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Westcott MM, Morse AE, Troy G, Blevins M, Wierzba T, Sanders JW. Photochemical inactivation as an alternative method to produce a whole-cell vaccine for uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0366123. [PMID: 38315025 PMCID: PMC10913755 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03661-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the primary causative agent of lower urinary tract infection (UTI). UTI presents a serious health risk and has considerable secondary implications including economic burden, recurring episodes, and overuse of antibiotics. A safe and effective vaccine would address this widespread health problem and emerging antibiotic resistance. Killed, whole-cell vaccines have shown limited efficacy to prevent recurrent UTI in human trials. We explored photochemical inactivation with psoralen drugs and UVA light (PUVA), which crosslinks nucleic acid, as an alternative to protein-damaging methods of inactivation to improve whole-cell UTI vaccines. Exposure of UPEC to the psoralen drug AMT and UVA light resulted in a killed but metabolically active (KBMA) state, as reported previously for other PUVA-inactivated bacteria. The immunogenicity of PUVA-UPEC as compared to formalin-inactivated UPEC was compared in mice. Both generated high UPEC-specific serum IgG titers after intramuscular delivery. However, using functional adherence as a measure of surface protein integrity, we found differences in the properties of PUVA- and formalin-inactivated UPEC. Adhesion mediated by Type-1 and P-fimbriae was severely compromised by formalin but was unaffected by PUVA, indicating that PUVA preserved the functional conformation of fimbrial proteins, which are targets of protective immune responses. In vitro assays indicated that although they retained metabolic activity, PUVA-UPEC lost virulence properties that could negatively impact vaccine safety. Our results imply the potential for PUVA to improve killed, whole-cell UTI vaccines by generating bacteria that more closely resemble their live, infectious counterparts relative to vaccines generated with protein-damaging methods. IMPORTANCE Lower urinary tract infection (UTI), caused primarily by uropathogenic Escherichia coli, represents a significant health burden, accounting for 7 million primary care and 1 million emergency room visits annually in the United States. Women and the elderly are especially susceptible and recurrent infection (rUTI) is common in those populations. Lower UTI can lead to life-threatening systemic infection. UTI burden is manifested by healthcare dollars spent (1.5 billion annually), quality of life impact, and resistant strains emerging from antibiotic overuse. A safe and effective vaccine to prevent rUTI would address a substantial healthcare issue. Vaccines comprised of inactivated uropathogenic bacteria have yielded encouraging results in clinical trials but improvements that enhance vaccine performance are needed. To that end, we focused on inactivation methodology and provided data to support photochemical inactivation, which targets nucleic acid, as a promising alternative to conventional protein-damaging inactivation methods to improve whole-cell UTI vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlena M. Westcott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexis E. Morse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gavin Troy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Maria Blevins
- Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Section, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Thomas Wierzba
- Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Section, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - John W. Sanders
- Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Section, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
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Georgopoulos AP, James LM. Anthrax Vaccines in the 21st Century. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:159. [PMID: 38400142 PMCID: PMC10892718 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12020159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Vaccination against Bacillus anthracis is the best preventive measure against the development of deadly anthrax disease in the event of exposure to anthrax either as a bioweapon or in its naturally occurring form. Anthrax vaccines, however, have historically been plagued with controversy, particularly related to their safety. Fortunately, recent improvements in anthrax vaccines have been shown to confer protection with reduced short-term safety concerns, although questions about long-term safety remain. Here, we (a) review recent and ongoing advances in anthrax vaccine development, (b) emphasize the need for thorough characterization of current (and future) vaccines, (c) bring to focus the importance of host immunogenetics as the ultimate determinant of successful antibody production and protection, and (d) discuss the need for the systematic, active, and targeted monitoring of vaccine recipients for possible Chronic Multisymptom Illness (CMI).
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Affiliation(s)
- Apostolos P. Georgopoulos
- The Gulf War Illness Working Group, Brain Sciences Center, Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA;
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Lisa M. James
- The Gulf War Illness Working Group, Brain Sciences Center, Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA;
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Baghdasaryan O, Khan S, Lin JC, Lee-Kin J, Hsu CY, Hu CMJ, Tan C. Synthetic control of living cells by intracellular polymerization. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:241-252. [PMID: 37743158 PMCID: PMC11132853 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
An emerging cellular engineering method creates synthetic polymer matrices inside cells. By contrast with classical genetic, enzymatic, or radioactive techniques, this materials-based approach introduces non-natural polymers inside cells, thus modifying cellular states and functionalities. Here, we cover various materials and chemistries that have been exploited to create intracellular polymer matrices. In addition, we discuss emergent cellular properties due to the intracellular polymerization, including nonreplicating but active metabolism, maintenance of membrane integrity, and resistance to environmental stressors. We also discuss past work and future opportunities for developing and applying synthetic cells that contain intracellular polymers. The materials-based approach will usher in new applications of synthetic cells for broad biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ofelya Baghdasaryan
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA
| | - Shahid Khan
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA
| | - Jung-Chen Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Jared Lee-Kin
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA
| | - Chung-Yao Hsu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Che-Ming Jack Hu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan.
| | - Cheemeng Tan
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA.
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Westcott MM, Blevins M, Wierzba TF, Morse AE, White KR, Sanders LA, Sanders JW. The Immunogenicity and Properties of a Whole-Cell ETEC Vaccine Inactivated with Psoralen and UVA Light in Comparison to Formalin. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2040. [PMID: 37630600 PMCID: PMC10458022 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Inactivated whole-cell vaccines present a full repertoire of antigens to the immune system. Formalin treatment, a standard method for microbial inactivation, can modify or destroy protein antigenic epitopes. We tested the hypothesis that photochemical inactivation with psoralen and UVA light (PUVA), which targets nucleic acid, would improve the immunogenicity of an Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) vaccine relative to a formalin-inactivated counterpart. Exposure of ETEC H10407 to PUVA using the psoralen drug 4'-Aminomethyltrioxsalen hydrochloride (AMT) yielded replication-incompetent bacteria that retained their metabolic activity. CFA/I-mediated mannose-resistant hemagglutination (MRHA) was equivalent for PUVA-inactivated and live ETEC, but was severely reduced for formalin-ETEC, indicating that PUVA preserved fimbrial protein functional integrity. The immunogenicity of PUVA-ETEC and formalin-ETEC was compared in mice ± double mutant heat-labile enterotoxin (dmLT) adjuvant. Two weeks after an intramuscular prime/boost, serum anti-ETEC IgG titers were similar for the two vaccines and were increased by dmLT. However, the IgG responses raised against several conserved ETEC proteins were greater after vaccination with PUVA-ETEC. In addition, PUVA-ETEC generated IgG specific for heat-labile toxin (LT) in the absence of dmLT, which was not a property of formalin-ETEC. These data are consistent with PUVA preserving ETEC protein antigens in their native-like form and justify the further testing of PUVA as a vaccine platform for ETEC using murine challenge models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlena M. Westcott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 575 Patterson Ave, Winston Salem, NC 27101, USA; (A.E.M.); (K.R.W.)
| | - Maria Blevins
- Infectious Diseases Section, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC 27157, USA; (M.B.); (T.F.W.); (L.A.S.); (J.W.S.)
| | - Thomas F. Wierzba
- Infectious Diseases Section, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC 27157, USA; (M.B.); (T.F.W.); (L.A.S.); (J.W.S.)
| | - Alexis E. Morse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 575 Patterson Ave, Winston Salem, NC 27101, USA; (A.E.M.); (K.R.W.)
| | - Kinnede R. White
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 575 Patterson Ave, Winston Salem, NC 27101, USA; (A.E.M.); (K.R.W.)
| | - Leigh Ann Sanders
- Infectious Diseases Section, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC 27157, USA; (M.B.); (T.F.W.); (L.A.S.); (J.W.S.)
| | - John W. Sanders
- Infectious Diseases Section, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC 27157, USA; (M.B.); (T.F.W.); (L.A.S.); (J.W.S.)
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Role of serine/threonine protein phosphatase PrpN in the life cycle of Bacillus anthracis. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010729. [PMID: 35913993 PMCID: PMC9371265 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Reversible protein phosphorylation at serine/threonine residues is one of the most common protein modifications, widely observed in all kingdoms of life. The catalysts controlling this modification are specific serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases that modulate various cellular pathways ranging from growth to cellular death. Genome sequencing and various omics studies have led to the identification of numerous serine/threonine kinases and cognate phosphatases, yet the physiological relevance of many of these proteins remain enigmatic. In Bacillus anthracis, only one ser/thr phosphatase, PrpC, has been functionally characterized; it was reported to be non-essential for bacterial growth and survival. In the present study, we characterized another ser/thr phosphatase (PrpN) of B. anthracis by various structural and functional approaches. To examine its physiological relevance in B. anthracis, a null mutant strain of prpN was generated and shown to have defects in sporulation and reduced synthesis of toxins (PA and LF) and the toxin activator protein AtxA. We also identified CodY, a global transcriptional regulator, as a target of PrpN and ser/thr kinase PrkC. CodY phosphorylation strongly controlled its binding to the promoter region of atxA, as shown using phosphomimetic and phosphoablative mutants. In nutshell, the present study reports phosphorylation-mediated regulation of CodY activity in the context of anthrax toxin synthesis in B. anthracis by a previously uncharacterized ser/thr protein phosphatase–PrpN. Reversible protein phosphorylation at specific ser/thr residues causes conformational changes in the protein structure, thereby modulating its cellular activity. In B. anthracis, though the role of ser/thr phosphorylation is implicated in various cellular pathways including pathogenesis, till date only one STP (PrpC) has been functionally characterized. This manuscript reports functional characterization of another STP (PrpN) in B. anthracis and with the aid of a null mutant strain (BAS ΔprpN) we provide important insight regarding the role of PrpN in the life cycle of B. anthracis. We have also identified the global transcriptional regulator, CodY as a target of PrpN and PrkC, and for the first time showed the physiological relevance of CodY phosphorylation status in the regulation of anthrax toxin synthesis.
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Unger H, Kangethe RT, Liaqat F, Viljoen GJ. Advances in Irradiated Livestock Vaccine Research and Production Addressing the Unmet Needs for Farmers and Veterinary Services in FAO/IAEA Member States. Front Immunol 2022; 13:853874. [PMID: 35418985 PMCID: PMC8997582 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.853874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Animal Production and Health section (APH) of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture at the International Atomic Energy Agency has over the last 58 years provided technical and scientific support to more than 100 countries through co-ordinated research activities and technical co-operation projects in peaceful uses of nuclear technologies. A key component of this support has been the development of irradiated vaccines targeting diseases that are endemic to participating countries. APH laboratories has over the last decade developed new techniques and has put in place a framework that allows researchers from participating member states to develop relevant vaccines targeting local diseases while using irradiation as a tool for improving livestock resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Unger
- Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria
| | - Richard T Kangethe
- Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria
| | - Fatima Liaqat
- Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerrit J Viljoen
- Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria
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7
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Kim NY, Son WR, Lee MH, Choi HS, Choi JY, Song YJ, Yu CH, Song DH, Hur GH, Jeong ST, Hong SY, Shin YK, Shin S. A multipathogen DNA vaccine elicits protective immune responses against two class A bioterrorism agents, anthrax and botulism. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:1531-1542. [PMID: 35141866 PMCID: PMC8979915 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11812-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The potential use of biological agents has become a major public health concern worldwide. According to the CDC classification, Bacillus anthracis and Clostridium botulinum, the bacterial pathogens that cause anthrax and botulism, respectively, are considered to be the most dangerous potential biological agents. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine that is well suited for mass immunization in the event of an anthrax or botulism epidemic. In the present study, we developed a dual-expression system-based multipathogen DNA vaccine that encodes the PA-D4 gene of B. anthracis and the HCt gene of C. botulinum. When the multipathogen DNA vaccine was administered to mice and guinea pigs, high level antibody responses were elicited against both PA-D4 and HCt. Analysis of the serum IgG subtype implied a combined Th1/Th2 response to both antigens, but one that was Th2 skewed. In addition, immunization with the multipathogen DNA vaccine induced effective neutralizing antibody activity against both PA-D4 and HCt. Finally, the protection efficiency of the multipathogen DNA vaccine was determined by sequential challenge with 10 LD50 of B. anthracis spores and 10 LD50 of botulinum toxin, or vice versa, and the multipathogen DNA vaccine provided higher than 50% protection against lethal challenge with both high-risk biothreat agents. Our studies suggest the strategy used for this anthrax-botulinum multipathogen DNA vaccine as a prospective approach for developing emergency vaccines that can be immediately distributed on a massive scale in response to a biothreat emergency or infectious disease outbreak.
Key points • A novel multipathogen DNA vaccine was constructed against anthrax and botulism. • Robust immune responses were induced following vaccination. • Suggests a potential vaccine development strategy against biothreat agents. |
Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-022-11812-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Young Kim
- R&D Center, ABION Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Rak Son
- R&D Center, ABION Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Hoon Lee
- R&D Center, ABION Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | - Young Jo Song
- The 4th R&D Institute, Agency for Defense Development, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chi Ho Yu
- The 4th R&D Institute, Agency for Defense Development, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Hyun Song
- The 4th R&D Institute, Agency for Defense Development, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyeung Haeng Hur
- The 4th R&D Institute, Agency for Defense Development, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Tae Jeong
- The 4th R&D Institute, Agency for Defense Development, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Youl Hong
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Kee Shin
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungho Shin
- Bio-MAX/N-Bio, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Chen F, Seong Seo H, Ji HJ, Yang E, Choi JA, Yang JS, Song M, Han SH, Lim S, Lim JH, Ahn KB. Characterization of humoral and cellular immune features of gamma-irradiated influenza vaccine. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2020; 17:485-496. [PMID: 32643515 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1780091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The most widely used influenza vaccines are prepared by chemical inactivation. However, chemical, especially formalin, treatment-induced modifications of the antigenic structure of the virus are frequently associated with adverse effects including low efficacy of protection, unexpected immune responses, or exacerbation of disease. Gamma-irradiation was suggested as an alternative influenza virus inactivation method due to its great features of completely inactivating virus while not damaging the structures of protein antigens, and cross-protective ability against heterologous strains. However, immunological features of gamma radiation-inactivated influenza vaccine have not been fully understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the humoral and cellular immune responses of gamma radiation-inactivated influenza vaccine. The gamma irradiation-inactivated influenza vaccine (RADVAXFluA) showed complete viral inactivation but retained normal viral structure with functional activities of viral protein antigens. Intranasal immunization of RADVAXFluA provided better protection against influenza virus infection than formalin-inactivated influenza virus (FIV) in mice. RADVAXFluA greatly enhanced the production of virus-specific serum IgG and alveolar mucosal IgA, which effectively neutralized HA (hemagglutinin) and NA (neuraminidase) activities, and blocked viral binding to the cells, respectively. Further analysis of IgG subclasses showed RADVAXFluA-immunized sera had higher levels of IgG1 and IgG2a than those of FIV-immunized sera. In addition, analysis of cellular immunity found RADVAXFluA induced strong dendritic cells (DC) activation resulting in higher DC-mediated activation of CD8+ T cells than FIV. The results support improved immunogenicity by RADVAXFluA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjia Chen
- Radiation Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute , Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Seong Seo
- Radiation Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute , Jeongeup, Republic of Korea.,Department of Radiation Biotechnology and Applied Radioisotope Science, University of Science and Technology , Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jung Ji
- Radiation Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute , Jeongeup, Republic of Korea.,Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, DRI, and BK21 Plus Program, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University , Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Yang
- Clinical Research Laboratory, Sciences Unit, International Vaccine Institute , Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Ah Choi
- Clinical Research Laboratory, Sciences Unit, International Vaccine Institute , Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Seung Yang
- Clinical Research Laboratory, Sciences Unit, International Vaccine Institute , Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Manki Song
- Clinical Research Laboratory, Sciences Unit, International Vaccine Institute , Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Han
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, DRI, and BK21 Plus Program, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University , Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyong Lim
- Radiation Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute , Jeongeup, Republic of Korea.,Department of Radiation Biotechnology and Applied Radioisotope Science, University of Science and Technology , Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hyang Lim
- Department of Microbiology, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine , Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Ewha Education & Research Center for Infection, Ewha Womans University Medical Center , Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Bum Ahn
- Radiation Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute , Jeongeup, Republic of Korea
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SpoVG is Necessary for Sporulation in Bacillus anthracis. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8040548. [PMID: 32290166 PMCID: PMC7232415 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8040548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Bacillus anthracis spore constitutes the infectious form of the bacterium, and sporulation is an important process in the organism’s life cycle. Herein, we show that disruption of SpoVG resulted in defective B. anthracis sporulation. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that a ΔspoVG mutant could not form an asymmetric septum, the first morphological change observed during sporulation. Moreover, levels of spoIIE mRNA were reduced in the spoVG mutant, as demonstrated using β-galactosidase activity assays. The effects on sporulation of the ΔspoVG mutation differed in B. anthracis from those in B. subtilis because of the redundant functions of SpoVG and SpoIIB in B. subtilis. SpoVG is highly conserved between B. anthracis and B. subtilis. Conversely, BA4688 (the protein tentatively assigned as SpoIIB in B. anthracis) and B. subtilis SpoIIB (SpoIIBBs) share only 27.9% sequence identity. On complementation of the B. anthracis ΔspoVG strain with spoIIBBs, the resulting strain pBspoIIBBs/ΔspoVG could not form resistant spores, but partially completed the prespore engulfment stage. In agreement with this finding, mRNA levels of the prespore engulfment gene spoIIM were significantly increased in strain pBspoIIBBs/ΔspoVG compared with the ΔspoVG strain. Transcription of the coat development gene cotE was similar in the pBspoIIBBs/ΔspoVG and ΔspoVG strains. Thus, unlike in B. subtilis, SpoVG appears to be required for sporulation in B. anthracis, which provides further insight into the sporulation mechanisms of this pathogen.
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Jalili Z, Saleh M, Bouzari S, Pooya M. Characterization of killed but metabolically active uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain as possible vaccine candidate for urinary tract infection. Microb Pathog 2018; 122:184-190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Meynet E, Laurin D, Lenormand JL, Camara B, Toussaint B, Le Gouëllec A. Killed but metabolically active Pseudomonas aeruginosa-based vaccine induces protective humoral- and cell-mediated immunity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa pulmonary infections. Vaccine 2018; 36:1893-1900. [PMID: 29506924 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.02.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in cystic fibrosis patients. Its eradication is difficult due to a wide phenotypic adaptability and an increase of its resistance to antibiotics. After the failure of several recombinant vaccines which mainly triggered humoral response, live-attenuated vaccines received attention thanks to their ability to elicit a broad immunity with both humoral- and cell-mediated responses, essential to fight this pathogen. In this study, we developed an innovative and safer live-attenuated Pa vaccine based on a Killed But Metabolically Active (KBMA) attenuation method. KBMA Pa has been further rationally designed to overexpress beneficial effectors like the type 3 secretion system apparatus. We demonstrated that KBMA Pa elicits a high and broad humoral response in mice against several antigens of particular interest such as OprF and PcrV proteins. Moreover, we assessed cytokines in the serum of immunized mice and showed that KBMA Pa elicits Th1, Th2 and especially Th17 pathways of cell-mediated immune responses. Th17 pathway involvement was also confirmed after specific stimulation of helper T cells in immunized mice. Finally, we showed that this vaccine is safe and has a protective effect in a murine acute pulmonary infectious challenge. In conclusion, KBMA Pa is a new platform with high potential for the development of a vaccine against Pa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Meynet
- Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CHU Grenoble, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - David Laurin
- Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CHU Grenoble, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525, 38000 Grenoble, France; Etablissement Français du Sang, BP35, 38701 La Tronche, France
| | - Jean Luc Lenormand
- Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CHU Grenoble, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Boubou Camara
- Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CHU Grenoble, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Bertrand Toussaint
- Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CHU Grenoble, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Audrey Le Gouëllec
- Univ Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CHU Grenoble, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525, 38000 Grenoble, France.
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Chitlaru T, Israeli M, Rotem S, Elia U, Bar-Haim E, Ehrlich S, Cohen O, Shafferman A. A novel live attenuated anthrax spore vaccine based on an acapsular Bacillus anthracis Sterne strain with mutations in the htrA, lef and cya genes. Vaccine 2017; 35:6030-6040. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Lv J, Zhang YY, Lu X, Zhang H, Wei L, Gao J, Hu B, Hu WW, Hu DZ, Jia N, Feng X. Comparisons of the humoral and cellular immunity induced by live A16R attenuated spore and AVA-like anthrax vaccine in mice. Biologicals 2017; 46:130-138. [PMID: 28215694 DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2017.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 02/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The live attenuated anthrax vaccine and anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA) are two main types of anthrax vaccines currently used in human. However, the immunoprotective mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we compared humoral and cellular immunity induced by live A16R spore vaccine and A16R strain derived AVA-like vaccine in mice peripheral blood, spleen and bone marrow. Both A16R spores and AVA-like vaccines induced a sustained IgG antibody response with IgG1/IgG2b subtype dominance. However, A16R spores vaccine induced higher titer of IgG2a compared with AVA-like vaccine, indicating a stronger Th1 response to A16R spores. Using antigen-specific ELISpot assay, we observed a significant response of ASCs (antibody secreting cells) and IL4-CSCs (cytokine secreting cells) in mice. Specially, there was a positive correlation between the frequencies of antigen specific ASCs and IL4-CSCs in bone marrow derived cells, either by A16R spore or AVA-like vaccine vaccination. Moreover, we also found A16R spore vaccine, not AVA-like vaccine, could induce sustained frequency of IFN-γ-CSCs in bone marrow derived cells. Collectively, both the vaccines induced a mixed Th1/Th2 response with Th2 dominance in mice and A16R spore vaccine might provide a more comprehensive protection because of humoral and cellular immunity induced in bone marrow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Lv
- The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China
| | - Ying-Ying Zhang
- The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China
| | - Xun Lu
- The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Wei
- The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Gao
- The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Hu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Wei Hu
- The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China
| | - Dun-Zhong Hu
- The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China
| | - Na Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.
| | - Xin Feng
- The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China.
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Liu PF, Wang Y, Liu YT, Huang CM. Vaccination with Killed but Metabolically Active E. coli Over-expressing Hemagglutinin Elicits Neutralizing Antibodies to H1N1 Swine Origin Influenza A Virus. JOURNAL OF NATURE AND SCIENCE 2017; 3:e317. [PMID: 28492063 PMCID: PMC5421401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
There is a need for a fast and simple method for vaccine production to keep up with the pace of a rapidly spreading virus in the early phases of the influenza pandemic. The use of whole viruses produced in chicken eggs or recombinant antigens purified from various expression systems has presented considerable challenges, especially with lengthy processing times. Here, we use the killed but metabolically active (KBMA) Escherichia coli (E. coli) to harbor the hemagglutinin (HA) of swine origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV) San Diego/01/09 (SD/H1N1-S-OIV). Intranasal vaccination of mice with KBMA E. coli SD/H1N1-S-OIV HA without adding exogenous adjuvants provoked detectable neutralizing antibodies against the virus-induced hemagglutination within three weeks. Boosting vaccination enhanced the titers of neutralizing antibodies, which can decrease viral infectivity in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. The antibodies were found to specifically neutralize the SD/H1N1-S-OIV-, but not seasonal influenza viruses (H1N1 and H3N2), -induced hemagglutination. The use of KBMA E. coli as an egg-free system to produce anti-influenza vaccines makes unnecessary the rigorous purification of an antigen prior to immunization, providing an alternative modality to combat influenza virus in future outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Feng Liu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, USA
| | - Yanhan Wang
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, USA
| | - Yu-Tsueng Liu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, USA
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, USA
| | - Chun-Ming Huang
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, USA
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, USA
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Mamedov T, Chichester JA, Jones RM, Ghosh A, Coffin MV, Herschbach K, Prokhnevsky AI, Streatfield SJ, Yusibov V. Production of Functionally Active and Immunogenic Non-Glycosylated Protective Antigen from Bacillus anthracis in Nicotiana benthamiana by Co-Expression with Peptide-N-Glycosidase F (PNGase F) of Flavobacterium meningosepticum. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153956. [PMID: 27101370 PMCID: PMC4839623 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis has long been considered a potential biological warfare agent, and therefore, there is a need for a safe, low-cost and highly efficient anthrax vaccine with demonstrated long-term stability for mass vaccination in case of an emergency. Many efforts have been made towards developing an anthrax vaccine based on recombinant protective antigen (rPA) of B. anthracis, a key component of the anthrax toxin, produced using different expression systems. Plants represent a promising recombinant protein production platform due to their relatively low cost, rapid scalability and favorable safety profile. Previous studies have shown that full-length rPA produced in Nicotiana benthamiana (pp-PA83) is immunogenic and can provide full protection against lethal spore challenge; however, further improvement in the potency and stability of the vaccine candidate is necessary. PA of B. anthracis is not a glycoprotein in its native host; however, this protein contains potential N-linked glycosylation sites, which can be aberrantly glycosylated during expression in eukaryotic systems including plants. This glycosylation could affect the availability of certain key epitopes either due to masking or misfolding of the protein. Therefore, a non-glycosylated form of pp-PA83 was engineered and produced in N. benthamiana using an in vivo deglycosylation approach based on co-expression of peptide-N-glycosidase F (PNGase F) from Flavobacterium meningosepticum. For comparison, versions of pp-PA83 containing point mutations in six potential N-glycosylation sites were also engineered and expressed in N. benthamiana. The in vivo deglycosylated pp-PA83 (pp-dPA83) was shown to have in vitro activity, in contrast to glycosylated pp-PA83, and to induce significantly higher levels of toxin-neutralizing antibody responses in mice compared with glycosylated pp-PA83, in vitro deglycosylated pp-PA83 or the mutated versions of pp-PA83. These results suggest that pp-dPA83 may offer advantages in terms of dose sparing and enhanced immunogenicity as a promising candidate for a safe, effective and low-cost subunit vaccine against anthrax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarlan Mamedov
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Jessica A. Chichester
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - R. Mark Jones
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Ananya Ghosh
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Megan V. Coffin
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Kristina Herschbach
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Alexey I. Prokhnevsky
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Stephen J. Streatfield
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Vidadi Yusibov
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
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Animal Models for the Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention of Infection by Bacillus anthracis. Microbiol Spectr 2016; 3:TBS-0001-2012. [PMID: 26104551 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.tbs-0001-2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reviews the characteristics of the major animal models utilized for studies on Bacillus anthracis and highlights their contributions to understanding the pathogenesis and host responses to anthrax and its treatment and prevention. Advantages and drawbacks associated with each model, to include the major models (murine, guinea pig, rabbit, nonhuman primate, and rat), and other less frequently utilized models, are discussed. Although the three principal forms of anthrax are addressed, the main focus of this review is on models for inhalational anthrax. The selection of an animal model for study is often not straightforward and is dependent on the specific aims of the research or test. No single animal species provides complete equivalence to humans; however, each species, when used appropriately, can contribute to a more complete understanding of anthrax and its etiologic agent.
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Li Y, Wang Z, Liu X, Tang J, Peng B, Wei Y. X-ray Irradiated Vaccine Confers protection against Pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Sci Rep 2016; 6:18823. [PMID: 26879055 PMCID: PMC4754647 DOI: 10.1038/srep18823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacterium and one of the leading causes of nosocomial infection worldwide, however, no effective vaccine is currently available in the market. Here, we demonstrate that inactivation of the bacteria by X-ray irradiation inhibits its replication capability but retained antigenic expression functionally thus allowing its use as a potential vaccine. Mice immunized by this vaccine were challenged by the parental strain, the O-antigen-homologous strain PAO-1 (O2/O5) and heterologous strain PAO-6 (O6) in an acute pneumonia model. We further measured the protective effect of the vaccine, as well as host innate and cellular immunity responses. We found immunized mice could protect against both strains. Notably, the antiserum only had significant protective role against similar bacteria, while adoptive transfer of lymphocytes significantly controlled the spread of the virulent heterologous serogroup PAO-6 infection, and the protective role could be reversed by CD4 rather than CD8 antibody. We further revealed that vaccinated mice could rapidly recruit neutrophils to the airways early after intranasal challenge by PAO-6, and the irradiated vaccine was proved to be protective by the generated CD4(+) IL-17(+) Th17 cells. In conclusion, the generation of inactivated but metabolically active microbes is a promising strategy for safely vaccinating against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,State Key Labortary of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Cheng Du, China
| | - Zhenling Wang
- State Key Labortary of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Cheng Du, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Liu
- State Key Labortary of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Cheng Du, China
| | - Jianying Tang
- State Key Labortary of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Cheng Du, China
| | - Bin Peng
- State Key Labortary of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Cheng Du, China.,Department of Oncology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuquan Wei
- State Key Labortary of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Cheng Du, China
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Choi SH, Kim MS, Kim KH. Generation of killed but metabolically active (KBMA) Edwardsiella tarda and evaluation of its potential as a protective vaccine. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 45:889-894. [PMID: 26074095 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2015.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A technology for inactivation of pathogens in human blood products by treatment with amotosalen hydrochloride (S-59) in combination with long wavelength ultraviolet light (UVA) to decrease transfusion-mediated sepsis has been applied to make safe vaccines against human pathogenic bacteria, and the resultants were called killed but metabolically active (KBMA) bacteria. In the present study, we first generated KBMA Edwardsiella tarda and evaluated its potential as a protective vaccine in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). To prevent the restoration of division ability by removal of psoralen adducts in the bacterial chromosome through the nucleotide excision repair (NER), the uvrA and uvrB genes knock-out E. tarda (ΔuvrAB E. tarda) was produced by the allelic exchange method. The optimal condition for generation of KBMA E. tarda was exposure of the ΔuvrAB E. tarda to 100 ng/ml of S-59 and 2.8 J/cm(2) of UVA irradiation. The KBMA E. tarda could not replicate but showed a high metabolic activity (measured by lactate dehydrogenase activity) that was comparable to the wild-type E. tarda. In comparison of survival rates between groups vaccinated with the same dose of bacteria, fish immunized with KBMA E. tarda showed significantly higher survival rates than fish immunized with formalin-killed cell (FKC) E. tarda. Furthermore, fish immunized with 1 × 10(7) CFU/fish of KBMA E. tarda showed no mortality, while PBS-injected fish showed 100% mortality. The serum agglutination titer was sharply increased by 10(7) CFU/fish of KBMA E. tarda compared to those of fish immunized with 10(6) CFU/fish of KBMA E. tarda or 10(7) CFU/fish of FKC E. tarda. The consistently lower serum agglutination titers against KBMA E. tarda than against FKC E. tarda in both KBMA and FKC E. tarda immunized groups suggest that some factors secreted from KBMA E. tarda might inhibit the serum agglutination activity. In conclusion, the present results showed the higher potential of KBMA E. tarda than FKC E. tarda as a prophylactic vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Hyuk Choi
- Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University, Nam-gu 599-1, Busan 608-737, South Korea
| | - Min Sun Kim
- Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University, Nam-gu 599-1, Busan 608-737, South Korea
| | - Ki Hong Kim
- Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University, Nam-gu 599-1, Busan 608-737, South Korea.
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Kaur M, Singh S, Bhatnagar R. Anthrax vaccines: present status and future prospects. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 12:955-70. [PMID: 23984963 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2013.814860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The management of anthrax remains a top priority among the biowarfare/bioterror agents. It was the Bacillus anthracis spore attack through the US mail system after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the USA that highlighted the potential of B. anthracis as a bioterrorism agent and the threat posed by its deliberate dissemination. These attacks invigorated the efforts toward understanding the anthrax pathogenesis and development of more comprehensive medical intervention strategies for its containment in case of both natural disease and manmade, accidental or deliberate infection of a non-suspecting population. Currently, efforts are directed toward the development of safe and efficacious vaccines as well as intervention tools for controlling the disease in the advanced fulminant stage when toxemia has already developed. This work presents an overview of the current understanding of anthrax pathogenesis and recent advances made, particularly after 2001, for the successful management of anthrax and outlines future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manpreet Kaur
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, Delhi, India
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20
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Vatansever F, Ferraresi C, de Sousa MVP, Yin R, Rineh A, Sharma SK, Hamblin MR. Can biowarfare agents be defeated with light? Virulence 2013; 4:796-825. [PMID: 24067444 PMCID: PMC3925713 DOI: 10.4161/viru.26475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Revised: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological warfare and bioterrorism is an unpleasant fact of 21st century life. Highly infectious and profoundly virulent diseases may be caused in combat personnel or in civilian populations by the appropriate dissemination of viruses, bacteria, spores, fungi, or toxins. Dissemination may be airborne, waterborne, or by contamination of food or surfaces. Countermeasures may be directed toward destroying or neutralizing the agents outside the body before infection has taken place, by destroying the agents once they have entered the body before the disease has fully developed, or by immunizing susceptible populations against the effects. A range of light-based technologies may have a role to play in biodefense countermeasures. Germicidal UV (UVC) is exceptionally active in destroying a wide range of viruses and microbial cells, and recent data suggests that UVC has high selectivity over host mammalian cells and tissues. Two UVA mediated approaches may also have roles to play; one where UVA is combined with titanium dioxide nanoparticles in a process called photocatalysis, and a second where UVA is combined with psoralens (PUVA) to produce "killed but metabolically active" microbial cells that may be particularly suitable for vaccines. Many microbial cells are surprisingly sensitive to blue light alone, and blue light can effectively destroy bacteria, fungi, and Bacillus spores and can treat wound infections. The combination of photosensitizing dyes such as porphyrins or phenothiaziniums and red light is called photodynamic therapy (PDT) or photoinactivation, and this approach cannot only kill bacteria, spores, and fungi, but also inactivate viruses and toxins. Many reports have highlighted the ability of PDT to treat infections and stimulate the host immune system. Finally pulsed (femtosecond) high power lasers have been used to inactivate pathogens with some degree of selectivity. We have pointed to some of the ways light-based technology may be used to defeat biological warfare in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Vatansever
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine; Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston MA USA
- Harvard Medical School; Department of Dermatology; Boston, MA USA
| | - Cleber Ferraresi
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine; Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston MA USA
- Laboratory of Electro-thermo-phototherapy; Department of Physical Therapy; Federal University of São Carlos; São Paulo, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program in Biotechnology; Federal University of São Carlos; São Paulo, Brazil
- Optics Group; Physics Institute of Sao Carlos; University of São Paulo; São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Victor Pires de Sousa
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine; Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston MA USA
- Laboratory of Radiation Dosimetry and Medical Physics; Institute of Physics, São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rui Yin
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine; Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston MA USA
- Harvard Medical School; Department of Dermatology; Boston, MA USA
- Department of Dermatology; Southwest Hospital; Third Military Medical University; Chongqing, PR China
| | - Ardeshir Rineh
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine; Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston MA USA
- School of Chemistry; University of Wollongong; Wollongong, NSW Australia
| | - Sulbha K Sharma
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine; Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston MA USA
- Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology; Indore, India
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine; Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston MA USA
- Harvard Medical School; Department of Dermatology; Boston, MA USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology; Cambridge, MA USA
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Friedlander AM, Grabenstein JD, Brachman PS. Anthrax vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-1-4557-0090-5.00022-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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Dubensky TW, Skoble J, Lauer P, Brockstedt DG. Killed but metabolically active vaccines. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2012; 23:917-23. [PMID: 22608846 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2012.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Accepted: 04/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Beginning in the 20th century and continuing into the new millennia, vaccines against numerous diseases have had an unquestioned principal role of both enhancing the quality of life and increasing life expectancy (Rappuoli R, Mandl CW, Black S, De Gregorio E: Vaccines for the twenty-first century society. Nat Rev Immunol 2011, 11:865-872). Despite this success and the development of sophisticated new vaccine technologies, there remain multiple infectious diseases including tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS that await an effective prophylactic vaccine. In addition, there have been recent clinical successes among individuals with cancer using vaccine treatment strategies-so-called therapeutic vaccines-that stimulate tumor specific immunity and increase survival (Kantoff PW, Higano CS, Shore ND, Berger ER, Small EJ, Penson DF, Redfern CH, Ferrari AC, Dreicer R, Sims RB, et al.: Sipuleucel-T immunotherapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer. New Engl J Med 2010, 363:411-422). Here we summarize a new class of vaccines termed Killed But Metabolically Active (KBMA). KBMA vaccines are whole pathogenic or attenuated organisms killed through photochemical inactivation and cannot cause disease, yet retain sufficient metabolic activity to initiate a potent immune response. KBMA vaccines have two broad applications. First, recombinant KBMA vaccines encoding selected antigens relevant to infectious disease or cancer can be used to elicit a desired immune response. In the second application, KBMA vaccines can be derived from attenuated forms of a targeted pathogen, allowing for the presentation of the entire antigenic repertoire to the immune system, of particular importance when the correlates of protection are unknown.
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Expression of either lethal toxin or edema toxin by Bacillus anthracis is sufficient for virulence in a rabbit model of inhalational anthrax. Infect Immun 2012; 80:2414-25. [PMID: 22526673 DOI: 10.1128/iai.06340-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of therapeutics against biothreats requires that we understand the pathogenesis of the disease in relevant animal models. The rabbit model of inhalational anthrax is an important tool in the assessment of potential therapeutics against Bacillus anthracis. We investigated the roles of B. anthracis capsule and toxins in the pathogenesis of inhalational anthrax in rabbits by comparing infection with the Ames strain versus isogenic mutants with deletions of the genes for the capsule operon (capBCADE), lethal factor (lef), edema factor (cya), or protective antigen (pagA). The absence of capsule or protective antigen (PA) resulted in complete avirulence, while the presence of either edema toxin or lethal toxin plus capsule resulted in lethality. The absence of toxin did not influence the ability of B. anthracis to traffic to draining lymph nodes, but systemic dissemination required the presence of at least one of the toxins. Histopathology studies demonstrated minimal differences among lethal wild-type and single toxin mutant strains. When rabbits were coinfected with the Ames strain and the PA- mutant strain, the toxin produced by the Ames strain was not able to promote dissemination of the PA- mutant, suggesting that toxigenic action occurs in close proximity to secreting bacteria. Taken together, these findings suggest that a major role for toxins in the pathogenesis of anthrax is to enable the organism to overcome innate host effector mechanisms locally and that much of the damage during the later stages of infection is due to the interactions of the host with the massive bacterial burden.
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Killed but metabolically active Leishmania infantum as a novel whole-cell vaccine for visceral leishmaniasis. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2012; 19:490-8. [PMID: 22323556 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.05660-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
There are currently no effective vaccines for visceral leishmaniasis, the second most deadly parasitic infection in the world. Here, we describe a novel whole-cell vaccine approach using Leishmania infantum chagasi promastigotes treated with the psoralen compound amotosalen (S-59) and low doses of UV A radiation. This treatment generates permanent, covalent DNA cross-links within parasites and results in Leishmania organisms termed killed but metabolically active (KBMA). In this report, we characterize the in vitro growth characteristics of both KBMA L. major and KBMA L. infantum chagasi. Concentrations of S-59 that generate optimally attenuated parasites were identified. Like live L. infantum chagasi, KBMA L. infantum chagasi parasites were able to initially enter liver cells in vivo after intravenous infection. However, whereas live L. infantum chagasi infection leads to hepatosplenomegaly in mice after 6 months, KBMA L. infantum chagasi parasites were undetectable in the organs of mice at this time point. In vitro, KBMA L. infantum chagasi retained the ability to enter macrophages and induce nitric oxide production. These characteristics of KBMA L. infantum chagasi correlated with the ability to prophylactically protect mice via subcutaneous vaccination at levels similar to vaccination with live, virulent organisms. Splenocytes from mice vaccinated with either live L. infantum chagasi or KBMA L. infantum chagasi displayed similar cytokine patterns in vitro. These results suggest that KBMA technology is a potentially safe and effective novel vaccine strategy against the intracellular protozoan L. infantum chagasi. This approach may represent a new method for whole-cell vaccination against other complex intracellular pathogens.
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Sagripanti JL, Grote G, Niederwöhrmeier B, Hülseweh B, Marschall HJ. Photochemical inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Photochem Photobiol 2011; 88:201-6. [PMID: 22053910 DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2011.01029.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Adaptability to a broad range of environments together with relatively high resistance to antibiotics and to disinfectants makes Pseudomonas aeruginosa a concern in hospitals and in public health. We investigated whether UVA-mediated photochemical inactivation of P. aeruginosa could be accomplished with high efficiency while at the same time preserving the sensitivity of subsequent diagnostic tests. We characterized dose responses and bactericidal kinetic rates of 5-iodonaphthyl 1-azide (INA) and of amotosalen (AMO) as these substances exposed to UVA are known to inactivate germs with minimal impact to blood products or to viral antigens. Neither UVA without photochemicals nor INA or AMO in the dark inactivated bacteria. We found that AMO was ca 1000-fold more effective in inactivating P. aeruginosa cells than INA under similar conditions. Photoinactivation with either INA or AMO at conditions that abolished bacterial infectivity did not impair polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing. For comparison, similar titers of Bacillus atrophaeus spores (a surrogate for B. anthracis) remained unaffected at conditions that reduced the survival of P. aeruginosa below detection levels. The results presented in this study should assist in improved methods to inactivate P. aeruginosa in environmental, clinical and forensic samples without impairing subsequent nucleic acid- or immune-based analysis.
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Bouzianas DG. Current and future medical approaches to combat the anthrax threat. J Med Chem 2010; 53:4305-31. [PMID: 20102155 DOI: 10.1021/jm901024b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios G Bouzianas
- Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, AHEPA University Hospital, 1 S. Kyriakidi Street, P.C. 54636, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece.
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Induction of neutralizing antibody responses to anthrax protective antigen by using influenza virus vectors: implications for disparate immune system priming pathways. J Virol 2010; 84:8300-7. [PMID: 20504926 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00183-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral vectors based on influenza virus, rabies virus (RV), and vaccinia virus (VV) were used to express large polypeptide segments derived from the Bacillus anthracis protective antigen (PA). For the infectious influenza virus vector and recombinant VV constructs, the receptor binding domain (RBD or domain 4) or the lethal and edema factor binding domain (LEF or domain 1') were engineered into functional chimeric hemagglutinin (HA) glycoproteins. In the case of the RV vector, the viral glycoprotein (G) was used as a carrier for RBD in an inactivated form of the vector. These constructs were examined by using multiple homologous and heterologous prime/boost immunization regimens in order to optimize the induction of alpha-PA antibody responses. Several immunization combinations were shown to induce high titers of antibody recognizing the anthrax RBD and LEF domains, as well as the full-length PA protein in mice. The heterologous prime/boost immunization regimens that involved an initial intranasal administration of a live influenza virus vector, followed by an intramuscular boost with either the killed RV vector or the VV vector, were particularly effective, inducing antigen-specific antibodies at levels severalfold higher than homologous or alternative heterologous protocols. Furthermore, sera from several groups of the immunized mice demonstrated neutralization activity in an in vitro anthrax toxin neutralization assay. In some cases, such toxin-neutralizing activity was notably high, indicating that the mechanisms by which immunity is primed by live influenza virus vectors may have beneficial properties.
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Lu S, Wang S. Technical transformation of biodefense vaccines. Vaccine 2009; 27 Suppl 4:D8-D15. [PMID: 19837293 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.08.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2009] [Revised: 08/14/2009] [Accepted: 08/17/2009] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Biodefense vaccines are developed against a diverse group of pathogens. Vaccines were developed for some of these pathogens a long time ago but they are facing new challenges to move beyond the old manufacturing technologies. New vaccines to be developed against other pathogens have to determine whether to follow traditional vaccination strategies or to seek new approaches. Advances in basic immunology and recombinant DNA technology have fundamentally transformed the process of formulating a vaccine concept, optimizing protective antigens, and selecting the most effective vaccine delivery approach for candidate biodefense vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Lu
- Laboratory of Nucleic Acid Vaccines, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
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Friedlander AM, Little SF. Advances in the development of next-generation anthrax vaccines. Vaccine 2009; 27 Suppl 4:D28-32. [PMID: 19837282 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.08.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2009] [Accepted: 08/26/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Cybulski RJ, Sanz P, O'Brien AD. Anthrax vaccination strategies. Mol Aspects Med 2009; 30:490-502. [PMID: 19729034 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2009.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2009] [Accepted: 08/24/2009] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The biological attack conducted through the US postal system in 2001 broadened the threat posed by anthrax from one pertinent mainly to soldiers on the battlefield to one understood to exist throughout our society. The expansion of the threatened population placed greater emphasis on the reexamination of how we vaccinate against Bacillus anthracis. The currently-licensed Anthrax Vaccine, Adsorbed (AVA) and Anthrax Vaccine, Precipitated (AVP) are capable of generating a protective immune response but are hampered by shortcomings that make their widespread use undesirable or infeasible. Efforts to gain US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for licensure of a second generation recombinant protective antigen (rPA)-based anthrax vaccine are ongoing. However, this vaccine's reliance on the generation of a humoral immune response against a single virulence factor has led a number of scientists to conclude that the vaccine is likely not the final solution to optimal anthrax vaccine design. Other vaccine approaches, which seek a more comprehensive immune response targeted at multiple components of the B. anthracis organism, are under active investigation. This review seeks to summarize work that has been done to build on the current PA-based vaccine methodology and to evaluate the search for future anthrax prophylaxis strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Cybulski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, United States
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