Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance, Lyon, France

During routine molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 performed at the National Reference Center of Respiratory Viruses (Lyon, France) (n = 229 sequences collected February–April 2020), two frameshifting deletions were detected in the open reading frame 6, at the same position (27267). While a 26-nucl...

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Main Authors: Grégory Quéromès, Grégory Destras, Antonin Bal, Hadrien Regue, Gwendolyne Burfin, Solenne Brun, Rémi Fanget, Florence Morfin, Martine Valette, Sophie Trouillet-Assant, Bruno Lina, Emilie Frobert, Laurence Josset
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2021-01-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2021.1872351
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author Grégory Quéromès
Grégory Destras
Antonin Bal
Hadrien Regue
Gwendolyne Burfin
Solenne Brun
Rémi Fanget
Florence Morfin
Martine Valette
Sophie Trouillet-Assant
Bruno Lina
Emilie Frobert
Laurence Josset
author_facet Grégory Quéromès
Grégory Destras
Antonin Bal
Hadrien Regue
Gwendolyne Burfin
Solenne Brun
Rémi Fanget
Florence Morfin
Martine Valette
Sophie Trouillet-Assant
Bruno Lina
Emilie Frobert
Laurence Josset
author_sort Grégory Quéromès
collection DOAJ
description During routine molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 performed at the National Reference Center of Respiratory Viruses (Lyon, France) (n = 229 sequences collected February–April 2020), two frameshifting deletions were detected in the open reading frame 6, at the same position (27267). While a 26-nucleotide deletion variant (D26) was only found in one nasopharyngeal sample in March 2020, the 34-nucleotide deletion (D34) was found within a single geriatric hospital unit in 5/9 patients and one health care worker in April 2020. Phylogeny analysis strongly suggested a nosocomial transmission of D34, with potential fecal transmission, as also identified in a stool sample. No difference in disease severity was observed between patients hospitalized in the geriatric unit infected with WT or D34. In vitro D26 and D34 characterization revealed comparable replication kinetics with the wild-type (WT), but differential host immune responses. While interferon-stimulated genes were similarly upregulated after infection with WT and ORF6 variants, the latter specifically induced overexpression of 9 genes coding for inflammatory cytokines in the NF-kB pathway, including CCL2/MCP1, PTX3, and TNFα, for which high plasma levels have been associated with severe COVID-19. Our findings emphasize the need to monitor the occurrence of ORF6 deletions and assess their impact on the host immune response.
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spelling doaj-art-d578fc65da364b60b22387d9bb62fa122025-08-20T02:58:47ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512021-01-0110116717710.1080/22221751.2021.1872351Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance, Lyon, FranceGrégory Quéromès0Grégory Destras1Antonin Bal2Hadrien Regue3Gwendolyne Burfin4Solenne Brun5Rémi Fanget6Florence Morfin7Martine Valette8Sophie Trouillet-Assant9Bruno Lina10Emilie Frobert11Laurence Josset12CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneCIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneCIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneLaboratoire de Virologie, Institut des Agents Infectieux (IAI), Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, FranceLaboratoire de Virologie, Institut des Agents Infectieux (IAI), Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, FranceLaboratoire de Virologie, Institut des Agents Infectieux (IAI), Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, FranceLaboratoire de Virologie, Institut des Agents Infectieux (IAI), Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, FranceCIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneCIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneCIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneCIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneCIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneCIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Lyon, FracneDuring routine molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 performed at the National Reference Center of Respiratory Viruses (Lyon, France) (n = 229 sequences collected February–April 2020), two frameshifting deletions were detected in the open reading frame 6, at the same position (27267). While a 26-nucleotide deletion variant (D26) was only found in one nasopharyngeal sample in March 2020, the 34-nucleotide deletion (D34) was found within a single geriatric hospital unit in 5/9 patients and one health care worker in April 2020. Phylogeny analysis strongly suggested a nosocomial transmission of D34, with potential fecal transmission, as also identified in a stool sample. No difference in disease severity was observed between patients hospitalized in the geriatric unit infected with WT or D34. In vitro D26 and D34 characterization revealed comparable replication kinetics with the wild-type (WT), but differential host immune responses. While interferon-stimulated genes were similarly upregulated after infection with WT and ORF6 variants, the latter specifically induced overexpression of 9 genes coding for inflammatory cytokines in the NF-kB pathway, including CCL2/MCP1, PTX3, and TNFα, for which high plasma levels have been associated with severe COVID-19. Our findings emphasize the need to monitor the occurrence of ORF6 deletions and assess their impact on the host immune response.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2021.1872351SARS-CoV-2ORF6deletiongenomic surveillancenosocomial clusterinflammation
spellingShingle Grégory Quéromès
Grégory Destras
Antonin Bal
Hadrien Regue
Gwendolyne Burfin
Solenne Brun
Rémi Fanget
Florence Morfin
Martine Valette
Sophie Trouillet-Assant
Bruno Lina
Emilie Frobert
Laurence Josset
Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance, Lyon, France
Emerging Microbes and Infections
SARS-CoV-2
ORF6
deletion
genomic surveillance
nosocomial cluster
inflammation
title Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance, Lyon, France
title_full Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance, Lyon, France
title_fullStr Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance, Lyon, France
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance, Lyon, France
title_short Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance, Lyon, France
title_sort characterization of sars cov 2 orf6 deletion variants detected in a nosocomial cluster during routine genomic surveillance lyon france
topic SARS-CoV-2
ORF6
deletion
genomic surveillance
nosocomial cluster
inflammation
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2021.1872351
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