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Pennisi R, Trischitta P, Costa M, Venuti A, Tamburello MP, Sciortino MT. Update of Natural Products and Their Derivatives Targeting Epstein-Barr Infection. Viruses 2024; 16:124. [PMID: 38257824 PMCID: PMC10818872 DOI: 10.3390/v16010124] [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: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr (EBV) is a human γ-herpesvirus that undergoes both a productive (lytic) cycle and a non-productive (latent) phase. The virus establishes enduring latent infection in B lymphocytes and productive infection in the oral mucosal epithelium. Like other herpesviruses, EBV expresses its genes in a coordinated pattern during acute infection. Unlike others, it replicates its DNA during latency to maintain the viral genome in an expanding pool of B lymphocytes, which are stimulated to divide upon infection. The reactivation from the latent state is associated with a productive gene expression pattern mediated by virus-encoded transcriptional activators BZLF-1 and BRLF-1. EBV is a highly transforming virus that contributes to the development of human lymphomas. Though viral vectors and mRNA platforms have been used to develop an EBV prophylactic vaccine, currently, there are no vaccines or antiviral drugs for the prophylaxis or treatment of EBV infection and EBV-associated cancers. Natural products and bioactive compounds are widely studied for their antiviral potential and capability to modulate intracellular signaling pathways. This review was intended to collect information on plant-derived products showing their antiviral activity against EBV and evaluate their feasibility as an alternative or adjuvant therapy against EBV infections and correlated oncogenesis in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosamaria Pennisi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (M.C.); (M.P.T.)
| | - Paola Trischitta
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (M.C.); (M.P.T.)
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Marianna Costa
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (M.C.); (M.P.T.)
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Assunta Venuti
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), World Health Organization, 69366 Lyon, CEDEX 07, France;
| | - Maria Pia Tamburello
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (M.C.); (M.P.T.)
| | - Maria Teresa Sciortino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (M.C.); (M.P.T.)
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Dinh VT, Loaëc N, Quillévéré A, Le Sénéchal R, Keruzoré M, Martins RP, Granzhan A, Blondel M. The hide-and-seek game of the oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus-encoded EBNA1 protein with the immune system: An RNA G-quadruplex tale. Biochimie 2023; 214:57-68. [PMID: 37473831 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the first oncogenic virus described in human. EBV infects more than 90% of the human population worldwide, but most EBV infections are asymptomatic. After the primary infection, the virus persists lifelong in the memory B cells of the infected individuals. Under certain conditions the virus can cause several human cancers, that include lymphoproliferative disorders such as Burkitt and Hodgkin lymphomas and non-lymphoid malignancies such as 100% of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 10% of gastric cancers. Each year, about 200,000 EBV-related cancers emerge, hence accounting for at least 1% of worldwide cancers. Like all gammaherpesviruses, EBV has evolved a strategy to escape the host immune system. This strategy is mainly based on the tight control of the expression of its Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA1) protein, the EBV-encoded genome maintenance protein. Indeed, EBNA1 is essential for viral genome replication and maintenance but, at the same time, is also highly antigenic and T cells raised against EBNA1 exist in infected individuals. For this reason, EBNA1 is considered as the Achilles heel of EBV and the virus has seemingly evolved a strategy that employs the binding of nucleolin, a host cell factor, to RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) within EBNA1 mRNA to limit its expression to the minimal level required for function while minimizing immune recognition. This review recapitulates in a historical way the knowledge accumulated on EBNA1 immune evasion and discusses how this rG4-dependent mechanism can be exploited as an intervention point to unveil EBV-related cancers to the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van-Trang Dinh
- Univ Brest; Inserm UMR1078; Etablissement Français Du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 Avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France.
| | - Nadège Loaëc
- Univ Brest; Inserm UMR1078; Etablissement Français Du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 Avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France
| | - Alicia Quillévéré
- Univ Brest; Inserm UMR1078; Etablissement Français Du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 Avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France
| | - Ronan Le Sénéchal
- Univ Brest; Inserm UMR1078; Etablissement Français Du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 Avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France
| | - Marc Keruzoré
- Univ Brest; Inserm UMR1078; Etablissement Français Du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 Avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France
| | | | - Anton Granzhan
- Chemistry and Modelling for the Biology of Cancer (CMBC), CNRS UMR9187, Inserm U1196, Institut Curie, Université Paris Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Marc Blondel
- Univ Brest; Inserm UMR1078; Etablissement Français Du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 Avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France.
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3
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Zhang Q, Xu M. EBV-induced T-cell responses in EBV-specific and nonspecific cancers. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1250946. [PMID: 37841280 PMCID: PMC10576448 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1250946] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human tumor virus associated with various malignancies, including B-lymphoma, NK and T-lymphoma, and epithelial carcinoma. It infects B lymphocytes and epithelial cells within the oropharynx and establishes persistent infection in memory B cells. With a balanced virus-host interaction, most individuals carry EBV asymptomatically because of the lifelong surveillance by T cell immunity against EBV. A stable anti-EBV T cell repertoire is maintained in memory at high frequency in the blood throughout persistent EBV infection. Patients with impaired T cell immunity are more likely to develop life-threatening lymphoproliferative disorders, highlighting the critical role of T cells in achieving the EBV-host balance. Recent studies reveal that the EBV protein, LMP1, triggers robust T-cell responses against multiple tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) in B cells. Additionally, EBV-specific T cells have been identified in EBV-unrelated cancers, raising questions about their role in antitumor immunity. Herein, we summarize T-cell responses in EBV-related cancers, considering latency patterns, host immune status, and factors like human leukocyte antigen (HLA) susceptibility, which may affect immune outcomes. We discuss EBV-induced TAA-specific T cell responses and explore the potential roles of EBV-specific T cell subsets in tumor microenvironments. We also describe T-cell immunotherapy strategies that harness EBV antigens, ranging from EBV-specific T cells to T cell receptor-engineered T cells. Lastly, we discuss the involvement of γδ T-cells in EBV infection and associated diseases, aiming to elucidate the comprehensive interplay between EBV and T-cell immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Huang Y, Zhu X, Guo X, Zhou Y, Liu D, Mao J, Xiong Y, Deng Y, Gao X. Advances in mRNA vaccines for viral diseases. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28924. [PMID: 37417396 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28924] [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: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Since the onset of the pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have demonstrated outstanding performance. mRNA vaccines offer significant advantages over conventional vaccines in production speed and cost-effectiveness, making them an attractive option against other viral diseases. This article reviewed recent advances in viral mRNA vaccines and their delivery systems to provide references and guidance for developing mRNA vaccines for new viral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukai Huang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Xuerui Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiao Guo
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yuancheng Zhou
- Livestock and Poultry Biological Products Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu, China
| | - Dongying Liu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Jingrui Mao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yongai Xiong
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Youcai Deng
- Department of Hematology, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Xinghong Gao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
- Provincial Department of Education, Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease & Bio-Safety, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
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5
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Yao Y, Kong W, Yang L, Ding Y, Cui H. Immunity and Immune Evasion Mechanisms of Epstein-Barr Virus. Viral Immunol 2023; 36:303-317. [PMID: 37285188 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2022.0200] [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: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the first human oncogenic virus to be identified, which evades the body's immune surveillance through multiple mechanisms that allow long-term latent infection. Under certain pathological conditions, EBVs undergo a transition from the latent phase to the lytic phase and cause targeted dysregulation of the host immune system, leading to the development of EBV-related diseases. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the mechanism of developing an immune response to EBV and the evasion of immune recognition by EBV is important for the understanding of the pathogenesis of EBV, which is of great significance for finding strategies to prevent EBV infection, and developing a therapy to treat EBV-associated diseases. In this review, we will discuss the molecular mechanisms of host immunological responses to EBV infection and the mechanisms of EBV-mediated immune evasion during chronic active infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqing Yao
- Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Weijing Kong
- Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lijun Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yingxue Ding
- Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Cui
- Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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6
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Smith C, Khanna R. Adoptive T-cell therapy targeting Epstein-Barr virus as a treatment for multiple sclerosis. Clin Transl Immunology 2023; 12:e1444. [PMID: 36960148 PMCID: PMC10028422 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Emergence of a definitive link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis has provided an impetus to develop immune-based therapies to target EBV-infected B cells. Initial studies with autologous EBV-specific T-cell therapy demonstrated that this therapy is safe with minimal side effects and more importantly multiple patients showed both symptomatic and objective neurological improvements including improved quality of life, reduction of fatigue and reduced intrathecal IgG production. These observations have been successfully extended to an 'off-the-shelf' allogeneic EBV-specific T-cell therapy manufactured using peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy seropositive individuals. This adoptive immunotherapy has also been shown to be safe with encouraging clinical responses. Allogeneic EBV T-cell therapy overcomes some of the limitations of autologous therapy and can be rapidly delivered to patients with improved therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Smith
- QIMR Berghofer Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development, Infection and Inflammation ProgramQIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteHerstonQLDAustralia
| | - Rajiv Khanna
- QIMR Berghofer Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development, Infection and Inflammation ProgramQIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteHerstonQLDAustralia
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Tan C, Zhu F, Pan P, Wu A, Li C. Development of multi-epitope vaccines against the monkeypox virus based on envelope proteins using immunoinformatics approaches. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1112816. [PMID: 36993967 PMCID: PMC10040844 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1112816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundSince May 2022, cases of monkeypox, a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), have been increasingly reported worldwide. There are, however, no proven therapies or vaccines available for monkeypox. In this study, several multi-epitope vaccines were designed against the MPXV using immunoinformatics approaches.MethodsThree target proteins, A35R and B6R, enveloped virion (EV) form-derived antigens, and H3L, expressed on the mature virion (MV) form, were selected for epitope identification. The shortlisted epitopes were fused with appropriate adjuvants and linkers to vaccine candidates. The biophysical andbiochemical features of vaccine candidates were evaluated. The Molecular docking and molecular dynamics(MD) simulation were run to understand the binding mode and binding stability between the vaccines and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs). The immunogenicity of the designed vaccines was evaluated via immune simulation.ResultsFive vaccine constructs (MPXV-1-5) were formed. After the evaluation of various immunological and physicochemical parameters, MPXV-2 and MPXV-5 were selected for further analysis. The results of molecular docking showed that the MPXV-2 and MPXV-5 had a stronger affinity to TLRs (TLR2 and TLR4) and MHC (HLA-A*02:01 and HLA-DRB1*02:01) molecules, and the analyses of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation have further confirmed the strong binding stability of MPXV-2 and MPXV-5 with TLRs and MHC molecules. The results of the immune simulation indicated that both MPXV-2 and MPXV-5 could effectively induce robust protective immune responses in the human body.ConclusionThe MPXV-2 and MPXV-5 have good efficacy against the MPXV in theory, but further studies are required to validate their safety and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caixia Tan
- Department of Infection Control Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorder, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fei Zhu
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorder, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Pinhua Pan
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorder, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
- *Correspondence: Chunhui Li, ; Anhua Wu, ; Pinhua Pan,
| | - Anhua Wu
- Department of Infection Control Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorder, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
- *Correspondence: Chunhui Li, ; Anhua Wu, ; Pinhua Pan,
| | - Chunhui Li
- Department of Infection Control Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorder, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
- *Correspondence: Chunhui Li, ; Anhua Wu, ; Pinhua Pan,
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Li W, Duan X, Chen X, Zhan M, Peng H, Meng Y, Li X, Li XY, Pang G, Dou X. Immunotherapeutic approaches in EBV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1079515. [PMID: 36713430 PMCID: PMC9875085 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1079515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was the first tumor virus in humans. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) accounts for approximately 60% of the 200,000 new tumor cases caused by EBV infection worldwide each year. NPC has an insidious onset and is highly malignant, with more than 70% of patients having intermediate to advanced disease at the time of initial diagnosis, and is strongly implicated in epithelial cancers as well as malignant lymphoid and natural killer/T cell lymphomas. Over 90% of patients with confirmed undifferentiated NPC are infected with EBV. In recent decades, much progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms of NPC and developing therapeutic approaches. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the main treatment options for NPC; however, they have a limited efficacy in patients with locally advanced or distant metastatic tumors. Tumor immunotherapy, including vaccination, adoptive cell therapy, and immune checkpoint blockade, represents a promising therapeutic approach for NPC. Significant breakthroughs have recently been made in the application of immunotherapy for patients with recurrent or metastatic NPC (RM-NPC), indicating a broad prospect for NPC immunotherapy. Here, we review important research findings regarding immunotherapy for NPC patients and provide insights for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Xiaobing Duan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Xingxing Chen
- Department of Urology, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Meixiao Zhan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Haichuan Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Ya Meng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xiaobin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Xian-Yang Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China,Department of R&D, OriCell Therapeutics Co. Ltd, Pudong, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Xiaohui Dou, ; Guofu Pang, ; Xian-Yang Li,
| | - Guofu Pang
- Department of Urology, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China,*Correspondence: Xiaohui Dou, ; Guofu Pang, ; Xian-Yang Li,
| | - Xiaohui Dou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China,Health Management Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China,*Correspondence: Xiaohui Dou, ; Guofu Pang, ; Xian-Yang Li,
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Huang J, Harris E, Lorch J. Vaccination as a therapeutic strategy for Nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Oral Oncol 2022; 135:106083. [DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.106083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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10
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Angrand G, Quillévéré A, Loaëc N, Dinh VT, Le Sénéchal R, Chennoufi R, Duchambon P, Keruzoré M, Martins R, Teulade-Fichou MP, Fåhraeus R, Blondel M. Type I arginine methyltransferases are intervention points to unveil the oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus to the immune system. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:11799-11819. [PMID: 36350639 PMCID: PMC9723642 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) evades the immune system but has an Achilles heel: its genome maintenance protein EBNA1. Indeed, EBNA1 is essential for viral genome maintenance but is also highly antigenic. Hence, EBV seemingly evolved a system in which the glycine-alanine repeat (GAr) of EBNA1 limits the translation of its own mRNA to the minimal level to ensure its essential function, thereby, at the same time, minimizing immune recognition. Therefore, defining intervention points at which to interfere with GAr-based inhibition of translation is an important step to trigger an immune response against EBV-carrying cancers. The host protein nucleolin (NCL) plays a critical role in this process via a direct interaction with G-quadruplexes (G4) formed in the GAr-encoding sequence of the viral EBNA1 mRNA. Here we show that the C-terminal arginine-glycine-rich (RGG) motif of NCL is crucial for its role in GAr-based inhibition of translation by mediating interaction of NCL with G4 of EBNA1 mRNA. We also show that this interaction depends on the type I arginine methyltransferase family, notably PRMT1 and PRMT3: drugs or small interfering RNA that target these enzymes prevent efficient binding of NCL on G4 of EBNA1 mRNA and relieve GAr-based inhibition of translation and of antigen presentation. Hence, this work defines type I arginine methyltransferases as therapeutic targets to interfere with EBNA1 and EBV immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Van-Trang Dinh
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France
| | - Ronan Le Sénéchal
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France
| | - Rahima Chennoufi
- Chemistry and Modelling for the Biology of Cancer, CNRS UMR9187 - Inserm U1196, Institut Curie, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, Campus universitaire, Bat. 110, F-91405, France
| | - Patricia Duchambon
- Chemistry and Modelling for the Biology of Cancer, CNRS UMR9187 - Inserm U1196, Institut Curie, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, Campus universitaire, Bat. 110, F-91405, France
| | - Marc Keruzoré
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 avenue Camille Desmoulins, F-29200 Brest, France
| | | | - Marie-Paule Teulade-Fichou
- Chemistry and Modelling for the Biology of Cancer, CNRS UMR9187 - Inserm U1196, Institut Curie, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, Campus universitaire, Bat. 110, F-91405, France
| | - Robin Fåhraeus
- Cibles Thérapeutiques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1162, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire, Université Paris 7, Hôpital St. Louis, 27 rue Juliette Dodu, F-75010 Paris, France,RECAMO, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Zluty kopec 7, 65653 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marc Blondel
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +33 2 98 01 83 88;
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Limited Recognition of Highly Conserved Regions of SARS-CoV-2. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0278021. [PMID: 35196796 PMCID: PMC8865427 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02780-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is critical to overcome the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Efforts are being made to understand the potential cross-protective immunity of memory T cells, induced by prior encounters with seasonal coronaviruses, in providing protection against severe COVID-19. In this study we assessed T-cell responses directed against highly conserved regions of SARS-CoV-2. Epitope mapping revealed 16 CD8+ T-cell epitopes across the nucleocapsid (N), spike (S), and open reading frame (ORF)3a proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and five CD8+ T-cell epitopes encoded within the highly conserved regions of the ORF1ab polyprotein of SARS-CoV-2. Comparative sequence analysis showed high conservation of SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab T-cell epitopes in seasonal coronaviruses. Paradoxically, the immune responses directed against the conserved ORF1ab epitopes were infrequent and subdominant in both convalescent and unexposed participants. This subdominant immune response was consistent with a low abundance of ORF1ab encoded proteins in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. Overall, these observations suggest that while cross-reactive CD8+ T cells likely exist in unexposed individuals, they are not common and therefore are unlikely to play a significant role in providing broad preexisting immunity in the community. IMPORTANCE T cells play a critical role in protection against SARS-CoV-2. Despite being highly topical, the protective role of preexisting memory CD8+ T cells, induced by prior exposure to circulating common coronavirus strains, remains less clear. In this study, we established a robust approach to specifically assess T cell responses to highly conserved regions within SARS-CoV-2. Consistent with recent observations we demonstrate that recognition of these highly conserved regions is associated with an increased likelihood of milder disease. However, extending these observations we observed that recognition of these conserved regions is rare in both exposed and unexposed volunteers, which we believe is associated with the low abundance of these proteins in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. These observations have important implications for the likely role preexisting immunity plays in controlling severe disease, further emphasizing the importance of vaccination to generate the immunodominant T cells required for immune protection.
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Cai J, Zhang B, Li Y, Zhu W, Akihisa T, Li W, Kikuchi T, Liu W, Feng F, Zhang J. Prophylactic and Therapeutic EBV Vaccines: Major Scientific Obstacles, Historical Progress, and Future Direction. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9111290. [PMID: 34835222 PMCID: PMC8623587 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects more than 95% of adults worldwide and is associated with various malignant tumors and immune diseases, imparting a huge disease burden on the human population. Available EBV vaccines are imminent. Prophylactic vaccines can effectively prevent the spread of infection, whereas therapeutic vaccines mainly stimulate cell-mediated immunity and kill infected cells, thus curbing the development of malignant tumors. Nevertheless, there are still no approved EBV vaccines after decades of effort. The complexity of the EBV life cycle, the lack of appropriate animal models, and the limited reports on adjuvant selection and immune responses are gravely impeding progress in EBV vaccines. The soluble gp350 vaccine could reduce the incidence of infectious mononucleosis (IM), which seemed to offer hope, but could not prevent EBV infection. Continuous research and vaccine trials provide deep insights into the structural biology of viruses, the designs for immunogenicity, and the evolving vaccine platforms. Moreover, the new vaccine candidates are expected to achieve further success via combined immunization to elicit both a dual protection of B cells and epithelial cells, and sustainable immunization against infected cells at several phases of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Cai
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (J.C.); (B.Z.); (Y.L.); (T.A.); (F.F.)
| | - Bodou Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (J.C.); (B.Z.); (Y.L.); (T.A.); (F.F.)
| | - Yuqi Li
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (J.C.); (B.Z.); (Y.L.); (T.A.); (F.F.)
| | - Wanfang Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (W.Z.); (W.L.)
| | - Toshihiro Akihisa
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (J.C.); (B.Z.); (Y.L.); (T.A.); (F.F.)
- Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-8510, Japan
| | - Wei Li
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, Chiba 274-8510, Japan; (W.L.); (T.K.)
| | - Takashi Kikuchi
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, Chiba 274-8510, Japan; (W.L.); (T.K.)
| | - Wenyuan Liu
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (W.Z.); (W.L.)
| | - Feng Feng
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (J.C.); (B.Z.); (Y.L.); (T.A.); (F.F.)
- Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College, Huaian 223003, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (J.C.); (B.Z.); (Y.L.); (T.A.); (F.F.)
- Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College, Huaian 223003, China
- Correspondence:
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Forconi CS, Mulama DH, Saikumar Lakshmi P, Foley J, Otieno JA, Kurtis JD, Berg LJ, Ong’echa JM, Münz C, Moormann AM. Interplay between IL-10, IFN-γ, IL-17A and PD-1 Expressing EBNA1-Specific CD4 + and CD8 + T Cell Responses in the Etiologic Pathway to Endemic Burkitt Lymphoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215375. [PMID: 34771539 PMCID: PMC8582526 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is a common pediatric cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. The incidence of this aggressive B-cell cancer is linked to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) co-infections during childhood. Most eBL tumors contain EBV and are characterized by the Epstein–Barr Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA1) latency I pattern of viral gene expression. The aim of our study was to compare the phenotypes and functions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses to EBNA1 in children diagnosed with eBL and in healthy EBV-seropositive children to highlight differences that contribute to the balance between anti-viral immunity and eBL pathogenesis. Abstract Children diagnosed with endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) are deficient in interferon-γ (IFN-γ) responses to Epstein–Barr Nuclear Antigen1 (EBNA1), the viral protein that defines the latency I pattern in this B cell tumor. However, the contributions of immune-regulatory cytokines and phenotypes of the EBNA1-specific T cells have not been characterized for eBL. Using a bespoke flow cytometry assay we measured intracellular IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-17A expression and phenotyped CD4+ and CD8+ T cell effector memory subsets specific to EBNA1 for eBL patients compared to two groups of healthy children with divergent malaria exposures. In response to EBNA1 and a malaria antigen (PfSEA-1A), the three study groups exhibited strikingly different cytokine expression and T cell memory profiles. EBNA1-specific IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cell response rates were lowest in eBL (40%) compared to children with high malaria (84%) and low malaria (66%) exposures (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0004, respectively). However, eBL patients did not differ in CD8+ T cell response rates or the magnitude of IFN-γ expression. In contrast, eBL children were more likely to have EBNA1-specific CD4+ T cells expressing IL-10, and less likely to have polyfunctional IFN-γ+IL-10+ CD4+ T cells (p = 0.02). They were also more likely to have IFN-γ+IL-17A+, IFN-γ+ and IL-17A+ CD8+ T cell subsets compared to healthy children. Cytokine-producing T cell subsets were predominantly CD45RA+CCR7+ TNAIVE-LIKE cells, yet PD-1, a marker of persistent activation/exhaustion, was more highly expressed by the central memory (TCM) and effector memory (TEM) T cell subsets. In summary, our study suggests that IL-10 mediated immune regulation and depletion of IFN-γ+ EBNA1-specific CD4+ T cells are complementary mechanisms that contribute to impaired T cell cytotoxicity in eBL pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine S. Forconi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; (C.S.F.); (P.S.L.); (J.F.)
| | - David H. Mulama
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu 40100, Kenya; (D.H.M.); (J.M.O.)
| | - Priya Saikumar Lakshmi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; (C.S.F.); (P.S.L.); (J.F.)
| | - Joslyn Foley
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; (C.S.F.); (P.S.L.); (J.F.)
| | - Juliana A. Otieno
- Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Ministry of Medical Services, Kisumu 40100, Kenya;
| | - Jonathan D. Kurtis
- Center for International Health Research, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA;
| | - Leslie J. Berg
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - John M. Ong’echa
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu 40100, Kenya; (D.H.M.); (J.M.O.)
| | - Christian Münz
- Department of Viral Immunobiology, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Ann M. Moormann
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; (C.S.F.); (P.S.L.); (J.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +508-856-8826
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14
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Cui X, Snapper CM. Epstein Barr Virus: Development of Vaccines and Immune Cell Therapy for EBV-Associated Diseases. Front Immunol 2021; 12:734471. [PMID: 34691042 PMCID: PMC8532523 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.734471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the first human tumor virus discovered and is strongly implicated in the etiology of multiple lymphoid and epithelial cancers. Each year EBV associated cancers account for over 200,000 new cases of cancer and cause 150,000 deaths world-wide. EBV is also the primary cause of infectious mononucleosis, and up to 70% of adolescents and young adults in developed countries suffer from infectious mononucleosis. In addition, EBV has been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. An EBV prophylactic vaccine that induces neutralizing antibodies holds great promise for prevention of EBV associated diseases. EBV envelope proteins including gH/gL, gB and gp350 play key roles in EBV entry and infection of target cells, and neutralizing antibodies elicited by each of these proteins have shown to prevent EBV infection of target cells and markedly decrease EBV titers in the peripheral blood of humanized mice challenged with lethal dose EBV. Recent studies demonstrated that immunization with the combination of gH/gL, gB and/or gp350 induced markedly increased synergistic EBV neutralizing activity compared to immunization with individual proteins. As previous clinical trials focused on gp350 alone were partially successful, the inclusion of gH/gL and gB in a vaccine formulation with gp350 represents a promising approach of EBV prophylactic vaccine development. Therapeutic EBV vaccines have also been tested clinically with encouraging results. Immunization with various vaccine platforms expressing the EBV latent proteins EBNA1, LMP1, and/or LMP2 promoted specific CD4+ and CD8+ cytotoxic responses with anti-tumor activity. The addition of EBV envelope proteins gH/gL, gB and gp350 has the potential to increase the efficacy of a therapeutic EBV vaccine. The immune system plays a critical role in the control of tumors, and immune cell therapy has emerged as a promising treatment of cancers. Adoptive T-cell therapy has been successfully used in the prevention and treatment of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy and T cell receptor engineered T cell therapy targeting EBV latent proteins LMP1, LMP2 and/or EBNA1 have been in development, with the goal to increase the specificity and efficacy of treatment of EBV associated cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinle Cui
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.,The Institute for Vaccine Research and Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Clifford M Snapper
- The Institute for Vaccine Research and Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Citranvi Biosciences LLC, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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15
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Sun C, Chen XC, Kang YF, Zeng MS. The Status and Prospects of Epstein-Barr Virus Prophylactic Vaccine Development. Front Immunol 2021; 12:677027. [PMID: 34168649 PMCID: PMC8218244 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.677027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus that is common among the global population, causing an enormous disease burden. EBV can directly cause infectious mononucleosis and is also associated with various malignancies and autoimmune diseases. In order to prevent primary infection and subsequent chronic disease, efforts have been made to develop a prophylactic vaccine against EBV in recent years, but there is still no vaccine in clinical use. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global cooperation in vaccine development against SARS-CoV-2 provide insights for next-generation antiviral vaccine design and opportunities for developing an effective prophylactic EBV vaccine. With improvements in antigen selection, vaccine platforms, formulation and evaluation systems, novel vaccines against EBV are expected to elicit dual protection against infection of both B lymphocytes and epithelial cells. This would provide sustainable immunity against EBV-associated malignancies, finally enabling the control of worldwide EBV infection and management of EBV-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin-Chun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yin-Feng Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mu-Sheng Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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16
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Grasso C, Field CS, Tang CW, Ferguson PM, J Compton B, Anderson RJ, Painter GF, Weinkove R, F Hermans I, Berridge MV. Vaccines adjuvanted with an NKT cell agonist induce effective T-cell responses in models of CNS lymphoma. Immunotherapy 2020; 12:395-406. [PMID: 32316797 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2019-0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The efficacy of anti-lymphoma vaccines that exploit the cellular adjuvant properties of activated natural killer T (NKT) cells were examined in mouse models of CNS lymphoma. Materials & methods: Vaccines were prepared by either loading the NKT cell agonist, α-galactosylceramide onto irradiated and heat-shocked B- and T-lymphoma cells, or chemically conjugating α-galactosylceramide to MHC-binding peptides from a lymphoma-associated antigen. Vaccine efficacy was analyzed in mice bearing intracranial tumors. Results: Both forms of vaccine proved to be effective in preventing lymphoma engraftment through activity of T cells that accessed the CNS. Established lymphoma was harder to treat with responses constrained by Tregs, but this could be overcome by depleting Tregs prior to vaccination. Conclusion: Simply designed NKT cell-activating vaccines enhance T-cell responses and have the potential to protect against CNS lymphoma development or prevent CNS relapse. To be effective against established CNS lymphoma, vaccines need to be combined with Treg suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Grasso
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, P.O. Box 7060, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
| | - Cameron S Field
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, P.O. Box 7060, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
| | - Ching-Wen Tang
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, P.O. Box 7060, Wellington 6242, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1042, New Zealand
| | - Peter M Ferguson
- Melanoma Institute Australia, 40 Rocklands Road, Wollstonecraft, NSW 2065, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Compton
- The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 33436, Lower Hutt 5046, New Zealand
| | - Regan J Anderson
- The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 33436, Lower Hutt 5046, New Zealand
| | - Gavin F Painter
- The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 33436, Lower Hutt 5046, New Zealand
| | - Robert Weinkove
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, P.O. Box 7060, Wellington 6242, New Zealand.,Wellington Blood & Cancer Centre, Capital & Coast District Health Board, P.O. Box 7902, Wellington 6242, New Zealand.,Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, University of Otago Wellington, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
| | - Ian F Hermans
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, P.O. Box 7060, Wellington 6242, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1042, New Zealand
| | - Michael V Berridge
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, P.O. Box 7060, Wellington 6242, New Zealand
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Reznichenko O, Quillévéré A, Martins RP, Loaëc N, Kang H, Lista MJ, Beauvineau C, González-García J, Guillot R, Voisset C, Daskalogianni C, Fåhraeus R, Teulade-Fichou MP, Blondel M, Granzhan A. Novel cationic bis(acylhydrazones) as modulators of Epstein-Barr virus immune evasion acting through disruption of interaction between nucleolin and G-quadruplexes of EBNA1 mRNA. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 178:13-29. [PMID: 31173968 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) evades the immune system through limiting the expression of its highly antigenic and essential genome maintenance protein, EBNA1, to the minimal level to ensure viral genome replication, thereby also minimizing the production of EBNA1-derived antigenic peptides. This regulation is based on inhibition of translation of the virally-encoded EBNA1 mRNA, and involves the interaction of host protein nucleolin (NCL) with G-quadruplex (G4) structures that form in the glycine-alanine repeat (GAr)-encoding sequence of the EBNA1 mRNA. Ligands that bind to these G4-RNA can prevent their interaction with NCL, leading to disinhibition of EBNA1 expression and antigen presentation, thereby interfering with the immune evasion of EBNA1 and therefore of EBV (M.J. Lista et al., Nature Commun., 2017, 8, 16043). In this work, we synthesized and studied a series of 20 cationic bis(acylhydrazone) derivatives designed as G4 ligands. The in vitro evaluation showed that most derivatives based on central pyridine (Py), naphthyridine (Naph) or phenanthroline (Phen) units were efficient G4 binders, in contrast to their pyrimidine (Pym) counterparts, which were poor G4 binders due to a significantly different molecular geometry. The influence of lateral heterocyclic units (N-substituted pyridinium or quinolinium residues) on G4-binding properties was also investigated. Two novel compounds, namely PyDH2 and PhenDH2, used at a 5 μM concentration, were able to significantly enhance EBNA1 expression in H1299 cells in a GAr-dependent manner, while being significantly less toxic than the prototype drug PhenDC3 (GI50 > 50 μM). Antigen presentation, RNA pull-down and proximity ligation assays confirmed that the effect of both drugs was related to the disruption of NCL-EBNA1 mRNA interaction and the subsequent promotion of GAr-restricted antigen presentation. Our work provides a novel modular scaffold for the development of G-quadruplex-targeting drugs acting through interference with G4-protein interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Reznichenko
- CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 91405, Orsay, France; CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Alicia Quillévéré
- INSERM UMR1078, Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), Établissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne, CHRU Brest, 29200, Brest, France
| | - Rodrigo Prado Martins
- INSERM UMR1131, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire (IGM), Université Paris 7, Hôpital St. Louis, 75010, Paris, France
| | - Nadège Loaëc
- INSERM UMR1078, Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), Établissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne, CHRU Brest, 29200, Brest, France
| | - Hang Kang
- CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 91405, Orsay, France; CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - María José Lista
- INSERM UMR1078, Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), Établissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne, CHRU Brest, 29200, Brest, France
| | - Claire Beauvineau
- CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 91405, Orsay, France; CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Jorge González-García
- CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 91405, Orsay, France; CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Régis Guillot
- CNRS UMR8182, Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d'Orsay (ICMMO), Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Cécile Voisset
- INSERM UMR1078, Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), Établissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne, CHRU Brest, 29200, Brest, France
| | - Chrysoula Daskalogianni
- INSERM UMR1131, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire (IGM), Université Paris 7, Hôpital St. Louis, 75010, Paris, France
| | - Robin Fåhraeus
- INSERM UMR1131, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire (IGM), Université Paris 7, Hôpital St. Louis, 75010, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Paule Teulade-Fichou
- CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 91405, Orsay, France; CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France.
| | - Marc Blondel
- INSERM UMR1078, Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), Établissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne, CHRU Brest, 29200, Brest, France.
| | - Anton Granzhan
- CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, 91405, Orsay, France; CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France.
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18
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Sneaking Out for Happy Hour: Yeast-Based Approaches to Explore and Modulate Immune Response and Immune Evasion. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10090667. [PMID: 31480411 PMCID: PMC6770942 DOI: 10.3390/genes10090667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Many pathogens (virus, bacteria, fungi, or parasites) have developed a wide variety of mechanisms to evade their host immune system. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has successfully been used to decipher some of these immune evasion strategies. This includes the cis-acting mechanism that limits the expression of the oncogenic Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-encoded EBNA1 and thus of antigenic peptides derived from this essential but highly antigenic viral protein. Studies based on budding yeast have also revealed the molecular bases of epigenetic switching or recombination underlying the silencing of all except one members of extended families of genes that encode closely related and highly antigenic surface proteins. This mechanism is exploited by several parasites (that include pathogens such as Plasmodium, Trypanosoma, Candida, or Pneumocystis) to alternate their surface antigens, thereby evading the immune system. Yeast can itself be a pathogen, and pathogenic fungi such as Candida albicans, which is phylogenetically very close to S. cerevisiae, have developed stealthiness strategies that include changes in their cell wall composition, or epitope-masking, to control production or exposure of highly antigenic but essential polysaccharides in their cell wall. Finally, due to the high antigenicity of its cell wall, yeast has been opportunistically exploited to create adjuvants and vectors for vaccination.
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Dasari V, Sinha D, Neller MA, Smith C, Khanna R. Prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for Epstein-Barr virus-associated diseases: emerging strategies for clinical development. Expert Rev Vaccines 2019; 18:457-474. [PMID: 30987475 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2019.1605906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects more than 95% of the world's population and is associated with infectious mononucleosis as well as a number of cancers in various geographical locations. Despite its significant health burden, no licenced prophylactic or therapeutic vaccines are available. Areas covered: Over the last two decades, our understanding of the role of EBV infection in the pathogenesis and immune regulation of EBV-associated diseases has provided new lines of research to conceptualize various novel prophylactic and therapeutic approaches to control EBV-associated disease. In this review, we evaluate the prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine approaches against EBV and various immunotherapeutic strategies against a number of EBV-associated malignancies. This review also describes the existing and future prospects of improved EBV-targeted therapeutic strategies. Expert opinion: It is anticipated that these emerging strategies will provide answers for the major challenges in EBV vaccine development and help improve the efficacy of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijayendra Dasari
- a QIMR Berghofer Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology Laboratory, Department of Immunology , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Debottam Sinha
- a QIMR Berghofer Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology Laboratory, Department of Immunology , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Michelle A Neller
- a QIMR Berghofer Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology Laboratory, Department of Immunology , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Corey Smith
- a QIMR Berghofer Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology Laboratory, Department of Immunology , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Rajiv Khanna
- a QIMR Berghofer Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology Laboratory, Department of Immunology , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia
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Sorel O, Dewals BG. The Critical Role of Genome Maintenance Proteins in Immune Evasion During Gammaherpesvirus Latency. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3315. [PMID: 30687291 PMCID: PMC6333680 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Gammaherpesviruses are important pathogens that establish latent infection in their natural host for lifelong persistence. During latency, the viral genome persists in the nucleus of infected cells as a circular episomal element while the viral gene expression program is restricted to non-coding RNAs and a few latency proteins. Among these, the genome maintenance protein (GMP) is part of the small subset of genes expressed in latently infected cells. Despite sharing little peptidic sequence similarity, gammaherpesvirus GMPs have conserved functions playing essential roles in latent infection. Among these functions, GMPs have acquired an intriguing capacity to evade the cytotoxic T cell response through self-limitation of MHC class I-restricted antigen presentation, further ensuring virus persistence in the infected host. In this review, we provide an updated overview of the main functions of gammaherpesvirus GMPs during latency with an emphasis on their immune evasion properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Océane Sorel
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine-FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Benjamin G Dewals
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine-FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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21
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Jiang L, Xie C, Lung HL, Lo KW, Law GL, Mak NK, Wong KL. EBNA1-targeted inhibitors: Novel approaches for the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus-associated cancers. Am J Cancer Res 2018; 8:5307-5319. [PMID: 30555548 PMCID: PMC6276081 DOI: 10.7150/thno.26823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects more than 90% of humans worldwide and establishes lifelong latent infection in the hosts. It is closely associated with endemic forms of a wide range of human cancers and directly contributes to the formation of some. Despite its critical role in cancer development, no EBV- or EBV latent protein-targeted therapy is available. The EBV-encoded latent protein, Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1), is expressed in all EBV-associated tumors and acts as the only latent protein in some of these tumors. This versatile protein functions in the maintenance, replication, and segregation of the EBV genome and can therefore serve as an attractive therapeutic target to treat EBV-associated cancers. In the last decades, efforts have been made for designing specific EBNA1 inhibitors to decrease EBNA1 expression or interfere with EBNA1-dependent functions. In this review, we will briefly introduce the salient features of EBNA1, summarize its functional domains, and focus on the recent developments in the identification and design of EBNA1 inhibitors related to various EBNA1 domains as well as discuss their comparative merits.
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EBNA1: Oncogenic Activity, Immune Evasion and Biochemical Functions Provide Targets for Novel Therapeutic Strategies against Epstein-Barr Virus- Associated Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10040109. [PMID: 29642420 PMCID: PMC5923364 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10040109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA1) protein in all EBV-carrying tumours constitutes a marker that distinguishes the virus-associated cancer cells from normal cells and thereby offers opportunities for targeted therapeutic intervention. EBNA1 is essential for viral genome maintenance and also for controlling viral gene expression and without EBNA1, the virus cannot persist. EBNA1 itself has been linked to cell transformation but the underlying mechanism of its oncogenic activity has been unclear. However, recent data are starting to shed light on its growth-promoting pathways, suggesting that targeting EBNA1 can have a direct growth suppressing effect. In order to carry out its tasks, EBNA1 interacts with cellular factors and these interactions are potential therapeutic targets, where the aim would be to cripple the virus and thereby rid the tumour cells of any oncogenic activity related to the virus. Another strategy to target EBNA1 is to interfere with its expression. Controlling the rate of EBNA1 synthesis is critical for the virus to maintain a sufficient level to support viral functions, while at the same time, restricting expression is equally important to prevent the immune system from detecting and destroying EBNA1-positive cells. To achieve this balance EBNA1 has evolved a unique repeat sequence of glycines and alanines that controls its own rate of mRNA translation. As the underlying molecular mechanisms for how this repeat suppresses its own rate of synthesis in cis are starting to be better understood, new therapeutic strategies are emerging that aim to modulate the translation of the EBNA1 mRNA. If translation is induced, it could increase the amount of EBNA1-derived antigenic peptides that are presented to the major histocompatibility (MHC) class I pathway and thus, make EBV-carrying cancers better targets for the immune system. If translation is further suppressed, this would provide another means to cripple the virus.
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Wang M, Yu F, Wu W, Wang Y, Ding H, Qian L. Epstein-Barr virus-encoded microRNAs as regulators in host immune responses. Int J Biol Sci 2018; 14:565-576. [PMID: 29805308 PMCID: PMC5968849 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.24562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic virus that infects over 90% of the world's adult population. EBV can establish life-long latent infection in host due to the balance between EBV and host immune system. EBV latency is associated with various malignancies such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gastric carcinoma and Burkitt's lymphoma. EBV is the first human virus that has the capability to encode microRNAs (miRNAs). Remarkably, EBV-encoded miRNAs are abundantly expressed in latently-infected cells and serve important function in viral infection and pathogenesis. Increasing evidence indicates that EBV miRNAs target the host mRNAs involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis and transformation. EBV miRNAs also inhibit the expression of viral antigens, thereby enabling infected cells to escape immune recognition. Intriguingly, EBV miRNAs directly suppress host antiviral immunity by interfering with antigen presentation and immune cell activation. This review will update the current knowledge about EBV miRNAs implicated in host immune responses. An in-depth understanding of the functions of EBV miRNAs in host antiviral immunity will shed light on the EBV-host interactions and provide potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of EBV-associated malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Medical College of Qingdao University, Dengzhou Road 38, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Medical College of Qingdao University, Dengzhou Road 38, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Medical College of Qingdao University, Dengzhou Road 38, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Medical College of Qingdao University, Dengzhou Road 38, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Han Ding
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Medical College of Qingdao University, Dengzhou Road 38, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Lili Qian
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Medical College of Qingdao University, Dengzhou Road 38, Qingdao 266021, China
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24
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Sorel O, Chen T, Myster F, Javaux J, Vanderplasschen A, Dewals BG. Macavirus latency-associated protein evades immune detection through regulation of protein synthesis in cis depending upon its glycin/glutamate-rich domain. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006691. [PMID: 29059246 PMCID: PMC5695634 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1) is a γ-herpesvirus (γ-HV) belonging to the macavirus genus that persistently infects its natural host, the wildebeest, without inducing any clinical sign. However, cross-transmission to other ruminant species causes a deadly lymphoproliferative disease named malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). AlHV-1 ORF73 encodes the latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA)-homolog protein (aLANA). Recently, aLANA has been shown to be essential for viral persistence in vivo and induction of MCF, suggesting that aLANA shares key properties of other γ-HV genome maintenance proteins. Here we have investigated the evasion of the immune response by aLANA. We found that a glycin/glutamate (GE)-rich repeat domain was sufficient to inhibit in cis the presentation of an epitope linked to aLANA. Although antigen presentation in absence of GE was dependent upon proteasomal degradation of aLANA, a lack of GE did not affect protein turnover. However, protein self-synthesis de novo was downregulated by aLANA GE, a mechanism directly associated with reduced antigen presentation in vitro. Importantly, codon-modification of aLANA GE resulted in increased antigen presentation in vitro and enhanced induction of antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses in vivo, indicating that mRNA constraints in GE rather than peptidic sequence are responsible for cis-limitation of antigen presentation. Nonetheless, GE-mediated limitation of antigen presentation in cis of aLANA was dispensable during MCF as rabbits developed the disease after virus infection irrespective of the expression of full-length or GE-deficient aLANA. Altogether, we provide evidence that inhibition in cis of protein synthesis through GE is likely involved in long-term immune evasion of AlHV-1 latent persistence in the wildebeest natural host, but dispensable in MCF pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Océane Sorel
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of infectious and parasitic diseases, Faculty of Veterinary medicine–FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Ting Chen
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of infectious and parasitic diseases, Faculty of Veterinary medicine–FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Françoise Myster
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of infectious and parasitic diseases, Faculty of Veterinary medicine–FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Justine Javaux
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of infectious and parasitic diseases, Faculty of Veterinary medicine–FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Alain Vanderplasschen
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of infectious and parasitic diseases, Faculty of Veterinary medicine–FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Benjamin G. Dewals
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of infectious and parasitic diseases, Faculty of Veterinary medicine–FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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25
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Lista MJ, Martins RP, Billant O, Contesse MA, Findakly S, Pochard P, Daskalogianni C, Beauvineau C, Guetta C, Jamin C, Teulade-Fichou MP, Fåhraeus R, Voisset C, Blondel M. Nucleolin directly mediates Epstein-Barr virus immune evasion through binding to G-quadruplexes of EBNA1 mRNA. Nat Commun 2017; 8:16043. [PMID: 28685753 PMCID: PMC5504353 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms16043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) evades the immune system but has an Achilles heel: its genome maintenance protein EBNA1, which is essential for viral genome maintenance but highly antigenic. EBV has seemingly evolved a system in which the mRNA sequence encoding the glycine-alanine repeats (GAr) of the EBNA1 protein limits its expression to the minimal level necessary for function while minimizing immune recognition. Here, we identify nucleolin (NCL) as a host factor required for this process via a direct interaction with G-quadruplexes formed in GAr-encoding mRNA sequence. Overexpression of NCL enhances GAr-based inhibition of EBNA1 protein expression, whereas its downregulation relieves the suppression of both expression and antigen presentation. Moreover, the G-quadruplex ligand PhenDC3 prevents NCL binding to EBNA1 mRNA and reverses GAr-mediated repression of EBNA1 expression and antigen presentation. Hence the NCL-EBNA1 mRNA interaction is a relevant therapeutic target to trigger an immune response against EBV-carrying cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Lista
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 avenue Camille Desmoulins, Brest F-29200, France
| | - Rodrigo Prado Martins
- Cibles Thérapeutiques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1162, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire, Université Paris 7, Hôpital St Louis, 27 rue Juliette Dodu, Paris F-75010, France
| | - Olivier Billant
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 avenue Camille Desmoulins, Brest F-29200, France
| | - Marie-Astrid Contesse
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 avenue Camille Desmoulins, Brest F-29200, France
| | - Sarah Findakly
- Cibles Thérapeutiques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1162, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire, Université Paris 7, Hôpital St Louis, 27 rue Juliette Dodu, Paris F-75010, France
| | - Pierre Pochard
- Inserm UMR 1227, Lymphocytes B et Autoimmunité; Université de Bretagne Occidentale; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire d’Immunologie, Brest F-29200, France
| | - Chrysoula Daskalogianni
- Cibles Thérapeutiques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1162, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire, Université Paris 7, Hôpital St Louis, 27 rue Juliette Dodu, Paris F-75010, France
| | - Claire Beauvineau
- Chemistry, Modelling and Imaging for Biology, CNRS UMR9187 - Inserm U1196, Institut Curie, Université Paris-Sud, Campus universitaire, Bat. 110, Orsay F-91405, France
| | - Corinne Guetta
- Chemistry, Modelling and Imaging for Biology, CNRS UMR9187 - Inserm U1196, Institut Curie, Université Paris-Sud, Campus universitaire, Bat. 110, Orsay F-91405, France
| | - Christophe Jamin
- Inserm UMR 1227, Lymphocytes B et Autoimmunité; Université de Bretagne Occidentale; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire d’Immunologie, Brest F-29200, France
| | - Marie-Paule Teulade-Fichou
- Chemistry, Modelling and Imaging for Biology, CNRS UMR9187 - Inserm U1196, Institut Curie, Université Paris-Sud, Campus universitaire, Bat. 110, Orsay F-91405, France
| | - Robin Fåhraeus
- Cibles Thérapeutiques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1162, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire, Université Paris 7, Hôpital St Louis, 27 rue Juliette Dodu, Paris F-75010, France
| | - Cécile Voisset
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 avenue Camille Desmoulins, Brest F-29200, France
| | - Marc Blondel
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 22 avenue Camille Desmoulins, Brest F-29200, France
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26
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Targeting Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphoblastoid cells using antibodies with T-cell receptor-like specificities. Blood 2016; 128:1396-407. [PMID: 27338099 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2016-03-707836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an oncovirus associated with several human malignancies including posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease in immunosuppressed patients. We show here that anti-EBV T-cell receptor-like monoclonal antibodies (TCR-like mAbs) E1, L1, and L2 bound to their respective HLA-A*0201-restricted EBV peptides EBNA1562-570, LMP1125-133, and LMP2A426-434 with high affinities and specificities. These mAbs recognized endogenously presented targets on EBV B lymphoblastoid cell lines (BLCLs), but not peripheral blood mononuclear cells, from which they were derived. Furthermore, these mAbs displayed similar binding activities on several BLCLs, despite inherent heterogeneity between different donor samples. A single weekly administration of the naked mAbs reduced splenomegaly, liver tumor spots, and tumor burden in BLCL-engrafted immunodeficient NOD-SCID/Il2rg(-/-) mice. In particular, mice that were treated with the E1 mAb displayed a delayed weight loss and significantly prolonged survival. In vitro, these TCR-like mAbs induced early apoptosis of BLCLs, thereby enhancing their Fc-dependent phagocytic uptake by macrophages. These data provide evidence for TCR-like mAbs as potential therapeutic modalities to target EBV-associated diseases.
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Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is arguably one of the most successful pathogens of humans, persistently infecting over ninety percent of the world's population. Despite this high frequency of carriage, the virus causes apparently few adverse effects in the vast majority of infected individuals. Nevertheless, the potent growth transforming ability of EBV means the virus has the potential to cause malignancies in infected individuals. Indeed, EBV is thought to cause 1% of human malignancies, equating to 200,000 malignancies each year. A clear factor as to why virus-induced disease is relatively infrequent in healthy infected individuals is the presence of a potent immune response to EBV, in particular, that mediated by T cells. Thus, patient groups with immunodeficiencies or whose cellular immune response is suppressed have much higher frequencies of EBV-induced disease and, in at least some cases, these diseases can be controlled by restoration of the T-cell compartment. In this chapter, we will primarily review the role the αβ subset of T cells in the control of EBV in healthy and diseased individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Hislop
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Graham S Taylor
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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28
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Lista MJ, Voisset C, Contesse M, Friocourt G, Daskalogianni C, Bihel F, Fåhraeus R, Blondel M. The long‐lasting love affair between the budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
and the Epstein‐Barr virus. Biotechnol J 2015; 10:1670-81. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201500161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- María José Lista
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Brest, France
| | - Cécile Voisset
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Brest, France
| | - Marie‐Astrid Contesse
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Brest, France
| | - Gaëlle Friocourt
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Brest, France
| | - Chrysoula Daskalogianni
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1162, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Bihel
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, UMR7200, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74, Illkirch, France
| | - Robin Fåhraeus
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1162, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Paris, France
| | - Marc Blondel
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1078; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) Bretagne; CHRU Brest, Hôpital Morvan, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Brest, France
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29
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Latent Membrane Protein LMP2A Impairs Recognition of EBV-Infected Cells by CD8+ T Cells. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004906. [PMID: 26067064 PMCID: PMC4465838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The common pathogen Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transforms normal human B cells and can cause cancer. Latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) of EBV supports activation and proliferation of infected B cells and is expressed in many types of EBV-associated cancer. It is not clear how latent EBV infection and cancer escape elimination by host immunity, and it is unknown whether LMP2A can influence the interaction of EBV-infected cells with the immune system. We infected primary B cells with EBV deleted for LMP2A, and established lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). We found that CD8+ T cell clones showed higher reactivity against LMP2A-deficient LCLs compared to LCLs infected with complete EBV. We identified several potential mediators of this immunomodulatory effect. In the absence of LMP2A, expression of some EBV latent antigens was elevated, and cell surface expression of MHC class I was marginally increased. LMP2A-deficient LCLs produced lower amounts of IL-10, although this did not directly affect CD8+ T cell recognition. Deletion of LMP2A led to several changes in the cell surface immunophenotype of LCLs. Specifically, the agonistic NKG2D ligands MICA and ULBP4 were increased. Blocking experiments showed that NKG2D activation contributed to LCL recognition by CD8+ T cell clones. Our results demonstrate that LMP2A reduces the reactivity of CD8+ T cells against EBV-infected cells, and we identify several relevant mechanisms. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is carried by most humans. It can cause several types of cancer. In healthy infected people, EBV persists for life in a "latent" state in white blood cells called B cells. For infected persons to remain healthy, it is crucial that they harbor CD8-positive "killer" T cells that recognize and destroy precancerous EBV-infected cells. However, this protection is imperfect, because the virus is not eliminated from the body, and the danger of EBV-associated cancer remains. How does the virus counteract CD8+ T cell control? Here we study the effects of latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A), which is an important viral molecule because it is present in several types of EBV-associated cancers, and in latently infected cells in healthy people. We show that LMP2A counteracts the recognition of EBV-infected B cells by antiviral killer cells. We found a number of mechanisms that are relevant to this effect. Notably, LMP2A disturbs expression of molecules on B cells that interact with NKG2D, a molecule on the surface of CD8+ T cells that aids their activation. In this way, LMP2A weakens important immune responses against EBV. Similar mechanisms may operate in different types of LMP2A-expressing cancers caused by EBV.
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30
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van de Weijer ML, Luteijn RD, Wiertz EJHJ. Viral immune evasion: Lessons in MHC class I antigen presentation. Semin Immunol 2015; 27:125-37. [PMID: 25887630 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2015.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The MHC class I antigen presentation pathway enables cells infected with intracellular pathogens to signal the presence of the invader to the immune system. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes are able to eliminate the infected cells through recognition of pathogen-derived peptides presented by MHC class I molecules at the cell surface. In the course of evolution, many viruses have acquired inhibitors that target essential stages of the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway. Studies on these immune evasion proteins reveal fascinating strategies used by viruses to elude the immune system. Viral immunoevasins also constitute great research tools that facilitate functional studies on the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway, allowing the investigation of less well understood routes, such as TAP-independent antigen presentation and cross-presentation of exogenous proteins. Viral immunoevasins have also helped to unravel more general cellular processes. For instance, basic principles of ER-associated protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway have been resolved using virus-induced degradation of MHC class I as a model. This review highlights how viral immunoevasins have increased our understanding of MHC class I-restricted antigen presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rutger D Luteijn
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Emmanuel J H J Wiertz
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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31
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Shen Y, Zhang S, Sun R, Wu T, Qian J. Understanding the interplay between host immunity and Epstein-Barr virus in NPC patients. Emerg Microbes Infect 2015; 4:e20. [PMID: 26038769 PMCID: PMC4395660 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2015.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Revised: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been used as a paradigm for studying host-virus interactions, not only because of its importance as a human oncogenic virus associated with several malignancies including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) but also owing to its sophisticated strategies to subvert the host antiviral responses. An understanding of the interplay between EBV and NPC is critical for the development of EBV-targeted immunotherapy. Here, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the host immune responses and EBV immune evasion mechanisms in the context of NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Shen
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China ; ZJU-UCLA Joint Center for Medical Education and Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Suzhan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China ; ZJU-UCLA Joint Center for Medical Education and Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ren Sun
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China ; ZJU-UCLA Joint Center for Medical Education and Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China ; Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles , Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Tingting Wu
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China ; ZJU-UCLA Joint Center for Medical Education and Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China ; Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles , Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Jing Qian
- ZJU-UCLA Joint Center for Medical Education and Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China ; Research Center of Infection and Immunity, Zhejiang University School of Medicine , Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
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Hatton OL, Harris-Arnold A, Schaffert S, Krams SM, Martinez OM. The interplay between Epstein-Barr virus and B lymphocytes: implications for infection, immunity, and disease. Immunol Res 2015; 58:268-76. [PMID: 24619311 DOI: 10.1007/s12026-014-8496-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Human B cells are the primary targets of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. In most cases, EBV infection is asymptomatic because of a highly effective host immune response, but some individuals develop self-limiting infectious mononucleosis, while others develop EBV-associated lymphoid or epithelial malignancies. The viral and immune factors that determine the outcome of infection are not understood. The EBV life cycle includes a lytic phase, culminating in the production of new viral particles, and a latent phase, during which the virus remains largely silent for the lifetime of the host in memory B cells. Thus, in healthy individuals, there is a tightly orchestrated interplay between EBV and the host that allows the virus to persist. To promote viral persistence, EBV has evolved a variety of strategies to modulate the host immune response including inhibition of immune cell function, blunting of apoptotic pathways, and interfering with antigen processing and presentation pathways. In this article, we focus on mechanisms by which dysregulation of the host B cell and immune modulation by the virus can contribute to development of EBV+ B cell lymphomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia L Hatton
- Program in Immunology and Department of Abdominal Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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Ressing ME, van Gent M, Gram AM, Hooykaas MJG, Piersma SJ, Wiertz EJHJ. Immune Evasion by Epstein-Barr Virus. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2015; 391:355-81. [PMID: 26428381 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-22834-1_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Epstein-Bar virus (EBV) is widespread within the human population with over 90% of adults being infected. In response to primary EBV infection, the host mounts an antiviral immune response comprising both innate and adaptive effector functions. Although the immune system can control EBV infection to a large extent, the virus is not cleared. Instead, EBV establishes a latent infection in B lymphocytes characterized by limited viral gene expression. For the production of new viral progeny, EBV reactivates from these latently infected cells. During the productive phase of infection, a repertoire of over 80 EBV gene products is expressed, presenting a vast number of viral antigens to the primed immune system. In particular the EBV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ memory T lymphocytes can respond within hours, potentially destroying the virus-producing cells before viral replication is completed and viral particles have been released. Preceding the adaptive immune response, potent innate immune mechanisms provide a first line of defense during primary and recurrent infections. In spite of this broad range of antiviral immune effector mechanisms, EBV persists for life and continues to replicate. Studies performed over the past decades have revealed a wide array of viral gene products interfering with both innate and adaptive immunity. These include EBV-encoded proteins as well as small noncoding RNAs with immune-evasive properties. The current review presents an overview of the evasion strategies that are employed by EBV to facilitate immune escape during latency and productive infection. These evasion mechanisms may also compromise the elimination of EBV-transformed cells, and thus contribute to malignancies associated with EBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike E Ressing
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel van Gent
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna M Gram
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein J G Hooykaas
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sytse J Piersma
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Emmanuel J H J Wiertz
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Abstract
Over the last century, the development of effective vaccine approaches to treat a number of viral infections has provided the impetus for the continual development of vaccine platforms for other viral infections, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The clinical manifestations associated with EBV infection occur either following primary infection, such as infectious mononucleosis, or following an extended period of latency, primarily the EBV-associated malignancies and potentially including a number of autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. As a consequence, two independent vaccine approaches are under development to prevent or control EBV-associated diseases. The first approach, which has been widely successful against other viral infections, is aimed at inducing a viral neutralisation antibody response to prevent primary infection. The second approach focuses upon the induction of cell-mediated immunity to control latent infected cells in persistently infected individuals. Early clinical studies have offered some insight into the potential efficacy of both of these approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Smith
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Department of Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia
| | - Rajiv Khanna
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Department of Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia. .,Tumour Immunology Laboratory, Department of Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 300 Herston Rd, Brisbane, 4006, Australia.
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Abstract
Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) plays multiple important roles in EBV latent infection and has also been shown to impact EBV lytic infection. EBNA1 is required for the stable persistence of the EBV genomes in latent infection and activates the expression of other EBV latency genes through interactions with specific DNA sequences in the viral episomes. EBNA1 also interacts with several cellular proteins to modulate the activities of multiple cellular pathways important for viral persistence and cell survival. These cellular effects are also implicated in oncogenesis, suggesting a direct role of EBNA1 in the development of EBV-associated tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Frappier
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
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Tellam JT, Zhong J, Lekieffre L, Bhat P, Martinez M, Croft NP, Kaplan W, Tellam RL, Khanna R. mRNA Structural constraints on EBNA1 synthesis impact on in vivo antigen presentation and early priming of CD8+ T cells. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004423. [PMID: 25299404 PMCID: PMC4192603 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that virally encoded mRNA sequences of genome maintenance proteins from herpesviruses contain clusters of unusual structural elements, G-quadruplexes, which modulate viral protein synthesis. Destabilization of these G-quadruplexes can override the inhibitory effect on self-synthesis of these proteins. Here we show that the purine-rich repetitive mRNA sequence of Epstein-Barr virus encoded nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) comprising G-quadruplex structures, limits both the presentation of MHC class I-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes by CD11c+ dendritic cells in draining lymph nodes and early priming of antigen-specific CD8+ T-cells. Destabilization of the G-quadruplex structures through codon-modification significantly enhanced in vivo antigen presentation and activation of virus-specific T cells. Ex vivo imaging of draining lymph nodes by confocal microscopy revealed enhanced antigen-specific T-cell trafficking and APC-CD8+ T-cell interactions in mice primed with viral vectors encoding a codon-modified EBNA1 protein. More importantly, these antigen-specific T cells displayed enhanced expression of the T-box transcription factor and superior polyfunctionality consistent with the qualitative impact of translation efficiency. These results provide an important insight into how viruses exploit mRNA structure to down regulate synthesis of their viral maintenance proteins and delay priming of antigen-specific T cells, thereby establishing a successful latent infection in vivo. Furthermore, targeting EBNA1 mRNA rather than protein by small molecules or antisense oligonucleotides will enhance EBNA1 synthesis and the early priming of effector T cells, to establish a more rapid immune response and prevent persistent infection. Maintenance proteins of viruses establishing latent infections regulate their synthesis to levels sufficient for maintaining persistent infection but below threshold levels for host immune detection. The Epstein-Barr virus maintenance protein, EBNA1, has recently been shown to contain unusual G-quadruplex structures within its repeat mRNA that reduces its translational efficiency. In this study we assess how modification of the EBNA1 mRNA repeat sequence to destabilize the native G-quadruplex structures and thereby increase translation, impacts on the activation of EBNA1-specific T cells in vivo. Mice primed with viral vectors encoding a more efficiently translated EBNA1 mRNA revealed increased trafficking of EBNA1-specific T cells, an enhanced functional profile and increased expression of transcription factors providing evidence for a potential link between mRNA translational efficiency and antigen presentation in vivo and the resultant impact on the functional programming of effector T cells. These findings suggest a novel approach to therapeutic development through the use of antisense strategies or small molecules targeting EBNA1 mRNA structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy T. Tellam
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail: (JTT); (RK)
| | - Jie Zhong
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lea Lekieffre
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Purnima Bhat
- Medical School, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Michelle Martinez
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nathan P. Croft
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Warren Kaplan
- Peter Wills Bioinformatic Centre, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ross L. Tellam
- CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rajiv Khanna
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development and Tumour Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail: (JTT); (RK)
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37
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Taylor GS, Jia H, Harrington K, Lee LW, Turner J, Ladell K, Price DA, Tanday M, Matthews J, Roberts C, Edwards C, McGuigan L, Hartley A, Wilson S, Hui EP, Chan ATC, Rickinson AB, Steven NM. A recombinant modified vaccinia ankara vaccine encoding Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) target antigens: a phase I trial in UK patients with EBV-positive cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2014; 20:5009-22. [PMID: 25124688 PMCID: PMC4340506 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-14-1122-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with several cancers in which the tumor cells express EBV antigens EBNA1 and LMP2. A therapeutic vaccine comprising a recombinant vaccinia virus, MVA-EL, was designed to boost immunity to these tumor antigens. A phase I trial was conducted to demonstrate the safety and immunogenicity of MVA-EL across a range of doses. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Sixteen patients in the United Kingdom (UK) with EBV-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) received three intradermal vaccinations of MVA-EL at 3-weekly intervals at dose levels between 5 × 10(7) and 5 × 10(8) plaque-forming units (pfu). Blood samples were taken at screening, after each vaccine cycle, and during the post-vaccination period. T-cell responses were measured using IFNγ ELISpot assays with overlapping EBNA1/LMP2 peptide mixes or HLA-matched epitope peptides. Polychromatic flow cytometry was used to characterize functionally responsive T-cell populations. RESULTS Vaccination was generally well tolerated. Immunity increased after vaccination to at least one antigen in 8 of 14 patients (7/14, EBNA1; 6/14, LMP2), including recognition of epitopes that vary between EBV strains associated with different ethnic groups. Immunophenotypic analysis revealed that vaccination induced differentiation and functional diversification of responsive T-cell populations specific for EBNA1 and LMP2 within the CD4 and CD8 compartments, respectively. CONCLUSIONS MVA-EL is safe and immunogenic across diverse ethnicities and thus suitable for use in trials against different EBV-positive cancers globally as well as in South-East Asia where NPC is most common. The highest dose (5 × 10(8) pfu) is recommended for investigation in current phase IB and II trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham S Taylor
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Hui Jia
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Harrington
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research/The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lip Wai Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - James Turner
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Kristin Ladell
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - David A Price
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Manjit Tanday
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jen Matthews
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research/The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia Roberts
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ceri Edwards
- Cancer Research UK Drug Development Office, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lesley McGuigan
- Cancer Research UK Drug Development Office, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Hartley
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Steve Wilson
- Health Protection Agency, West Midlands Public Health Laboratory, Heart of England Foundation Trust, Bordesley Green East, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Edwin P Hui
- Partner State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Anthony T C Chan
- Partner State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Alan B Rickinson
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Neil M Steven
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
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38
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Hutajulu SH, Kurnianda J, Tan IB, Middeldorp JM. Therapeutic implications of Epstein-Barr virus infection for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Ther Clin Risk Manag 2014; 10:721-36. [PMID: 25228810 PMCID: PMC4161530 DOI: 10.2147/tcrm.s47434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is highly endemic in certain regions including the People’s Republic of China and Southeast Asia. Its etiology is unique and multifactorial, involving genetic background, epigenetic, and environment factors, including Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection. The presence of EBV in all tumor cells, aberrant pattern of antibodies against EBV antigens in patient sera, and elevated viral DNA in patient circulation as well as nasopharyngeal site underline the role of EBV during NPC development. In NPC tumors, EBV expresses latency type II, where three EBV-encoded proteins, Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 1, latent membrane protein 1 and 2 (LMP1, 2), are expressed along with BamH1-A rightward reading frame 1, Epstein–Barr virus-encoded small nuclear RNAs, and BamH1-A rightward transcripts. Among all encoded proteins, LMP1 plays a central role in the propagation of NPC. Standard treatment of NPC consists of radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy for early stage, concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced tumors, and palliative systemic chemotherapy in metastatic disease. However, this standard care has limitations, allowing recurrences and disease progression in a certain proportion of cases. Although the pathophysiological link and molecular process of EBV-induced oncogenesis are not fully understood, therapeutic approaches targeting the virus may increase the cure rate and add clinical benefit. The promising results of early phase clinical trials on EBV-specific immunotherapy, epigenetic therapy, and treatment with viral lytic induction offer new options for treating NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Hilda Hutajulu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito General Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Johan Kurnianda
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito General Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - I Bing Tan
- Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, The Netherlands Cancer Institute/Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito General Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Jaap M Middeldorp
- Department of Pathology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Murat P, Zhong J, Lekieffre L, Cowieson NP, Clancy JL, Preiss T, Balasubramanian S, Khanna R, Tellam J. G-quadruplexes regulate Epstein-Barr virus-encoded nuclear antigen 1 mRNA translation. Nat Chem Biol 2014; 10:358-64. [PMID: 24633353 PMCID: PMC4188979 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.1479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Viruses that establish latent infections have evolved unique mechanisms to avoid host immune recognition. Maintenance proteins of these viruses regulate their synthesis to levels sufficient for maintaining persistent infection but below threshold levels for host immune detection. The mechanisms governing this finely tuned regulation of viral latency are unknown. Here we show that mRNAs encoding gammaherpesviral maintenance proteins contain within their open reading frames clusters of unusual structural elements, G-quadruplexes, which are responsible for the cis-acting regulation of viral mRNA translation. By studying the Epstein-Barr virus-encoded nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) mRNA, we demonstrate that destabilization of G-quadruplexes using antisense oligonucleotides increases EBNA1 mRNA translation. In contrast, pretreatment with a G-quadruplex-stabilizing small molecule, pyridostatin, decreases EBNA1 synthesis, highlighting the importance of G-quadruplexes within virally encoded transcripts as unique regulatory signals for translational control and immune evasion. Furthermore, these findings suggest alternative therapeutic strategies focused on targeting RNA structure within viral ORFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Murat
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jie Zhong
- Tumour Immunology, Department of Immunology, Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lea Lekieffre
- Tumour Immunology, Department of Immunology, Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nathan P Cowieson
- Centre for Synchrotron Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Clancy
- Genome Biology Department, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Thomas Preiss
- Genome Biology Department, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Shankar Balasubramanian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Institute, Cancer Research UK, Li Ka Shing Center, Cambridge, UK
- School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rajiv Khanna
- Tumour Immunology, Department of Immunology, Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Judy Tellam
- Tumour Immunology, Department of Immunology, Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- QIMR Centre for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Development, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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40
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Adenovirus-based vaccines against rhesus lymphocryptovirus EBNA-1 induce expansion of specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in persistently infected rhesus macaques. J Virol 2014; 88:4721-35. [PMID: 24522914 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.03744-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The impact of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) on human health is substantial, but vaccines that prevent primary EBV infections or treat EBV-associated diseases are not yet available. The Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) is an important target for vaccination because it is the only protein expressed in all EBV-associated malignancies. We have designed and tested two therapeutic EBV vaccines that target the rhesus (rh) lymphocryptovirus (LCV) EBNA-1 to determine if ongoing T cell responses during persistent rhLCV infection in rhesus macaques can be expanded upon vaccination. Vaccines were based on two serotypes of E1-deleted simian adenovirus and were administered in a prime-boost regimen. To further modulate the response, rhEBNA-1 was fused to herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D (HSV-gD), which acts to block an inhibitory signaling pathway during T cell activation. We found that vaccines expressing rhEBNA-1 with or without functional HSV-gD led to expansion of rhEBNA-1-specific CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cells in 33% and 83% of the vaccinated animals, respectively. Additional animals developed significant changes within T cell subsets without changes in total numbers. Vaccination did not increase T cell responses to rhBZLF-1, an immediate early lytic phase antigen of rhLCV, thus indicating that increases of rhEBNA-1-specific responses were a direct result of vaccination. Vaccine-induced rhEBNA-1-specific T cells were highly functional and produced various combinations of cytokines as well as the cytolytic molecule granzyme B. These results serve as an important proof of principle that functional EBNA-1-specific T cells can be expanded by vaccination. IMPORTANCE EBV is a common human pathogen that establishes a persistent infection through latency in B cells, where it occasionally reactivates. EBV infection is typically benign and is well controlled by the host adaptive immune system; however, it is considered carcinogenic due to its strong association with lymphoid and epithelial cell malignancies. Latent EBNA-1 is a promising target for a therapeutic vaccine, as it is the only antigen expressed in all EBV-associated malignancies. The goal was to determine if rhEBNA-1-specific T cells could be expanded upon vaccination of infected animals. Results were obtained with vaccines that target EBNA-1 of rhLCV, a virus closely related to EBV. We found that vaccination led to expansion of rhEBNA-1 immune cells that exhibited functions fit for controlling viral infection. This confirms that rhEBNA-1 is a suitable target for therapeutic vaccines. Future work should aim to generate more-robust T cell responses through modified vaccines.
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41
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Expression, purification, and immunogenic characterization of Epstein-Barr virus recombinant EBNA1 protein in Pichia pastoris. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2013; 97:6251-62. [PMID: 23685476 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-013-4967-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2013] [Revised: 04/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/29/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human herpesvirus associated with the development of both lymphoid and epithelial tumors. EBNA1 is the only viral protein expressed in all EBV-associated malignancies and plays important roles in EBV latency. Thus, EBNA1 is thought to be a promising antigen for immunotherapy of all EBV-associated malignancies. This study was undertaken to produce recombinant EBNA1 protein in Pichia pastoris and evaluate its immunogenicity. The truncated EBNA1 (E1ΔGA, codons 390-641) was expressed as a secretory protein with an N-terminal histidine tag in the methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The purified proteins were then used as antigens to immunize BALB/c mice for production of polyclonal antibodies. Western blot analysis showed that the polyclonal antibodies specifically recognized the EBNA1 protein in B95-8 cell lysates. The recombinant E1ΔGA also induced strong lymphoproliferative and Th1 cytokine responses in mice. Furthermore, mice immunized with E1ΔGA developed CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. These findings showed that the yeast-expressed E1ΔGA retained good immunogenicity and might be a promising vaccine candidate against EBV-associated malignancies.
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42
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Hui EP, Taylor GS, Jia H, Ma BBY, Chan SL, Ho R, Wong WL, Wilson S, Johnson BF, Edwards C, Stocken DD, Rickinson AB, Steven NM, Chan ATC. Phase I trial of recombinant modified vaccinia ankara encoding Epstein-Barr viral tumor antigens in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Cancer Res 2013; 73:1676-88. [PMID: 23348421 PMCID: PMC6485495 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-12-2448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with several malignancies including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a high incidence tumor in Chinese populations, in which tumor cells express the two EBV antigens EB nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) and latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2). Here, we report the phase I trial of a recombinant vaccinia virus, MVA-EL, which encodes an EBNA1/LMP2 fusion protein designed to boost T-cell immunity to these antigens. The vaccine was delivered to Hong Kong patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma to determine a safe and immunogenic dose. The patients, all in remission more than 12 weeks after primary therapy, received three intradermal MVA-EL vaccinations at three weekly intervals, using five escalating dose levels between 5 × 10(7) and 5 × 10(8) plaque-forming unit (pfu). Blood samples were taken during prescreening, immediately before vaccination, one week afterward and at intervals up to one year later. Immunogenicity was tested by IFN-γ ELIspot assays using complete EBNA1 and LMP2 15-mer peptide mixes and known epitope peptides relevant to patient MHC type. Eighteen patients were treated, three per dose level one to four and six at the highest dose, without dose-limiting toxicity. T-cell responses to one or both vaccine antigens were increased in 15 of 18 patients and, in many cases, were mapped to known CD4 and CD8 epitopes in EBNA1 and/or LMP2. The range of these responses suggested a direct relationship with vaccine dose, with all six patients at the highest dose level giving strong EBNA1/LMP2 responses. We concluded that MVA-EL is both safe and immunogenic, allowing the highest dose to be forwarded to phase II studies examining clinical benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin P Hui
- State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Graham S Taylor
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TA, United Kingdom
| | - Hui Jia
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TA, United Kingdom
| | - Brigette BY Ma
- State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Stephen L Chan
- State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Rosalie Ho
- State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - WL Wong
- State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Steven Wilson
- Health Protection Agency, West Midlands Public Health Laboratory, Heart of England Foundation Trust, Bordesley Green East, Birmingham, B9 5SS, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ceri Edwards
- Cancer Research UK Drug Development Office, London, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah D Stocken
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TA, United Kingdom
| | - Alan B Rickinson
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TA, United Kingdom
| | - Neil M Steven
- Cancer Research UK Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TA, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony TC Chan
- State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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43
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Smith C, Khanna R. Immune regulation of human herpesviruses and its implications for human transplantation. Am J Transplant 2013; 13 Suppl 3:9-23; quiz 23. [PMID: 23347211 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.12005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Revised: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 07/16/2012] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Human herpesviruses including cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, HHV6, HHV7, HHV8, Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and HSV-2 and varicella zoster virus (VZV) have developed an intricate relationship with the human immune system. This is characterized by the interplay between viral immune evasion mechanisms that promote the establishment of a lifelong persistent infection and the induction of a broad humoral and cellular immune response, which prevents the establishment of viral disease. Understanding the immune parameters that control herpesvirus infection, and the strategies the viruses use to evade immune recognition, has been critical in understanding why immunological dysfunction in transplant patients can lead to disease, and in the development of immunological strategies to prevent and control herpesvirus associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Smith
- Australian Centre for Vaccine Development, Tumour Immunology Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia
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44
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Epstein-Barr virus vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-1-4557-0090-5.00050-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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45
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Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Immunotherapy: Current Strategies and Perspectives. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-5947-7_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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46
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Tellam JT, Lekieffre L, Zhong J, Lynn DJ, Khanna R. Messenger RNA sequence rather than protein sequence determines the level of self-synthesis and antigen presentation of the EBV-encoded antigen, EBNA1. PLoS Pathog 2012; 8:e1003112. [PMID: 23300450 PMCID: PMC3531512 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 11/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Unique purine-rich mRNA sequences embedded in the coding sequences of a distinct group of gammaherpesvirus maintenance proteins underlie the ability of the latently infected cell to minimize immune recognition. The Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen, EBNA1, a well characterized lymphocryptovirus maintenance protein has been shown to inhibit in cis antigen presentation, due in part to a large internal repeat domain encoding glycine and alanine residues (GAr) encoded by a purine-rich mRNA sequence. Recent studies have suggested that it is the purine-rich mRNA sequence of this repeat region rather than the encoded GAr polypeptide that directly inhibits EBNA1 self-synthesis and contributes to immune evasion. To test this hypothesis, we generated a series of EBNA1 internal repeat frameshift constructs and assessed their effects on cis-translation and endogenous antigen presentation. Diverse peptide sequences resulting from alternative repeat reading frames did not alleviate the translational inhibition characteristic of EBNA1 self-synthesis or the ensuing reduced surface presentation of EBNA1-specific peptide-MHC class I complexes. Human cells expressing the EBNA1 frameshift variants were also poorly recognized by antigen-specific T-cells. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the mRNA sequences of the corresponding repeat regions of different viral maintenance homologues highlights the high degree of identity between the nucleotide sequences despite very little homology in the encoded amino acid sequences. Based on these combined observations, we propose that the cis-translational inhibitory effect of the EBNA1 internal repeat sequence operates mechanistically at the nucleotide level, potentially through RNA secondary structural elements, and is unlikely to be mediated through the GAr polypeptide. The demonstration that the EBNA1 repeat mRNA sequence and not the encoded protein sequence underlies immune evasion in this class of virus suggests a novel approach to therapeutic development through the use of anti-sense strategies or small molecules targeting EBNA1 mRNA structure. Viruses establishing persistent latent infections have evolved various mechanisms to avoid immune surveillance. The Epstein-Barr virus-encoded nuclear antigen, EBNA1, expressed in all EBV-associated malignancies, modulates its own protein levels at quantities sufficient to maintain viral infection but low enough so as to minimize an immune response by the infected host cell. This evasion mechanism is regulated through an internal purine-rich mRNA repeat sequence encoding glycine and alanine residues. In this study we assess the impact of the repeat's nucleotide versus peptide sequence on inhibiting EBNA1 self-synthesis and antigen presentation. We demonstrate that altered peptide sequences resulting from frameshift mutations within the repeat do not alleviate the immune-evasive function of EBNA1, suggesting that the repetitive purine-rich mRNA sequence itself is responsible for inhibiting EBNA1 synthesis and subsequent poor immunogenicity. Our comparative analysis of the mRNA sequences of the corresponding repeat regions of different gammaherpesvirus maintenance homologues to EBNA1 highlights the high degree of identity between the nucleotide sequences despite very little homology in the encoded amino acid sequences. These studies demonstrate the importance of gammaherpesvirus purine-rich mRNA repeat sequences on antigenic epitope generation and evasion from T-cell mediated immune control, suggesting novel approaches to prevention and treatment of latent infection by this class of virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy T Tellam
- Tumour Immunology, Department of Immunology, Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre and Australian Centre for Vaccine Development, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
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47
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Williams LR, Taylor GS. Autophagy and immunity - insights from human herpesviruses. Front Immunol 2012; 3:170. [PMID: 22783253 PMCID: PMC3389338 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2012.00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2012] [Accepted: 06/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The herpesviruses are a family of double-stranded DNA viruses that infect a wide variety of organisms. Having co-evolved with their hosts over millennia, herpesviruses have developed a large repertoire of mechanisms to manipulate normal cellular processes for their own benefit. Consequently, studies on these viruses have made important contributions to our understanding of fundamental biological processes. Here we describe recent research on the human herpesviruses that has contributed to our understanding of, and interactions between, viruses, autophagy, and the immune system. The ability of autophagy to degrade proteins located within the nucleus, the site of herpesvirus latency and replication, is also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke R Williams
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Vincent Drive, Birmingham, UK
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48
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Thomas S, Herr W. Natural and adoptive T-cell immunity against herpes family viruses after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Immunotherapy 2012; 3:771-88. [PMID: 21668314 DOI: 10.2217/imt.11.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactivated infections with herpes family-related cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus and varicella zoster virus are serious and sometimes life-threatening complications for patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The pathogenesis of these infections critically involves the slow and inefficient recovery of antiviral T-cell immunity after transplantation. Although efficient drugs to decrease viral load during this vulnerable period have been developed, long-term control of herpes viruses and protection from associated diseases require the sufficient reconstitution of virus-specific memory T cells. To heal the deficiency by immunotherapeutic means, numerous research groups have developed antiviral vaccines and strategies based on the adoptive transfer of virus-specific T cells. This article summarizes the substantial progress made in this field during the past two decades and gives future perspectives about challenges that need to be addressed before antigen-specific immunotherapy against herpes family viruses can be implemented in general clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Thomas
- Third Department of Medicine, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55101 Mainz, Germany.
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49
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Frappier L. The Epstein-Barr Virus EBNA1 Protein. SCIENTIFICA 2012; 2012:438204. [PMID: 24278697 PMCID: PMC3820569 DOI: 10.6064/2012/438204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2012] [Accepted: 11/28/2012] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a widespread human herpes virus that immortalizes cells as part of its latent infection and is a causative agent in the development of several types of lymphomas and carcinomas. Replication and stable persistence of the EBV genomes in latent infection require the viral EBNA1 protein, which binds specific DNA sequences in the viral DNA. While the roles of EBNA1 were initially thought to be limited to effects on the viral genomes, more recently EBNA1 has been found to have multiple effects on cellular proteins and pathways that may also be important for viral persistence. In addition, a role for EBNA1 in lytic infection has been recently identified. The multiple roles of EBNA1 in EBV infection are the subject of this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Frappier
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8
- *Lori Frappier:
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50
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Taylor GS, Blackbourn DJ. Infectious agents in human cancers: lessons in immunity and immunomodulation from gammaherpesviruses EBV and KSHV. Cancer Lett 2011; 305:263-78. [PMID: 21470769 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2010.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2010] [Revised: 07/23/2010] [Accepted: 08/22/2010] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Members of the herpesvirus family have evolved the ability to persist in their hosts by establishing a reservoir of latently infected cells each carrying the viral genome with reduced levels of viral protein synthesis. In order to spread within and between hosts, in some cells, the quiescent virus will reactivate and enter lytic cycle replication to generate and release new infectious virus particles. To allow the efficient generation of progeny viruses, all herpesviruses have evolved a wide variety of immunomodulatory mechanisms to limit the exposure of cells undergoing lytic cycle replication to the immune system. Here we have focused on the human gammaherpesviruses Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) that, uniquely among the eight human herpesviruses identified to date, have growth transforming potential. Most people infected with these viruses will not develop cancer, viral growth-transforming activity being kept under control by the host's antigen-specific immune responses. Nonetheless, EBV and KSHV are associated with several malignancies in which various viral proteins, either predominantly or exclusively latency-associated, are expressed; at least some of these proteins also have immunomodulatory activities. Of these malignancies, some are the result of a disrupted virus/immune balance through genetic, infectious or iatrogenic immune suppression. Others develop in people that are not overtly immune suppressed and likely modulate the immunological response. This latter aspect of immune modulation by EBV and KSHV forms the basis of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham S Taylor
- CR UK Cancer Centre, School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Vincent Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
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