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Tabll AA, Sohrab SS, Ali AA, Petrovic A, Steiner Srdarevic S, Siber S, Glasnovic M, Smolic R, Smolic M. Future Prospects, Approaches, and the Government's Role in the Development of a Hepatitis C Virus Vaccine. Pathogens 2023; 13:38. [PMID: 38251345 PMCID: PMC10820710 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Developing a safe and effective vaccine against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a top priority for global health. Despite recent advances in antiviral therapies, the high cost and limited accessibility of these treatments impede their widespread application, particularly in resource-limited settings. Therefore, the development of the HCV vaccine remains a necessity. This review article analyzes the current technologies, future prospects, strategies, HCV genomic targets, and the governmental role in HCV vaccine development. We discuss the current epidemiological landscape of HCV infection and the potential of HCV structural and non-structural protein antigens as vaccine targets. In addition, the involvement of government agencies and policymakers in supporting and facilitating the development of HCV vaccines is emphasized. We explore how vaccine development regulatory channels and frameworks affect research goals, funding, and public health policy. The significance of international and public-private partnerships in accelerating the development of an HCV vaccine is examined. Finally, the future directions for developing an HCV vaccine are discussed. In conclusion, the review highlights the urgent need for a preventive vaccine to fight the global HCV disease and the significance of collaborative efforts between scientists, politicians, and public health organizations to reach this important public health goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf A. Tabll
- Microbial Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo 12622, Egypt
- Egypt Centre for Research and Regenerative Medicine (ECRRM), Cairo 11517, Egypt
| | - Sayed S. Sohrab
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed A. Ali
- Molecular Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo 12622, Egypt;
| | - Ana Petrovic
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (A.P.); (S.S.S.); (S.S.); (M.G.); (R.S.)
| | - Sabina Steiner Srdarevic
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (A.P.); (S.S.S.); (S.S.); (M.G.); (R.S.)
| | - Stjepan Siber
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (A.P.); (S.S.S.); (S.S.); (M.G.); (R.S.)
| | - Marija Glasnovic
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (A.P.); (S.S.S.); (S.S.); (M.G.); (R.S.)
| | - Robert Smolic
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (A.P.); (S.S.S.); (S.S.); (M.G.); (R.S.)
| | - Martina Smolic
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (A.P.); (S.S.S.); (S.S.); (M.G.); (R.S.)
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Martín-Escolano R, Vidal-Alcántara EJ, Crespo J, Ryan P, Real LM, Lazo-Álvarez JI, Cabezas-González J, Macías J, Arias-Loste MT, Cuevas G, Virseda-Berdices A, Briz V, Resino S, Jiménez-Sousa MÁ, Fernández-Rodríguez A. Immunological and senescence biomarker profiles in patients after spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus: gender implications for long-term health risk. Immun Ageing 2023; 20:62. [PMID: 37978401 PMCID: PMC10655350 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-023-00387-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND About 25% of patients with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection show spontaneous clearance within the first six months of infection but may remain at risk of inflammaging, aging, and liver and non-liver disease complications. This study evaluated the differences in the plasma levels of immune checkpoints (ICs) and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) biomarkers between patients who had spontaneously eliminated HCV infection (SC group) and individuals without evidence of HCV infection (C group). METHODS We performed a multicenter retrospective study of 56 individuals: 32 in the SC and 24 in the C groups. ICs and SASP proteins were analyzed using a Luminex 200TM analyzer. The statistical analysis used Generalized Linear Models with gamma distribution (log-link) adjusted by significant variables and sex. RESULTS 13 ICs (BTLA, CD137(4-1BB), CD27, CD28, CD80, GITR, HVEM, IDO, LAG-3, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, and TIM-3) and 13 SASP proteins (EGF, Eotaxin, IL-1alpha, IL-1RA, IL-8, IL-13, IL-18, IP-10, SDF-1alpha, HGF, beta-NGF, PLGF-1, and SCF) were significantly higher in SC group after approximately more than two years of HCV clearance. After stratifying by sex, differences remained significant for males, which showed higher levels for 13 ICs and 4 SASP proteins in SC. While only PD-L2 was significantly higher in SC women, and no differences in SASP were found. CONCLUSIONS Higher plasma levels of different IC and SASP proteins were found in individuals after more than two years of HCV clearance, mainly in men. Alterations in these molecules might be associated with an increased risk of developing liver and non-hepatic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda- Pozuelo, Km 2.2, Madrid, Majadahonda, 28220, Spain
| | - Erick Joan Vidal-Alcántara
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda- Pozuelo, Km 2.2, Madrid, Majadahonda, 28220, Spain
| | - Javier Crespo
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Clinical and Traslational Research in Digestive Diseases, Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Santander, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Ryan
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Real
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen de Valme Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Juan Ignacio Lazo-Álvarez
- Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Cabezas-González
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Clinical and Traslational Research in Digestive Diseases, Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Santander, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Macías
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen de Valme Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - María Teresa Arias-Loste
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Clinical and Traslational Research in Digestive Diseases, Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Santander, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Cuevas
- Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Virseda-Berdices
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda- Pozuelo, Km 2.2, Madrid, Majadahonda, 28220, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Veronica Briz
- Laboratory of Reference and Research On Viral Hepatitis, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Salvador Resino
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda- Pozuelo, Km 2.2, Madrid, Majadahonda, 28220, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Jiménez-Sousa
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda- Pozuelo, Km 2.2, Madrid, Majadahonda, 28220, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Amanda Fernández-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Campus Majadahonda), Carretera Majadahonda- Pozuelo, Km 2.2, Madrid, Majadahonda, 28220, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
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