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Prosper P, Rodríguez Puertas R, Guérin DMA, Branda MM. Computational method for designing vaccines applied to virus-like particles (VLPs) as epitope carriers. Vaccine 2024; 42:3916-3929. [PMID: 38782665 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.05.025] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Nonenveloped virus-like particles (VLPs) are self-assembled oligomeric structures composed of one or more proteins that originate from diverse viruses. Because these VLPs have similar antigenicity to the parental virus, they are successfully used as vaccines against cognate virus infection. Furthermore, after foreign antigenic sequences are inserted in their protein components (chimVLPs), some VLPs are also amenable to producing vaccines against pathogens other than the virus it originates from (these VLPs are named platform or epitope carrier). Designing chimVLP vaccines is challenging because the immunogenic response must be oriented against a given antigen without altering stimulant properties inherent to the VLP. An important step in this process is choosing the location of the sequence modifications because this must be performed without compromising the assembly and stability of the original VLP. Currently, many immunogenic data and computational tools can help guide the design of chimVLPs, thus reducing experimental costs and work. In this study, we analyze the structure of a novel VLP that originate from an insect virus and describe the putative regions of its three structural proteins amenable to insertion. For this purpose, we employed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to assess chimVLP stability by comparing mutated and wild-type (WT) VLP protein trajectories. We applied this procedure to design a chimVLP that can serve as a prophylactic vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The methodology described in this work is generally applicable for VLP-based vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascalita Prosper
- Instituto de Física Aplicada - INFAP, Universidad Nacional de San Luis/CONICET, Argentina, Av. Ejército de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Rafael Rodríguez Puertas
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Dept. Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, B° Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain; Neurodegenerative Diseases, BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Diego M A Guérin
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU) and Instituto Biofisika (CSIC, UPV/EHU), B° Sarriena S/N, 48940 Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - María Marta Branda
- Instituto de Física Aplicada - INFAP, Universidad Nacional de San Luis/CONICET, Argentina, Av. Ejército de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, San Luis, Argentina.
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Berreiros-Hortala H, Vilchez-Pinto G, Diaz-Perales A, Garrido-Arandia M, Tome-Amat J. Virus-like Particles as Vaccines for Allergen-Specific Therapy: An Overview of Current Developments. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7429. [PMID: 39000536 PMCID: PMC11242184 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137429] [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: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune engineering and modulation are the basis of a novel but powerful tool to treat immune diseases using virus-like particles (VLPs). VLPs are formed by the viral capsid without genetic material making them non-infective. However, they offer a wide variety of possibilities as antigen-presenting platforms, resulting in high immunogenicity and high efficacy in immune modulation, with low allergenicity. Both animal and plant viruses are being studied for use in the treatment of food allergies. These formulations are combined with adjuvants, T-stimulatory epitopes, TLR ligands, and other immune modulators to modulate or enhance the immune response toward the presented allergen. Here, the authors present an overview of VLP production systems, their immune modulation capabilities, and the applicability of actual VLP-based formulations targeting allergic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Berreiros-Hortala
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Campus de Montegancedo UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain; (H.B.-H.); (G.V.-P.); (A.D.-P.); (M.G.-A.)
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Vilchez-Pinto
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Campus de Montegancedo UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain; (H.B.-H.); (G.V.-P.); (A.D.-P.); (M.G.-A.)
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Araceli Diaz-Perales
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Campus de Montegancedo UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain; (H.B.-H.); (G.V.-P.); (A.D.-P.); (M.G.-A.)
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Garrido-Arandia
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Campus de Montegancedo UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain; (H.B.-H.); (G.V.-P.); (A.D.-P.); (M.G.-A.)
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Tome-Amat
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Campus de Montegancedo UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain; (H.B.-H.); (G.V.-P.); (A.D.-P.); (M.G.-A.)
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Liu Z, Zhang Z, Yang L, Zhang Y, Li D, Zhang Q, Niu C, Zhang B, Zhai Y, Wang Z. Effect and mechanism of C-terminal cysteine on the properties of HEV p222 protein. Virology 2024; 595:110091. [PMID: 38718446 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110091] [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: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Preliminary investigations have demonstrated that the cysteines located at the C-terminus of HEV ORF2 protein exhibits disulfide bonding capability during virus-like particles (VLPs) assembly. However, the effect and mechanism underlying the pairing of disulfide bonds formed by C627, C630, and C638 remains unclear. The p222 protein encompasses C-terminus and serves as a representative of HEV ORF2 to investigate the specific impacts of C627, C630, and C638. The three cysteines were subjected to site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in prokaryotes; Both the mutated proteins and p222 underwent polymerization except for p222A; Surprisingly, only p222 was observed as abundant spherical particles under transmission electron microscope (TEM); Stability and immunogenicity of the p222 exhibited higher than other mutated proteins; LC/MS/MS analysis identified four disulfide bonds in the p222. The novel findings suggest that the three cysteines contribute to structural and functional properties of ORF2 protein, highlighting the indispensability of each cysteine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Liu
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Zhenzhen Zhang
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Lanping Yang
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Yongwen Zhang
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Dong Li
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Qingling Zhang
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Chao Niu
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Baobao Zhang
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Yangyang Zhai
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China
| | - Zhenhui Wang
- College of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, Henan, China.
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Lopes Chaves L, Dourado D, Prunache IB, Manuelle Marques da Silva P, Tacyana Dos Santos Lucena G, Cardoso de Souza Z, Muniz Mendes Freire de Moura P, Nunes Bordallo H, Rocha Formiga F, de Souza Rebouças J. Nanocarriers of antigen proteins for vaccine delivery. Int J Pharm 2024; 659:124162. [PMID: 38663646 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124162] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Nanoformulations in vaccinology provide antigen stability and enhanced immunogenicity, in addition to providing targeted delivery and controlled release. In the last years, much research has been focused on vaccine development using virus-like particles, liposomes, emulsions, polymeric, lipid, and inorganic nanoparticles. Importantly, nanoparticle interactions with innate and adaptive immune systems must be clearly understood to guide the rational development of nanovaccines. This review provides a recap and updates on different aspects advocating nanoparticles as promising antigen carriers and immune cell activators for vaccination. Moreover, it offers a discussion of how the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles are modified to target specific cells and improve vaccine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luíse Lopes Chaves
- Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), 50670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil; Graduate Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology (PGBCMA), Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), 50100-130, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Douglas Dourado
- Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), 50670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Ioana-Bianca Prunache
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Paloma Manuelle Marques da Silva
- Graduate Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology (PGBCMA), Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), 50100-130, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Gislayne Tacyana Dos Santos Lucena
- Graduate Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology (PGBCMA), Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), 50100-130, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Zilyane Cardoso de Souza
- Graduate Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology (PGBCMA), Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), 50100-130, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Muniz Mendes Freire de Moura
- Graduate Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology (PGBCMA), Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), 50100-130, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Heloísa Nunes Bordallo
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Fabio Rocha Formiga
- Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), 50670-420, Recife, PE, Brazil; Graduate Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology (PGBCMA), Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), 50100-130, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Juliana de Souza Rebouças
- Graduate Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology (PGBCMA), Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), 50100-130, Recife, PE, Brazil
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Karaaslan C, Wirz O, Tan G, Globinska A, Boonpiyathad T, Hedman K, Vaselek S, Venermo MS, Jartti T, Akdis M, Akdis CA. B cell immune response to human bocaviruses. Clin Exp Allergy 2024; 54:388-401. [PMID: 38321724 DOI: 10.1111/cea.14453] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human bocaviruses (HBoVs) have been demonstrated in respiratory and gastrointestinal infections; however, the immune response to them has not been studied in detail. In this study, we investigated the B cell immune responses to HBoV1 and HBoV2, representing two different species of bocaviruses in humans. METHODS We analyzed the effects of stimulations with HBoV1 and 2 virus-like particles (VLPs) and of co-stimulation with HBoV1-rhinovirus (RV) on cells of the immune system by flow cytometry, transcriptomics, and luminometric immune assays. RESULTS Human B cells, and particularly B regulatory cells (Breg cells), showed an increased immune response to HBoV1-VLPs stimulation. These immune responses were also supported by increased IL-1RA and PDL1 expressions in IL-10+ B cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with HBoV1-VLPs. In addition, increased levels of IL-10 and IL-1RA were determined in the supernatants of PBMCs following HBoV1-VLPs stimulation. HBoV1-VLPs and RV co-stimulation increased the IL-10+ B cell population. Transcriptome analysis by next-generation RNA sequencing showed an increased expression of IL-10 signalling and Breg cell markers in PBMCs stimulated with HBoV1-VLPs. Furthermore, TGF-β and chemoattractants MIP-1α, MIP-1β and IP10 protein levels were high in the supernatants of PBMCs stimulated with HBoV1-VLPs. CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate that in Breg cells, IL-10 signalling pathways, and anti-inflammatory activity are induced by HBoV1, which can explain the often mild nature of the disease. In addition, the immune regulatory response induced by HBoV1-VLPs may indicate a potential immunomodulatory role of HBoV1 on the immune system and may represent an immune regulatory strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cagatay Karaaslan
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
- Molecular Biology Section, Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Oliver Wirz
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Ge Tan
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Anna Globinska
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Tadech Boonpiyathad
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Klaus Hedman
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki University Hospital Diagnostics Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Slavica Vaselek
- Molecular Biology Section, Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Tuomas Jartti
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Mubeccel Akdis
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Cezmi A Akdis
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
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Saleemi MA, Zhang Y, Zhang G. Current Progress in the Science of Novel Adjuvant Nano-Vaccine-Induced Protective Immune Responses. Pathogens 2024; 13:441. [PMID: 38921739 PMCID: PMC11206999 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060441] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Vaccinations are vital as they protect us from various illness-causing agents. Despite all the advancements in vaccine-related research, developing improved and safer vaccines against devastating infectious diseases including Ebola, tuberculosis and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) remains a significant challenge. In addition, some of the current human vaccines can cause adverse reactions in some individuals, which limits their use for massive vaccination program. Therefore, it is necessary to design optimal vaccine candidates that can elicit appropriate immune responses but do not induce side effects. Subunit vaccines are relatively safe for the vaccination of humans, but they are unable to trigger an optimal protective immune response without an adjuvant. Although different types of adjuvants have been used for the formulation of vaccines to fight pathogens that have high antigenic diversity, due to the toxicity and safety issues associated with human-specific adjuvants, there are only a few adjuvants that have been approved for the formulation of human vaccines. Recently, nanoparticles (NPs) have gain specific attention and are commonly used as adjuvants for vaccine development as well as for drug delivery due to their excellent immune modulation properties. This review will focus on the current state of adjuvants in vaccine development, the mechanisms of human-compatible adjuvants and future research directions. We hope this review will provide valuable information to discovery novel adjuvants and drug delivery systems for developing novel vaccines and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Guoquan Zhang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, College of Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA; (M.A.S.); (Y.Z.)
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Wei MZ, Chen L, Zhang R, Chen Z, Shen YJ, Zhou BJ, Wang KG, Shan CL, Zhu EP, Cheng ZT. Overview of the recent advances in porcine epidemic diarrhea vaccines. Vet J 2024; 304:106097. [PMID: 38479492 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106097] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Vaccination is the most effective means of preventing and controlling porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED). Conventional vaccines developed from porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) GI-a subtypes (CV777 and SM98) have played a vital role in preventing classical PED. However, with the emergence of PEDV mutants in 2010, conventional PEDV GI-a subtype-targeting vaccines no longer provide adequate protection against PEDV GII mutants, thereby making novel-type PED vaccine development an urgent concern to be addressed. Novel vaccines, including nucleic acid vaccines, genetically engineered subunit vaccines, and live vector vaccines, are associated with several advantages, such as high safety and stability, clear targeting, high yield, low cost, and convenient usage. These vaccines can be combined with corresponding ELISA kits to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals, which is beneficial for disease confirmation. This review provides a detailed overview of the recent advancements in PED vaccines, emphasizing on the research and application evaluation of novel PED vaccines. It also considers the future directions and challenges in advancing these vaccines to widespread use in clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Zhan Wei
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Lan Chen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Ze Chen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yan-Juan Shen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Bi-Jun Zhou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Kai-Gong Wang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Chun-Lan Shan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Er-Peng Zhu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
| | - Zhen-Tao Cheng
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
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Yao G, Min H, Yu X, Liu F, Cui L, Cao Y. A nanoparticle vaccine displaying the ookinete PSOP25 antigen elicits transmission-blocking antibody response against Plasmodium berghei. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:403. [PMID: 37932796 PMCID: PMC10626823 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06020-8] [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: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Safe and effective vaccines are crucial for the control and eventual elimination of malaria. Novel approaches to optimize and improve vaccine efficacy are urgently required. Nanoparticle-based delivery platforms are considered potent and powerful tools for vaccine development. METHODS In this study, we developed a transmission-blocking vaccine against malaria by conjugating the ookinete surface antigen PSOP25 to the Acinetobacter phage coat protein AP205, forming virus-like particles (VLPs) using the SpyTag/SpyCatcher adaptor system. The combination of AP205-2*SpyTag with PSOP25-SpyCatcher resulted in the formation of AP205-PSOP25 complexes (VLP-PSOP25). The antibody titers and avidity of serum from each immunization group were assessed by ELISA. Western blot and IFA were performed to confirm the specific reactivity of the elicit antisera to the native PSOP25 in Plasmodium berghei ookinetes. Both in vitro and in vivo assays were conducted to evaluate the transmission-blocking activity of VLP-PSOP25 vaccine. RESULTS Immunization of mice with VLP-PSOP25 could induced higher levels of high-affinity antibodies than the recombinant PSOP25 (rPSOP25) alone or mixtures of untagged AP205 and rPSOP25 but was comparable to rPSOP25 formulated with alum. Additionally, the VLP-PSOP25 vaccine enhanced Th1-type immune response with remarkably increased levels of IgG2a subclass. The antiserum generated by VLP-PSOP25 specifically recognizes the native PSOP25 antigen in P. berghei ookinetes. Importantly, antisera generated by inoculation with the VLP-PSOP25 could inhibit ookinete development in vitro and reduce the prevalence of infected mosquitoes or oocyst intensity in direct mosquito feeding assays. CONCLUSIONS Antisera elicited by immunization with the VLP-PSOP25 vaccine confer moderate transmission-reducing activity and transmission-blocking activity. Our results support the utilization of the AP205-SpyTag/SpyCatcher platform for next-generation TBVs development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guixiang Yao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Hui Min
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xinxin Yu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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Nowak I, Madej M, Secemska J, Sarna R, Strzalka-Mrozik B. Virus-Based Biological Systems as Next-Generation Carriers for the Therapy of Central Nervous System Diseases. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1931. [PMID: 37514117 PMCID: PMC10384784 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15071931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system (CNS) diseases are currently a major challenge in medicine. One reason is the presence of the blood-brain barrier, which is a significant limitation for currently used medicinal substances that are characterized by a high molecular weight and a short half-life. Despite the application of nanotechnology, there is still the problem of targeting and the occurrence of systemic toxicity. Viral vectors and virus-like particles (VLPs) may provide a promising solution to these challenges. Their small size, biocompatibility, ability to carry medicinal substances, and specific targeting of neural cells make them useful in research when formulating a new generation of biological carriers. Additionally, the possibility of genetic modification has the potential for gene therapy. Among the most promising viral vectors are adeno-associated viruses, adenoviruses, and retroviruses. This is due to their natural tropism to neural cells, as well as the possibility of genetic and surface modification. Moreover, VLPs that are devoid of infectious genetic material in favor of increasing capacity are also leading the way for research on new drug delivery systems. The aim of this study is to review the most recent reports on the use of viral vectors and VLPs in the treatment of selected CNS diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Nowak
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
| | - Marcel Madej
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
| | - Julia Secemska
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
| | - Robert Sarna
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
| | - Barbara Strzalka-Mrozik
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
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