; RBD, receptor-binding domain; FP, fusion peptide, HR1, heptad repeat 1; HR2, heptad repeat 2; TM, transmembrane domain; CP, cytoplasmic domain. (C) The target sites in 2019-nCoV S for development of vaccines, antibodies and fusion/entry inhibitors. 276 S. Jiang et al
Emerging Microbes and Infections 277 CoV-SHC014 [13],suggesting that they may also Wuhan,Hubei,China.Emerg Microbes Infect. cross-neutralize 2019-nCoV.Once identified,these 2020:9:221-236. cross-neutralizing antibodies can be promptly devel- [3]Hu D,Zhu C,Ai L,et al.Genomic characterization and infectivity of a novel SARS-like coronavirus in Chinese oped for urgent prevention and treatment of 2019- bats.Emerg Microbes Infect.2018;7:154. nCoV infection. [4]Zhang N,Wang L,Deng X,et al.Recent advances in the detection of respiratory virus infection in humans. J Med Virol.2020:92.DO:10.1002/jmv.25674 Acknowledgements [5]Du L,He Y,Zhou Y,et al.The spike protein of SARS- We thank Dr Ben Hu at Wuhan Institute of Virology,Chi- Cov-a target for vaccine and therapeutic develop- nese Academy of Sciences,Wuhan,China for phylogenetic ment.Nat Rev Microbiol.2009;7:226-236. analysis of 2019-nCoV S gene. [6]Liu S,Xiao G,Chen Y,et al.Interaction between hep- tad repeat 1 and 2 regions in spike protein of SARS associated coronavirus:implications for virus fuso- Disclosure statement genic mechanism and identification of fusion inhibi- tors.Lancet.2004:363:938-947. No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). [7]Xia S,Yan L,Xu W,et al.A pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor targeting the HRI domain of human corona- virus spike.Sci Adv.2019;5:eaav4580. Funding [8]Du L,Yang Y,Zhou Y,et al.MERS-CoV spike protein: a key target for antivirals.Expert Opin Ther Targets. This work was partially supported by the NIH RO1AI139092 2017;21:131-143. to L.D. [9]Zhou Y,Yang Y,Huang J,et al.Advances in MERS- CoV vaccines and therapeutics based on the recep- tor-binding domain.Viruses.2019;11:pii:E60. ORCID (10]Du L,Tai W,Yang Y,et al.Introduction of neutralizing Shibo Jiang http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8283-7135 immunogenicity index to the rational design of MERS Lanying Du http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5955-1294 coronavirus subunit vaccines.Nat Commun. Zhengli Shi http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8089-163X 2016;7:13473. [11]Wang L,Shi W,Joyce MG,et al.Evaluation of candi- date vaccine approaches for MERS-CoV.Nat References Commun.2015;6:7712. [12]Chen Y,Lu S,Jia H,et al.A novel neutralizing mono- [1]Lu H,Stratton CW,Tang YW.Outbreak of pneumonia clonal antibody targeting the N-terminal domain of the of unknown etiology in Wuhan China:the mystery and MERS-CoV spike protein.Emerg Microbes Infect. the miracle.I Med Virol.2020;92.DOI:10.1002/imv. 201756:e37. 25678 [13]Zeng LP,Ge X-Y,Peng C,et al.Cross-neutralization of [2]Chan JF,Kok KH,Zhu Z,et al.Genomic characteriz- SARS coronavirus-specific antibodies against bat ation of the 2019 novel human-pathogenic coronavirus SARS-like coronaviruses.Sci China Life Sci. isolated from patients with acute respiratory disease in 2017:60:1399-1402
CoV-SHC014 [13], suggesting that they may also cross-neutralize 2019-nCoV. Once identified, these cross-neutralizing antibodies can be promptly developed for urgent prevention and treatment of 2019- nCoV infection. Acknowledgements We thank Dr Ben Hu at Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China for phylogenetic analysis of 2019-nCoV S gene. Disclosure statement No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). Funding This work was partially supported by the NIH R01AI139092 to L.D. ORCID Shibo Jiang http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8283-7135 Lanying Du http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5955-1294 Zhengli Shi http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8089-163X References [1] Lu H, Stratton CW, Tang YW. Outbreak of pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan China: the mystery and the miracle. J Med Virol. 2020;92. DOI:10.1002/jmv. 25678 [2] Chan JF, Kok KH, Zhu Z, et al. Genomic characterization of the 2019 novel human-pathogenic coronavirus isolated from patients with acute respiratory disease in Wuhan, Hubei, China. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020;9:221–236. [3] Hu D, Zhu C, Ai L, et al. Genomic characterization and infectivity of a novel SARS-like coronavirus in Chinese bats. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2018;7:154. [4] Zhang N, Wang L, Deng X, et al. Recent advances in the detection of respiratory virus infection in humans. J Med Virol. 2020;92. DOI:10.1002/jmv.25674 [5] Du L, He Y, Zhou Y, et al. The spike protein of SARSCoV—a target for vaccine and therapeutic development. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2009;7:226–236. [6] Liu S, Xiao G, Chen Y, et al. Interaction between heptad repeat 1 and 2 regions in spike protein of SARSassociated coronavirus: implications for virus fusogenic mechanism and identification of fusion inhibitors. Lancet. 2004;363:938–947. [7] Xia S, Yan L, Xu W, et al. A pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor targeting the HR1 domain of human coronavirus spike. Sci Adv. 2019;5:eaav4580. [8] Du L, Yang Y, Zhou Y, et al. MERS-CoV spike protein: a key target for antivirals. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2017;21:131–143. [9] Zhou Y, Yang Y, Huang J, et al. Advances in MERSCoV vaccines and therapeutics based on the receptor-binding domain. Viruses. 2019;11:pii: E60. [10] Du L, Tai W, Yang Y, et al. Introduction of neutralizing immunogenicity index to the rational design of MERS coronavirus subunit vaccines. Nat Commun. 2016;7:13473. [11] Wang L, Shi W, Joyce MG, et al. Evaluation of candidate vaccine approaches for MERS-CoV. Nat Commun. 2015;6:7712. [12] Chen Y, Lu S, Jia H, et al. A novel neutralizing monoclonal antibody targeting the N-terminal domain of the MERS-CoV spike protein. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2017;6:e37. [13] Zeng LP, Ge X-Y, Peng C, et al. Cross-neutralization of SARS coronavirus-specific antibodies against bat SARS-like coronaviruses. Sci China Life Sci. 2017;60:1399–1402. Emerging Microbes and Infections 277