Our lab has participated in a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the first months of COVID-19 pandemic we in a collaboration with Dr. G. Efimov at the National Center for Hematology (Moscow) developed the first commercial test-system for IgG to the Receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the Spike protein.
This system was used for monitoring seroconversion of healthcare workers during the first two waves in Moscow hospitals (Kichatova et al, Microorganisms, 2022). It was also used in April-May 2020 for selection of convalescent sera for trial treatment of COVID-19 patients (Axford et al, BMC Infec. Dis., 2021; Baklaushev et al, J. Clin Practice 2020) as well as in characterization of immune response to the infection (Shomuradova et al, Immunity, 2020). This system has also been used for selection of patients with high levels of antibodies to RBD for subsequent development of broadly active neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (Gorchakov et al, Cell Discovery, 2021).
Our current research is focused on investigation of SARS-CoV-2 tropism and pathogenesis. We have reported that the virus infects hepatocarcinoma and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells (Smirnova et al, Cancers, 2023). The highest levels of infection were detected in a low-passage GBM cells with impaired interferon induction.
As viral pathogenesis is linked to ability of the virus to interfere with cell metabolic and signaling pathways, we are now characterizing impact of SARS-CoV-2 on central carbon metabolism and metabolism of biogenic polyamines.
