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Wong LP, Lee HY, Alias H, Zimet G, Liu T, Lin Y, Hu Z. Cost-based COVID-19 vaccination and willingness to pay: A post-pandemic review. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2313860. [PMID: 38359815 PMCID: PMC10877984 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2313860] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The primary objective of this paper is to serve as a valuable resource for policymakers who are confronted with the evolving landscape of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), considering both free and cost-based vaccination approaches. The potential consequences of shifting from free to cost-based vaccination are explored, encompassing its impact on global vaccine equity and prioritization, economic well-being, healthcare systems and delivery, public health policies, and vaccine distribution strategies. Examining past studies on willingness to pay for the initial COVID-19 vaccine dose and booster shots provides insights into how individuals value COVID-19 vaccinations and underscores the significance of addressing issues related to affordability. If COVID-19 vaccinations incur expenses, using effective communication strategies that emphasize the importance of vaccination and personal health benefits can increase willingness to pay. Making COVID-19 vaccines accessible through public health programs or health insurance can help alleviate financial barriers and increase vaccination rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ping Wong
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Environment Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Hai Yen Lee
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Haridah Alias
- Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Gregory Zimet
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Tongyu Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yulan Lin
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Environment Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zhijian Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Fujian Key Laboratory of Environment Factors and Cancer, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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du Preez HN, Lin J, Maguire GEM, Aldous C, Kruger HG. COVID-19 vaccine adverse events: Evaluating the pathophysiology with an emphasis on sulfur metabolism and endotheliopathy. Eur J Clin Invest 2024:e14296. [PMID: 39118373 DOI: 10.1111/eci.14296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
In this narrative review, we assess the pathophysiology of severe adverse events that presented after vaccination with DNA and mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. The focus is on the perspective of an undersulfated and degraded glycocalyx, considering its impact on immunomodulation, inflammatory responses, coagulation and oxidative stress. The paper explores various factors that lead to glutathione and inorganic sulfate depletion and their subsequent effect on glycocalyx sulfation and other metabolites, including hormones. Components of COVID-19 vaccines, such as DNA and mRNA material, spike protein antigen and lipid nanoparticles, are involved in possible cytotoxic effects. The common thread connecting these adverse events is endotheliopathy or glycocalyx degradation, caused by depleted glutathione and inorganic sulfate levels, shear stress from circulating nanoparticles, aggregation and formation of protein coronas; leading to imbalanced immune responses and chronic release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ultimately resulting in oxidative stress and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. By understanding the underlying pathophysiology of severe adverse events, better treatment options can be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi N du Preez
- Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Johnson Lin
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Glenn E M Maguire
- Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Colleen Aldous
- College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Hendrik G Kruger
- Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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P P, Riyaz A, Choudhury A, Choudhury PR, Pradhan N, Singh A, Nakul M, Dudeja C, Yadav A, Nath SK, Khanna V, Sharma T, Pradhan G, Takkar S, Rawal K. DNASCANNER v2: A Web-Based Tool to Analyze the Characteristic Properties of Nucleotide Sequences. J Comput Biol 2024; 31:651-669. [PMID: 38662479 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2023.0227] [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] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Throughout the process of evolution, DNA undergoes the accumulation of distinct mutations, which can often result in highly organized patterns that serve various essential biological functions. These patterns encompass various genomic elements and provide valuable insights into the regulatory and functional aspects of DNA. The physicochemical, mechanical, thermodynamic, and structural properties of DNA sequences play a crucial role in the formation of specific patterns. These properties contribute to the three-dimensional structure of DNA and influence their interactions with proteins, regulatory elements, and other molecules. In this study, we introduce DNASCANNER v2, an advanced version of our previously published algorithm DNASCANNER for analyzing DNA properties. The current tool is built using the FLASK framework in Python language. Featuring a user-friendly interface tailored for nonspecialized researchers, it offers an extensive analysis of 158 DNA properties, including mono/di/trinucleotide frequencies, structural, physicochemical, thermodynamics, and mechanical properties of DNA sequences. The tool provides downloadable results and offers interactive plots for easy interpretation and comparison between different features. We also demonstrate the utility of DNASCANNER v2 in analyzing splice-site junctions, casposon insertion sequences, and transposon insertion sites (TIS) within the bacterial and human genomes, respectively. We also developed a deep learning module for the prediction of potential TIS in a given nucleotide sequence. In the future, we aim to optimize the performance of this prediction model through extensive training on larger data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti P
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Azeen Riyaz
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Alakto Choudhury
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Priyanka Ray Choudhury
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nischal Pradhan
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Abhishek Singh
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mihir Nakul
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Chhavi Dudeja
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Abhijeet Yadav
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Swarsat Kaushik Nath
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vrinda Khanna
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Trapti Sharma
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Gayatri Pradhan
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Simran Takkar
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Kamal Rawal
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Mohammadi M, Saha A, Giles-Davis W, Xiang Z, Novikov M, Hasanpourghadi M, C. J. Ertl H. Preclinical Immunogenicity and Efficacy Studies for Therapeutic Vaccines for Human Papillomavirus-Type-16-Associated Cancer. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:616. [PMID: 38932345 PMCID: PMC11209626 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12060616] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to conduct preclinical immunogenicity and efficacy studies with several therapeutic vaccines for human papillomavirus (HPV)-16-associated cancers expressing the early antigens E5, E6, and E7 with or without E2. The viral oncoproteins were either expressed by themselves as fusion proteins or the fusion proteins were inserted genetically into herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 glycoprotein D (gD) which, upon binding to the herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM), inhibits an early T cell checkpoint mediated by the B and T cell mediator (BTLA). This, in turn, lowers the threshold for T cell activation and augments and broadens CD8+ T cell responses to the antigens. The fusion antigens were expressed by chimpanzee adenovirus (AdC) vectors. Expression of the HPV antigens within gD was essential for vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy against challenge with TC-1 cells, which express E7 and E6 of HPV-16 but neither E5 nor E2. Unexpectedly, inclusion of E2 increased both CD8+ T cell responses to the other oncoproteins of HPV-16 and the effectiveness of the vaccines to cause the regression of sizable TC-1 tumors.
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Demirden SF, Kimiz-Gebologlu I, Oncel SS. Animal Cell Lines as Expression Platforms in Viral Vaccine Production: A Post Covid-19 Perspective. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:16904-16926. [PMID: 38645343 PMCID: PMC11025085 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c10484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Vaccines are considered the most effective tools for preventing diseases. In this sense, with the Covid-19 pandemic, the effects of which continue all over the world, humanity has once again remembered the importance of the vaccine. Also, with the various epidemic outbreaks that occurred previously, the development processes of effective vaccines against these viral pathogens have accelerated. By these efforts, many different new vaccine platforms have been approved for commercial use and have been introduced to the commercial landscape. In addition, innovations have been made in the production processes carried out with conventionally produced vaccine types to create a rapid response to prevent potential epidemics or pandemics. In this situation, various cell lines are being positioned at the center of the production processes of these new generation viral vaccines as expression platforms. Therefore, since the main goal is to produce a fast, safe, and effective vaccine to prevent the disease, in addition to existing expression systems, different cell lines that have not been used in vaccine production until now have been included in commercial production for the first time. In this review, first current viral vaccine types in clinical use today are described. Then, the reason for using cell lines, which are the expression platforms used in the production of these viral vaccines, and the general production processes of cell culture-based viral vaccines are mentioned. Also, selection parameters for animal cell lines as expression platforms in vaccine production are explained by considering bioprocess efficiency and current regulations. Finally, all different cell lines used in cell culture-based viral vaccine production and their properties are summarized, with an emphasis on the current and future status of cell cultures in industrial viral vaccine production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Suphi S. Oncel
- Ege University, Bioengineering Department, Izmir, 35100, Turkiye
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Gibo M, Kojima S, Fujisawa A, Kikuchi T, Fukushima M. Increased Age-Adjusted Cancer Mortality After the Third mRNA-Lipid Nanoparticle Vaccine Dose During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan. Cureus 2024; 16:e57860. [PMID: 38721172 PMCID: PMC11077472 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, excess deaths including cancer have become a concern in Japan, which has a rapidly aging population. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate how age-adjusted mortality rates (AMRs) for different types of cancer in Japan changed during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022). Official statistics from Japan were used to compare observed annual and monthly AMRs with predicted rates based on pre-pandemic (2010-2019) figures using logistic regression analysis. No significant excess mortality was observed during the first year of the pandemic (2020). However, some excess cancer mortalities were observed in 2021 after mass vaccination with the first and second vaccine doses, and significant excess mortalities were observed for all cancers and some specific types of cancer (including ovarian cancer, leukemia, prostate cancer, lip/oral/pharyngeal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer) after mass vaccination with the third dose in 2022. AMRs for the four cancers with the most deaths (lung, colorectal, stomach, and liver) showed a decreasing trend until the first year of the pandemic in 2020, but the rate of decrease slowed in 2021 and 2022. This study discusses possible explanations for these increases in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Gibo
- Primary Health Care, Matsubara Clinic, Kochi, JPN
| | - Seiji Kojima
- Pediatrics, Nagoya Pediatric Cancer Fund, Nagoya, JPN
| | - Akinori Fujisawa
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Honbetsu Cardiovascular Medicine Clinic, Honbetsu, JPN
| | - Takayuki Kikuchi
- Translational Research & Health Data Science, Learning Health Society Institute, Nagoya, JPN
| | - Masanori Fukushima
- Translational Research & Health Data Science, Learning Health Society Institute, Nagoya, JPN
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Rubsamen RM, Sloan AE. Editorial: Synthetic peptide vaccine platforms targeting tumor-specific antigens: advances and challenges. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1363282. [PMID: 38464714 PMCID: PMC10920325 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1363282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Reid M. Rubsamen
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
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Valdes Angues R, Perea Bustos Y. SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination and the Multi-Hit Hypothesis of Oncogenesis. Cureus 2023; 15:e50703. [PMID: 38234925 PMCID: PMC10792266 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex and dynamic disease. The "hallmarks of cancer" were proposed by Hanahan and Weinberg (2000) as a group of biological competencies that human cells attain as they progress from normalcy to neoplastic transformation. These competencies include self-sufficiency in proliferative signaling, insensitivity to growth-suppressive signals and immune surveillance, the ability to evade cell death, enabling replicative immortality, reprogramming energy metabolism, inducing angiogenesis, and activating tissue invasion and metastasis. Underlying these competencies are genome instability, which expedites their acquisition, and inflammation, which fosters their function(s). Additionally, cancer exhibits another dimension of complexity: a heterogeneous repertoire of infiltrating and resident host cells, secreted factors, and extracellular matrix, known as the tumor microenvironment, that through a dynamic and reciprocal relationship with cancer cells supports immortality, local invasion, and metastatic dissemination. This staggering intricacy calls for caution when advising all people with cancer (or a previous history of cancer) to receive the COVID-19 primary vaccine series plus additional booster doses. Moreover, because these patients were not included in the pivotal clinical trials, considerable uncertainty remains regarding vaccine efficacy, safety, and the risk of interactions with anticancer therapies, which could reduce the value and innocuity of either medical treatment. After reviewing the available literature, we are particularly concerned that certain COVID-19 vaccines may generate a pro-tumorigenic milieu (i.e., a specific environment that could lead to neoplastic transformation) that predisposes some (stable) oncologic patients and survivors to cancer progression, recurrence, and/or metastasis. This hypothesis is based on biological plausibility and fulfillment of the multi-hit hypothesis of oncogenesis (i.e., induction of lymphopenia and inflammation, downregulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression, activation of oncogenic cascades, sequestration of tumor suppressor proteins, dysregulation of the RNA-G quadruplex-protein binding system, alteration of type I interferon responses, unsilencing of retrotransposable elements, etc.) together with growing evidence and safety reports filed to Vaccine Adverse Effects Report System (VAERS) suggesting that some cancer patients experienced disease exacerbation or recurrence following COVID-19 vaccination. In light of the above and because some of these concerns (i.e., alteration of oncogenic pathways, promotion of inflammatory cascades, and dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system) also apply to cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, we encourage the scientific and medical community to urgently evaluate the impact of both COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination on cancer biology and tumor registries, adjusting public health recommendations accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Valdes Angues
- Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine, Portland, USA
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