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Lei W, Wen Y, Yang Y, Liu S, Li Z. Chlamydia trachomatis T3SS Effector CT622 Induces Proinflammatory Cytokines Through TLR2/TLR4-Mediated MAPK/NF-κB Pathways in THP-1 Cells. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:1637-1647. [PMID: 38147361 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad597] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis is associated with the induction of the host inflammatory response; however, the precise underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. METHODS CT622, a T3SS effector protein, has an important role in the pathogenesis of C trachomatis; however, whether CT622 can induce a host inflammatory response is not understood. Our findings demonstrate that CT622 induces the expression of interleukins 6 and 8 (IL-6 and IL-8). Mechanistically, these effects involve the activation of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways (mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor κB). RESULTS Interestingly, we demonstrated that the suppression of toll-like receptor 4 using small interfering RNA markedly reduced the phosphorylation of ERK, p38, JNK, and IκBα, concomitant with a significant decrease in IL-6 and IL-8 secretion. Conversely, disruption of toll-like receptor 2 abrogated the CT622-induced upregulation of IL-8 and activation of ERK, whereas IL-6 expression and p38, JNK, and IκBα phosphorylation were unaffected. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results indicate that CT622 contributes to the inflammatory response through the toll-like receptor 2/4-mediated MAPK/NF-κB pathways, which provides insight into the molecular pathology of C trachomatis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Lei
- School of Nursing, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hengyang Medical School, Institute of Pathogenic Biology
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Institution of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Yating Wen
- School of Nursing, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hengyang Medical School, Institute of Pathogenic Biology
| | - Yewei Yang
- School of Nursing, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hengyang Medical School, Institute of Pathogenic Biology
| | - Shuangquan Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Institution of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Zhongyu Li
- School of Nursing, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hengyang Medical School, Institute of Pathogenic Biology
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2
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Wang J, Jiang F, Cheng P, Ye Z, Li L, Yang L, Zhuang L, Gong W. Construction of novel multi-epitope-based diagnostic biomarker HP16118P and its application in the differential diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis latent infection. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2024; 5:15. [PMID: 38679629 PMCID: PMC11056354 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-024-00177-z] [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] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that significantly threatens human health. However, the differential diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active tuberculosis (ATB) remains a challenge for clinicians in early detection and preventive intervention. In this study, we developed a novel biomarker named HP16118P, utilizing 16 helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes, 11 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, and 8 B cell epitopes identified from 15 antigens associated with LTBI-RD using the IEDB database. We analyzed the physicochemical properties, spatial structure, and immunological characteristics of HP16118P using various tools, which indicated that it is a hydrophilic and relatively stable alkaline protein. Furthermore, HP16118P exhibited good antigenicity and immunogenicity, while being non-toxic and non-allergenic, with the potential to induce immune responses. We observed that HP16118P can stimulate the production of high levels of IFN-γ+ T lymphocytes in individuals with ATB, LTBI, and health controls. IL-5 induced by HP16118P demonstrated potential in distinguishing LTBI individuals and ATB patients (p=0.0372, AUC=0.8214, 95% CI [0.5843 to 1.000]) with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 71.43%. Furthermore, we incorporated the GM-CSF, IL-23, IL-5, and MCP-3 induced by HP16118P into 15 machine learning algorithms to construct a model. It was found that the Quadratic discriminant analysis model exhibited the best diagnostic performance for discriminating between LTBI and ATB, with a sensitivity of 1.00, specificity of 0.86, and accuracy of 0.93. In summary, HP16118P has demonstrated strong antigenicity and immunogenicity, with the induction of GM-CSF, IL-23, IL-5, and MCP-3, suggesting their potential for the differential diagnosis of LTBI and ATB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute of Tuberculosis Research, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, 17#Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Fan Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute of Tuberculosis Research, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, 17#Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
- Section of Health, No. 94804 Unit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Resident standardization training cadet corps, Air Force Hospital of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Peng Cheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute of Tuberculosis Research, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, 17#Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Zhaoyang Ye
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute of Tuberculosis Research, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, 17#Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
- Hebei North University, ZhangjiakouHebei, 075000, China
| | - Linsheng Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute of Tuberculosis Research, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, 17#Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
- Hebei North University, ZhangjiakouHebei, 075000, China
| | - Ling Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute of Tuberculosis Research, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, 17#Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
- Hebei North University, ZhangjiakouHebei, 075000, China
| | - Li Zhuang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute of Tuberculosis Research, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, 17#Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
- Hebei North University, ZhangjiakouHebei, 075000, China
| | - Wenping Gong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute of Tuberculosis Research, Senior Department of Tuberculosis, The Eighth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, 17#Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China.
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3
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Bellini C, Vergara E, Bencs F, Fodor K, Bősze S, Krivić D, Bacsa B, Surguta SE, Tóvári J, Reljic R, Horváti K. Design and Characterization of a Multistage Peptide-Based Vaccine Platform to Target Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:1738-1753. [PMID: 37606258 PMCID: PMC10587871 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
The complex immunopathology ofMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) is one of the main challenges in developing a novel vaccine against this pathogen, particularly regarding eliciting protection against both active and latent stages. Multistage vaccines, which contain antigens expressed in both phases, represent a promising strategy for addressing this issue, as testified by the tuberculosis vaccine clinical pipeline. Given this approach, we designed and characterized a multistage peptide-based vaccine platform containing CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitopes previously validated for inducing a relevant T cell response against Mtb. After preliminary screening, CFP10 (32-39), GlfT2 (4-12), HBHA (185-194), and PPE15 (1-15) were selected as promising candidates, and we proved that the PM1 pool of these peptides triggered a T cell response in Mtb-sensitized human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Taking advantage of the use of thiol-maleimide chemoselective ligation, we synthesized a multiepitope conjugate (Ac-CGHP). Our results showed a structure-activity relationship between the conjugation and a higher tendency to fold and assume an ordered secondary structure. Moreover, the palmitoylated conjugate (Pal-CGHP) comprising the same peptide antigens was associated with an enhanced cellular uptake in human and murine antigen-presenting cells and a better immunogenicity profile. Immunization study, conducted in BALB/c mice, showed that Pal-CGHP induced a significantly higher T cell proliferation and production of IFNγ and TNFα over PM1 formulated in the Sigma Adjuvant System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Bellini
- MTA-TTK
Lendület “Momentum” Peptide-Based Vaccines Research
Group, Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
- Hevesy
György PhD School of Chemistry, Eötvös
Loránd University, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Emil Vergara
- Institute
for Infection and Immunity, St. George’s,
University of London, London SW17 0RE, U.K.
| | - Fruzsina Bencs
- Hevesy
György PhD School of Chemistry, Eötvös
Loránd University, Budapest 1117, Hungary
- Laboratory
of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Kinga Fodor
- Department
of Laboratory Animal Science and Animal Protection, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest 1078, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Bősze
- ELKH-ELTE
Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd
Research Network (ELKH), Eötvös
Loránd University, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Denis Krivić
- Division
of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Gottfried Schatz Research Center, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Bernadett Bacsa
- Division
of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Gottfried Schatz Research Center, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Sára Eszter Surguta
- Department
of Experimental Pharmacology and National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest 1122, Hungary
| | - József Tóvári
- Department
of Experimental Pharmacology and National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest 1122, Hungary
| | - Rajko Reljic
- Institute
for Infection and Immunity, St. George’s,
University of London, London SW17 0RE, U.K.
| | - Kata Horváti
- MTA-TTK
Lendület “Momentum” Peptide-Based Vaccines Research
Group, Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
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4
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Multiepitope Subunit Peptide-Based Nanovaccine against Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) Elicited High Antibody Titers in Vaccinated Mice. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28052248. [PMID: 36903494 PMCID: PMC10005372 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) infection is one of the most serious threats to the swine industry. While the disease can be prevented, to some extent, by commercial PCV2a vaccines, the evolving nature of PCV2 necessitates the development of a novel vaccine that can compete with the mutations of the virus. Thus, we have developed novel multiepitope vaccines based on the PCV2b variant. Three PCV2b capsid protein epitopes, together with a universal T helper epitope, were synthesized and formulated with five delivery systems/adjuvants: complete Freund's adjuvant, poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA), poly(hydrophobic amino acid), liposomes and rod-shaped polymeric nanoparticles built from polystyrene-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-poly(N-dimethylacrylamide). Mice were subcutaneously immunized with the vaccine candidates three times at three-week intervals. All vaccinated mice produced high antibody titters after three immunizations as analyzed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while mice vaccinated with PMA-adjuvanted vaccine elicited high antibody titers even after a single immunization. Thus, the multiepitope PCV2 vaccine candidates designed and examined here show strong potential for further development.
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5
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Therapeutic Effect of Subunit Vaccine AEC/BC02 on Mycobacterium tuberculosis Post-Chemotherapy Relapse Using a Latent Infection Murine Model. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10050825. [PMID: 35632581 PMCID: PMC9145927 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10050825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is an infectious disease that presents a major threat to human health. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), the only licensed TB vaccine, is ineffective against latent TB infection, necessitating the development of further TB drugs or therapeutic vaccines. Herein, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of a novel subunit vaccine AEC/BC02 after chemotherapy in a spontaneous Mtb relapse model. Immunotherapy followed 4 weeks of treatment with isoniazid and rifapentine, and bacterial loads in organs, pathological changes, and adaptive immune characteristics were investigated. The results showed slowly increased bacterial loads in the spleen and lungs of mice inoculated with AEC/BC02 with significantly lower loads than those of the control groups. Pathological scores for the liver, spleen, and lungs decreased accordingly. Moreover, AEC/BC02 induced antigen-specific IFN-γ-secreting or IL-2-secreting cellular immune responses, which decreased with the number of immunizations and times. Obvious Ag85b- and EC-specific IgG were observed in mice following the treatment with AEC/BC02, indicating a significant Th1-biased response. Taken together, these data suggest that AEC/BC02 immunotherapy post-chemotherapy may shorten future TB treatment.
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6
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Fan X, Li X, Wan K, Zhao X, Deng Y, Chen Z, Luan X, Lu S, Liu H. Construction and immunogenicity of a T cell epitope-based subunit vaccine candidate against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Vaccine 2021; 39:6860-6865. [PMID: 34702619 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.10.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite antibiotic treatment and Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a major public health burden in most developing countries. Therefore, developing an improved vaccine is high priority. In this study, we cloned the genes of the immunodominant antigen of M. tuberculosis viz. its 38-kDa antigen (Pst homolog) (Rv0934, PstS1), and its T cell epitopes (amino acid [aa]169-405 and [aa]802-1119), which we termed PstS1p. Prokaryotic expression showed that the two recombinant proteins were mainly in the form of inclusion bodies. We also evaluated the immunity and immunogenicity of PstS1 and PstS1p. Both PstS1 and its T cell epitopes elicited significantly higher antigen-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in mouse serum, indicating that they enhanced antibody response. They also elicited the T helper 1 (Th1)-type response and promoted CD4+ T cell proliferation. Compared to PstS1, PstS1p promoted stronger cell-mediated immune response. These data indicate that PstS1p is highly immunogenic in mice, and may be a promising candidate vaccine for controlling tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueting Fan
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Laboratory Animal Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
| | - Kanglin Wan
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiuqin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
| | - Yunli Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; School of Public Health, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
| | - Zixin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; School of Public Health, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
| | - Xiuli Luan
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
| | - Shuangshuang Lu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
| | - Haican Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
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7
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Benedictus L, Steinbach S, Holder T, Bakker D, Vrettou C, Morrison WI, Vordermeier M, Connelley T. Hydrophobic Mycobacterial Antigens Elicit Polyfunctional T Cells in Mycobacterium bovis Immunized Cattle: Association With Protection Against Challenge? Front Immunol 2020; 11:588180. [PMID: 33281817 PMCID: PMC7688591 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.588180] [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: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a chronic disease of cattle with a detrimental impact on food quality and production. Research on bTB vaccines has predominantly been focused on proteinaceous antigens. However, mycobacteria have a thick and intricate lipid outer layer and lipids as well as lipopeptides are important for immune-evasion and virulence. In humans, lipid extracts of M. tuberculosis have been shown to elicit immune responses effective against M. tuberculosis in vitro. Chloroform-methanol extraction (CME) was applied to M. bovis BCG to obtain a hydrophobic antigen extract (CMEbcg) containing lipids and lipopeptides. CMEbcg stimulated IFN-γ+IL-2+ and IL-17A+IL-22+ polyfunctional T cells and elicited T cell responses with a Th1 and Th17 cytokine release profile in both M. bovis BCG vaccinated and M. bovis challenged calves. Lipopeptides were shown to be the immunodominant antigens in CMEbcg, stimulating CD4 T cells via MHC class II. CMEbcg expanded T cells killed CMEbcg loaded monocytes and the CMEbcg-specific CD3 T cell proliferative response following M. bovis BCG vaccination was the best predictor for reduced pathology following challenge with M. bovis. Although the high predictive value of CMEbcg-specific immune responses does not confirm a causal relationship with protection against M. bovis challenge, when taking into account the in vitro antimycobacterial phenotype of CMEbcg-specific T cells (e.g. Th1/Th17 cytokine profile), it is indicative that CMEbcg-specific immune responses could play a functional role in immunity against M. bovis. Based on these findings we conclude that lipopeptides of M. bovis are potential novel subunit vaccine candidates and that further studies into the functional characterization of lipopeptide-specific immune responses together with their role in protection against bovine tuberculosis are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindert Benedictus
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, United Kingdom
| | - Sabine Steinbach
- Department of Bacteriology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Holder
- Department of Bacteriology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, United Kingdom
| | - Douwe Bakker
- Independent Researcher and Technical Consultant, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | - Christina Vrettou
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, United Kingdom
| | - W Ivan Morrison
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Vordermeier
- Department of Bacteriology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, United Kingdom.,Centre for Bovine Tuberculosis, Institute for Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy Connelley
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, United Kingdom
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8
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Whitlow E, Mustafa AS, Hanif SNM. An Overview of the Development of New Vaccines for Tuberculosis. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8040586. [PMID: 33027958 PMCID: PMC7712106 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, there is only one licensed vaccine against tuberculosis (TB), the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG). Despite its protective efficacy against TB in children, BCG has failed to protect adults against pulmonary TB, lacks therapeutic value, and causes complications in immunocompromised individuals. Furthermore, it compromises the use of antigens present in the purified protein derivate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the diagnosis of TB. Many approaches, e.g., whole-cell organisms, subunit, and recombinant vaccines are currently being explored for safer and more efficacious TB vaccines than BCG. These approaches have been successful in developing a large number of vaccine candidates included in the TB vaccine pipeline and are at different stages of clinical trials in humans. This paper discusses current vaccination strategies, provides directions for the possible routes towards the development of new TB vaccines and highlights recent findings. The efforts for improved TB vaccines may lead to new licensed vaccines capable of replacing/supplementing BCG and conferring therapeutic value in patients with active/latent TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Whitlow
- Department of Basic Sciences, Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Pikeville, Pikeville, KY 41501, USA;
| | - A. S. Mustafa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat 13110, Kuwait;
| | - S. N. M. Hanif
- Department of Basic Sciences, Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Pikeville, Pikeville, KY 41501, USA;
- Correspondence:
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9
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Ashhurst AS, McDonald DM, Hanna CC, Stanojevic VA, Britton WJ, Payne RJ. Mucosal Vaccination with a Self-Adjuvanted Lipopeptide Is Immunogenic and Protective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J Med Chem 2019; 62:8080-8089. [PMID: 31373811 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a staggering burden on global public health. Novel preventative tools are desperately needed to reach the targets of the WHO post-2015 End-TB Strategy. Peptide or protein-based subunit vaccines offer potential as safe and effective generators of protection, and enhancement of local pulmonary immunity may be achieved by mucosal delivery. We describe the synthesis of a novel subunit vaccine via native chemical ligation. Two immunogenic epitopes, ESAT61-20 and TB10.43-11 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), were covalently conjugated to the TLR2-ligand Pam2Cys to generate a self-adjuvanting lipopeptide vaccine. When administered mucosally to mice, the vaccine enhanced pulmonary immunogenicity, inducing strong Th17 responses in the lungs and multifunctional peripheral T-lymphocytes. Mucosal, but not peripheral vaccination, provided substantial protection against Mtb infection, emphasizing the importance of delivery route for optimal efficacy.
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10
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Ramos-Vega A, Rosales-Mendoza S, Bañuelos-Hernández B, Angulo C. Prospects on the Use of Schizochytrium sp. to Develop Oral Vaccines. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2506. [PMID: 30410471 PMCID: PMC6209683 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although oral subunit vaccines are highly relevant in the fight against widespread diseases, their high cost, safety and proper immunogenicity are attributes that have yet to be addressed in many cases and thus these limitations should be considered in the development of new oral vaccines. Prominent examples of new platforms proposed to address these limitations are plant cells and microalgae. Schizochytrium sp. constitutes an attractive expression host for vaccine production because of its high biosynthetic capacity, fast growth in low cost culture media, and the availability of processes for industrial scale production. In addition, whole Schizochytrium sp. cells may serve as delivery vectors; especially for oral vaccines since Schizochytrium sp. is safe for oral consumption, produces immunomodulatory compounds, and may provide bioencapsulation to the antigen, thus increasing its bioavailability. Remarkably, Schizochytrium sp. was recently used for the production of a highly immunoprotective influenza vaccine. Moreover, an efficient method for transient expression of antigens based on viral vectors and Schizochytrium sp. as host has been recently developed. In this review, the potential of Schizochytrium sp. in vaccinology is placed in perspective, with emphasis on its use as an attractive oral vaccination vehicle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Ramos-Vega
- Grupo de Inmunología and Vacunología, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, La Paz, Mexico
| | - Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.,Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | | | - Carlos Angulo
- Grupo de Inmunología and Vacunología, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, La Paz, Mexico
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11
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Gupta N, Garg S, Vedi S, Kunimoto DY, Kumar R, Agrawal B. Future Path Toward TB Vaccine Development: Boosting BCG or Re-educating by a New Subunit Vaccine. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2371. [PMID: 30386336 PMCID: PMC6198790 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB), an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), kills 5,000 people per day globally. Rapid development and spread of various multi drug-resistant strains of Mtb emphasize that an effective vaccine is still the most cost-effectives and efficient way of controlling and eradicating TB. Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), the only licensed TB vaccine, still remains the most widely administered human vaccine, but is inefficient in protecting from pulmonary TB in adults. The protective immunity afforded by BCG is thought to wane with time and considered to last only through adolescent years. Heterologous boosting of BCG-primed immune responses using a subunit vaccine represents a promising vaccination approach to promote strong cellular responses against Mtb. In our earlier studies, we discovered lipopeptides of ESAT-6 antigen with strong potential as a subunit vaccine candidate. Here, we have investigated that potential as a booster to BCG vaccine in both a pre-exposure preventive vaccine and a post-exposure therapeutic vaccine setting. Surprisingly, our results demonstrated that boosting BCG with subunit vaccine shortly before Mtb challenge did not improve the BCG-primed immunity, whereas the subunit vaccine boost after Mtb challenge markedly improved the quantity and quality of effector T cell responses and significantly reduced Mtb load in lungs, liver and spleen in mice. These studies suggest that ESAT-6 lipopeptide-based subunit vaccine was ineffective in overcoming the apparent immunomodulation induced by BCG vaccine in Mtb uninfected mice, but upon infection, the subunit vaccine is effective in re-educating the protective immunity against Mtb infection. These important results have significant implications in the design and investigation of effective vaccine strategies and immunotherapeutic approaches for individuals who have been pre-immunized with BCG vaccine but still get infected with Mtb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Gupta
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Saurabh Garg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Satish Vedi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Dennis Y Kunimoto
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Babita Agrawal
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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12
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Chuang YM, Pinn ML, Karakousis PC, Hung CF. Intranasal Immunization with DnaK Protein Induces Protective Mucosal Immunity against Tuberculosis in CD4-Depleted Mice. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:31. [PMID: 29473022 PMCID: PMC5809501 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains a global health challenge due to the limited efficacy of the Mtb vaccine in current use, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). To date, there is no available vaccine for immunocompromised individuals. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop a new vaccine candidate which can induce mucosal immunity in hosts with different immune statuses. DnaK (HSP70) has been shown to induce protective immunity against Mtb infection when administered by DNA vaccine; however, the protection is inferior to that induced by the BCG vaccine. In our study, we vaccinated C57BL/6J mice with DnaK protein alone. Subcutaneous or intranasal vaccination with DnaK generated IFNγ-secreting CD4+ T cells in the spleen, but only intranasal vaccination generated IL-17-releasing CD4+ T cells in the lungs, even when circulating CD4+ T cells were diminished. Furthermore, intranasal vaccination with DnaK generated tissue resident CD4+ T cells in the lungs. Vaccination with DnaK alone resulted in protective immunity comparable to BCG vaccination against tuberculosis in mice. Our results demonstrate that intranasal vaccination with DnaK can generate mucosal immunity in immunocompromised or immunocompetent mice and DnaK vaccination can generate protection against Mtb similar to BCG, underscoring its potential utility as an Mtb vaccine candidate in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Min Chuang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Michael L Pinn
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Petros C Karakousis
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Chien-Fu Hung
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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13
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Abebe F, Belay M, Legesse M, Mihret A, Franken KS. Association of ESAT-6/CFP-10-induced IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-10 with clinical tuberculosis: evidence from cohorts of pulmonary tuberculosis patients, household contacts and community controls in an endemic setting. Clin Exp Immunol 2017; 189:241-249. [PMID: 28374535 PMCID: PMC5508323 DOI: 10.1111/cei.12972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) early secreted protein antigen 6 (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10) are among candidate vaccines against tuberculosis (TB). Results of experimental animal models show that these antigens are associated with induction of strong T cell immunity [interferon (IFN)-γ production], while others report that these proteins as virulent factors involved in pathogenicity of Mtb infection. However, the role of ESAT-6/CFP-10 during natural Mtb infections in humans has not been established. In this paper we present results of a longitudinal study from an Mtb-infected human population from an endemic setting. Whole blood assay was used to determine levels of IFN-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-10 against rESAT-6/CFP-10 in TB patients, household contacts and community controls. The levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-10 against rESAT-6/CFP-10 at baseline were significantly higher in patients and community controls than in household contacts. In patients, no significant difference was observed in the level of these cytokines before and after chemotherapy whereas, in contacts, the level of these cytokines increased significantly and progressively over time. The study shows that the levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-10 against rESAT-6/CFP-10 are depressed during Mtb infection or exposure but are elevated during clinical TB. Our findings from a study of naturally infected human population suggest that IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-10 against rESAT-6/CFP-10 are markers for clinical TB but not for protective immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Abebe
- University of Oslo, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Health and SocietyOsloNorway
| | - M. Belay
- Center for Immunobiology, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
- Addis Ababa University, Aklilu Lemma Institute of PathobiologyAddis AbabaEthiopia
| | - M. Legesse
- Addis Ababa University, Aklilu Lemma Institute of PathobiologyAddis AbabaEthiopia
| | - A. Mihret
- Armauer Hansen Research InstituteAddis AbabaEthiopia
| | - K. S. Franken
- Department of Infectious DiseasesLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenthe Netherlands
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Chlamydial Type III Secretion System Needle Protein Induces Protective Immunity against Chlamydia muridarum Intravaginal Infection. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:3865802. [PMID: 28459057 PMCID: PMC5385227 DOI: 10.1155/2017/3865802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis imposes serious health problems and causes infertility. Because of asymptomatic onset, it often escapes antibiotic treatment. Therefore, vaccines offer a better option for the prevention of unwanted inflammatory sequelae. The existence of serologically distinct serovars of C. trachomatis suggests that a vaccine will need to provide protection against multiple serovars. Chlamydia spp. use a highly conserved type III secretion system (T3SS) composed of structural and effector proteins which is an essential virulence factor. In this study, we expressed the T3SS needle protein of Chlamydia muridarum, TC_0037, an ortholog of C. trachomatis CdsF, in a replication-defective adenoviral vector (AdTC_0037) and evaluated its protective efficacy in an intravaginal Chlamydia muridarum model. For better immune responses, we employed a heterologous prime-boost immunization protocol in which mice were intranasally primed with AdTC_0037 and subcutaneously boosted with recombinant TC_0037 and Toll-like receptor 4 agonist monophosphoryl lipid A mixed in a squalene nanoscale emulsion. We found that immunization with TC_0037 antigen induced specific humoral and T cell responses, decreased Chlamydia loads in the genital tract, and abrogated pathology of upper genital organs. Together, our results suggest that TC_0037, a highly conserved chlamydial T3SS protein, is a good candidate for inclusion in a Chlamydia vaccine.
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