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Song L, Wang Q, Wen Y, Tan R, Cui Y, Xiong D, Jiao X, Pan Z. Enhanced immunogenicity elicited by a novel DNA vaccine encoding the SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein fused to the optimized flagellin of Salmonella typhimurium in mice. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0254923. [PMID: 37909745 PMCID: PMC10714832 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02549-23] [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: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The development of safe and effective vaccines is needed to control the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Synthetic DNA vaccines represent a promising platform in response to such outbreaks. Here, DNA vaccine candidates were developed using an optimized antibiotic-resistance gene-free asd-pVAX1 vector. An optimized flagellin (FliC) adjuvant was designed by fusion expression to increase the immunogenicity of the S1 antigen. S1 and S1-FliCΔD2D3 proteins were strongly expressed in mammalian cells. The FliCΔD2D3-adjuvanted DNA vaccine induced Th1/Th2-mixed immune responses and high titers of neutralizing antibodies. This study provides crucial information regarding the selection of a safer DNA vector and adjuvant for vaccine development. Our FliCΔD2D3-adjuvanted S1 DNA vaccine is more potent at inducing both humoral and cellular immune responses than S1 alone. This finding provides a new idea for the development of novel DNA vaccines against COVID-19 and could be further applied for the development of other vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Song
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiaoju Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yaya Wen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruimeng Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yaodan Cui
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dan Xiong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinan Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiming Pan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Trempe F, Rossotti MA, Maqbool T, MacKenzie CR, Arbabi-Ghahroudi M. Llama DNA Immunization and Isolation of Functional Single-Domain Antibody Binders. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2446:37-70. [PMID: 35157268 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2075-5_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genetic immunization is a simple, cost-effective, and powerful tool for inducing innate and adaptive immune responses to combat infectious diseases and difficult-to-treat illnesses. DNA immunization is increasingly used in the generation of monoclonal antibodies against targets for which pure proteins are unavailable or are difficult to express and purify (e.g., ion channels and receptors, transmembrane proteins, and emerging infectious pathogens). Genetic immunization has been successfully utilized in small inbred laboratory animals (mostly rodents); however, low immunogenicity of DNA/RNA injected into large mammals, including humans, is still a major challenge. Here, we provide a method for the genetic immunization of llamas, using a combination of biolistic transfection with a gene gun and intradermal injection with a DERMOJET® device, to elicit heavy-chain IgG responses against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We show the technique can be used to generate single-domain antibodies (VHHs) with nanomolar affinities to EGFR. We provide methods for gene gun bullet preparation, llama immunization, serology, phage-display library construction and panning, and VHH characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Trempe
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Martin A Rossotti
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - C Roger MacKenzie
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mehdi Arbabi-Ghahroudi
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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Li Y, Bi Y, Xiao H, Yao Y, Liu X, Hu Z, Duan J, Yang Y, Li Z, Li Y, Zhang H, Ding C, Yang J, Li H, He Z, Liu L, Hu G, Liu S, Che Y, Wang S, Li Q, Lu S, Cun W. A novel DNA and protein combination COVID-19 vaccine formulation provides full protection against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:342-355. [PMID: 33555988 PMCID: PMC7928010 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1887767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The current study aims to develop a safe and highly immunogenic COVID-19 vaccine. The novel combination of a DNA vaccine encoding the full-length Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 and a recombinant S1 protein vaccine induced high level neutralizing antibody and T cell immune responses in both small and large animal models. More significantly, the co-delivery of DNA and protein components at the same time elicited full protection against intratracheal challenge of SARS-CoV-2 viruses in immunized rhesus macaques. As both DNA and protein vaccines have been proven safe in previous human studies, and DNA vaccines are capable of eliciting germinal center B cell development, which is critical for high-affinity memory B cell responses, the DNA and protein co-delivery vaccine approach has great potential to serve as a safe and effective approach to develop COVID-19 vaccines that provide long-term protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhong Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanwei Bi
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongjian Xiao
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yueting Yao
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaojuan Liu
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengrong Hu
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinmei Duan
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yaoyun Yang
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhihua Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yadong Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chen Ding
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianbo Yang
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haiwei Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhanlong He
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Longding Liu
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guangnan Hu
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Yanchun Che
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shixia Wang
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Qihan Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shan Lu
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Wei Cun
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
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4
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Chen Y, Zhu L, Huang W, Tong X, Wu H, Tao Y, Tong B, Huang H, Chen J, Zhao X, Lou Y, Wu C. Potent RBD-specific neutralizing rabbit monoclonal antibodies recognize emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants elicited by DNA prime-protein boost vaccination. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:1390-1403. [PMID: 34120577 PMCID: PMC8274519 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1942227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Global concerns arose as the emerged and rapidly spreading SARS-CoV-2 variants might escape host immunity induced by vaccination. In this study, a heterologous prime-boost immunization strategy for COVID-19 was designed to prime with a DNA vaccine encoding wild type (WT) spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) followed by S1 protein-based vaccine in rabbits. Four vaccine-elicited rabbit monoclonal antibodies (RmAbs), including 1H1, 9H1, 7G5, and 5E1, were isolated for biophysical property, neutralization potency and sequence analysis. All RmAbs recognized RBD or S1 protein with KD in the low nM or sub nM range. 1H1 and 9H1, but neither 7G5 nor 5E1, can bind to all RBD protein variants derived from B.1.351. All four RmAbs were able to neutralize wild type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 strain in pseudovirus assay, and 1H1 and 9H1 could neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 WT authentic virus with IC50 values of 0.136 and 0.026 μg/mL, respectively. Notably, 1H1 was able to neutralize all 6 emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants tested including D614G, B.1.1.7, B.1.429, P.1, B.1.526, and B.1.351 variants, and 5E1 could neutralize against the above 5 variants except P.1. Epitope binning analysis revealed that 9H1, 5E1 and 1H1 recognized distinct epitopes, while 9H1 and 7G5 may have overlapping but not identical epitope. In conclusion, DNA priming protein boost vaccination was an effective strategy to induce RmAbs with potent neutralization capability against not only SARS-CoV-2 WT strain but also emergent variants, which may provide a new avenue for effective therapeutics and point-of-care diagnostic measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liguo Zhu
- Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weijin Huang
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex-Transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institute for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Tong
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hai Wu
- Yurogen Biosystem LLC, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Yue Tao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bei Tong
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | | | | | - Xiangan Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Lou
- Yurogen Biosystem LLC, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
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