1
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Sharma VK, Menis S, Brower ET, Sayeed E, Ackland J, Lombardo A, Cottrell CA, Torres JL, Hassell T, Ward AB, Tsvetnitsky V, Schief WR. Use of Transient Transfection for cGMP Manufacturing of eOD-GT8 60mer, a Self-Assembling Nanoparticle Germline-Targeting HIV-1 Vaccine Candidate. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:742. [PMID: 38931864 PMCID: PMC11206926 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060742] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
We describe the current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) production and subsequent characterization of eOD-GT8 60mer, a glycosylated self-assembling nanoparticle HIV-1 vaccine candidate and germline targeting priming immunogen. Production was carried out via transient expression in the human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cell line followed by a combination of purification techniques. A large-scale cGMP (200 L) production run yielded 354 mg of the purified eOD-GT8 60mer drug product material, which was formulated at 1 mg/mL in 10% sucrose in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at pH 7.2. The clinical trial material was comprehensively characterized for purity, antigenicity, glycan composition, amino acid sequence, and aggregation and by several safety-related tests during cGMP lot release. A comparison of the purified products produced at the 1 L scale and 200 L cGMP scale demonstrated the consistency and robustness of the transient transfection upstream process and the downstream purification strategies. The cGMP clinical trial material was tested in a Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT03547245), is currently being stored at -80 °C, and is on a stability testing program as per regulatory guidelines. The methods described here illustrate the utility of transient transfection for cGMP production of complex products such as glycosylated self-assembling nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaneet K. Sharma
- IAVI, New York, NY 10004, USA; (V.K.S.); (E.S.); (A.L.)
- Servier Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA 02210, USA
| | - Sergey Menis
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Evan T. Brower
- Paragon BioServices, Catalent Biologics, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Eddy Sayeed
- IAVI, New York, NY 10004, USA; (V.K.S.); (E.S.); (A.L.)
| | - Jim Ackland
- IAVI, New York, NY 10004, USA; (V.K.S.); (E.S.); (A.L.)
- Global BioSolutions, P.O. Box 253, Vermont, VIC 3133, Australia
| | | | - Christopher A. Cottrell
- Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Torres
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Andrew B. Ward
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Vadim Tsvetnitsky
- IAVI, New York, NY 10004, USA; (V.K.S.); (E.S.); (A.L.)
- OncoC4, Inc., Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - William R. Schief
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- The Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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2
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Kaur A, Vaccari M. Exploring HIV Vaccine Progress in the Pre-Clinical and Clinical Setting: From History to Future Prospects. Viruses 2024; 16:368. [PMID: 38543734 PMCID: PMC10974975 DOI: 10.3390/v16030368] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to pose a significant global health challenge, with millions of people affected and new cases emerging each year. While various treatment and prevention methods exist, including antiretroviral therapy and non-vaccine approaches, developing an effective vaccine remains the most crucial and cost-effective solution to combating the HIV epidemic. Despite significant advancements in HIV research, the HIV vaccine field has faced numerous challenges, and only one clinical trial has demonstrated a modest level of efficacy. This review delves into the history of HIV vaccines and the current efforts in HIV prevention, emphasizing pre-clinical vaccine development using the non-human primate model (NHP) of HIV infection. NHP models offer valuable insights into potential preventive strategies for combating HIV, and they play a vital role in informing and guiding the development of novel vaccine candidates before they can proceed to human clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amitinder Kaur
- Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA;
- School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Monica Vaccari
- Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA;
- School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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3
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Newby ML, Allen JD, Crispin M. Influence of glycosylation on the immunogenicity and antigenicity of viral immunogens. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 70:108283. [PMID: 37972669 PMCID: PMC10867814 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108283] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
A key aspect of successful viral vaccine design is the elicitation of neutralizing antibodies targeting viral attachment and fusion glycoproteins that embellish viral particles. This observation has catalyzed the development of numerous viral glycoprotein mimetics as vaccines. Glycans can dominate the surface of viral glycoproteins and as such, the viral glycome can influence the antigenicity and immunogenicity of a candidate vaccine. In one extreme, glycans can form an integral part of epitopes targeted by neutralizing antibodies and are therefore considered to be an important feature of key immunogens within an immunization regimen. In the other extreme, the existence of peptide and bacterially expressed protein vaccines shows that viral glycosylation can be dispensable in some cases. However, native-like glycosylation can indicate native-like protein folding and the presence of conformational epitopes. Furthermore, going beyond native glycan mimicry, in either occupancy of glycosylation sites or the glycan processing state, may offer opportunities for enhancing the immunogenicity and associated protection elicited by an immunogen. Here, we review key determinants of viral glycosylation and how recombinant immunogens can recapitulate these signatures across a range of enveloped viruses, including HIV-1, Ebola virus, SARS-CoV-2, Influenza and Lassa virus. The emerging understanding of immunogen glycosylation and its control will help guide the development of future vaccines in both recombinant protein- and nucleic acid-based vaccine technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddy L Newby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Joel D Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
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4
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Singh A, Boggiano C, Eller MA, Maciel M, Marovich MA, Mehra VL, Mo AX, Singleton KL, Leitner WW. Optimizing the Immunogenicity of HIV Vaccines by Adjuvants - NIAID Workshop Report. Vaccine 2023:S0264-410X(23)00694-1. [PMID: 37331838 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.06.029] [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: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
This report summarizes the highlights of a workshop convened by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), on April 4-5, 2022, to provide a discussion forum for sharing insights on the current status, key challenges, and next steps to advance the current landscape of promising adjuvants in preclinical and clinical human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine studies. A key goal was to solicit and share recommendations on scientific, regulatory, and operational guidelines for bridging the gaps in rational selection, access, and formulation of clinically relevant adjuvants for HIV vaccine candidates. The NIAID Vaccine Adjuvant Program working group remains committed to accentuate promising adjuvants and nurturing collaborations between adjuvant and HIV vaccine developers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Singh
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - César Boggiano
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael A Eller
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Milton Maciel
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mary A Marovich
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vijay L Mehra
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Annie X Mo
- Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kentner L Singleton
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wolfgang W Leitner
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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5
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Advances in Infectious Disease Vaccine Adjuvants. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10071120. [PMID: 35891284 PMCID: PMC9316175 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10071120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines are one of the most significant medical interventions in the fight against infectious diseases. Since their discovery by Edward Jenner in 1796, vaccines have reduced the worldwide transmission to eradication levels of infectious diseases, including smallpox, diphtheria, hepatitis, malaria, and influenza. However, the complexity of developing safe and effective vaccines remains a barrier for combating many more infectious diseases. Immune stimulants (or adjuvants) are an indispensable factor in vaccine development, especially for inactivated and subunit-based vaccines due to their decreased immunogenicity compared to whole pathogen vaccines. Adjuvants are widely diverse in structure; however, their overall function in vaccine constructs is the same: to enhance and/or prolong an immunological response. The potential for adverse effects as a result of adjuvant use, though, must be acknowledged and carefully managed. Understanding the specific mechanisms of adjuvant efficacy and safety is a key prerequisite for adjuvant use in vaccination. Therefore, rigorous pre-clinical and clinical research into adjuvant development is essential. Overall, the incorporation of adjuvants allows for greater opportunities in advancing vaccine development and the importance of immune stimulants drives the emergence of novel and more effective adjuvants. This article highlights recent advances in vaccine adjuvant development and provides detailed data from pre-clinical and clinical studies specific to infectious diseases. Future perspectives into vaccine adjuvant development are also highlighted.
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6
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Schneck NA, Vinitsky AL, Ivleva VB, Wang X, Gowetski DB, Lei QP. Development of a RPLC-UV method for monitoring uncleaved HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2021; 13:2183-2188. [PMID: 33954330 DOI: 10.1039/d1ay00072a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the HIV-1 vaccine design efforts has focused on developing a recombinant HIV-1 trimeric envelope glycoprotein (Env) as an immunogen to induce broadly neutralizing antibodies. A native-like immunogen, the BG505.DS.SOSIP.664 gp140 (Env) construct has been well-characterized as a vaccine candidate. This vaccine candidate comprises of three identical gp120 and truncated gp41 subunits that form into a trimer of heterodimers. During production, recombinant Env is expressed as a gp140 precursor polypeptide in which a furin cleavable site is engineered to generate a heterodimer of gp120 and gp41 subunits. Each heterodimer is connected by an intermolecular disulfide bond, and three heterodimers form into a trimer. Furin cleavage is an important factor to mimic native-like HIV-1 Env conformations and is needed to help induce an immune response. Therefore, it is critical to monitor cleavage for ensuring functionality of the Env vaccine product. In this paper, a new RPLC-UV method coupled with reduction was developed to routinely determine the percentage of uncleaved gp140 relative to the cleaved gp120 and gp41 subunits. Baseline separation was achieved among the gp120, gp41 and uncleaved gp140 peaks, thus enabling relative quantification of uncleaved gp140. Overall, this RPLC-UV approach has been successfully applied to support Env vaccine candidate developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Schneck
- Vaccine Production Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA.
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7
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Sawant N, Kaur K, Holland DA, Hickey JM, Agarwal S, Brady JR, Dalvie NC, Tracey MK, Velez-Suberbie ML, Morris SA, Jacob SI, Bracewell DG, Mukhopadhyay TK, Love KR, Love JC, Joshi SB, Volkin DB. Rapid Developability Assessments to Formulate Recombinant Protein Antigens as Stable, Low-Cost, Multi-Dose Vaccine Candidates: Case-Study With Non-Replicating Rotavirus (NRRV) Vaccine Antigens. J Pharm Sci 2021; 110:1042-1053. [PMID: 33285182 PMCID: PMC7884052 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2020.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A two-step developability assessment workflow is described to screen variants of recombinant protein antigens under various formulation conditions to rapidly identify stable, aluminum-adjuvanted, multi-dose vaccine candidates. For proof-of-concept, a series of sequence variants of the recombinant non-replicating rotavirus (NRRV) P[8] protein antigen (produced in Komagataella phaffii) were compared in terms of primary structure, post-translational modifications, antibody binding, conformational stability, relative solubility and preservative compatibility. Based on these results, promising P[8] variants were down-selected and the impact of key formulation conditions on storage stability was examined (e.g., presence or absence of the aluminum-adjuvant Alhydrogel and the preservative thimerosal) as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and antibody binding assays. Good correlations between rapidly-generated developability screening data and storage stability profiles (12 weeks at various temperatures) were observed for aluminum-adsorbed P[8] antigens. These findings were extended and confirmed using variants of a second NRRV antigen, P[4]. These case-study results with P[8] and P[4] NRRV variants are discussed in terms of using this vaccine formulation developability workflow to better inform and optimize formulation design with a wide variety of recombinant protein antigens, with the long-term goal of rapidly and cost-efficiently identifying low-cost vaccine formulations for use in low and middle income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishant Sawant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, 2030 Becker Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Kawaljit Kaur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, 2030 Becker Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - David A Holland
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, 2030 Becker Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - John M Hickey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, 2030 Becker Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Sanjeev Agarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, 2030 Becker Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Joseph R Brady
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Neil C Dalvie
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Mary Kate Tracey
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - M Lourdes Velez-Suberbie
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Stephen A Morris
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Shaleem I Jacob
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Daniel G Bracewell
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Tarit K Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Kerry R Love
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - J Christopher Love
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sangeeta B Joshi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, 2030 Becker Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - David B Volkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, 2030 Becker Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA.
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8
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Schneck NA, Ivleva VB, Cai CX, Cooper JW, Lei QP. Characterization of the furin cleavage motif for HIV-1 trimeric envelope glycoprotein by intact LC-MS analysis. Analyst 2020; 145:1636-1640. [PMID: 31932825 DOI: 10.1039/c9an02098e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Generating a soluble and native-like trimeric envelope glycoprotein (Env) with high efficacy as an immunogen has been a major focus for developing an effective vaccine against HIV-1. The Env immunogen is a heavily glycosylated protein composed of 3 identical surface gp120 and gp41 subunits that form into a trimer of heterodimers (3 × 28 N-glycan sites). During Env immunogen production, endogenous furin works to cleave a hexa-arginine motif connecting the gp120 and gp41 subunits, which is needed to ensure proper protein folding and a native-like conformation of Env. Verification of the overall identity and proteolytic cleavage of Env is therefore important for HIV-1 vaccine development and product quality. Herein, we report the first work using LC-MS to (1) achieve fast and accurate intact mass measurement of Env after deglycosylation and (2) confidently identify the furin cleavage sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Schneck
- Vaccine Production Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA.
| | - Vera B Ivleva
- Vaccine Production Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA.
| | - Cindy X Cai
- Vaccine Production Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA.
| | - Jonathan W Cooper
- Vaccine Production Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA.
| | - Q Paula Lei
- Vaccine Production Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA.
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9
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Antanasijevic A, Ueda G, Brouwer PJM, Copps J, Huang D, Allen JD, Cottrell CA, Yasmeen A, Sewall LM, Bontjer I, Ketas TJ, Turner HL, Berndsen ZT, Montefiori DC, Klasse PJ, Crispin M, Nemazee D, Moore JP, Sanders RW, King NP, Baker D, Ward AB. Structural and functional evaluation of de novo-designed, two-component nanoparticle carriers for HIV Env trimer immunogens. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008665. [PMID: 32780770 PMCID: PMC7418955 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-component, self-assembling nanoparticles represent a versatile platform for multivalent presentation of viral antigens. Computational design of protein nanoparticles with differing sizes and geometries enables combination with antigens of choice to test novel multimerization concepts in immunization strategies where the goal is to improve the induction and maturation of neutralizing antibody lineages. Here, we describe detailed antigenic, structural, and functional characterization of computationally designed tetrahedral, octahedral, and icosahedral nanoparticle immunogens displaying trimeric HIV envelope glycoprotein (Env) ectodomains. Env trimers, based on subtype A (BG505) or consensus group M (ConM) sequences and engineered with SOSIP stabilizing mutations, were fused to an underlying trimeric building block of each nanoparticle. Initial screening yielded one icosahedral and two tetrahedral nanoparticle candidates, capable of presenting twenty or four copies of the Env trimer. A number of analyses, including detailed structural characterization by cryo-EM, demonstrated that the nanoparticle immunogens possessed the intended structural and antigenic properties. When the immunogenicity of ConM-SOSIP trimers presented on a two-component tetrahedral nanoparticle or as soluble proteins were compared in rabbits, the two immunogens elicited similar serum antibody binding titers against the trimer component. Neutralizing antibody titers were slightly elevated in the animals given the nanoparticle immunogen and were initially more focused to the trimer apex. Altogether, our findings indicate that tetrahedral nanoparticles can be successfully applied for presentation of HIV Env trimer immunogens; however, the optimal implementation to different immunization strategies remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandar Antanasijevic
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD) and Scripps Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - George Ueda
- Institute for Protein Design, Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | | | - Jeffrey Copps
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD) and Scripps Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Deli Huang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Joel D. Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher A. Cottrell
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD) and Scripps Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Anila Yasmeen
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Leigh M. Sewall
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ilja Bontjer
- Academic Medical Center (AMC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Thomas J. Ketas
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Hannah L. Turner
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD) and Scripps Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Zachary T. Berndsen
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD) and Scripps Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - David C. Montefiori
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Per Johan Klasse
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - David Nemazee
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - John P. Moore
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Rogier W. Sanders
- Academic Medical Center (AMC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Neil P. King
- Institute for Protein Design, Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - David Baker
- Institute for Protein Design, Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrew B. Ward
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center, the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD) and Scripps Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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10
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Galkin A, Chen Y, Guenaga J, O'Dell S, Acevedo R, Steinhardt JJ, Wang Y, Wilson R, Chiang CI, Doria-Rose N, Grishaev AV, Mascola JR, Li Y. HIV-1 gp120-CD4-Induced Antibody Complex Elicits CD4 Binding Site-Specific Antibody Response in Mice. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2020; 204:1543-1561. [PMID: 32066595 PMCID: PMC7065964 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1901051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Elicitation of broadly neutralizing Ab (bNAb) responses toward the conserved HIV-1 envelope (Env) CD4 binding site (CD4bs) by vaccination is an important goal for vaccine development and yet to be achieved. The outcome of previous immunogenicity studies suggests that the limited accessibility of the CD4bs and the presence of predominant nonneutralizing determinants (nND) on Env may impede the elicitation of bNAbs and their precursors by vaccination. In this study, we designed a panel of novel immunogens that 1) preferentially expose the CD4bs by selective elimination of glycosylation sites flanking the CD4bs, and 2) minimize the nND immune response by engineering fusion proteins consisting of gp120 Core and one or two CD4-induced (CD4i) mAbs for masking nND epitopes, referred to as gp120-CD4i fusion proteins. As expected, the fusion proteins possess improved antigenicity with retained affinity for VRC01-class, CD4bs-directed bNAbs and dampened affinity for nonneutralizing Abs. We immunized C57BL/6 mice with these fusion proteins and found that overall the fusion proteins elicit more focused CD4bs Ab response than prototypical gp120 Core by serological analysis. Consistently, we found that mice immunized with selected gp120-CD4i fusion proteins have higher frequencies of germinal center-activated B cells and CD4bs-directed memory B cells than those inoculated with parental immunogens. We isolated three mAbs from mice immunized with selected gp120-CD4i fusion proteins and found that their footprints on Env are similar to VRC01-class bNAbs. Thus, using gp120-CD4i fusion proteins with selective glycan deletion as immunogens could focus Ab response toward CD4bs epitope.
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MESH Headings
- AIDS Vaccines/administration & dosage
- AIDS Vaccines/genetics
- AIDS Vaccines/immunology
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/genetics
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
- Binding Sites, Antibody/genetics
- Binding Sites, Antibody/immunology
- CD4 Antigens/immunology
- CD4 Antigens/metabolism
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/genetics
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
- Female
- HIV Antibodies/blood
- HIV Antibodies/immunology
- HIV Envelope Protein gp120/genetics
- HIV Envelope Protein gp120/immunology
- HIV Infections/blood
- HIV Infections/immunology
- HIV Infections/prevention & control
- HIV Infections/virology
- HIV-1/genetics
- HIV-1/immunology
- Humans
- Immunogenicity, Vaccine
- Mice
- Models, Animal
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/administration & dosage
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/immunology
- Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Synthetic/genetics
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Galkin
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
- Center of Biomolecular Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Yajing Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Javier Guenaga
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center at Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Sijy O'Dell
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892; and
| | - Roderico Acevedo
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850
| | - James J Steinhardt
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850
| | - Yimeng Wang
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850
| | - Richard Wilson
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Neutralizing Antibody Center at Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Chi-I Chiang
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850
| | - Nicole Doria-Rose
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892; and
| | - Alexander V Grishaev
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899
| | - John R Mascola
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892; and
| | - Yuxing Li
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850;
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
- Center of Biomolecular Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
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11
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Jones LD, Moody MA, Thompson AB. Innovations in HIV-1 Vaccine Design. Clin Ther 2020; 42:499-514. [PMID: 32035643 PMCID: PMC7102617 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2020.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The field of HIV-1 vaccinology has evolved during the last 30 years from the first viral vector HIV gene insert constructs to vaccination regimens using a myriad of strategies. These strategies now include germline-targeting, lineage-based, and structure-guided immunogen design. This narrative review outlines the historical context of HIV vaccinology and subsequently highlights the scientific discoveries during the last 6 years that promise to propel the field forward. METHODS We conducted a search of 2 electronic databases, PubMed and EMBASE, for experimental studies that involved new HIV immunogen designs between 2013 and 2019. During the title and abstract reviews, publications were excluded if they were written in language other than English and/or were a letter to the editor, a commentary, or a conference-only presentation. We then used ClinicalTrials.gov to identify completed and ongoing clinical trials using these strategies. FINDINGS The HIV vaccinology field has undergone periods of significant growth during the last 3 decades. Findings elucidated in preclinical studies have revealed the importance of the interaction between the cellular and humoral immune system. As a result, several new rationally designed vaccine strategies have been developed and explored in the last 6 years, including native-like envelope trimers, nanoparticle, and mRNA vaccine design strategies among others. Several of these strategies have shown enough promise in animal models to progress toward first-in-human Phase I clinical trials. IMPLICATIONS Rapid developments in preclinical and early-phase clinical studies suggest that a tolerable and effective HIV vaccine may be on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letitia D Jones
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M Anthony Moody
- Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Amelia B Thompson
- Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
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12
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Ringe RP, Colin P, Torres JL, Yasmeen A, Lee WH, Cupo A, Ward AB, Klasse PJ, Moore JP. SOS and IP Modifications Predominantly Affect the Yield but Not Other Properties of SOSIP.664 HIV-1 Env Glycoprotein Trimers. J Virol 2019; 94:e01521-19. [PMID: 31619555 PMCID: PMC6912111 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01521-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Soluble recombinant native-like (NL) envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimers of various human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genotypes are being developed as vaccine candidates aimed at the induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). The prototypic design, designated BG505 SOSIP.664, incorporates an intersubunit disulfide bond (SOS) to covalently link the gp120 and gp41 ectodomain (gp41ECTO) subunits and a point substitution, I559P (IP), to further stabilize the gp41ECTO components. Without the SOS and IP changes, proteolytically cleaved trimers tend to disintegrate into their constituent gp120 and gp41ECTO subunits. We show, however, that NL trimers lacking the SOS and/or IP change can be affinity purified in amounts sufficient for analyses of their antigenicity and thermal stability. In general, these trimer variants have properties highly comparable to those of the fully stabilized SOSIP.664 version. We conclude that the major effect of the SOS and IP changes is to substantially increase trimer stability during and after the expression process, thereby allowing useful amounts to be produced. However, once the trimers have been purified, the SOS and IP changes have only subtle impacts on thermostability and the antigenicity of bNAb and other epitopes.IMPORTANCE Recombinant trimeric proteins based on HIV-1 env genes are being developed for vaccine trials in humans. A feature of these proteins is their mimicry of the envelope glycoprotein structure on virus particles that is targeted by neutralizing antibodies, i.e., antibodies that prevent cells from becoming infected. One vaccine concept under exploration is that recombinant trimers may be able to elicit virus-neutralizing antibodies when delivered as immunogens. A commonly used design is designated SOSIP.664, a term reflecting the sequence changes that are used to stabilize the trimers and allow their production in practically useful amounts. Here, we show that these stabilizing changes act to increase trimer yield during the biosynthesis process within the producer cell but have little impact on the properties of purified trimers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh P Ringe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Philippe Colin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jonathan L Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology and Immunogen Discovery, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Anila Yasmeen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Wen-Hsin Lee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Albert Cupo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology and Immunogen Discovery, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) Neutralizing Antibody Center and the Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - P J Klasse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - John P Moore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
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13
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Wilmschen S, Schmitz JE, Kimpel J. Viral Vectors for the Induction of Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies against HIV. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:vaccines7030119. [PMID: 31546894 PMCID: PMC6789710 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7030119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive research on generating an efficient HIV vaccine is ongoing. A major aim of HIV vaccines is the induction of long-lasting, broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that can confer sterile immunity for a prolonged period of time. Several strategies have been explored to reach this goal, i.e. protein immunization, DNA, or viral vectors, or a combination thereof. In this review, we give an overview of approaches using viral vectors for the induction of HIV-specific bnAbs. Many pre-clinical studies were performed using various replication-competent and -incompetent vectors. Amongst them, poxviral and adenoviral vectors were the most prevalent ones. In many studies, viral vectors were combined with a DNA prime or a protein boost. However, neutralizing antibodies were mainly induced against the homologous HIV-1 vaccine strain or tier 1 viruses, and in rare cases, against tier 2 viruses, indicating the need for improved antigens and vaccination strategies. Furthermore, we also review next generation Env antigens that are currently being used in protein vaccination approaches and point out how they could be utilized in viral vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Wilmschen
- Division of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Joern E Schmitz
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Janine Kimpel
- Division of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria.
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14
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Cupo A, Cruz Portillo VM, Gelfand P, Yasmeen A, Klasse PJ, Moore JP. Optimizing the production and affinity purification of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein SOSIP trimers from transiently transfected CHO cells. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215106. [PMID: 30958859 PMCID: PMC6453562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe methods to improve the efficiency with which HIV-1 Envelope glycoprotein SOSIP trimer immunogens can be produced by transient transfection of ExpiCHO-S cells and then affinity purified using the trimer-specific human monoclonal antibody PGT145. The specificity of PGT145 for properly folded trimers allows for the facile, one-step, isolation of these immunogens in research laboratories. PGT145 columns are also valuable as a component of more complex purification processes in current Good Manufacturing Practice programs. However, we found that PGT145 purification was highly variable and markedly inefficient when used to process supernatants from transiently transfected ExpiCHO-S cells expressing the BG505 SOSIP.664 and other trimeric Env proteins. In contrast, no such problems arose when the same Env proteins derived from a stable CHO cell line were processed on the same PGT145 columns, or with transient transfection supernatants from 293F cells. An investigation of the ExpiCHO-S transfection system identified the presence of polyanions, including but perhaps not limited to dextran sulfate, in the Enhancer component of the transfection system. We hypothesized that these polyanions bound to the cationic PGT145 epitope on the trimers and impeded their ability to bind to the PGT145 affinity column. We found that replacing the Enhancer component with alternative culture medium supplements substantially increased the yield of PGT145-purifiable trimers, and we also confirmed that both dextran sulfate and the Enhancer component were indeed inhibitors of PGT145 binding to BG505 SOSIP.664 trimers in immunoassays. The presence of polyanions, including but not limited to nucleic acids, should be considered in other circumstances where PGT145 columns are less efficient than expected at purifying native-like trimers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Cupo
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Paul Gelfand
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Anila Yasmeen
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - P. J. Klasse
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - John P. Moore
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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