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Garg R, Liu Q, Van Kessel J, Asavajaru A, Uhlemann EM, Joessel M, Hamonic G, Khatooni Z, Kroeker A, Lew J, Scruten E, Pennington P, Deck W, Prysliak T, Nickol M, Apel F, Courant T, Kelvin AA, Van Kessel A, Collin N, Gerdts V, Köster W, Falzarano D, Racine T, Banerjee A. Efficacy of a stable broadly protective subunit vaccine platform against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Vaccine 2024; 42:125980. [PMID: 38769033 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The emergence and ongoing evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has highlighted the need for rapid vaccine development platforms that can be updated to counteract emerging variants of currently circulating and future emerging coronaviruses. Here we report the development of a "train model" subunit vaccine platform that contains a SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan S1 protein (the "engine") linked to a series of flexible receptor binding domains (RBDs; the "cars") derived from SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). We demonstrate that these linked subunit vaccines when combined with Sepivac SWE™, a squalene in water emulsion (SWE) adjuvant, are immunogenic in Syrian hamsters and subsequently provide protection from infection with SARS-CoV-2 VOCs Omicron (BA.1), Delta, and Beta. Importantly, the bivalent and trivalent vaccine candidates offered protection against some heterologous SARS-CoV-2 VOCs that were not included in the vaccine design, demonstrating the potential for broad protection against a range of different VOCs. Furthermore, these formulated vaccine candidates were stable at 2-8 °C for up to 13 months post-formulation, highlighting their utility in low-resource settings. Indeed, our vaccine platform will enable the development of safe and broadly protective vaccines against emerging betacoronaviruses that pose a significant health risk for humans and agricultural animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravendra Garg
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Qiang Liu
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4, Canada
| | - Jill Van Kessel
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Akarin Asavajaru
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Eva-Maria Uhlemann
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Morgane Joessel
- Vaccine Formulation Institute (VFI), Plan-Les-Ouates, Switzerland
| | - Glenn Hamonic
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Zahed Khatooni
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Andrea Kroeker
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Jocelyne Lew
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Erin Scruten
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Paul Pennington
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - William Deck
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Tracy Prysliak
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Michaela Nickol
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Falko Apel
- Vaccine Formulation Institute (VFI), Plan-Les-Ouates, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Courant
- Vaccine Formulation Institute (VFI), Plan-Les-Ouates, Switzerland
| | - Alyson A Kelvin
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Andrew Van Kessel
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Nicolas Collin
- Vaccine Formulation Institute (VFI), Plan-Les-Ouates, Switzerland
| | - Volker Gerdts
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Wolfgang Köster
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Darryl Falzarano
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Trina Racine
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4, Canada.
| | - Arinjay Banerjee
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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2
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Zhao T, Liu S, Wang P, Zhang Y, Kang X, Pan X, Li L, Li D, Gao P, An Y, Song H, Liu K, Qi J, Zhao X, Dai L, Liu P, Wang P, Wu G, Zhu T, Xu K, Li Y, Gao GF. Protective RBD-dimer vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants produced in glycoengineered Pichia pastoris. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012487. [PMID: 39213280 PMCID: PMC11364227 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Protective vaccines are crucial for preventing and controlling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Updated vaccines are needed to confront the continuously evolving and circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants. These vaccines should be safe, effective, amenable to easily scalable production, and affordable. Previously, we developed receptor binding domain (RBD) dimer-based protein subunit vaccines (ZF2001 and updated vaccines) in mammalian cells. In this study, we explored a strategy for producing RBD-dimer immunogens in Pichia pastoris. We found that wild-type P. pastoris produced hyperglycosylated RBD-dimer protein containing four N-glycosylation sites in P. pastoris. Therefore, we engineered the wild type P. pastoris (GS strain) into GSΔOCH1pAO by deleting the OCH1 gene (encoding α-1,6-mannosyltransferase enzyme) to decrease glycosylation, as well as by overexpressing the HIS4 gene (encoding histidine dehydrogenase) to increase histidine synthesis for better growth. In addition, RBD-dimer protein was truncated to remove the R328/F329 cleavage sites in P. pastoris. Several homogeneous RBD-dimer proteins were produced in the GSΔOCH1pAO strain, demonstrating the feasibility of using the P. pastoris expression system. We further resolved the cryo-EM structure of prototype-Beta RBD-dimer complexed with the neutralizing antibody CB6 to reveal the completely exposed immune epitopes of the RBDs. In a murine model, we demonstrated that the yeast-produced RBD-dimer induces robust and protective antibody responses, which is suitable for boosting immunization. This study developed the yeast system for producing SARS-CoV-2 RBD-dimer immunogens, providing a promising platform and pipeline for the future continuous updating and production of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongxin Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Sheng Liu
- Cryo-EM Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Pengyan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Yanfang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Xinrui Kang
- Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqian Pan
- Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, China
| | - Linjie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Dedong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Ping Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Yaling An
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Hao Song
- Research Network of Immunity and Health (RNIH), Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Kefang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Jianxun Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Lianpan Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Peipei Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Peiyi Wang
- Cryo-EM Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guizhen Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Taicheng Zhu
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Kun Xu
- Research Network of Immunity and Health (RNIH), Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Yin Li
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - George F. Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Research Network of Immunity and Health (RNIH), Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
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3
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Chavda VP, Ghali ENHK, Balar PC, Chauhan SC, Tiwari N, Shukla S, Athalye M, Patravale V, Apostolopoulos V, Yallapu MM. Protein subunit vaccines: Promising frontiers against COVID-19. J Control Release 2024; 366:761-782. [PMID: 38219913 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.01.017] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented global health crisis, challenging the healthcare systems worldwide. Amidst the rapid development of several vaccine formulations, protein subunit vaccines have emerged as a promising approach. This article provides an in-depth evaluation of the role of protein subunit vaccines in the management of COVID-19. Leveraging viral protein fragments, particularly the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, these vaccines elicit a targeted immune response without the risk of inducing disease. Notably, the robust safety profile of protein subunit vaccines makes them a compelling candidate in the management of COVID-19. Various innovative approaches, including reverse vaccinology, virus like particles, and recombinant modifications are incorporated to develop protein subunit vaccines. In addition, the utilization of advanced manufacturing techniques facilitates large-scale production, ensuring widespread distribution. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, such as the requirement for cold-chain storage and the necessity for booster doses. This article evaluates the formulation and applications of protein subunit vaccines, providing a comprehensive overview of their clinical development and approvals in the context of COVID-19. By addressing the current status and challenges, this review aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on optimizing protein subunit vaccines for effective pandemic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek P Chavda
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India.
| | - Eswara Naga Hanuma Kumar Ghali
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA; South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA.
| | - Pankti C Balar
- Pharmacy Section, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| | - Subhash C Chauhan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA; South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA.
| | - Nikita Tiwari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Somanshi Shukla
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Mansi Athalye
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| | - Vandana Patravale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 400019, India
| | - Vasso Apostolopoulos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Immunology and Translational Research, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; Immunology Program, Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), Melbourne, VIC 3021, Australia.
| | - Murali M Yallapu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA; South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA.
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4
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Zhang Y, Kang X, Liu S, Han P, Lei W, Xu K, Xu Z, Gao Z, Zhou X, An Y, Han Y, Liu K, Zhao X, Dai L, Wang P, Wu G, Qi J, Xu K, Gao GF. Broad protective RBD heterotrimer vaccines neutralize SARS-CoV-2 including Omicron sub-variants XBB/BQ.1.1/BF.7. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011659. [PMID: 37721934 PMCID: PMC10538664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011659] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 variants with severe immune evasion are a major challenge for COVID-19 prevention, especially the circulating Omicron XBB/BQ.1.1/BF.7 strains. Thus, the next-generation of broad-spectrum vaccines are urgently needed. Previously, we developed a COVID-19 protein subunit vaccine, ZF2001, based on the RBD-homodimer as the immunogen. To adapt SARS-CoV-2 variants, we developed chimeric RBD-heterodimers to induce broad immune responses. In this study, we further explored the concept of tandem RBD homotrimer and heterotrimer. Prototype SARS-CoV-2 RBD-homotrimer, prototype-Delta-BA.1 (PDO) RBD-heterotrimer and Delta-BA.2-BA.5 (DBA2BA5) RBD-heterotrimer were designed. Biochemical and cryo-EM structural characterization demonstrated total epitope exposure of the RBD-trimers. In mouse experiments, PDO and DBA2BA5 elicited broad SARS-CoV-2 neutralization. Potent protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants was observed in challenge assays and was correlated with neutralizing antibody titer. This study validated the design strategy of tandem RBD-heterotrimers as multivalent immunogens and presented a promising vaccine candidate, DBA2BA5, eliciting broad-spectrum immune responses, including against the circulating XBB/BF.7/BQ.1.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinrui Kang
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng Liu
- Cryo-EM Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Pu Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenwen Lei
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zepeng Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Zhengrong Gao
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuemei Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Yaling An
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxuan Han
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kefang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lianpan Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peiyi Wang
- Cryo-EM Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guizhen Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxun Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kun Xu
- Research Network of Immunity and Health (RNIH), Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - George F. Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Research Network of Immunity and Health (RNIH), Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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