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Lim HX, Lim J, Poh CL. Identification and selection of immunodominant B and T cell epitopes for dengue multi-epitope-based vaccine. Med Microbiol Immunol 2021; 210:1-11. [PMID: 33515283 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-021-00700-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) comprises four serotypes (DENV1-4) which cause 390 million global infections with 500,000 hospitalizations and 25,000 fatalities annually. Currently, the only FDA approved DENV vaccine is the chimeric live-attenuated vaccine, Dengvaxia®, which is based on the yellow fever virus (YFV) genome that carries the prM and E genes of the respective DENV 1, 2, 3, and 4 serotypes. However, it has lower efficacies against serotypes DENV1 (51%) and DENV2 (34%) when compared with DENV3 (75%) and DENV4 (77%). The absence of T cell epitopes from non-structural (NS) and capsid (C) proteins of the yellow fever vaccine strain might have prevented Dengvaxia® to elicit robust cellular immune responses, as CD8+ T cell epitopes are mainly localized in the NS3 and NS5 regions. Multi-epitope-based peptide vaccines carrying CD4+, CD8+ T cell and B cell epitopes represent a novel approach to generate specific immune responses. Therefore, assessing and selecting epitopes that can induce robust B and T cell responses is a prerequisite for constructing an efficient multi-epitope peptide vaccine. Potent B and T cell epitopes can be identified by utilizing immunoinformatic analysis, but the immunogenicity of the epitopes have to be experimentally validated. In this review, we presented T cell epitopes that have been predicted by bioinformatic approaches as well as recent experimental validations of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitopes by ex-vivo stimulation of PBMCs with specific peptides. Immunoproteomic analysis could be utilized to uncover HLA-specific epitopes presented by DENV-infected cells. Based on various approaches, immunodominant epitopes capable of inducing strong immune responses could be selected and incorporated to form a universally applicable multi-epitope-based peptide dengue vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xuan Lim
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jianhua Lim
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Warner NL, Linville AC, Core SB, Moreno B, Pascale JM, Peabody DS, Chackerian B, Frietze KM. Expansion and Refinement of Deep Sequence-Coupled Biopanning Technology for Epitope-Specific Antibody Responses in Human Serum. Viruses 2020; 12:E1114. [PMID: 33008118 PMCID: PMC7600589 DOI: 10.3390/v12101114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the specific epitopes targeted by antibodies elicited in response to infectious diseases is important for developing vaccines and diagnostics. However, techniques for broadly exploring the specificity of antibodies in a rapid manner are lacking, limiting our ability to quickly respond to emerging viruses. We previously reported a technology that couples deep sequencing technology with a bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particle (VLP) peptide display platform for identifying pathogen-specific antibody responses. Here, we describe refinements that expand the number of patient samples that can be processed at one time, increasing the utility of this technology for rapidly responding to emerging infectious diseases. We used dengue virus (DENV) as a model system since much is already known about the antibody response. Sera from primary DENV-infected patients (n = 28) were used to pan an MS2 bacteriophage VLP library displaying all possible 10-amino-acid peptides from the DENV polypeptide. Selected VLPs were identified by deep sequencing and further investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We identified previously described immunodominant regions of envelope and nonstructural protein-1, as well as a number of other epitopes. Our refinement of the deep sequence-coupled biopanning technology expands the utility of this approach for rapidly investigating the specificity of antibody responses to infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikole L. Warner
- Department and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.L.W.); (A.C.L.); (S.B.C.); (D.S.P.); (B.C.)
| | - Alexandria C. Linville
- Department and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.L.W.); (A.C.L.); (S.B.C.); (D.S.P.); (B.C.)
| | - Susan B. Core
- Department and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.L.W.); (A.C.L.); (S.B.C.); (D.S.P.); (B.C.)
| | - Brechla Moreno
- Gorgas Memorial Institute, Panama 0801, Panama; (B.M.); (J.M.P.)
| | - Juan M. Pascale
- Gorgas Memorial Institute, Panama 0801, Panama; (B.M.); (J.M.P.)
| | - David S. Peabody
- Department and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.L.W.); (A.C.L.); (S.B.C.); (D.S.P.); (B.C.)
| | - Bryce Chackerian
- Department and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.L.W.); (A.C.L.); (S.B.C.); (D.S.P.); (B.C.)
| | - Kathryn M. Frietze
- Department and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (N.L.W.); (A.C.L.); (S.B.C.); (D.S.P.); (B.C.)
- Clinical and Translational Science Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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Chan Y, Jazayeri SD, Ramanathan B, Poh CL. Enhancement of Tetravalent Immune Responses to Highly Conserved Epitopes of a Dengue Peptide Vaccine Conjugated to Polystyrene Nanoparticles. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030417. [PMID: 32722368 PMCID: PMC7563452 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination remains the major approach to the prevention of dengue. Since the only licensed live attenuated vaccine (LAV) lacked efficacy against all four serotypes, other vaccine platforms, such as synthetic peptide vaccines, should be explored. In this study, four multi-epitope peptides (P1-P4) were designed by linking a universal T-helper epitope (PADRE or TpD) to the highly conserved CD8 T cell epitope and B cell epitope (B1 or B2) against all four DENV serotypes. The multi-epitope peptides were conjugated to polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) and four nanovaccines (NP1-NP4) were constructed. Mice immunized with NP1-NP4 elicited significantly higher titers of IgG and neutralizing antibodies when compared to immunization with naked P1-P4. The immune responses in mice immunized with peptide vaccines were compared with nanovaccines using ELISA, ELISPOT, and a neutralization test based on FRNT50. Among the four conjugated peptide nanovaccines, NP3 comprising the TpD T-helper epitope linked to the highly conserved B1 epitope derived from the E protein was able to elicit significant levels of IFN-γ and neutralizing antibodies to all four dengue serotypes. NP3 is a promising tetravalent synthetic peptide vaccine, but the selection of a more effective CD8+ T cell epitope and adjuvants to further improve the immunogenicity is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Chan
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
| | - Seyed Davoud Jazayeri
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
| | - Babu Ramanathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia;
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +60-3-74918622
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Peptide derivatives as inhibitors of NS2B-NS3 protease from Dengue, West Nile, and Zika flaviviruses. Bioorg Med Chem 2019; 27:3963-3978. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.07.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Reginald K, Chan Y, Plebanski M, Poh CL. Development of Peptide Vaccines in Dengue. Curr Pharm Des 2018; 24:1157-1173. [PMID: 28914200 PMCID: PMC6040172 DOI: 10.2174/1381612823666170913163904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dengue is one of the most important arboviral infections worldwide, infecting up to 390 million people and causing 25,000 deaths annually. Although a licensed dengue vaccine is available, it is not efficacious against dengue serotypes that infect people living in South East Asia, where dengue is an endemic disease. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop an efficient dengue vaccine for this region. Data from different clinical trials indicate that a successful dengue vaccine must elicit both neutralizing antibodies and cell mediated immunity. This can be achieved by designing a multi-epitope peptide vaccine comprising B, CD8+ and CD4+ T cell epitopes. As recognition of T cell epitopes are restricted by human leukocyte antigens (HLA), T cell epitopes which are able to recognize several major HLAs will be preferentially included in the vaccine design. While peptide vaccines are safe, biocompatible and cost-effective, it is poorly immunogenic. Strategies to improve its immunogenicity by the use of long peptides, adjuvants and nanoparticle delivery mechanisms are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chit Laa Poh
- Address correspondence to this author at the Research Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, 5 Jalan University, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia; Tel: +60-3-7491 8622 ext. 7338; E-mail:
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Huang YW, Lee CT, Wang TC, Kao YC, Yang CH, Lin YM, Huang KS. The Development of Peptide-based Antimicrobial Agents against Dengue Virus. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2018; 19:998-1010. [PMID: 29852867 PMCID: PMC6446661 DOI: 10.2174/1389203719666180531122724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Dengue fever has become an imminent threat to international public health because of global warming and climate change. The World Health Organization proclaimed that more than 50% of the world's population is at risk of dengue virus (DENV) infection. Therefore, developing a clinically approved vaccine and effective therapeutic remedy for treating dengue fever is imperative. Peptide drug development has become a novel pharmaceutical research field. This article reviews various peptidesbased antimicrobial agents targeting three pathways involved in the DENV lifecycle. Specifically, they are peptide vaccines from immunomodulation, peptide drugs that inhibit virus entry, and peptide drugs that interfere with viral replication. Many antiviral peptide studies against DENV have been conducted in animal model trials, and progression to clinical trials for these promising peptide drugs is anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Keng-Shiang Huang
- Address correspondence to this author at the School of Chinese Medicine for Post-Baccalaureate, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan;, Tel: +886-988-399-979; E-mail:
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Ramanathan B, Poh CL, Kirk K, McBride WJH, Aaskov J, Grollo L. Synthetic B-Cell Epitopes Eliciting Cross-Neutralizing Antibodies: Strategies for Future Dengue Vaccine. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155900. [PMID: 27223692 PMCID: PMC4880327 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is a major public health threat worldwide. A key element in protection from dengue fever is the neutralising antibody response. Anti-dengue IgG purified from DENV-2 infected human sera showed reactivity against several peptides when evaluated by ELISA and epitope extraction techniques. A multi-step computational approach predicted six antigenic regions within the E protein of DENV-2 that concur with the 6 epitopes identified by the combined ELISA and epitope extraction approach. The selected peptides representing B-cell epitopes were attached to a known dengue T-helper epitope and evaluated for their vaccine potency. Immunization of mice revealed two novel synthetic vaccine constructs that elicited good humoral immune responses and produced cross-reactive neutralising antibodies against DENV-1, 2 and 3. The findings indicate new directions for epitope mapping and contribute towards the future development of multi-epitope based synthetic peptide vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babu Ramanathan
- Research Centre for Biomedical Sciences, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- * E-mail:
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Research Centre for Biomedical Sciences, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kristin Kirk
- Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - John Aaskov
- Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lara Grollo
- Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
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Tests in mice of a dengue vaccine candidate made of chimeric Junin virus-like particles and conserved dengue virus envelope sequences. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 100:125-33. [PMID: 26386688 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6973-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Two new vaccine candidates against dengue virus (DENV) infection were generated by fusing the coding sequences of the self-budding Z protein from Junin virus (Z-JUNV) to those of two cryptic peptides (Z/DENV-P1 and Z/DENV-P2) conserved on the envelope protein of all serotypes of DENV. The capacity of these chimeras to generate virus-like particles (VLPs) and to induce virus-neutralizing antibodies in mice was determined. First, recombinant proteins that displayed reactivity with a Z-JUNV-specific serum by immunofluorescence were detected in HEK-293 cells transfected with each of the two plasmids and VLP formation was also observed by transmission electron microscopy. Next, we determined the presence of antibodies against the envelope peptides of DENV in the sera of immunized C57BL/6 mice. Results showed that those animals that received Z/DENV-P2 DNA coding sequences followed by a boost with DENV-P2 synthetic peptides elicited significant specific antibody titers (≥6.400). Finally, DENV plaque-reduction neutralization tests (PRNT) were performed. Although no significant protective effect was observed when using sera of Z/DENV-P1-immunized animals, antibodies raised against vaccine candidate Z/DENV-P2 (diluted 1:320) were able to reduce in over 50 % the number of viral plaques generated by infectious DENV particles. This reduction was comparable to that of the 4G2 DENV-specific monoclonal cross-reactive (all serotypes) neutralizing antibody. We conclude that Z-JUNV-VLP is a valid carrier to induce antibody-mediated immune responses in mice and that Z/DENV-P2 is not only immunogenic but also protective in vitro against infection of cells with DENV, deserving further studies. On the other side, DENV's fusion peptide-derived chimera Z/DENV-P1 did not display similar protective properties.
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