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Lu J, Liu J, Wu Y, He X, Gao X, Chen X, Chen S, Zhu X, Peng Y, Xiao G, Pan X. A full-length glycoprotein mRNA vaccine confers complete protection against severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus, with broad-spectrum protective effects against bandaviruses. J Virol 2024; 98:e0076924. [PMID: 38829138 PMCID: PMC11265342 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00769-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Highly pathogenic viruses from family Phenuiviridae, which are mainly transmitted by arthropods, have intermittently sparked epidemics worldwide. In particular, tick-borne bandaviruses, such as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), continue to spread in mountainous areas, resulting in an average mortality rate as high as 10.5%, highlighting the urgency and importance of vaccine development. Here, an mRNA vaccine developed based on the full-length SFTSV glycoprotein, containing both the receptor-binding domain and the fusion domain, was shown to confer complete protection against SFTSV at a very low dose by triggering a type 1 helper T cell-biased cellular immune response in rodents. Moreover, the vaccine candidate elicited long-term immunity and protection against SFTSV for at least 5 months. Notably, it provided complete cross-protection against other bandaviruses, such as the Heartland virus and Guertu virus, in lethal challenge models. Further research revealed that the conserved epitopes among bandaviruses within the full-length SFTSV glycoprotein may facilitate broad-spectrum protection mediated by the cellular immune response. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the full-length SFTSV glycoprotein mRNA vaccine is a promising vaccine candidate for SFTSV and other bandaviruses, and provide guidance for the development of broad-spectrum vaccines from conserved antigens and epitopes. IMPORTANCE Tick-borne bandaviruses, such as SFTSV and Heartland virus, sporadically trigger outbreaks in addition to influenza viruses and coronaviruses, yet there are no specific vaccines or therapeutics against them. mRNA vaccine technology has advantages in terms of enabling in situ expression and triggering cellular immunity, thus offering new solutions for vaccine development against intractable viruses, such as bandaviruses. In this study, we developed a novel vaccine candidate for SFTSV by employing mRNA vaccination technology and using a full-length glycoprotein as an antigen target. This candidate vaccine confers complete and durable protection against SFTSV at a notably low dose while also providing cross-protection against Heartland virus and Guertu virus. This study highlights the prospective value of full-length SFTSV-glycoprotein-based mRNA vaccines and suggests a potential strategy for broad-spectrum bandavirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Liverna Therapeutics Inc., Zhuhai, China
| | - Yan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoxue He
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinlan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Xuerui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yucai Peng
- Liverna Therapeutics Inc., Zhuhai, China
| | - Gengfu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyan Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Fu L, Xu L, Qian J, Wu X, Wang Z, Wang H, Liu D, Deng F, Shen S. The Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies against SFTS Group Bandaviruses Suggest New Targets of Specific or Broad-Spectrum Antivirals. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2023; 109:1319-1328. [PMID: 37931293 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), Heartland virus (HRTV) and Guertu virus (GTV) belong to the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome/Heartland group of genus Bandavirus in the family Phenuiviridae of order Bunyavirales. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus and HRTV, identified from ticks from Asia and America, respectively, are important pathogens causing severe febrile diseases in humans. Guertu virus, closely related to these two viruses, is a potential pathogen, but no confirmed infection has been identified. So far, human-derived neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against SFTSV have been identified as having a great potential to be developed as antivirals; however, there is still a lack of neutralizing mAbs to GTV and HRTV. In this study, five neutralizing the mAbs against GTV and HRTV were obtained by hybridoma screening technology, four of which (14B4, 14D8, and 20D4 derived from GTV, and 27C8 derived from HRTV) showed cross reactivity and neutralization to all three viruses, and one derived from HRTV (10D6) neutralized HRTV specifically. The possible mechanisms of mAbs cross neutralization among the three viruses are discussed by analyzing their glycoprotein (GP) sequences and structures. Generating these neutralizing mAbs provides important antiviral candidates against GTV, HRTV, and SFTSV despite their differential activities, and their protective effect could be further evaluated in virus-infected mice. Their differential neutralizing efficiency and specificity further suggested that the three viruses share common mechanisms on the basis of GP functioning, and that HRTV poses a unique mechanism that differs from the other viruses. These findings shed light on developing broad-spectrum antiviral strategies against bandaviruses and promoting an understanding of the bandavirus infection process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyan Fu
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Lang Xu
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jin Qian
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoli Wu
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Hualin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Brain Science and Advanced Technology Institute, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Deng
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Shu Shen
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, Wuhan, China
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Wang B, Huang B, Li X, Guo Y, Qi G, Ding Y, Gao H, Zhang J, Wu X, Fang L. Development of functional anti-Gn nanobodies specific for SFTSV based on next-generation sequencing and proteomics. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4461. [PMID: 36177742 PMCID: PMC9601861 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an acute infectious disease caused by novel bunyavirus (SFTSV), with a mortality rate of 6.3% ~ 30%. To date, there is no specific treatment for SFTS. Previously, we demonstrated that SFTSV surface glycoprotein (Glycoprotein N, Gn) was a potential target for the development of SFTS vaccine or therapeutic antibodies, and anti-Gn neutralizing antibodies played a protective role in SFTS infection. Compared with traditional antibodies, nanobodies from camelids have various advantages, including small molecular weight, high affinity, low immunogenicity, convenient production by gene engineering, etc. In this study, we combined next-generation sequencing (NGS) with proteomics technology based on affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS) and bioinformatics analysis to high-throughput screen monoclonal anti-Gn nanobodies from camel immunized with Gn protein. We identified 19 anti-Gn monoclonal nanobody sequences, of which six sequences were selected for recombinant protein expression and purification. Among these six anti-Gn nanobodies, nanobody 57,493 was validated to be highly specific for Gn. The innovative high-throughput technical route developed in this study could also be expanded to the production of nanobodies specific for other viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binghao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterMedical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Bilian Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterMedical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xinyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterMedical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterMedical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Guantong Qi
- School of Life ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yibing Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterMedical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Haidong Gao
- Genepioneer Biotechnologies Co. Ltd.NanjingChina
| | - Jingzi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterMedical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xilin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterMedical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Lei Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterMedical School of Nanjing UniversityNanjingChina
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