1
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Stocks BB, Thibeault MP, L'Abbé D, Umer M, Liu Y, Stuible M, Durocher Y, Melanson JE. Characterization of biotinylated human ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 spike protein reference materials. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024:10.1007/s00216-024-05413-7. [PMID: 38942955 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-024-05413-7] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Accurate diagnostic and serology assays are required for the continued management of the COVID-19 pandemic yet spike protein mutations and intellectual property concerns with antigens and antibodies used in various test kits render comparability assessments difficult. As the use of common, well-characterized reagents can help address this lack of standardization, the National Research Council Canada has produced two protein reference materials (RMs) for use in SARS-CoV-2 serology assays: biotinylated human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 RM, ACE2-1, and SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 spike protein RM, OMIC-1. Reference values were assigned through a combination of amino acid analysis via isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry following acid hydrolysis, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry at 280 nm. Vial-to-vial homogeneity was established using UV-Vis measurements, and protein oligomeric status, monitored by size exclusion liquid chromatography (LC-SEC), was used to evaluate transportation, storage, and freeze-thaw stabilities. The molar protein concentration in ACE2-1 was 25.3 ± 1.7 µmol L-1 (k = 2, 95% CI) and consisted almost exclusively (98%) of monomeric ACE2, while OMIC-1 contained 5.4 ± 0.5 µmol L-1 (k = 2) spike protein in a mostly (82%) trimeric form. Glycoprotein molar mass determination by LC-SEC with multi-angle light scattering detection facilitated calculation of corresponding mass concentrations. To confirm protein functionality, the binding of OMIC-1 to immobilized ACE2-1 was investigated with surface plasmon resonance and the resulting dissociation constant, KD ~ 4.4 nM, was consistent with literature values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley B Stocks
- Metrology, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada.
| | - Marie-Pier Thibeault
- Metrology, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Denis L'Abbé
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Muhammad Umer
- Metrology, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Yali Liu
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Matthew Stuible
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Jeremy E Melanson
- Metrology, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
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2
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Agbayani G, Akache B, Renner TM, Tran A, Stuible M, Dudani R, Harrison BA, Duque D, Bavananthasivam J, Deschatelets L, Hemraz UD, Régnier S, Durocher Y, McCluskie MJ. Intranasal administration of unadjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen boosts antigen-specific immune responses induced by parenteral protein subunit vaccine prime in mice and hamsters. Eur J Immunol 2024:e2350620. [PMID: 38561974 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350620] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
With the continued transmission of SARS-CoV-2 across widely vaccinated populations, it remains important to develop new vaccines and vaccination strategies capable of providing protective immunity and limiting the spread of disease. Heterologous prime-boost vaccination based on the selection of different vaccine formulations and administration routes for priming and booster doses presents a promising strategy for inducing broader immune responses in key systemic and respiratory mucosal compartments. Intranasal vaccination can induce mucosal immune responses at the site of SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, the lack of clinically approved mucosal adjuvants makes it difficult to induce robust immune responses with protein subunit vaccines. Herein, we evaluated the immunogenicity of heterologous prime-boost regimens in mice and hamsters based on a parenteral vaccination of the antigen in combination with sulfated lactosylarchaeol (SLA) archaeosomes, a liposome adjuvant comprised of a single semisynthetic archaeal lipid, followed by an intranasally administered unadjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen. Intranasal administration of unadjuvanted spike to mice and hamsters increased serum spike-specific IgG titers and spike-neutralizing activity compared with nonboosted animals. Spike-specific IgA responses were also detected in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the lungs of mice that received an intranasal boost. In hamsters, the intranasal boost showed high efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection by protecting from body weight loss and reducing viral titers in the lungs and nasal turbinate. Overall, our heterologous intramuscular prime-intranasal boost with SLA-adjuvanted and unadjuvanted spike, respectively, demonstrated the potential of protein subunit formulations to promote antigen-specific systemic and mucosal immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Agbayani
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bassel Akache
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tyler M Renner
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anh Tran
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew Stuible
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Renu Dudani
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Blair A Harrison
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Diana Duque
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jegarubee Bavananthasivam
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lise Deschatelets
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Usha D Hemraz
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sophie Régnier
- Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael J McCluskie
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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3
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Cankat S, Demael MU, Swadling L. In search of a pan-coronavirus vaccine: next-generation vaccine design and immune mechanisms. Cell Mol Immunol 2024; 21:103-118. [PMID: 38148330 PMCID: PMC10805787 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01116-8] [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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the coronaviridae family are endemic to human populations and have caused several epidemics and pandemics in recent history. In this review, we will discuss the feasibility of and progress toward the ultimate goal of creating a pan-coronavirus vaccine that can protect against infection and disease by all members of the coronavirus family. We will detail the unmet clinical need associated with the continued transmission of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and the four seasonal coronaviruses (HCoV-OC43, NL63, HKU1 and 229E) in humans and the potential for future zoonotic coronaviruses. We will highlight how first-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and natural history studies have greatly increased our understanding of effective antiviral immunity to coronaviruses and have informed next-generation vaccine design. We will then consider the ideal properties of a pan-coronavirus vaccine and propose a blueprint for the type of immunity that may offer cross-protection. Finally, we will describe a subset of the diverse technologies and novel approaches being pursued with the goal of developing broadly or universally protective vaccines for coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Cankat
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, Pears Building, London, NW3 2PP, UK
| | - M U Demael
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, Pears Building, London, NW3 2PP, UK
| | - L Swadling
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, Pears Building, London, NW3 2PP, UK.
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4
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Gashti AB, Agbayani G, Hrapovic S, Nassoury N, Coulombe N, Dudani R, Harrison BA, Akache B, Gilbert R, Chahal PS. Production, purification and immunogenicity of Gag virus-like particles carrying SARS-CoV-2 components. Vaccine 2024; 42:40-52. [PMID: 38042697 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
The virus-like particle (VLP) platform is a robust inducer of humoral and cellular immune responses; hence, it has been used in vaccine development for several infectious diseases. In the current work, VLPs carrying SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein (Wuhan strain) with an HIV-1 Gag core were produced using suspension HEK 293SF-3F6 cells by transient transfection. The Gag was fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP) for rapid quantification of the VLPs. Five different versions of Gag-Spike VLPs (Gag-S-VLPs) consisting of Gag-S alone or combined with other SARS-CoV-2 components, namely Gag-S-Nucleocapsid (N), Gag-S-Matrix (M), Gag-S-Envelope (E), Gag-S-MEN, along with Gag alone were produced and processed by clarification, nuclease treatment, concentration by tangential flow filtration (TFF) and diafiltration. A pilot mouse study was performed to evaluate the immunogenicity of the Gag-S-VLPs through the measurement of the humoral and/or cellular responses against all the mentioned SARS-CoV-2 components. Antibody response to Spike was observed in all variants. The highest number of Spike-specific IFN-γ + T cells was detected with Gag-S-VLPs. No induction of antigen-specific cellular responses to M, N or E proteins were detected with any of the Gag-S, M, E/or N VLPs tested. Therefore, the Gag-S-VLP, by reason of consistently eliciting strong antigen-specific cellular and antibody responses, was selected for further evaluation. The purification process was improved by replacing the conventional centrifugation by serial microfiltration in the clarification step, followed by Spike-affinity chromatography to get concentrated VLPs with higher purity. Three different doses of Gag-S-VLP in conjunction with two adjuvants (Quil-A or AddaVax) were used to assess the dose-dependent antigen-specific cellular and antibody responses in mice. The Gag-S-VLP adjuvanted with Quil-A resulted in a stronger Spike-specific cellular response compared to that adjuvanted with AddaVax. A strong spike neutralisation activity was observed for all doses, independent of the adjuvant combination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gerard Agbayani
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sabahudin Hrapovic
- Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Canada
| | - Nasha Nassoury
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nathalie Coulombe
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Renu Dudani
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Blair A Harrison
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Bassel Akache
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Rénald Gilbert
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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5
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Delafosse L, Lord-Dufour S, Pelletier A, Perret S, Burlacu A, Ouimet M, Cass B, Joubert S, Stuible M, Durocher Y. Recombinant Protein Production from Stable CHO Cell Pools. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2810:99-121. [PMID: 38926275 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3878-1_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The continuous improvement of expression platforms is necessary to respond to the increasing demand for recombinant proteins that are required to carry out structural or functional studies as well as for their characterization as biotherapeutics. While transient gene expression (TGE) in mammalian cells constitutes a rapid and well-established approach, non-clonal stably transfected cells, or "pools," represent another option, which is especially attractive when recurring productions of the same protein are required. From a culture volume of just a few liters, stable pools can provide hundreds of milligrams to gram quantities of high-quality secreted recombinant proteins.In this chapter, we describe a highly efficient and cost-effective procedure for the generation of Chinese Hamster Ovary cell stable pools expressing secreted recombinant proteins using commercially available serum-free media and polyethylenimine (PEI) as the transfection reagent. As a specific example of how this protocol can be applied, the production and downstream purification of recombinant His-tagged trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein ectodomain (SmT1) are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Delafosse
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Simon Lord-Dufour
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alex Pelletier
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Perret
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alina Burlacu
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Manon Ouimet
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Brian Cass
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Simon Joubert
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Matthew Stuible
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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6
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Beitari S, Agbayani G, Hewitt M, Duque D, Bavananthasivam J, Sandhu JK, Akache B, Hadžisejdić I, Tran A. Effectiveness of VSV vectored SARS-CoV-2 spike when administered through intranasal, intramuscular or a combination of both. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21390. [PMID: 38049498 PMCID: PMC10695950 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48397-7] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A critical feature of the VSV vector platform is the ability to pseudotype the virus with different glycoproteins from other viruses, thus altering cellular tropism of the recombinant virus. The route of administration is critical in triggering local and systemic immune response and protection. Most of the vaccine platforms used at the forefront are administered by intramuscular injection. However, it is not known at what level ACE2 is expressed on the surface of skeletal muscle cells, which will have a significant impact on the efficiency of a VSV-SARS-CoV-2 spike vaccine to mount a protective immune response when administered intramuscularly. In this study, we investigate the immunogenicity and efficacy of a prime-boost immunization regimen administered intranasally (IN), intramuscularly (IM), or combinations of the two. We determined that the prime-boost combinations of IM followed by IN immunization (IM + IN) or IN followed by IN immunization (IN + IN) exhibited strong spike-specific IgG, IgA and T cell response in vaccinated K18 knock-in mice. Hamsters vaccinated with two doses of VSV expressing SARS-CoV-2 spike, both delivered by IN or IM + IN, showed strong protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern Alpha and Delta. This protection was also observed in aged hamsters. Our study underscores the highly crucial role immunization routes have with the VSV vector platform to elicit a strong and protective immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saina Beitari
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gerard Agbayani
- Immunomodulation, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa Hewitt
- Preclinical Imaging, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Diana Duque
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jegarubee Bavananthasivam
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jagdeep K Sandhu
- Preclinical Imaging, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Bassel Akache
- Immunomodulation, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ita Hadžisejdić
- Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Anh Tran
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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7
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Bottero D, Rudi E, Martin Aispuro P, Zurita E, Gaillard E, Gonzalez Lopez Ledesma MM, Malito J, Stuible M, Ambrosis N, Durocher Y, Gamarnik AV, Wigdorovitz A, Hozbor D. Heterologous booster with a novel formulation containing glycosylated trimeric S protein is effective against Omicron. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1271209. [PMID: 38022542 PMCID: PMC10667599 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1271209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of a heterologous three-dose vaccination schedule against the Omicron BA.1 SARS-CoV-2 variant infection using a mouse intranasal challenge model. The vaccination schedules tested in this study consisted of a primary series of 2 doses covered by two commercial vaccines: an mRNA-based vaccine (mRNA1273) or a non-replicative vector-based vaccine (AZD1222/ChAdOx1, hereafter referred to as AZD1222). These were followed by a heterologous booster dose using one of the two vaccine candidates previously designed by us: one containing the glycosylated and trimeric spike protein (S) from the ancestral virus (SW-Vac 2µg), and the other from the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 (SD-Vac 2µg), both formulated with Alhydrogel as an adjuvant. For comparison purposes, homologous three-dose schedules of the commercial vaccines were used. The mRNA-based vaccine, whether used in heterologous or homologous schedules, demonstrated the best performance, significantly increasing both humoral and cellular immune responses. In contrast, for the schedules that included the AZD1222 vaccine as the primary series, the heterologous schemes showed superior immunological outcomes compared to the homologous 3-dose AZD1222 regimen. For these schemes no differences were observed in the immune response obtained when SW-Vac 2µg or SD-Vac 2µg were used as a booster dose. Neutralizing antibody levels against Omicron BA.1 were low, especially for the schedules using AZD1222. However, a robust Th1 profile, known to be crucial for protection, was observed, particularly for the heterologous schemes that included AZD1222. All the tested schedules were capable of inducing populations of CD4 T effector, memory, and follicular helper T lymphocytes. It is important to highlight that all the evaluated schedules demonstrated a satisfactory safety profile and induced multiple immunological markers of protection. Although the levels of these markers were different among the tested schedules, they appear to complement each other in conferring protection against intranasal challenge with Omicron BA.1 in K18-hACE2 mice. In summary, the results highlight the potential of using the S protein (either ancestral Wuhan or Delta variant)-based vaccine formulation as heterologous boosters in the management of COVID-19, particularly for certain commercial vaccines currently in use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Bottero
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Erika Rudi
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Pablo Martin Aispuro
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Eugenia Zurita
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Emilia Gaillard
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Maria M. Gonzalez Lopez Ledesma
- Fundación Instituto Leloir-Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires (IIBBA) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Malito
- INCUINTA Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), HURLINGHAM, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Matthew Stuible
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Center, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Ambrosis
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Center, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andrea V. Gamarnik
- Fundación Instituto Leloir-Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires (IIBBA) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrés Wigdorovitz
- INCUINTA Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), HURLINGHAM, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Hozbor
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
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8
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Han S, Lee P, Choi HJ. Non-Invasive Vaccines: Challenges in Formulation and Vaccine Adjuvants. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2114. [PMID: 37631328 PMCID: PMC10458847 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082114] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the limitations of conventional invasive vaccines, such as the requirement for a cold chain system and trained personnel, needle-based injuries, and limited immunogenicity, non-invasive vaccines have gained significant attention. Although numerous approaches for formulating and administrating non-invasive vaccines have emerged, each of them faces its own challenges associated with vaccine bioavailability, toxicity, and other issues. To overcome such limitations, researchers have created novel supplementary materials and delivery systems. The goal of this review article is to provide vaccine formulation researchers with the most up-to-date information on vaccine formulation and the immunological mechanisms available, to identify the technical challenges associated with the commercialization of non-invasive vaccines, and to guide future research and development efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hyo-Jick Choi
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada; (S.H.); (P.L.)
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9
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Elder E, Bangalore Revanna C, Johansson C, Wallin RPA, Sjödahl J, Winqvist O, Mirazimi A. Protective immunity induced by an inhaled SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine. Vaccine 2023:S0264-410X(23)00684-9. [PMID: 37353452 PMCID: PMC10242152 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Targeting the site of infection is a promising strategy for improving vaccine effectivity. To date, licensed COVID-19 vaccines have been administered intramuscularly despite the fact that SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus. Here, we aim to induce local protective mucosal immune responses with an inhaled subunit vaccine candidate, ISR52, based on the SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1 protein. When tested in a lethal challenge hACE2 transgenic SARS-CoV-2 mouse model, intranasal and intratracheal administration of ISR52 provided superior protection against severe infection, compared to the subcutaneous injection of the vaccine. Interestingly for a protein-based vaccine, inhaled ISR52 elicited both CD4 and CD8 T-cell Spike-specific responses that were maintained for at least 6 months in wild-type mice. Induced IgG and IgA responses cross-reacting with several SARS- CoV-2 variants of concern were detected in the lung and in serum and protected animals displayed neutralizing antibodies. Based on our results, we are developing ISR52 as a dry powder formulation for inhalation, that does not require cold-chain distribution or the use of needle administration, for evaluation in a Phase I/II clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ali Mirazimi
- National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden; Clinical Microbiology, LABMED, Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
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10
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Djaïleb A, Lavallée É, Parker MF, Cayer MP, Desautels F, de Grandmont MJ, Stuible M, Gervais C, Durocher Y, Trottier S, Boudreau D, Masson JF, Brouard D, Pelletier JN. Assessment of the longitudinal humoral response in non-hospitalized SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals at decentralized sites: Outcomes and concordance. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1052424. [PMID: 36741379 PMCID: PMC9895839 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1052424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, reagent availability was not uniform, and infrastructure had to be urgently adapted to undertake COVID-19 surveillance. Methods Before the validation of centralized testing, two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were established independently at two decentralized sites using different reagents and instrumentation. We compared the results of these assays to assess the longitudinal humoral response of SARS-CoV-2-positive (i.e., PCR-confirmed), non-hospitalized individuals with mild to moderate symptoms, who had contracted SARSCoV-2 prior to the appearance of variants of concern in Québec, Canada. Results The two assays exhibited a high degree of concordance to identify seropositive individuals, thus validating the robustness of the methods. The results also confirmed that serum immunoglobulins persist ≥ 6 months post-infection among non-hospitalized adults and that the antibodies elicited by infection cross-reacted with the antigens from P.1 (Gamma) and B.1.617.2 (Delta) variants of concern. Discussion Together, these results demonstrate that immune surveillance assays can be rapidly and reliably established when centralized testing is not available or not yet validated, allowing for robust immune surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelhadi Djaïleb
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- PROTEO, Regroupement Québécois de Recherche sur la Fonction, l’Ingénierie et les Applications des Protéines, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre en Chimie Verte et Catalyse, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Étienne Lavallée
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- PROTEO, Regroupement Québécois de Recherche sur la Fonction, l’Ingénierie et les Applications des Protéines, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre en Chimie Verte et Catalyse, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Megan-Faye Parker
- PROTEO, Regroupement Québécois de Recherche sur la Fonction, l’Ingénierie et les Applications des Protéines, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre en Chimie Verte et Catalyse, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Départment de Biochimie et Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Matthew Stuible
- Mammalian Cell Expression, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Christian Gervais
- Mammalian Cell Expression, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- PROTEO, Regroupement Québécois de Recherche sur la Fonction, l’Ingénierie et les Applications des Protéines, Québec, QC, Canada
- Mammalian Cell Expression, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Trottier
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Département de Microbiologie-Infectiologie et d’Immunologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Denis Boudreau
- Départment de Chimie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre d’Optique, Photonique et Laser, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Francois Masson
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre Québécois sur les Matériaux Fonctionnels, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l’Apprentissage, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Danny Brouard
- Héma‐Québec, Affaires Médicales et Innovation, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Joelle N. Pelletier
- Département de Chimie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- PROTEO, Regroupement Québécois de Recherche sur la Fonction, l’Ingénierie et les Applications des Protéines, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre en Chimie Verte et Catalyse, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Départment de Biochimie et Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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11
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Characterization of Systemic and Mucosal Humoral Immune Responses to an Adjuvanted Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 Protein Subunit Vaccine Candidate in Mice. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 11:vaccines11010030. [PMID: 36679875 PMCID: PMC9865305 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11010030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Continuous viral evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in variants capable of immune evasion, vaccine breakthrough infections and increased transmissibility. New vaccines that invoke mucosal immunity may provide a solution to reducing virus transmission. Here, we evaluated the immunogenicity of intranasally administered subunit protein vaccines composed of a stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer or the receptor binding domain (RBD) adjuvanted with either cholera toxin (CT) or an archaeal lipid mucosal adjuvant (AMVAD). We show robust induction of immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgA responses in plasma, nasal wash and bronchoalveolar lavage in mice only when adjuvant is used in the vaccine formulation. While the AMVAD adjuvant was more effective at inducing systemic antibodies against the RBD antigen than CT, CT was generally more effective at inducing overall higher IgA and IgG titers against the spike antigen in both systemic and mucosal compartments. Furthermore, vaccination with adjuvanted spike led to superior mucosal IgA responses than with the RBD antigen and produced broadly targeting neutralizing plasma antibodies against ancestral, Delta and Omicron variants in vitro; whereas adjuvanted RBD elicited a narrower antibody response with neutralizing activity only against ancestral and Delta variants. Our study demonstrates that intranasal administration of an adjuvanted protein subunit vaccine in immunologically naïve mice induced both systemic and mucosal neutralizing antibody responses that were most effective at neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 variants when the trimeric spike was used as an antigen compared to RBD.
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12
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Deimel LP, Liu X, Gilbert-Jaramillo J, Liu S, James WS, Sattentau QJ. Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 spike-based immunisation adjuvanted with polyethyleneimine elicits mucosal and systemic humoral responses in mice. J Immunol Methods 2022; 511:113380. [PMID: 36306825 PMCID: PMC9597555 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2022.113380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues despite the presence of effective vaccines, and novel vaccine approaches may help to reduce viral spread and associated COVID-19 disease. Current vaccine administration modalities are based on systemic needle-administered immunisation which may be suboptimal for mucosal pathogens. Here we demonstrate in a mouse model that small-volume intranasal administration of purified spike (S) protein in the adjuvant polyethylenemine (PEI) elicits robust antibody responses with modest systemic neutralisation activity. Further, we test a heterologous intranasal immunisation regimen, priming with S and boosting with RBD-Fc. Our data identify small volume PEI adjuvantation as a novel platform with potential for protective mucosal vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan P Deimel
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK; The Department of Chemistry, The University of Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | - Xin Liu
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Javier Gilbert-Jaramillo
- James and Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Sai Liu
- James and Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - William S James
- James and Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Quentin J Sattentau
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
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13
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Harnessing Nasal Immunity with IgA to Prevent Respiratory Infections. IMMUNO 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/immuno2040036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The nasal cavity is a primary checkpoint for the invasion of respiratory pathogens. Numerous pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, etc., can adhere/colonize nasal lining to trigger an infection. Secretory IgA (sIgA) serves as the first line of immune defense against foreign pathogens. sIgA facilitates clearance of pathogenic microbes by intercepting their access to epithelial receptors and mucus entrapment through immune exclusion. Elevated levels of neutralizing IgA at the mucosal surfaces are associated with a high level of protection following intranasal immunizations. This review summarizes recent advances in intranasal vaccination technology and challenges in maintaining nominal IgA levels at the mucosal surface. Overall, the review emphasizes the significance of IgA-mediated nasal immunity, which holds a tremendous potential to mount protection against respiratory pathogens.
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14
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Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 spike antigens derived from Beta & Delta variants of concern. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:118. [PMID: 36224247 PMCID: PMC9555707 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00540-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Using our strongly immunogenic SmT1 SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen platform, we developed antigens based on the Beta & Delta variants of concern (VOC). These antigens elicited higher neutralizing antibody activity to the corresponding variant than comparable vaccine formulations based on the original reference strain, while a multivalent vaccine generated cross-neutralizing activity in all three variants. This suggests that while current vaccines may be effective at reducing severe disease to existing VOC, variant-specific antigens, whether in a mono- or multivalent vaccine, may be required to induce optimal immune responses and reduce infection against arising variants.
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15
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Rudi E, Martin Aispuro P, Zurita E, Gonzalez Lopez Ledesma M, Bottero D, Malito J, Gabrielli M, Gaillard E, Stuible M, Durocher Y, Gamarnik A, Wigdorovitz A, Hozbor D. Immunological study of COVID-19 vaccine candidate based on recombinant spike trimer protein from different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1020159. [PMID: 36248791 PMCID: PMC9560800 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1020159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergency of new SARS-CoV-2 variants that feature increased immune escape marks an urgent demand for better vaccines that will provide broader immunogenicity. Here, we evaluated the immunogenic capacity of vaccine candidates based on the recombinant trimeric spike protein (S) of different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC), including the ancestral Wuhan, Beta and Delta viruses. In particular, we assessed formulations containing either single or combined S protein variants. Our study shows that the formulation containing the single S protein from the ancestral Wuhan virus at a concentration of 2µg (SW2-Vac 2µg) displayed in the mouse model the highest IgG antibody levels against all the three (Wuhan, Beta, and Delta) SARS-CoV-2 S protein variants tested. In addition, this formulation induced significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers against the three viral variants when compared with authorized Gam-COVID-Vac-rAd26/rAd5 (Sputnik V) or ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca) vaccines. SW2-Vac 2µg was also able to induce IFN-gamma and IL-17, memory CD4 populations and follicular T cells. Used as a booster dose for schedules performed with different authorized vaccines, SW2-Vac 2µg vaccine candidate also induced higher levels of total IgG and IgG isotypes against S protein from different SARS-CoV-2 variants in comparison with those observed with homologous 3-dose schedule of Sputnik V or AstraZeneca. Moreover, SW2-Vac 2µg booster induced broadly strong neutralizing antibody levels against the three tested SARS-CoV-2 variants. SW2-Vac 2µg booster also induced CD4+ central memory, CD4+ effector and CD8+ populations. Overall, the results demonstrate that SW2-Vac 2 µg is a promising formulation for the development of a next generation COVID-19 vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Rudi
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Pablo Martin Aispuro
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Eugenia Zurita
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | | | - Daniela Bottero
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Juan Malito
- INCUINTA INTA, CONICET, HURLINGHAM, INTA Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Magali Gabrielli
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Emilia Gaillard
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Matthew Stuible
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Center, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Center, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Andrés Wigdorovitz
- INCUINTA INTA, CONICET, HURLINGHAM, INTA Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Hozbor
- Laboratorio VacSal, Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular (IBBM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
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