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Kusi KA, Amoah LE, Acquah FK, Ennuson NA, Frempong AF, Ofori EA, Akyea-Mensah K, Kyei-Baafour E, Osei F, Frimpong A, Singh SK, Theisen M, Remarque EJ, Faber BW, Belmonte M, Ganeshan H, Huang J, Villasante E, Sedegah M. Plasmodium falciparum AMA1 and CSP antigen diversity in parasite isolates from southern Ghana. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1375249. [PMID: 38808064 PMCID: PMC11132687 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1375249] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Diversity in malarial antigens is an immune evasion mechanism that gives malaria parasites an edge over the host. Immune responses against one variant of a polymorphic antigen are usually not fully effective against other variants due to altered epitopes. This study aimed to evaluate diversity in the Plasmodium falciparum antigens apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1) and circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) from circulating parasites in a malaria-endemic community in southern Ghana and to determine the effects of polymorphisms on antibody response specificity. Methods The study involved 300 subjects, whose P. falciparum infection status was determined by microscopy and PCR. Diversity within the two antigens was evaluated by msp2 gene typing and molecular gene sequencing, while the host plasma levels of antibodies against PfAMA1, PfCSP, and two synthetic 24mer peptides from the conserved central repeat region of PfCSP, were measured by ELISA. Results Of the 300 subjects, 171 (57%) had P. falciparum infection, with 165 of the 171 (96.5%) being positive for either or both of the msp2 allelic families. Gene sequencing of DNA from 55 clonally infected samples identified a total of 56 non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for the Pfama1 gene and these resulted in 44 polymorphic positions, including two novel positions (363 and 365). Sequencing of the Pfcsp gene from 69 clonal DNA samples identified 50 non-synonymous SNPs that resulted in 42 polymorphic positions, with half (21) of these polymorphic positions being novel. Of the measured antibodies, only anti-PfCSP antibodies varied considerably between PCR parasite-positive and parasite-negative persons. Discussion These data confirm the presence of a considerable amount of unique, previously unreported amino acid changes, especially within PfCSP. Drivers for this diversity in the Pfcsp gene do not immediately seem apparent, as immune pressure will be expected to drive a similar level of diversity in the Pfama1 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwadwo A. Kusi
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Linda E. Amoah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Festus Kojo Acquah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Nana Aba Ennuson
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Abena F. Frempong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Ebenezer A. Ofori
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Akyea-Mensah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Eric Kyei-Baafour
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Frank Osei
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Augustina Frimpong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Susheel K. Singh
- Center for Medical Parasitology at the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Congenital Diseases, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Theisen
- Center for Medical Parasitology at the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Congenital Diseases, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Edmond J. Remarque
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Center, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Bart W. Faber
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Center, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Jun Huang
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
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Mooij P, Mortier D, Aartse A, Murad AB, Correia R, Roldão A, Alves PM, Fagrouch Z, Eggink D, Stockhofe N, Engelhardt OG, Verschoor EJ, van Gils MJ, Bogers WM, Carrondo MJT, Remarque EJ, Koopman G. Vaccine-induced neutralizing antibody responses to seasonal influenza virus H1N1 strains are not enhanced during subsequent pandemic H1N1 infection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1256094. [PMID: 37691927 PMCID: PMC10484506 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1256094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The first exposure to influenza is presumed to shape the B-cell antibody repertoire, leading to preferential enhancement of the initially formed responses during subsequent exposure to viral variants. Here, we investigated whether this principle remains applicable when there are large genetic and antigenic differences between primary and secondary influenza virus antigens. Because humans usually have a complex history of influenza virus exposure, we conducted this investigation in influenza-naive cynomolgus macaques. Two groups of six macaques were immunized four times with influenza virus-like particles (VLPs) displaying either one (monovalent) or five (pentavalent) different hemagglutinin (HA) antigens derived from seasonal H1N1 (H1N1) strains. Four weeks after the final immunization, animals were challenged with pandemic H1N1 (H1N1pdm09). Although immunization resulted in robust virus-neutralizing responses to all VLP-based vaccine strains, there were no cross-neutralization responses to H1N1pdm09, and all animals became infected. No reductions in viral load in the nose or throat were detected in either vaccine group. After infection, strong virus-neutralizing responses to H1N1pdm09 were induced. However, there were no increases in virus-neutralizing titers against four of the five H1N1 vaccine strains; and only a mild increase was observed in virus-neutralizing titer against the influenza A/Texas/36/91 vaccine strain. After H1N1pdm09 infection, both vaccine groups showed higher virus-neutralizing titers against two H1N1 strains of intermediate antigenic distance between the H1N1 vaccine strains and H1N1pdm09, compared with the naive control group. Furthermore, both vaccine groups had higher HA-stem antibodies early after infection than the control group. In conclusion, immunization with VLPs displaying HA from antigenically distinct H1N1 variants increased the breadth of the immune response during subsequent H1N1pdm09 challenge, although this phenomenon was limited to intermediate antigenic variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Mooij
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Daniella Mortier
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Aafke Aartse
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Alexandre B. Murad
- Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (IBET), Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Correia
- Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (IBET), Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - António Roldão
- Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (IBET), Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Paula M. Alves
- Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (IBET), Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Zahra Fagrouch
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Dirk Eggink
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Norbert Stockhofe
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research/Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | - Othmar G. Engelhardt
- Vaccines, Science, Research and Innovation Group, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Ernst J. Verschoor
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Marit J. van Gils
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Willy M. Bogers
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | | | - Edmond J. Remarque
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Gerrit Koopman
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
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Hernandez-Davies JE, Felgner J, Strohmeier S, Pone EJ, Jain A, Jan S, Nakajima R, Jasinskas A, Strahsburger E, Krammer F, Felgner PL, Davies DH. Administration of Multivalent Influenza Virus Recombinant Hemagglutinin Vaccine in Combination-Adjuvant Elicits Broad Reactivity Beyond the Vaccine Components. Front Immunol 2021; 12:692151. [PMID: 34335601 PMCID: PMC8318558 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.692151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Combining variant antigens into a multivalent vaccine is a traditional approach used to provide broad coverage against antigenically variable pathogens, such as polio, human papilloma and influenza viruses. However, strategies for increasing the breadth of antibody coverage beyond the vaccine are not well understood, but may provide more anticipatory protection. Influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) is a prototypic variant antigen. Vaccines that induce HA-specific neutralizing antibodies lose efficacy as amino acid substitutions accumulate in neutralizing epitopes during influenza virus evolution. Here we studied the effect of a potent combination adjuvant (CpG/MPLA/squalene-in-water emulsion) on the breadth and maturation of the antibody response to a representative variant of HA subtypes H1, H5 and H7. Using HA protein microarrays and antigen-specific B cell labelling, we show when administered individually, each HA elicits a cross-reactive antibody profile for multiple variants within the same subtype and other closely-related subtypes (homosubtypic and heterosubtypic cross-reactivity, respectively). Despite a capacity for each subtype to induce heterosubtypic cross-reactivity, broader coverage was elicited by simply combining the subtypes into a multivalent vaccine. Importantly, multiplexing did not compromise antibody avidity or affinity maturation to the individual HA constituents. The use of adjuvants to increase the breadth of antibody coverage beyond the vaccine antigens may help future-proof vaccines against newly-emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny E. Hernandez-Davies
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Jiin Felgner
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Shirin Strohmeier
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Egest James Pone
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Aarti Jain
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Sharon Jan
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Rie Nakajima
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Algimantas Jasinskas
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Erwin Strahsburger
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Philip L. Felgner
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - D. Huw Davies
- Vaccine Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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Accelerated phase Ia/b evaluation of the malaria vaccine candidate PfAMA1 DiCo demonstrates broadening of humoral immune responses. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:55. [PMID: 33854065 PMCID: PMC8046791 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00319-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1) is a candidate malaria vaccine antigen expressed on merozoites and sporozoites. PfAMA1's polymorphic nature impacts vaccine-induced protection. To address polymorphism, three Diversity Covering (DiCo) protein sequences were designed and tested in a staggered phase Ia/b trial. A cohort of malaria-naive adults received PfAMA1-DiCo adjuvanted with Alhydrogel® or GLA-SE and a cohort of malaria-exposed adults received placebo or GLA-SE adjuvanted PfAMA1 DiCo at weeks 0, 4 and 26. IgG and GIA levels measured 4 weeks after the third vaccination are similar in malaria-naive volunteers and placebo-immunised malaria-exposed adults, and have a similar breadth. Vaccination of malaria-exposed adults results in significant antibody level increases to the DiCo variants, but not to naturally occurring PfAMA1 variants. Moreover, GIA levels do not increase following vaccination. Future research will need to focus on stronger adjuvants and/or adapted vaccination regimens, to induce potentially protective responses in the target group of the vaccine.
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Hirsch J, Faber BW, Crowe JE, Verstrepen B, Cornelissen G. E. coli production process yields stable dengue 1 virus-sized particles (VSPs). Vaccine 2020; 38:3305-3312. [PMID: 32197924 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Dengue fever is one of the most wide-spread vector-borne diseases in the world. Although dengue-associated mortality is low, morbidity and economic impact are high. Current licensed vaccines are limited and mediate only partial protection, thus a cost-effective vaccine with improved efficacy is strongly needed. In this work, recombinant dengue serotype 1 E protein was produced in E. coli, inclusion bodies were isolated and the E protein solubilized in urea and purified using an immobilized metal chelate affinity column. The protein was refolded by dialysis in order to obtain virus-like particles (VLPs). Particle assembly was confirmed using size-exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy and stimulated emission depletion fluorescence (STED) microscopy. Particle diameter was strongly dependent on temperature, pH, buffer salt composition, and addition of L-arginine. Particles were stable in carbonate buffer at pH 9.5 and higher at 4 °C and did not aggregate during short-term temperature increase up to 55 °C. However, on basis of the above analyses, especially the results of DLS, TEM and STED, it was concluded that the particles obtained did not have an optimal virus-like structure and were therefore designated "virus-sized particles" (VSPs) rather than VLPs. Immunization of rabbits with the particles did not induce neutralizing antibodies, despite the recognition of the native virus by rabbit antibodies. As the titers against the immunogen were much higher than against the (heat-inactivated) virus, it is assumed that the conformation of the particles at the time of immunization was not optimal. Studies are currently underway to improve the quality of the E protein virus-sized particles towards true virus-like particles in order to optimize its potential as a dengue vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Hirsch
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Bart W Faber
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, the Netherlands.
| | - James E Crowe
- Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2213 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232-0417, USA.
| | - Babs Verstrepen
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, the Netherlands.
| | - Gesine Cornelissen
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany.
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