Prof. Meital Gal-Tanamy
Molecular Virology Lab
Hepatitis C virus - understanding the pathogenesis of the virus and development of a treatment and vaccination.
CV
Prof. Meital Gal-Tanamy is Associate Dean, Research, and head of the Molecular Virology Lab.
Research
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease and liver cancer with over 180 million persons infected worldwide.While some of the viral genes conform to the definition of oncogenes, the necessity of chronic infection for hepatocellular carcinoma to develop is currently unexplained. Moreover, no vaccine for HCV is available, and immunity against the virus is very poorly understood.
Our Lab leads a research that will contribute to the rational vaccine design against HCV through exploring the antibody response to this infectious agent. We implement a comprehensive study that will fill the critically important gap in technology and knowledge related to the mechanisms of antibody-mediated neutralization of HCV. An important focus of this study will be to translate this information to characterize the envelope structure of the virus and to develop new vaccine strategies.
In another line of research we aim to contribute to understanding the pathogenesis of HCV infection and its effect on the mechanisms leading tohepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We study the dynamic evolutionary balance between the viral modulations of epigenetic changes of chromatin, the HCC-borne mutations, the viral genome and immune system. We also explore the processes that drives HCV infected hepatocytes towards becoming invasive and metastatic.
Publications
1: Huang CF†, Awad MH†, Gal-Tanamy M*, Yu ML*. Perspective of the risk and molecular mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma after HCV eradication in the post-DAA era. Clin Mol Hepatol. 2024 Jul 1. doi: 10.3350/cmh.2024.0472. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38946463. † co-first author* co-corresponding
2: Huang CF†, Awad MH†, Gal-Tanamy M*, Yu ML*. Unmet needs in the post-DAA era: the risk and molecular mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma after HCV eradication.Clin Mol Hepatol. 2024 Apr 26. doi: 10.3350/cmh.2024.0155. Epub ahead of print.PMID: 38665034. † co-first author* co-corresponding
3: Alter HJ, Barnes E, Biondi MJ, Cox AL, Eberts JD, Feld JJ, Liang TJ, Morrison J, Rice CM, Shoukry NH, Thomas DL, Van Gennip J, Weijer C; other signatories.Joint statement in support of hepatitis C human challenge studies. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Nov;8(11):967-969. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(23)00314-X. Epub 2023 Sep 21. PMID: 37742699.
4: Safra M, Tamari Z, Polak P, Shiber S, Matan M, Karameh H, Helviz Y, Levy- Barda A, Yahalom V, Peretz A, Ben-Chetrit E, Brenner B, Tuller T, Gal-Tanamy M, Yaari G. Altered somatic hypermutation patterns in COVID-19 patients classifies disease severity. Front Immunol. 2023 Apr 19;14:1031914. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1031914. PMID: 37153628; PMCID: PMC10154551.
5: Perez S†, Lavi-Itzkovitz A†, Gidoni M†, Domovitz T, Dabour R, Khurana I, Davidovich A, Tobar A, Livoff A, Solomonov E, Maman Y, El-Osta A, Tsai Y, Yu ML, Stemmer SM, Haviv I*, Yaari G*, Gal-Tanamy M*. High-Resolution Genomic Profiling of Liver Cancer Links Etiology With Mutation and Epigenetic Signatures. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;16(1):63-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.03.004. Epub 2023 Mar 24. PMID: 36965814; PMCID: PMC10212990. † co-first author* co-corresponding
6: Domovitz T†, Ayoub S†, Werbner M†, Alter J, Izhaki Tavor L, Yahalom-Ronen Y, Tikhonov E, Meirson T, Maman Y, Paran N, Israely T, Dessau M, Gal-Tanamy M. HCV Infection Increases the Expression of ACE2 Receptor, Leading to Enhanced Entry of Both HCV and SARS-CoV-2 into Hepatocytes and a Coinfection State. Microbiol Spectr. 2022 Dec 21;10(6):e0115022. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01150-22. Epub 2022 Oct 31. PMID: 36314945; PMCID: PMC9769977.† co-first author
7: Yamin K, Bijlani S, Berman J, Soni A, Shlomai J, Buragohain BM, Werbner M, Gal-Tanamy M, Matityahu A, Onn I. Fold-change of chromatin condensation in yeast is a conserved property. Sci Rep. 2022 Oct 17;12(1):17393. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-22340-8. PMID: 36253460; PMCID: PMC9576780.
8: Li R, Mor M, Ma B, Clark AE, Alter J, Werbner M, Lee JC, Leibel SL, Carlin AF, Dessau M, Gal-Tanamy M, Croker BA, Xiang Y, Freund NT. Conformational flexibility in neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by naturally elicited anti-SARS- CoV-2 antibodies. Commun Biol. 2022 Aug 5;5(1):789. doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-03739-5. PMID: 35931732; PMCID: PMC9355996.
9: Rabinowitz KM, Navon M, Edelman-Klapper H, Zittan E, Bar-Gil Shitrit A, Goren I, Avni-Biron I, Ollech JE, Lichtenstein L, Banai-Eran H, Yanai H, Snir Y, Pauker MH, Friedenberg A, Levy-Barda A, Segal A, Broitman Y, Maoz E, Ovadia B, Aharoni Golan M, Shachar E, Ben-Horin S, Maharshak N, Mor M, Ben Zvi H, Eliakim R, Barkan R, Sharar-Fischler T, Goren S, Krugliak N, Pichinuk E, Mor M, Werbner M, Alter J, Abu-Taha H, Kaboub K, Dessau M, Gal-Tanamy M, Cohen D, Freund NT, Dotan I, On Behalf Of The Responses To Covid-Vaccine Israeli Ibd. Anti-TNFα Treatment Impairs Long-Term Immune Responses to COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Vaccines (Basel). 2022 Jul 26;10(8):1186. doi: 10.3390/vaccines10081186. PMID: 35893835; PMCID: PMC9330864.
10: Samuels H, Malov M, Saha Detroja T, Ben Zaken K, Bloch N, Gal-Tanamy M, Avni O, Polis B, Samson AO. Autoimmune Disease Classification Based on PubMed Text Mining. J Clin Med. 2022 Jul 26;11(15):4345. doi: 10.3390/jcm11154345. PMID: 35893435; PMCID: PMC9369164.
11: Ashur I, Alter J, Werbner M, Ogungbile A, Dessau M, Gal-Tanamy M, Vernick S. Rapid electrochemical immunodetection of SARS-CoV-2 using a pseudo-typed vesicular stomatitis virus model. Talanta. 2022 Mar 1;239:123147. doi:
10.1016/j.talanta.2021.123147. Epub 2021 Dec 13. PMID: 34920254; PMCID: PMC8667521.
12: Edelman-Klapper H, Zittan E, Bar-Gil Shitrit A, Rabinowitz KM, Goren I, Avni-Biron I, Ollech JE, Lichtenstein L, Banai-Eran H, Yanai H, Snir Y, Pauker MH, Friedenberg A, Levy-Barda A, Segal A, Broitman Y, Maoz E, Ovadia B, Golan MA, Shachar E, Ben-Horin S, Perets TT, Ben Zvi H, Eliakim R, Barkan R, Goren S, Navon M, Krugliak N, Werbner M, Alter J, Dessau M, Gal-Tanamy M, Freund NT, Cohen D, Dotan I; REsponses to COVid-19 vaccinE IsRaeli IBD group (RECOVER). Lower Serologic Response to COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Treated With Anti-TNFα. Gastroenterology. 2022 Feb;162(2):454-467. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.10.029. Epub 2021 Oct 28. PMID: 34717923; PMCID: PMC8552587.
13: Rosenberg-Friedman M, Kigel A, Bahar Y, Werbner M, Alter J, Yogev Y, Dror Y, Lubetzky R, Dessau M, Gal-Tanamy M, Many A, Wine Y. BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine elicited antibody response in blood and milk of breastfeeding women. Nat Commun. 2021 Oct 28;12(1):6222. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26507-1. PMID: 34711825; PMCID: PMC8553805.
14: Mor M, Werbner M, Alter J, Safra M, Chomsky E, Lee JC, Hada-Neeman S, Polonsky K, Nowell CJ, Clark AE, Roitburd-Berman A, Ben-Shalom N, Navon M, Rafael D, Sharim H, Kiner E, Griffis ER, Gershoni JM, Kobiler O, Leibel SL, Zimhony O, Carlin AF, Yaari G, Dessau M, Gal-Tanamy M, Hagin D, Croker BA, Freund NT. Multi-clonal SARS-CoV-2 neutralization by antibodies isolated from severe COVID-19 convalescent donors. PLoS Pathog. 2021 Feb 11;17(2):e1009165. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009165. PMID: 33571304; PMCID: PMC7877634.
15: Domovitz T, Gal-Tanamy M. Tracking Down the Epigenetic Footprint of HCV- Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis. J Clin Med. 2021 Feb 2;10(3):551. doi: 10.3390/jcm10030551. PMID: 33540858; PMCID: PMC7867330.
16: Zucker I, Lester Y, Alter J, Werbner M, Yecheskel Y, Gal-Tanamy M, Dessau M. Pseudoviruses for the assessment of coronavirus disinfection by ozone. Environ Chem Lett. 2021;19(2):1779-1785. doi: 10.1007/s10311-020-01160-0. Epub 2021 Jan 13. PMID: 33462542; PMCID: PMC7805571.
17: Mor M, Werbner M, Alter J, Safra M, Chomsky E, Hada-Neeman S, Polonsky K, Nowell CJ, Clark AE, Roitburd-Berman A, Shalom NB, Navon M, Rafael D, Sharim H, Kiner E, Griffis E, Gershoni JM, Kobiler O, Leibel SL, Zimhony O, Carlin AF, Yaari G, Dassau M, Gal-Tanamy M, Hagin D, Croker BA, Freund NT. Multi-Clonal Live SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro Neutralization by Antibodies Isolated from Severe COVID-19 Convalescent Donors. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2020 Oct 6:2020.10.06.323634. doi: 10.1101/2020.10.06.323634. Update in: PLoS Pathog. 2021 Feb 11;17(2):e1009165. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009165. PMID: 33052341; PMCID: PMC7553166.
18: Ninio L†, Nissani A†, Meirson T†, Domovitz T, Genna A, Twafra S, Srikanth KD, Dabour R, Avraham E, Davidovich A, Gil-Henn H*, Gal-Tanamy M*. Hepatitis C Virus Enhances the Invasiveness of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via EGFR-Mediated Invadopodia Formation and Activation. Cells. 2019 Nov 5;8(11):1395. doi: 10.3390/cells8111395. PMID: 31694343; PMCID: PMC6912298. † co-first author* co-corresponding
19: Gal-Tanamy M. Multi-omic Analyses Reveal Complex Interactions Between HCV and Hepatocytes Demonstrating That the Red Queen Is Up and Running. Gastroenterology. 2019 Aug;157(2):300-302. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.06.005. Epub 2019 Jun 13. PMID: 31255661.
20: Perez S†, Kaspi A†, Domovitz T†, Davidovich A, Lavi-Itzkovitz A, Meirson T, Alison Holmes J, Dai CY, Huang CF, Chung RT, Nimer A, El-Osta A, Yaari G, Stemmer SM, Yu ML*, Haviv I*, Gal-Tanamy M*. Hepatitis C virus leaves an epigenetic signature post cure of infection by direct-acting antivirals. PLoS Genet. 2019 Jun 19;15(6):e1008181. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008181. PMID: 31216276; PMCID: PMC6602261. † co-first author* co-corresponding
21: Perez S†, Gevor M†, Davidovich A†, Kaspi A, Yamin K, Domovich T, Meirson T, Matityahu A, Brody Y, Stemmer SM, El-Osta A, Haviv I, Onn I*, Gal-Tanamy M*. Dysregulation of the cohesin subunit RAD21 by Hepatitis C virus mediates host- virus interactions. Nucleic Acids Res. 2019 Mar 18;47(5):2455-2471. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkz052. PMID: 30698808; PMCID: PMC6412124. † co-first author* co-corresponding
22: Perez S, Gal-Tanamy M. Studying the Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Epigenetic Signature After Cure with Direct-Acting Antivirals. Methods Mol Biol. 2019;1911:191-207. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8976-8_13. PMID: 30593627.
23: Eliyahu S†, Sharabi O†, Elmedvi S†, Timor R, Davidovich A, Vigneault F, Clouser C, Hope R, Nimer A, Braun M, Weiss YY, Polak P, Yaari G*, Gal-Tanamy M*. Antibody Repertoire Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus Infections Identifies Immune Signatures Associated With Spontaneous Clearance. Front Immunol. 2018 Dec 21;9:3004. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.03004. PMID: 30622532; PMCID: PMC6308210. † co-first author* co-corresponding
24: Shapira A, Shapira S, Gal-Tanamy M, Zemel R, Tur-Kaspa R, Benhar I. Removal of hepatitis C virus-infected cells by a zymogenized bacterial toxin. PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e32320. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032320. Epub 2012 Feb 16. PMID: 22359682; PMCID: PMC3281143.
25: Gal-Tanamy M, Bachmetov L, Ravid A, Koren R, Erman A, Tur-Kaspa R, Zemel R. Vitamin D: an innate antiviral agent suppressing hepatitis C virus in human hepatocytes. Hepatology. 2011 Nov;54(5):1570-9. doi: 10.1002/hep.24575. PMID: 21793032. 26: Shapira A, Gal-Tanamy M, Nahary L, Litvak-Greenfeld D, Zemel R, Tur-Kaspa R, Benhar I. Engineered toxins "zymoxins" are activated by the HCV NS3 protease by removal of an inhibitory protein domain. PLoS One. 2011 Jan 14;6(1):e15916. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015916. PMID: 21264238; PMCID: PMC3021518.
27: Gal-Tanamy M, Zemel R, Bachmatov L, Jangra RK, Shapira A, Villanueva RA, Yi M, Lemon SM, Benhar I, Tur-Kaspa R. Inhibition of protease-inhibitor-resistant hepatitis C virus replicons and infectious virus by intracellular intrabodies. Antiviral Res. 2010 Oct;88(1):95-106. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2010.08.001. Epub 2010 Aug 10. PMID: 20705106; PMCID: PMC4418563.
28: Gal-Tanamy M, Keck ZY, Yi M, McKeating JA, Patel AH, Foung SK, Lemon SM. In vitro selection of a neutralization-resistant hepatitis C virus escape mutant. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Dec 9;105(49):19450-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0809879105. Epub 2008 Dec 3. PMID: 19052239; PMCID: PMC2614781.
29: Keck ZY, Li TK, Xia J, Gal-Tanamy M, Olson O, Li SH, Patel AH, Ball JK, Lemon SM, Foung SK. Definition of a conserved immunodominant domain on hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein by neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies. J Virol. 2008 Jun;82(12):6061-6. doi: 10.1128/JVI.02475-07. Epub 2008 Apr 9. PMID: 18400849; PMCID: PMC2395155.
30: Keck ZY, Olson O, Gal-Tanamy M, Xia J, Patel AH, Dreux M, Cosset FL, Lemon SM, Foung SK. A point mutation leading to hepatitis C virus escape from neutralization by a monoclonal antibody to a conserved conformational epitope. J Virol. 2008 Jun;82(12):6067-72. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00252-08. Epub 2008 Apr 2. PMID: 18385242; PMCID: PMC2395135.
31: Trahtenherts A, Gal-Tanamy M, Zemel R, Bachmatov L, Loewenstein S, Tur-Kaspa R, Benhar I. Inhibition of hepatitis C virus RNA replicons by peptide aptamers. Antiviral Res. 2008 Mar;77(3):195-205. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2007.12.013. Epub 2008 Jan 22. PMID: 18243349.
32: Gal-Tanamy M, Zemel R, Berdichevsky Y, Bachmatov L, Tur-Kaspa R, Benhar I. HCV NS3 serine protease-neutralizing single-chain antibodies isolated by a novel genetic screen. J Mol Biol. 2005 Apr 15;347(5):991-1003. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2005.02.020. PMID: 15784258.
33: Gargir A, Ofek I, Meron-Sudai S, Tanamy MG, Kabouridis PS, Nissim A. Single chain antibodies specific for fatty acids derived from a semi-synthetic phage display library. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2002 Jan 15;1569(1-3):167-73. doi: 10.1016/s0304-4165(01)00245-8. PMID: 11853971.
Last Updated Date : 29/07/2024
