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Johnson DM, Khakhum N, Wang M, Warner NL, Jokinen JD, Comer JE, Lukashevich IS. Pathogenic and Apathogenic Strains of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Have Distinct Entry and Innate Immune Activation Pathways. Viruses 2024; 16:635. [PMID: 38675975 PMCID: PMC11053560 DOI: 10.3390/v16040635] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Lassa virus (LASV) share many genetic and biological features including subtle differences between pathogenic and apathogenic strains. Despite remarkable genetic similarity, the viscerotropic WE strain of LCMV causes a fatal LASV fever-like hepatitis in non-human primates (NHPs) while the mouse-adapted Armstrong (ARM) strain of LCMV is deeply attenuated in NHPs and can vaccinate against LCMV-WE challenge. Here, we demonstrate that internalization of WE is more sensitive to the depletion of membrane cholesterol than ARM infection while ARM infection is more reliant on endosomal acidification. LCMV-ARM induces robust NF-κB and interferon response factor (IRF) activation while LCMV-WE seems to avoid early innate sensing and failed to induce strong NF-κB and IRF responses in dual-reporter monocyte and epithelial cells. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) signaling appears to play a critical role in NF-κB activation and the silencing of TLR-2 shuts down IL-6 production in ARM but not in WE-infected cells. Pathogenic LCMV-WE infection is poorly recognized in early endosomes and failed to induce TLR-2/Mal-dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines. Following infection, Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK-1) expression is diminished in LCMV-ARM- but not LCMV-WE-infected cells, which indicates it is likely involved in the LCMV-ARM NF-κB activation. By confocal microscopy, ARM and WE strains have similar intracellular trafficking although LCMV-ARM infection appears to coincide with greater co-localization of early endosome marker EEA1 with TLR-2. Both strains co-localize with Rab-7, a late endosome marker, but the interaction with LCMV-WE seems to be more prolonged. These findings suggest that LCMV-ARM's intracellular trafficking pathway may facilitate interaction with innate immune sensors, which promotes the induction of effective innate and adaptive immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan M. Johnson
- Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Louisville, KY 94202, USA (I.S.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 94202, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA; (N.K.); (J.E.C.)
- Sandia National Laboratories, Department of Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Nittaya Khakhum
- Galveston National Laboratory, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA; (N.K.); (J.E.C.)
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 94202, USA;
| | - Nikole L. Warner
- Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Louisville, KY 94202, USA (I.S.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 94202, USA
| | - Jenny D. Jokinen
- Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Louisville, KY 94202, USA (I.S.L.)
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 94202, USA;
| | - Jason E. Comer
- Galveston National Laboratory, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA; (N.K.); (J.E.C.)
| | - Igor S. Lukashevich
- Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Louisville, KY 94202, USA (I.S.L.)
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 94202, USA;
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Pushko P, Lukashevich IS, Johnson DM, Tretyakova I. Single-Dose Immunogenic DNA Vaccines Coding for Live-Attenuated Alpha- and Flaviviruses. Viruses 2024; 16:428. [PMID: 38543793 PMCID: PMC10974764 DOI: 10.3390/v16030428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-dose, immunogenic DNA (iDNA) vaccines coding for whole live-attenuated viruses are reviewed. This platform, sometimes called immunization DNA, has been used for vaccine development for flavi- and alphaviruses. An iDNA vaccine uses plasmid DNA to launch live-attenuated virus vaccines in vitro or in vivo. When iDNA is injected into mammalian cells in vitro or in vivo, the RNA genome of an attenuated virus is transcribed, which starts replication of a defined, live-attenuated vaccine virus in cell culture or the cells of a vaccine recipient. In the latter case, an immune response to the live virus vaccine is elicited, which protects against the pathogenic virus. Unlike other nucleic acid vaccines, such as mRNA and standard DNA vaccines, iDNA vaccines elicit protection with a single dose, thus providing major improvement to epidemic preparedness. Still, iDNA vaccines retain the advantages of other nucleic acid vaccines. In summary, the iDNA platform combines the advantages of reverse genetics and DNA immunization with the high immunogenicity of live-attenuated vaccines, resulting in enhanced safety and immunogenicity. This vaccine platform has expanded the field of genetic DNA and RNA vaccines with a novel type of immunogenic DNA vaccines that encode entire live-attenuated viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Pushko
- Medigen, Inc., 8420 Gas House Pike Suite S, Frederick, MD 21701, USA;
| | - Igor S. Lukashevich
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Center for Predictive Medicine and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville, 505 S Hancock St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
| | - Dylan M. Johnson
- Department of Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 945501, USA;
| | - Irina Tretyakova
- Medigen, Inc., 8420 Gas House Pike Suite S, Frederick, MD 21701, USA;
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3
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Herron ICT, Laws TR, Nelson M. Marmosets as models of infectious diseases. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1340017. [PMID: 38465237 PMCID: PMC10921895 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1340017] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal models of infectious disease often serve a crucial purpose in obtaining licensure of therapeutics and medical countermeasures, particularly in situations where human trials are not feasible, i.e., for those diseases that occur infrequently in the human population. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a Neotropical new-world (platyrrhines) non-human primate, has gained increasing attention as an animal model for a number of diseases given its small size, availability and evolutionary proximity to humans. This review aims to (i) discuss the pros and cons of the common marmoset as an animal model by providing a brief snapshot of how marmosets are currently utilized in biomedical research, (ii) summarize and evaluate relevant aspects of the marmoset immune system to the study of infectious diseases, (iii) provide a historical backdrop, outlining the significance of infectious diseases and the importance of developing reliable animal models to test novel therapeutics, and (iv) provide a summary of infectious diseases for which a marmoset model exists, followed by an in-depth discussion of the marmoset models of two studied bacterial infectious diseases (tularemia and melioidosis) and one viral infectious disease (viral hepatitis C).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian C. T. Herron
- CBR Division, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Salisbury, United Kingdom
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4
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Reyna RA, Littlefield KE, Shehu N, Makishima T, Maruyama J, Paessler S. The Importance of Lassa Fever and Its Disease Management in West Africa. Viruses 2024; 16:266. [PMID: 38400041 PMCID: PMC10892767 DOI: 10.3390/v16020266] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a zoonotic pathogen endemic throughout western Africa and is responsible for a human disease known as Lassa fever (LF). Historically, LASV has been emphasized as one of the greatest public health threats in West Africa, with up to 300,000 cases and 5000 associated deaths per year. This, and the fact that the disease has been reported in travelers, has driven a rapid production of various vaccine candidates. Several of these vaccines are currently in clinical development, despite limitations in understanding the immune response to infection. Alarmingly, the host immune response has been implicated in the induction of sensorineural hearing loss in LF survivors, legitimately raising safety questions about any future vaccines as well as efficacy in preventing potential hearing loss. The objective of this article is to revisit the importance and prevalence of LF in West Africa, with focus on Nigeria, and discuss current therapeutic approaches and ongoing vaccine development. In addition, we aim to emphasize the need for more scientific studies relating to LF-associated hearing loss, and to promote critical discussion about potential risks and benefits of vaccinating the population in endemic regions of West Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Reyna
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Kirsten E. Littlefield
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Nathan Shehu
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Medicine, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos P.M.B. 2076, Nigeria
| | - Tomoko Makishima
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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5
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Ly H. Progress toward the development of Lassa vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:5-7. [PMID: 38044877 PMCID: PMC10757453 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2290683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
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6
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Mateo M, Baize S. [Recent advances in the development of vaccines against hemorrhagic fevers caused by arenaviruses]. Med Sci (Paris) 2023; 39:855-861. [PMID: 38018929 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2023162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Arenaviruses are a global threat, causing thousands of deaths each year in several countries around the world. Despite strong efforts in the development of vaccine candidates, vaccines against Lassa fever or Bolivian and Venezuelan hemorrhagic fevers are yet to be licensed for a use in humans. In this synthesis, we present the arenaviruses causing fatal diseases in humans and the main vaccine candidates that have been developed over the past decades with an emphasis on the measles-Lassa vaccine, the first Lassa vaccine ever tested in humans, and on the MOPEVAC platform that can potentially be used as a pan-arenavirus vaccine platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Mateo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité de biologie des infections virales émergentes, Paris, France - Centre international de recherche en infectiologie (CIRI), université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, école normale supérieure de Lyon, université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69-007, Lyon, France
| | - Sylvain Baize
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité de biologie des infections virales émergentes, Paris, France - Centre international de recherche en infectiologie (CIRI), université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, école normale supérieure de Lyon, université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69-007, Lyon, France
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7
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Saito T, Reyna RA, Taniguchi S, Littlefield K, Paessler S, Maruyama J. Vaccine Candidates against Arenavirus Infections. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:635. [PMID: 36992218 PMCID: PMC10057967 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030635] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The viral family Arenaviridae contains several members that cause severe, and often lethal, diseases in humans. Several highly pathogenic arenaviruses are classified as Risk Group 4 agents and must be handled in the highest biological containment facility, biosafety level-4 (BSL-4). Vaccines and treatments are very limited for these pathogens. The development of vaccines is crucial for the establishment of countermeasures against highly pathogenic arenavirus infections. While several vaccine candidates have been investigated, there are currently no approved vaccines for arenavirus infection except for Candid#1, a live-attenuated Junin virus vaccine only licensed in Argentina. Current platforms under investigation for use include live-attenuated vaccines, recombinant virus-based vaccines, and recombinant proteins. We summarize here the recent updates of vaccine candidates against arenavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Saito
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Rachel A. Reyna
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Satoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Kirsten Littlefield
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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8
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Mateo M, Reynard S, Pietrosemoli N, Perthame E, Journeaux A, Noy K, Germain C, Carnec X, Picard C, Borges-Cardoso V, Hortion J, Lopez-Maestre H, Regnard P, Fellmann L, Vallve A, Barron S, Jourjon O, Lacroix O, Duthey A, Dirheimer M, Daniau M, Legras-Lachuer C, Carbonnelle C, Raoul H, Tangy F, Baize S. Rapid protection induced by a single-shot Lassa vaccine in male cynomolgus monkeys. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1352. [PMID: 36906645 PMCID: PMC10008018 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37050-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever hits West African countries annually in the absence of licensed vaccine to limit the burden of this viral hemorrhagic fever. We previously developed MeV-NP, a single-shot vaccine protecting cynomolgus monkeys against divergent strains one month or more than a year before Lassa virus infection. Given the limited dissemination area during outbreaks and the risk of nosocomial transmission, a vaccine inducing rapid protection could be useful to protect exposed people during outbreaks in the absence of preventive vaccination. Here, we test whether the time to protection can be reduced after immunization by challenging measles virus pre-immune male cynomolgus monkeys sixteen or eight days after a single shot of MeV-NP. None of the immunized monkeys develop disease and they rapidly control viral replication. Animals immunized eight days before the challenge are the best controllers, producing a strong CD8 T-cell response against the viral glycoprotein. A group of animals was also vaccinated one hour after the challenge, but was not protected and succumbed to the disease as the control animals. This study demonstrates that MeV-NP can induce a rapid protective immune response against Lassa fever in the presence of MeV pre-existing immunity but can likely not be used as therapeutic vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Mateo
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphanie Reynard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Natalia Pietrosemoli
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Paris, France
| | - Emeline Perthame
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Journeaux
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Kodie Noy
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Clara Germain
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Xavier Carnec
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Caroline Picard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Virginie Borges-Cardoso
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Jimmy Hortion
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France.,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Hélène Lopez-Maestre
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Paris, France
| | - Pierrick Regnard
- SILABE, Université de Strasbourg, fort Foch, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Lyne Fellmann
- SILABE, Université de Strasbourg, fort Foch, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Audrey Vallve
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM - Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Barron
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM - Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Ophélie Jourjon
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM - Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Orianne Lacroix
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM - Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Aurélie Duthey
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM - Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Manon Dirheimer
- INSERM, Délégation Régionale Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 69500, Bron, France
| | | | | | | | - Hervé Raoul
- Laboratoire P4 INSERM - Jean Mérieux, INSERM US003, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Frédéric Tangy
- Vaccine Innovation Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Baize
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 69007, Lyon, France. .,Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Université de Lyon, INSERM U1111, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5308, 69007, Lyon, France.
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Aloke C, Obasi NA, Aja PM, Emelike CU, Egwu CO, Jeje O, Edeogu CO, Onisuru OO, Orji OU, Achilonu I. Combating Lassa Fever in West African Sub-Region: Progress, Challenges, and Future Perspectives. Viruses 2023; 15:146. [PMID: 36680186 PMCID: PMC9864412 DOI: 10.3390/v15010146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is a rodent-borne disease that threatens human health in the sub-region of West Africa where the zoonotic host of Lassa virus (LASV) is predominant. Currently, treatment options for LF are limited and since no preventive vaccine is approved for its infectivity, there is a high mortality rate in endemic areas. This narrative review explores the transmission, pathogenicity of LASV, advances, and challenges of different treatment options. Our findings indicate that genetic diversity among the different strains of LASV and their ability to circumvent the immune system poses a critical challenge to the development of LASV vaccines/therapeutics. Thus, understanding the biochemistry, physiology and genetic polymorphism of LASV, mechanism of evading host immunity are essential for development of effective LASV vaccines/therapeutics to combat this lethal viral disease. The LASV nucleoprotein (NP) is a novel target for therapeutics as it functions significantly in several aspects of the viral life cycle. Consequently, LASV NP inhibitors could be employed as effective therapeutics as they will potentially inhibit LASV replication. Effective preventive control measures, vaccine development, target validation, and repurposing of existing drugs, such as ribavirin, using activity or in silico-based and computational bioinformatics, would aid in the development of novel drugs for LF management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinyere Aloke
- Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki PMB 1010, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Nwogo Ajuka Obasi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki PMB 1010, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Patrick Maduabuchi Aja
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki PMB 053, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mbarara P.O. Box 1410, Uganda
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Kampala International University, Bushenyi, Ishaka P.O. Box 71, Uganda
| | - Chinedum Uche Emelike
- Department of Physiology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki PMB 1010, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Chinedu Ogbonnia Egwu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki PMB 1010, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Olamide Jeje
- Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
| | - Chuks Oswald Edeogu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki PMB 053, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Olalekan Olugbenga Onisuru
- Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
| | - Obasi Uche Orji
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki PMB 053, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Ikechukwu Achilonu
- Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
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Abstract
Lassa Fever (LF) is a viral hemorrhagic fever endemic in West Africa. LF begins with flu-like symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from other common endemic diseases such as malaria, dengue, and yellow fever making it hard to diagnose clinically. Availability of a rapid diagnostic test and other serological and molecular assays facilitates accurate diagnosis of LF. Lassa virus therapeutics are currently in different stages of preclinical development. Arevirumab, a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies, demonstrates a great safety and efficacy profile in non-human primates. Major efforts have been made in the development of a Lassa virus vaccine. Two vaccine candidates, MeV-NP and pLASV-GPC are undergoing evaluation in phase I clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilia I Melnik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.
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11
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Murphy H, Ly H. Understanding Immune Responses to Lassa Virus Infection and to Its Candidate Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1668. [PMID: 36298533 PMCID: PMC9612042 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10101668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is a deadly viral hemorrhagic fever disease that is endemic in several countries in West Africa. It is caused by Lassa virus (LASV), which has been estimated to be responsible for approximately 300,000 infections and 5000 deaths annually. LASV is a highly pathogenic human pathogen without effective therapeutics or FDA-approved vaccines. Here, we aim to provide a literature review of the current understanding of the basic mechanism of immune responses to LASV infection in animal models and patients, as well as to several of its candidate vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hinh Ly
- Comparative & Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
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12
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Reyna RA, Maruyama J, Mantlo EK, Manning JT, Taniguchi S, Makishima T, Lukashevich IS, Paessler S. Depletion of CD4 and CD8 T Cells Reduces Acute Disease and Is Not Associated with Hearing Loss in ML29-Infected STAT1-/- Mice. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2433. [PMID: 36289695 PMCID: PMC9598517 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a zoonotic virus endemic to western Africa that can cause a potentially lethal and hemorrhagic disease, Lassa fever (LF). Survivors suffer a myriad of sequelae, most notably sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), the mechanism of which remains unclear. Unfortunately, studies aiming to identify the mechanism of these sequelae are limited due to the biosafety level 4 (BSL4) requirements of LASV itself. ML29, a reassortant virus proposed as an experimental vaccine candidate against LASV, is potentially an ideal surrogate model of LF in STAT1-/- mice due to similar phenotype in these animals. We intended to better characterize ML29 pathogenesis and potential sequelae in this animal model. Our results indicate that while both CD4 and CD8 T cells are responsible for acute disease in ML29 infection, ML29 induces significant hearing loss in a mechanism independent of either CD4 or CD8 T cells. We believe that this model could provide valuable information for viral-associated hearing loss in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Reyna
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Emily K. Mantlo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - John T. Manning
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Satoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Tomoko Makishima
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Igor S. Lukashevich
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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13
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Cheng HY, French CE, Salam AP, Dawson S, McAleenan A, McGuinness LA, Savović J, Horby PW, Sterne JAC. Lack of Evidence for Ribavirin Treatment of Lassa Fever in Systematic Review of Published and Unpublished Studies 1. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1559-1568. [PMID: 35876478 PMCID: PMC9328902 DOI: 10.3201/eid2808.211787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribavirin has been used widely to treat Lassa fever in West Africa since the 1980s. However, few studies have systematically appraised the evidence for its use. We conducted a systematic review of published and unpublished literature retrieved from electronic databases and gray literature from inception to March 8, 2022. We identified 13 studies of the comparative effectiveness of ribavirin versus no ribavirin treatment on mortality outcomes, including unpublished data from a study in Sierra Leone provided through a US Freedom of Information Act request. Although ribavirin was associated with decreased mortality rates, results of these studies were at critical or serious risk for bias when appraised using the ROBINS-I tool. Important risks for bias related to lack of control for confounders, immortal time bias, and missing outcome data. Robust evidence supporting the use of ribavirin in Lassa fever is lacking. Well-conducted clinical trials to elucidate the effectiveness of ribavirin for Lassa fever are needed.
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14
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Raabe V, Mehta AK, Evans JD. Lassa Virus Infection: a Summary for Clinicians. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 119:187-200. [PMID: 35395384 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This summary on Lassa virus (LASV) infection and Lassa fever disease (LF) was developed from a clinical perspective to provide clinicians a condensed, accessible understanding of the current literature. The information provided highlights pathogenesis, clinical features, and diagnostics with an emphasis on therapies and vaccines that have demonstrated potential value for use in clinical or research environments. METHODS An integrative literature review was conducted on the clinical and pathological features, vaccines, and treatments for LASV infection, with a focus on recent studies and in vivo evidence from humans and/or non-human primates (NHPs), when available. RESULTS Two antiviral medications with potential benefit for the treatment of LASV infection and one for post-exposure prophylaxis were identified, although a larger number of potential candidates are currently being evaluated. Multiple vaccine platforms are in pre-clinical development for LASV prevention, but data from human clinical trials are not yet available. CONCLUSION We provide succinct summaries of medical countermeasures against LASV to give the busy clinician a rapid reference. Although there are no approved drugs or vaccines for LF, we provide condensed information from a literature review for measures that can be taken when faced with a suspected infection, including investigational treatment options and hospital engineering controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Raabe
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY.
| | | | - Jared D Evans
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD.
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15
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To A, Lai CY, Wong TAS, Namekar M, Lieberman MM, Lehrer AT. Adjuvants Differentially Modulate the Immunogenicity of Lassa Virus Glycoprotein Subunits in Mice. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022; 3. [PMID: 37034031 PMCID: PMC10081732 DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.847598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa Fever (LF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa virus (LASV) that is primarily transmitted through contact with wild rodents in West Africa. Although several advanced vaccine candidates are progressing through clinical trials, some effective vaccines are virally vectored and thus require a stringent cold-chain, making distribution to rural and resource-poor areas difficult. Recombinant subunit vaccines are advantageous in this aspect as they can be thermostabilized and deployed with minimal storage and transportation requirements. However, antigen dose and adjuvant formulation must be carefully selected to ensure both the appropriate humoral and cell-mediated immune responses are elicited. In this study, we examine the immunogenicity of a two-step immunoaffinity-purified recombinant LASV glycoprotein (GP) with five clinical- and preclinical-grade adjuvants. Swiss Webster mice immunized intramuscularly with 2 or 3 doses of each vaccine formulation showed complete seroconversion and maximal GP-specific antibody response after two immunizations. Formulations with GPI-0100, LiteVax, Montanide™ ISA 51, and Montanide™ ISA 720 induced both IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies suggesting a balanced Th1/Th2 response, whereas formulation of LASV GP with Alhydrogel elicited a IgG1-dominant response. Splenocytes secreting both Th1 and Th2 cytokines i.e., IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5, were observed from mice receiving both antigen doses formulated with ISA 720, LiteVax and GPI-0100. However, robust, multifunctional T-cells were only detected in mice receiving a higher dose of LASV GP formulated with GPI-0100. Our results emphasize the importance of careful adjuvant selection and lay the immunological basis for a recombinant subunit protein LF vaccine formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert To
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Chih-Yun Lai
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Teri Ann S. Wong
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Madhuri Namekar
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Michael M. Lieberman
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Axel T. Lehrer
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Correspondence: Axel T. Lehrer,
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16
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Murphy HL, Ly H. Pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of Lassa virus and its animal modeling, diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic developments. Virulence 2021; 12:2989-3014. [PMID: 34747339 PMCID: PMC8923068 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.2000290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is a deadly viral hemorrhagic disease that is endemic to West Africa. The causative agent of LF is Lassa virus (LASV), which causes approximately 300,000 infections and 5,000 deaths annually. There are currently no approved therapeutics or FDA-approved vaccines against LASV. The high genetic variability between LASV strains and immune evasion mediated by the virus complicate the development of effective therapeutics and vaccines. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the basic biology of LASV and its mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and virulence in various animal models, as well as an update on prospective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for LF. Until effective vaccines and/or therapeutics are available for use to prevent or treat LF, a better level of understanding of the basic biology of LASV, its natural genetic variations and immune evasion mechanisms as potential pathogenicity factors, and of the rodent reservoir-vector populations and their geographical distributions, is necessary for the development of accurate diagnostics and effective therapeutics and vaccines against this deadly human viral pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L Murphy
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, Comparative & Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, Comparative & Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
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17
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Fischer RJ, Purushotham JN, van Doremalen N, Sebastian S, Meade-White K, Cordova K, Letko M, Jeremiah Matson M, Feldmann F, Haddock E, LaCasse R, Saturday G, Lambe T, Gilbert SC, Munster VJ. ChAdOx1-vectored Lassa fever vaccine elicits a robust cellular and humoral immune response and protects guinea pigs against lethal Lassa virus challenge. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:32. [PMID: 33654106 PMCID: PMC7925663 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00291-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) infects hundreds of thousands of individuals each year, highlighting the need for the accelerated development of preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions. To date, no vaccine has been licensed for LASV. ChAdOx1-Lassa-GPC is a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine encoding the Josiah strain LASV glycoprotein precursor (GPC) gene. In the following study, we show that ChAdOx1-Lassa-GPC is immunogenic, inducing robust T-cell and antibody responses in mice. Furthermore, a single dose of ChAdOx1-Lassa-GPC fully protects Hartley guinea pigs against morbidity and mortality following lethal challenge with a guinea pig-adapted LASV (strain Josiah). By contrast, control vaccinated animals reached euthanasia criteria 10-12 days after infection. Limited amounts of LASV RNA were detected in the tissues of vaccinated animals. Viable LASV was detected in only one animal receiving a single dose of the vaccine. A prime-boost regimen of ChAdOx1-Lassa-GPC in guinea pigs significantly increased antigen-specific antibody titers and cleared viable LASV from the tissues. These data support further development of ChAdOx1-Lassa-GPC and testing in non-human primate models of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J. Fischer
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT USA
| | - Jyothi N. Purushotham
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT USA ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Neeltje van Doremalen
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT USA
| | - Sarah Sebastian
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,Present Address: Vaccitech Limited, Oxford, UK
| | - Kimberly Meade-White
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT USA
| | - Kathleen Cordova
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT USA
| | - Michael Letko
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT USA ,grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568Paul G. Allen School of Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
| | - M. Jeremiah Matson
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT USA ,grid.36425.360000 0001 2216 9681Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Huntington, WV USA
| | - Friederike Feldmann
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT USA
| | - Elaine Haddock
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT USA
| | - Rachel LaCasse
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT USA
| | - Greg Saturday
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT USA
| | - Teresa Lambe
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah C. Gilbert
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Vincent J. Munster
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT USA
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18
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Hulswit RJG, Paesen GC, Bowden TA, Shi X. Recent Advances in Bunyavirus Glycoprotein Research: Precursor Processing, Receptor Binding and Structure. Viruses 2021; 13:353. [PMID: 33672327 PMCID: PMC7926653 DOI: 10.3390/v13020353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The Bunyavirales order accommodates related viruses (bunyaviruses) with segmented, linear, single-stranded, negative- or ambi-sense RNA genomes. Their glycoproteins form capsomeric projections or spikes on the virion surface and play a crucial role in virus entry, assembly, morphogenesis. Bunyavirus glycoproteins are encoded by a single RNA segment as a polyprotein precursor that is co- and post-translationally cleaved by host cell enzymes to yield two mature glycoproteins, Gn and Gc (or GP1 and GP2 in arenaviruses). These glycoproteins undergo extensive N-linked glycosylation and despite their cleavage, remain associated to the virion to form an integral transmembrane glycoprotein complex. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the molecular biology of bunyavirus glycoproteins, including their processing, structure, and known interactions with host factors that facilitate cell entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben J. G. Hulswit
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.J.G.H.); (G.C.P.)
| | - Guido C. Paesen
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.J.G.H.); (G.C.P.)
| | - Thomas A. Bowden
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.J.G.H.); (G.C.P.)
| | - Xiaohong Shi
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
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19
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Abstract
Lassa fever was first described as a clinical entity fifty years ago. The causative agent Lassa virus was isolated from these first known cases. This chapter reviews the key publications on Lassa fever research that appeared in the scientific literature at that time and over the ensuing decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert F Garry
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA. .,Zalgen Labs, LLC, 20271 Goldenrod Lane, Suite 2083, Germantown, MD, 20876, USA.
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20
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Klitting R, Mehta SB, Oguzie JU, Oluniyi PE, Pauthner MG, Siddle KJ, Andersen KG, Happi CT, Sabeti PC. Lassa Virus Genetics. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2020. [PMID: 32418034 DOI: 10.1007/82_2020_212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In a pattern repeated across a range of ecological niches, arenaviruses have evolved a compact four-gene genome to orchestrate a complex life cycle in a narrow range of susceptible hosts. A number of mammalian arenaviruses cross-infect humans, often causing a life-threatening viral hemorrhagic fever. Among this group of geographically bound zoonoses, Lassa virus has evolved a unique niche that leads to significant and sustained human morbidity and mortality. As a biosafety level 4 pathogen, direct study of the pathogenesis of Lassa virus is limited by the sparse availability, high operating costs, and technical restrictions of the high-level biocontainment laboratories required for safe experimentation. In this chapter, we introduce the relationship between genome structure and the life cycle of Lassa virus and outline reverse genetic approaches used to probe and describe functional elements of the Lassa virus genome. We then review the tools used to obtain viral genomic sequences used for phylogeny and molecular diagnostics, before shifting to a population perspective to assess the contributions of phylogenetic analysis in understanding the evolution and ecology of Lassa virus in West Africa. We finally consider the future outlook and clinical applications for genetic study of Lassa virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaëlle Klitting
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Samar B Mehta
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judith U Oguzie
- African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Paul E Oluniyi
- African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Matthias G Pauthner
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Kristian G Andersen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Christian T Happi
- African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Pardis C Sabeti
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Center for Systems Biology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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21
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Ibukun FI. Inter-Lineage Variation of Lassa Virus Glycoprotein Epitopes: A Challenge to Lassa Virus Vaccine Development. Viruses 2020; 12:v12040386. [PMID: 32244402 PMCID: PMC7232328 DOI: 10.3390/v12040386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV), which causes considerable morbidity and mortality annually, has a high genetic diversity across West Africa. LASV glycoprotein (GP) expresses this diversity, but most LASV vaccine candidates utilize only the Lineage IV LASV Josiah strain GP antigen as an immunogen and homologous challenge with Lineage IV LASV. In addition to the sequence variation amongst the LASV lineages, these lineages are also distinguished in their presentations. Inter-lineage variations within previously mapped B-cell and T-cell LASV GP epitopes and the breadth of protection in LASV vaccine/challenge studies were examined critically. Multiple alignments of the GP primary sequence of strains from each LASV lineage showed that LASV GP has diverging degrees of amino acid conservation within known epitopes among LASV lineages. Conformational B-cell epitopes spanning different sites in GP subunits were less impacted by LASV diversity. LASV GP diversity should influence the approach used for LASV vaccine design. Expression of LASV GP on viral vectors, especially in its prefusion configuration, has shown potential for protective LASV vaccines that can overcome LASV diversity. Advanced vaccine candidates should demonstrate efficacy against all LASV lineages for evidence of a pan-LASV vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Ifedayo Ibukun
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21201, MD, USA
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22
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Cai Y, Iwasaki M, Motooka D, Liu DX, Yu S, Cooper K, Hart R, Adams R, Burdette T, Postnikova EN, Kurtz J, St Claire M, Ye C, Kuhn JH, Martínez-Sobrido L, de la Torre JC. A Lassa Virus Live-Attenuated Vaccine Candidate Based on Rearrangement of the Intergenic Region. mBio 2020; 11:e00186-20. [PMID: 32209677 PMCID: PMC7157513 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00186-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) poses a significant public health problem within the regions of Lassa fever endemicity in Western Africa. LASV infects several hundred thousand individuals yearly, and a considerable number of Lassa fever cases are associated with high morbidity and lethality. No approved LASV vaccine is available, and current therapy is limited to an off-label usage of ribavirin that is only partially effective and associated with significant side effects. The impact of Lassa fever on human health, together with the limited existing countermeasures, highlights the importance of developing effective vaccines against LASV. Here, we present the development and characterization of a recombinant LASV (rLASV) vaccine candidate [rLASV(IGR/S-S)], which is based on the presence of the noncoding intergenic region (IGR) of the small (S) genome segment (S-IGR) in both large (L) and S LASV segments. In cultured cells, rLASV(IGR/S-S) was modestly less fit than wild-type rLASV (rLASV-WT). rLASV(IGR/S-S) was highly attenuated in guinea pigs, and a single subcutaneous low dose of the virus completely protected against otherwise lethal infection with LASV-WT. Moreover, rLASV(IGR/S-S) was genetically stable during serial passages in cultured cells. These findings indicate that rLASV(IGR/S-S) can be developed into a LASV live-attenuated vaccine (LAV) that has the same antigenic composition as LASV-WT and a well-defined mechanism of attenuation that overcomes concerns about increased virulence that could be caused by genetic changes in the LAV during multiple rounds of multiplication.IMPORTANCE Lassa virus (LASV), the causative agent of Lassa fever, infects several hundred thousand people in Western Africa, resulting in many lethal Lassa fever cases. No U.S. Food and Drug Administration-licensed countermeasures are available to prevent or treat LASV infection. We describe the generation of a novel LASV live-attenuated vaccine candidate rLASV(IGR/S-S), which is based on the replacement of the large genomic segment noncoding intergenic region (IGR) with that of the small genome segment. rLASV(IGR/S-S) is less fit in cell culture than wild-type virus and does not cause clinical signs in inoculated guinea pigs. Importantly, rLASV(IGR/S-S) protects immunized guinea pigs against an otherwise lethal exposure to LASV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyun Cai
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Masaharu Iwasaki
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- Laboratory of Emerging Viral Diseases, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Laboratory of Pathogen Detection and Identification, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - David X Liu
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Shuiqing Yu
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Kurt Cooper
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Randy Hart
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Ricky Adams
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Tracey Burdette
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Elena N Postnikova
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan Kurtz
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Marisa St Claire
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Chengjin Ye
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Jens H Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Luis Martínez-Sobrido
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Juan Carlos de la Torre
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
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23
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Cai Y, Ye C, Cheng B, Nogales A, Iwasaki M, Yu S, Cooper K, Liu DX, Hart R, Adams R, Brady T, Postnikova EN, Kurtz J, St Claire M, Kuhn JH, de la Torre JC, Martínez-Sobrido L. A Lassa Fever Live-Attenuated Vaccine Based on Codon Deoptimization of the Viral Glycoprotein Gene. mBio 2020; 11:e00039-20. [PMID: 32098811 PMCID: PMC7042690 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00039-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is endemic in Western Africa and is estimated to infect hundreds of thousands of individuals annually. A considerable number of these infections result in Lassa fever (LF), which is associated with significant morbidity and a case-fatality rate as high as 69% among hospitalized confirmed patients. U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved LF vaccines are not available. Current antiviral treatment is limited to off-label use of a nucleoside analogue, ribavirin, that is only partially effective and associated with significant side effects. We generated and characterized a recombinant LASV expressing a codon-deoptimized (CD) glycoprotein precursor gene (GPC), rLASV-GPC/CD. Comparison of growth kinetics and peak titers showed that rLASV-GPC/CD is slightly attenuated in cell culture compared to wild-type (WT) recombinant LASV (rLASV-WT). However, rLASV-GPC/CD is highly attenuated in strain 13 and Hartley guinea pigs, as reflected by the absence of detectable clinical signs in animals inoculated with rLASV-GPC/CD. Importantly, a single subcutaneous dose of rLASV-GPC/CD provides complete protection against an otherwise lethal exposure to LASV. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a CD approach for developing a safe and effective LASV live-attenuated vaccine candidate. Moreover, rLASV-GPC/CD might provide investigators with a tool to safely study LASV outside maximum (biosafety level 4) containment, which could accelerate the elucidation of basic aspects of the molecular and cell biology of LASV and the development of novel LASV medical countermeasures.IMPORTANCE Lassa virus (LASV) infects several hundred thousand people in Western Africa, resulting in many lethal Lassa fever (LF) cases. Licensed LF vaccines are not available, and anti-LF therapy is limited to off-label use of the nucleoside analog ribavirin with uncertain efficacy. We describe the generation of a novel live-attenuated LASV vaccine candidate. This vaccine candidate is based on mutating wild-type (WT) LASV in a key region of the viral genome, the glycoprotein precursor (GPC) gene. These mutations do not change the encoded GPC but interfere with its production in host cells. This mutated LASV (rLASV-GPC/CD) behaves like WT LASV (rLASV-WT) in cell culture, but in contrast to rLASV-WT, does not cause disease in inoculated guinea pigs. Guinea pigs immunized with rLASV-GPC/CD were protected against an otherwise lethal exposure to WT LASV. Our results support the testing of this candidate vaccine in nonhuman primate models ofLF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyun Cai
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Chengjin Ye
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Benson Cheng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Aitor Nogales
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Masaharu Iwasaki
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Shuiqing Yu
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Kurt Cooper
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - David X Liu
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Randy Hart
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Ricky Adams
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Tyler Brady
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Elena N Postnikova
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan Kurtz
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Marisa St Claire
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jens H Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Juan Carlos de la Torre
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Luis Martínez-Sobrido
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
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24
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The Utility of Human Immune System Mice for High-Containment Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Research. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8010098. [PMID: 32098330 PMCID: PMC7157695 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8010098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human immune system (HIS) mice are a subset of humanized mice that are generated by xenoengraftment of human immune cells or tissues and/or their progenitors into immunodeficient mice. Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) cause severe disease in humans, typically with high case fatality rates. HIS mouse studies have been performed to investigate the pathogenesis and immune responses to VHFs that must be handled in high-containment laboratory facilities. Here, we summarize studies on filoviruses, nairoviruses, phenuiviruses, and hantaviruses, and discuss the knowledge gained from using various HIS mouse models. Furthermore, we discuss the complexities of designing and interpreting studies utilizing HIS mice while highlighting additional questions about VHFs that can still be addressed using HIS mouse models.
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25
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Afrough B, Dowall S, Hewson R. Emerging viruses and current strategies for vaccine intervention. Clin Exp Immunol 2020; 196:157-166. [PMID: 30993690 PMCID: PMC6468171 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During the past decade several notable viruses have suddenly emerged from obscurity or anonymity to become serious global health threats, provoking concern regarding their sustained epidemic transmission in immunologically naive human populations. With each new threat comes the call for rapid vaccine development. Indeed, vaccines are considered a critical component of disease prevention for emerging viral infections because, in many cases, other medical options are limited or non‐existent, or that infections result in such a rapid clinical deterioration that the effectiveness of therapeutics is limited. While classic approaches to vaccine development are still amenable to emerging viruses, the application of molecular techniques in virology has profoundly influenced our understanding of virus biology, and vaccination methods based on replicating, attenuated and non‐replicating virus vector approaches have become useful vaccine platforms. Together with a growing understanding of viral disease emergence, a range of vaccine strategies and international commitment to underpin development, vaccine intervention for new and emerging viruses may become a possibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Afrough
- Virology and Pathogenesis Laboratory, National Infection Service, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK
| | - S Dowall
- Virology and Pathogenesis Laboratory, National Infection Service, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK
| | - R Hewson
- Virology and Pathogenesis Laboratory, National Infection Service, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK
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26
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Ng WM, Stelfox AJ, Bowden TA. Unraveling virus relationships by structure-based phylogenetic classification. Virus Evol 2020; 6:veaa003. [PMID: 32064119 PMCID: PMC7015158 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Delineation of the intricacies of protein function from macromolecular structure constitutes a continual obstacle in the study of cell and pathogen biology. Structure-based phylogenetic analysis has emerged as a powerful tool for addressing this challenge, allowing the detection and quantification of conserved architectural properties between proteins, including those with low or no detectable sequence homology. With a focus on viral protein structure, we highlight how a number of investigations have utilized this powerful method to infer common functionality and ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weng M Ng
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Alice J Stelfox
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Thomas A Bowden
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
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27
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Differential Immune Responses to Hemorrhagic Fever-Causing Arenaviruses. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:vaccines7040138. [PMID: 31581720 PMCID: PMC6963578 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7040138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The family Arenaviridae contains several pathogens of major clinical importance. The Old World (OW) arenavirus Lassa virus is endemic in West Africa and is estimated to cause up to 300,000 infections each year. The New World (NW) arenaviruses Junín and Machupo periodically cause hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in South America. While these arenaviruses are highly pathogenic in humans, recent evidence indicates that pathogenic OW and NW arenaviruses interact with the host immune system differently, which may have differential impacts on viral pathogenesis. Severe Lassa fever cases are characterized by profound immunosuppression. In contrast, pathogenic NW arenavirus infections are accompanied by elevated levels of Type I interferon and pro-inflammatory cytokines. This review aims to summarize recent findings about interactions of these pathogenic arenaviruses with the innate immune machinery and the subsequent effects on adaptive immunity, which may inform the development of vaccines and therapeutics against arenavirus infections.
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28
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Mateo M, Reynard S, Carnec X, Journeaux A, Baillet N, Schaeffer J, Picard C, Legras-Lachuer C, Allan R, Perthame E, Hillion KH, Pietrosemoli N, Dillies MA, Barrot L, Vallve A, Barron S, Fellmann L, Gaillard JC, Armengaud J, Carbonnelle C, Raoul H, Tangy F, Baize S. Vaccines inducing immunity to Lassa virus glycoprotein and nucleoprotein protect macaques after a single shot. Sci Transl Med 2019; 11:11/512/eaaw3163. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaw3163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Lassa fever is a major threat in Western Africa. The large number of people living at risk for this disease calls for the development of a vaccine against Lassa virus (LASV). We generated live-attenuated LASV vaccines based on measles virus and Mopeia virus platforms and expressing different LASV antigens, with the aim to develop a vaccine able to protect after a single shot. We compared the efficacy of these vaccines against LASV in cynomolgus monkeys. The vaccines were well tolerated and protected the animals from LASV infection and disease after a single immunization but with varying efficacy. Analysis of the immune responses showed that complete protection was associated with robust secondary T cell and antibody responses against LASV. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses showed an early activation of innate immunity and T cell priming after immunization with the most effective vaccines, with changes detectable as early as 2 days after immunization. The most efficacious vaccine candidate, a measles vector simultaneously expressing LASV glycoprotein and nucleoprotein, has been selected for further clinical evaluation.
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29
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Kainulainen MH, Spengler JR, Welch SR, Coleman-McCray JD, Harmon JR, Klena JD, Nichol ST, Albariño CG, Spiropoulou CF. Use of a Scalable Replicon-Particle Vaccine to Protect Against Lethal Lassa Virus Infection in the Guinea Pig Model. J Infect Dis 2019; 217:1957-1966. [PMID: 29800368 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever is a viral zoonosis that can be transmitted from person to person, especially in the hospital setting. The disease is endemic to several countries in West Africa and can be a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in affected areas. There are no approved vaccines to prevent Lassa virus infection. In this work, we present a vaccine candidate that combines the scalability and efficacy benefits of a live vaccine with the safety benefits of single-cycle replication. The system consists of Lassa virus replicon particles devoid of the virus essential glycoprotein gene, and a cell line that expresses the glycoprotein products, enabling efficient vaccine propagation. Guinea pigs vaccinated with these particles showed no clinical reaction to the inoculum and were protected against fever, weight loss, and lethality after infection with Lassa virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus H Kainulainen
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jessica R Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Stephen R Welch
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - JoAnn D Coleman-McCray
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jessica R Harmon
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - John D Klena
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Stuart T Nichol
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - César G Albariño
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christina F Spiropoulou
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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30
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Garnett LE, Strong JE. Lassa fever: With 50 years of study, hundreds of thousands of patients and an extremely high disease burden, what have we learned? Curr Opin Virol 2019; 37:123-131. [PMID: 31479990 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Garnett
- Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - James E Strong
- Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
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31
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A Single Dose of Modified Vaccinia Ankara Expressing Lassa Virus-like Particles Protects Mice from Lethal Intra-cerebral Virus Challenge. Pathogens 2019; 8:pathogens8030133. [PMID: 31466243 PMCID: PMC6789566 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens8030133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever surpasses Ebola, Marburg, and all other hemorrhagic fevers except Dengue in its public health impact. Caused by Lassa virus (LASV), the disease is a scourge on populations in endemic areas of West Africa, where reported incidence is higher. Here, we report construction, characterization, and preclinical efficacy of a novel recombinant vaccine candidate GEO-LM01. Constructed in the Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector, GEO-LM01 expresses the glycoprotein precursor (GPC) and zinc-binding matrix protein (Z) from the prototype Josiah strain lineage IV. When expressed together, GP and Z form Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) in cell culture. Immunogenicity and efficacy of GEO-LM01 was tested in a mouse challenge model. A single intramuscular dose of GEO-LM01 protected 100% of CBA/J mice challenged with a lethal dose of ML29, a Mopeia/Lassa reassortant virus, delivered directly into the brain. In contrast, all control animals died within one week. The vaccine induced low levels of antibodies but Lassa-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. This is the first report showing that a single dose of a replication-deficient MVA vector can confer full protection against a lethal challenge with ML29 virus.
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32
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Tang-Huau TL, Feldmann H, Rosenke K. Animal models for Lassa virus infection. Curr Opin Virol 2019; 37:112-117. [PMID: 31442921 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In humans, Lassa virus infection can result in disease with hemorrhagic manifestations and high fatality rates. There are no approved treatments or vaccines available and the inherent danger of studying Lassa virus means it can only be studied in high containment labs (BSL4). Under these conditions, mouse models are becoming an important instrument in the study of Lassa virus infection, disease and host responses. While guinea pigs and non-human primates are the critical components in assessing treatments and vaccines and have recently been used with great affect in this capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsing-Lee Tang-Huau
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - H Feldmann
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
| | - K Rosenke
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT, USA.
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33
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A vaccine based on recombinant modified Vaccinia Ankara containing the nucleoprotein from Lassa virus protects against disease progression in a guinea pig model. Vaccine 2019; 37:5404-5413. [PMID: 31331770 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Lassa fever remains the most imported viral haemorrhagic fever in Europe and is responsible for 5000 deaths per year throughout Western Africa. There is no vaccine and treatment is often ineffective. We have developed a vaccine based on modified Vaccinia Ankara expressing the nucleoprotein from Lassa virus (MVALassaNP). This study investigated the immunogenicity (in mice) and efficacy (in guinea pigs) of the MVALassaNP vaccine as a prime/boost or single vaccination regime. ELISA and ELISpot assays confirmed humoral and T-cell immunity following both a prime and prime/boost vaccination, with the prime/boost regime producing a statistically increased response compared to a prime only vaccine (P < 0.0001). The vaccine offered protection in guinea pigs against disease manifestations after challenge with virulent Lassa virus. Clinical signs, weight loss and temperature increases were observed in all animals receiving a control MVA vaccine, after challenge with Lassa virus. In contrast, no clinical signs, fever or weight loss were observed in any of the MVALassaNP vaccinated animals demonstrating that both a single immunisation, and prime/boost regime confer protection against disease progression. In conclusion, the MVALassaNP vaccine candidate elicits an immune response, demonstrates efficacy against Lassa virus disease and is suitable for further preclinical and clinical development.
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34
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Jiang J, Banglore P, Cashman KA, Schmaljohn CS, Schultheis K, Pugh H, Nguyen J, Humeau LM, Broderick KE, Ramos SJ. Immunogenicity of a protective intradermal DNA vaccine against lassa virus in cynomolgus macaques. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019; 15:2066-2074. [PMID: 31071008 PMCID: PMC6773375 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1616499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a hemorrhagic fever virus of the Arenaviridae family with high rates of mortality and co-morbidities, including chronic seizures and permanent bilateral or unilateral deafness. LASV is endemic in West Africa and Lassa fever accounts for 10-16% of hospitalizations annually in parts of Sierra Leone and Liberia according to the CDC. An ongoing outbreak in Nigeria has resulted in 144 deaths in 568 cases confirmed as LASV as of November 2018, with many more suspected, highlighting the urgent need for a vaccine to prevent this severe disease. We previously reported on a DNA vaccine encoding a codon-optimized LASV glycoprotein precursor gene, pLASV-GPC, which completely protects Guinea pigs and nonhuman primates (NHPs) against viremia, clinical disease, and death following lethal LASV challenge. Herein we report on the immunogenicity profile of the LASV DNA vaccine in protected NHPs. Antigen-specific binding antibodies were generated in 100% (6/6) NHPs after two immunizations with pLASV-GPC. These antibodies bound predominantly to the assembled LASV glycoprotein complex and had robust neutralizing activity in a pseudovirus assay. pLASV-GPC DNA-immunized NHPs (5/6) also developed T cell responses as measured by IFNγ ELISpot assay. These results revealed that the pLASV-GPC DNA vaccine is capable of generating functional, LASV-specific T cell and antibody responses, and the assays developed in this study will provide a framework to identify correlates of protection and characterize immune responses in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Jiang
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Preeti Banglore
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Kathleen A. Cashman
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Connie S. Schmaljohn
- Office of the Chief Scientists, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | | | - Holly Pugh
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Jacklyn Nguyen
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Laurent M. Humeau
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Kate E. Broderick
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Stephanie J. Ramos
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA,CONTACT Stephanie J. Ramos 10480 Wateridge Circle, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
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35
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Vaccine platforms for the prevention of Lassa fever. Immunol Lett 2019; 215:1-11. [PMID: 31026485 PMCID: PMC7132387 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2019.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The epidemiological significance of Lassa fever in West Africa is discussed. Viral ecology, pathology, and immunobiology of Lassa virus infection is described. Multiple vaccine candidates have been tested in pre-clinical models. Lassa fever vaccine candidates have yet to progress to clinical trials. Five platform technologies have been selected for expedited development.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus (LASV), which is endemic throughout much of West Africa. The virus primarily circulates in the Mastomys natalensis reservoir and is transmitted to humans through contact with infectious rodents or their secretions; human-to-human transmission is documented as well. With the exception of Dengue fever, LASV has the highest human impact of any haemorrhagic fever virus. On-going outbreaks in Nigeria have resulted in unprecedented mortality. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has listed LASV as a high priority pathogen for the development of treatments and prophylactics. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines to protect against LASV infection. Although numerous candidates have demonstrated efficacy in animal models, to date, only a single candidate has advanced to clinical trials. Lassa fever vaccine development efforts have been hindered by the high cost of biocontainment requirements, the absence of established correlates of protection, and uncertainty regarding the extent to which animal models are predictive of vaccine efficacy in humans. This review briefly discusses the epidemiology and biology of LASV infection and highlights recent progress in vaccine development.
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36
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Brisse ME, Ly H. Hemorrhagic Fever-Causing Arenaviruses: Lethal Pathogens and Potent Immune Suppressors. Front Immunol 2019; 10:372. [PMID: 30918506 PMCID: PMC6424867 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemorrhagic fevers (HF) resulting from pathogenic arenaviral infections have traditionally been neglected as tropical diseases primarily affecting African and South American regions. There are currently no FDA-approved vaccines for arenaviruses, and treatments have been limited to supportive therapy and use of non-specific nucleoside analogs, such as Ribavirin. Outbreaks of arenaviral infections have been limited to certain geographic areas that are endemic but known cases of exportation of arenaviruses from endemic regions and socioeconomic challenges for local control of rodent reservoirs raise serious concerns about the potential for larger outbreaks in the future. This review synthesizes current knowledge about arenaviral evolution, ecology, transmission patterns, life cycle, modulation of host immunity, disease pathogenesis, as well as discusses recent development of preventative and therapeutic pursuits against this group of deadly viral pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E Brisse
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States.,Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
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Stein DR, Warner BM, Soule G, Tierney K, Frost KL, Booth S, Safronetz D. A recombinant vesicular stomatitis-based Lassa fever vaccine elicits rapid and long-term protection from lethal Lassa virus infection in guinea pigs. NPJ Vaccines 2019; 4:8. [PMID: 30774999 PMCID: PMC6368541 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-019-0104-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization has identified Lassa virus (LASV) as one of the top five pathogens to cause a severe outbreak in the near future. This study assesses the ability of a leading vaccine candidate, recombinant Vesicular stomatitis virus expressing LASV glycoprotein (VSVΔG/LASVGPC), and its ability to induce rapid and long-term immunity to lethal guinea pig-adapted LASV (GPA-LASV). Outbred guinea pigs were vaccinated with a single dose of VSVΔG/LASVGPC followed by a lethal challenge of GPA-LASV at 7, 14, 25, 189, and 355 days post-vaccination. Statistically significant rapid and long-term protection was achieved at all time points with 100% protection at days 7 and 14 post-vaccination. While 83 and 87% protection were achieved at 25 days and 6 months post-vaccination, respectively. When guinea pigs were challenged one year after vaccination 71% protection was achieved. Notable infectious virus was isolated from the serum and tissues of some but not all animals. Total LASVGPC-specific IgG titers were also measured on a monthly basis leading up to LASV challenge however, it is unclear if antibody alone correlates with short and long term survival. These studies confirm that a single dose of VSVΔG/LASVGPC can induce rapid and long-term protection from LASV infection in an aggressive outbred model of infection, and supports further development in non-human primates. Lassa virus (LASV) is an emerging pathogen that can be associated with high case fatality but for which no clinically-approved vaccine currently exists. David Safronetz and colleagues at the Public Health Agency of Canada and the University of Manitoba investigate the efficacy of a single dose of a recombinant vaccine of LASV glycoproteins vectorized into vesicular stomatitis virus (VSVΔG/LASVGPC). Using guinea pigs lethally challenged with LASV, the protective efficacy of VSVΔG/LASVGPC and LASV-specific IgG is assessed at a number of time points out to approximately one year after vaccination. VSVΔG/LASVGPC elicits stable LASV glycoprotein-specific antibody production and durable protection from lethal LASV challenge, with 71% of animals surviving even at one year following vaccination and complete protection being afforded at earlier (weeks) time points. This pre-clinical model demonstrates the stable protection that can be established by a single dose of VSVΔG/LASVGPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek R Stein
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Bryce M Warner
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada.,2Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Geoff Soule
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Kevin Tierney
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Kathy L Frost
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Stephanie Booth
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - David Safronetz
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada.,2Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
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Lukashevich IS, Paessler S, de la Torre JC. Lassa virus diversity and feasibility for universal prophylactic vaccine. F1000Res 2019; 8. [PMID: 30774934 PMCID: PMC6357994 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.16989.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a highly prevalent mammarenavirus in West Africa and is maintained in nature in a persistently infected rodent host, Mastomys natalensis, which is widely spread in sub-Saharan Africa. LASV infection of humans can cause Lassa fever (LF), a disease associated with high morbidity and significant mortality. Recent evidence indicates an LASV expansion outside its traditional endemic areas. In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) included LASV in top-priority pathogens and released a Target Product Profile (TPP) for vaccine development. Likewise, in 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration added LF to a priority review voucher program to encourage the development of preventive and therapeutics measures. In this article, we review recent progress in LASV vaccine research and development with a focus on the impact of LASV genetic and biological diversity on the design and development of vaccine candidates meeting the WHO's TPP for an LASV vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor S Lukashevich
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Juan Carlos de la Torre
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology IMM-6, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
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Attenuated Replication of Lassa Virus Vaccine Candidate ML29 in STAT-1 -/- Mice. Pathogens 2019; 8:pathogens8010009. [PMID: 30650607 PMCID: PMC6470856 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens8010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV), a highly prevalent mammalian arenavirus endemic in West Africa, can cause Lassa fever (LF), which is responsible for thousands of deaths annually. LASV is transmitted to humans from naturally infected rodents. At present, there is not an effective vaccine nor treatment. The genetic diversity of LASV is the greatest challenge for vaccine development. The reassortant ML29 carrying the L segment from the nonpathogenic Mopeia virus (MOPV) and the S segment from LASV is a vaccine candidate under current development. ML29 demonstrated complete protection in validated animal models against a Nigerian strain from clade II, which was responsible for the worst outbreak on record in 2018. This study demonstrated that ML29 was more attenuated than MOPV in STAT1-/- mice, a small animal model of human LF and its sequelae. ML29 infection of these mice resulted in more than a thousand-fold reduction in viremia and viral load in tissues and strong LASV-specific adaptive T cell responses compared to MOPV-infected mice. Persistent infection of Vero cells with ML29 resulted in generation of interfering particles (IPs), which strongly interfered with the replication of LASV, MOPV and LCMV, the prototype of the Arenaviridae. ML29 IPs induced potent cell-mediated immunity and were fully attenuated in STAT1-/- mice. Formulation of ML29 with IPs will improve the breadth of the host’s immune responses and further contribute to development of a pan-LASV vaccine with full coverage meeting the WHO requirements.
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Patterson JL, Lanford RE. Experimental Infections of the Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). THE COMMON MARMOSET IN CAPTIVITY AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH 2019. [PMCID: PMC7149626 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-811829-0.00028-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Interest in the use of marmosets for experimental infectious disease has dramatically increased in the last decade. These animals are native to the Atlantic coastal forests in northeastern Brazil. The majority of experimental animals come from the National Primate Research Centers and other breeding facilities. They are advantageous because of their relative small size, weighting 350–400 g as adults, their life span is compact compared with other nonhuman primate (NHP), and they produce offspring by 3 years of age. They are free of Herpes B virus and, it is believed, to date, other dangerous human pathogens (Abbot et al., 2003) [1]. We describe here the experimental infections of marmosets to human pathogens. While it is always interesting to compare various NHPs with each other, the importance of an animal model is always in comparing its similarities to human infections.
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Structure-Based Classification Defines the Discrete Conformational Classes Adopted by the Arenaviral GP1. J Virol 2018; 93:JVI.01048-18. [PMID: 30305351 PMCID: PMC6288339 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01048-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetically and geographically diverse group of viruses within the family Arenaviridae includes a number of zoonotic pathogens capable of causing fatal hemorrhagic fever. The multisubunit GPC glycoprotein spike complex displayed on the arenavirus envelope is a key determinant of species tropism and a primary target of the host humoral immune response. Here, we show that the receptor-binding GP1 subcomponent of the GPC spike from Old World but not New World arenaviruses adopts a distinct, pH-independent conformation in the absence of the cognate GP2. Our analysis provides a structure-based approach to understanding the discrete conformational classes sampled by these therapeutically important targets, informing strategies to develop arenaviral glycoprotein immunogens that resemble GPC as presented on the mature virion surface. The emergence of Old and New World arenaviruses from rodent reservoirs persistently threatens human health. The GP1 subunit of the envelope-displayed arenaviral glycoprotein spike complex (GPC) mediates host cell recognition and is an important determinant of cross-species transmission. Previous structural analyses of Old World arenaviral GP1 glycoproteins, alone and in complex with a cognate GP2 subunit, have revealed that GP1 adopts two distinct conformational states distinguished by differences in the orientations of helical regions of the molecule. Here, through comparative study of the GP1 glycoprotein architectures of Old World Loei River virus and New World Whitewater Arroyo virus, we show that these rearrangements are restricted to Old World arenaviruses and are not induced solely by the pH change that is associated with virus endosomal trafficking. Our structure-based phylogenetic analysis of arenaviral GP1s provides a blueprint for understanding the discrete structural classes adopted by these therapeutically important targets. IMPORTANCE The genetically and geographically diverse group of viruses within the family Arenaviridae includes a number of zoonotic pathogens capable of causing fatal hemorrhagic fever. The multisubunit GPC glycoprotein spike complex displayed on the arenavirus envelope is a key determinant of species tropism and a primary target of the host humoral immune response. Here, we show that the receptor-binding GP1 subcomponent of the GPC spike from Old World but not New World arenaviruses adopts a distinct, pH-independent conformation in the absence of the cognate GP2. Our analysis provides a structure-based approach to understanding the discrete conformational classes sampled by these therapeutically important targets, informing strategies to develop arenaviral glycoprotein immunogens that resemble GPC as presented on the mature virion surface.
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Zapata JC, Medina-Moreno S, Guzmán-Cardozo C, Salvato MS. Improving the Breadth of the Host's Immune Response to Lassa Virus. Pathogens 2018; 7:E84. [PMID: 30373278 PMCID: PMC6313495 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens7040084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2017, the global Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) declared Lassa virus disease to be one of the world's foremost biothreats. In January 2018, World Health Organization experts met to address the Lassa biothreat. It was commonly recognized that the diversity of Lassa virus (LASV) isolated from West African patient samples was far greater than that of the Ebola isolates from the West African epidemic of 2013⁻2016. Thus, vaccines produced against Lassa virus disease face the added challenge that they must be broadly-protective against a wide variety of LASV. In this review, we discuss what is known about the immune response to Lassa infection. We also discuss the approaches used to make broadly-protective influenza vaccines and how they could be applied to developing broad vaccine coverage against LASV disease. Recent advances in AIDS research are also potentially applicable to the design of broadly-protective medical countermeasures against LASV disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Zapata
- Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Sandra Medina-Moreno
- Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Camila Guzmán-Cardozo
- Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Maria S Salvato
- Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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Warner BM, Safronetz D, Stein DR. Current research for a vaccine against Lassa hemorrhagic fever virus. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2018; 12:2519-2527. [PMID: 30147299 PMCID: PMC6097522 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s147276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a rodent-borne arenavirus endemic to several West African countries that causes Lassa fever (LF). LF is typically mild but it can cause severe disease characterized by hemorrhagic fever and multi-organ failure. A current outbreak of LASV in Nigeria has seen greater than 300 cases with a case fatality rate of 22%. Currently, there are limited treatment options and no vaccine candidates are approved to prevent LASV infection. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has identified LASV as an emerging pathogen of high consequence and this has resulted in a push for several preclinical vaccine candidates to be advanced toward clinical trials. Here, we discuss several important aspects of LASV infection including immunobiology, immune evasion, and correlates of protection against LF, which have been identified through animal models and human infections. In addition, we discuss several vaccine candidates that have shown efficacy in animal models that could be advanced toward clinical trials. The increased fatality rate seen in the recent LASV outbreak in Nigeria highlights the importance of developing effective treatment and prevention strategies against LF. The spike in LASV cases seen in West Africa has the potential for increased mortality and human-to-human transmission, making the development and testing of effective vaccines for LASV critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryce M Warner
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - David Safronetz
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada,
| | - Derek R Stein
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada,
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Watanabe Y, Raghwani J, Allen JD, Seabright GE, Li S, Moser F, Huiskonen JT, Strecker T, Bowden TA, Crispin M. Structure of the Lassa virus glycan shield provides a model for immunological resistance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:7320-7325. [PMID: 29941589 PMCID: PMC6048489 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1803990115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus is an Old World arenavirus endemic to West Africa that causes severe hemorrhagic fever. Vaccine development has focused on the envelope glycoprotein complex (GPC) that extends from the virion envelope. The often inadequate antibody immune response elicited by both vaccine and natural infection has been, in part, attributed to the abundance of N-linked glycosylation on the GPC. Here, using a virus-like-particle system that presents Lassa virus GPC in a native-like context, we determine the composite population of each of the N-linked glycosylation sites presented on the trimeric GPC spike. Our analysis reveals the presence of underprocessed oligomannose-type glycans, which form punctuated clusters that obscure the proteinous surface of both the GP1 attachment and GP2 fusion glycoprotein subunits of the Lassa virus GPC. These oligomannose clusters are seemingly derived as a result of sterically reduced accessibility to glycan processing enzymes, and limited amino acid diversification around these sites supports their role protecting against the humoral immune response. Combined, our data provide a structure-based blueprint for understanding how glycans render the glycoprotein spikes of Lassa virus and other Old World arenaviruses immunologically resistant targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasunori Watanabe
- Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OX1 3QU Oxford, United Kingdom
- Division of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom
- Centre for Biological Sciences and Institute of Life Sciences, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jayna Raghwani
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7LF Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Joel D Allen
- Centre for Biological Sciences and Institute of Life Sciences, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Gemma E Seabright
- Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OX1 3QU Oxford, United Kingdom
- Centre for Biological Sciences and Institute of Life Sciences, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sai Li
- Division of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Felipe Moser
- Division of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Juha T Huiskonen
- Division of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science and Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thomas Strecker
- Institute of Virology, Philipps Universität Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Thomas A Bowden
- Division of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom;
| | - Max Crispin
- Centre for Biological Sciences and Institute of Life Sciences, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ Southampton, United Kingdom;
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Fernandes J, Guterres A, de Oliveira RC, Chamberlain J, Lewandowski K, Teixeira BR, Coelho TA, Crisóstomo CF, Bonvicino CR, D'Andrea PS, Hewson R, de Lemos ERS. Xapuri virus, a novel mammarenavirus: natural reassortment and increased diversity between New World viruses. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018; 7:120. [PMID: 29959319 PMCID: PMC6026159 DOI: 10.1038/s41426-018-0119-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Mammarenavirus RNA was detected in Musser’s bristly mouse (Neacomys musseri) from the Amazon region, and this detection indicated that rodents were infected with a novel mammarenavirus, with the proposed name Xapuri virus (XAPV), which is phylogenetically related to New World Clade B and Clade C viruses. XAPV may represent the first natural reassortment of the Arenaviridae family and a new unrecognized clade within the Tacaribe serocomplex group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorlan Fernandes
- Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsiosis, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
| | - Alexandro Guterres
- Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsiosis, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Renata Carvalho de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsiosis, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - John Chamberlain
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Kuiama Lewandowski
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Bernardo Rodrigues Teixeira
- Laboratory of Biology and Parasitology of Wild Mammals Reservoirs, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Thayssa Alves Coelho
- Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsiosis, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Charle Ferreira Crisóstomo
- Laboratory of Biology and Parasitology of Wild Mammals Reservoirs, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.,Federal Institute of Acre, Rio Branco - AC, 69900-640, Brazil.,Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Cibele Rodrigues Bonvicino
- Laboratory of Biology and Parasitology of Wild Mammals Reservoirs, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.,Nacional Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeio - RJ, 20230-130, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sérgio D'Andrea
- Laboratory of Biology and Parasitology of Wild Mammals Reservoirs, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.,Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Roger Hewson
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Elba Regina Sampaio de Lemos
- Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsiosis, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
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Carnec X, Mateo M, Page A, Reynard S, Hortion J, Picard C, Yekwa E, Barrot L, Barron S, Vallve A, Raoul H, Carbonnelle C, Ferron F, Baize S. A Vaccine Platform against Arenaviruses Based on a Recombinant Hyperattenuated Mopeia Virus Expressing Heterologous Glycoproteins. J Virol 2018; 92:e02230-17. [PMID: 29593043 PMCID: PMC5974477 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02230-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Several Old World and New World arenaviruses are responsible for severe endemic and epidemic hemorrhagic fevers, whereas other members of the Arenaviridae family are nonpathogenic. To date, no approved vaccines, antivirals, or specific treatments are available, except for Junín virus. However, protection of nonhuman primates against Lassa fever virus (LASV) is possible through the inoculation of the closely related but nonpathogenic Mopeia virus (MOPV) before challenge with LASV. We reasoned that this virus, modified by using reverse genetics, would represent the basis for the generation of a vaccine platform against LASV and other pathogenic arenaviruses. After showing evidence of exoribonuclease (ExoN) activity in NP of MOPV, we found that this activity was essential for multiplication in antigen-presenting cells. The introduction of multiple mutations in the ExoN site of MOPV NP generated a hyperattenuated strain (MOPVExoN6b) that is (i) genetically stable over passages, (ii) has increased immunogenic properties compared to those of MOPV, and (iii) still promotes a strong type I interferon (IFN) response. MOPVExoN6b was further modified to harbor the envelope glycoproteins of heterologous pathogenic arenaviruses, such as LASV or Lujo, Machupo, Guanarito, Chapare, or Sabia virus in order to broaden specific antigenicity while preserving the hyperattenuated characteristics of the parental strain. Our MOPV-based vaccine candidate for LASV, MOPEVACLASV, was used in a one-shot immunization assay in nonhuman primates and fully protected them from a lethal challenge with LASV. Thus, our hyperattenuated strain of MOPV constitutes a promising new live-attenuated vaccine platform to immunize against several, if not all, pathogenic arenaviruses.IMPORTANCE Arenaviruses are emerging pathogens transmitted to humans by rodents and responsible for endemic and epidemic hemorrhagic fevers of global concern. Nonspecific symptoms associated with the onset of infection make these viruses difficult to distinguish from other endemic pathogens. Moreover, the unavailability of rapid diagnosis in the field delays the identification of the virus and early care for treatment and favors spreading. The vaccination of exposed populations would be of great help to decrease morbidity and human-to-human transmission. Using reverse genetics, we generated a vaccine platform for pathogenic arenaviruses based on a modified and hyperattenuated strain of the nonpathogenic Mopeia virus and showed that the Lassa virus candidate fully protected nonhuman primates from a lethal challenge. These results showed that a rationally designed recombinant MOPV-based vaccine is safe, immunogenic, and efficacious in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Carnec
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Mathieu Mateo
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Page
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Stéphanie Reynard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Jimmy Hortion
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Caroline Picard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
| | - Elsie Yekwa
- CNRS, Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques UMR 7257, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Laura Barrot
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-INSERM, US003, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Barron
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-INSERM, US003, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Vallve
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-INSERM, US003, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | - Hervé Raoul
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux-INSERM, US003, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | | | - François Ferron
- CNRS, Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques UMR 7257, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Sylvain Baize
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (INSERM, CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon I), Lyon, France
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47
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Abstract
There are two types of viral diagnostics: (1) those that detect components of the pathogen (like viral RNA or proteins) and (2) those that detect host molecules that rise or fall as a consequence of pathogen infection (like anti-viral antibodies or virus-induced inflammatory cytokines). Quantitative PCR to detect Lassa RNA, and clinical chemistry to detect high liver enzymes (AST/ALT) are commonly used to diagnose Lassa fever. Here, we discuss the various types of diagnostics for Lassa fever and the urgent need for early diagnosis. We also describe a protocol for using the attenuated Lassa vaccine candidate, ML29 , as an antigen for detecting Lassa-specific antibodies. Since antibodies are developed late in the progression of Lassa fever disease, this is not an early diagnostic, but is more useful in surveillance of the population to determine the sero-prevalence of antibodies to Lassa virus (LASV ), and to define treatment options for people in close contact with a Lassa-infected person.
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48
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Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a persistent global health threat that causes about half a million cases of Lassa fever each year in Western Africa. Although most cases are mild, the disease can cause significant morbidity and results in as many as 5,000 deaths per year. Since 2015, Nigeria has been experiencing a severe and extended outbreak of Lassa fever, raising concerns that it could spill over into other countries and reach a magnitude similar to the West African Ebola outbreak of 2013-2016. Despite the burden that Lassa fever places on public health, both in Africa and around the world, there are still no clinically-approved therapeutics or vaccines to treat or prevent it. Nevertheless, a number of promising candidate vaccines have been developed over the last several years, and there is a growing political and social determination to drive at least one of these candidates towards licensure. This paper describes a LASV vaccine candidate that is being developed at Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory. Based on the same live attenuated vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vaccine platform that was used to produce the successful Ebola virus vaccine, the VSV-based LASV vaccine has been shown to elicit a potent and protective immune response against LASV. The vaccine shows 100% protection in the "gold-standard" nonhuman primate model of Lassa fever, inducing both humoral and cellular immune responses. Moreover, studies have shown that a single vaccination may offer universal protection against numerous different strains of the virus, and additional studies have shown that immunization with the VSV platform appears to be unaffected by pre-existing immunity to VSV. The next step in the development of the VSV-based LASV vaccine is phase I human clinical trials to assess vaccine safety and dosage.
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Baseline mapping of Lassa fever virology, epidemiology and vaccine research and development. NPJ Vaccines 2018; 3:11. [PMID: 29581897 PMCID: PMC5861057 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-018-0049-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is a zoonotic disease associated with acute and potentially fatal hemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus (LASV), a member of the family Arenaviridae. It is generally assumed that a single infection with LASV will produce life-long protective immunity. This suggests that protective immunity induced by vaccination is an achievable goal and that cell-mediated immunity may play a more important role in protection, at least following natural infection. Seropositive individuals in endemic regions have been shown to have LASV-specific T cells recognizing epitopes for nucleocapsid protein (NP) and glycoprotein precursor (GPC), suggesting that these will be important vaccine immunogens. The role of neutralizing antibodies in protective immunity is still equivocal as recent studies suggest a role for neutralizing antibodies. There is extensive genetic heterogeneity among LASV strains that is of concern in the development of assays to detect and identify all four LASV lineages. Furthermore, the gene disparity may complicate the synthesis of effective vaccines that will provide protection across multiple lineages. Non-human primate models of LASV infection are considered the gold standard for recapitulation of human LF. The most promising vaccine candidates to date are the ML29 (a live attenuated reassortant of Mopeia and LASV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and vaccinia-vectored platforms based on their ability to induce protection following single doses, high rates of survival following challenge, and the use of live virus platforms. To date no LASV vaccine candidates have undergone clinical evaluation.
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Mammarenaviral Infection Is Dependent on Directional Exposure to and Release from Polarized Intestinal Epithelia. Viruses 2018; 10:v10020075. [PMID: 29439402 PMCID: PMC5850382 DOI: 10.3390/v10020075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammarenavirusesare single-stranded RNA viruses with a bisegmented ambisense genome. Ingestion has been shown as a natural route of transmission for both Lassa virus (LASV) and Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Due to the mechanism of transmission, epithelial tissues are among the first host cells to come in contact with the viruses, and as such they potentially play a role in spread of virus to naïve hosts. The role of the intestinal epithelia during arenavirus infection remains to be uncharacterized. We have utilized a well-established cell culture model, Caco-2, to investigate the role of intestinal epithelia during intragastric infection. We found that LCMV-Armstrong, LCMV-WE, and Mopeia (MOPV) release infectious progeny via similar patterns. However, the reassortant virus, ML-29, containing the L segment of MOPV and S segment of LASV, exhibits a unique pattern of viral release relative to LCMV and MOPV. Furthermore, we have determined attachment efficacy to Caco-2 cells is potentially responsible for observed replication kinetics of these viruses in a polarized Caco-2 cell model. Collectively, our data shows that viral dissemination and interaction with intestinal epithelia may be host, tissue, and viral specific.
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