A Multiplexed Cell-Based Assay for the Identification of Modulators of Pre-Membrane Processing as a Target against Dengue Virus.
The DenV pre-membrane protein (prM) is a crucial chaperone for the viral envelope protein, preventing premature fusion with vesicles during viral export. prM molecules in immature particles are cleaved by host proteases, leading to mature fusogenic virions. Blockade of prM cleavage would restrict fusion and represents a novel druggable opportunity against DenV. We have thus established a cell-based platform to monitor prM processing that relies on an engineered two-tag scaffold that travels to the cell surface through the secretory pathway. The assay discriminates between a single cell-surface tag when prM is cleaved and two tags when it is not, as detected through fluorescent-coupled antibodies by flow cytometry. The assay, miniaturized into a 96-well plate format, was multiplexed with the HIV-1 envelope boundary, also cleaved in the same pathway. A pilot screen against 1280 compounds was executed, leading to the identification of a potential active and corroborating the robustness of our assay for large-scale screening. We describe for the first time a cell-based assay that monitors DenV prM processing within the classical secretory pathway, which was exploited to identify a potential novel drug against DenV.
Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
Zachary D
ZD
Stolp
Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
Cameron A
CA
Smurthwaite
Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
Connor
C
Reed
Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
Wesley
W
Williams
Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
Andre
A
Dharmawan
Institut Pasteur Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Hakim
H
Djaballah
Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA roland@mail.sdsu.edu.
Roland
R
Wolkowicz
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins
cell-based assay; dengue virus; high-throughput screen; multiplexing; prM processing