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Wang C, Yuan F. A comprehensive comparison of DNA and RNA vaccines. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 210:115340. [PMID: 38810703 PMCID: PMC11181159 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115340] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid technology has revolutionized vaccine development, enabling rapid design and production of RNA and DNA vaccines for prevention and treatment of diseases. The successful deployment of mRNA and plasmid DNA vaccines against COVID-19 has further validated the technology. At present, mRNA platform is prevailing due to its higher efficacy, while DNA platform is undergoing rapid evolution because it possesses unique advantages that can potentially overcome the problems associated with the mRNA platform. To help understand the recent performances of the two vaccine platforms and recognize their clinical potentials in the future, this review compares the advantages and drawbacks of mRNA and DNA vaccines that are currently known in the literature, in terms of development timeline, financial cost, ease of distribution, efficacy, safety, and regulatory approval of products. Additionally, the review discusses the ongoing clinical trials, strategies for improvement, and alternative designs of RNA and DNA platforms for vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxi Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, United States
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, United States.
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2
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Skeate JG, Pomeroy EJ, Slipek NJ, Jones BJ, Wick BJ, Chang JW, Lahr WS, Stelljes EM, Patrinostro X, Barnes B, Zarecki T, Krueger JB, Bridge JE, Robbins GM, McCormick MD, Leerar JR, Wenzel KT, Hornberger KM, Walker K, Smedley D, Largaespada DA, Otto N, Webber BR, Moriarity BS. Evolution of the clinical-stage hyperactive TcBuster transposase as a platform for robust non-viral production of adoptive cellular therapies. Mol Ther 2024; 32:1817-1834. [PMID: 38627969 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.04.024] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular therapies for the treatment of human diseases, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T and natural killer (NK) cells have shown remarkable clinical efficacy in treating hematological malignancies; however, current methods mainly utilize viral vectors that are limited by their cargo size capacities, high cost, and long timelines for production of clinical reagent. Delivery of genetic cargo via DNA transposon engineering is a more timely and cost-effective approach, yet has been held back by less efficient integration rates. Here, we report the development of a novel hyperactive TcBuster (TcB-M) transposase engineered through structure-guided and in vitro evolution approaches that achieves high-efficiency integration of large, multicistronic CAR-expression cassettes in primary human cells. Our proof-of-principle TcB-M engineering of CAR-NK and CAR-T cells shows low integrated vector copy number, a safe insertion site profile, robust in vitro function, and improves survival in a Burkitt lymphoma xenograft model in vivo. Overall, TcB-M is a versatile, safe, efficient and open-source option for the rapid manufacture and preclinical testing of primary human immune cell therapies through delivery of multicistronic large cargo via transposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Skeate
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Emily J Pomeroy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Nicholas J Slipek
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | - Bryce J Wick
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jae-Woong Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Walker S Lahr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Erin M Stelljes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | | | | | - Joshua B Krueger
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jacob E Bridge
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Gabrielle M Robbins
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Madeline D McCormick
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - David A Largaespada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Neil Otto
- Bio-Techne, Minneapolis, MN 55413, USA
| | - Beau R Webber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Branden S Moriarity
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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3
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Seyed N, Taheri T, Rafati S. Live attenuated-nonpathogenic Leishmania and DNA structures as promising vaccine platforms against leishmaniasis: innovations can make waves. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1326369. [PMID: 38633699 PMCID: PMC11021776 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1326369] [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] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by the protozoan parasite of Leishmania genus and is a complex disease affecting mostly tropical regions of the world. Unfortunately, despite the extensive effort made, there is no vaccine available for human use. Undoubtedly, a comprehensive understanding of the host-vector-parasite interaction is substantial for developing an effective prophylactic vaccine. Recently the role of sandfly saliva on disease progression has been uncovered which can make a substantial contribution in vaccine design. In this review we try to focus on the strategies that most probably meet the prerequisites of vaccine development (based on the current understandings) including live attenuated/non-pathogenic and subunit DNA vaccines. Innovative approaches such as reverse genetics, CRISP/R-Cas9 and antibiotic-free selection are now available to promisingly compensate for intrinsic drawbacks associated with these platforms. Our main goal is to call more attention toward the prerequisites of effective vaccine development while controlling the disease outspread is a substantial need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Seyed
- Department of Immunotherapy and Leishmania Vaccine Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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Jha SK, Imran M, Jha LA, Hasan N, Panthi VK, Paudel KR, Almalki WH, Mohammed Y, Kesharwani P. A Comprehensive review on Pharmacokinetic Studies of Vaccines: Impact of delivery route, carrier-and its modulation on immune response. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 236:116823. [PMID: 37543130 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
The lack of knowledge about the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of vaccines makes former biopharmaceutical optimization difficult. This was shown during the COVID-19 immunization campaign, where gradual booster doses were introduced.. Thus, understanding vaccine ADME and its effects on immunization effectiveness could result in a more logical vaccine design in terms of formulation, method of administration, and dosing regimens. Herein, we will cover the information available on vaccine pharmacokinetics, impacts of delivery routes and carriers on ADME, utilization and efficiency of nanoparticulate delivery vehicles, impact of dose level and dosing schedule on the therapeutic efficacy of vaccines, intracellular and endosomal trafficking and in vivo fate, perspective on DNA and mRNA vaccines, new generation sequencing and mathematical models to improve cancer vaccination and pharmacology, and the reported toxicological study of COVID-19 vaccines. Altogether, this review will enhance the reader's understanding of the pharmacokinetics of vaccines and methods that can be implied in delivery vehicle design to improve the absorption and distribution of immunizing agents and estimate the appropriate dose to achieve better immunogenic responses and prevent toxicities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurav Kumar Jha
- Department of Biomedicine, Health & Life Convergence Sciences, Mokpo National University, Muan-gun, Jeonnam, 58554, Republic of Korea; Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering (BSBE), Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 208016, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Mohammad Imran
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Laxmi Akhileshwar Jha
- H. K. College of Pharmacy, Mumbai University, Pratiksha Nagar, Jogeshwari, West Mumbai, 400102, India
| | - Nazeer Hasan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Panthi
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Natural Medicine Research Institute, Mokpo National University, Jeonnam, 58554, Republic of Korea
| | - Keshav Raj Paudel
- Centre for Inflammation, Faculty of Science, School of Life Science, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, 2007, Australia
| | - Waleed H Almalki
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 24381, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yousuf Mohammed
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Prashant Kesharwani
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India; Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
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5
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Balke-Want H, Keerthi V, Gkitsas N, Mancini AG, Kurgan GL, Fowler C, Xu P, Liu X, Asano K, Patel S, Fisher CJ, Brown AK, Tunuguntla RH, Patel S, Sotillo E, Mackall CL, Feldman SA. Homology-independent targeted insertion (HITI) enables guided CAR knock-in and efficient clinical scale CAR-T cell manufacturing. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:100. [PMID: 37365642 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01799-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells are now standard of care (SOC) for some patients with B cell and plasma cell malignancies and could disrupt the therapeutic landscape of solid tumors. However, access to CAR-T cells is not adequate to meet clinical needs, in part due to high cost and long lead times for manufacturing clinical grade virus. Non-viral site directed CAR integration can be accomplished using CRISPR/Cas9 and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) or single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) via homology-directed repair (HDR), however yields with this approach have been limiting for clinical application (dsDNA) or access to large yields sufficient to meet the manufacturing demands outside early phase clinical trials is limited (ssDNA). METHODS We applied homology-independent targeted insertion (HITI) or HDR using CRISPR/Cas9 and nanoplasmid DNA to insert an anti-GD2 CAR into the T cell receptor alpha constant (TRAC) locus and compared both targeted insertion strategies in our system. Next, we optimized post-HITI CRISPR EnrichMENT (CEMENT) to seamlessly integrate it into a 14-day process and compared our knock-in with viral transduced anti-GD2 CAR-T cells. Finally, we explored the off-target genomic toxicity of our genomic engineering approach. RESULTS Here, we show that site directed CAR integration utilizing nanoplasmid DNA delivered via HITI provides high cell yields and highly functional cells. CEMENT enriched CAR T cells to approximately 80% purity, resulting in therapeutically relevant dose ranges of 5.5 × 108-3.6 × 109 CAR + T cells. CRISPR knock-in CAR-T cells were functionally comparable with viral transduced anti-GD2 CAR-T cells and did not show any evidence of off-target genomic toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Our work provides a novel platform to perform guided CAR insertion into primary human T-cells using nanoplasmid DNA and holds the potential to increase access to CAR-T cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyatt Balke-Want
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Vimal Keerthi
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nikolaos Gkitsas
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Gavin L Kurgan
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc, Coralville, IA, 52241, USA
| | - Carley Fowler
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Peng Xu
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Xikun Liu
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kyle Asano
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sunny Patel
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christopher J Fisher
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Annie K Brown
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ramya H Tunuguntla
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shabnum Patel
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Elena Sotillo
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Crystal L Mackall
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Steven A Feldman
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Han L, Song S, Feng H, Ma J, Wei W, Si F. A roadmap for developing Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) vaccines: Lessons from the past, strategies for the future. Int J Biol Macromol 2023:125514. [PMID: 37353130 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), which can lead to severe central nervous system infections in both humans and animals. At present, the medical community does not possess a viable means of addressing VEE, rendering the prevention of the virus a matter of paramount importance. Regarding the prevention and control of VEEV, the implementation of a vaccination program has been recognized as the most efficient strategy. Nevertheless, there are currently no licensed vaccines or drugs available for human use against VEEV. This imperative has led to a surge of interest in vaccine research, with VEEV being a prime focus for researchers in the field. In this paper, we initially present a comprehensive overview of the current taxonomic classification of VEEV and the cellular infection mechanism of the virus. Subsequently, we provide a detailed introduction of the prominent VEEV vaccine types presently available, including inactivated vaccines, live attenuated vaccines, genetic, and virus-like particle vaccines. Moreover, we emphasize the challenges that current VEEV vaccine development faces and suggest urgent measures that must be taken to overcome these obstacles. Notably, based on our latest research, we propose the feasibility of incorporation codon usage bias strategies to create the novel VEEV vaccine. Finally, we prose several areas that future VEEV vaccine development should focus on. Our objective is to encourage collaboration between the medical and veterinary communities, expedite the translation of existing vaccines from laboratory to clinical applications, while also preparing for future outbreaks of new VEEV variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Han
- Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Breeding Pig, Shanghai 201106, China; Huaihe Hospital of Henan University, Clinical Medical College of Henan University, Kai Feng 475000, China
| | - Shuai Song
- Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, PR China
| | - Huilin Feng
- Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Infection and Biological Safety, School of Basic Medical Sciences of Henan University, Kai Feng 475000, China
| | - Jing Ma
- Huaihe Hospital of Henan University, Clinical Medical College of Henan University, Kai Feng 475000, China
| | - Wenqiang Wei
- Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Infection and Biological Safety, School of Basic Medical Sciences of Henan University, Kai Feng 475000, China.
| | - Fusheng Si
- Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Breeding Pig, Shanghai 201106, China.
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Williams JA, Paez PA. Improving cell and gene therapy safety and performance using next-generation Nanoplasmid vectors. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 32:494-503. [PMID: 37346980 PMCID: PMC10280095 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The cell and gene therapy industry has employed the same plasmid technology for decades in vaccination, cell and gene therapy, and as a raw material in viral vector and RNA production. While canonical plasmids contain antibiotic resistance markers in bacterial backbones greater than 2,000 base pairs, smaller backbones increase expression level and durability and reduce the cell-transfection-associated toxicity and transgene silencing that can occur with canonical plasmids. Therefore, the small backbone and antibiotic-free selection method of Nanoplasmid vectors have proven to be a transformative replacement in a wide variety of applications, offering a greater safety profile and efficiency than traditional plasmids. This review provides an overview of the Nanoplasmid technology and highlights its specific benefits for various applications with examples from recent publications.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A. Williams
- Research & Development, Aldevron, 4055 41st Avenue S, Fargo, ND 58104, USA
| | - Patrick A. Paez
- Research & Development, Aldevron, 4055 41st Avenue S, Fargo, ND 58104, USA
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8
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Schein CH, Rafael G, Baker WS, Anaya ES, Schmidt JG, Weaver SC, Negi S, Braun W. PCP consensus protein/peptide alphavirus antigens stimulate broad spectrum neutralizing antibodies. Peptides 2022; 157:170844. [PMID: 35878658 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Vaccines based on proteins and peptides may be safer and if calculated based on many sequences, more broad-spectrum than those designed based on single strains. Physicochemical Property Consensus (PCPcon) alphavirus (AV) antigens from the B-domain of the E2 envelope protein were designed, synthesized recombinantly and shown to be immunogenic (i.e. sera after inoculation detected the antigen in dotspots and ELISA). Antibodies in sera after inoculation with B-region antigens based on individual AV species (eastern or Venezuelan equine encephalitis (EEEVcon, VEEVcon), or chikungunya (CHIKVcon) bound only their cognate protein, while those designed against multiple species (Mosaikcon and EVCcon) recognized all three serotype specific antigens. The VEEVcon and EEEVcon sera only showed antiviral activity against their related strains (in plaque reduction neutralization assays (PRNT50/80). Peptides designed to surface exposed areas of the E2-A-domain of CHIKVcon were added to CHIKVcon inocula to provide anti-CHIKV antibodies. EVCcon, based on three different alphavirus species, combined with E2-A-domain peptides from AllAVcon, a PCPcon of 24 diverse AV, generated broad spectrum, antiviral antibodies against VEEV, EEEV and CHIKV, AV with less than 35% amino acid identity to each other (>65% diversity). This is a promising start to a molecularly defined vaccine against all AV. Further study with these antigens can illuminate what areas are most important for a robust immune response, resistant to mutations in rapidly evolving viruses. The validated computational methods can also be used to design broad spectrum antigens against many other pathogen families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine H Schein
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UTMB; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII), UTMB; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
| | - Grace Rafael
- Microbiology and Immunology, UTMB; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Wendy S Baker
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UTMB; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | | | | | - Scott C Weaver
- Microbiology and Immunology, UTMB; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII), UTMB; World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, UTMB; Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, UTMB; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Surendra Negi
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UTMB; Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, UTMB; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Werner Braun
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UTMB; Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, UTMB; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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A DNA vaccine targeting VEE virus delivered by needle-free jet-injection protects macaques against aerosol challenge. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:46. [PMID: 35459271 PMCID: PMC9033795 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00469-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that DNA vaccines expressing codon optimized alphavirus envelope glycoprotein genes protect both mice and nonhuman primates from viral challenge when delivered by particle-mediated epidermal delivery (PMED) or intramuscular (IM) electroporation (EP). Another technology with fewer logistical drawbacks is disposable syringe jet injection (DSJI) devices developed by PharmaJet, Inc. These needle-free jet injection systems are spring-powered and capable of delivering vaccines either IM or into the dermis (ID). Here, we evaluated the immunogenicity of our Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) DNA vaccine delivered by either the IM- or ID-DSJI devices in nonhuman primates. The protective efficacy was assessed following aerosol challenge. We found that a prime and single boost by either the IM or ID route resulted in humoral and cellular immune responses that provided significant protection against disease and viremia. Although the ID route utilized one-fifth the DNA dose used in the IM route of vaccination, and the measured humoral and cellular immune responses trended lower, the level of protection was high and performed as well as the IM route for several clinical endpoints.
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10
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Mitdank H, Tröger M, Sonntag A, Shirazi NA, Woith E, Fuchs H, Kobelt D, Walther W, Weng A. Suicide nanoplasmids coding for ribosome-inactivating proteins. Eur J Pharm Sci 2022; 170:106107. [PMID: 34958884 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2021.106107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Conventional eukaryotic expression plasmids contain a DNA backbone that is dispensable for the cellular expression of the transgene. In order to reduce the vector size, minicircle DNA technology was introduced. A drawback of the minicircle technology are considerable production costs. Nanoplasmids are a relatively new class of mini-DNA constructs that are of tremendous potential for pharmaceutical applications. In this study we have designed novel suicide nanoplasmid constructs coding for plant derived ribosome-inactivating proteins. The suicide-nanoplasmids were formulated with a targeted K16-lysine domain, analyzed for size, and characterized by electron microscopy. The anti-proliferative activity of the suicide-nanoplasmids was investigated in vitro by real time microscopy and the expression kinetic was determined using an enhanced green fluorescent protein nanoplasmid variant. In an aggressive in vivo neuroblastoma tumor model, treated mice showed a reduced tumor growth whereby the therapy was well tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hardy Mitdank
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Meike Tröger
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Sonntag
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nima Amini Shirazi
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eric Woith
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hendrik Fuchs
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dennis Kobelt
- Experimental Pharmacology & Oncology Berlin-Buch GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Str.10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Walther
- Experimental Pharmacology & Oncology Berlin-Buch GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Str.10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Weng
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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11
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Tang J, Li M, Zhao C, Shen D, Liu L, Zhang X, Wei L. Therapeutic DNA Vaccines against HPV-Related Malignancies: Promising Leads from Clinical Trials. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020239. [PMID: 35215833 PMCID: PMC8874761 DOI: 10.3390/v14020239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2014 and 2021, two nucleic-acid vaccine candidates named MAV E2 and VGX-3100 completed phase III clinical trials in Mexico and U.S., respectively, for patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). These well-tolerated but still unlicensed vaccines encode distinct HPV antigens (E2 versus E6+E7) to elicit cell-mediated immune responses; their clinical efficacy, as measured by HSIL regression or cure, was modest when compared with placebo or surgery (conization), but both proved highly effective in clearing HPV infection, which should help further optimize strategies for enhancing vaccine immunogenicity, toward an ultimate goal of preventing malignancies in millions of patients who are living with persistent, oncogenic HPV infection but are not expected to benefit from current, prophylactic vaccines. The major roadblocks to a highly efficacious and practical product remain challenging and can be classified into five categories: (i) getting the vaccines into the right cells for efficient expression and presentation of HPV antigens (fusion proteins or epitopes); (ii) having adequate coverage of oncogenic HPV types, beyond the current focus on HPV-16 and -18; (iii) directing immune protection to various epithelial niches, especially anogenital mucosa and upper aerodigestive tract where HPV-transformed cells wreak havoc; (iv) establishing the time window and vaccination regimen, including dosage, interval and even combination therapy, for achieving maximum efficacy; and (v) validating therapeutic efficacy in patients with poor prognosis because of advanced, recurrent or non-resectable malignancies. Overall, the room for improvements is still large enough that continuing efforts for research and development will very likely extend into the next decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Tang
- Aeonvital Biomedical Research Institute, Beijing 102208, China; (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Correspondence: or
| | - Mingzhu Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100033, China; (M.L.); (C.Z.); (D.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Chao Zhao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100033, China; (M.L.); (C.Z.); (D.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Danhua Shen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100033, China; (M.L.); (C.Z.); (D.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Lei Liu
- Aeonvital Biomedical Research Institute, Beijing 102208, China; (L.L.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xiujun Zhang
- Aeonvital Biomedical Research Institute, Beijing 102208, China; (L.L.); (X.Z.)
| | - Lihui Wei
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100033, China; (M.L.); (C.Z.); (D.S.); (L.W.)
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12
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Vermeire G, De Smidt E, Geukens N, Williams JA, Declerck P, Hollevoet K. Improved Potency and Safety of DNA-Encoded Antibody Therapeutics Through Plasmid Backbone and Expression Cassette Engineering. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:1200-1209. [PMID: 34482757 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-encoded delivery of antibodies presents a labor- and cost-effective alternative to conventional antibody therapeutics. This study aims to improve the potency and safety of this approach by evaluating various plasmid backbones and expression cassettes. In vitro, antibody levels consistently improved with decreasing sizes of backbone, ranging from conventional to minimal. In vivo, following intramuscular electrotransfer in mice, the correlation was less consistent. While the largest conventional plasmid (10.2 kb) gave the lowest monoclonal antibody (mAb) levels, a regular conventional plasmid (8.6 kb) demonstrated similar levels as a minimal Nanoplasmid (6.8 kb). A reduction in size beyond a standard conventional backbone thus did not improve mAb levels in vivo. Cassette modifications, such as swapping antibody chain order or use of two versus a single encoding plasmid, significantly increased antibody expression in vitro, but failed to translate in vivo. Conversely, a significant improvement in vivo but not in vitro was found with a set of muscle-specific promoters, of which a newly engineered variant gave roughly 1.5- to 2-fold higher plasma antibody concentrations than the ubiquitous CAG promoter. In conclusion, despite the limited translation between in vitro and in vivo, we identified various clinically relevant improvements to our DNA-based antibody platform, both in potency and biosafety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giles Vermeire
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elien De Smidt
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nick Geukens
- PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Paul Declerck
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kevin Hollevoet
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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13
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Liu Y, Sun B, Pan J, Feng Y, Ye W, Xu J, Lan M, Sun H, Zhang X, Sun Y, Yang S, Shi J, Zhang F, Cheng L, Jiang D, Yang K. Construction and evaluation of DNA vaccine encoding Ebola virus glycoprotein fused with lysosome-associated membrane protein. Antiviral Res 2021; 193:105141. [PMID: 34274417 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) of the genus Ebolavirus belongs to the family Filoviridae, which cause disease in both humans and non-human primates. Zaire Ebola virus accounts for the highest fatality rate, reaching 90%. Considering that EBOV has a high infection and fatality rate, the development of a highly effective vaccine has become a top public health priority. Glycoprotein (GP) plays a critical role during infection and protective immune responses. Herein, we developed an EBOV GP recombinant DNA vaccine that targets the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II compartment by fusing with lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1). Through lysosome trafficking and antigen presentation transferring, the LAMP1 targeting strategy successfully improved both humoral and cellular EBOV-GP-specific immune responses. After three consecutive immunizations, the serum antibody titers, especially the neutralizing activity of mice immunized with the pVAX-LAMP/GPEBO vaccine were significantly higher than those of the other groups. Antigen-specific T cells showed positive activity against three dominant peptides, EAAVSHLTTLATIST, IGEWAFWETKKNLTR, and ELRTFSILNRKAIDF, with high affinity for MHC class II molecules predicted by IEDB-recommended. Preliminary safety observation denied histological alterations. DNA vaccine candidate pVAX-LAMP/GPEBO shows promise against Ebola epidemic and further evaluation is guaranteed.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Antibodies, Viral/blood
- BALB 3T3 Cells
- Ebola Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Ebola Vaccines/adverse effects
- Ebola Vaccines/genetics
- Ebola Vaccines/immunology
- Ebolavirus/genetics
- Ebolavirus/immunology
- Female
- Glycoproteins/genetics
- Glycoproteins/immunology
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/immunology
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/prevention & control
- Humans
- Lysosomal Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Lysosomal Membrane Proteins/immunology
- Mice
- Neutralization Tests
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/adverse effects
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Synthetic/adverse effects
- Vaccines, Synthetic/genetics
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Baozeng Sun
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Jingyu Pan
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Yuancai Feng
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Wei Ye
- Department of Microbiology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Jiahao Xu
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Mingfu Lan
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Hao Sun
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Xiyang Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Yuanjie Sun
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Shuya Yang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Jingqi Shi
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Fanglin Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Linfeng Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China
| | - Dongbo Jiang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China.
| | - Kun Yang
- Department of Immunology, Basic Medicine School, Air-Force Medical University (the Fourth Military Medical University), Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710032, PR China.
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14
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Eusébio D, Neves AR, Costa D, Biswas S, Alves G, Cui Z, Sousa Â. Methods to improve the immunogenicity of plasmid DNA vaccines. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:2575-2592. [PMID: 34214667 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA vaccines have emerged as innovative approaches that have great potential to overcome the limitations of current conventional vaccines. Plasmid DNA vaccines are often safer than other vaccines because they carry only antigen genetic information, are more stable and easier to produce, and can stimulate both humoral and cellular immune responses. Although the results of ongoing clinical trials are very promising, some limitations compromise the immunogenicity of these vaccines. Thus, this review describes different strategies that can be explored to improve the immunogenicity of plasmid DNA vaccines, including the optimization of the plasmid vector backbone, the use of different methods for vaccine delivery, the use of alternative administration routes and the inclusion of adjuvants. In combination, these improvements could lead to the successful clinical use of plasmid DNA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalinda Eusébio
- CICS-UBI - Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Ana R Neves
- CICS-UBI - Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Diana Costa
- CICS-UBI - Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Swati Biswas
- Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology & Science-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Jawahar Nagar, Shameerpet, Hyderabad 500078, Telangana, India
| | - Gilberto Alves
- CICS-UBI - Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Zhengrong Cui
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Ângela Sousa
- CICS-UBI - Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
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15
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Johnson MB, Chandler M, Afonin KA. Nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) as molecular tools to direct desirable and avoid undesirable immunological effects. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 173:427-438. [PMID: 33857556 PMCID: PMC8178219 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) represent a highly versatile molecular platform for the targeted delivery of various therapeutics. However, despite their promise, further clinical translation of this innovative technology can be hindered by immunological off-target effects. All human cells are equipped with an arsenal of receptors that recognize molecular patterns specific to foreign nucleic acids and understanding the rules that guide this recognition offer the key rationale for the development of therapeutic NANPs with tunable immune stimulation. Numerous recent studies have provided increasing evidence that in addition to NANPs' physicochemical properties and therapeutic effects, their interactions with cells of the immune system can be regulated through multiple independently programmable architectural parameters. The results further suggest that defined immunomodulation by NANPs can either support their immunoquiescent delivery or be used for conditional stimulation of beneficial immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Brittany Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Morgan Chandler
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA.
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16
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Abbasi S, Uchida S. Multifunctional Immunoadjuvants for Use in Minimalist Nucleic Acid Vaccines. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:644. [PMID: 34062771 PMCID: PMC8147386 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13050644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Subunit vaccines based on antigen-encoding nucleic acids have shown great promise for antigen-specific immunization against cancer and infectious diseases. Vaccines require immunostimulatory adjuvants to activate the innate immune system and trigger specific adaptive immune responses. However, the incorporation of immunoadjuvants into nonviral nucleic acid delivery systems often results in fairly complex structures that are difficult to mass-produce and characterize. In recent years, minimalist approaches have emerged to reduce the number of components used in vaccines. In these approaches, delivery materials, such as lipids and polymers, and/or pDNA/mRNA are designed to simultaneously possess several functionalities of immunostimulatory adjuvants. Such multifunctional immunoadjuvants encode antigens, encapsulate nucleic acids, and control their pharmacokinetic or cellular fate. Herein, we review a diverse class of multifunctional immunoadjuvants in nucleic acid subunit vaccines and provide a detailed description of their mechanisms of adjuvanticity and induction of specific immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saed Abbasi
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine, Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion, 3-25-14 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan
| | - Satoshi Uchida
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine, Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion, 3-25-14 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-0821, Japan
- Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 1-5 Shimogamohangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0823, Japan
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17
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Duan F, Chen J, Yao H, Wang Y, Jia Y, Ling Z, Feng Y, Pan Z, Yin Y, Jiao X. Enhanced therapeutic efficacy of Listeria-based cancer vaccine with codon-optimized HPV16 E7. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2021; 17:1568-1577. [PMID: 33449866 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1839291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a leading cause of high mortality in women in developing countries and has a serious impact on women's health. Human papilloma virus (HPV) prophylactic vaccines have been produced and may hold promise for reducing the incidence of cervical cancer. However, the limitations of current HPV vaccine strategies make the development of HPV therapeutic vaccines particularly important for the treatment of HPV related lesions. Our previous work has demonstrated that LM4Δhly::E7 was safe and effective in inducing antitumor effect by antigen-specific cellular immune responses and direct killing of tumor cell on a cervical cancer model. In this study, the codon usage effect of a novel Listeria-based cervical cancer vaccine LM4Δhly::E7-1, was evaluated for effects of codon-optimized E7 expression, cellular immune response and therapeutic efficacy in a tumor-bearing murine model. Our data demonstrated that up-regulated expression of E7 was strikingly elevated by codon usage optimization, and thus induced significantly higher Th1-biased immunity, lymphocyte proliferation, and strong specific CTL activity ex-vivo compared with LM4Δhly::E7-treated mice. Furthermore, LM4Δhly::E7-1 enhanced a remarkable therapeutic effect in establishing tumors. Taken together, our results suggest that codon usage optimization is an important consideration in constructing live bacterial-vectored vaccines and is required for promoting effective T cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Duan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jiaqi Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hao Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yuting Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yanyan Jia
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhiting Ling
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Youwei Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhiming Pan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yuelan Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xin'An Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, MOA of China, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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18
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Baker WS, Negi S, Braun W, Schein CH. Producing physicochemical property consensus alphavirus protein antigens for broad spectrum vaccine design. Antiviral Res 2020; 182:104905. [PMID: 32800880 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
There is a pressing need for new vaccines against alphaviruses, which can cause fatal encephalitis (Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and others) and severe arthralgia (e.g. Chikungunya virus, CHIKV). These positive-strand RNA viruses are diverse and evolve rapidly, meaning that the sequence of any vaccine should cover multiple strains that may be quite different from any previous isolate. Here, consensus proteins were produced to represent the common physicochemical properties (PCPs) of the epitope rich, B domain of the E2 envelope protein. PCP-consensus proteins were based on multiple strains of VEEV (VEEVcon) and CHIKV (CHIKVcon) or the conserved PCPs of 24 different alphaviruses (AllAVcon). The AllAVcon was altered to include binding sites for neutralizing antibodies of both VEEV and CHIKV strains (Mosaikcon). All four designed proteins were produced solubly in E. coli and purified. They formed the β-strand core expected from experimental structures of this region of the wild type E2 proteins as indicated by circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Furthermore, the CHIKVcon protein bound to a structure dependent, CHIKV neutralizing monoclonal antibody. The AllAVcon and Mosaikcon proteins bound to polyclonal antibodies generated during natural infection with either VEEV or CHIKV, indicating they contained epitopes of both serotypes. The Mosaikcon antigen induced antibodies in rabbit sera that recognized both the VEEVcon and CHIKVcon spike proteins. These PCP-consensus antigens are promising starting points for novel, broad-spectrum alphavirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy S Baker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Surendra Negi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Sealy Center for Structural Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Werner Braun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Sealy Center for Structural Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Catherine H Schein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
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