SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host CD55, CD59 and factor H to impair antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis

The complement system is a vital anti-microbial defence mechanism against circulating pathogens. Excessive complement activation can have deleterious outcomes for the host and is consequently tightly modulated by a set of membrane-associated and fluid-phase regulators of complement activation (RCAs)...

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Main Authors: Laura Gebetsberger, Zahra Malekshahi, Aron Teutsch, Gabor Tajti, Frédéric Fontaine, Nara Marella, André Mueller, Lena Prantl, Hannes Stockinger, Heribert Stoiber, Anna Ohradanova-Repic
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2024.2417868
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author Laura Gebetsberger
Zahra Malekshahi
Aron Teutsch
Gabor Tajti
Frédéric Fontaine
Nara Marella
André Mueller
Lena Prantl
Hannes Stockinger
Heribert Stoiber
Anna Ohradanova-Repic
author_facet Laura Gebetsberger
Zahra Malekshahi
Aron Teutsch
Gabor Tajti
Frédéric Fontaine
Nara Marella
André Mueller
Lena Prantl
Hannes Stockinger
Heribert Stoiber
Anna Ohradanova-Repic
author_sort Laura Gebetsberger
collection DOAJ
description The complement system is a vital anti-microbial defence mechanism against circulating pathogens. Excessive complement activation can have deleterious outcomes for the host and is consequently tightly modulated by a set of membrane-associated and fluid-phase regulators of complement activation (RCAs). Here, we demonstrate that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) hijacks host cellular RCA members CD55 and CD59 and serum-derived Factor H (FH) to resist antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis triggered by immunized human sera. Blockage of the biological functions of virion-associated CD55 and CD59 and competition of FH recruitment with functionally inactive recombinant FH-derived short consensus repeats SCR18-20 restore SARS-CoV-2 complement sensitivity in a synergistic manner. Moreover, complement-mediated virolysis is dependent on classical pathway activation and does not occur in the absence of virus-specific antibodies. Altogether, our findings present an intriguing immune escape mechanism that provides novel insights into the immunopathology observed in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
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issn 2222-1751
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
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series Emerging Microbes and Infections
spelling doaj-art-813767f8302d4d5094f5288e0c63c8f22025-08-20T02:20:37ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512024-12-0113110.1080/22221751.2024.2417868SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host CD55, CD59 and factor H to impair antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysisLaura Gebetsberger0Zahra Malekshahi1Aron Teutsch2Gabor Tajti3Frédéric Fontaine4Nara Marella5André Mueller6Lena Prantl7Hannes Stockinger8Heribert Stoiber9Anna Ohradanova-Repic10Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Vienna, AustriaMedical University of Innsbruck, Institute of Virology, Innsbruck, AustriaMedical University of Innsbruck, Institute of Virology, Innsbruck, AustriaMedical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Vienna, AustriaCeMM – Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, AustriaCeMM – Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, AustriaCeMM – Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, AustriaMedical University of Innsbruck, Institute of Virology, Innsbruck, AustriaMedical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Vienna, AustriaMedical University of Innsbruck, Institute of Virology, Innsbruck, AustriaMedical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Vienna, AustriaThe complement system is a vital anti-microbial defence mechanism against circulating pathogens. Excessive complement activation can have deleterious outcomes for the host and is consequently tightly modulated by a set of membrane-associated and fluid-phase regulators of complement activation (RCAs). Here, we demonstrate that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) hijacks host cellular RCA members CD55 and CD59 and serum-derived Factor H (FH) to resist antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis triggered by immunized human sera. Blockage of the biological functions of virion-associated CD55 and CD59 and competition of FH recruitment with functionally inactive recombinant FH-derived short consensus repeats SCR18-20 restore SARS-CoV-2 complement sensitivity in a synergistic manner. Moreover, complement-mediated virolysis is dependent on classical pathway activation and does not occur in the absence of virus-specific antibodies. Altogether, our findings present an intriguing immune escape mechanism that provides novel insights into the immunopathology observed in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2024.2417868SARS-CoV-2complementregulators of complement activationimmune evasionantiviral immunity
spellingShingle Laura Gebetsberger
Zahra Malekshahi
Aron Teutsch
Gabor Tajti
Frédéric Fontaine
Nara Marella
André Mueller
Lena Prantl
Hannes Stockinger
Heribert Stoiber
Anna Ohradanova-Repic
SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host CD55, CD59 and factor H to impair antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis
Emerging Microbes and Infections
SARS-CoV-2
complement
regulators of complement activation
immune evasion
antiviral immunity
title SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host CD55, CD59 and factor H to impair antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis
title_full SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host CD55, CD59 and factor H to impair antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis
title_fullStr SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host CD55, CD59 and factor H to impair antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis
title_full_unstemmed SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host CD55, CD59 and factor H to impair antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis
title_short SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host CD55, CD59 and factor H to impair antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis
title_sort sars cov 2 hijacks host cd55 cd59 and factor h to impair antibody dependent complement mediated lysis
topic SARS-CoV-2
complement
regulators of complement activation
immune evasion
antiviral immunity
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2024.2417868
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