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Ray R, Nait Mohamed FA, Maurer DP, Huang J, Alpay BA, Ronsard L, Xie Z, Han J, Fernandez-Quintero M, Phan QA, Ursin RL, Vu M, Kirsch KH, Prum T, Rosado VC, Bracamonte-Moreno T, Okonkwo V, Bals J, McCarthy C, Nair U, Kanekiyo M, Ward AB, Schmidt AG, Batista FD, Lingwood D. Eliciting a single amino acid change by vaccination generates antibody protection against group 1 and group 2 influenza A viruses. Immunity 2024; 57:1141-1159.e11. [PMID: 38670113 PMCID: PMC11096021 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.03.022] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) targeting the hemagglutinin (HA) stem of influenza A viruses (IAVs) tend to be effective against either group 1 or group 2 viral diversity. In rarer cases, intergroup protective bnAbs can be generated by human antibody paratopes that accommodate the conserved glycan differences between the group 1 and group 2 stems. We applied germline-engaging nanoparticle immunogens to elicit a class of cross-group bnAbs from physiological precursor frequency within a humanized mouse model. Cross-group protection depended on the presence of the human bnAb precursors within the B cell repertoire, and the vaccine-expanded antibodies enriched for an N55T substitution in the CDRH2 loop, a hallmark of the bnAb class. Structurally, this single mutation introduced a flexible fulcrum to accommodate glycosylation differences and could alone enable cross-group protection. Thus, broad IAV immunity can be expanded from the germline repertoire via minimal antigenic input and an exceptionally simple antibody development pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Ray
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Faez Amokrane Nait Mohamed
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Daniel P Maurer
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jiachen Huang
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Berk A Alpay
- Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Larance Ronsard
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Zhenfei Xie
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Julianna Han
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Monica Fernandez-Quintero
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Department of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, Center for Chemistry and Biomedicine, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82/III, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Quynh Anh Phan
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Rebecca L Ursin
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Mya Vu
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Kathrin H Kirsch
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thavaleak Prum
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Victoria C Rosado
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thalia Bracamonte-Moreno
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Vintus Okonkwo
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Julia Bals
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Caitlin McCarthy
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Usha Nair
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Masaru Kanekiyo
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 40 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-3005, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Aaron G Schmidt
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Facundo D Batista
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biology, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Daniel Lingwood
- The Ragon Institute of Mass General, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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Deng Y, Tang M, Ross TM, Schmidt AG, Chakraborty AK, Lingwood D. Repeated vaccination with homologous influenza hemagglutinin broadens human antibody responses to unmatched flu viruses. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.03.27.24303943. [PMID: 38585939 PMCID: PMC10996724 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.27.24303943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The on-going diversification of influenza virus necessicates annual vaccine updating. The vaccine antigen, the viral spike protein hemagglutinin (HA), tends to elicit strain-specific neutralizing activity, predicting that sequential immunization with the same HA strain will boost antibodies with narrow coverage. However, repeated vaccination with homologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccine eventually elicits neutralizing activity against highly unmatched variants, questioning this immunological premise. We evaluated a longitudinal influenza vaccine cohort, where each year the subjects received the same, novel H1N1 2009 pandemic vaccine strain. Repeated vaccination gradually enhanced receptor-blocking antibodies (HAI) to highly unmatched H1N1 strains within individuals with no initial memory recall against these historical viruses. An in silico model of affinity maturation in germinal centers integrated with a model of differentiation and expansion of memory cells provides insight into the mechanisms underlying these results and shows how repeated exposure to the same immunogen can broaden the antibody response against diversified targets.
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3
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Patel DR, Minns AM, Sim DG, Field CJ, Kerr AE, Heinly TA, Luley EH, Rossi RM, Bator CM, Moustafa IM, Norton EB, Hafenstein SL, Lindner SE, Sutton TC. Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 RBD decorated nanoparticle vaccine enhances viral clearance in the Syrian hamster model. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0499822. [PMID: 38334387 PMCID: PMC10923206 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04998-22] [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: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple vaccines have been developed and licensed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). While these vaccines reduce disease severity, they do not prevent infection. To prevent infection and limit transmission, vaccines must be developed that induce immunity in the respiratory tract. Therefore, we performed proof-of-principle studies with an intranasal nanoparticle vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine candidate consisted of the self-assembling 60-subunit I3-01 protein scaffold covalently decorated with the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) using the SpyCatcher-SpyTag system. We verified the intended antigen display features by reconstructing the I3-01 scaffold to 3.4 A using cryogenicelectron microscopy. Using this RBD-grafted SpyCage scaffold (RBD + SpyCage), we performed two intranasal vaccination studies in the "gold-standard" pre-clinical Syrian hamster model. The initial study focused on assessing the immunogenicity of RBD + SpyCage combined with the LTA1 intranasal adjuvant. These studies showed RBD + SpyCage vaccination induced an antibody response that promoted viral clearance but did not prevent infection. Inclusion of the LTA1 adjuvant enhanced the magnitude of the antibody response but did not enhance protection. Thus, in an expanded study, in the absence of an intranasal adjuvant, we evaluated if covalent bonding of RBD to the scaffold was required to induce an antibody response. Covalent grafting of RBD was required for the vaccine to be immunogenic, and animals vaccinated with RBD + SpyCage more rapidly cleared SARS-CoV-2 from both the upper and lower respiratory tract. These findings demonstrate the intranasal SpyCage vaccine platform can induce protection against SARS-CoV-2 and, with additional modifications to improve immunogenicity, is a versatile platform for the development of intranasal vaccines targeting respiratory pathogens.IMPORTANCEDespite the availability of efficacious COVID vaccines that reduce disease severity, SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread. To limit SARS-CoV-2 transmission, the next generation of vaccines must induce immunity in the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract. Therefore, we performed proof-of-principle, intranasal vaccination studies with a recombinant protein nanoparticle scaffold, SpyCage, decorated with the RBD of the S protein (SpyCage + RBD). We show that SpyCage + RBD was immunogenic and enhanced SARS-CoV-2 clearance from the nose and lungs of Syrian hamsters. Moreover, covalent grafting of the RBD to the scaffold was required to induce an immune response when given via the intranasal route. These proof-of-concept findings indicate that with further enhancements to immunogenicity (e.g., adjuvant incorporation and antigen optimization), the SpyCage scaffold has potential as a versatile, intranasal vaccine platform for respiratory pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devanshi R. Patel
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Allen M. Minns
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Center for Malaria Research, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Derek G. Sim
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Cassandra J. Field
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Abigail E. Kerr
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Talia A. Heinly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Erin H. Luley
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Randall M. Rossi
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Carol M. Bator
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ibrahim M. Moustafa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Elizabeth B. Norton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Susan L. Hafenstein
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Scott E. Lindner
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Center for Malaria Research, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Troy C. Sutton
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Hauser B, Sangesland M, Lam EC, St Denis KJ, Sheehan ML, Vu ML, Cheng AH, Sordilla S, Lamson DT, Almawi AW, Balazs AB, Lingwood D, Schmidt AG. Heterologous Sarbecovirus Receptor Binding Domains as Scaffolds for SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Motif Presentation. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:553-561. [PMID: 38281136 PMCID: PMC10862550 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00483] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Structure-guided rational immunogen design can generate optimized immunogens that elicit a desired humoral response. Design strategies often center on targeting conserved sites on viral glycoproteins that will ultimately confer potent neutralization. For SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-2), the surface-exposed spike glycoprotein includes a broadly conserved portion, the receptor binding motif (RBM), that is required to engage the host cellular receptor, ACE2. Expanding humoral responses to this site may result in a more potent neutralizing antibody response against diverse sarbecoviruses. Here, we used a "resurfacing" approach and iterative design cycles to graft the SARS-2 RBM onto heterologous sarbecovirus scaffolds. The scaffolds were selected to vary the antigenic distance relative to SARS-2 to potentially focus responses to RBM. Multimerized versions of these immunogens elicited broad neutralization against sarbecoviruses in the context of preexisting SARS-2 immunity. These validated engineering approaches can help inform future immunogen design efforts for sarbecoviruses and are generally applicable to other viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake
M. Hauser
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Maya Sangesland
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Evan C. Lam
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Kerri J. St Denis
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Maegan L. Sheehan
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Mya L. Vu
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Agnes H. Cheng
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Sophia Sordilla
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Dana Thornlow Lamson
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department
of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Ahmad W. Almawi
- Center
for Molecular Interactions, Department of Biological Chemistry and
Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical
School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Alejandro B. Balazs
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Daniel Lingwood
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Aaron G. Schmidt
- Ragon
Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department
of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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5
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Ninyio N, Schmitt K, Sergon G, Nilsson C, Andersson S, Scherbak N. Stable expression of HIV-1 MPER extended epitope on the surface of the recombinant probiotic bacteria Escherichia Coli Nissle 1917 using CRISPR/Cas9. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:39. [PMID: 38311724 PMCID: PMC10840157 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02290-0] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mucosal vaccines have the potential to induce protective immune responses at the sites of infection. Applying CRISPR/Cas9 editing, we aimed to develop a probiotic-based vaccine candidate expressing the HIV-1 envelope membrane-proximal external region (MPER) on the surface of E. coli Nissle 1917. RESULTS The HIV-1 MPER epitope was successfully introduced in the porin OmpF of the E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN-MPER) and the modification was stable over 30 passages of the recombinant bacteria on the DNA and protein level. Furthermore, the introduced epitope was recognized by a human anti-HIV-1 gp41 (2F5) antibody using both live and heat-killed EcN-MPER, and this antigenicity was also retained over 30 passages. Whole-cell dot blot suggested a stronger binding of anti-HIV-1 gp41 (2F5) to heat-killed EcN-MPER than their live counterpart. An outer membrane vesicle (OMV) - rich extract from EcN-MPER culture supernatant was equally antigenic to anti-HIV-1 gp41 antibody which suggests that the MPER antigen could be harboured in EcN-MPER OMVs. Using quantitative ELISA, we determined the amount of MPER produced by the modified EcN to be 14.3 µg/108 cfu. CONCLUSIONS The CRISPR/Cas9 technology was an effective method for establishment of recombinant EcN-MPER bacteria that was stable over many passages. The developed EcN-MPER clone was devoid of extraneous plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes which eliminates the risk of plasmid transfer to animal hosts, should this clone be used as a vaccine. Also, the EcN-MPER clone was recognised by anti-HIV-1 gp41 (2F5) both as live and heat-killed bacteria making it suitable for pre-clinical evaluation. Expression of OmpF on bacterial surfaces and released OMVs identifies it as a compelling candidate for recombinant epitope modification, enabling surface epitope presentation on both bacteria and OMVs. By applying the methods described in this study, we present a potential platform for cost-effective and rational vaccine antigen expression and administration, offering promising prospects for further research in the field of vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Ninyio
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Katharina Schmitt
- School of Science and Technology, Life Science Center, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Gladys Sergon
- School of Science and Technology, Life Science Center, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Charlotta Nilsson
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sören Andersson
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Public Health Analysis and Data Management, Unit for Vaccination Programmes, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
| | - Nikolai Scherbak
- School of Science and Technology, Life Science Center, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
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de Raffele D, Ilie IM. Unlocking novel therapies: cyclic peptide design for amyloidogenic targets through synergies of experiments, simulations, and machine learning. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:632-645. [PMID: 38131333 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc04630c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Existing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's address only their symptoms and do not prevent disease onset. Common therapeutic agents, such as small molecules and antibodies struggle with insufficient selectivity, stability and bioavailability, leading to poor performance in clinical trials. Peptide-based therapeutics are emerging as promising candidates, with successful applications for cardiovascular diseases and cancers due to their high bioavailability, good efficacy and specificity. In particular, cyclic peptides have a long in vivo stability, while maintaining a robust antibody-like binding affinity. However, the de novo design of cyclic peptides is challenging due to the lack of long-lived druggable pockets of the target polypeptide, absence of exhaustive conformational distributions of the target and/or the binder, unknown binding site, methodological limitations, associated constraints (failed trials, time, money) and the vast combinatorial sequence space. Hence, efficient alignment and cooperation between disciplines, and synergies between experiments and simulations complemented by popular techniques like machine-learning can significantly speed up the therapeutic cyclic-peptide development for neurodegenerative diseases. We review the latest advancements in cyclic peptide design against amyloidogenic targets from a computational perspective in light of recent advancements and potential of machine learning to optimize the design process. We discuss the difficulties encountered when designing novel peptide-based inhibitors and we propose new strategies incorporating experiments, simulations and machine learning to design cyclic peptides to inhibit the toxic propagation of amyloidogenic polypeptides. Importantly, these strategies extend beyond the mere design of cyclic peptides and serve as template for the de novo generation of (bio)materials with programmable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria de Raffele
- University of Amsterdam, van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, Science Park 904, P.O. Box 94157, 1090 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Center for Multiscale Modeling (ACMM), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94157, 1090 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ioana M Ilie
- University of Amsterdam, van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, Science Park 904, P.O. Box 94157, 1090 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Center for Multiscale Modeling (ACMM), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94157, 1090 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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7
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Musunuri S, Weidenbacher PAB, Kim PS. Bringing immunofocusing into focus. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:11. [PMID: 38195562 PMCID: PMC10776678 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00792-x] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunofocusing is a strategy to create immunogens that redirect humoral immune responses towards a targeted epitope and away from non-desirable epitopes. Immunofocusing methods often aim to develop "universal" vaccines that provide broad protection against highly variant viruses such as influenza virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), and most recently, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). We use existing examples to illustrate five main immunofocusing strategies-cross-strain boosting, mosaic display, protein dissection, epitope scaffolding, and epitope masking. We also discuss obstacles for immunofocusing like immune imprinting. A thorough understanding, advancement, and application of the methods we outline here will enable the design of high-resolution vaccines that protect against future viral outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriharshita Musunuri
- Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Payton A B Weidenbacher
- Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Peter S Kim
- Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
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8
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Wu NC, Ellebedy AH. Targeting neuraminidase: the next frontier for broadly protective influenza vaccines. Trends Immunol 2024; 45:11-19. [PMID: 38103991 PMCID: PMC10841738 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.11.001] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Current seasonal influenza vaccines, which mainly target hemagglutinin (HA), require annual updates due to the continuous antigenic drift of the influenza virus. Developing an influenza vaccine with increased breadth of protection will have significant public health benefits. The recent discovery of broadly protective antibodies to neuraminidase (NA) has provided important insights into developing a universal influenza vaccine, either by improving seasonal influenza vaccines or designing novel immunogens. However, further in-depth molecular characterizations of NA antibody responses are warranted to fully leverage broadly protective NA antibodies for influenza vaccine designs. Overall, we posit that focusing on NA for influenza vaccine development is synergistic with existing efforts targeting HA, and may represent a cost-effective approach to generating a broadly protective influenza vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Ali H Ellebedy
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Vaccines and Immunity to Microbial Pathogens, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; The Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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9
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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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10
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Lei R, Kim W, Lv H, Mou Z, Scherm MJ, Schmitz AJ, Turner JS, Tan TJC, Wang Y, Ouyang WO, Liang W, Rivera-Cardona J, Teo C, Graham CS, Brooke CB, Presti RM, Mok CKP, Krammer F, Dai X, Ellebedy AH, Wu NC. Leveraging vaccination-induced protective antibodies to define conserved epitopes on influenza N2 neuraminidase. Immunity 2023; 56:2621-2634.e6. [PMID: 37967533 PMCID: PMC10655865 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
There is growing appreciation for neuraminidase (NA) as an influenza vaccine target; however, its antigenicity remains poorly characterized. In this study, we isolated three broadly reactive N2 antibodies from the plasmablasts of a single vaccinee, including one that cross-reacts with NAs from seasonal H3N2 strains spanning five decades. Although these three antibodies have diverse germline usages, they recognize similar epitopes that are distant from the NA active site and instead involve the highly conserved underside of NA head domain. We also showed that all three antibodies confer prophylactic and therapeutic protection in vivo, due to both Fc effector functions and NA inhibition through steric hindrance. Additionally, the contribution of Fc effector functions to protection in vivo inversely correlates with viral growth inhibition activity in vitro. Overall, our findings advance the understanding of NA antibody response and provide important insights into the development of a broadly protective influenza vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruipeng Lei
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Wooseob Kim
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Microbiology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Huibin Lv
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zongjun Mou
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Michael J Scherm
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Aaron J Schmitz
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jackson S Turner
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Timothy J C Tan
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yiquan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Wenhao O Ouyang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Weiwen Liang
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Joel Rivera-Cardona
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Chuyun Teo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Claire S Graham
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Christopher B Brooke
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Rachel M Presti
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Vaccines and Immunity to Microbial Pathogens, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; The Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Chris K P Mok
- The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; S.H. Ho Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VARPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Xinghong Dai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Ali H Ellebedy
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Vaccines and Immunity to Microbial Pathogens, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; The Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Nicholas C Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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11
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Hauser BM, Sangesland M, Lam EC, Denis KJS, Sheehan ML, Vu ML, Cheng AH, Balazs AB, Lingwood D, Schmidt AG. Heterologous sarbecovirus receptor binding domains as scaffolds for SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding motif presentation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.21.554179. [PMID: 37662405 PMCID: PMC10473630 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.21.554179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Structure-guided rational immunogen design can generate optimized immunogens that elicit a desired humoral response. Design strategies often center upon targeting conserved sites on viral glycoproteins that will ultimately confer potent neutralization. For SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-2), the surface-exposed spike glycoprotein includes a broadly conserved portion, the receptor binding motif (RBM), that is required to engage the host cellular receptor, ACE2. Expanding humoral responses to this site may result in a more potently neutralizing antibody response against diverse sarbecoviruses. Here, we used a "resurfacing" approach and iterative design cycles to graft the SARS-2 RBM onto heterologous sarbecovirus scaffolds. The scaffolds were selected to vary the antigenic distance relative to SARS-2 to potentially focus responses to RBM. Multimerized versions of these immunogens elicited broad neutralization against sarbecoviruses in the context of preexisting SARS-2 immunity. These validated engineering approaches can help inform future immunogen design efforts for sarbecoviruses and are generally applicable to other viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake M. Hauser
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Maya Sangesland
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Evan C. Lam
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Mya L. Vu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Agnes H. Cheng
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - Daniel Lingwood
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Aaron G. Schmidt
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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12
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Guarra F, Colombo G. Computational Methods in Immunology and Vaccinology: Design and Development of Antibodies and Immunogens. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:5315-5333. [PMID: 37527403 PMCID: PMC10448727 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00513] [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: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
The design of new biomolecules able to harness immune mechanisms for the treatment of diseases is a prime challenge for computational and simulative approaches. For instance, in recent years, antibodies have emerged as an important class of therapeutics against a spectrum of pathologies. In cancer, immune-inspired approaches are witnessing a surge thanks to a better understanding of tumor-associated antigens and the mechanisms of their engagement or evasion from the human immune system. Here, we provide a summary of the main state-of-the-art computational approaches that are used to design antibodies and antigens, and in parallel, we review key methodologies for epitope identification for both B- and T-cell mediated responses. A special focus is devoted to the description of structure- and physics-based models, privileged over purely sequence-based approaches. We discuss the implications of novel methods in engineering biomolecules with tailored immunological properties for possible therapeutic uses. Finally, we highlight the extraordinary challenges and opportunities presented by the possible integration of structure- and physics-based methods with emerging Artificial Intelligence technologies for the prediction and design of novel antigens, epitopes, and antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Guarra
- Department of Chemistry, University
of Pavia, Via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Colombo
- Department of Chemistry, University
of Pavia, Via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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13
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Tan TJC, Mou Z, Lei R, Ouyang WO, Yuan M, Song G, Andrabi R, Wilson IA, Kieffer C, Dai X, Matreyek KA, Wu NC. High-throughput identification of prefusion-stabilizing mutations in SARS-CoV-2 spike. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2003. [PMID: 37037866 PMCID: PMC10086000 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37786-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Designing prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike is critical for the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. All COVID-19 vaccines in the US encode spike with K986P/V987P mutations to stabilize its prefusion conformation. However, contemporary methods on engineering prefusion-stabilized spike immunogens involve tedious experimental work and heavily rely on structural information. Here, we establish a systematic and unbiased method of identifying mutations that concomitantly improve expression and stabilize the prefusion conformation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike. Our method integrates a fluorescence-based fusion assay, mammalian cell display technology, and deep mutational scanning. As a proof-of-concept, we apply this method to a region in the S2 domain that includes the first heptad repeat and central helix. Our results reveal that besides K986P and V987P, several mutations simultaneously improve expression and significantly lower the fusogenicity of the spike. As prefusion stabilization is a common challenge for viral immunogen design, this work will help accelerate vaccine development against different viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J C Tan
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Zongjun Mou
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Ruipeng Lei
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Wenhao O Ouyang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Meng Yuan
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Ge Song
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Raiees Andrabi
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Collin Kieffer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Xinghong Dai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Kenneth A Matreyek
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Nicholas C Wu
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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14
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Hills RA, Kit Tan T, Cohen AA, Keeffe JR, Keeble AH, Gnanapragasam PN, Storm KN, Hill ML, Liu S, Gilbert-Jaramillo J, Afzal M, Napier A, James WS, Bjorkman PJ, Townsend AR, Howarth M. Multiviral Quartet Nanocages Elicit Broad Anti-Coronavirus Responses for Proactive Vaccinology. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.24.529520. [PMID: 36865256 PMCID: PMC9980174 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.24.529520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Defending against future pandemics may require vaccine platforms that protect across a range of related pathogens. The presentation of multiple receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from evolutionarily-related viruses on a nanoparticle scaffold elicits a strong antibody response to conserved regions. Here we produce quartets of tandemly-linked RBDs from SARS-like betacoronaviruses coupled to the mi3 nanocage through a SpyTag/SpyCatcher spontaneous reaction. These Quartet Nanocages induce a high level of neutralizing antibodies against several different coronaviruses, including against viruses not represented on the vaccine. In animals primed with SARS-CoV-2 Spike, boost immunizations with Quartet Nanocages increased the strength and breadth of an otherwise narrow immune response. Quartet Nanocages are a strategy with potential to confer heterotypic protection against emergent zoonotic coronavirus pathogens and facilitate proactive pandemic protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory A. Hills
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Tiong Kit Tan
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Alexander A. Cohen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Keeffe
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Anthony H. Keeble
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PD, UK
| | | | - Kaya N. Storm
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Michelle L. Hill
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Sai Liu
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Javier Gilbert-Jaramillo
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Madeeha Afzal
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Amy Napier
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - William S. James
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Pamela J. Bjorkman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Alain R. Townsend
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Centre for Translational Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Mark Howarth
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PD, UK
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15
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Tang WK, Coelho CH, Miura K, Nguemwo Tentokam BC, Salinas ND, Narum DL, Healy SA, Sagara I, Long CA, Duffy PE, Tolia NH. A human antibody epitope map of Pfs230D1 derived from analysis of individuals vaccinated with a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine. Immunity 2023; 56:433-443.e5. [PMID: 36792576 PMCID: PMC9989938 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Pfs230 domain 1 (Pfs230D1) is an advanced malaria transmission-blocking vaccine antigen demonstrating high functional activity in clinical trials. However, the structural and functional correlates of transmission-blocking activity are not defined. Here, we characterized a panel of human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs) elicited in vaccinees immunized with Pfs230D1. These hmAbs exhibited diverse transmission-reducing activity, yet all bound to Pfs230D1 with nanomolar affinity. We compiled epitope-binning data for seventeen hmAbs and structures of nine hmAbs complexes to construct a high-resolution epitope map and revealed that potent transmission-reducing hmAbs bound to one face of Pfs230D1, while non-potent hmAbs bound to the opposing side. The structure of Pfs230D1D2 revealed that non-potent transmission-reducing epitopes were occluded by the second domain. The hmAb epitope map delineated binary hmAb combinations that synergized for extremely high-potency, transmission-reducing activity. This work provides a high-resolution guide for structure-based design of enhanced immunogens and informs diagnostics that measure the transmission-reducing response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Kwan Tang
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Camila H Coelho
- Pathogenesis and Immunity Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Bergeline C Nguemwo Tentokam
- Pathogenesis and Immunity Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nichole D Salinas
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David L Narum
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sara A Healy
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Issaka Sagara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technology, Bamako, Mali
| | - Carole A Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Patrick E Duffy
- Pathogenesis and Immunity Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Niraj H Tolia
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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16
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Qiu P, Song Z. Determination of Nicotinic Acid in Food and Pharmaceuticals by a Simple and Rapid Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay (FPIA). ANAL LETT 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/00032719.2023.2173220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Qiu
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Zhaorui Song
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, China
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17
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Choi S, Yang Z, Wang Q, Qiao Z, Sun M, Wiggins J, Xiang SH, Lu Q. Displaying and delivering viral membrane antigens via WW domain-activated extracellular vesicles. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade2708. [PMID: 36706192 PMCID: PMC9882979 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade2708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Membrane proteins expressed on the surface of enveloped viruses are conformational antigens readily recognized by B cells of the immune system. An effective vaccine would require the synthesis and delivery of these native conformational antigens in lipid membranes that preserve specific epitope structures. We have created an extracellular vesicle-based technology that allows viral membrane antigens to be selectively recruited onto the surface of WW domain-activated extracellular vesicles (WAEVs). Budding of WAEVs requires secretory carrier-associated membrane protein 3, which through its proline-proline-alanine-tyrosine motif interacts with WW domains to recruit fused viral membrane antigens onto WAEVs. Immunization with influenza and HIV viral membrane proteins displayed on WAEVs elicits production of virus-specific neutralizing antibodies and, in the case of influenza antigens, protects mice from the lethal viral infection. WAEVs thus represent a versatile platform for presenting and delivering membrane antigens as vaccines against influenza, HIV, and potentially many other viral pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sengjin Choi
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zhiping Yang
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Qiyu Wang
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zhi Qiao
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maoyun Sun
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joshua Wiggins
- Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Shi-Hua Xiang
- Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Quan Lu
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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18
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Patel DR, Minns AM, Sim DG, Field CJ, Kerr AE, Heinly T, Luley EH, Rossi RM, Bator C, Moustafa IM, Hafenstein SL, Lindner SE, Sutton TC. Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 RBD decorated nanoparticle vaccine enhances viral clearance in the Syrian hamster model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.10.27.514054. [PMID: 36324809 PMCID: PMC9628200 DOI: 10.1101/2022.10.27.514054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Multiple vaccines have been developed and licensed for SARS-CoV-2. While these vaccines reduce disease severity, they do not prevent infection, and SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread and evolve. To prevent infection and limit transmission, vaccines must be developed that induce immunity in the respiratory tract. Therefore, we performed proof-of-principle vaccination studies with an intranasal nanoparticle vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine candidate consisted of the self-assembling 60-subunit I3-01 protein scaffold covalently decorated with the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) using the SpyCatcher-SpyTag system. We verified the intended antigen display features by reconstructing the I3-01 scaffold to 3.4A using cryo-EM, and then demonstrated that the scaffold was highly saturated when grafted with RBD. Using this RBD-grafted SpyCage scaffold (RBD+SpyCage), we performed two unadjuvanted intranasal vaccination studies in the "gold-standard" preclinical Syrian hamster model. Hamsters received two vaccinations 28 days apart, and were then challenged 28 days post-boost with SARS-CoV-2. The initial study focused on assessing the immunogenicity of RBD+SpyCage, which indicated that vaccination of hamsters induced a non-neutralizing antibody response that enhanced viral clearance but did not prevent infection. In an expanded study, we demonstrated that covalent bonding of RBD to the scaffold was required to induce an antibody response. Consistent with the initial study, animals vaccinated with RBD+SpyCage more rapidly cleared SARS-CoV-2 from both the upper and lower respiratory tract. These findings demonstrate the intranasal SpyCage vaccine platform can induce protection against SARS-CoV-2 and, with additional modifications to improve immunogenicity, is a versatile platform for the development of intranasal vaccines targeting respiratory pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Patel
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - A M Minns
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Center for Malaria Research
| | - D G Sim
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - C J Field
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - A E Kerr
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - T Heinly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - E H Luley
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University
| | - R M Rossi
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - C Bator
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - I M Moustafa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - S L Hafenstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- Department of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University
| | - S E Lindner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Center for Malaria Research
| | - T C Sutton
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
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19
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Caradonna TM, Ronsard L, Yousif AS, Windsor IW, Hecht R, Bracamonte-Moreno T, Roffler AA, Maron MJ, Maurer DP, Feldman J, Marchiori E, Barnes RM, Rohrer D, Lonberg N, Oguin TH, Sempowski GD, Kepler TB, Kuraoka M, Lingwood D, Schmidt AG. An epitope-enriched immunogen expands responses to a conserved viral site. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111628. [PMID: 36351401 PMCID: PMC9883670 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogens evade host humoral responses by accumulating mutations in surface antigens. While variable, there are conserved regions that cannot mutate without compromising fitness. Antibodies targeting these conserved epitopes are often broadly protective but remain minor components of the repertoire. Rational immunogen design leverages a structural understanding of viral antigens to modulate humoral responses to favor these responses. Here, we report an epitope-enriched immunogen presenting a higher copy number of the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) receptor-binding site (RBS) epitope relative to other B cell epitopes. Immunization in a partially humanized murine model imprinted with an H1 influenza shows H1-specific serum and >99% H1-specific B cells being RBS-directed. Single B cell analyses show a genetically restricted response that structural analysis defines as RBS-directed antibodies engaging the RBS with germline-encoded contacts. These data show how epitope enrichment expands B cell responses toward conserved epitopes and advances immunogen design approaches for next-generation viral vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Larance Ronsard
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ashraf S Yousif
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Rachel Hecht
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Anne A Roffler
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Max J Maron
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Daniel P Maurer
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jared Feldman
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Elisa Marchiori
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ralston M Barnes
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, CA 94063-2478, USA
| | - Daniel Rohrer
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, CA 94063-2478, USA
| | - Nils Lonberg
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, CA 94063-2478, USA
| | - Thomas H Oguin
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27703, USA
| | - Gregory D Sempowski
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham NC 27703, USA
| | - Thomas B Kepler
- Department of Microbiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Masayuki Kuraoka
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Daniel Lingwood
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Aaron G Schmidt
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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20
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Tan TJ, Mou Z, Lei R, Ouyang WO, Yuan M, Song G, Andrabi R, Wilson IA, Kieffer C, Dai X, Matreyek KA, Wu NC. High-throughput identification of prefusion-stabilizing mutations in SARS-CoV-2 spike. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.09.24.509341. [PMID: 36203547 PMCID: PMC9536033 DOI: 10.1101/2022.09.24.509341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Designing prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike is critical for the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. All COVID-19 vaccines in the US encode spike with K986P/V987P mutations to stabilize its prefusion conformation. However, contemporary methods on engineering prefusion-stabilized spike immunogens involve tedious experimental work and heavily rely on structural information. Here, we established a systematic and unbiased method of identifying mutations that concomitantly improve expression and stabilize the prefusion conformation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike. Our method integrated a fluorescence-based fusion assay, mammalian cell display technology, and deep mutational scanning. As a proof-of-concept, this method was applied to a region in the S2 domain that includes the first heptad repeat and central helix. Our results revealed that besides K986P and V987P, several mutations simultaneously improved expression and significantly lowered the fusogenicity of the spike. As prefusion stabilization is a common challenge for viral immunogen design, this work will help accelerate vaccine development against different viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J.C. Tan
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Zongjun Mou
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Ruipeng Lei
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Wenhao O. Ouyang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Meng Yuan
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Ge Song
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Raiees Andrabi
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Ian A. Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHAVD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Collin Kieffer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Xinghong Dai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Kenneth A. Matreyek
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Nicholas C. Wu
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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21
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Soto LF, Romaní AC, Jiménez-Avalos G, Silva Y, Ordinola-Ramirez CM, Lopez Lapa RM, Requena D. Immunoinformatic analysis of the whole proteome for vaccine design: An application to Clostridium perfringens. Front Immunol 2022; 13:942907. [PMID: 36110855 PMCID: PMC9469472 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.942907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens is a dangerous bacterium and known biological warfare weapon associated with several diseases, whose lethal toxins can produce necrosis in humans. However, there is no safe and fully effective vaccine against C. perfringens for humans yet. To address this problem, we computationally screened its whole proteome, identifying highly immunogenic proteins, domains, and epitopes. First, we identified that the proteins with the highest epitope density are Collagenase A, Exo-alpha-sialidase, alpha n-acetylglucosaminidase and hyaluronoglucosaminidase, representing potential recombinant vaccine candidates. Second, we further explored the toxins, finding that the non-toxic domain of Perfringolysin O is enriched in CTL and HTL epitopes. This domain could be used as a potential sub-unit vaccine to combat gas gangrene. And third, we designed a multi-epitope protein containing 24 HTL-epitopes and 34 CTL-epitopes from extracellular regions of transmembrane proteins. Also, we analyzed the structural properties of this novel protein using molecular dynamics. Altogether, we are presenting a thorough immunoinformatic exploration of the whole proteome of C. perfringens, as well as promising whole-protein, domain-based and multi-epitope vaccine candidates. These can be evaluated in preclinical trials to assess their immunogenicity and protection against C. perfringens infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis F. Soto
- Escuela Profesional de Genética y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Ana C. Romaní
- Escuela Profesional de Genética y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Gabriel Jiménez-Avalos
- Departamento de Ciencias Celulares y Moleculares, Laboratorio de Bioinformática, Biología Molecular y Desarrollos Tecnológicos, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH), Lima, Peru
| | - Yshoner Silva
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
| | - Carla M. Ordinola-Ramirez
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
| | - Rainer M. Lopez Lapa
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
- Instituto de Ganadería y Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
| | - David Requena
- Laboratory of Cellular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: David Requena,
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22
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CspZ FH-Binding Sites as Epitopes Promote Antibody-Mediated Lyme Borreliae Clearance. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0006222. [PMID: 35861564 PMCID: PMC9302089 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00062-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmitted by ticks, the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is the causative agent of Lyme disease (LD), the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern hemisphere. No effective vaccines are currently available. B. burgdorferi sensu lato produces the CspZ protein that binds to the complement inhibitor, factor H (FH), promoting evasion of the host complement system. We previously showed that while vaccination with CspZ did not protect mice from B. burgdorferi infection, mice can be protected after immunization with CspZ-Y207A/Y211A (CspZ-YA), a CspZ mutant protein without FH-binding activity. To further study the mechanism of this protection, herein we evaluated both poly- and monoclonal antibodies recognizing CspZ FH-binding or non-FH-binding sites. We found that the anti-CspZ antibodies that recognize the FH-binding sites (i.e., block FH-binding activity) eliminate B. burgdorferi sensu lato in vitro more efficiently than those that bind to the non-FH-binding sites, and passive inoculation with anti-FH-binding site antibodies eradicated B. burgdorferi sensu lato in vivo. Antibodies against non-FH-binding sites did not have the same effect. These results emphasize the importance of CspZ FH-binding sites in triggering a protective antibody response against B. burgdorferi sensu lato in future LD vaccines.
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23
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Chen WH, Strych U, Bottazzi ME, Lin YP. Past, present, and future of Lyme disease vaccines: antigen engineering approaches and mechanistic insights. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:1405-1417. [PMID: 35836340 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2102484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Transmitted by ticks, Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern hemisphere. Despite the geographical expansion of human Lyme disease cases, no effective preventive strategies are currently available. Developing an efficacious and safe vaccine is therefore urgently needed. Efforts have previously been taken to identify vaccine targets in the causative pathogen (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato) and arthropod vector (Ixodes spp.). However, progress was impeded due to a lack of consumer confidence caused by the myth of undesired off-target responses, low immune responses, a limited breadth of immune reactivity, as well as by the complexities of the vaccine process development.Area covered: In this review, we summarize the antigen engineering approaches that have been applied to overcome those challenges and the underlying mechanisms that can be exploited to improve both safety and efficacy of future Lyme disease vaccines.Expert opinion: Over the past two decades, several new genetically redesigned Lyme disease vaccine candidates have shown success in both preclinical and clinical settings and built a solid foundation for further development. These studies have greatly informed the protective mechanisms of reducing Lyme disease burdens and ending the endemic of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hsiang Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ulrich Strych
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States
| | - Yi-Pin Lin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, NYSDOH, Albany, NY, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, SUNY Albany, Albany, NY, USA
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24
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Designing and characterization of a SARS-CoV-2 immunogen with receptor binding motif grafted on a protein scaffold: An epitope-focused vaccine approach. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 209:1359-1367. [PMID: 35469951 PMCID: PMC9033297 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.04.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has a significant burden on the economy and healthcare around the world. Vaccines are the most effective tools to fight infectious diseases by containing the spread of the disease. The current vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are mostly based on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which is large and has many immune-dominant non-neutralizing epitopes that may effectively skew the antibody response towards non-neutralizing antibodies. Here, we have explored the possibility of immune-focusing the receptor binding motif (RBM) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 that induces mostly neutralizing antibodies in natural infection or in vacinees. The result shows that the scaffolded RBM can bind to Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) although with low affinity and induces a strong antibody response in mice. The immunized sera can bind both, the receptor binding domain (RBD) and the spike protein, which holds the RBM in its natural context. Sera from the immunized mice showed robust interferon γ response but poor neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 suggesting presence of a predominant T cell epitope on scaffolded RBM. Together, we provide a strategy for inducing strong antigenic T cell response which could be exploited further for future vaccine designing and development against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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25
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Ravikumar R, Chan J, Prabakaran M. Vaccines against Major Poultry Viral Diseases: Strategies to Improve the Breadth and Protective Efficacy. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061195. [PMID: 35746665 PMCID: PMC9230070 DOI: 10.3390/v14061195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The poultry industry is the largest source of meat and eggs for human consumption worldwide. However, viral outbreaks in farmed stock are a common occurrence and a major source of concern for the industry. Mortality and morbidity resulting from an outbreak can cause significant economic losses with subsequent detrimental impacts on the global food supply chain. Mass vaccination is one of the main strategies for controlling and preventing viral infection in poultry. The development of broadly protective vaccines against avian viral diseases will alleviate selection pressure on field virus strains and simplify vaccination regimens for commercial farms with overall savings in husbandry costs. With the increasing number of emerging and re-emerging viral infectious diseases in the poultry industry, there is an urgent need to understand the strategies for broadening the protective efficacy of the vaccines against distinct viral strains. The current review provides an overview of viral vaccines and vaccination regimens available for common avian viral infections, and strategies for developing safer and more efficacious viral vaccines for poultry.
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