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In Silico Studies to Support Vaccine Development. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15020654. [PMID: 36839975 PMCID: PMC9963741 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The progress that has been made in computer science positioned in silico studies as an important and well-recognized methodology in the drug discovery and development process. It has numerous advantages in terms of costs and also plays a huge impact on the way the research is conducted since it can limit the use of animal models leading to more sustainable research. Currently, human trials are already being partly replaced by in silico trials. EMA and FDA are both endorsing these studies and have been providing webinars and guidance to support them. For instance, PBPK modeling studies are being used to gather data on drug interactions with other drugs and are also being used to support clinical and regulatory requirements for the pediatric population, pregnant women, and personalized medicine. This trend evokes the need to understand the role of in silico studies in vaccines, considering the importance that these products achieved during the pandemic and their promising hope in oncology. Vaccines are safer than other current oncology treatments. There is a huge variety of strategies for developing a cancer vaccine, and some of the points that should be considered when designing the vaccine technology are the following: delivery platforms (peptides, lipid-based carriers, polymers, dendritic cells, viral vectors, etc.), adjuvants (to boost and promote inflammation at the delivery site, facilitating immune cell recruitment and activation), choice of the targeted antigen, the timing of vaccination, the manipulation of the tumor environment, and the combination with other treatments that might cause additive or even synergistic anti-tumor effects. These and many other points should be put together to outline the best vaccine design. The aim of this article is to perform a review and comprehensive analysis of the role of in silico studies to support the development of and design of vaccines in the field of oncology and infectious diseases. The authors intend to perform a literature review of all the studies that have been conducted so far in preparing in silico models and methods to support the development of vaccines. From this point, it was possible to conclude that there are few in silico studies on vaccines. Despite this, an overview of how the existing work could support the design of vaccines is described.
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2
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Plotkin SA. Recent updates on correlates of vaccine-induced protection. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1081107. [PMID: 36776392 PMCID: PMC9912984 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1081107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Correlates of protection are key for vaccine development against any pathogen. In this paper we summarize recent information about correlates for vaccines against dengue, Ebola, influenza, pneumococcal, respiratory syncytial virus, rotavirus, shigella, tuberculosis and Zika virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanley A. Plotkin
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Consultant, Doylestown, PA, United States,*Correspondence: Stanley A. Plotkin,
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3
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Chan KF, Chen Z, Wen Y, Xu T. COVID-19 vaccines and global stock markets. FINANCE RESEARCH LETTERS 2022; 47:102774. [PMID: 35283695 DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3785533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Global stock markets react positively when different phases of human clinical trials on COVID-19 vaccines begin. The average abnormal stock return on the first day of the trials is both statistically and economically significant at 8.08 basis points. The increase in the average abnormal stock return is threefold higher for leading vaccine candidates. The positive reaction is more pronounced upon the start of phase III trials, and it is also stronger for vaccine candidates developed by the U.S. and China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kam Fong Chan
- UWA Business School, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Zhuo Chen
- PBC School of Finance, Tsinghua University, 43 Chengfu Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yuanji Wen
- UWA Business School, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Tong Xu
- Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
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4
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Regulatory Harmonization and Streamlining of Clinical Trial Applications globally should lead to faster clinical development and earlier access to life-saving vaccines. Vaccine 2021; 39:790-796. [PMID: 33422378 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.11.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Vaccines continue to play a central role in our ability to prevent disease, save lives, and improve health. The scientific community, including our own researchers, are driven by a shared purpose to improve vaccine technologies and bring the benefits of immunization to everyone, regardless of where they live - as soon as possible, especially when the medical need is considerable. Vaccine developers and manufacturers (sometimes referred to as "study sponsors" or "applicants") are exploring technological advancements to translate breakthrough discoveries into novel vaccines which have the potential to provide protection from life-threatening and debilitating infectious diseases. Developing new vaccines is a lengthy process regulated by guidance provided by independent organizations, National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) and the World Health Organization. As most infectious diseases can span a considerable area of the world, clinical trials are often conducted across different countries and regions. Regulatory requirements for clinical trials (both Chemistry Manufacturing & Controls - CMC, nonclinical and clinical) vary significantly between the different countries and regions adding to the complexity of vaccine development and leading to significant delays in the development of novel vaccines and ultimately equitable access for populations to these innovations. Without progress in terms of regulatory convergence and harmonization the benefits from these scientific advancements will not be fully realized. There is an urgent need by global bodies such as WHO to partner with and the NRAs to establish and implement.
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Ng'uni T, Chasara C, Ndhlovu ZM. Major Scientific Hurdles in HIV Vaccine Development: Historical Perspective and Future Directions. Front Immunol 2020; 11:590780. [PMID: 33193428 PMCID: PMC7655734 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.590780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the discovery of HIV as a causative agent of AIDS, the expectation was to rapidly develop a vaccine; but thirty years later, we still do not have a licensed vaccine. Progress has been hindered by the extensive genetic variability of HIV and our limited understanding of immune responses required to protect against HIV acquisition. Nonetheless, valuable knowledge accrued from numerous basic and translational science research studies and vaccine trials has provided insight into the structural biology of the virus, immunogen design and novel vaccine delivery systems that will likely constitute an effective vaccine. Furthermore, stakeholders now appreciate the daunting scientific challenges of developing an effective HIV vaccine, hence the increased advocacy for collaborative efforts among academic research scientists, governments, pharmaceutical industry, philanthropy, and regulatory entities. In this review, we highlight the history of HIV vaccine development efforts, highlighting major challenges and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiza Ng'uni
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV (K-RITH), Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Caroline Chasara
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV (K-RITH), Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Zaza M Ndhlovu
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV (K-RITH), Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.,Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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6
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Soni D, Van Haren SD, Idoko OT, Evans JT, Diray-Arce J, Dowling DJ, Levy O. Towards Precision Vaccines: Lessons From the Second International Precision Vaccines Conference. Front Immunol 2020; 11:590373. [PMID: 33178222 PMCID: PMC7593811 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.590373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Other than clean drinking water, vaccines have been the most effective public health intervention in human history, yet their full potential is still untapped. To date, vaccine development has been largely limited to empirical approaches focused on infectious diseases and has targeted entire populations, potentially disregarding distinct immunity in vulnerable populations such as infants, elders, and the immunocompromised. Over the past few decades innovations in genetic engineering, adjuvant discovery, formulation science, and systems biology have fueled rapid advances in vaccine research poised to consider demographic factors (e.g., age, sex, genetics, and epigenetics) in vaccine discovery and development. Current efforts are focused on leveraging novel approaches to vaccine discovery and development to optimize vaccinal antigen and, as needed, adjuvant systems to enhance vaccine immunogenicity while maintaining safety. These approaches are ushering in an era of precision vaccinology aimed at tailoring immunization for vulnerable populations with distinct immunity. To foster collaboration among leading vaccinologists, government, policy makers, industry partners, and funders from around the world, the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children's Hospital hosted the 2nd International Precision Vaccines Conference (IPVC) at Harvard Medical School on the 17th-18th October 2019. The conference convened experts in vaccinology, including vaccine formulation and adjuvantation, immunology, cell signaling, systems biology, biostatistics, bioinformatics, as well as vaccines for non-infectious indications such as cancer and opioid use disorder. Herein we review highlights from the 2nd IPVC and discuss key concepts in the field of precision vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dheeraj Soni
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Simon D. Van Haren
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Olubukola T. Idoko
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Vaccine Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jay T. Evans
- Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States
| | - Joann Diray-Arce
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - David J. Dowling
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ofer Levy
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
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7
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Campuzano A, Zhang H, Ostroff GR, Dos Santos Dias L, Wüthrich M, Klein BS, Yu JJ, Lara HH, Lopez-Ribot JL, Hung CY. CARD9-Associated Dectin-1 and Dectin-2 Are Required for Protective Immunity of a Multivalent Vaccine against Coccidioides posadasii Infection. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2020; 204:3296-3306. [PMID: 32358020 PMCID: PMC7323849 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Coccidioides species are fungal pathogens that can cause a widely varied clinical manifestation from mild pulmonary symptom to disseminated, life-threatening disease. We have previously created a subunit vaccine by encapsulating a recombinant coccidioidal Ag (rCpa1) in glucan-chitin particles (GCPs) as an adjuvant-delivery system. The GCP-rCpa1 vaccine has shown to elicit a mixed Th1 and Th17 response and confers protection against pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in mice. In this study, we further delineated the vaccine-induced protective mechanisms. Depletion of IL-17A in vaccinated C57BL/6 mice prior to challenge abrogated the protective efficacy of GCP-rCpa1 vaccine. Global transcriptome and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of murine bone marrow-derived macrophages after exposure to this vaccine revealed the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) that are associated with activation of C-type lectin receptors (CLR) Dectin-1- and Dectin-2-mediated CARD9 signaling pathway. The GCP formulation of rCpa1 bound soluble Dectin-1 and Dectin-2 and triggered ITAM signaling of corresponding CLR reporter cells. Furthermore, macrophages that were isolated from Dectin-1 -/-, Dectin-2 -/-, and CARD9 -/- mice significantly reduced production of inflammatory cytokines in response to the GCP-rCpa1 vaccine compared with those of wild-type mice. The GCP-rCpa1 vaccine had significantly reduced protective efficacy in Dectin-1 -/-, Dectin-2 -/-, and CARD9 -/- mice that showed decreased acquisition of Th cells in Coccidioides-infected lungs compared with vaccinated wild-type mice, especially Th17 cells. Collectively, we conclude that the GCP-rCpa1 vaccine stimulates a robust Th17 immunity against Coccidioides infection through activation of the CARD9-associated Dectin-1 and Dectin-2 signal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Althea Campuzano
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249
| | - Hao Zhang
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249
| | - Gary R Ostroff
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605; and
| | - Lucas Dos Santos Dias
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin Medical School, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI 53792
| | - Marcel Wüthrich
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin Medical School, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI 53792
| | - Bruce S Klein
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin Medical School, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI 53792
| | - Jieh-Juen Yu
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249
| | - Humberto H Lara
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249
| | - Jose L Lopez-Ribot
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249
| | - Chiung-Yu Hung
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249;
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8
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Zhao LP, Fiore-Gartland A, Carpp LN, Cohen KW, Rouphael N, Fleurs L, Dintwe O, Zhao M, Moodie Z, Fong Y, Garrett N, Huang Y, Innes C, Janes HE, Lazarus E, Michael NL, Nitayaphan S, Pitisuttithum P, Rerks-Ngarm S, Robb ML, De Rosa SC, Corey L, Gray GE, Seaton KE, Yates NL, McElrath MJ, Frahm N, Tomaras GD, Gilbert PB. Landscapes of binding antibody and T-cell responses to pox-protein HIV vaccines in Thais and South Africans. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226803. [PMID: 31999736 PMCID: PMC6992005 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV vaccine trials routinely measure multiple vaccine-elicited immune responses to compare regimens and study their potential associations with protection. Here we employ unsupervised learning tools facilitated by a bidirectional power transformation to explore the multivariate binding antibody and T-cell response patterns of immune responses elicited by two pox-protein HIV vaccine regimens. Both regimens utilized a recombinant canarypox vector (ALVAC-HIV) prime and a bivalent recombinant HIV-1 Envelope glycoprotein 120 subunit boost. We hypothesized that within each trial, there were participant subgroups sharing similar immune responses and that their frequencies differed across trials. METHODS AND FINDINGS We analyzed data from three trials-RV144 (NCT00223080), HVTN 097 (NCT02109354), and HVTN 100 (NCT02404311), the latter of which was pivotal in advancing the tested pox-protein HIV vaccine regimen to the HVTN 702 Phase 2b/3 efficacy trial. We found that bivariate CD4+ T-cell and anti-V1V2 IgG/IgG3 antibody response patterns were similar by age, sex-at-birth, and body mass index, but differed for the pox-protein clade AE/B alum-adjuvanted regimen studied in RV144 and HVTN 097 (PAE/B/alum) compared to the pox-protein clade C/C MF59-adjuvanted regimen studied in HVTN 100 (PC/MF59). Specifically, more PAE/B/alum recipients had low CD4+ T-cell and high anti-V1V2 IgG/IgG3 responses, and more PC/MF59 recipients had broad responses of both types. Analyses limited to "vaccine-matched" antigens suggested that some of the differences in responses between the regimens could have been due to antigens in the assays that did not match the vaccine immunogens. Our approach was also useful in identifying subgroups with unusually absent or high co-responses across assay types, flagging individuals for further characterization by functional assays. We also found that co-responses of anti-V1V2 IgG/IgG3 and CD4+ T cells had broad variability. As additional immune response assays are standardized and validated, we anticipate our framework will be increasingly valuable for multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS Our approach can be used to advance vaccine development objectives, including the characterization and comparison of candidate vaccine multivariate immune responses and improved design of studies to identify correlates of protection. For instance, results suggested that HVTN 702 will have adequate power to interrogate immune correlates involving anti-V1V2 IgG/IgG3 and CD4+ T-cell co-readouts, but will have lower power to study anti-gp120/gp140 IgG/IgG3 due to their lower dynamic ranges. The findings also generate hypotheses for future testing in experimental and computational analyses aimed at achieving a mechanistic understanding of vaccine-elicited immune response heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lue Ping Zhao
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Andrew Fiore-Gartland
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Lindsay N. Carpp
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Kristen W. Cohen
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Nadine Rouphael
- Hope Clinic of the Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Llewellyn Fleurs
- Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - One Dintwe
- Cape Town HVTN Immunology Laboratory, Hutchinson Centre Research Institute of South Africa, NPC (HCRISA), Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michael Zhao
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Informatics, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Zoe Moodie
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Youyi Fong
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Nigel Garrett
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Ying Huang
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Craig Innes
- The Aurum Institute, Klerksdorp Research Centre, Klerksdorp, South Africa
| | - Holly E. Janes
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Erica Lazarus
- Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Nelson L. Michael
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sorachai Nitayaphan
- Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Punnee Pitisuttithum
- Vaccine Trial Centre, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Supachai Rerks-Ngarm
- Department of Disease Control, C/O Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| | - Merlin L. Robb
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Stephen C. De Rosa
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Lawrence Corey
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Glenda E. Gray
- Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Kelly E. Seaton
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Nicole L. Yates
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - M. Juliana McElrath
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Nicole Frahm
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Georgia D. Tomaras
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Peter B. Gilbert
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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Haque A, Akçeşme FB, Pant AB. A review of Zika virus: hurdles toward vaccine development and the way forward. Antivir Ther 2019; 23:285-293. [PMID: 29300166 DOI: 10.3851/imp3215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic has recently emerged as a public health threat due to its teratogenic nature and association with the serious neurological condition Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). To date, no approved antiviral therapeutics to treat, nor vaccines to prevent, ZIKV infection are available. In order to develop effective anti-ZIKV vaccines, improved animal models and a better understanding of immunological correlates of protection against ZIKV are required. In this paper, we discuss the recent progress in developing vaccines against ZIKV and the hurdles to overcome in making efficacious anti-ZIKV vaccines. Here, we propose strategies to make efficacious and safe vaccines against ZIKV by using novel approaches including molecular attenuation of viruses and TLR-based nanoparticle vaccines. The question of exacerbating dengue virus infection or causing GBS through the production of cross-reactive immunity targeting viral or host proteins have been addressed in this paper. Challenges in implementing immunogenic and protective ZIKV vaccine trials in immunodepressed target populations (for example, pregnant women) have also been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azizul Haque
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Faruk Berat Akçeşme
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics at University of Medical Sciences, Üsküdar/İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Anudeep B Pant
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
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10
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Feodorova VA, Lyapina AM, Zaitsev SS, Khizhnyakova MA, Sayapina LV, Ulianova OV, Ulyanov SS, Motin VL. New Promising Targets for Synthetic Omptin-Based Peptide Vaccine against Gram-Negative Pathogens. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:vaccines7020036. [PMID: 30974891 PMCID: PMC6630670 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7020036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Omptins represent a family of proteases commonly found in various Gram-negative pathogens. These proteins play an important role in host-pathogen interaction and have been recognized as key virulence factors, highlighting the possibility of developing an omptin-based broad-spectrum vaccine. The prototypical omptin, His-tagged recombinant Pla, was used as a model target antigen. In total, 46 linear and 24 conformational epitopes for the omptin family were predicted by the use of ElliPro service. Among these we selected highly conserved, antigenic, non-allergenic, and immunogenic B-cell epitopes. Five epitopes (2, 6, 8, 10, and 11 corresponding to Pla regions 52-60, 146-150, 231-234, 286-295, and 306-311, respectively) could be the first choice for the development of the new generation of target-peptide-based vaccine against plague. The partial residues of omptin epitopes 6, 8, and 10 (regions 136-145, 227-230, and 274-285) could be promising targets for the multi-pathogen vaccine against a group of enterobacterial infections. The comparative analysis and 3D modeling of amino acid sequences of several omptin family proteases, such as Pla (Yersinia pestis), PgtE (Salmonella enterica), SopA (Shigella flexneri), OmpT, and OmpP (Escherichia coli), confirmed their high cross-homology with respect to the identified epitope clusters and possible involvement of individual epitopes in host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina A Feodorova
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and NanoBiotechnology, Federal Research Center for Virology and Microbiology, Branch in Saratov, 410028 Saratov, Russia.
| | - Anna M Lyapina
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and NanoBiotechnology, Federal Research Center for Virology and Microbiology, Branch in Saratov, 410028 Saratov, Russia.
| | - Sergey S Zaitsev
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and NanoBiotechnology, Federal Research Center for Virology and Microbiology, Branch in Saratov, 410028 Saratov, Russia.
| | - Maria A Khizhnyakova
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and NanoBiotechnology, Federal Research Center for Virology and Microbiology, Branch in Saratov, 410028 Saratov, Russia.
| | - Lidiya V Sayapina
- Department of Vaccine Control, Scientific Center on Expertise of Medical Application Products, 127051, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Onega V Ulianova
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and NanoBiotechnology, Federal Research Center for Virology and Microbiology, Branch in Saratov, 410028 Saratov, Russia.
| | - Sergey S Ulyanov
- Department for Medical Optics, Saratov State University, 410012, Saratov, Russia.
| | - Vladimir L Motin
- Department of Pathology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
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Rai PK, Chodisetti SB, Maurya SK, Nadeem S, Zeng W, Janmeja AK, Jackson DC, Agrewala JN. A lipidated bi-epitope vaccine comprising of MHC-I and MHC-II binder peptides elicits protective CD4 T cell and CD8 T cell immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J Transl Med 2018; 16:279. [PMID: 30305097 PMCID: PMC6180631 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-018-1653-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The clinical trials conducted at Chingleput India suggest that BCG fails to protect against tuberculosis (TB) in TB-endemic population. Recent studies advocate that non-tuberculous mycobacteria and latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection interferes in the antigen processing and presentation of BCG in inducing protective immunity against Mtb. Thereby, indicating that any vaccine that require extensive antigen processing may not be efficacious in TB-endemic zones. Recently, we have demonstrated that the vaccine candidate L91, which is composed of lipidated promiscuous MHC-II binder epitope, derived from latency associated Acr1 antigen of Mtb is immunogenic in the murine and Guinea pig models of TB and conferred better protection than BCG against Mtb. Methods In this study, we have used a multi-stage based bi-epitope vaccine, namely L4.8, comprising of MHC-I and MHC-II binding peptides of active (TB10.4) and latent (Acr1) stages of Mtb antigens, respectively. These peptides were conjugated to the TLR-2 agonist Pam2Cys. Results L4.8 significantly elicited both CD8 T cells and CD4 T cells immunity, as evidenced by increase in the enduring polyfunctional CD8 T cells and CD4 T cells. L4.8 efficiently declined Mtb-burden and protected animals better than BCG and L91, even at the late stage of Mtb infection. Conclusions The BCG-L4.8 prime boost strategy imparts a better protection against TB than the BCG alone. This study emphatically denotes that L4.8 can be a promising future vaccine candidate for controlling active and latent TB. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-018-1653-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep K Rai
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sathi Babu Chodisetti
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | | | - Sajid Nadeem
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Weiguang Zeng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ashok K Janmeja
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - David C Jackson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Javed N Agrewala
- CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India. .,Indian Institute of Technology, Rupnagar, 140001, India.
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Abstract
Currently used vaccines have had major effects on eliminating common infections, largely by duplicating the immune responses induced by natural infections. Now vaccinology faces more complex problems, such as waning antibody, immunosenescence, evasion of immunity by the pathogen, deviation of immunity by the microbiome, induction of inhibitory responses, and complexity of the antigens required for protection. Fortunately, vaccine development is now incorporating knowledge from immunology, structural biology, systems biology and synthetic chemistry to meet these challenges. In addition, international organisations are developing new funding and licensing pathways for vaccines aimed at pathogens with epidemic potential that emerge from tropical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta V Pinto
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Manish Sadarangani
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Vaccine Evaluation Center, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada.
| | - Stanley A Plotkin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
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13
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Kulkarni PS, Hurwitz JL, Simões EAF, Piedra PA. Establishing Correlates of Protection for Vaccine Development: Considerations for the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine Field. Viral Immunol 2018; 31:195-203. [PMID: 29336703 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2017.0147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Correlates of protection (CoPs) can play a significant role in vaccine development by assisting the selection of vaccine candidates for clinical trials, supporting clinical trial design and implementation, and simplifying tests of vaccine modifications. Because of this important role in vaccine development, it is essential that CoPs be defined by well-designed immunogenicity and efficacy studies, with attention paid to benefits and limitations. The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) field is unique in that a great deal of information about the humoral response is available from basic research and clinical studies. Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies have been used routinely in the clinic to protect vulnerable infants from infection, providing a wealth of information about correlations between neutralizing antibodies and disease prevention. Considerations for the establishment of future CoPs to support RSV vaccine development in different populations are therefore discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julia L Hurwitz
- 2 Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee.,3 Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Eric A F Simões
- 4 Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora, Colorado.,5 Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health , Section of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Pedro A Piedra
- 6 Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
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Tsetsarkin KA, Liu G, Kenney H, Hermance M, Thangamani S, Pletnev AG. Concurrent micro-RNA mediated silencing of tick-borne flavivirus replication in tick vector and in the brain of vertebrate host. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33088. [PMID: 27620807 PMCID: PMC5020608 DOI: 10.1038/srep33088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne viruses include medically important zoonotic pathogens that can cause life-threatening diseases. Unlike mosquito-borne viruses, whose impact can be restrained via mosquito population control programs, for tick-borne viruses only vaccination remains the reliable means of disease prevention. For live vaccine viruses a concern exists, that spillovers from viremic vaccinees could result in introduction of genetically modified viruses into sustainable tick-vertebrate host transmission cycle in nature. To restrict tick-borne flavivirus (Langat virus, LGTV) vector tropism, we inserted target sequences for tick-specific microRNAs (mir-1, mir-275 and mir-279) individually or in combination into several distant regions of LGTV genome. This caused selective attenuation of viral replication in tick-derived cells. LGTV expressing combinations of target sequences for tick- and vertebrate CNS-specific miRNAs were developed. The resulting viruses replicated efficiently and remained stable in simian Vero cells, which do not express these miRNAs, however were severely restricted to replicate in tick-derived cells. In addition, simultaneous dual miRNA targeting led to silencing of virus replication in live Ixodes ricinus ticks and abolished virus neurotropism in highly permissive newborn mice. The concurrent restriction of adverse replication events in vertebrate and invertebrate hosts will, therefore, ensure the environmental safety of live tick-borne virus vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin A. Tsetsarkin
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Guangping Liu
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather Kenney
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Meghan Hermance
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- Department of Pathology, Galveston National Laboratory, UTMB, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Alexander G. Pletnev
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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15
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MicroRNA-based control of tick-borne flavivirus neuropathogenesis: Challenges and perspectives. Antiviral Res 2016; 127:57-67. [PMID: 26794396 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2016.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, microRNA-targeting has become an effective strategy for selective control of tissue-tropism and pathogenicity of both DNA and RNA viruses. Previously, we reported the successful application of this strategy to control the neurovirulent phenotype of a model chimeric tick-borne encephalitis/dengue type 4 virus (TBEV/DEN4), containing the structural protein genes of a highly virulent TBEV in the genetic backbone of non-neuroinvasive DEN4 virus. In the present study, we investigated the suitability of this approach for the attenuation of the more neurovirulent chimeric virus (TBEV/LGTV), which is based on the genetic backbone of the naturally attenuated member of the TBEV serocomplex, a Langat virus (LGTV). Unlike the TBEV/DEN4, the TBEV/LGTV virus retained the ability of its parental viruses to spread from the peripheral site of inoculation to the CNS. We evaluated ten potential sites in the 3'NCR of the TBEV/LGTV genome for placement of microRNA (miRNA) targets and found that the TBEV/LGTV genome is more restrictive for such genetic manipulations compared to TBEV/DEN4. In addition, unlike TBEV/DEN4 virus, the introduction of multiple miRNA targets into either the 3'NCR or ORF of the TBEV/LGTV genome had only a modest effect on virus attenuation in the developing CNS of highly permissive newborn mice. However, simultaneous miRNA-targeting in the ORF and 3'NCR had synergistic effect on control and silencing of virus replication in the brain and completely abolished the virus neurotropism. Furthermore, neuroinvasiveness of miRNA-targeted TBEV/LGTV viruses in very sensitive immunodeficient SCID mice was significantly limited. Immunocompetent animals immunized with such viruses were completely protected against challenge with the neurovirulent LGTV parent. These findings support the rationale of the miRNA-targeting approach to develop live attenuated virus vaccines against various neurotropic viruses.
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Williamson AL, Rybicki EP. Justification for the inclusion of Gag in HIV vaccine candidates. Expert Rev Vaccines 2015; 15:585-98. [PMID: 26645951 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2016.1129904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
It is widely accepted that effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccines need to elicit a range of responses, including neutralising antibodies and T-cells. In natural HIV infections, immune responses to Gag are associated with lower viral load in infected individuals, and these responses can be measured against infected cells before the replication of HIV. Priming immune responses to Gag with DNA or recombinant Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccines, and boosting with Gag virus-like particles as subunit vaccines or Gag produced in vivo by other vaccine vectors, elicits high-magnitude, broad polyfunctional responses, with memory T-cell responses appropriate for virus control. This review provides justification for the inclusion of HIV Gag in vaccine regimens, either as a transgene expressing protein that may assemble to form budded particles, or as purified virus-like particles. Possible benefits would include early control via CD8(+) T-cells at the site of infection, control of spread from the entry portal, and control of viraemia if infection is established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Lise Williamson
- a Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa.,b National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town and Department of Pathology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Edward P Rybicki
- a Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa.,c Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
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