A high-throughput inhibition assay to study MERS-CoV antibody interactions using image cytometry

Two immune-based methods using immortalized porcine kidney macrophages for quantifying neutralizing activity against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus-2

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes a serious infectious disease in pigs in farms worldwide. Neutralizing antibody titer is an effective index for evaluating immunity to PRRSV; however, PRRSV has different neutralizing cross-reactivity between strains. Therefore, quantitative measurement of neutralizing antibody titers against field PRRSV strains would be required to evaluate whether neutralizing antibodies in pigs could possess neutralizing activity against individual or multiple strains. Immune-based methods, such as image cytometry (ICM) and cell-based enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA), are quantitative and can be used to evaluate many samples. Using immortalized porcine kidney macrophages (IPKMs), which are highly susceptible to infection from field PRRSV-2 strains compared with other cell lines, immune-based methods could enable the evaluation of the neutralizing activity of porcine serum against field strains of PRRSV-2 that are difficult to isolate in conventional cells. In summary, we adapted two methods, namely ICM and cell-based ELISA, to IPKMs for quantitative neutralizing antibody titer measurements. Two immune-based methods using IPKMs are adequate for quantifying neutralizing activity of porcine serum against PRRSV-2, including field strains.

High-throughput viral microneutralization method for feline coronavirus using image cytometry

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There are no approved antiviral drugs or recommended vaccines for feline coronavirus infection.

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Plate-based image cytometry is used for high-throughput viral microneutralization assays.

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Image cytometry is faster and more sensitive than traditional plaque reduction neutralization tests.

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Cell seeding density, plate surface coating, virus concentration and incubation time, fluorescent labeling, and buffers were optimized.

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Cross-neutralization between FCoV type I and II viruses was not observed.

Feline coronaviruses (FCoV) are members of the alphacoronavirus genus that are further characterized by serotype (types I and II) based on the antigenicity of the spike (S) protein and by pathotype based on the associated clinical conditions. Feline enteric coronaviruses (FECV) are associated with the vast majority of infections and are typically asymptomatic. Within individual animals, FECV can mutate and cause a severe and usually fatal disease called feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), the leading infectious cause of death in domestic cat populations. There are no approved antiviral drugs or recommended vaccines to treat or prevent FCoV infection. The plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) traditionally employed to assess immune responses and to screen therapeutic and vaccine candidates is time-consuming, low-throughput, and typically requires 2–3 days for the formation and manual counting of cytolytic plaques. Host cells are capable of carrying heavy viral burden in the absence of visible cytolytic effects, thereby reducing the sensitivity of the assay. In addition, operator-to-operator variation can generate uncertainty in the results and digital records are not automatically created. To address these challenges we developed a novel high-throughput viral microneutralization assay, with quantification of virus-infected cells performed in a plate-based image cytometer. Host cell seeding density, microplate surface coating, virus concentration and incubation time, wash buffer and fluorescent labeling were optimized. Subsequently, this FCoV viral neutralization assay was used to explore immune correlates of protection using plasma from naturally FECV-infected cats. We demonstrate that the high-throughput viral neutralization assay using the Celigo Image Cytometer provides a robust and efficient method for the rapid screening of therapeutic antibodies, antiviral compounds, and vaccines. This method can be applied to various viral infectious diseases to accelerate vaccine and antiviral drug discovery and development.

Characterization of CAR T cell expansion and cytotoxic potential during Ex Vivo manufacturing using image-based cytometry

Since the FDA approval of two Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapies against CD19⁺ malignancies, there has been significant interest in adapting CAR technology to other diseases. As such, the ability to simultaneously monitor manufacturing criteria and functional characteristics of multiple CAR T cell products by a single instrument would likely accelerate the development of candidate therapies. Here, we demonstrate that image-based cytometry yields high-throughput measurements of CAR T cell proliferation and size, and captures the kinetics of in vitro antigen-specific CAR T cell-mediated killing. The data acquired and analyzed by the image cytometer are congruent with results derived from conventional technologies when tested contemporaneously. Moreover, the use of bright-field and fluorescence microscopy by the image cytometer provides kinetic measurements and rapid data acquisition, which are direct advantages over industry standard instruments. Together, image cytometry enables fast, reproducible measurements of CAR T cell manufacturing criteria and effector function, which can greatly facilitate the evaluation of novel CARs with therapeutic potential.

Immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine candidate for COVID-19

The coronavirus family member, SARS-CoV-2 has been identified as the causal agent for the pandemic viral pneumonia disease, COVID-19. At this time, no vaccine is available to control further dissemination of the disease. We have previously engineered a synthetic DNA vaccine targeting the MERS coronavirus Spike (S) protein, the major surface antigen of coronaviruses, which is currently in clinical study. Here we build on this prior experience to generate a synthetic DNA-based vaccine candidate targeting SARS-CoV-2 S protein. The engineered construct, INO-4800, results in robust expression of the S protein in vitro. Following immunization of mice and guinea pigs with INO-4800 we measure antigen-specific T cell responses, functional antibodies which neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 infection and block Spike protein binding to the ACE2 receptor, and biodistribution of SARS-CoV-2 targeting antibodies to the lungs. This preliminary dataset identifies INO-4800 as a potential COVID-19 vaccine candidate, supporting further translational study.

A high-throughput chemotaxis detection method for CCR4+ T cell migration inhibition using image cytometry

Chemotaxis is an important aspect of immune cell behavior within the tumor microenvironment (TME). One prominent example of chemotaxis within the TME is the migration of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in response to the chemokine ligands CCL17 and CCL22. Tregs within the TME cause the suppression of anti-tumor immunity and inhibition of the effect of immunotherapeutic treatments. Therefore, the ability to screen for therapeutic antibodies that can inhibit or stimulate the chemotaxis of various immune cell types is crucial. Traditionally, chemotaxis is studied by determining the number of cells in the bottom reservoir of a Transwell microplate using flow cytometry; however, this method is time-consuming and thus not appropriate for high-throughput screening purposes. The Celigo Image Cytometer has been employed to perform high-throughput cell-based assays and was used to develop a new detection method for chemotaxis measurement. The image-based detection method was developed using chemokine ligands CCL17 and CCL22 to induce the migration of CCR4⁺ T cells and directly count them on the bottom of the Transwell plates. Finally, the method was applied to measure the inhibitory effects of commercially available anti-CCL17 and anti-CCL22 antibodies, which caused a dose-dependent decrease in the number of migrated T cells. The proposed image cytometry method allowed screening of multiple antibodies at various concentrations, simultaneously, which can improve the efficiency for discovering potential antibody candidates that can induce or inhibit recruitment of immune cells to the tumor microenvironment.

Structural Definition of a Neutralization-Sensitive Epitope on the MERS-CoV S1-NTD

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emerged into the human population in 2012 and has caused substantial morbidity and mortality. Potently neutralizing antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) on MERS-CoV spike (S) protein have been characterized, but much less is known about antibodies targeting non-RBD epitopes. Here, we report the structural and functional characterization of G2, a neutralizing antibody targeting the MERS-CoV S1 N-terminal domain (S1-NTD). Structures of G2 alone and in complex with the MERS-CoV S1-NTD define a site of vulnerability comprising two loops, each of which contain a residue mutated in G2-escape variants. Cell-surface binding studies and in vitro competition experiments demonstrate that G2 strongly disrupts the attachment of MERS-CoV S to its receptor, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), with the inhibition requiring the native trimeric S conformation. These results advance our understanding of antibody-mediated neutralization of coronaviruses and should facilitate the development of immunotherapeutics and vaccines against MERS-CoV.