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Diaz-Cánova D, Moens U, Brinkmann A, Nitsche A, Okeke MI. Whole genome sequencing of recombinant viruses obtained from co-infection and superinfection of Vero cells with modified vaccinia virus ankara vectored influenza vaccine and a naturally occurring cowpox virus. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1277447. [PMID: 38633245 PMCID: PMC11021749 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1277447] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) has been widely tested in clinical trials as recombinant vector vaccine against infectious diseases and cancers in humans and animals. However, one biosafety concern about the use of MVA vectored vaccine is the potential for MVA to recombine with naturally occurring orthopoxviruses in cells and hosts in which it multiplies poorly and, therefore, producing viruses with mosaic genomes with altered genetic and phenotypic properties. We previously conducted co-infection and superinfection experiments with MVA vectored influenza vaccine (MVA-HANP) and a feline Cowpox virus (CPXV-No-F1) in Vero cells (that were semi-permissive to MVA infection) and showed that recombination occurred in both co-infected and superinfected cells. In this study, we selected the putative recombinant viruses and performed genomic characterization of these viruses. Some putative recombinant viruses displayed plaque morphology distinct of that of the parental viruses. Our analysis demonstrated that they had mosaic genomes of different lengths. The recombinant viruses, with a genome more similar to MVA-HANP (>50%), rescued deleted and/or fragmented genes in MVA and gained new host ranges genes. Our analysis also revealed that some MVA-HANP contained a partially deleted transgene expression cassette and one recombinant virus contained part of the transgene expression cassette similar to that incomplete MVA-HANP. The recombination in co-infected and superinfected Vero cells resulted in recombinant viruses with unpredictable biological and genetic properties as well as recovery of delete/fragmented genes in MVA and transfer of the transgene into replication competent CPXV. These results are relevant to hazard characterization and risk assessment of MVA vectored biologicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Diaz-Cánova
- Molecular Inflammation Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ugo Moens
- Molecular Inflammation Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Annika Brinkmann
- WHO Reference Laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 and WHO Collaborating Centre for Emerging Infections and Biological Threats, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Nitsche
- WHO Reference Laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 and WHO Collaborating Centre for Emerging Infections and Biological Threats, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Malachy Ifeanyi Okeke
- Section of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, American University of Nigeria, Yola, Nigeria
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Liu R, Mendez-Rios JD, Peng C, Xiao W, Weisberg AS, Wyatt LS, Moss B. SPI-1 is a missing host-range factor required for replication of the attenuated modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine vector in human cells. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007710. [PMID: 31145755 PMCID: PMC6542542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is the leading poxvirus vector for development of vaccines against diverse infectious diseases. This distinction is based on high expression of proteins and good immunogenicity despite an inability to assemble infectious progeny in human cells, which together promote efficacy and safety. Nevertheless, the basis for the host-range restriction is unknown despite past systematic attempts to identify the relevant missing viral gene(s). The search for host-range factors is exacerbated by the large number of deletions, truncations and mutations that occurred during the long passage history of MVA in chicken embryo fibroblasts. By whole genome sequencing of a panel of recombinant host-range extended (HRE) MVAs generated by marker rescue with 40 kbp segments of vaccinia virus DNA, we identified serine protease inhibitor 1 (SPI-1) as one of several candidate host-range factors present in those viruses that gained the ability to replicate in human cells. Electron microscopy revealed that the interruption of morphogenesis in human cells infected with MVA occurred at a similar stage as that of a vaccinia virus strain WR SPI-1 deletion mutant. Moreover, the introduction of the SPI-1 gene into the MVA genome led to more than a 2-log enhancement of virus spread in human diploid MRC-5 cells, whereas deletion of the gene diminished the spread of HRE viruses by similar extents. Furthermore, MRC-5 cells stably expressing SPI-1 also enhanced replication of MVA. A role for additional host range genes was suggested by the restoration of MVA replication to a lower level relative to HRE viruses, particularly in other human cell lines. Although multiple sequence alignments revealed genetic changes in addition to SPI-1 common to the HRE MVAs, no evidence for their host-range function was found by analysis thus far. Our finding that SPI-1 is host range factor for MVA should simplify use of high throughput RNAi or CRISPR/Cas single gene methods to identify additional viral and human restriction elements. Poxvirus vectors have outstanding properties for development of vaccines against a myriad of infectious agents due to their ability to retain long segments of foreign DNA and high-level gene expression. Safety concerns led to a preference for attenuated poxviruses that lost the ability to produce infectious progeny in human cells. The most widely used poxvirus vector is modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), which exhibits an extreme host-range restriction in most mammalian cells. MVA was attenuated by passaging more than 500 times in chicken embryo fibroblasts during which large deletions and numerous additional genetic changes occurred. Despite ongoing clinical testing of MVA-vectored vaccines, the basis for its host-range restriction remained unknown. Here we show that re-introduction of the SPI-1 gene into MVA or host cells increased virus spread by more than 100-fold in a human diploid cell line, providing an important insight into the mechanism responsible for the host-range restriction. This information could help design improved vectors and develop non-avian cell lines for propagation of candidate MVA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruikang Liu
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jorge D. Mendez-Rios
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Chen Peng
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Wei Xiao
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrea S. Weisberg
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Linda S. Wyatt
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Bernard Moss
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Holgado MP, Falivene J, Maeto C, Amigo M, Pascutti MF, Vecchione MB, Bruttomesso A, Calamante G, Del Médico-Zajac MP, Gherardi MM. Deletion of A44L, A46R and C12L Vaccinia Virus Genes from the MVA Genome Improved the Vector Immunogenicity by Modifying the Innate Immune Response Generating Enhanced and Optimized Specific T-Cell Responses. Viruses 2016; 8:E139. [PMID: 27223301 PMCID: PMC4885094 DOI: 10.3390/v8050139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
MVA is an attenuated vector that still retains immunomodulatory genes. We have previously reported its optimization after deleting the C12L gene, coding for the IL-18 binding-protein. Here, we analyzed the immunogenicity of MVA vectors harboring the simultaneous deletion of A44L, related to steroid synthesis and A46R, a TLR-signaling inhibitor (MVAΔA44L-A46R); or also including a deletion of C12L (MVAΔC12L/ΔA44L-A46R). The absence of biological activities of the deleted genes in the MVA vectors was demonstrated. Adaptive T-cell responses against VACV epitopes, evaluated in spleen and draining lymph-nodes of C57Bl/6 mice at acute/memory phases, were of higher magnitude in those animals that received deleted MVAs compared to MVAwt. MVAΔC12L/ΔA44L-A46R generated cellular specific memory responses of higher quality characterized by bifunctionality (CD107a/b⁺/IFN-γ⁺) and proliferation capacity. Deletion of selected genes from MVA generated innate immune responses with higher levels of determining cytokines related to T-cell response generation, such as IL-12, IFN-γ, as well as IL-1β and IFN-β. This study describes for the first time that simultaneous deletion of the A44L, A46R and C12L genes from MVA improved its immunogenicity by enhancing the host adaptive and innate immune responses, suggesting that this approach comprises an appropriate strategy to increase the MVA vaccine potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Pía Holgado
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina.
| | - Juliana Falivene
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina.
| | - Cynthia Maeto
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina.
| | - Micaela Amigo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina.
| | - María Fernanda Pascutti
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina.
| | - María Belén Vecchione
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina.
- Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos Aplicados a Química Orgánica (UMYMFOR), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
| | - Andrea Bruttomesso
- Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos Aplicados a Química Orgánica (UMYMFOR), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina.
| | - Gabriela Calamante
- Instituto de Biotecnología, CICVyA-INTA Castelar, Buenos Aires 1686, Argentina.
| | | | - María Magdalena Gherardi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina.
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Dobson BM, Tscharke DC. Redundancy complicates the definition of essential genes for vaccinia virus. J Gen Virol 2016; 96:3326-3337. [PMID: 26290187 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccinia virus (VACV) genes are characterized as either essential or non-essential for growth in culture. It seems intuitively obvious that if a gene can be deleted without imparting a growth defect in vitro it does not have a function related to basic replication or spread. However, this interpretation relies on the untested assumption that there is no redundancy across the genes that have roles in growth in cell culture. First, we provide a comprehensive summary of the literature that describes the essential genes of VACV. Next, we looked for interactions between large blocks of non-essential genes located at the ends of the genome by investigating sets of VACVs with large deletions at the genomic termini. Viruses with deletions at either end of the genome behaved as expected, exhibiting only mild or host-range defects. In contrast, combining deletions at both ends of the genome for the VACV Western Reserve (WR) strain caused a devastating growth defect on all cell lines tested. Unexpectedly, we found that the well-studied VACV growth factor homologue encoded by C11R has a role in growth in vitro that is exposed when 42 genes are absent from the left end of the VACV WR genome. These results demonstrate that some non-essential genes contribute to basic viral growth, but redundancy means these functions are not revealed by single-gene-deletion mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca M Dobson
- Division of Biomedical Science and Biochemistry, Research School of Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - David C Tscharke
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,Division of Biomedical Science and Biochemistry, Research School of Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Comparison of the replication characteristics of vaccinia virus strains Guang 9 and Tian Tan in vivo and in vitro. Arch Virol 2014; 159:2587-96. [PMID: 24838849 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-014-2079-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Vaccinia virus is widely used as a vector in the development of recombinant vaccines. Vaccinia virus strain Guang 9 (VG9), which was derived from vaccinia virus strain Tian Tan (VTT) by successive plaque-cloning purification, was more attenuated than VTT. In this study, the host cell range and the growth and replication of VG9 were compared with those of VTT. The results showed that both VG9 and VTT could infect permissive cells (Vero, TK-143 and CEF) and semipermissive cells PK (15) and induced a visible cytopathic effect (CPE). Both strains could infect nonpermissive CHO-K1 cells but neither was able to reproduce. The replicative ability of VG9 was a little lower than that of VTT. Additionally, recombinant vaccinia viruses containing a firefly luciferase gene (VG9-L and VTT-L) were constructed, and their expression in vitro and replication and spread in vivo were compared. The expression ability of VG9-L was lower than that of VTT-L. Whole-animal imaging data indicated that VG9-L could reproduce quickly and express the exogenous protein at the site of inoculation, regardless of whether the intramuscular, intracutaneous, subcutaneous or celiac inoculation route was used. VG9-L was better in its ability to express a foreign protein than VTT-L, but the time during which expression occurred was shorter. There was no dissemination of virus in mice inoculated with either strain. In summary, this study demonstrates the possibility of using VG9 for the production of smallpox vaccines or the construction of recombinant vaccinia virus vaccines.
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Vaccinia virus F5 is required for normal plaque morphology in multiple cell lines but not replication in culture or virulence in mice. Virology 2014; 456-457:145-56. [PMID: 24889234 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2013] [Revised: 12/29/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Vaccinia virus (VACV) gene F5L was recently identified as a determinant of plaque morphology that is truncated in Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA). Here we show that F5L also affects plaque morphology of the virulent VACV strain Western Reserve (WR) in some, but not all cell lines, and not via previously described mechanisms. Further, despite a reduction in plaque size for VACV WR lacking F5L there was no evidence of reduced virus replication or spread in vitro or in vivo. In vivo we examined two mouse models, each with more than one dose and measured signs of disease and virus burden. These data provide an initial characterization of VACV F5L in a virulent strain of VACV. Further they show the necessity of testing plaque phenotypes in more than one cell type and provide an example of a VACV gene required for normal plaque morphology but not replication and spread.
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