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Shorayeva K, Nakhanov A, Nurpeisova A, Chervyakova O, Jekebekov K, Abay Z, Assanzhanova N, Sadikaliyeva S, Kalimolda E, Terebay A, Moldagulova S, Absatova Z, Tulendibayev A, Kopeyev S, Nakhanova G, Issabek A, Nurabayev S, Kerimbayev A, Kutumbetov L, Abduraimov Y, Kassenov M, Orynbayev M, Zakarya K. Pre-Clinical Safety and Immunogenicity Study of a Coronavirus Protein-Based Subunit Vaccine for COVID-19. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1771. [PMID: 38140175 PMCID: PMC10748237 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11121771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Creating an effective and safe vaccine is critical to fighting the coronavirus infection successfully. Several types of COVID-19 vaccines exist, including inactivated, live attenuated, recombinant, synthetic peptide, virus-like particle-based, DNA and mRNA-based, and sub-unit vaccines containing purified immunogenic viral proteins. However, the scale and speed at which COVID-19 is spreading demonstrate a global public demand for an effective prophylaxis that must be supplied more. The developed products promise a bright future for SARS-CoV-2 prevention; however, evidence of safety and immunogenicity is mandatory before any vaccine can be produced. In this paper, we report on the results of our work examining the safety, toxicity, immunizing dose choice, and immunogenicity of QazCoVac-P, a Kazakhstan-made sub-unit vaccine for COVID-19. First, we looked into the product's safety profile by assessing its pyrogenicity in vaccinated rabbit models and using the LAL (limulus amebocyte lysate) test. We examined the vaccine's acute and sub-chronic toxicity on BALB/c mice and rats. The vaccine did not cause clinically significant toxicity-related changes or symptoms in our toxicity experiments. Finally, we performed a double immunization of mice, ferrets, Syrian hamsters, and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). We used ELISA to measure antibody titers with the maximum mean geometric titer of antibodies in the animals' blood sera totaling approximately 8 log2. The results of this and other studies warrant recommending the QazCoVac-P vaccine for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ainur Nurpeisova
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems, The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Gvardeiskiy 080409, Kazakhstan (Z.A.); (E.K.); (Z.A.)
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Nurpeisova A, Khairullin B, Abitaev R, Shorayeva K, Jekebekov K, Kalimolda E, Kerimbayev A, Akylbayeva K, Abay Z, Myrzakhmetova B, Nakhanov A, Absatova Z, Nurabayev S, Orynbayev M, Assanzhanova N, Abeuov K, Kutumbetov L, Kassenov M, Abduraimov Y, Zakarya K. Safety and immunogenicity of the first Kazakh inactivated vaccine for COVID-19. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2087412. [PMID: 35960911 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2087412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
This article describes the results of a preclinical safety and immunogenicity study of QazCovid-in®, the first COVID-19 vaccine developed in Kazakhstan, on BALB/c mice, rats, ferrets, Syrian hamsters and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). The study's safety data suggests that this immunobiological preparation can be technically considered a Class 5 nontoxic vaccine. The series of injections that were made did not produce any adverse effect or any change in the general condition of the model animals' health, while macroscopy and histology studies identified no changes in the internal organs of the BALB/c mice and rats. This study has demonstrated that a double immunization enhances the growth of antibody titers as assessed by the microneutralization assay (MNA) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a pre-clinical immunogenicity test on animal models. The best GMT results were assessed in MNA and ELISA 7 days after re-vaccination; however, we noted that GMT antibody results in ELISA were lower than in MNA. A comparative GMT assessment after the first immunization and the re-immunization identified significant differences between model animal groups and a growth of GMT antibodies in all of them; also, differences between the gender groups were statistically significant. Moreover, the most marked MNA immune response to the QazCovid-in® vaccine was seen in the Syrian hamsters, while their SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody activity as assessed with ELISA was the lowest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainur Nurpeisova
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Berik Khairullin
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Ruslan Abitaev
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Kamshat Shorayeva
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Kuanish Jekebekov
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Elina Kalimolda
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Aslan Kerimbayev
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Karligash Akylbayeva
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Zhandos Abay
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Aziz Nakhanov
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Zharkinay Absatova
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Sergazy Nurabayev
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Mukhit Orynbayev
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Nurika Assanzhanova
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Khairulla Abeuov
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Lespek Kutumbetov
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Markhabat Kassenov
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Yergaly Abduraimov
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
| | - Kunsulu Zakarya
- Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Guardeyskiy, Kazakhstan
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Noor F, Saleem MH, Javed MR, Chen JT, Ashfaq UA, Okla MK, Abdel-Maksoud MA, Alwasel YA, Al-Qahtani WH, Alshaya H, Yasin G, Aslam S. Comprehensive computational analysis reveals H5N1 influenza virus-encoded miRNAs and host-specific targets associated with antiviral immune responses and protein binding. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263901. [PMID: 35533150 PMCID: PMC9084522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
H5N1 virus (H5N1V) is highly contagious among birds and it was first detected in humans in 1997 during a poultry outbreak in Hong Kong. As the mechanism of its pathogenesis inside the host is still lacking, in this in-silico study we hypothesized that H5N1V might create miRNAs, which could target the genes associated with host cellular regulatory pathways, thus provide persistent refuge to the virus. Using bioinformatics approaches, several H5N1V produced putative miRNAs as well as the host genes targeted by these miRNAs were found. Functional enrichment analysis of targeted genes revealed their involvement in many biological pathways that facilitate their host pathogenesis. Eventually, the microarray dataset (GSE28166) was analyzed to validate the altered expression level of target genes and found the genes involved in protein binding and adaptive immune responses. This study presents novel miRNAs and their targeted genes, which upon experimental validation could facilitate in developing new therapeutics against H5N1V infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Noor
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Rizwan Javed
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Jen-Tsung Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad K. Okla
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mostafa A. Abdel-Maksoud
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yasmeen A. Alwasel
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wahidah H. Al-Qahtani
- Department of food sciences & nutrition, College of food & Agriculture sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Huda Alshaya
- Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States of America
| | - Ghulam Yasin
- Department of Botany, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Sidra Aslam
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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Rioux M, Francis ME, Swan CL, Ge A, Kroeker A, Kelvin AA. The Intersection of Age and Influenza Severity: Utility of Ferrets for Dissecting the Age-Dependent Immune Responses and Relevance to Age-Specific Vaccine Development. Viruses 2021; 13:678. [PMID: 33920917 PMCID: PMC8071347 DOI: 10.3390/v13040678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many factors impact the host response to influenza virus infection and vaccination. Ferrets have been an indispensable reagent for influenza virus research for almost one hundred years. One of the most significant and well-known factors affecting human disease after infection is host age. Another significant factor is the virus, as strain-specific disease severity is well known. Studying age-related impacts on viral infection and vaccination outcomes requires an animal model that reflects both the physiological and immunological changes that occur with human aging, and sensitivity to differentially virulent influenza viruses. The ferret is uniquely susceptible to a plethora of influenza viruses impacting humans and has proven extremely useful in studying the clinical and immunological pictures of influenza virus infection. Moreover, ferrets developmentally have several of the age-related physiological changes that occur in humans throughout infancy, adulthood, old age, and pregnancy. In this review, we discuss ferret susceptibility to influenza viruses, summarize previous influenza studies using ferrets as models of age, and finally, highlight the application of ferret age models in the pursuit of prophylactic and therapeutic agents to address age-related influenza disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Rioux
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H4R2, Canada; (M.R.); (A.G.)
| | - Magen E. Francis
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E3, Canada; (M.E.F.); (C.L.S.); (A.K.)
| | - Cynthia L. Swan
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E3, Canada; (M.E.F.); (C.L.S.); (A.K.)
| | - Anni Ge
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H4R2, Canada; (M.R.); (A.G.)
| | - Andrea Kroeker
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E3, Canada; (M.E.F.); (C.L.S.); (A.K.)
| | - Alyson A. Kelvin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H4R2, Canada; (M.R.); (A.G.)
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E3, Canada; (M.E.F.); (C.L.S.); (A.K.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3K6R8, Canada
- The Canadian Center for Vaccinology (IWK Health Centre, Dalhousie University and the Nova Scotia Health Authority), Halifax, NS B3K6R8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E5, Canada
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Morcol T, Nagappan P, Bell SJD, Cawthon AG. Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Subunit Vaccine Administered with CaPNP Adjuvant Induce High Virus Neutralization Antibody Titers in Mice. AAPS PharmSciTech 2019; 20:315. [PMID: 31591662 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-019-1530-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus continues to spread globally in domestic poultry with sporadic transmission to humans. The possibility for its rapid transmission to humans raised global fears for the virus to gain capacity for human-to-human transmission to start a future pandemic. Through direct contact with infected poultry, it caused the largest number of reported cases of severe disease and death in humans of any avian influenza strains. For pandemic preparedness, use of safe and effective vaccine adjuvants and delivery systems to improve vaccine efficacy are considered imperative. We previously demonstrated CaPtivate's proprietary CaP nanoparticles (CaPNP) as a potent vaccine adjuvant/delivery system with ability to induce both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against many viral or bacterial infections. In this study, we investigated the delivery of insect cell culture-derived recombinant hemagglutinin protein (HA) of A/H5N1/Vietnam/1203/2004 virus using CaPNP. We evaluated the vaccine immunogenicity in mice following two intramuscular doses of 3 μg antigen combined with escalating doses of CaPNP. Our data showed CaPNP-adjuvanted HA(H5N1) vaccines eliciting significantly higher IgG, hemagglutination inhibition, and virus neutralization titers compared to non-adjuvanted vaccine. Among the four adjuvant doses that were tested, CaPNP at 0.24% final concentration elicited the highest IgG and neutralizing antibody titers. We also evaluated the inflammatory response to CaPNP following a single intramuscular injection in guinea pigs and showed that CaPNP does not induce any systemic reaction or adverse effects. Current data further support our earlier studies demonstrating CaPNP as a safe and an effective adjuvant for influenza vaccines.
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