1
|
Jenkin D, Wright D, Folegatti PM, Platt A, Poulton I, Lawrie A, Tran N, Boyd A, Turner C, Gitonga JN, Karanja HK, Mugo D, Ewer KJ, Bowden TA, Gilbert SC, Charleston B, Kaleebu P, Hill AVS, Warimwe GM. Safety and immunogenicity of a ChAdOx1 vaccine against Rift Valley fever in UK adults: an open-label, non-randomised, first-in-human phase 1 clinical trial. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 23:956-964. [PMID: 37060917 PMCID: PMC7614834 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00068-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rift Valley fever is a viral epidemic illness prevalent in Africa that can be fatal or result in debilitating sequelae in humans. No vaccines are available for human use. We aimed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a non-replicating simian adenovirus-vectored Rift Valley fever (ChAdOx1 RVF) vaccine in humans. METHODS We conducted a phase 1, first-in-human, open-label, dose-escalation trial in healthy adults aged 18-50 years at the Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine, Oxford, UK. Participants were required to have no serious comorbidities or previous history of receiving an adenovirus-based vaccine before enrolment. Participants were non-randomly allocated to receive a single ChAdOx1 RVF dose of either 5 × 109 virus particles (vp), 2·5 × 1010 vp, or 5 × 1010 vp administered intramuscularly into the deltoid of their non-dominant arm; enrolment was sequential and administration was staggered to allow for safety to be assessed before progression to the next dose. Primary outcome measures were assessment of adverse events and secondary outcome measures were Rift Valley fever neutralising antibody titres, Rift Valley fever GnGc-binding antibody titres (ELISA), and cellular response (ELISpot), analysed in all participants who received a vaccine. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04754776). FINDINGS Between June 11, 2021, and Jan 13, 2022, 15 volunteers received a single dose of either 5 × 109 vp (n=3), 2·5 × 1010 vp (n=6), or 5 × 1010 vp (n=6) ChAdOx1 RVF. Nine participants were female and six were male. 14 (93%) of 15 participants reported solicited local adverse reactions; injection-site pain was the most frequent (13 [87%] of 15). Ten (67%) of 15 participants (from the 2·5 × 1010 vp and 5 × 1010 vp groups only) reported systemic symptoms, which were mostly mild in intensity, the most common being headache (nine [60%] of 15) and fatigue (seven [47%]). All unsolicited adverse events reported within 28 days were either mild or moderate in severity; gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common reaction (at least possibly related to vaccination), occurring in four (27%) of 15 participants. Transient decreases in total white cell, lymphocyte, or neutrophil counts occurred at day 2 in some participants in the intermediate-dose and high-dose groups. Lymphopenia graded as severe occurred in two participants in the 5 × 1010 vp group at a single timepoint, but resolved at the subsequent follow-up visit. No serious adverse events occurred. Rift Valley fever neutralising antibodies were detectable across all dose groups, with all participants in the 5 × 1010 vp dose group having high neutralising antibody titres that peaked at day 28 after vaccination and persisted through the 3-month follow-up. High titres of binding IgG targeting Gc glycoprotein were detected whereas those targeting Gn were comparatively low. IFNγ cellular responses against Rift Valley fever Gn and Gc glycoproteins were observed in all participants except one in the 5 × 1010 vp dose group. These IFNγ responses peaked at 2 weeks after vaccination, were highest in the 5 × 1010 vp dose group, and tended to be more frequent against the Gn glycoprotein. INTERPRETATION ChAdOx1 RVF was safe, well tolerated, and immunogenic when administered as a single dose in this study population. The data support further clinical development of ChAdOx1 RVF for human use. FUNDING UK Department of Health and Social Care through the UK Vaccines Network, Oak Foundation, and the Wellcome Trust. TRANSLATION For the Swahili translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jenkin
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniel Wright
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Abigail Platt
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ian Poulton
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alison Lawrie
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nguyen Tran
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Amy Boyd
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Cheryl Turner
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - John N Gitonga
- Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Henry K Karanja
- Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Daisy Mugo
- Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Katie J Ewer
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Thomas A Bowden
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Division of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah C Gilbert
- Chinese Academy of Medical Science Oxford Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Pontiano Kaleebu
- Medical Research Council-Uganda Virus Research Institute and The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | | | - George M Warimwe
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Preliminary Evaluation of a Recombinant Rift Valley Fever Virus Glycoprotein Subunit Vaccine Providing Full Protection against Heterologous Virulent Challenge in Cattle. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9070748. [PMID: 34358166 PMCID: PMC8310273 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen that causes periodic outbreaks of abortion in ruminant species and hemorrhagic disease in humans in sub-Saharan Africa. These outbreaks have a significant impact on veterinary and public health. Its introduction to the Arabian Peninsula in 2003 raised concerns of further spread of this transboundary pathogen to non-endemic areas. These concerns are supported by the presence of competent vectors in many non-endemic countries. There is no licensed RVF vaccine available for humans and only a conditionally licensed veterinary vaccine available in the United States. Currently employed modified live attenuated virus vaccines in endemic countries lack the ability for differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). Previously, the efficacy of a recombinant subunit vaccine based on the RVFV Gn and Gc glycoproteins, derived from the 1977 human RVFV isolate ZH548, was demonstrated in sheep. In the current study, cattle were vaccinated subcutaneously with the Gn only, or Gn and Gc combined, with either one or two doses of the vaccine and then subjected to heterologous virus challenge with the virulent Kenya-128B-15 RVFV strain, isolated from Aedes mosquitoes in 2006. The elicited immune responses by some vaccine formulations (one or two vaccinations) conferred complete protection from RVF within 35 days after the first vaccination. Vaccines given 35 days prior to RVFV challenge prevented viremia, fever and RVFV-associated histopathological lesions. This study indicates that a recombinant RVFV glycoprotein-based subunit vaccine platform is able to prevent and control RVFV infections in target animals.
Collapse
|
3
|
Characterization of Two Neutralizing Antibodies against Rift Valley Fever Virus Gn Protein. Viruses 2020; 12:v12030259. [PMID: 32120864 PMCID: PMC7150882 DOI: 10.3390/v12030259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an arthropod-borne virus that can not only cause severe disease in domestic animals but also in humans. However, the licensed vaccines or available therapeutics for humans do not exist. Here, we report two Gn-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), isolated from a rhesus monkey immunized with recombinant human adenoviruses type 4 expressing Rift Valley fever virus Gn and Gc protein (rHAdV4-GnGcopt). The two NAbs were both able to protect host cells from RVFV infection. The interactions between NAbs and Gn were then characterized to demonstrate that these two NAbs might preclude RVFV glycoprotein rearrangement, hindering the exposure of fusion loops in Gc to endosomal membranes after the virus invades the host cell. The target region for the two NAbs is located in the Gn domain III, implying that Gn is a desired target for developing vaccines and neutralizing antibodies against RVFV.
Collapse
|
4
|
MVA Vectored Vaccines Encoding Rift Valley Fever Virus Glycoproteins Protect Mice against Lethal Challenge in the Absence of Neutralizing Antibody Responses. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8010082. [PMID: 32059491 PMCID: PMC7157666 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8010082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In vitro neutralizing antibodies have been often correlated with protection against Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) infection. We have reported previously that a single inoculation of sucrose-purified modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) encoding RVFV glycoproteins (rMVAGnGc) was sufficient to induce a protective immune response in mice after a lethal RVFV challenge. Protection was related to the presence of glycoprotein specific CD8+ cells, with a low-level detection of in vitro neutralizing antibodies. In this work we extended those observations aimed to explore the role of humoral responses after MVA vaccination and to study the contribution of each glycoprotein antigen to the protective efficacy. Thus, we tested the efficacy and immune responses in BALB/c mice of recombinant MVA viruses expressing either glycoprotein Gn (rMVAGn) or Gc (rMVAGc). In the absence of serum neutralizing antibodies, our data strongly suggest that protection of vaccinated mice upon the RVFV challenge can be achieved by the activation of cellular responses mainly directed against Gc epitopes. The involvement of cellular immunity was stressed by the fact that protection of mice was strain dependent. Furthermore, our data suggest that the rMVA based single dose vaccination elicits suboptimal humoral immune responses against Gn antigen since disease in mice was exacerbated upon virus challenge in the presence of rMVAGnGc or rMVAGn immune serum. Thus, Gc-specific cellular immunity could be an important component in the protection after the challenge observed in BALB/c mice, contributing to the elimination of infected cells reducing morbidity and mortality and counteracting the deleterious effect of a subneutralizing antibody immune response.
Collapse
|
5
|
Ma J, Chen R, Huang W, Nie J, Liu Q, Wang Y, Yang X. In vitro and in vivo efficacy of a Rift Valley fever virus vaccine based on pseudovirus. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019; 15:2286-2294. [PMID: 31170027 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1627820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a recognized category A priority pathogen, causes large outbreaks of Rift Valley fever with some fatalities in humans in humans and huge economic losses in livestock. As wild-type RVFV must be handled in BSL-3 or BSL-4 laboratories, we constructed a high-titer vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotype bearing RVFV envelope glycoproteins to detect neutralizing antibodies in vitro under BSL-2 conditions. The neutralizing properties of 39 amino acid mutant sites that have occurred naturally over time in the RVFV envelope glycoproteins were analyzed with their corresponding pseudoviral mutants separately. Compared with the results in the primary strain, the variants showed no statistically significant differences. We next established a Balb/c mouse pseudovirus infection model for detecting neutralizing antibodies against pseudovirus. Five immunizations with pseudoviral DNA protected the mice from infection with the pseudovirus. Bioluminescence imaging, which we used to evaluate viral dissemination and distribution in the mice, showed a good relationship between the neutralizing antibodies titers in vitro. These pseudovirus methods will allow for the safe determination of neutralizing antibodies in vivo and in vitro, and will assist with studies on vaccines and drugs against RVFV with the long term objective of Rift Valley fever prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ma
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex-transmitted Virus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) , Beijing , China.,National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combination Vaccines , Wuhan , China
| | - Ruifeng Chen
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex-transmitted Virus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) , Beijing , China
| | - Weijin Huang
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex-transmitted Virus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) , Beijing , China
| | - Jianhui Nie
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex-transmitted Virus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) , Beijing , China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex-transmitted Virus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) , Beijing , China
| | - Youchun Wang
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex-transmitted Virus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) , Beijing , China
| | - Xiaoming Yang
- National Engineering Technology Research Center of Combination Vaccines , Wuhan , China.,China National Biotec Group Company Limited , Beijing , China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ikegami T, Balogh A, Nishiyama S, Lokugamage N, Saito TB, Morrill JC, Shivanna V, Indran SV, Zhang L, Smith JK, Perez D, Juelich TL, Morozov I, Wilson WC, Freiberg AN, Richt JA. Distinct virulence of Rift Valley fever phlebovirus strains from different genetic lineages in a mouse model. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189250. [PMID: 29267298 PMCID: PMC5739399 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV) causes high rates of abortions and fetal malformations in ruminants, and hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or blindness in humans. Viral transmission occurs via mosquito vectors in endemic areas, which necessitates regular vaccination of susceptible livestock animals to prevent the RVF outbreaks. Although ZH501 strain has been used as a challenge strain for past vaccine efficacy studies, further characterization of other RVFV strains is important to optimize ruminant and nonhuman primate RVFV challenge models. This study aimed to characterize the virulence of wild-type RVFV strains belonging to different genetic lineages in outbred CD1 mice. Mice were intraperitoneally infected with 1x103 PFU of wild-type ZH501, Kenya 9800523, Kenya 90058, Saudi Arabia 200010911, OS1, OS7, SA75, Entebbe, or SA51 strains. Among them, mice infected with SA51, Entebbe, or OS7 strain showed rapid dissemination of virus in livers and peracute necrotic hepatitis at 2-3 dpi. Recombinant SA51 (rSA51) and Zinga (rZinga) strains were recovered by reverse genetics, and their virulence was also tested in CD1 mice. The rSA51 strain reproduced peracute RVF disease in mice, whereas the rZinga strain showed a similar virulence with that of rZH501 strain. This study showed that RVFV strains in different genetic lineages display distinct virulence in outbred mice. Importantly, since wild-type RVFV strains contain defective-interfering RNA or various genetic subpopulations during passage from original viral isolations, recombinant RVFV strains generated by reverse genetics will be better suitable for reproducible challenge studies for vaccine development as well as pathological studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuro Ikegami
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Aaron Balogh
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Shoko Nishiyama
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nandadeva Lokugamage
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Tais B. Saito
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - John C. Morrill
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Vinay Shivanna
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Sabarish V. Indran
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Lihong Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Galveston National Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jennifer K. Smith
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Galveston National Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - David Perez
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Galveston National Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Terry L. Juelich
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Galveston National Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Igor Morozov
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - William C. Wilson
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Arthropod Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Alexander N. Freiberg
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Galveston National Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Juergen A. Richt
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Current Status of Rift Valley Fever Vaccine Development. Vaccines (Basel) 2017; 5:vaccines5030029. [PMID: 28925970 PMCID: PMC5620560 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines5030029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 09/16/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease that presents a substantial threat to human and public health. It is caused by Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV), which belongs to the genus Phlebovirus and the family Phenuiviridae within the order Bunyavirales. The wide distribution of competent vectors in non-endemic areas coupled with global climate change poses a significant threat of the transboundary spread of RVFV. In the last decade, an improved understanding of the molecular biology of RVFV has facilitated significant progress in the development of novel vaccines, including DIVA (differentiating infected from vaccinated animals) vaccines. Despite these advances, there is no fully licensed vaccine for veterinary or human use available in non-endemic countries, whereas in endemic countries, there is no clear policy or practice of routine/strategic livestock vaccinations as a preventive or mitigating strategy against potential RVF disease outbreaks. The purpose of this review was to provide an update on the status of RVF vaccine development and provide perspectives on the best strategies for disease control. Herein, we argue that the routine or strategic vaccination of livestock could be the best control approach for preventing the outbreak and spread of future disease.
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) (genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae) is an arbovirus that causes severe disease in humans and livestock in sub-Saharan African countries. The virus carries a tripartite, single-stranded, and negative-sense RNA genome, designated as L, M, and S RNAs. RVFV spread can be prevented by the effective vaccination of animals and humans. Although the MP-12 strain of RVFV is a live attenuated vaccine candidate, MP-12 showed neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence in young mice and immunodeficiency mice. Hence, there is a concern for the use of MP-12 to certain individuals, especially those that are immunocompromised. To improve MP-12 safety, we have generated a single-cycle, replicable MP-12 (scMP-12), which carries L RNA, S RNA encoding green fluorescent protein in place of a viral nonstructural protein NSs, and an M RNA encoding a mutant envelope protein lacking an endoplasmic reticulum retrieval signal and defective for membrane fusion function. The scMP-12 undergoes efficient amplification in the Vero-G cell line, which is a Vero cell line stably expressing viral envelope proteins, while it undergoes single-cycle replication in naïve cells and completely lacks neurovirulence in suckling mice after intracranial inoculation. A single-dose vaccination of mice with scMP-12 confers protective immunity. Thus, scMP-12 represents a new, promising RVF vaccine candidate. Here we describe protocols for scMP-12 generation by using a reverse genetics system, establishment of Vero-G cells, and titration of scMP-12 in Vero-G cells.
Collapse
|
9
|
Faburay B, Lebedev M, McVey DS, Wilson W, Morozov I, Young A, Richt JA. A glycoprotein subunit vaccine elicits a strong Rift Valley fever virus neutralizing antibody response in sheep. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 14:746-56. [PMID: 25325319 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2014.1650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a member of the Bunyaviridae family, is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen that causes serious morbidity and mortality in livestock and humans. The recent spread of the virus beyond its traditional endemic boundaries in Africa to the Arabian Peninsula coupled with the presence of susceptible vectors in nonendemic countries has created increased interest in RVF vaccines. Subunit vaccines composed of specific virus proteins expressed in eukaryotic or prokaryotic expression systems are shown to elicit neutralizing antibodies in susceptible hosts. RVFV structural proteins, amino-terminus glycoprotein (Gn), and carboxyl-terminus glycoprotein (Gc), were expressed using a recombinant baculovirus expression system. The recombinant proteins were reconstituted as a GnGc subunit vaccine formulation and evaluated for immunogenicity in a target species, sheep. Six sheep were each immunized with a primary dose of 50 μg of each vaccine immunogen with the adjuvant montanide ISA25; at day 21, postvaccination, each animal received a second dose of the same vaccine. The vaccine induced a strong antibody response in all animals as determined by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT80) showed the primary dose of the vaccine was sufficient to elicit potentially protective virus neutralizing antibody titers ranging from 40 to 160, and the second vaccine dose boosted the titer to more than 1280. Furthermore, all animals tested positive for neutralizing antibodies at day 328 postvaccination. ELISA analysis using the recombinant nucleocapsid protein as a negative marker antigen indicated that the vaccine candidate is DIVA (differentiating infected from vaccinated animals) compatible and represents a promising vaccine platform for RVFV infection in susceptible species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bonto Faburay
- 1 Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Faburay B, Wilson WC, Gaudreault NN, Davis AS, Shivanna V, Bawa B, Sunwoo SY, Ma W, Drolet BS, Morozov I, McVey DS, Richt JA. A Recombinant Rift Valley Fever Virus Glycoprotein Subunit Vaccine Confers Full Protection against Rift Valley Fever Challenge in Sheep. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27719. [PMID: 27296136 PMCID: PMC4906348 DOI: 10.1038/srep27719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen causing disease outbreaks in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The virus has great potential for transboundary spread due to the presence of competent vectors in non-endemic areas. There is currently no fully licensed vaccine suitable for use in livestock or humans outside endemic areas. Here we report the evaluation of the efficacy of a recombinant subunit vaccine based on the RVFV Gn and Gc glycoproteins. In a previous study, the vaccine elicited strong virus neutralizing antibody responses in sheep and was DIVA (differentiating naturally infected from vaccinated animals) compatible. In the current efficacy study, a group of sheep (n = 5) was vaccinated subcutaneously with the glycoprotein-based subunit vaccine candidate and then subjected to heterologous challenge with the virulent Kenya-128B-15 RVFV strain. The vaccine elicited high virus neutralizing antibody titers and conferred complete protection in all vaccinated sheep, as evidenced by prevention of viremia, fever and absence of RVFV-associated histopathological lesions. We conclude that the subunit vaccine platform represents a promising strategy for the prevention and control of RVFV infections in susceptible hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bonto Faburay
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - William C Wilson
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Natasha N Gaudreault
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - A Sally Davis
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Vinay Shivanna
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Bhupinder Bawa
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Sun Young Sunwoo
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Wenjun Ma
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Barbara S Drolet
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Igor Morozov
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - D Scott McVey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Juergen A Richt
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Terasaki K, Tercero BR, Makino S. Single-cycle replicable Rift Valley fever virus mutants as safe vaccine candidates. Virus Res 2015; 216:55-65. [PMID: 26022573 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2015.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an arbovirus circulating between ruminants and mosquitoes to maintain its enzootic cycle. Humans are infected with RVFV through mosquito bites or direct contact with materials of infected animals. The virus causes Rift Valley fever (RVF), which was first recognized in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya in 1931. RVF is characterized by a febrile illness resulting in a high rate of abortions in ruminants and an acute febrile illness, followed by fatal hemorrhagic fever and encephalitis in humans. Initially, the virus was restricted to the eastern region of Africa, but the disease has now spread to southern and western Africa, as well as outside of the African continent, e.g., Madagascar, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. There is a serious concern that the virus may spread to other areas, such as North America and Europe. As vaccination is an effective tool to control RVFV epidemics, formalin-inactivated vaccines and live-attenuated RVFV vaccines have been used in endemic areas. The formalin-inactivated vaccines require boosters for effective protection, whereas the live-attenuated vaccines enable the induction of protective immunity by a single vaccination. However, the use of live-attenuated RVFV vaccines for large human populations having a varied health status is of concern, because of these vaccines' residual neuro-invasiveness and neurovirulence. Recently, novel vaccine candidates have been developed using replication-defective RVFV that can undergo only a single round of replication in infected cells. The single-cycle replicable RVFV does not cause systemic infection in immunized hosts, but enables the conferring of protective immunity. This review summarizes the properties of various RVFV vaccines and recent progress on the development of the single-cycle replicable RVFV vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Terasaki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1019, USA.
| | - Breanna R Tercero
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1019, USA
| | - Shinji Makino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1019, USA; Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1019, USA; UTMB Center for Tropical Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1019, USA; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1019, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1019, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Murakami S, Terasaki K, Ramirez SI, Morrill JC, Makino S. Development of a novel, single-cycle replicable rift valley Fever vaccine. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e2746. [PMID: 24651859 PMCID: PMC3961198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) (genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae) is an arbovirus that causes severe disease in humans and livestock in sub-Saharan African countries. Although the MP-12 strain of RVFV is a live attenuated vaccine candidate, neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence of MP-12 in mice may be a concern when vaccinating certain individuals, especially those that are immunocompromised. We have developed a novel, single-cycle replicable MP-12 (scMP-12), which carries an L RNA, M RNA mutant encoding a mutant envelope protein lacking an endoplasmic reticulum retrieval signal and defective for membrane fusion function, and S RNA encoding N protein and green fluorescent protein. The scMP-12 underwent efficient amplification, then formed plaques and retained the introduced mutation after serial passages in a cell line stably expressing viral envelope proteins. However, inoculation of the scMP-12 into naïve cells resulted in a single round of viral replication, and production of low levels of noninfectious virus-like particles. Intracranial inoculation of scMP-12 into suckling mice did not cause clinical signs or death, a finding which demonstrated that the scMP-12 lacked neurovirulence. Mice immunized with a single dose of scMP-12 produced neutralizing antibodies, whose titers were higher than in mice immunized with replicon particles carrying L RNA and S RNA encoding N protein and green fluorescent protein. Moreover, 90% of the scMP-12-immunized mice were protected from wild-type RVFV challenge by efficiently suppressing viremia and replication of the challenge virus in the liver and the spleen. These data demonstrated that scMP-12 is a safe and immunogenic RVFV vaccine candidate.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Antibodies, Viral/blood
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Mice
- Mutant Proteins/genetics
- Mutant Proteins/metabolism
- Rift Valley Fever/prevention & control
- Rift Valley fever virus/genetics
- Rift Valley fever virus/immunology
- Rift Valley fever virus/physiology
- Survival Analysis
- Vaccines, Attenuated/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Attenuated/adverse effects
- Vaccines, Attenuated/genetics
- Vaccines, Attenuated/immunology
- Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Synthetic/adverse effects
- Vaccines, Synthetic/genetics
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
- Viral Proteins/genetics
- Viral Proteins/immunology
- Viral Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Viral Vaccines/adverse effects
- Viral Vaccines/genetics
- Viral Vaccines/immunology
- Virus Internalization
- Virus Replication
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shin Murakami
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kaori Terasaki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sydney I. Ramirez
- Department of Pathology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - John C. Morrill
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Shinji Makino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- UTMB Center for Tropical Diseases, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ikegami T. Molecular biology and genetic diversity of Rift Valley fever virus. Antiviral Res 2012; 95:293-310. [PMID: 22710362 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2012.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2011] [Revised: 01/05/2012] [Accepted: 06/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a member of the family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus, is the causative agent of Rift Valley fever (RVF), a mosquito-borne disease of ruminant animals and humans. The generation of a large sequence database has facilitated studies of the evolution and spread of the virus. Bayesian analyses indicate that currently circulating strains of RVFV are descended from an ancestral species that emerged from a natural reservoir in Africa when large-scale cattle and sheep farming were introduced during the 19th century. Viruses descended from multiple lineages persist in that region, through infection of reservoir animals and vertical transmission in mosquitoes, emerging in years of heavy rainfall to cause epizootics and epidemics. On a number of occasions, viruses from these lineages have been transported outside the enzootic region through the movement of infected animals or mosquitoes, triggering outbreaks in countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania and Madagascar, where RVF had not previously been seen. Such viruses could potentially become established in their new environments through infection of wild and domestic ruminants and other animals and vertical transmission in local mosquito species. Despite their extensive geographic dispersion, all strains of RVFV remain closely related at the nucleotide and amino acid level. The high degree of conservation of genes encoding the virion surface glycoproteins suggests that a single vaccine should protect against all currently circulating RVFV strains. Similarly, preservation of the sequence of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase across viral lineages implies that antiviral drugs targeting the enzyme should be effective against all strains. Researchers should be encouraged to collect additional RVFV isolates and perform whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, so as to enhance our understanding of the continuing evolution of this important virus. This review forms part of a series of invited papers in Antiviral Research on the genetic diversity of emerging viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuro Ikegami
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, MMNP3.206D, 301 University Blvd. Galveston, TX 77555-0436, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ahmed Kamal S. Observations on rift valley fever virus and vaccines in Egypt. Virol J 2011; 8:532. [PMID: 22152149 PMCID: PMC3264540 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-8-532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 12/12/2011] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV, genus: Phlebovirus, family: Bunyaviridae), is an arbovirus which causes significant morbidity and mortality in animals and humans. RVFV was introduced for the first time in Egypt in 1977. In endemic areas, the insect vector control and vaccination is considering appropriate measures if applied properly and the used vaccine is completely safe and the vaccination programs cover all the susceptible animals. Egypt is importing livestock and camels from the African Horn & the Sudan for human consumption. The imported livestock and camels were usually not vaccinated against RVFV. But in rare occasions, the imported livestock were vaccinated but with unknown date of vaccination and the unvaccinated control contacts were unavailable for laboratory investigations. Also, large number of the imported livestock and camels are often escaped slaughtering for breeding which led to the spread of new strains of FMD and the introduction of RVFV from the enzootic African countries. This article provide general picture about the present situation of RVFV in Egypt to help in controlling this important disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samia Ahmed Kamal
- Virology department, Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Busquets N, Xavier F, Martín-Folgar R, Lorenzo G, Galindo-Cardiel I, del Val BP, Rivas R, Iglesias J, Rodríguez F, Solanes D, Domingo M, Brun A. Experimental Infection of Young Adult European Breed Sheep with Rift Valley Fever Virus Field Isolates. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 10:689-96. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2009.0205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Busquets
- CReSA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, UAB-IRTA, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - F. Xavier
- CReSA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, UAB-IRTA, Bellaterra, Spain
| | | | - Gema Lorenzo
- CISA, Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, INIA, Valdeolmos, Spain
| | | | | | - Raquel Rivas
- CReSA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, UAB-IRTA, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Javier Iglesias
- CISA, Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, INIA, Valdeolmos, Spain
| | | | - David Solanes
- CReSA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, UAB-IRTA, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Mariano Domingo
- CReSA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, UAB-IRTA, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Alejandro Brun
- CISA, Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, INIA, Valdeolmos, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Martín-Folgar R, Lorenzo G, Boshra H, Iglesias J, Mateos F, Borrego B, Brun A. Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against Rift Valley fever virus nucleocapsid protein generated by DNA immunization. MAbs 2010; 2:275-84. [PMID: 20400862 DOI: 10.4161/mabs.2.3.11676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper describes the generation of monoclonal antibodies directed to immunogenic nucleoprotein N epitopes of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), and their application in diagnostics, both for antibody detection in competitive ELISA and for antigen capture in a sandwich ELISA. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated after DNA immunization of Balb/c mice and characterized by western blot, ELISA and cell immunostaining assays. At least three different immunorelevant epitopes were defined by mAb competition assays. Interestingly, two of the mAbs generated were able to distinguish between RVFV strains from Egyptian or South African lineages. These monoclonal antibodies constitute useful tools for diagnosis, especially for the detection of serum anti-RVFV antibodies from a broad range of species by means of competitive ELISA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Martín-Folgar
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, Carretera de Valdeolmos, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sall AA, Zanotto PM, Vialat P, Sène OK, Bouloy M. Molecular epidemiology and emergence of Rift Valley fever. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 1998; 93:609-14. [PMID: 9830526 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02761998000500009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne viral disease which manifested itself during recent epidemics and revealed its significant potential of emergence. Studies on molecular epidemiology undertaken to better understand the factors leading to RVF emergence, have confirmed the mode of circulation of the virus and highlighted probable risks and obstacles for prevention and control. As for several other viral agents, molecular epidemiology is becoming a useful tool in the study of the emergence of RVF as a serious infectious disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A A Sall
- Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Senegal.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Besselaar TG, Blackburn NK. The effect of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies on early events in Rift Valley fever virus infectivity. RESEARCH IN VIROLOGY 1994; 145:13-9. [PMID: 7517569 DOI: 10.1016/s0923-2516(07)80002-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were used to examine possible stages at which antibody-mediated neutralization of Rift Valley fever virus occurs, and to assess whether binding of antibody is dependent on viral protein structure in order that antibody recognition take place. Analysis of the structural properties of the antigenic determinants revealed that the neutralizing sites are highly conformation-dependent. None of the mAb prevented virus binding, suggesting that the epitopes they define are spatially separate from the site(s) responsible for virus attachment to the cellular receptor. The finding that many of the mAb also did not inhibit virus entry into the cell demonstrated that neutralization of RVFV infectivity by immune antibodies is not dependent on blocking at the early stages in the viral life cycle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T G Besselaar
- Department of Virology, University of the Witwatersrand, Sandringham, South Africa
| | | |
Collapse
|