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Alpha 1 Antitrypsin is an Inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2-Priming Protease TMPRSS2.

ABSTRACT: Host proteases have been suggested to be crucial for dissemination of MERS, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses, but the relative contribution of membrane versus intracellular proteases remains controversial. Transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) is regarded as one of the main proteases implicated in the coronavirus S protein priming, an important step for binding of the S protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor before cell entry. The main cellular location where the SARS-CoV-2 S protein priming occurs remains debatable, therefore hampering the development of targeted treatments. Herein, we identified the human extracellular serine protease inhibitor (serpin) alpha 1 antitrypsin (A1AT) as a novel TMPRSS2 inhibitor. Structural modeling revealed that A1AT docked to an extracellular domain of TMPRSS2 in a conformation that is suitable for catalysis, resembling similar serine protease-inhibitor complexes. Inhibitory activity of A1AT was established in a SARS-CoV-2 viral load system. Notably, plasma A1AT levels were associated with COVID-19 disease severity. Our data support the key role of extracellular serine proteases in SARS-CoV-2 infections and indicate that treatment with serpins, particularly the FDA-approved drug A1AT, may be effective in limiting SARS-CoV-2 dissemination by affecting the surface of the host cells.

Summary

Delivery of extracellular serine protease inhibitors (serpins) such as A1AT has the capacity to reduce SARS-CoV-2 dissemination by binding and inhibiting extracellular proteases on the host cells, thus, inhibiting the first step in SARS-CoV-2 cell cycle (i.e. cell entry).

SUBMITTER: Azouz NP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7553163 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Alpha 1 Antitrypsin is an Inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2-Priming Protease TMPRSS2.

Project description:BackgroundHost proteases have been suggested to be crucial for dissemination of MERS, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses, but the relative contribution of membrane versus intracellular proteases remains controversial. Transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) is regarded as one of the main proteases implicated in the coronavirus S protein priming, an important step for binding of the S protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor before cell entry.MethodsWe developed a cell-based assay to identify TMPRSS2 inhibitors. Inhibitory activity was established in SARS-CoV-2 viral load systems.ResultsWe identified the human extracellular serine protease inhibitor (serpin) alpha 1 anti-trypsin (A1AT) as a novel TMPRSS2 inhibitor. Structural modeling revealed that A1AT docked to an extracellular domain of TMPRSS2 in a conformation that is suitable for catalysis, resembling similar serine protease inhibitor complexes. Inhibitory activity of A1AT was established in a SARS-CoV-2 viral load system. Notably, plasma A1AT levels were associated with COVID-19 disease severity.ConclusionsOur data support the key role of extracellular serine proteases in SARS CoV-2 infections and indicate that treatment with serpins, particularly the FDA-approved drug A1AT, may be effective in limiting SARS-CoV-2 dissemination by affecting the surface of the host cells.

| S-EPMC8097828 | biostudies-literature

Alpha-1 antitrypsin inhibits TMPRSS2 protease activity and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Project description:SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory pathogen and primarily infects the airway epithelium. As our knowledge about innate immune factors of the respiratory tract against SARS-CoV-2 is limited, we generated and screened a peptide/protein library derived from bronchoalveolar lavage for inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 spike-driven entry. Analysis of antiviral fractions revealed the presence of α1-antitrypsin (α1AT), a highly abundant circulating serine protease inhibitor. Here, we report that α1AT inhibits SARS-CoV-2 entry at physiological concentrations and suppresses viral replication in cell lines and primary cells including human airway epithelial cultures. We further demonstrate that α1AT binds and inactivates the serine protease TMPRSS2, which enzymatically primes the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein for membrane fusion. Thus, the acute phase protein α1AT is an inhibitor of TMPRSS2 and SARS-CoV-2 entry, and may play an important role in the innate immune defense against the novel coronavirus. Our findings suggest that repurposing of α1AT-containing drugs has prospects for the therapy of COVID-19.

| S-EPMC7979852 | biostudies-literature

Age-determined expression of priming protease TMPRSS2 and localization of SARS-CoV-2 in lung epithelium

Project description:The SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus global pandemic (COVID-19) has led to millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths globally. While older adults appear at high risk for severe disease, hospitalizations and deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 among children have been relatively rare. Integrating single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of developing mouse lung with temporally-resolved immunofluorescence in mouse and human lung tissue, we found expression of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein primer TMPRSS2 was highest in ciliated cells and type I alveolar epithelial cells (AT1), and TMPRSS2 expression increased with aging in mice and humans. Analysis of autopsy tissue from fatal COVID-19 cases detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA most frequently in ciliated and secretory cells in airway epithelium and AT1 cells in peripheral lung. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was highly colocalized in cells expressing TMPRSS2. Together, these data demonstrate the cellular spectrum infected by SARS-CoV-2 in lung epithelium and suggest that developmental regulation of TMPRSS2 may underlie the relative protection of infants and children from severe respiratory illness.

2020-11-13 | GSE160876 | GEO

Age-determined expression of priming protease TMPRSS2 and localization of SARS-CoV-2 in lung epithelium.

Project description:The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has led to millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths. While older adults appear at high risk for severe disease, hospitalizations and deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 among children have been relatively rare. Integrating single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of developing mouse lung with temporally resolved immunofluorescence in mouse and human lung tissue, we found that expression of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein primer TMPRSS2 was highest in ciliated cells and type I alveolar epithelial cells (AT1), and TMPRSS2 expression increased with aging in mice and humans. Analysis of autopsy tissue from fatal COVID-19 cases detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA most frequently in ciliated and secretory cells in airway epithelium and AT1 cells in peripheral lung. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was highly colocalized in cells expressing TMPRSS2. Together, these data demonstrate the cellular spectrum infected by SARS-CoV-2 in lung epithelium and suggest that developmental regulation of TMPRSS2 may underlie the relative protection of infants and children from severe respiratory illness.

| S-EPMC7773394 | biostudies-literature

Improving Soluble Expression of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Priming Protease TMPRSS2 with an Artificial Fusing Protein.

Project description:SARS-CoV-2 relies on the recognition of the spike protein by the host cell receptor ACE2 for cellular entry. In this process, transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) plays a pivotal role, as it acts as the principal priming agent catalyzing spike protein cleavage to initiate the fusion of the cell membrane with the virus. Thus, TMPRSS2 is an ideal pharmacological target for COVID-19 therapy development, and the effective production of high-quality TMPRSS2 protein is essential for basic and pharmacological research. Unfortunately, as a mammalian-originated protein, TMPRSS2 could not be solubly expressed in the prokaryotic system. In this study, we applied different protein engineering methods and found that an artificial protein XXA derived from an antifreeze protein can effectively promote the proper folding of TMPRSS2, leading to a significant improvement in the yield of its soluble form. Our study also showed that the fused XXA protein did not influence the enzymatic catalytic activity; instead, it greatly enhanced TMPRSS2's thermostability. Therefore, our strategy for increasing TMPRSS2 expression would be beneficial for the large-scale production of this stable enzyme, which would accelerate aniti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics development.

| S-EPMC10341623 | biostudies-literature

Age-determined expression of priming protease TMPRSS2 and localization of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the lung epithelium.

Project description:The SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus global pandemic (COVID-19) has led to millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths around the globe. While the elderly appear at high risk for severe disease, hospitalizations and deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 among children have been relatively rare. Integrating single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of the developing mouse lung with temporally-resolved RNA-in-situ hybridization (ISH) in mouse and human lung tissue, we found that expression of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein primer TMPRSS2 was highest in ciliated cells and type I alveolar epithelial cells (AT1), and TMPRSS2 expression was increased with aging in mice and humans. Analysis of autopsy tissue from fatal COVID-19 cases revealed SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected most frequently in ciliated and secretory cells in the airway epithelium and AT1 cells in the peripheral lung. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was highly colocalized in cells expressing TMPRSS2. Together, these data demonstrate the cellular spectrum infected by SARS-CoV-2 in the lung epithelium, and suggest that developmental regulation of TMPRSS2 may underlie the relative protection of infants and children from severe respiratory illness.

| S-EPMC7263492 | biostudies-literature

Blockade of TMPRSS2-mediated priming of SARS-CoV-2 by lactoferricin.

Project description:In addition to vaccines, there is an urgent need for supplemental antiviral therapeutics to dampen the persistent COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), that is responsible for proteolytic priming of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, appears as a rational therapeutic target. Accordingly, selective inhibitors of TMPRSS2 represent potential tools for prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Previously, we identified the human milk glycoprotein lactoferrin as a natural inhibitor of plasminogen conversion to plasmin, a serine protease homologous to TMPRSS2. Here, we tested whether lactoferrin and lactoferricin, a biologically active natural peptide produced by pepsin-mediated digestion of lactoferrin, together with synthetic peptides derived from lactoferrin, were able to block TMPRSS2 and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Particularly, we revealed that both lactoferricin and the N-terminal synthetic peptide pLF1 significantly inhibited: i) proteolytic activity of TMPRSS2 and plasmin, ii) proteolytic processing of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and iii) SARS-CoV-2 infection of SARS-CoV-2-permissive cells. Thus, natural and synthetic peptides derived from lactoferrin represent feasible candidates for supporting prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

| S-EPMC9445877 | biostudies-literature

Tannic acid suppresses SARS-CoV-2 as a dual inhibitor of the viral main protease and the cellular TMPRSS2 protease.

Project description:The cell surface protein TMPRSS2 (transmembrane protease serine 2) is an androgen-responsive serine protease important for prostate cancer progression and therefore an attractive therapeutic target. Besides its role in tumor biology, TMPRSS2 is also a key player in cellular entry by the SARS-CoV viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in huge losses in socio-economy, culture, and human lives for which safe and effective cures are highly demanded. The main protease (Mpro/3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is a critical enzyme for viral propagation in host cells and, like TMPRSS2, has been exploited for treatment of the infectious disease. Numerous natural compounds abundant in common fruits have been suggested with anti-coronavirus infection in the previous outbreaks of SARS-CoV. Here we show that screening of these compounds identified tannic acid a potent inhibitor of both SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and TMPRSS2. Molecular analysis demonstrated that tannic acid formed a thermodynamically stable complex with the two proteins at a KD of 1.1 mM for Mpro and 1.77 mM for TMPRSS2. Tannic acid inhibited the activities of the two proteases with an IC50 of 13.4 mM for Mpro and 2.31 mM for TMPRSS2. Mpro protein. Consistently, functional assays using the virus particles pseudotyped (Vpp) of SARS-CoV2-S demonstrated that tannic acid suppressed viral entry into cells. Thus, our results demonstrate that tannic acid has high potential of developing anti-COVID-19 therapeutics as a potent dual inhibitor of two independent enzymes essential for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

| S-EPMC7783773 | biostudies-literature

Periodontitis promotes the expression of gingival transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), a priming protease for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Project description:ObjectivesThe oral cavity is one of the main entry sites for SARS-CoV-2. Gingival keratinocytes express transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), responsible for priming the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We investigated whether periodontitis increased the expression of TMPRSS2.MethodsTo investigate gene expression in periodontitis, we analyzed the expression of specific genes from (1) the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset of 247 human gingival tissues and (2) an experimentally-induced periodontitis mouse model. Human gingival tissues with or without periodontitis were immunohistochemically stained using an anti-TMPRSS2 antibody. Analysis of the TMPRSS2 promoter was performed using a ChIP-Atlas dataset. TMPRSS2 expression was detected in cultured human keratinocytes using quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR and Western blot analysis.ResultsGEO dataset analysis and an experimentally-induced periodontitis model revealed increased expression of TMPRSS2 in periodontitis gingiva. The keratinocyte cell membrane in periodontitis gingiva was strongly immunohistochemically stained for TMPRSS2. Using ChIP-Atlas and GEO datasets, we screened for transcription factors that bind to the TMPRSS2 promoter region. We found one candidate, estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), highly expressed in periodontitis gingiva. Analysis of the GEO dataset revealed a correlation between ESR1 and TMPRSS2 expression in gingival tissues. An ESR1 ligand induced TMPRSS2 expression in cultured keratinocytes.ConclusionsPeriodontitis increases TMPRSS2 expression in the cell membrane of gingival keratinocytes.

| S-EPMC9035663 | biostudies-literature

Virtual Screening of Natural Products against Type II Transmembrane Serine Protease (TMPRSS2), the Priming Agent of Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Project description:Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused about 2 million infections and is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths worldwide. To date, there is no specific drug registered to combat the disease it causes, named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the current study, we used an in silico approach to screen natural compounds to find potent inhibitors of the host enzyme transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). This enzyme facilitates viral particle entry into host cells, and its inhibition blocks virus fusion with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This, in turn, restricts SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. A three-dimensional structure of TMPRSS2 was built using SWISS-MODEL and validated by RAMPAGE. The natural compounds library Natural Product Activity and Species Source (NPASS), containing 30,927 compounds, was screened against the target protein. Two techniques were used in the Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) for this purpose, i.e., a ligand-based pharmacophore approach and a molecular docking-based screening. In total, 2140 compounds with pharmacophoric features were retained using the first approach. Using the second approach, 85 compounds with molecular docking comparable to or greater than that of the standard inhibitor (camostat mesylate) were identified. The top 12 compounds with the most favorable structural features were studied for physicochemical and ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity) properties. The low-molecular-weight compound NPC306344 showed significant interaction with the active site residues of TMPRSS2, with a binding energy score of -14.69. Further in vitro and in vivo validation is needed to study and develop an anti-COVID-19 drug based on the structures of the most promising compounds identified in this study.

| S-EPMC7287752 | biostudies-literature

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