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Upadhyay I, Parvej SMD, Shen Y, Li S, Lauder KL, Zhang C, Zhang W. Protein-based vaccine candidate MecVax broadly protects against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli intestinal colonization in a rabbit model. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0027223. [PMID: 37874163 PMCID: PMC10652908 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00272-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
There are no vaccines licensed against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), a leading cause of children's diarrhea and the most common cause of travelers' diarrhea. Multivalent vaccine candidate MecVax unprecedentedly targets two ETEC enterotoxins (heat-stable toxin, STa; heat-labile toxin, LT) and the seven most prevalent ETEC adhesins (colonization factor antigen, CFA/I, coli surface antigens, CS1-CS6) and has been demonstrated preclinically to protect against STa- and LT-mediated ETEC clinical diarrhea and prevent intestinal colonization from ETEC strain H10407 (CFA/I, STa, LT). However, it is unattested whether MecVax broadly protects against intestinal colonization from ETEC strains producing the other six adhesins (CS1-CS6) also targeted by this product. In this study, we immunized rabbits with MecVax and challenged them with heterogeneous ETEC strains that express CS1-CS6 adhesins to evaluate MecVax's efficacy against bacterial intestinal colonization, thus providing broad vaccine protection against ETEC infection. Data revealed that rabbits intramuscularly immunized with MecVax developed robust responses to both ETEC enterotoxins (STa, LT) and seven adhesins (CFA/I, CS1-CS6), and when challenged with ETEC isolates expressing CS1/CS3, CS2/CS3, CS4/CS6, CS5/CS6, or CS6 adhesin, the immunized rabbits prevented over two logs (>99%) of bacteria from colonization in small intestines. Additionally, compared to a CFA-toxoid fusion protein, which is another potential ETEC vaccine antigen to target two ETEC enterotoxins and the seven adhesins, MecVax exhibited better protection against ETEC intestinal colonization. These results, in conjunction with the protection data from early studies, evidenced that MecVax is broadly protective, validating MecVax's candidacy as an effective vaccine against ETEC-associated diarrhea and accelerating ETEC vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ipshita Upadhyay
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Shafiullah M. D. Parvej
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Yiyang Shen
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Siqi Li
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Kathryn L. Lauder
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Chongyang Zhang
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Weiping Zhang
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Li S, Seo H, Upadhyay I, Zhang W. A Polyvalent Adhesin-Toxoid Multiepitope-Fusion-Antigen-Induced Functional Antibodies against Five Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Adhesins (CS7, CS12, CS14, CS17, and CS21) but Not Enterotoxins (LT and STa). Microorganisms 2023; 11:2473. [PMID: 37894131 PMCID: PMC10608864 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing prevalence and association with moderate-to-severe diarrhea make enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) adhesins CS7, CS12, CS14, CS17, and CS21 potential targets of ETEC vaccines. Currently, there are no vaccines licensed to protect against ETEC, a top cause of children's diarrhea and travelers' diarrhea. Recently, a polyvalent adhesin protein (adhesin MEFA-II) was demonstrated to induce antibodies that inhibited adherence from these five ETEC adhesins and reduced the enterotoxicity of ETEC heat-stable toxin (STa), which plays a key role in causing ETEC-associated diarrhea. To improve adhesin MEFA-II for functional antibodies against STa toxin and the other ETEC toxin, heat-labile toxin (LT), we modified adhesin MEFA-II by adding another STa toxoid and an LT epitope; we examined the new antigen immunogenicity (to five adhesins and two toxins) and more importantly antibody functions against ETEC adherence and STa and LT enterotoxicity. Data show that mice intramuscularly immunized with the new antigen (adhesin MEFA-IIb) developed robust IgG responses to the targeted adhesins (CS7, CS12, CS14, CS17, and CS21) and toxins (STa and LT). Mouse antibodies inhibited the adherence of ETEC strains expressing any of these five adhesins but failed to neutralize STa or LT enterotoxicity. In further studies, rabbits intramuscularly immunized with adhesin MEFA-IIb developed robust antigen-specific antibodies; when challenged with an ETEC isolate expressing CS21 adhesin (JF2101, CS21, and STa), the immunized rabbits showed a significant reduction in intestinal colonization by ETEC bacteria. These data indicate that adhesin MEFA-IIb is broadly immunogenic and induces functional antibodies against the targeted ETEC adhesins but not the toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Weiping Zhang
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
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3
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Intradermally administered enterotoxigenic E. coli vaccine candidate MecVax induces functional serum IgG antibodies against seven adhesins (CFA/I, CS1-CS6) and both toxins (STa, LT). Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 88:e0213921. [PMID: 34936832 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02139-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There are no vaccines licensed for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), a leading bacterial cause of children's diarrhea and travelers' diarrhea. MecVax, a multivalent E. coli vaccine candidate composed of two epitope- and structure-based polyvalent proteins (toxoid fusion 3xSTaN12S-mnLTR192G/L211A and CFA/I/II/IV MEFA), is to induce broad anti-adhesin and antitoxin antibodies against heterogeneous ETEC pathovars. Administered intraperitoneally (IP) or intramuscularly (IM), MecVax was shown to induce antibodies against seven ETEC adhesins (CFA/I, CS1-CS6), which are produced by ETEC pathovars causing over 60% of ETEC-associated diarrheal cases and the moderate-to-severe cases, and both toxins (heat-labile toxin - LT and heat-stable toxin - STa) expressed by all ETEC strains. To further characterize immunogenicity of this protein-based injectable subunit vaccine candidate and to explore other parenteral administration routes for the product, in this study, we intradermally (ID) immunized mice with MecVax and measured antigen-specific antibody responses and further antibody functional activities against the adhesins and toxins targeted by the vaccine. Data showed that mice ID immunized with MecVax developed robust anti-CFA/I, -CS1, -CS2, -CS3, -CS4, -CS5, -CS6, -LT and anti-STa IgG responses. Furthermore, antibodies derived from MecVax via ID route inhibited adherence of ETEC or E. coli strains expressing any of the seven target adhesins (CFA/I, CS1-CS6) and neutralized enterotoxicity of LT and STa toxins. These results confirmed broad immunogenicity of MecVax and suggested that this multivalent ETEC subunit vaccine candidate can be effectively delivered via ID route. IMPORTANCE Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a leading bacterial cause of diarrhea in children living in developing countries and international travelers. Developing an effective vaccine for ETEC diarrhea has been hampered because of challenges of virulence heterogeneity and difficulties of inducing neutralizing antibodies against the key STa toxin. MecVax, a subunit vaccine candidate carrying two polyvalent protein antigens for the first time induces functional antibodies against the most important ETEC adhesins which are associated with a majority of diarrheal cases and the moderate-to-severe cases but also against enterotoxicity of LT and more importantly STa toxin which plays a key role in children's diarrhea and travelers' diarrhea, potentially leading to development of a truly effective ETEC vaccine. Data from this study may also indicated that this ETEC subunit vaccine can be administered effectively via ID route, expanding clinical administration options for this vaccine product.
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Walker R, Kaminski RW, Porter C, Choy RKM, White JA, Fleckenstein JM, Cassels F, Bourgeois L. Vaccines for Protecting Infants from Bacterial Causes of Diarrheal Disease. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1382. [PMID: 34202102 PMCID: PMC8303436 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The global diarrheal disease burden for Shigella, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), and Campylobacter is estimated to be 88M, 75M, and 75M cases annually, respectively. A vaccine against this target trio of enteric pathogens could address about one-third of diarrhea cases in children. All three of these pathogens contribute to growth stunting and have demonstrated increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents. Several combinations of antigens are now recognized that could be effective for inducing protective immunity against each of the three target pathogens in a single vaccine for oral administration or parenteral injection. The vaccine combinations proposed here would result in a final product consistent with the World Health Organization's (WHO) preferred product characteristics for ETEC and Shigella vaccines, and improve the vaccine prospects for support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and widespread uptake by low- and middle-income countries' (LMIC) public health stakeholders. Broadly protective antigens will enable multi-pathogen vaccines to be efficiently developed and cost-effective. This review describes how emerging discoveries for each pathogen component of the target trio could be used to make vaccines, which could help reduce a major cause of poor health, reduced cognitive development, lost economic productivity, and poverty in many parts of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Walker
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington, DC 20001, USA;
| | - Robert W. Kaminski
- Department of Diarrheal Disease Research, Walter Reed Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA;
| | - Chad Porter
- Enteric Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA;
| | - Robert K. M. Choy
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA;
| | - Jessica A. White
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Seattle, WA 98121, USA; (J.A.W.); (F.C.)
| | - James M. Fleckenstein
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA;
- Medicine Service, Saint Louis VA Health Care System, St. Louis, MO 63106, USA
| | - Fred Cassels
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Seattle, WA 98121, USA; (J.A.W.); (F.C.)
| | - Louis Bourgeois
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington, DC 20001, USA;
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The Intriguing Interaction of Escherichia coli with the Host Environment and Innovative Strategies To Interfere with Colonization: a Summary of the 2019 E. coli and the Mucosal Immune System Meeting. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.02085-20. [PMID: 33008822 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02085-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The third E. coli and the Mucosal Immune System (ECMIS) meeting was held at Ghent University in Belgium from 2 to 5 June 2019. It brought together an international group of scientists interested in mechanisms of colonization, host response, and vaccine development. ECMIS distinguishes itself from related meetings on these enteropathogens by providing a greater emphasis on animal health and disease and covering a broad range of pathotypes, including enterohemorrhagic, enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic, enteroaggregative, and extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli As it is well established that the genus Shigella represents a subspecies of E. coli, these organisms along with related enteroinvasive E. coli are also included. In addition, Tannerella forsythia, a periodontal pathogen, was presented as an example of a pathogen which uses its surface glycans for mucosal interaction. This review summarizes several highlights from the 2019 meeting and major advances to our understanding of the biology of these pathogens and their impact on the host.
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Abstract
Enteric viral and bacterial infections continue to be a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in young children in low-income and middle-income countries, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Vaccines are considered an effective and practical preventive approach against the predominantly fecal-to-oral transmitted gastroenteritis particularly in the resource-limited countries or regions where implementation of sanitation systems and supply of safe drinking water are not quickly achievable. While vaccines are available for a few enteric pathogens including rotavirus and cholera, there are no vaccines licensed for many other enteric viral and bacterial pathogens. Challenges in enteric vaccine development include immunological heterogeneity among pathogen strains or isolates, a lack of animal challenge models to evaluate vaccine candidacy, undefined host immune correlates to protection, and a low protective efficacy among young children in endemic regions. In this article, we briefly updated the progress and challenges in vaccines and vaccine development for the leading enteric viral and bacterial pathogens including rotavirus, human calicivirus, Shigella, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), cholera, nontyphoidal Salmonella, and Campylobacter, and introduced a novel epitope- and structure-based vaccinology platform known as MEFA (multiepitope fusion antigen) and the application of MEFA for developing broadly protective multivalent vaccines against heterogenous pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyesuk Seo
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Pathobiology, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Qiangde Duan
- University of Yangzhou, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Weiping Zhang
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Pathobiology, Urbana, Illinois, USA,CONTACT Weiping Zhang, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Pathobiology, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Seo H, Lu T, Nandre RM, Duan Q, Zhang W. Immunogenicity characterization of genetically fused or chemically conjugated heat-stable toxin toxoids of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in mice and pigs. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 366:5322164. [PMID: 30772899 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) producing type Ib heat-stable toxin (STa) are a main cause of children's diarrhea and travelers' diarrhea, thus STa needs to be targeted in ETEC vaccine development. However, because this 19-amino acid STa is poorly immunogenic, attempts to genetically fuse or chemically couple it to carrier proteins have been made to enhance STa immunogenicity. In this study, we selected one genetic fusion and one chemical conjugate to comparatively evaluate STa immunogenicity. The genetic fusion is 3xSTaN12S-mnLTR192G/L211A carrying three toxoid (STaN12S) genetically fused to a double mutant LT monomer (mnLTR192G/L211A); the chemical conjugate is BSA-STaA14T, which has toxoid STaA14T chemically coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA). We immunized mice with the STa toxoid fusion and chemical conjugates, and examined antibody responses. Furthermore, we immunized pigs and evaluated derived antibodies for efficacy to passively provide protection against ETEC diarrhea using a piglet model. Data showed that mice subcutaneously immunized with BSA-STaA14T or 3xSTaN12S-mnLTR192G/L211A developed a strong anti-STa antibody, and the induced antibodies exhibited equivalent toxin-neutralizing activities. Pigs immunized with 3xSTaN12S-mnLTR192G/L211A or BSA-STaA14T developed similar levels of anti-STa antibodies; piglets with passively acquired antibodies induced by the genetic fusion appeared better protected against STa + ETEC. Results from the current study indicate that the fusion and conjugate approaches are viable options for facilitating STa immunogenicity and developing ETEC vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyesuk Seo
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Ti Lu
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Rahul M Nandre
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Qiangde Duan
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Weiping Zhang
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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Seo H, Lu T, Mani S, Bourgeois AL, Walker R, Sack DA, Zhang W. Adjuvant effect of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) double-mutant heat-labile toxin (dmLT) on systemic immunogenicity induced by the CFA/I/II/IV MEFA ETEC vaccine: Dose-related enhancement of antibody responses to seven ETEC adhesins (CFA/I, CS1-CS6). Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019; 16:419-425. [PMID: 31361177 PMCID: PMC7062417 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1649555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Double-mutant heat-labile toxin (dmLT, LTR192G/L211A) of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an effective mucosal adjuvant. Recent studies have shown that dmLT also exhibits adjuvanticity for antigens administered parenterally. In this study, we subcutaneously (SC) immunized mice with the ETEC adhesin-based vaccine, CFA/I/II/IV MEFA (multiepitope fusion antigen), adjuvanted with dmLT and examined the impact of dmLT on antibody responses specific to the seven adhesins in the vaccine construction [CFA/I, CFA/II (CS1, CS2, CS3) and CFA/IV (CS4, CS5, CS6)]. Mice were immunized with a fixed dose of CFA/I/II/IV MEFA and ascending doses of dmLT adjuvant (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 µg) to assess the potential dmLT dose response relationship. Data showed that dmLT enhanced systemic antibody responses to all seven antigens (CFA/I, CS1-CS6) targeted by MEFA in a dose-dependent way. The adjuvant effect of dmLT on the MEFA construct plateaued at a dose of 0.1 µg. Results also indicated that dmLT is an effective parenteral adjuvant when given by the SC route with the ETEC adhesin MEFA vaccine and that antibody enhancement was achieved with relatively low doses. These observations suggest the potential usefulness of dmLT for parenteral ETEC vaccine candidates and also perhaps for vaccines against other pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyesuk Seo
- Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology Department, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, USA.,Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, Il, USA
| | - Ti Lu
- Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology Department, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Sachin Mani
- PATH, Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Richard Walker
- PATH, Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Washington, DC, USA
| | - David A Sack
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Weiping Zhang
- Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology Department, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, USA.,Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, Il, USA
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Heat-Stable Enterotoxins of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Their Impact on Host Immunity. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11010024. [PMID: 30626031 PMCID: PMC6356903 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are an important diarrhea-causing pathogen and are regarded as a global threat for humans and farm animals. ETEC possess several virulence factors to infect its host, including colonization factors and enterotoxins. Production of heat-stable enterotoxins (STs) by most ETEC plays an essential role in triggering diarrhea and ETEC pathogenesis. In this review, we summarize the heat-stable enterotoxins of ETEC strains from different species as well as the molecular mechanisms used by these heat-stable enterotoxins to trigger diarrhea. As recently described, intestinal epithelial cells are important modulators of the intestinal immune system. Thus, we also discuss the impact of the heat-stable enterotoxins on this role of the intestinal epithelium and how these enterotoxins might affect intestinal immune cells. Finally, the latest developments in vaccination strategies to protect against infections with ST secreting ETEC strains are discussed. This review might inform and guide future research on heat-stable enterotoxins to further unravel their molecular pathogenesis, as well as to accelerate vaccine design.
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Zegeye ED, Govasli ML, Sommerfelt H, Puntervoll P. Development of an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli vaccine based on the heat-stable toxin. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2018; 15:1379-1388. [PMID: 30081709 PMCID: PMC6663125 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2018.1496768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an important cause of diarrhea-related illness and death among children under 5 years of age in low– and middle-income countries (LMIC). Recent studies have found that it is the ETEC subtypes that produce the heat-stable enterotoxin (ST), irrespective of whether they also secrete the heat-labile enterotoxin (LT), which contribute most importantly to the disease burden in children from LMIC. Therefore, adding an ST toxoid would importantly complement ongoing ETEC vaccine development efforts. The ST’s potent toxicity, its structural similarity to the endogenous peptides guanylin and uroguanylin, and its poor immunogenicity have all complicated the advancement of ST-based vaccine development. Recent remarkable progress, however, including the unprecedented screening for optimal ST mutants, mapping of cross-reacting ST epitopes and improved ST-carrier coupling strategies (bioconjugation and genetic fusion), enables the rational design of safe, immunogenic, and well-defined ST-based vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Halvor Sommerfelt
- b Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care , University of Bergen , Bergen , Norway.,c Norwegian Institute of Public Health , Oslo , Norway
| | - Pål Puntervoll
- a Centre for Applied Biotechnology , Uni Research AS , Bergen , Norway
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Huang J, Duan Q, Zhang W. Significance of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) Heat-Labile Toxin (LT) Enzymatic Subunit Epitopes in LT Enterotoxicity and Immunogenicity. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:e00849-18. [PMID: 29802193 PMCID: PMC6052278 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00849-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains producing heat-labile toxin (LT) and/or heat-stable toxin (STa) are a top cause of children's diarrhea and travelers' diarrhea. Holotoxin-structured GM1-binding LT is a strong immunogen and an effective adjuvant, and can serve a carrier or a platform for multivalent vaccine development. However, the significance of peptide domains or epitopes of LT particularly enzymatic LTA subunit in association with LT enterotoxicity and immunogenicity has not been characterized. In this study, we identified B-cell epitopes in silico from LTA subunit and examined epitopes for immunogenicity and association with LT enterotoxicity. Epitopes identified from LTA subunit were individually fused to a modified chicken ovalbumin carrier protein, and each epitope-ovalbumin fusion was used to immunize mice. Data showed all 11 LTA epitopes were immunogenic; epitope 7 (105SPHPYEQEVSA115) induced greater titers of anti-LT antibodies which neutralized LT enterotoxicity more effectively. To examine these epitopes for the significance in LT enterotoxicity, we constructed LT mutants by substituting each of 10 epitopes at the toxic A1 domain of LTA subunit with a foreign epitope and examined LT mutants for enterotoxicity and GM1-binding activity. Data showed that LT mutants exhibited no enterotoxicity but retained GM1-binding activity. The results from this study indicated that while not all immunodominant LTA epitopes were neutralizing, LT mutants with an individual epitope substituted lost enterotoxicity but retained GM1-binding activity. These results provided additional information to understand LT immunogenicity and enterotoxicity and suggested the potential application of LT platform for multivalent vaccines against ETEC diarrhea and other diseases.IMPORTANCE No vaccine is licensed for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains, which remain a leading cause of diarrhea in children from developing countries and international travelers. GM1-binding heat-labile toxin (LT) which is a key virulence factor of ETEC diarrhea is a strong vaccine antigen and a self-adjuvant. LT can also serve a backbone or platform for MEFA (multiepitope fusion antigen), a newly developed structural vaccinology technology, to present heterogeneous epitopes (by replacing LT epitopes) and to mimic epitope antigenicity for development of broadly protective vaccines. Data from this study identified neutralizing LT epitopes and demonstrated that substitution of LT epitopes eliminated LT enterotoxicity without altering GM1-binding activity, suggesting LT is potentially a versatile MEFA platform to present heterogeneous epitopes for multivalent vaccines against ETEC and other pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiachen Huang
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Qiangde Duan
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Weiping Zhang
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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12
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Duan Q, Lu T, Garcia C, Yañez C, Nandre RM, Sack DA, Zhang W. Co-administered Tag-Less Toxoid Fusion 3xSTa N12S-mnLT R192G/L211A and CFA/I/II/IV MEFA (Multiepitope Fusion Antigen) Induce Neutralizing Antibodies to 7 Adhesins (CFA/I, CS1-CS6) and Both Enterotoxins (LT, STa) of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1198. [PMID: 29922268 PMCID: PMC5996201 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) bacteria remain a leading cause of children's diarrhea and travelers' diarrhea. Vaccines that induce antibodies to block ETEC bacterial adherence and to neutralize toxin enterotoxicity can be effective against ETEC-associated diarrhea. Recent studies showed that 6xHis-tagged CFA/I/II/IV multiepitope fusion antigen (MEFA) induced broad-spectrum antibodies to inhibit adherence of the seven most important ETEC adhesins (CFA/I, CS1 to CS6) (Ruan et al., 2014a) and 6xHis-tagged toxoid fusion antigen 3xSTaN12S-mnLTR192G/L211A (previously named as 3xSTaN12S-dmLT) elicited antibodies to neutralize both heat-labile toxin (LT) and heat-stable toxin (STa) produced by ETEC strains (Ruan et al., 2014b). In this study, we constructed two new genes to express tag-less toxoid fusion 3xSTaN12S-mnLTR192G/L211A and tag-less CFA/I/II/IV MEFA and then examined immunogenicity of each tag-less protein in mouse immunization. We further combined two tag-less proteins and investigated antigen co-administration in mice. Data showed that mice immunized with tag-less 3xSTaN12S-mnLTR192G/L211A or tag-less CFA/I/II/IV MEFA developed antigen-specific IgG antibody responses, and mice co-administered with two tag-less proteins induced neutralizing antibodies against seven adhesins and both toxins. These results indicated tag-less toxoid fusion 3xSTaN12S-mnLTR192G/L211A and tag-less CFA/I/II/IV MEFA administered individually or combined induced neutralizing antitoxin and/or anti-adhesin antibodies, and suggested the potential application of two tag-less proteins for ETEC vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangde Duan
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Ti Lu
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Carolina Garcia
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Coraima Yañez
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Rahul M. Nandre
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - David A. Sack
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Weiping Zhang
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Pathobiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, United States
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