Recombinant vectors as influenza vaccines

Molecular Characterization, Expression and Functional Analysis of Chicken STING

Innate immunity is an essential line of defense against pathogen invasion which is gained at birth, and the mechanism involved is mainly to identify pathogen-associated molecular patterns through pattern recognition receptors. STING (stimulator of interferon genes) is a signal junction molecule that hosts the perception of viral nucleic acids and produces type I interferon response, which plays a crucial role in innate immunity. However, relatively few studies have investigated the molecular characterization, tissue distribution, and potential function of STING in chickens. In this study, we cloned the full-length cDNA of chicken STING that is composed of 1341 bp. Sequence analyses revealed that STING contains a 1140-bp open-reading frame that probably encodes a 379-amino acid protein. Multiple sequence alignments showed that the similarity of the chicken STING gene to other birds is higher than that of mammals. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays revealed that STING is highly expressed in the spleen, thymus and bursa of fabricious in chickens. Furthermore, we observed that STING expression was significantly upregulated both in vitro and in vivo following infection with Newcastle disease virus (NDV). STING expression was also significantly upregulated in chicken embryo fibroblasts upon stimulation with poly(I:C) or poly(dA:dT). Taken together, these findings suggest that STING plays an important role in antiviral signaling pathways in chickens.

Viral vector-based influenza vaccines

Antigenic drift of seasonal influenza viruses and the occasional introduction of influenza viruses of novel subtypes into the human population complicate the timely production of effective vaccines that antigenically match the virus strains that cause epidemic or pandemic outbreaks. The development of game-changing vaccines that induce broadly protective immunity against a wide variety of influenza viruses is an unmet need, in which recombinant viral vectors may provide. Use of viral vectors allows the delivery of any influenza virus antigen, or derivative thereof, to the immune system, resulting in the optimal induction of virus-specific B- and T-cell responses against this antigen of choice. This systematic review discusses results obtained with vectored influenza virus vaccines and advantages and disadvantages of the currently available viral vectors.

Induction of Broad-Based Immunity and Protective Efficacy by Self-amplifying mRNA Vaccines Encoding Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin

Seasonal influenza is a vaccine-preventable disease that remains a major health problem worldwide, especially in immunocompromised populations. The impact of influenza disease is even greater when strains drift, and influenza pandemics can result when animal-derived influenza virus strains combine with seasonal strains. In this study, we used the SAM technology and characterized the immunogenicity and efficacy of a self-amplifying mRNA expressing influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) antigen [SAM(HA)] formulated with a novel oil-in-water cationic nanoemulsion. We demonstrated that SAM(HA) was immunogenic in ferrets and facilitated containment of viral replication in the upper respiratory tract of influenza virus-infected animals. In mice, SAM(HA) induced potent functional neutralizing antibody and cellular immune responses, characterized by HA-specific CD4 T helper 1 and CD8 cytotoxic T cells. Furthermore, mice immunized with SAM(HA) derived from the influenza A virus A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) strain (Cal) were protected from a lethal challenge with the heterologous mouse-adapted A/PR/8/1934 (H1N1) virus strain (PR8). Sera derived from SAM(H1-Cal)-immunized animals were not cross-reactive with the PR8 virus, whereas cross-reactivity was observed for HA-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells. Finally, depletion of T cells demonstrated that T-cell responses were essential in mediating heterologous protection. If the SAM vaccine platform proves safe, well tolerated, and effective in humans, the fully synthetic SAM vaccine technology could provide a rapid response platform to control pandemic influenza.

IMPORTANCE

In this study, we describe protective immune responses in mice and ferrets after vaccination with a novel HA-based influenza vaccine. This novel type of vaccine elicits both humoral and cellular immune responses. Although vaccine-specific antibodies are the key players in mediating protection from homologous influenza virus infections, vaccine-specific T cells contribute to the control of heterologous infections. The rapid production capacity and the synthetic origin of the vaccine antigen make the SAM platform particularly exploitable in case of influenza pandemic.

Virus-vectored influenza virus vaccines

Despite the availability of an inactivated vaccine that has been licensed for >50 years, the influenza virus continues to cause morbidity and mortality worldwide. Constant evolution of circulating influenza virus strains and the emergence of new strains diminishes the effectiveness of annual vaccines that rely on a match with circulating influenza strains. Thus, there is a continued need for new, efficacious vaccines conferring cross-clade protection to avoid the need for biannual reformulation of seasonal influenza vaccines. Recombinant virus-vectored vaccines are an appealing alternative to classical inactivated vaccines because virus vectors enable native expression of influenza antigens, even from virulent influenza viruses, while expressed in the context of the vector that can improve immunogenicity. In addition, a vectored vaccine often enables delivery of the vaccine to sites of inductive immunity such as the respiratory tract enabling protection from influenza virus infection. Moreover, the ability to readily manipulate virus vectors to produce novel influenza vaccines may provide the quickest path toward a universal vaccine protecting against all influenza viruses. This review will discuss experimental virus-vectored vaccines for use in humans, comparing them to licensed vaccines and the hurdles faced for licensure of these next-generation influenza virus vaccines.

Safety and immunogenicity of an oral, replicating adenovirus serotype 4 vector vaccine for H5N1 influenza: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1 study

Background

Replication-competent virus vector vaccines might have advantages compared with non-replicating vector vaccines. We tested the safety and immunogenicity of an oral adenovirus serotype 4 vector vaccine candidate (Ad4-H5-Vtn) expressing the haemagglutinin from an avian influenza A H5N1 virus.

Methods

We did this phase 1 study at four sites in the USA. We used a computer-generated randomisation list (block size eight, stratified by site) to assign healthy volunteers aged 18–40 years to receive one of five doses of Ad4-H5-Vtn (10⁷ viral particles [VP], 10⁸ VP, 10⁹ VP, 10¹⁰ VP, 10¹¹ VP) or placebo (3:1). Vaccine or placebo was given on three occasions, about 56 days apart. Participants, investigators, and study-site personnel were masked to assignment throughout the study. Subsequently, volunteers received a boost dose with 90 μg of an inactivated parenteral H5N1 vaccine. Primary immunogenicity endpoints were seroconversion by haemagglutination-inhibition (HAI), defined as a four-times rise compared with baseline titre, and HAI geometric mean titre (GMT). We solicited symptoms of reactogenicity daily for 7 days after each vaccination and recorded symptoms that persisted beyond 7 days as adverse events. Primary analysis was per protocol. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01006798.

Findings

We enrolled 166 participants (125 vaccine; 41 placebo) between Oct 19, 2009, and Sept 9, 2010. HAI responses were low: 13 of 123 vaccinees (11%, 95% CI 6–17) and three of 41 placebo recipients (7%, 2–20) seroconverted. HAI GMT was 6 (95% CI 5–7) for vaccinees, and 5 (5–6) for placebo recipients. However, when inactivated H5N1 vaccine became available, one H5N1 boost was offered to all participants. In this substudy, HAI seroconversion occurred in 19 of 19 participants in the 10¹¹ VP cohort (100%; 95% CI 82–100) and eight of 22 placebo recipients (36%; 17–59); 17 of 19 participants in the 10¹¹ VP cohort (89%; 67–99) achieved seroprotection compared with four of 22 placebo recipients (18%; 5–40); GMT was 135 (89–205) with 10¹¹ VP, compared with 13 (7–21) with placebo. The cumulative frequency of abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and nasal congestion after all three vaccinations was significantly higher in vaccinees than placebo recipients (21 [16·8%] of 125 vs one [2·4%] of 41, p=0·017; 24 [19·2%] of 125 vs two [4·9%] of 41, p=0·027; 41 [32·8%] of 125 vs six [14·6%] of 41, p=0·028; respectively). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred.

Interpretation

Oral Ad4 vector priming might enhance the efficacy of poorly immunogenic vaccines such as H5N1.

Funding

Wellcome Trust Foundation, PaxVax.

Novel viral vectored vaccines for the prevention of influenza

Influenza represents a substantial global healthcare burden, with annual epidemics resulting in 3-5 million cases of severe illness with a significant associated mortality. In addition, the risk of a virulent and lethal influenza pandemic has generated widespread and warranted concern. Currently licensed influenza vaccines are limited in their ability to induce efficacious and long-lasting herd immunity. In addition, and as evidenced by the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, there can be a significant delay between the emergence of a pandemic influenza and an effective, antibody-inducing vaccine. There is, therefore, a continued need for new, efficacious vaccines conferring cross-clade protection-obviating the need for biannual reformulation of seasonal influenza vaccines. Development of such a vaccine would yield enormous health benefits to society and also greatly reduce the associated global healthcare burden. There are a number of alternative influenza vaccine technologies being assessed both preclinically and clinically. In this review we discuss viral vectored vaccines, either recombinant live-attenuated or replication-deficient viruses, which are current lead candidates for inducing efficacious and long-lasting immunity toward influenza viruses. These alternate influenza vaccines offer real promise to deliver viable alternatives to currently deployed vaccines and more importantly may confer long-lasting and universal protection against influenza viral infection.

Recombinant influenza vaccines

This review covers the problems encountered in the construction and production of new recombinant influenza vaccines. New approaches to the development of influenza vaccines are investigated; they include reverse genetics methods, production of virus-like particles, and DNA- and viral vector-based vaccines. Such approaches as the delivery of foreign genes by DNA- and viral vector-based vaccines can preserve the native structure of antigens. Adenoviral vectors are a promising gene-delivery platform for a variety of genetic vaccines. Adenoviruses can efficiently penetrate the human organism through mucosal epithelium, thus providing long-term antigen persistence and induction of the innate immune response. This review provides an overview of the practicability of the production of new recombinant influenza cross-protective vaccines on the basis of adenoviral vectors expressing hemagglutinin genes of different influenza strains.

New strategies for the development of H5N1 subtype influenza vaccines: progress and challenges

The emergence and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) viruses among poultry in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa have fueled concerns of a possible human pandemic, and spurred efforts towards developing vaccines against H5N1 influenza viruses, as well as improving vaccine production methods. In recent years, promising experimental reverse genetics-derived H5N1 live attenuated vaccines have been generated and characterized, including vaccines that are attenuated through temperature-sensitive mutation, modulation of the interferon antagonist protein, or disruption of the M2 protein. Live attenuated influenza virus vaccines based on each of these modalities have conferred protection against homologous and heterologous challenge in animal models of influenza virus infection. Alternative vaccine strategies that do not require the use of live virus, such as virus-like particle (VLP) and DNA-based vaccines, have also been vigorously pursued in recent years. Studies have demonstrated that influenza VLP vaccination can confer homologous and heterologous protection from lethal challenge in a mouse model of infection. There have also been improvements in the formulation and production of vaccines following concerns over the threat of H5N1 influenza viruses. The use of novel substrates for the growth of vaccine virus stocks has been intensively researched in recent years, and several candidate cell culture-based systems for vaccine amplification have emerged, including production systems based on Madin-Darby canine kidney, Vero, and PerC6 cell lines. Such systems promise increased scalability of product, and reduced reliance on embryonated chicken eggs as a growth substrate. Studies into the use of adjuvants have shown that oil-in-water-based adjuvants can improve the immunogenicity of inactivated influenza vaccines and conserve antigen in such formulations. Finally, efforts to develop more broadly cross-protective immunization strategies through the inclusion of conserved influenza virus antigens in vaccines have led to experimental vaccines based on the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) stem domain. Such vaccines have been shown to confer protection from lethal challenge in mouse models of influenza virus infection. Through further development, vaccines based on the HA stem have the potential to protect vaccinated individuals against unanticipated pandemic and epidemic influenza virus strains. Overall, recent advances in experimental vaccines and in vaccine production processes provide the potential to lower mortality and morbidity resulting from influenza infection.

Adjuvant-free immunization with hemagglutinin-Fc fusion proteins as an approach to influenza vaccines

The hemagglutinins (HAs) of human H1 and H3 influenza viruses and avian H5 influenza virus were produced as recombinant fusion proteins with the human immunoglobulin Fc domain. Recombinant HA-human immunoglobulin Fc domain (HA-HuFc) proteins were secreted from baculovirus-infected insect cells as glycosylated oligomer HAs of the anticipated molecular mass, agglutinated red blood cells, were purified on protein A, and were used to immunize mice in the absence of adjuvant. Immunogenicity was demonstrated for all subtypes, with the serum samples demonstrating subtype-specific hemagglutination inhibition, epitope specificity similar to that seen with virus infection, and neutralization. HuFc-tagged HAs are potential candidates for gene-to-vaccine approaches to influenza vaccination.

Development of adenoviral vector-based mucosal vaccine against influenza

The recent pandemic threat of the influenza virus makes the increased safety and efficiency of vaccination against the pathogen a most important issue. It has been well established that for maximum protective effect, the vaccination should mimic natural infection. Therefore, recent efforts to develop a new influenza vaccine have focused on intranasal immunization strategies. Intranasal immunization is capable of inducing secretory IgA and serum IgG responses to provide a double defense against mucosal pathogens. On the other hand, it is desirable that a live pathogen is not present in the vaccine. In addition, for optimal induction of the immune responses via the nasal route, efficient and safe mucosal adjuvants are also required. This is possible to attain using an adenoviral vector for vaccine development. Adenoviral vectors are capable of delivering and protecting the antigen encoding sequence. They also possess a natural mechanism for penetrating into the nasal mucous membrane and are capable of activating the innate immune response. This review describes the basic prerequisites for the involvement of recombinant adenoviruses for mucosal (nasal) vaccine development against the influenza virus.

Induction of a Protective Heterosubtypic Immune Response Against the Influenza Virus by using Recombinant Adenoviral Vectors Expressing Hemagglutinin of the Influenza H5 Virus

Influenza viruses are characterized by a high degree of antigenic variability, which causes the annual emergence of flu epidemics and irregularly timed pandemics caused by viruses with new antigenic and biological traits. Novel approaches to vaccination can help circumvent this problem. One of these new methods incorporates genetic vaccines based on adenoviral vectors. Recombinant adenoviral vectors which contain hemagglutinin-encoding genes from avian H5N1 and H5N2 (Ad-HA5-1 and Ad-HA5-2) influenza viruses were obtained using the AdEasy Adenoviral Vector System (Stratagene). Laboratory mice received a double intranasal vaccination with Ad-HA5-1 and Ad-HA5-2. This study demonstrates that immunization with recombinant adenoviruses bearing the Н 5 influenza virus hemagglutinin gene induces a immune response which protects immunized mice from a lethal dose of the H5 influenza virus. Moreover, it also protects the host from a lethal dose of the H1 virus, which belongs to the same clade as H5, but does not confer protection from the subtype H3 influenza virus, which belongs to a different clade.