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Bhalerao P, Singh S, Prajapati VK, Bhatt TK. Exploring malaria parasite surface proteins to devise highly immunogenic multi-epitope subunit vaccine for Plasmodium falciparum. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2024; 22:100377. [PMID: 38797552 PMCID: PMC11089370 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2024.100377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria has remained a major health concern for decades among people living in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Plasmodium falciparum is one of the critical species that cause severe malaria and is responsible for major mortality. Moreover, the parasite has generated resistance against all WHO recommended drugs and therapies. Therefore, there is an urgent need for preventive measures in the form of reliable vaccines to achieve the target of a malaria-free world. Surface proteins are the preferable choice for subunit vaccine development because they are rapidly detected and engaged by host immune cells and vaccination-induced antibodies. Additionally, abundant surface or membrane proteins may contribute to the opsonization of pathogens by vaccine-induced antibodies. RESULTS In our study, we have listed all those surface proteins from the literature that could be functionally important and essential for infection and immune evasion of the malaria parasite. Eight Plasmodium surface and membrane proteins from the pre-erythrocyte and erythrocyte stages were shortlisted. Thirty-seven epitopes (B-cell, CTL, and HTL epitopes) from these proteins were predicted using immune-informatic tools and joined with suitable peptide linkers to design a vaccine construct. A TLR-4 agonist peptide adjuvant was added at the N-terminus of the multi-epitope series, followed by the PADRE sequence and EAAAK linker. The TLR-4 receptor was docked with the construct's anticipated model structure. The complex of vaccine and TLR-4, with the lowest energy -1514, was found to be stable under simulated physiological settings. CONCLUSION This study has provided a novel multi-epitope construct that may be exploited further for the development of an efficient vaccine for malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preshita Bhalerao
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer 305817, Rajasthan, India
| | - Satyendra Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer 305817, Rajasthan, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi 110021, India
| | - Tarun Kumar Bhatt
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer 305817, Rajasthan, India.
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2
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Costa-Gouvea TBL, Françoso KS, Marques RF, Gimenez AM, Faria ACM, Cariste LM, Dominguez MR, Vasconcelos JRC, Nakaya HI, Silveira ELV, Soares IS. Poly I:C elicits broader and stronger humoral and cellular responses to a Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein malaria vaccine than Alhydrogel in mice. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1331474. [PMID: 38650939 PMCID: PMC11033515 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1331474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a global health challenge, necessitating the development of effective vaccines. The RTS,S vaccination prevents Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria but is ineffective against Plasmodium vivax (Pv) disease. Herein, we evaluated the murine immunogenicity of a recombinant PvCSP incorporating prevalent polymorphisms, adjuvanted with Alhydrogel or Poly I:C. Both formulations induced prolonged IgG responses, with IgG1 dominance by the Alhydrogel group and high titers of all IgG isotypes by the Poly I:C counterpart. Poly I:C-adjuvanted vaccination increased splenic plasma cells, terminally-differentiated memory cells (MBCs), and precursors relative to the Alhydrogel-combined immunization. Splenic B-cells from Poly I:C-vaccinated mice revealed an antibody-secreting cell- and MBC-differentiating gene expression profile. Biological processes such as antibody folding and secretion were highlighted by the Poly I:C-adjuvanted vaccination. These findings underscore the potential of Poly I:C to strengthen immune responses against Pv malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany B. L. Costa-Gouvea
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Katia S. Françoso
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo F. Marques
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alba Marina Gimenez
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana C. M. Faria
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leonardo M. Cariste
- Laboratório de Vacinas Recombinantes, Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brazil
| | - Mariana R. Dominguez
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Ronnie C. Vasconcelos
- Laboratório de Vacinas Recombinantes, Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brazil
| | - Helder I. Nakaya
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Institut Pasteur São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo L. V. Silveira
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Irene S. Soares
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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Williams KL, Guerrero S, Flores-Garcia Y, Kim D, Williamson KS, Siska C, Smidt P, Jepson SZ, Li K, Dennison SM, Mathis-Torres S, Chen X, Wille-Reece U, MacGill RS, Walker M, Jongert E, King CR, Ockenhouse C, Glanville J, Moon JE, Regules JA, Tan YC, Cavet G, Lippow SM, Robinson WH, Dutta S, Tomaras GD, Zavala F, Ketchem RR, Emerling DE. A candidate antibody drug for prevention of malaria. Nat Med 2024; 30:117-129. [PMID: 38167935 PMCID: PMC10803262 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02659-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Over 75% of malaria-attributable deaths occur in children under the age of 5 years. However, the first malaria vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for pediatric use, RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix), has modest efficacy. Complementary strategies, including monoclonal antibodies, will be important in efforts to eradicate malaria. Here we characterize the circulating B cell repertoires of 45 RTS,S/AS01 vaccinees and discover monoclonal antibodies for development as potential therapeutics. We generated >28,000 antibody sequences and tested 481 antibodies for binding activity and 125 antibodies for antimalaria activity in vivo. Through these analyses we identified correlations suggesting that sequences in Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein, the target antigen in RTS,S/AS01, may induce immunodominant antibody responses that limit more protective, but subdominant, responses. Using binding studies, mouse malaria models, biomanufacturing assessments and protein stability assays, we selected AB-000224 and AB-007088 for advancement as a clinical lead and backup. We engineered the variable domains (Fv) of both antibodies to enable low-cost manufacturing at scale for distribution to pediatric populations, in alignment with WHO's preferred product guidelines. The engineered clone with the optimal manufacturing and drug property profile, MAM01, was advanced into clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dongkyoon Kim
- Atreca, Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
- Initium Therapeutics, Inc., Natick, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Kan Li
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S Moses Dennison
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Shamika Mathis-Torres
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Ulrike Wille-Reece
- BioNTech US, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
- PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington DC, USA
| | | | | | | | - C Richter King
- PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington DC, USA
| | | | | | - James E Moon
- Center for Enabling Capabilities, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Jason A Regules
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Yann Chong Tan
- Atreca, Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
- Nuevocor Pte. Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Guy Cavet
- Atreca, Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
- Paramune, Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
| | | | - William H Robinson
- Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Georgia D Tomaras
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Departments of Immunology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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4
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Geens R, Stanisich J, Beyens O, D'Hondt S, Thiberge J, Ryckebosch A, De Groot A, Magez S, Vertommen D, Amino R, De Winter H, Volkov AN, Tompa P, Sterckx YG. Biophysical characterization of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein's N-terminal domain. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4852. [PMID: 38059674 PMCID: PMC10749493 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is the main surface antigen of the Plasmodium sporozoite (SPZ) and forms the basis of the currently only licensed anti-malarial vaccine (RTS,S/AS01). CSP uniformly coats the SPZ and plays a pivotal role in its immunobiology, in both the insect and the vertebrate hosts. Although CSP's N-terminal domain (CSPN ) has been reported to play an important role in multiple CSP functions, a thorough biophysical and structural characterization of CSPN is currently lacking. Here, we present an alternative method for the recombinant production and purification of CSPN from Plasmodium falciparum (PfCSPN ), which provides pure, high-quality protein preparations with high yields. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining in-solution experimental methods and in silico analyses, we provide strong evidence that PfCSPN is an intrinsically disordered region displaying some degree of compaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob Geens
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry (LMB)University of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
- Structural Biology BrusselsVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Jessica Stanisich
- Cellular and Molecular ImmunologyVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Olivier Beyens
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (UAMC)University of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Stijn D'Hondt
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (UAMC)University of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | | | - Amber Ryckebosch
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry (LMB)University of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Anke De Groot
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry (LMB)University of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Stefan Magez
- Cellular and Molecular ImmunologyVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
- Ghent University Global CampusIncheonSouth Korea
| | - Didier Vertommen
- de Duve Institute and MASSPROT Platform, UCLouvainBrusselsBelgium
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Unit of Malaria Infection & ImmunityInstitut PasteurParisFrance
| | - Hans De Winter
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (UAMC)University of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Alexander N. Volkov
- Structural Biology BrusselsVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
- VIB‐VUB Center for Structural BiologyVlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)BrusselsBelgium
- Jean Jeener NMR CentreVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Peter Tompa
- Structural Biology BrusselsVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
- VIB‐VUB Center for Structural BiologyVlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)BrusselsBelgium
- Institute of Enzymology, Biological Research CenterHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Yann G.‐J. Sterckx
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry (LMB)University of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
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5
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Bolton JS, MacGill RS, Locke E, Regules JA, Bergmann-Leitner ES. Novel antibody competition binding assay identifies distinct serological profiles associated with protection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1303446. [PMID: 38152401 PMCID: PMC10752609 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1303446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccines hold the promise of inducing sterile protection thereby preventing the morbidity and mortality associated with Plasmodium infection. The main surface antigen of P. falciparum sporozoites, i.e., the circumsporozoite protein (CSP), has been extensively explored as a target of such vaccines with significant success in recent years. Systematic adjuvant selection, refinements of the immunization regimen, and physical properties of the antigen may all contribute to the potential of increasing the efficacy of CSP-based vaccines. Protection appears to be dependent in large part on CSP antibodies. However due to a knowledge gap related to the exact correlates of immunity, there is a critical need to improve our ability to down select candidates preclinically before entering clinical trials including with controlled human malaria infections (CHMI). Methods We developed a novel multiplex competition assay based on well-characterized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target crucial epitopes across the CSP molecule. This new tool assesses both, quality and epitope-specific concentrations of vaccine-induced antibodies by measuring their equivalency with a panel of well-characterized, CSP-epitope-specific mAbs. Results Applying this method to RTS,S-immune sera from a CHMI trial demonstrated a quantitative epitope-specificity profile of antibody responses that can differentiate between protected vs. nonprotected individuals. Aligning vaccine efficacy with quantitation of the epitope fine specificity results of this equivalency assay reveals the importance of epitope specificity. Discussion The newly developed serological equivalence assay will inform future vaccine design and possibly even adjuvant selection. This methodology can be adapted to other antigens and disease models, when a panel of relevant mAbs exists, and could offer a unique tool for comparing and down-selecting vaccine formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S. Bolton
- Biologics Research & Development, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Randall S. MacGill
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Emily Locke
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Jason A. Regules
- Biologics Research & Development, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Elke S. Bergmann-Leitner
- Biologics Research & Development, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, United States
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6
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Rajneesh, Tiwari R, Singh VK, Kumar A, Gupta RP, Singh AK, Gautam V, Kumar R. Advancements and Challenges in Developing Malaria Vaccines: Targeting Multiple Stages of the Parasite Life Cycle. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1795-1814. [PMID: 37708228 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Malaria, caused by Plasmodium species, remains a major global health concern, causing millions of deaths annually. While the introduction of the RTS,S vaccine has shown promise, there is a pressing need for more effective vaccines due to the emergence of drug-resistant parasites and insecticide-resistant vectors. However, the complex life cycle and genetic diversity of the parasite, technical obstacles, limited funding, and the impact of the 2019 pandemic have hindered progress in malaria vaccine development. This review focuses on advancements in malaria vaccine development, particularly the ongoing clinical trials targeting antigens from different stages of the Plasmodium life cycle. Additionally, we discuss the rationale, strategies, and challenges associated with vaccine design, aiming to enhance the immune response and protective efficacy of vaccine candidates. A cost-effective and multistage vaccine could hold the key to controlling and eradicating malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajneesh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rahul Tiwari
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Vishal K Singh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Awnish Kumar
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rohit P Gupta
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
- Department of Applied Microbiology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Akhilesh K Singh
- Faculty of Dental Science, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Vibhav Gautam
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rajiv Kumar
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
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7
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Genito CJ, Brooks K, Smith A, Ryan E, Soto K, Li Y, Warter L, Dutta S. Protective antibody threshold of RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine correlates antigen and adjuvant dose in mouse model. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:114. [PMID: 37563255 PMCID: PMC10415390 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00714-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mouse models are useful for the early down-selection of malaria vaccine candidates. The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has optimized a transgenic Plasmodium berghei sporozoite challenge model to compare the efficacy of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) vaccines. GSK's RTS,S vaccine formulated in the adjuvant AS01 can protect malaria-naïve individuals against malaria. We report that the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine induces high level sterile protection in our mouse model. Down titration of the antigen at a constant AS01 dose revealed a potent antigen dose-sparing effect and the superiority of RTS,S/AS01 over a soluble CSP antigen. RTS,S-mediated protective immunity was associated with a threshold of major repeat antibody titer. Combined titration of the antigen and adjuvant showed that reducing the adjuvant could improve antibody boosting post-3rd vaccination and reduce the threshold antibody concentration required for protection. Mouse models can provide a pathway for preclinical assessment of strategies to improve CSP vaccines against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Genito
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Biologics Research and Development Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Katherine Brooks
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Biologics Research and Development Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Alexis Smith
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Biologics Research and Development Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Emma Ryan
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Biologics Research and Development Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Kim Soto
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Biologics Research and Development Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Yuanzhang Li
- Center for Enabling Capabilities, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | | | - Sheetij Dutta
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Biologics Research and Development Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
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8
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Martin GM, Torres JL, Pholcharee T, Oyen D, Flores-Garcia Y, Gibson G, Moskovitz R, Beutler N, Jung DD, Copps J, Lee WH, Gonzalez-Paez G, Emerling D, MacGill RS, Locke E, King CR, Zavala F, Wilson IA, Ward AB. Affinity-matured homotypic interactions induce spectrum of PfCSP structures that influence protection from malaria infection. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4546. [PMID: 37507365 PMCID: PMC10382551 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40151-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The generation of high-quality antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), the primary surface antigen of Pf sporozoites, is paramount to the development of an effective malaria vaccine. Here we present an in-depth structural and functional analysis of a panel of potent antibodies encoded by the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (IGHV) gene IGHV3-33, which is among the most prevalent and potent antibody families induced in the anti-PfCSP immune response and targets the Asn-Ala-Asn-Pro (NANP) repeat region. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) reveals a remarkable spectrum of helical antibody-PfCSP structures stabilized by homotypic interactions between tightly packed fragments antigen binding (Fabs), many of which correlate with somatic hypermutation. We demonstrate a key role of these mutated homotypic contacts for high avidity binding to PfCSP and in protection from Pf malaria infection. Together, these data emphasize the importance of anti-homotypic affinity maturation in the frequent selection of IGHV3-33 antibodies and highlight key features underlying the potent protection of this antibody family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M Martin
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jonathan L Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3DR, UK
| | - David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Pfizer Inc, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Grace Gibson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Re'em Moskovitz
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Nathan Beutler
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Diana D Jung
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jeffrey Copps
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Wen-Hsin Lee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Gonzalo Gonzalez-Paez
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | | | | | - Emily Locke
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - C Richter King
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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9
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Martin GM, Fernández-Quintero ML, Lee WH, Pholcharee T, Eshun-Wilson L, Liedl KR, Pancera M, Seder RA, Wilson IA, Ward AB. Structural basis of epitope selectivity and potent protection from malaria by PfCSP antibody L9. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2815. [PMID: 37198165 PMCID: PMC10192352 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38509-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A primary objective in malaria vaccine design is the generation of high-quality antibody responses against the circumsporozoite protein of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum (PfCSP). To enable rational antigen design, we solved a cryo-EM structure of the highly potent anti-PfCSP antibody L9 in complex with recombinant PfCSP. We found that L9 Fab binds multivalently to the minor (NPNV) repeat domain, which is stabilized by a unique set of affinity-matured homotypic, antibody-antibody contacts. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed a critical role of the L9 light chain in integrity of the homotypic interface, which likely impacts PfCSP affinity and protective efficacy. These findings reveal the molecular mechanism of the unique NPNV selectivity of L9 and emphasize the importance of anti-homotypic affinity maturation in protective immunity against P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M Martin
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Monica L Fernández-Quintero
- Department of General, Inorganic, and Theoretical Chemistry, Center for Chemistry and Biomedicine, The University of Innsbruck; Innrain 80-82/III, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Wen-Hsin Lee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3DR, UK
| | - Lisa Eshun-Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Klaus R Liedl
- Department of General, Inorganic, and Theoretical Chemistry, Center for Chemistry and Biomedicine, The University of Innsbruck; Innrain 80-82/III, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Marie Pancera
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Robert A Seder
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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10
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Li K, Dodds M, Spreng RL, Abraha M, Huntwork RHC, Dahora LC, Nyanhete T, Dutta S, Wille-Reece U, Jongert E, Ewer KJ, Hill AVS, Jin C, Hill J, Pollard AJ, Munir Alam S, Tomaras GD, Dennison SM. A tool for evaluating heterogeneity in avidity of polyclonal antibodies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1049673. [PMID: 36875126 PMCID: PMC9978818 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1049673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Diversity in specificity of polyclonal antibody (pAb) responses is extensively investigated in vaccine efficacy or immunological evaluations, but the heterogeneity in antibody avidity is rarely probed as convenient tools are lacking. Here we have developed a polyclonal antibodies avidity resolution tool (PAART) for use with label-free techniques, such as surface plasmon resonance and biolayer interferometry, that can monitor pAb-antigen interactions in real time to measure dissociation rate constant (kd ) for defining avidity. PAART utilizes a sum of exponentials model to fit the dissociation time-courses of pAb-antigens interactions and resolve multiple kd contributing to the overall dissociation. Each kd value of pAb dissociation resolved by PAART corresponds to a group of antibodies with similar avidity. PAART is designed to identify the minimum number of exponentials required to explain the dissociation course and guards against overfitting of data by parsimony selection of best model using Akaike information criterion. Validation of PAART was performed using binary mixtures of monoclonal antibodies of same specificity but differing in kd of the interaction with their epitope. We applied PAART to examine the heterogeneity in avidities of pAb from malaria and typhoid vaccinees, and individuals living with HIV-1 that naturally control the viral load. In many cases, two to three kd were dissected indicating the heterogeneity of pAb avidities. We showcase examples of affinity maturation of vaccine induced pAb responses at component level and enhanced resolution of heterogeneity in avidity when antigen-binding fragments (Fab) are used instead of polyclonal IgG antibodies. The utility of PAART can be manifold in examining circulating pAb characteristics and could inform vaccine strategies aimed to guide the host humoral immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kan Li
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Michael Dodds
- Integrated Drug Development, Certara, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Rachel L. Spreng
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Milite Abraha
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Richard H. C. Huntwork
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Lindsay C. Dahora
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Tinashe Nyanhete
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Structural Vaccinology Lab, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Ulrike Wille-Reece
- PATH's Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, DC, United States
| | | | - Katie J. Ewer
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian V. S. Hill
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Center, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Celina Jin
- Oxford Vaccine Group and Department of Pediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Hill
- Oxford Vaccine Group and Department of Pediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J. Pollard
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Center, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Oxford Vaccine Group and Department of Pediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - S. Munir Alam
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Georgia D. Tomaras
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - S. Moses Dennison
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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11
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Hutter JN, Robben PM, Lee C, Hamer M, Moon JE, Merino K, Zhu L, Galli H, Quinn X, Brown DR, Duncan E, Bolton J, Zou X, Angov E, Lanar DE, Rao M, Matyas GR, Beck Z, Bergmann-Leitner E, Soisson LA, Waters NC, Ngauy V, Regules J, Dutta S. First-in-human assessment of safety and immunogenicity of low and high doses of Plasmodium falciparum malaria protein 013 (FMP013) administered intramuscularly with ALFQ adjuvant in healthy malaria-naïve adults. Vaccine 2022; 40:5781-5790. [PMID: 36055874 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.08.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The global burden of malaria remains substantial. Circumsporozoite protein (CSP) has been demonstrated to be an effective target antigen, however, improvements that offer more efficacious and more durable protection are still needed. In support of research and development of next-generation malaria vaccines, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) has developed a CSP-based antigen (FMP013) and a novel adjuvant ALFQ (Army Liposome Formulation containing QS-21). We present a single center, open-label, dose-escalation Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the FMP013/ALFQ malaria vaccine candidate. In this first-in-human evaluation of both the antigen and adjuvant, we enrolled ten subjects; five received 20 μg FMP013 / 0.5 mL ALFQ (Low dose group), and five received 40 μg FMP013 / 1.0 mL ALFQ (High dose group) on study days 1, 29, and 57. Adverse events and immune responses were assessed during the study period. The clinical safety profile was acceptable and there were no serious adverse events. Both groups exhibited robust humoral and cellular immunological responses, and compared favorably with historical responses reported for RTS,S/AS01. Based on a lower reactogenicity profile, the 20 μg FMP013 / 0.5 mL ALFQ (Low dose) was selected for follow-on efficacy testing by controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) with a separate cohort. Trial Registration:Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT04268420 (Registered February 13, 2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack N Hutter
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States.
| | - Paul M Robben
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Christine Lee
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Melinda Hamer
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - James E Moon
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Kristen Merino
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States; Current Affiliation: Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center Covington, LA, United States
| | - Lei Zhu
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Heather Galli
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Xiaofei Quinn
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Dallas R Brown
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Elizabeth Duncan
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Jessica Bolton
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Xiaoyan Zou
- Navy Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, United States
| | - Evelina Angov
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - David E Lanar
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Mangala Rao
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Gary R Matyas
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Zoltan Beck
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States; Henry Jackson Foundation for Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD. Present Address: Pfizer, Inc., 401 N Middletown Rd, Pearl River, New York 10965, United States
| | | | - Lorraine A Soisson
- United States Agency for International Development Malaria Vaccine Development Program, Washington DC, United States
| | - Norman C Waters
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Viseth Ngauy
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Jason Regules
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States.
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12
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Marques RF, de Melo FM, Novais JT, Soares IS, Bargieri DY, Gimenez AM. Immune System Modulation by the Adjuvants Poly (I:C) and Montanide ISA 720. Front Immunol 2022; 13:910022. [PMID: 35844531 PMCID: PMC9278660 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.910022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adjuvants are essential for vaccine development, especially subunit-based vaccines such as those containing recombinant proteins. Increasing the knowledge of the immune response mechanisms generated by adjuvants should facilitate the formulation of vaccines in the future. The present work describes the immune phenotypes induced by Poly (I:C) and Montanide ISA 720 in the context of mice immunization with a recombinant protein based on the Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein (PvCSP) sequence. Mice immunized with the recombinant protein plus Montanide ISA 720 showed an overall more robust humoral response, inducing antibodies with greater avidity to the antigen. A general trend for mixed Th1/Th2 inflammatory cytokine profile was increased in Montanide-adjuvanted mice, while a balanced profile was observed in Poly (I:C)-adjuvanted mice. Montanide ISA 720 induced a gene signature in B lymphocytes characteristic of heme biosynthesis, suggesting increased differentiation to Plasma Cells. On the other hand, Poly (I:C) provoked more perturbations in T cell transcriptome. These results extend the understanding of the modulation of specific immune responses induced by different classes of adjuvants, and could support the optimization of subunit-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo F. Marques
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Filipe Menegatti de Melo
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Janaina Tenório Novais
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Irene S. Soares
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Daniel Youssef Bargieri, ; Irene S. Soares,
| | - Daniel Youssef Bargieri
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Daniel Youssef Bargieri, ; Irene S. Soares,
| | - Alba Marina Gimenez
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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13
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Sharma BK, Ramakrishan S, Kaliappan A, Singh M, Kumar A, Dandapat S, Dey S, Chellappa MM. Evaluation of a Lipopolysaccharide and Resiquimod Combination as an Adjuvant with Inactivated Newcastle Disease Virus Vaccine in Chickens. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10060894. [PMID: 35746503 PMCID: PMC9229813 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10060894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Various toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have shown potential as adjuvants with different vaccines in both human and livestock species, including chickens. Our previous studies on combination of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; TLR4 agonist) and resiquimod (R-848; TLR7 agonist) showed the synergistic up-regulation of pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th2 cytokines in chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs). Hence, the present study aimed to explore the combined adjuvant effect of LPS and R-848 with inactivated Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccine in chickens. Two weeks-old SPF chickens were immunized with inactivated NDV vaccine along with a combination of LPS and R-848 as an adjuvant with suitable control groups. A booster dose was given two weeks later. Antibody responses were assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test, while cell-mediated immune responses were analyzed by a lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) and flow cytometry following vaccination. Two weeks post-booster, the birds were challenged with a velogenic strain of NDV, and protection against clinical signs, mortality and virus shedding was analyzed. The results indicated that inactivated NDV vaccine with R-848 induced significantly higher humoral and cellular immune responses with 100% protection against mortality and viral shedding following a virulent NDV challenge. However, the combination of LPS and R-848 along with inactivated NDV vaccine produced poor humoral and cellular immune responses and could not afford protection against challenge infection and virus shedding when compared to the vaccine-alone group, indicating the deleterious effects of the combination on antigen-specific immune responses. In conclusion, the combination of LPS and R-848 showed the inhibitory effects on antigen-specific humoral, cellular and protective immune responses when used as an adjuvant with inactivated NDV vaccines in chickens. This inhibitory effect might have occurred due to systemic cytokine storm. A nanoparticle-based delivery of the combination of LPS and R-848 for slow and sustained release could be tried as an alternative method to explore the synergistic effect of the combination as an adjuvant in chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bal Krishnan Sharma
- Immunology Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India; (B.K.S.); (A.K.); (M.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Saravanan Ramakrishan
- Immunology Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India; (B.K.S.); (A.K.); (M.S.); (S.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +91-941-246-3498
| | - Abinaya Kaliappan
- Immunology Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India; (B.K.S.); (A.K.); (M.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Mithilesh Singh
- Immunology Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India; (B.K.S.); (A.K.); (M.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Ajay Kumar
- Division of Animal Biochemistry, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India;
| | - Satyabrata Dandapat
- Immunology Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India; (B.K.S.); (A.K.); (M.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Sohini Dey
- Division of Veterinary Biotechnology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India; (S.D.); (M.M.C.)
| | - Madhan Mohan Chellappa
- Division of Veterinary Biotechnology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, India; (S.D.); (M.M.C.)
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14
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Das J, Fallon JK, Yu TC, Michell A, Suscovich TJ, Linde C, Natarajan H, Weiner J, Coccia M, Gregory S, Ackerman ME, Bergmann-Leitner E, Fontana L, Dutta S, Lauffenburger DA, Jongert E, Wille-Reece U, Alter G. Delayed fractional dosing with RTS,S/AS01 improves humoral immunity to malaria via a balance of polyfunctional NANP6- and Pf16-specific antibodies. MED 2021; 2:1269-1286.e9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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15
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Moon JE, Greenleaf ME, Regules JA, Debois M, Duncan EH, Sedegah M, Chuang I, Lee CK, Sikaffy AK, Garver LS, Ivinson K, Angov E, Morelle D, Lievens M, Ockenhouse CF, Ngauy V, Ofori-Anyinam O. A phase IIA extension study evaluating the effect of booster vaccination with a fractional dose of RTS,S/AS01 E in a controlled human malaria infection challenge. Vaccine 2021; 39:6398-6406. [PMID: 34593270 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We previously demonstrated that RTS,S/AS01B and RTS,S/AS01E vaccination regimens including at least one delayed fractional dose can protect against Plasmodium falciparum malaria in a controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) model, and showed inferiority of a two-dose versus three-dose regimen. In this follow-on trial, we evaluated whether fractional booster vaccination extended or induced protection in previously protected (P-Fx) or non-protected (NP-Fx) participants. METHODS 49 participants (P-Fx: 25; NP-Fx: 24) received a fractional (1/5th dose-volume) RTS,S/AS01E booster 12 months post-primary regimen. They underwent P. falciparum CHMI three weeks later and were then followed for six months for safety and immunogenicity. RESULTS Overall vaccine efficacy against re-challenge was 53% (95% CI: 37-65%), and similar for P-Fx (52% [95% CI: 28-68%]) and NP-Fx (54% [95% CI: 29-70%]). Efficacy appeared unaffected by primary regimen or previous protection status. Anti-CS (repeat region) antibody geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) increased post-booster vaccination. GMCs were maintained over time in primary three-dose groups but declined in the two-dose group. Protection after re-challenge was associated with higher anti-CS antibody responses. The booster was well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS A fractional RTS,S/AS01E booster given one year after completion of a primary two- or three-dose RTS,S/AS01 delayed fractional dose regimen can extend or induce protection against CHMI. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03824236. linked to this article can be found on the Research Data as well as Figshare https://figshare.com/s/ee025150f9d1ac739361.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E Moon
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Melissa E Greenleaf
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Jason A Regules
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | | | - Elizabeth H Duncan
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Ilin Chuang
- Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Cynthia K Lee
- PATH, 2201 Westlake Avenue, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98121, USA.
| | - April K Sikaffy
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Lindsey S Garver
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Karen Ivinson
- PATH, 2201 Westlake Avenue, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98121, USA.
| | - Evelina Angov
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Viseth Ngauy
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
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16
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Seaton KE, Spreng RL, Abraha M, Reichartz M, Rojas M, Feely F, Huntwork RHC, Dutta S, Mudrak SV, Alam SM, Gregory S, Jongert E, Coccia M, Ulloa-Montoya F, Wille-Reece U, Tomaras GD, Dennison SM. Subclass and avidity of circumsporozoite protein specific antibodies associate with protection status against malaria infection. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:110. [PMID: 34462438 PMCID: PMC8405700 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00372-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RTS,S/AS01 is an advanced pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine candidate with demonstrated vaccine efficacy up to 86.7% in controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) studies; however, reproducible immune correlates of protection (CoP) are elusive. To identify candidates of humoral correlates of vaccine mediated protection, we measured antibody magnitude, subclass, and avidity for Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) circumsporozoite protein (CSP) by multiplex assays in two CHMI studies with varying RTS,S/AS01B vaccine dose and timing regimens. Central repeat (NANP6) IgG1 magnitude correlated best with protection status in univariate analyses and was the most predictive for protection in a multivariate model. NANP6 IgG3 magnitude, CSP IgG1 magnitude, and total serum antibody dissociation phase area-under-the-curve for NANP6, CSP, NPNA3, and N-interface binding were also associated with protection status in the regimen adjusted univariate analysis. Identification of multiple immune response features that associate with protection status, such as antibody subclasses, fine specificity and avidity reported here may accelerate development of highly efficacious vaccines against P. falciparum.
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Grants
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- OPP1151372, OPP12109388 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
- United States Department of Defense | United States Army | Army Medical Command | Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative
- GlaxoSmithKline (GlaxoSmithKline plc.)
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E Seaton
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Rachel L Spreng
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Milite Abraha
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Reichartz
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Frederick Feely
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Richard H C Huntwork
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Sarah V Mudrak
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S Munir Alam
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Department of Pathology, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Scott Gregory
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ulrike Wille-Reece
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA
- GSK, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Georgia D Tomaras
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - S Moses Dennison
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke University Department of Surgery, Durham, NC, USA.
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17
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Suscovich TJ, Fallon JK, Das J, Demas AR, Crain J, Linde CH, Michell A, Natarajan H, Arevalo C, Broge T, Linnekin T, Kulkarni V, Lu R, Slein MD, Luedemann C, Marquette M, March S, Weiner J, Gregory S, Coccia M, Flores-Garcia Y, Zavala F, Ackerman ME, Bergmann-Leitner E, Hendriks J, Sadoff J, Dutta S, Bhatia SN, Lauffenburger DA, Jongert E, Wille-Reece U, Alter G. Mapping functional humoral correlates of protection against malaria challenge following RTS,S/AS01 vaccination. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/553/eabb4757. [PMID: 32718991 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb4757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Vaccine development has the potential to be accelerated by coupling tools such as systems immunology analyses and controlled human infection models to define the protective efficacy of prospective immunogens without expensive and slow phase 2b/3 vaccine studies. Among human challenge models, controlled human malaria infection trials have long been used to evaluate candidate vaccines, and RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced malaria vaccine candidate, reproducibly demonstrating 40 to 80% protection in human challenge studies in malaria-naïve individuals. Although antibodies are critical for protection after RTS,S/AS01 vaccination, antibody concentrations are inconsistently associated with protection across studies, and the precise mechanism(s) by which vaccine-induced antibodies provide protection remains enigmatic. Using a comprehensive systems serological profiling platform, the humoral correlates of protection against malaria were identified and validated across multiple challenge studies. Rather than antibody concentration, qualitative functional humoral features robustly predicted protection from infection across vaccine regimens. Despite the functional diversity of vaccine-induced immune responses across additional RTS,S/AS01 vaccine studies, the same antibody features, antibody-mediated phagocytosis and engagement of Fc gamma receptor 3A (FCGR3A), were able to predict protection across two additional human challenge studies. Functional validation using monoclonal antibodies confirmed the protective role of Fc-mediated antibody functions in restricting parasite infection both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that these correlates may mechanistically contribute to parasite restriction and can be used to guide the rational design of an improved vaccine against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd J Suscovich
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Jishnu Das
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Allison R Demas
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jonathan Crain
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Caitlyn H Linde
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ashlin Michell
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Harini Natarajan
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Claudia Arevalo
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thomas Broge
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thomas Linnekin
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Viraj Kulkarni
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Richard Lu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Matthew D Slein
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Meghan Marquette
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sandra March
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Joshua Weiner
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Scott Gregory
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | | | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Elke Bergmann-Leitner
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Jenny Hendriks
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., 2333CN Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Jerald Sadoff
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., 2333CN Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Sangeeta N Bhatia
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Douglas A Lauffenburger
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Galit Alter
- Ragon Institute of MGH, Harvard, and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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18
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Mallory KL, Taylor JA, Zou X, Waghela IN, Schneider CG, Sibilo MQ, Punde NM, Perazzo LC, Savransky T, Sedegah M, Dutta S, Janse CJ, Pardi N, Lin PJC, Tam YK, Weissman D, Angov E. Messenger RNA expressing PfCSP induces functional, protective immune responses against malaria in mice. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:84. [PMID: 34145286 PMCID: PMC8213722 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00345-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Human malaria affects the vast majority of the world's population with the Plasmodium falciparum species causing the highest rates of morbidity and mortality. With no licensed vaccine and leading candidates achieving suboptimal protection in the field, the need for an effective immunoprophylactic option continues to motivate the malaria research community to explore alternative technologies. Recent advances in the mRNA discipline have elevated the long-neglected platform to the forefront of infectious disease research. As the immunodominant coat protein of the invasive stage of the malaria parasite, circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) was selected as the antigen of choice to assess the immunogenic and protective potential of an mRNA malaria vaccine. In mammalian cell transfection experiments, PfCSP mRNA was well expressed and cell associated. In the transition to an in vivo murine model, lipid nanoparticle (LNP) encapsulation was applied to protect and deliver the mRNA to the cell translation machinery and supply adjuvant activity. The immunogenic effect of an array of factors was explored, such as formulation, dose, number, and interval of immunizations. PfCSP mRNA-LNP achieved sterile protection against infection with two P. berghei PfCSP transgenic parasite strains, with mRNA dose and vaccination interval having a greater effect on outcome. This investigation serves as the assessment of pre-erythrocytic malaria, PfCSP mRNA vaccine candidate resulting in sterile protection, with numerous factors affecting protective efficacy, making it a compelling candidate for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Mallory
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Parsons Corporation, Centreville, VA, USA
| | - Justin A Taylor
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Geneva Foundation, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Zou
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ishita N Waghela
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Parsons Corporation, Centreville, VA, USA
| | - Cosette G Schneider
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Michael Q Sibilo
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Parsons Corporation, Centreville, VA, USA
| | - Neeraja M Punde
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Geneva Foundation, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - Leah C Perazzo
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, USA
| | - Tatyana Savransky
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, USA
| | | | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Chris J Janse
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Ying K Tam
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Evelina Angov
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
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19
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Young WC, Carpp LN, Chaudhury S, Regules JA, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Ockenhouse C, Wille-Reece U, deCamp AC, Hughes E, Mahoney C, Pallikkuth S, Pahwa S, Dennison SM, Mudrak SV, Alam SM, Seaton KE, Spreng RL, Fallon J, Michell A, Ulloa-Montoya F, Coccia M, Jongert E, Alter G, Tomaras GD, Gottardo R. Comprehensive Data Integration Approach to Assess Immune Responses and Correlates of RTS,S/AS01-Mediated Protection From Malaria Infection in Controlled Human Malaria Infection Trials. Front Big Data 2021; 4:672460. [PMID: 34212134 PMCID: PMC8239149 DOI: 10.3389/fdata.2021.672460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
RTS,S/AS01 (GSK) is the world’s first malaria vaccine. However, despite initial efficacy of almost 70% over the first 6 months of follow-up, efficacy waned over time. A deeper understanding of the immune features that contribute to RTS,S/AS01-mediated protection could be beneficial for further vaccine development. In two recent controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) trials of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine in malaria-naïve adults, MAL068 and MAL071, vaccine efficacy against patent parasitemia ranged from 44% to 87% across studies and arms (each study included a standard RTS,S/AS01 arm with three vaccine doses delivered in four-week-intervals, as well as an alternative arm with a modified version of this regimen). In each trial, RTS,S/AS01 immunogenicity was interrogated using a broad range of immunological assays, assessing cellular and humoral immune parameters as well as gene expression. Here, we used a predictive modeling framework to identify immune biomarkers measured at day-of-challenge that could predict sterile protection against malaria infection. Using cross-validation on MAL068 data (either the standard RTS,S/AS01 arm alone, or across both the standard RTS,S/AS01 arm and the alternative arm), top-performing univariate models identified variables related to Fc effector functions and titer of antibodies that bind to the central repeat region (NANP6) of CSP as the most predictive variables; all NANP6-related variables consistently associated with protection. In cross-study prediction analyses of MAL071 outcomes (the standard RTS,S/AS01 arm), top-performing univariate models again identified variables related to Fc effector functions of NANP6-targeting antibodies as highly predictive. We found little benefit–with this dataset–in terms of improved prediction accuracy in bivariate models vs. univariate models. These findings await validation in children living in malaria-endemic regions, and in vaccinees administered a fourth RTS,S/AS01 dose. Our findings support a “quality as well as quantity” hypothesis for RTS,S/AS01-elicited antibodies against NANP6, implying that malaria vaccine clinical trials should assess both titer and Fc effector functions of anti-NANP6 antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Chad Young
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Lindsay N Carpp
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Sidhartha Chaudhury
- Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Jason A Regules
- Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Elke S Bergmann-Leitner
- Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | | | | | - Allan C deCamp
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Ellis Hughes
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Celia Mahoney
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Suresh Pallikkuth
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Savita Pahwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - S Moses Dennison
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Departments of Surgery, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sarah V Mudrak
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Departments of Surgery, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - S Munir Alam
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Kelly E Seaton
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Departments of Surgery, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Rachel L Spreng
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Departments of Surgery, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jon Fallon
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Ashlin Michell
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Galit Alter
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Georgia D Tomaras
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Departments of Surgery, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Raphael Gottardo
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
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20
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Fredsgaard L, Goksøyr L, Thrane S, Aves KL, Theander TG, Sander AF. Head-to-Head Comparison of Modular Vaccines Developed Using Different Capsid Virus-Like Particle Backbones and Antigen Conjugation Systems. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9060539. [PMID: 34063871 PMCID: PMC8224050 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9060539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Capsid virus-like particles (cVLPs) are used as molecular scaffolds to increase the immunogenicity of displayed antigens. Modular platforms have been developed whereby antigens are attached to the surface of pre-assembled cVLPs. However, it remains unknown to what extent the employed cVLP backbone and conjugation system may influence the immune response elicited against the displayed antigen. Here, we performed a head-to-head comparison of antigen-specific IgG responses elicited by modular cVLP-vaccines differing by their employed cVLP backbone or conjugation system, respectively. Covalent antigen conjugation (i.e., employing the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system) resulted in significantly higher antigen-specific IgG titers compared to when using affinity-based conjugation (i.e., using biotin/streptavidin). The cVLP backbone also influenced the antigen-specific IgG response. Specifically, vaccines based on the bacteriophage AP205 cVLP elicited significantly higher antigen-specific IgG compared to corresponding vaccines using the human papillomavirus major capsid protein (HPV L1) cVLP. In addition, the AP205 cVLP platform mediated induction of antigen-specific IgG with a different subclass profile (i.e., higher IgG2a and IgG2b) compared to HPV L1 cVLP. These results demonstrate that the cVLP backbone and conjugation system can individually affect the IgG response elicited against a displayed antigen. These data will aid the understanding and process of tailoring modular cVLP vaccines to achieve improved immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurits Fredsgaard
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (L.F.); (L.G.); (K.-L.A.); (T.G.T.)
| | - Louise Goksøyr
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (L.F.); (L.G.); (K.-L.A.); (T.G.T.)
- AdaptVac Aps, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark;
| | | | - Kara-Lee Aves
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (L.F.); (L.G.); (K.-L.A.); (T.G.T.)
| | - Thor G. Theander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (L.F.); (L.G.); (K.-L.A.); (T.G.T.)
| | - Adam F. Sander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (L.F.); (L.G.); (K.-L.A.); (T.G.T.)
- AdaptVac Aps, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark;
- Correspondence:
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21
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Pirahmadi S, Zakeri S, Djadid ND, Mehrizi AA. A review of combination adjuvants for malaria vaccines: a promising approach for vaccine development. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:699-717. [PMID: 33798560 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
It is obvious that there is a critical need for an efficient malaria vaccine to accelerate malaria eradication. Currently, recombinant subunit vaccination against malaria using proteins and peptides is gaining attention. However, one of the major drawbacks of this approach is the lack of an efficient and durable immune response. Therefore, subunit vaccines require adjuvants to make the vaccine sufficiently immunogenic. Considering the history of the RTS,S vaccine, it seems likely that no single adjuvant is capable of eliciting all the protective immune responses required in many malarial subunit vaccines and the use of combination adjuvants will be increasingly important as the science of malaria vaccines advances. In light of this, it appears that identifying the most effective mixture of adjuvants with minimal adverse effects offers tremendous opportunities in improving the efficacy of vaccines against malaria. Owing to the importance of a multi-adjuvanted approach in subunit malaria vaccine development, this review paper outlines some of the best known combination adjuvants used in malaria subunit vaccines, focusing on their proposed mechanisms of action, their immunological properties, and their notable results. The aim of the present review is to consolidate these findings to aid the application of these combination adjuvants in experimental malaria vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakineh Pirahmadi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sedigheh Zakeri
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Navid D Djadid
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Akram A Mehrizi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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22
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Francica JR, Shi W, Chuang GY, Chen SJ, Da Silva Pereira L, Farney SK, Flynn BJ, Ou L, Stephens T, Tsybovsky Y, Wang LT, Anderson A, Beck Z, Dillon M, Idris AH, Hurlburt N, Liu T, Zhang B, Alving CR, Matyas GR, Pancera M, Mascola JR, Kwong PD, Seder RA. Design of Alphavirus Virus-Like Particles Presenting Circumsporozoite Junctional Epitopes That Elicit Protection against Malaria. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9030272. [PMID: 33803622 PMCID: PMC8003078 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9030272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The most advanced malaria vaccine, RTS,S, includes the central repeat and C-terminal domains of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). We have recently isolated human antibodies that target the junctional region between the N-terminal and repeat domains that are not included in RTS,S. Due to the fact that these antibodies protect against malaria challenge in mice, their epitopes could be effective vaccine targets. Here, we developed immunogens displaying PfCSP junctional epitopes by genetic fusion to either the N-terminus or B domain loop of the E2 protein from chikungunya (CHIK) alphavirus and produced CHIK virus-like particles (CHIK-VLPs). The structural integrity of these junctional-epitope-CHIK-VLP immunogens was confirmed by negative-stain electron microscopy. Immunization of these CHIK-VLP immunogens reduced parasite liver load by up to 95% in a mouse model of malaria infection and elicited better protection than when displayed on keyhole limpet hemocyanin, a commonly used immunogenic carrier. Protection correlated with PfCSP serum titer. Of note, different junctional sequences elicited qualitatively different reactivities to overlapping PfCSP peptides. Overall, these results show that the junctional epitopes of PfCSP can induce protective responses when displayed on CHIK-VLP immunogens and provide a basis for the development of a next generation malaria vaccine to expand the breadth of anti-PfCSP immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R. Francica
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Wei Shi
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Gwo-Yu Chuang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Steven J. Chen
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Lais Da Silva Pereira
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - S. Katie Farney
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Barbara J. Flynn
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Li Ou
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Tyler Stephens
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21701, USA; (T.S.); (Y.T.)
| | - Yaroslav Tsybovsky
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21701, USA; (T.S.); (Y.T.)
| | - Lawrence T. Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Alexander Anderson
- Laboratory of Adjuvant & Antigen Research, US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (A.A.); (Z.B.); (C.R.A.); (G.R.M.)
| | - Zoltan Beck
- Laboratory of Adjuvant & Antigen Research, US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (A.A.); (Z.B.); (C.R.A.); (G.R.M.)
| | - Marlon Dillon
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Azza H. Idris
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Nicholas Hurlburt
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA;
| | - Tracy Liu
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Baoshan Zhang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Carl R. Alving
- Laboratory of Adjuvant & Antigen Research, US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (A.A.); (Z.B.); (C.R.A.); (G.R.M.)
| | - Gary R. Matyas
- Laboratory of Adjuvant & Antigen Research, US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (A.A.); (Z.B.); (C.R.A.); (G.R.M.)
| | - Marie Pancera
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA;
| | - John R. Mascola
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Peter D. Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
- Correspondence: (P.D.K.); (R.A.S.)
| | - Robert A. Seder
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.F.); (W.S.); (G.-Y.C.); (S.J.C.); (L.D.S.P.); (S.K.F.); (B.J.F.); (L.O.); (L.T.W.); (M.D.); (A.H.I.); (T.L.); (B.Z.); (M.P.); (J.R.M.)
- Correspondence: (P.D.K.); (R.A.S.)
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Pholcharee T, Oyen D, Flores-Garcia Y, Gonzalez-Paez G, Han Z, Williams KL, Volkmuth W, Emerling D, Locke E, Richter King C, Zavala F, Wilson IA. Structural and biophysical correlation of anti-NANP antibodies with in vivo protection against P. falciparum. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1063. [PMID: 33594061 PMCID: PMC7887213 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21221-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The most advanced P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein-based malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S), confers partial protection but with antibody titers that wane relatively rapidly, highlighting the need to elicit more potent and durable antibody responses. Here, we elucidate crystal structures, binding affinities and kinetics, and in vivo protection of eight anti-NANP antibodies derived from an RTS,S phase 2a trial and encoded by three different heavy-chain germline genes. The structures reinforce the importance of homotypic Fab-Fab interactions in protective antibodies and the overwhelmingly dominant preference for a germline-encoded aromatic residue for recognition of the NANP motif. In this study, antibody apparent affinity correlates best with protection in an in vivo mouse model, with the more potent antibodies also recognizing epitopes with repeating secondary structural motifs of type I β- and Asn pseudo 310 turns; such insights can be incorporated into design of more effective immunogens and antibodies for passive immunization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Pfizer Inc, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gonzalo Gonzalez-Paez
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Zhen Han
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Wondfo USA Co., Ltd, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Emily Locke
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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A chemokine-fusion vaccine targeting immature dendritic cells elicits elevated antibody responses to malaria sporozoites in infant macaques. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1220. [PMID: 33441615 PMCID: PMC7807052 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79427-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Infants and young children are the groups at greatest risk for severe disease resulting from Plasmodium falciparum infection. We previously demonstrated in mice that a protein vaccine composed of the chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein 3α genetically fused to the minimally truncated circumsporozoite protein of P. falciparum (MCSP) elicits high concentrations of specific antibody and significant reduction of liver sporozoite load in a mouse model system. In the current study, a squalene based adjuvant (AddaVax, InvivoGen, San Diego, Ca) equivalent to the clinically approved MF59 (Seqiris, Maidenhead, UK) elicited greater antibody responses in mice than the previously employed adjuvant polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, ((poly(I:C), InvivoGen, San Diego, Ca) and the clinically approved Aluminum hydroxide gel (Alum, Invivogen, San Diego, Ca) adjuvant. Use of the AddaVax adjuvant also expanded the range of IgG subtypes elicited by mouse vaccination. Sera passively transferred into mice from MCSP/AddaVax immunized 1 and 6 month old macaques significantly reduced liver sporozoite load upon sporozoite challenge. Protective antibody concentrations attained by passive transfer in the mice were equivalent to those observed in infant macaques 18 weeks after the final immunization. The efficacy of this vaccine in a relevant non-human primate model indicates its potential usefulness for the analogous high risk human population.
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Dennison SM, Reichartz M, Abraha M, Spreng RL, Wille-Reece U, Dutta S, Jongert E, Alam SM, Tomaras GD. Magnitude, Specificity, and Avidity of Sporozoite-Specific Antibodies Associate With Protection Status and Distinguish Among RTS,S/AS01 Dose Regimens. Open Forum Infect Dis 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofaa644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01, demonstrated an enhanced efficacy (86.7%) in a delayed third fractional dose (0.1.7Fx) regimen in controlled human malaria infection trials compared with a standard full-dose (0.1.2) regimen (62.5%). To understand the humoral component of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine-induced protection against sporozoite infection in these 2 regimens, we investigated the serum antibody dynamics of 0.1.2 and 0.1.7Fx groups vaccinees.
Methods
The specific binding responses (magnitude) and dissociation rates (avidity) of serum antibodies interaction with a recombinant Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and peptides corresponding to the central repeat region (NANP6), the C-terminal region (PF16), and the N-terminal junction (N-interface) of CSP, respectively, were measured using a Biolayer Interferometry assay.
Results
On the day of challenge, higher NANP6-specific antibody responses were associated with protection in the 0.1.2 group. In contrast, slower antibody dissociation rates for CSP and PF16 binding were observed in the protected 0.1.7Fx group. Protected vaccinees of both groups exhibited 2- to 3-fold higher N-interface peptide binding antibody responses.
Conclusions
Unlike the standard dose, the delayed-fractional third dose of RTS,S/AS01 induced higher avidity CSP and PF16 binding antibodies that were associated with protection against sporozoite infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Moses Dennison
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew Reichartz
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Milite Abraha
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rachel L Spreng
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ulrike Wille-Reece
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - S Munir Alam
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Georgia D Tomaras
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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26
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Miyazaki Y, Marin-Mogollon C, Imai T, Mendes AM, van der Laak R, Sturm A, Geurten FJA, Miyazaki S, Chevalley-Maurel S, Ramesar J, Kolli SK, Kroeze H, van Schuijlenburg R, Salman AM, Wilder BK, Reyes-Sandoval A, Dechering KJ, Prudêncio M, Janse CJ, Khan SM, Franke-Fayard B. Generation of a Genetically Modified Chimeric Plasmodium falciparum Parasite Expressing Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Protein for Malaria Vaccine Development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:591046. [PMID: 33392104 PMCID: PMC7773900 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.591046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric rodent malaria parasites with the endogenous circumsporozoite protein (csp) gene replaced with csp from the human parasites Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) are used in preclinical evaluation of CSP vaccines. Chimeric rodent parasites expressing PfCSP have also been assessed as whole sporozoite (WSP) vaccines. Comparable chimeric P. falciparum parasites expressing CSP of P. vivax could be used both for clinical evaluation of vaccines targeting PvCSP in controlled human P. falciparum infections and in WSP vaccines targeting P. vivax and P. falciparum. We generated chimeric P. falciparum parasites expressing both PfCSP and PvCSP. These Pf-PvCSP parasites produced sporozoite comparable to wild type P. falciparum parasites and expressed PfCSP and PvCSP on the sporozoite surface. Pf-PvCSP sporozoites infected human hepatocytes and induced antibodies to the repeats of both PfCSP and PvCSP after immunization of mice. These results support the use of Pf-PvCSP sporozoites in studies optimizing vaccines targeting PvCSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Takashi Imai
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Host Defense, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | | | - Fiona J A Geurten
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shinya Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Jai Ramesar
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Surendra K Kolli
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Hans Kroeze
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Ahmed M Salman
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Brandon K Wilder
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shahid M Khan
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Hickey B, Teneza-Mora N, Lumsden J, Reyes S, Sedegah M, Garver L, Hollingdale MR, Banania JG, Ganeshan H, Dowler M, Reyes A, Tamminga C, Singer A, Simmons A, Belmonte M, Belmonte A, Huang J, Inoue S, Velasco R, Abot S, Vasquez CS, Guzman I, Wong M, Twomey P, Wojnarski M, Moon J, Alcorta Y, Maiolatesi S, Spring M, Davidson S, Chaudhury S, Villasante E, Richie TL, Epstein JE. IMRAS-A clinical trial of mosquito-bite immunization with live, radiation-attenuated P. falciparum sporozoites: Impact of immunization parameters on protective efficacy and generation of a repository of immunologic reagents. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233840. [PMID: 32555601 PMCID: PMC7299375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immunization with radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS) by mosquito bite provides >90% sterile protection against Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria in humans. RAS invade hepatocytes but do not replicate. CD8+ T cells recognizing parasite-derived peptides on the surface of infected hepatocytes are likely the primary protective mechanism. We conducted a randomized clinical trial of RAS immunization to assess safety, to achieve 50% vaccine efficacy (VE) against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI), and to generate reagents from protected and non-protected subjects for future identification of protective immune mechanisms and antigens. Methods Two cohorts (Cohort 1 and Cohort 2) of healthy, malaria-naïve, non-pregnant adults age 18–50 received five monthly immunizations with infected (true-immunized, n = 21) or non-infected (mock-immunized, n = 5) mosquito bites and underwent homologous CHMI at 3 weeks. Immunization parameters were selected for 50% protection based on prior clinical data. Leukapheresis was done to collect plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results Adverse event rates were similar in true- and mock-immunized subjects. Two true- and two mock-immunized subjects developed large local reactions likely caused by mosquito salivary gland antigens. In Cohort 1, 11 subjects received 810–1235 infected bites; 6/11 (55%) were protected against CHMI vs. 0/3 mock-immunized and 0/6 infectivity controls (VE 55%). In Cohort 2, 10 subjects received 839–1131 infected bites with a higher first dose and a reduced fifth dose; 9/10 (90%) were protected vs. 0/2 mock-immunized and 0/6 controls (VE 90%). Three/3 (100%) protected subjects administered three booster immunizations were protected against repeat CHMI vs. 0/6 controls (VE 100%). Cohort 2 uniquely showed a significant rise in IFN-γ responses after the third and fifth immunizations and higher antibody responses to CSP. Conclusions PfRAS were generally safe and well tolerated. Cohort 2 had a higher first dose, reduced final dose, higher antibody responses to CSP and significant rise of IFN-γ responses after the third and fifth immunizations. Whether any of these factors contributed to increased protection in Cohort 2 requires further investigation. A cryobank of sera and cells from protected and non-protected individuals was generated for future immunological studies and antigen discovery. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01994525.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Hickey
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Nimfa Teneza-Mora
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Joanne Lumsden
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Sharina Reyes
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Lindsey Garver
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Hollingdale
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jo Glenna Banania
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Megan Dowler
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Anatalio Reyes
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Cindy Tamminga
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Alexandra Singer
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Alicia Simmons
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Arnel Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Jun Huang
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Sandra Inoue
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Rachel Velasco
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Steve Abot
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Carlos S. Vasquez
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Ivelese Guzman
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Mimi Wong
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Patrick Twomey
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Mariusz Wojnarski
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - James Moon
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Yolanda Alcorta
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Santina Maiolatesi
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Michele Spring
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Silas Davidson
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Sidhartha Chaudhury
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Biotechnology HPC Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Frederick, MD, United States of America
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Thomas L. Richie
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Judith E. Epstein
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
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Marques RF, Gimenez AM, Aliprandini E, Novais JT, Cury DP, Watanabe IS, Dominguez MR, Silveira ELV, Amino R, Soares IS. Protective Malaria Vaccine in Mice Based on the Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Protein Fused with the Mumps Nucleocapsid Protein. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8020190. [PMID: 32325874 PMCID: PMC7348950 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the most common species of human malaria parasite found outside Africa, with high endemicity in Asia, Central and South America, and Oceania. Although Plasmodium falciparum causes the majority of deaths, P. vivax can lead to severe malaria and result in significant morbidity and mortality. The development of a protective vaccine will be a major step toward malaria elimination. Recently, a formulation containing the three allelic variants of the P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (PvCSP—All epitopes) showed partial protection in mice after a challenge with the hybrid Plasmodium berghei (Pb) sporozoite, in which the PbCSP central repeats were replaced by the VK210 PvCSP repeats (Pb/Pv sporozoite). In the present study, the chimeric PvCSP allelic variants (VK210, VK247, and P. vivax-like) were fused with the mumps virus nucleocapsid protein in the absence (NLP-CSPR) or presence of the conserved C-terminal (CT) domain of PvCSP (NLP-CSPCT). To elicit stronger humoral and cellular responses, Pichia pastoris yeast was used to assemble them as nucleocapsid-like particles (NLPs). Mice were immunized with each recombinant protein adjuvanted with Poly (I:C) and presented a high frequency of antigen-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) on days 5 and 30, respectively, in the spleen and bone marrow. Moreover, high IgG titers against all PvCSP variants were detected in the sera. Later, these immunized mice with NLP-CSPCT were challenged with Pb/Pv sporozoites. Sterile protection was observed in 30% of the challenged mice. Therefore, this vaccine formulation use has the potential to be a good candidate for the development of a universal vaccine against P. vivax malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo F. Marques
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000 SP, Brazil; (R.F.M.); (A.M.G.); (J.T.N.); (M.R.D.); (E.L.V.S.)
| | - Alba Marina Gimenez
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000 SP, Brazil; (R.F.M.); (A.M.G.); (J.T.N.); (M.R.D.); (E.L.V.S.)
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04044-010 SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Aliprandini
- Unit of Malaria Infection & Immunity, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; (E.A.); (R.A.)
| | - Janaina T. Novais
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000 SP, Brazil; (R.F.M.); (A.M.G.); (J.T.N.); (M.R.D.); (E.L.V.S.)
| | - Diego P. Cury
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000 SP, Brazil; (D.P.C.); (I.-S.W.)
| | - Ii-Sei Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000 SP, Brazil; (D.P.C.); (I.-S.W.)
| | - Mariana R. Dominguez
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000 SP, Brazil; (R.F.M.); (A.M.G.); (J.T.N.); (M.R.D.); (E.L.V.S.)
| | - Eduardo L. V. Silveira
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000 SP, Brazil; (R.F.M.); (A.M.G.); (J.T.N.); (M.R.D.); (E.L.V.S.)
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Unit of Malaria Infection & Immunity, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; (E.A.); (R.A.)
| | - Irene S. Soares
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000 SP, Brazil; (R.F.M.); (A.M.G.); (J.T.N.); (M.R.D.); (E.L.V.S.)
- Correspondence:
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29
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Bolton JS, Chaudhury S, Dutta S, Gregory S, Locke E, Pierson T, Bergmann-Leitner ES. Comparison of ELISA with electro-chemiluminescence technology for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of serological responses to vaccination. Malar J 2020; 19:159. [PMID: 32303235 PMCID: PMC7165447 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03225-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Profiling immune responses induced by either infection or vaccination can provide insight into identification of correlates of protection. Furthermore, profiling of serological responses can be used to identify biomarkers indicative of exposure to pathogens. Conducting such immune surveillance requires readout methods that are high-throughput, robust, and require small sample volumes. While the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the classical readout method for assessing serological responses, the advent of multiplex assays has significantly increased the throughput and capacity for immunoprofiling. This report describes the development and assay performance (sensitivity, linearity of detection, requirement for multiple dilutions for each sample, intra- and inter-assay variability) of an electro-chemiluminescence (ECLIA)-based multiplex assay. Methods The current study describes the development of a multiplex ECLIA-based assay and characterizes the sensitivity, linear range, and inter- and intra-assay variability of the ECLIA platform and its agreement with the traditional ELISA. Special emphasis was placed on potential antigenic competition when testing closely related antigens in the multiplex format. Results Multiplexing of antigens in ECLIA provides significant practical benefits in terms of reducing sample volume requirements and experimental time. Beyond the practical advantages of multiplexing, the ECLIA provides superior assay performance when compared to the ELISA. Not only does ECLIA show good agreement with the ELISA assay, but the linear range of ECLIA is also sufficiently wide to permit single-dilution measurements of concentration without the need to do serial dilutions. The lack of antigenic competition allows the simultaneous testing of closely related antigens, such as plate antigens representing different alleles of the same protein, which can inform about cross-reactivities—or lack thereof—of serological responses. Conclusion The advantages of the newly developed tool for assessing the antigen profiles of serological responses may ultimately lead to the identification of biomarkers associated with various disease stages and or protection against disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Bolton
- Immunology Core, Malaria Biologics Branch, WRAIR, 503 Robert Grant Ave, 3W58, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Sidhartha Chaudhury
- Biotechnology HPC Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Fort Detrick, Silver Spring, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Dept. Structural Vaccinology, Malaria Biologics Branch, WRAIR, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Scott Gregory
- PATH/Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Emily Locke
- PATH/Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Tony Pierson
- Immunology Core, Malaria Biologics Branch, WRAIR, 503 Robert Grant Ave, 3W58, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Elke S Bergmann-Leitner
- Immunology Core, Malaria Biologics Branch, WRAIR, 503 Robert Grant Ave, 3W58, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
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Kurtovic L, Atre T, Feng G, Wines BD, Chan JA, Boyle MJ, Drew DR, Hogarth PM, Fowkes FJI, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Beeson JG. Multi-functional antibodies are induced by the RTS,S malaria vaccine and associated with protection in a phase I/IIa trial. J Infect Dis 2020; 224:1128-1138. [PMID: 32236404 PMCID: PMC8514181 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background RTS,S is the leading malaria vaccine candidate but only confers partial efficacy against malaria in children. RTS,S is based on the major Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite surface antigen, circumsporozoite protein (CSP). The induction of anti-CSP antibodies is important for protection; however, it is unclear how these protective antibodies function. Methods We quantified the induction of functional anti-CSP antibody responses in healthy malaria-naive adults (N = 45) vaccinated with RTS,S/AS01. This included the ability to mediate effector functions via the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region, such as interacting with human complement proteins and Fcγ-receptors (FcγRs) that are expressed on immune cells, which promote various immunological functions. Results Our major findings were (1) RTS,S-induced antibodies mediated Fc-dependent effector functions, (2) functional antibodies were generally highest after the second vaccine dose, (3) functional antibodies targeted multiple regions of CSP, (4) participants with higher levels of functional antibodies had a reduced probability of developing parasitemia following homologous challenge (P < .05), and (5) nonprotected subjects had higher levels of anti-CSP IgM. Conclusions Our data suggest a role for Fc-dependent antibody effector functions in RTS,S-induced immunity. Enhancing the induction of these functional activities may be a strategy to improve the protective efficacy of RTS,S or other malaria vaccines. Clinical Trials Registration NCT00075049
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Affiliation(s)
- Liriye Kurtovic
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Tanmaya Atre
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, US Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, United States
| | | | - Bruce D Wines
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jo-Anne Chan
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michelle J Boyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,QIMR Berghofer, Herston, Australia
| | | | - P Mark Hogarth
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Freya J I Fowkes
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine and Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elke S Bergmann-Leitner
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, US Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, United States
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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31
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Oyen D, Torres JL, Aoto PC, Flores-Garcia Y, Binter Š, Pholcharee T, Carroll S, Reponen S, Wash R, Liang Q, Lemiale F, Locke E, Bradley A, King CR, Emerling D, Kellam P, Zavala F, Ward AB, Wilson IA. Structure and mechanism of monoclonal antibody binding to the junctional epitope of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008373. [PMID: 32150583 PMCID: PMC7082059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lasting protection has long been a goal for malaria vaccines. The major surface antigen on Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites, the circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), has been an attractive target for vaccine development and most protective antibodies studied to date interact with the central NANP repeat region of PfCSP. However, it remains unclear what structural and functional characteristics correlate with better protection by one antibody over another. Binding to the junctional region between the N-terminal domain and central NANP repeats has been proposed to result in superior protection: this region initiates with the only NPDP sequence followed immediately by NANP. Here, we isolated antibodies in Kymab mice immunized with full-length recombinant PfCSP and two protective antibodies were selected for further study with reactivity against the junctional region. X-ray and EM structures of two monoclonal antibodies, mAb667 and mAb668, shed light on their differential affinity and specificity for the junctional region. Importantly, these antibodies also bind to the NANP repeat region with equal or better affinity. A comparison with an NANP-only binding antibody (mAb317) revealed roughly similar but statistically distinct levels of protection against sporozoite challenge in mouse liver burden models, suggesting that junctional antibody protection might relate to the ability to also cross-react with the NANP repeat region. Our findings indicate that additional efforts are necessary to isolate a true junctional antibody with no or much reduced affinity to the NANP region to elucidate the role of the junctional epitope in protection. The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of Plasmodium falciparum malaria has been the foundation for the design of transmission blocking malaria vaccines. To date, the most promising CSP-based vaccine candidate is RTS,S, which consists of the central repeating NANP amino-acid sequence and the C-terminal domain of CSP fused to hepatitis B surface antigen that assembles into virus-like particles. Potential shortcomings of RTS,S includes the lack of other potential CSP epitopes such as the junctional epitope, which is located between the N-terminal domain of CSP and the start of the NANP repeat region. Here, we elicited antibodies against full-length CSP and screened for junctional epitope binding. We then used an array of biophysical techniques to elucidate the nature of the binding and tested the level of two protective antibodies in a mouse challenge model. Although the antibodies were able to bind both junctional and NANP epitopes, the in vivo data showed distinct levels of protection between themselves and also to an NANP-only binder. Our data suggest that their protection ability may be related to the strong cross-reactivity with NANP epitopes. Since all reported junctional antibodies to date have dual-specificity, we suggest that a true junctional binder with no or very low NANP affinity, if one can be found, is essential to evaluate the contribution of the junctional epitope to protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jonathan L. Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Phillip C. Aoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Špela Binter
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tossapol Pholcharee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Sean Carroll
- Atreca Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sini Reponen
- Atreca Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Rachael Wash
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Qi Liang
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Franck Lemiale
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, United States of America
| | - Emily Locke
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, United States of America
| | - Allan Bradley
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - C. Richter King
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, United States of America
| | - Daniel Emerling
- Atreca Inc., South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Paul Kellam
- Kymab Ltd., The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fidel Zavala
- Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrew B. Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ian A. Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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32
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Odhiambo G, Bergmann-Leitner E, Maraka M, Wanjala CNL, Duncan E, Waitumbi J, Andagalu B, Jura WGZO, Dutta S, Angov E, Ogutu BR, Kamau E, Ochiel D. Correlation Between Malaria-Specific Antibody Profiles and Responses to Artemisinin Combination Therapy for Treatment of Uncomplicated Malaria in Western Kenya. J Infect Dis 2020; 219:1969-1979. [PMID: 30649381 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of preexisting immunity on the efficacy of artemisinin combination therapy must be examined to monitor resistance, and for implementation of new treatment strategies. METHODS Serum samples obtained from a clinical trial in Western Kenya randomized to receive artemether-lumefantrine (AL) or artesunate-mefloquine (ASMQ) were screened for total immunoglobulin G against preerythrocytic and erythrocytic antigens. The association and correlation between different variables, and impact of preexisting immunity on parasite slope half-life (t½) was determined. RESULTS There was no significant difference in t½, but the number of individuals with lag phase was significantly higher in the AL than in the ASMQ arm (29 vs 13, respectively; P < .01). Circumsporozoite protein-specific antibodies correlate positively with t½ (AL, P = .03; ASMQ, P = .09), but negatively with clearance rate in both study arms (AL, P = .16; ASMQ, P = .02). The t½ correlated negatively with age in ASMQ group. When stratified based on t½, the antibody titers against circumsporozoite protein and merozoite surface protein 1 were significantly higher in participants who cleared parasites rapidly in the AL group (P = .01 and P = .02, respectively). CONCLUSION Data presented here define immunoprofiles associated with distinct responses to 2 different antimalarial drugs, revealing impact of preexisting immunity on the efficacy of artemisinin combination therapy regimens in a malaria-holoendemic area. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT01976780.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Odhiambo
- Department of Emerging and Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project , Kisumu.,Maseno University School of Physical and Biological Sciences Zoology Department, Maseno, Kenya
| | - Elke Bergmann-Leitner
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Moureen Maraka
- Department of Emerging and Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project , Kisumu
| | - Christine N L Wanjala
- Department of Emerging and Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project , Kisumu.,Maseno University School of Physical and Biological Sciences Zoology Department, Maseno, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth Duncan
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - John Waitumbi
- Department of Emerging and Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project , Kisumu
| | - Ben Andagalu
- Department of Emerging and Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project , Kisumu
| | - Walter G Z O Jura
- Maseno University School of Physical and Biological Sciences Zoology Department, Maseno, Kenya
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Evelina Angov
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Bernhards R Ogutu
- Department of Emerging and Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project , Kisumu.,Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi
| | - Edwin Kamau
- Department of Emerging and Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project , Kisumu.,Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Daniel Ochiel
- Department of Emerging and Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project , Kisumu.,Maseno University School of Physical and Biological Sciences Zoology Department, Maseno, Kenya
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33
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Optimization of a Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein repeat vaccine using the tobacco mosaic virus platform. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:3114-3122. [PMID: 31988134 PMCID: PMC7022184 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911792117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
RTS,S/AS01 is a circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-based malaria vaccine that confers partial protection against malaria in endemic areas. Recent reports have elucidated structures of monoclonal antibodies that bind to the central (NPNA) repeat region of CSP and that inhibit parasite invasion. Antigen configuration and copy number of CSP repeats displayed on a tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particle platform were studied. A TMV vaccine containing CSP repeats displayed as a loop induced 10× better antibody titer than a nearly full-length CSP in mice. In rhesus model, this translated to a 5× improvement in titer. Rhesus antibodies potently inhibited parasite invasion up to 11 mo after vaccination. An optimized epitope-focused, repeat-only CSP vaccine may be sufficient or better than the existing CSP vaccines. Plasmodium falciparum vaccine RTS,S/AS01 is based on the major NPNA repeat and the C-terminal region of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP). RTS,S-induced NPNA-specific antibody titer and avidity have been associated with high-level protection in naïve subjects, but efficacy and longevity in target populations is relatively low. In an effort to improve upon RTS,S, a minimal repeat-only, epitope-focused, protective, malaria vaccine was designed. Repeat antigen copy number and flexibility was optimized using the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) display platform. Comparing antigenicity of TMV displaying 3 to 20 copies of NPNA revealed that low copy number can reduce the abundance of low-affinity monoclonal antibody (mAb) epitopes while retaining high-affinity mAb epitopes. TMV presentation improved titer and avidity of repeat-specific Abs compared to a nearly full-length protein vaccine (FL-CSP). NPNAx5 antigen displayed as a loop on the TMV particle was found to be most optimal and its efficacy could be further augmented by combination with a human-use adjuvant ALFQ that contains immune-stimulators. These data were confirmed in rhesus macaques where a low dose of TMV-NPNAx5 elicited Abs that persisted at functional levels for up to 11 mo. We show here a complex association between NPNA copy number, flexibility, antigenicity, immunogenicity, and efficacy of CSP-based vaccines. We hypothesize that designing minimal epitope CSP vaccines could confer better and more durable protection against malaria. Preclinical data presented here supports the evaluation of TMV-NPNAx5/ALFQ in human trials.
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34
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Singh SK, Plieskatt J, Chourasia BK, Singh V, Bolscher JM, Dechering KJ, Adu B, López-Méndez B, Kaviraj S, Locke E, King CR, Theisen M. The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein produced in Lactococcus lactis is pure and stable. J Biol Chem 2019; 295:403-414. [PMID: 31792057 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) is a sporozoite surface protein whose role in sporozoite motility and cell invasion has made it the leading candidate for a pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine. However, production of high yields of soluble recombinant PfCSP, including its extensive NANP and NVDP repeats, has proven problematic. Here, we report on the development and characterization of a secreted, soluble, and stable full-length PfCSP (containing 4 NVDP and 38 NANP repeats) produced in the Lactococcus lactis expression system. The recombinant full-length PfCSP, denoted PfCSP4/38, was produced initially with a histidine tag and purified by a simple two-step procedure. Importantly, the recombinant PfCSP4/38 retained a conformational epitope for antibodies as confirmed by both in vivo and in vitro characterizations. We characterized this complex protein by HPLC, light scattering, MS analysis, differential scanning fluorimetry, CD, SDS-PAGE, and immunoblotting with conformation-dependent and -independent mAbs, which confirmed it to be both pure and soluble. Moreover, we found that the recombinant protein is stable at both frozen and elevated-temperature storage conditions. When we used L. lactis-derived PfCSP4/38 to immunize mice, it elicited high levels of functional antibodies that had the capacity to modify sporozoite motility in vitro We concluded that the reported yield, purity, results of biophysical analyses, and stability of PfCSP4/38 warrant further consideration of using the L. lactis system for the production of circumsporozoite proteins for preclinical and clinical applications in malaria vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susheel K Singh
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Bishwanath Kumar Chourasia
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vandana Singh
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Bright Adu
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Blanca López-Méndez
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Emily Locke
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, D. C. 20001
| | - C Richter King
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, D. C. 20001
| | - Michael Theisen
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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35
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Martin ML, Bitzer AA, Schrader A, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Soto K, Zou X, Beck Z, Matyas GR, Dutta S. Comparison of immunogenicity and safety outcomes of a malaria vaccine FMP013/ALFQ in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of Indian and Chinese origin. Malar J 2019; 18:377. [PMID: 31775762 PMCID: PMC6880475 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-3014-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Indian-origin rhesus (InR) are preferred for research, but strict export restrictions continue to limit their use. Chinese-origin rhesus (ChR), although easier to procure, are genetically distinct from InR and differ in their immune response to infectious agents, such as the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. The most advanced malaria vaccine, RTS,S (GlaxoSmithKline), is based on the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of Plasmodium falciparum. The efficacy of RTS,S vaccine in the field remains low and short-lived; efforts are underway to improve CSP-based vaccines. Rhesus models can accelerate preclinical down-selection of the next generation of malaria vaccines. This study was used to determine if the safety and immunogenicity outcomes following vaccination with a CSP vaccine would differ in the InR and ChR models, given the genetic differences between the two sub-populations of rhesus. Methods The FMP013 vaccine, was composed of nearly full-length soluble P. falciparum CSP produced in Escherichia coli and was adjuvanted with the Army liposomal formulation (ALFQ). Three doses of the vaccine were administered in InR and ChR (n = 6) at 1-month intervals and the antibody and T cell responses were assessed. Results Local and systemic toxicity profile of FMP013 vaccine in InR and ChR were similar and they revealed that the FMP013 vaccine was safe and caused only mild and transient inflammatory adverse reactions. Following the first 2 vaccines, there was a slower acquisition of antibodies to the CSP repeat region in ChR. However after the 3rd vaccination the titers in the two models were comparable. The ChR group repeat-specific antibodies had higher avidity and ChR group showed higher inhibition of liver stage development activity compared to InR. There was no difference in T-cell responses to the FMP013 vaccine between the two models. Conclusions A difference in the quality of serological responses was detected between the two sub-populations of rhesus. However, both models confirmed that FMP013/ALFQ vaccine was safe, highly immunogenic, elicited functional antibodies and T-cell responses. Overall, the data suggests that rhesus of Indian and Chinese origins can be interchangeably used to compare the safety and immunogenicity of next-generation of malaria vaccines and adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica L Martin
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Alexis A Bitzer
- Structural Biologics Laboratory, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Andrew Schrader
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Elke S Bergmann-Leitner
- Immunology Core, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Kim Soto
- Structural Biologics Laboratory, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Zou
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Zoltan Beck
- Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Gary R Matyas
- Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Structural Biologics Laboratory, Malaria Biologics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
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36
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Atre T, Robinson TM, Savransky T, Dutta S, Epstein JE, Bergmann-Leitner ES. Novel sporozoite-based ELISpot assay to assess frequency of parasite-specific B cells after vaccination with irradiated sporozoites. Malar J 2019; 18:186. [PMID: 31142328 PMCID: PMC6540377 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2819-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Whole parasite vaccination is an efficacious strategy to induce sterile immunity and to prevent malaria transmission. Understanding the mechanism and response of immune cells to vaccines plays a critical role in deciphering correlates of protection against infection and disease. Immunoassays, such as ELISpot, are commonly used to assess the immunogenicity of vaccines towards T cells and B cells. To date, these assays only analyse responses to specific antigens since they are based on recombinant parasite-derived proteins or peptides. There is the need for an agnostic approach that allows the evaluation of all sporozoite-associated antigens. Methods ELISpot plates coated with a defined amount of lysed Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites were used to assess the frequency of sporozoite-specific B cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from donors immunized with either a recombinant malaria vaccine or irradiated sporozoites. Results This report describes the assay conditions for a specific and sensitive sporozoite-based B cell ELISpot assay. The assay development considers the quality of sporozoite preparation as well as the detection threshold of the frequency of antigen-specific B cells. The assay enables the detection of sporozoite-specific IgM and IgG-producing B cells. Moreover, the assay can detect sporozoite-reactive B cells from subjects that were either vaccinated with the radiation attenuated sporozoite vaccine or a recombinant pre-erythrocytic vaccine. Conclusion The newly developed sporozoite-based B cell ELISpot enables the monitoring of changes in the frequency of sporozoite-specific B cells. Applying this assay to assess the potency of vaccination regimens or seasonal changes in B cell populations from subjects residing in malaria-endemic areas will provide an opportunity to gain insight into immune mechanisms involved in protection and/or disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmaya Atre
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, US Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Tanisha M Robinson
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, US Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Tatyana Savransky
- Division of Entomology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, US Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Judith E Epstein
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Elke S Bergmann-Leitner
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, US Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
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37
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Cawlfield A, Genito CJ, Beck Z, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Bitzer AA, Soto K, Zou X, Hadiwidjojo SH, Gerbasi RV, Mullins AB, Noe A, Waters NC, Alving CR, Matyas GR, Dutta S. Safety, toxicity and immunogenicity of a malaria vaccine based on the circumsporozoite protein (FMP013) with the adjuvant army liposome formulation containing QS21 (ALFQ). Vaccine 2019; 37:3793-3803. [PMID: 31151801 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.05.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies to Circumsporozoite protein (CSP) confer protection against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Although CSP is highly immunogenic, it does not induce long lasting protection and efforts to improve CSP-specific immunological memory and duration of protection are underway. We have previously reported that the clinical grade CSP vaccine FMP013 was immunogenic and protective against malaria challenge in mice when combined with the Army Liposomal Formulation adjuvant containing immune modulators 3D-PHAD™ and QS21 (ALFQ). To move forward with clinical evaluation, we now report the safety, toxicity and immunogenicity of clinical grade FMP013 and ALFQ in Rhesus macaques. Three groups of Rhesus (n = 6) received half or full human dose of FMP013 + ALFQ on a 0-1-2 month schedule, which showed mild local site reactions with no hematologic derangements in red blood cell homeostasis, liver function or kidney function. Immunization induced a transient systemic inflammatory response, including elevated white blood cell counts, mild fever, and a few incidences of elevated creatine kinase, receding to normal range by day 7 post vaccination. Optimal immunogenicity in Rhesus was observed using a 1 mL ALFQ + 20 µg FMP013 dose. Doubling the FMP013 antigen dose to 40 µg had no effect while halving the ALFQ adjuvant dose to 0.5 mL lowered immunogenicity. Similar to data generated in mice, FMP013 + ALFQ induced serum antibodies that reacted to all regions of the CSP molecule and a Th1-biased cytokine response in Rhesus. Rhesus antibody response to FMP013 + ALFQ was found to be non-inferior to historical benchmarks including that of RTS,S + AS01 in humans. A four-dose GLP toxicity study in rabbits confirmed no local site reactions and transient systemic inflammation associated with ALFQ adjuvant administration. These safety and immunogenicity data support the clinical progression and testing of FMP013 + ALFQ in a CHMI trial in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Cawlfield
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Christopher J Genito
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Zoltan Beck
- Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, 6720A Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Elke S Bergmann-Leitner
- Flow-cytometeric Center, Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Alexis A Bitzer
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Kimberly Soto
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Zou
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Sri H Hadiwidjojo
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Robert V Gerbasi
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Anna B Mullins
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Amy Noe
- Leidos Life Sciences, 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 110, Fredrick, MD 21703, USA
| | - Norman C Waters
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Carl R Alving
- Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Gary R Matyas
- Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
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Mosquito Bite-Induced Controlled Human Malaria Infection with Plasmodium vivax or P. falciparum Generates Immune Responses to Homologous and Heterologous Preerythrocytic and Erythrocytic Antigens. Infect Immun 2019; 87:IAI.00541-18. [PMID: 30559218 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00541-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Seroepidemiological studies on the prevalence of antibodies to malaria antigens are primarily conducted on individuals from regions of endemicity. It is therefore difficult to accurately correlate the antibody responses to the timing and number of prior malaria infections. This study was undertaken to assess the evolution of antibodies to the dominant surface antigens of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum following controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) in malaria-naive individuals. Serum samples from malaria-naive adults, collected before and after CHMI with either P. vivax (n = 18) or P. falciparum (n = 18), were tested for the presence of antibodies to the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and the 42-kDa fragment of merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-142) of P. vivax and P. falciparum using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Approximately 1 month following CHMI with either P. vivax or P. falciparum, >60% of subjects seroconverted to homologous CSP and MSP-1. More than 50% of the subjects demonstrated reactivity to heterologous CSP and MSP-142, and a similar proportion of subjects remained seropositive to homologous MSP-142 >5 months after CHMI. Computational analysis provides insight into the presence of cross-reactive responses. The presence of long-lived and heterologous reactivity and its functional significance, if any, need to be taken into account while evaluating malaria exposure in field settings.
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Oyen D, Torres JL, Cottrell CA, Richter King C, Wilson IA, Ward AB. Cryo-EM structure of P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein with a vaccine-elicited antibody is stabilized by somatically mutated inter-Fab contacts. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaau8529. [PMID: 30324137 PMCID: PMC6179375 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau8529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites is important for parasite development, motility, and host hepatocyte invasion. However, intrinsic disorder of the NANP repeat sequence in the central region of CSP has hindered its structural and functional characterization. Here, the cryo-electron microscopy structure at ~3.4-Å resolution of a recombinant shortened CSP construct with the variable domains (Fabs) of a highly protective monoclonal antibody reveals an extended spiral conformation of the central NANP repeat region surrounded by antibodies. This unusual structure appears to be stabilized and/or induced by interaction with an antibody where contacts between adjacent Fabs are somatically mutated and enhance the interaction. This maturation in non-antigen contact residues may be an effective mechanism for antibodies to target tandem repeat sequences and provide novel insights into malaria vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Oyen
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Christopher A. Cottrell
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - C. Richter King
- PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | - Ian A. Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Andrew B. Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Dennison SM, Reichartz M, Seaton KE, Dutta S, Wille-Reece U, Hill AVS, Ewer KJ, Rountree W, Sarzotti-Kelsoe M, Ozaki DA, Alam SM, Tomaras GD. Qualified Biolayer Interferometry Avidity Measurements Distinguish the Heterogeneity of Antibody Interactions with Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein Antigens. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 201:1315-1326. [PMID: 30006374 PMCID: PMC6077849 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Ab avidity is a measure of the overall strength of Ab–Ag interactions and hence is important for understanding the functional efficiency of Abs. In vaccine evaluations, Ab avidity measurements can provide insights into immune correlates of protection and generate hypotheses regarding mechanisms of protection to improve vaccine design to achieve higher levels of efficacy. The commonly used Ab avidity assays require the use of chaotropic reagents to measure avidity index. In this study, using real-time detection of Ab–Ag binding by biolayer interferometry (BLI) technique, we have developed a qualified assay for measuring avidity of vaccine-induced Abs specific for Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) Ags. Human mAb derived from plasmablasts of recipients of RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S), the most advanced malaria vaccine candidate, were used in the assay development to measure Ag-specific binding responses and rate constants of association and dissociation. The optimized BLI binding assay demonstrated 1) good precision (percentage of coefficient of variation <20), 2) high specificity, 3) a lower limit of detection and quantitation in the 0.3–3.3 nM range, and 4) a range of linearity up to 50–100 nM for the CSP Ags tested. Analysis of polyclonal sera of malaria vaccinees demonstrated the suitability of this method to distinguish among vaccinees and rank Ab responses by avidity. These results demonstrate that precise, specific, and sensitive BLI measurements of Ab avidity in polyclonal sera from malaria vaccinees can map Ab response heterogeneity and potentially help to determine the role of Ab avidity as an immune correlate of protection for vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Moses Dennison
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710;
| | | | - Kelly E Seaton
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910
| | | | | | - Katie J Ewer
- The Jenner Institute, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Wes Rountree
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Marcella Sarzotti-Kelsoe
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710.,Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710.,Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Daniel A Ozaki
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710.,Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | - S Munir Alam
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710.,Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710; and
| | - Georgia D Tomaras
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710; .,Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710.,Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710.,Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
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41
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Fonseca JA, McCaffery JN, Caceres J, Kashentseva E, Singh B, Dmitriev IP, Curiel DT, Moreno A. Inclusion of the murine IgGκ signal peptide increases the cellular immunogenicity of a simian adenoviral vectored Plasmodium vivax multistage vaccine. Vaccine 2018; 36:2799-2808. [PMID: 29657070 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.03.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cellular and humoral immune responses are both involved in protection against Plasmodium infections. The only malaria vaccine available, RTS,S, primarily induces short-lived antibodies and targets only a pre-erythrocytic stage antigen. Inclusion of erythrocytic stage targets and enhancing cellular immunogenicity are likely necessary for developing an effective second-generation malaria vaccine. Adenovirus vectors have been used to improve the immunogenicity of protein-based vaccines. However, the clinical assessment of adenoviral-vectored malaria vaccines candidates has shown the induction of robust Plasmodium-specific CD8+ but not CD4+ T cells. Signal peptides (SP) have been used to enhance the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines, but have not been tested in viral vector vaccine platforms. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to determine if the addition of the SP derived from the murine IgGκ light chain within a recombinant adenovirus vector encoding a multistage P. vivax vaccine candidate could improve the CD4+ T cell response. METHODS In this proof-of-concept study, we immunized CB6F1/J mice with either the recombinant simian adenovirus 36 vector containing the SP (SP-SAd36) upstream from a transgene encoding a chimeric P. vivax multistage protein or the same SAd36 vector without the SP. Mice were subsequently boosted twice with the corresponding recombinant proteins emulsified in Montanide ISA 51 VG. Immunogenicity was assessed by measurement of antibody quantity and quality, and cytokine production by T cells after the final immunization. RESULTS The SP-SAd36 immunization regimen induced significantly higher antibody avidity against the chimeric P. vivax proteins tested and higher frequencies of IFN-γ and IL-2 CD4+ and CD8+ secreting T cells, when compared to the unmodified SAd36 vector. CONCLUSIONS The addition of the murine IgGκ signal peptide significantly enhances the immunogenicity of a SAd36 vectored P. vivax multi-stage vaccine candidate in mice. The potential of this approach to improve upon existing viral vector vaccine platforms warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jairo A Fonseca
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30307, United States
| | - Jessica N McCaffery
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
| | - Juan Caceres
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
| | - Elena Kashentseva
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - Balwan Singh
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
| | - Igor P Dmitriev
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - David T Curiel
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - Alberto Moreno
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30307, United States.
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42
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Kaba SA, Karch CP, Seth L, Ferlez KM, Storme CK, Pesavento DM, Laughlin PY, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Burkhard P, Lanar DE. Self-assembling protein nanoparticles with built-in flagellin domains increases protective efficacy of a Plasmodium falciparum based vaccine. Vaccine 2018; 36:906-914. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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43
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Novel ELISA method as exploratory tool to assess immunity induced by radiated attenuated sporozoites to decipher protective immunity. Malar J 2017; 16:484. [PMID: 29187199 PMCID: PMC5707923 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-2129-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Whole parasite vaccines provide a unique opportunity for dissecting immune mechanisms and identify antigens that are targeted by immune responses which have the potential to mediate sterile protection against malaria infections. The radiation attenuated sporozoite (PfSPZ) vaccine has been considered the gold standard for malaria vaccines because of its unparalleled efficacy. The immunogenicity of this and other vaccines continues to be evaluated by using recombinant proteins or peptides of known sporozoite antigens. This approach, however, has significant limitations by relying solely on a limited number of known pathogen-associated immune epitopes. Using the full range of antigens expressed by the sporozoite will enable the comprehensive immune-profiling of humoral immune responses induced by whole parasite vaccines. To address this challenge, a novel ELISA based on sporozoites was developed. Results The SPZ-ELISA method described in this report can be performed with either freshly dissected sporozoites or with cryopreserved sporozoite lysates. The use of a fixative for reproducible coating is not required. The SPZ-ELISA was first validated using monoclonal antibodies specific for CSP and TRAP and then used for the characterization of immune sera from radiation attenuated sporozoite vaccinees. Conclusion Applying this simple and highly reproducible approach to assess immune responses induced by malaria vaccines, both recombinant and whole parasite vaccines, (1) will help in the evaluation of immune responses induced by antigenically complex malaria vaccines such as the irradiated SPZ-vaccine, (2) will facilitate and accelerate the identification of immune correlates of protection, and (3) can also be a valuable assessment tool for antigen discovery as well as down-selection of vaccine formulations and, thereby, guide vaccine design. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-017-2129-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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44
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Structural basis for antibody recognition of the NANP repeats in Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E10438-E10445. [PMID: 29138320 PMCID: PMC5715787 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1715812114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) has been studied for decades as a potential immunogen, but little structural information is available on how antibodies recognize the immunodominant NANP repeats within CSP. The most advanced vaccine candidate is RTS,S, which includes multiple NANP repeats. Here, we analyzed two functional antibodies from an RTS,S trial and determined the number of repeats that interact with the antibody Fab fragments using isothermal titration calorimetry and X-ray crystallography. Using negative-stain electron microscopy, we also established how the antibody binds to the NANP repeat region in a recombinant CSP construct. The structural features outlined here provide a rationale for structure-based immunogen design to improve upon the efficacy of the current RTS,S vaccine. Acquired resistance against antimalarial drugs has further increased the need for an effective malaria vaccine. The current leading candidate, RTS,S, is a recombinant circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-based vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum that contains 19 NANP repeats followed by a thrombospondin repeat domain. Although RTS,S has undergone extensive clinical testing and has progressed through phase III clinical trials, continued efforts are underway to enhance its efficacy and duration of protection. Here, we determined that two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 311 and 317), isolated from a recent controlled human malaria infection trial exploring a delayed fractional dose, inhibit parasite development in vivo by at least 97%. Crystal structures of antibody fragments (Fabs) 311 and 317 with an (NPNA)3 peptide illustrate their different binding modes. Notwithstanding, one and three of the three NPNA repeats adopt similar well-defined type I β-turns with Fab311 and Fab317, respectively. Furthermore, to explore antibody binding in the context of P. falciparum CSP, we used negative-stain electron microscopy on a recombinant shortened CSP (rsCSP) construct saturated with Fabs. Both complexes display a compact rsCSP with multiple Fabs bound, with the rsCSP–Fab311 complex forming a highly organized helical structure. Together, these structural insights may aid in the design of a next-generation malaria vaccine.
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45
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Haeberlein S, Chevalley-Maurel S, Ozir-Fazalalikhan A, Koppejan H, Winkel BMF, Ramesar J, Khan SM, Sauerwein RW, Roestenberg M, Janse CJ, Smits HH, Franke-Fayard B. Protective immunity differs between routes of administration of attenuated malaria parasites independent of parasite liver load. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10372. [PMID: 28871201 PMCID: PMC5583236 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10480-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans and murine models of malaria, intradermal immunization (ID-I) with genetically attenuated sporozoites that arrest in liver induces lower protective immunity than intravenous immunization (IV-I). It is unclear whether this difference is caused by fewer sporozoites migrating into the liver or by suboptimal hepatic and injection site-dependent immune responses. We therefore developed a Plasmodium yoelii immunization/boost/challenge model to examine parasite liver loads as well as hepatic and lymph node immune responses in protected and unprotected ID-I and IV-I animals. Despite introducing the same numbers of genetically attenuated parasites in the liver, ID-I resulted in lower sterile protection (53-68%) than IV-I (93-95%). Unprotected mice developed less sporozoite-specific CD8+ and CD4+ effector T-cell responses than protected mice. After immunization, ID-I mice showed more interleukin-10-producing B and T cells in livers and skin-draining lymph nodes, but fewer hepatic CD8 memory T cells and CD8+ dendritic cells compared to IV-I mice. Our results indicate that the lower protection efficacy obtained by intradermal sporozoite administration is not linked to low hepatic parasite numbers as presumed before, but correlates with a shift towards regulatory immune responses. Overcoming these immune suppressive responses is important not only for live-attenuated malaria vaccines but also for other live vaccines administered in the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Haeberlein
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Institute of Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Schubertstrasse 81, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Séverine Chevalley-Maurel
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arifa Ozir-Fazalalikhan
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hester Koppejan
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Beatrice M F Winkel
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jai Ramesar
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Shahid M Khan
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert-Grooteplein 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Meta Roestenberg
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hermelijn H Smits
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Blandine Franke-Fayard
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Fischetti L, Zhong Z, Pinder CL, Tregoning JS, Shattock RJ. The synergistic effects of combining TLR ligand based adjuvants on the cytokine response are dependent upon p38/JNK signalling. Cytokine 2017; 99:287-296. [PMID: 28826648 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Toll like receptor (TLR) ligands are important adjuvant candidates, causing antigen presenting cells to release inflammatory mediators, leading to the recruitment and activation of other leukocytes. The aim of this study was to define the response of human blood derived dendritic cells and macrophages to three TLR ligands acting singly or in combination, Poly I:C (TLR3), GLA (TLR4) and R848 (TLR7/8). Combinations of TLR agonists have been shown to have a synergistic effect on individual cytokines, here we look at the global inflammatory response measuring both cytokines and chemokines. Using a custom Luminex assay we saw dose responses in several mediators including CCL3 (MIP1α), IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-12, CXCL10 (IP-10) and IL-6, all of which were significantly increased by the combination of R848 and GLA, even when low dose GLA was added. The synergistic effect was inhibited by specific MAP kinase inhibitors blocking the kinases p38 and JNK but not MEK1. Combining TLR adjuvants also had a synergistic effect on cytokine responses in human mucosal tissue explants. From this we conclude that the combination of R848 and GLA potentiates the inflammatory profile of antigen presenting cells. Since the pattern of inflammatory mediators released can alter the quality and quantity of the adaptive immune response to vaccination, this study informs vaccine adjuvant design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Fischetti
- Mucosal Infection & Immunity Group, Section of Virology, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom
| | - Ziyun Zhong
- Mucosal Infection & Immunity Group, Section of Virology, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher L Pinder
- Mucosal Infection & Immunity Group, Section of Virology, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom
| | - John S Tregoning
- Mucosal Infection & Immunity Group, Section of Virology, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom
| | - Robin J Shattock
- Mucosal Infection & Immunity Group, Section of Virology, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom.
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47
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Delayed fractional dose regimen of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine candidate enhances an IgG4 response that inhibits serum opsonophagocytosis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7998. [PMID: 28801554 PMCID: PMC5554171 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08526-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A recent study of the RTS,S malaria vaccine, which is based on the circumsporozoite protein (CSP), demonstrated an increase in efficacy from 50–60% to 80% when using a delayed fractional dose regimen, in which the standard 0–1–2 month immunization schedule was modified to a 0–1–7 month schedule and the third immunization was delivered at 20% of the full dose. Given the role that antibodies can play in RTS,S-induced protection, we sought to determine how the modified regimen alters IgG subclasses and serum opsonophagocytic activity (OPA). Previously, we showed that lower CSP-mediated OPA was associated with protection in an RTS,S study. Here we report that the delayed fractional dose regimen resulted in decreased CSP-mediated OPA and an enhanced CSP-specific IgG4 response. Linear regression modeling predicted that CSP-specific IgG1 promote OPA, and that CSP-specific IgG4 interferes with OPA, which we subsequently confirmed by IgG subclass depletion. Although the role of IgG4 antibodies and OPA in protection is still unclear, our findings, combined with previous results that the delayed fractional dose increases CSP-specific antibody avidity and somatic hypermutation frequency in CSP-specific B cells, demonstrate how changes in vaccine regimen alone can significantly alter the quality of antibody responses to improve vaccine efficacy.
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Genito CJ, Beck Z, Phares TW, Kalle F, Limbach KJ, Stefaniak ME, Patterson NB, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Waters NC, Matyas GR, Alving CR, Dutta S. Liposomes containing monophosphoryl lipid A and QS-21 serve as an effective adjuvant for soluble circumsporozoite protein malaria vaccine FMP013. Vaccine 2017; 35:3865-3874. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.05.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Fonseca JA, McCaffery JN, Kashentseva E, Singh B, Dmitriev IP, Curiel DT, Moreno A. A prime-boost immunization regimen based on a simian adenovirus 36 vectored multi-stage malaria vaccine induces protective immunity in mice. Vaccine 2017; 35:3239-3248. [PMID: 28483199 PMCID: PMC5522619 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.04.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a considerable burden on public health. In 2015, the WHO estimates there were 212 million malaria cases causing nearly 429,000 deaths globally. A highly effective malaria vaccine is needed to reduce the burden of this disease. We have developed an experimental vaccine candidate (PyCMP) based on pre-erythrocytic (CSP) and erythrocytic (MSP1) stage antigens derived from the rodent malaria parasite P. yoelii. Our protein-based vaccine construct induces protective antibodies and CD4+ T cell responses. Based on evidence that viral vectors increase CD8+ T cell-mediated immunity, we also have tested heterologous prime-boost immunization regimens that included human adenovirus serotype 5 vector (Ad5), obtaining protective CD8+ T cell responses. While Ad5 is commonly used for vaccine studies, the high prevalence of pre-existing immunity to Ad5 severely compromises its utility. Here, we report the use of the novel simian adenovirus 36 (SAd36) as a candidate for a vectored malaria vaccine since this virus is not known to infect humans, and it is not neutralized by anti-Ad5 antibodies. Our study shows that the recombinant SAd36PyCMP can enhance specific CD8+ T cell response and elicit similar antibody titers when compared to an immunization regimen including the recombinant Ad5PyCMP. The robust immune responses induced by SAd36PyCMP are translated into a lower parasite load following P. yoelii infectious challenge when compared to mice immunized with Ad5PyCMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jairo A Fonseca
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30307, United States
| | - Jessica N McCaffery
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
| | - Elena Kashentseva
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - Balwan Singh
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
| | - Igor P Dmitriev
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - David T Curiel
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - Alberto Moreno
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30307, United States.
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50
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Phares TW, May AD, Genito CJ, Hoyt NA, Khan FA, Porter MD, DeBot M, Waters NC, Saudan P, Dutta S. Rhesus macaque and mouse models for down-selecting circumsporozoite protein based malaria vaccines differ significantly in immunogenicity and functional outcomes. Malar J 2017; 16:115. [PMID: 28288639 PMCID: PMC5347822 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-1766-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-human primates, such as the rhesus macaques, are the preferred model for down-selecting human malaria vaccine formulations, but the rhesus model is expensive and does not allow for direct efficacy testing of human malaria vaccines. Transgenic rodent parasites expressing genes of human Plasmodium are now routinely used for efficacy studies of human malaria vaccines. Mice have however rarely predicted success in human malaria trials and there is scepticism whether mouse studies alone are sufficient to move a vaccine candidate into the clinic. METHODS A comparison of immunogenicity, fine-specificity and functional activity of two Alum-adjuvanted Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-based vaccines was conducted in mouse and rhesus models. One vaccine was a soluble recombinant protein (CSP) and the other was the same CSP covalently conjugated to the Qβ phage particle (Qβ-CSP). RESULTS Mice showed different kinetics of antibody responses and different sensitivity to the NANP-repeat and N-terminal epitopes as compared to rhesus. While mice failed to discern differences between the protective efficacy of CSP versus Qβ-CSP vaccine following direct challenge with transgenic Plasmodium berghei parasites, rhesus serum from the Qβ-CSP-vaccinated animals induced higher in vivo sporozoite neutralization activity. CONCLUSIONS Despite some immunologic parallels between models, these data demonstrate that differences between the immune responses induced in the two models risk conflicting decisions regarding potential vaccine utility in humans. In combination with historical observations, the data presented here suggest that although murine models may be useful for some purposes, non-human primate models may be more likely to predict the human response to investigational vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy W Phares
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Anthony D May
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Christopher J Genito
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Nathan A Hoyt
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Farhat A Khan
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Michael D Porter
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Margot DeBot
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Norman C Waters
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Philippe Saudan
- Cytos Biotechnology, Wagistrasse 25, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- Structural Vaccinology Laboratory, Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
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