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Recent Advances in the Development of Adenovirus-Vectored Vaccines for Parasitic Infections. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16030334. [PMID: 36986434 PMCID: PMC10058461 DOI: 10.3390/ph16030334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines against parasites have lagged centuries behind those against viral and bacterial infections, despite the devastating morbidity and widespread effects of parasitic diseases across the globe. One of the greatest hurdles to parasite vaccine development has been the lack of vaccine strategies able to elicit the complex and multifaceted immune responses needed to abrogate parasitic persistence. Viral vectors, especially adenovirus (AdV) vectors, have emerged as a potential solution for complex disease targets, including HIV, tuberculosis, and parasitic diseases, to name a few. AdVs are highly immunogenic and are uniquely able to drive CD8+ T cell responses, which are known to be correlates of immunity in infections with most protozoan and some helminthic parasites. This review presents recent developments in AdV-vectored vaccines targeting five major human parasitic diseases: malaria, Chagas disease, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and toxoplasmosis. Many AdV-vectored vaccines have been developed for these diseases, utilizing a wide variety of vectors, antigens, and modes of delivery. AdV-vectored vaccines are a promising approach for the historically challenging target of human parasitic diseases.
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2
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Orwa TO, Mbogo RW, Luboobi LS. Optimal control analysis of hepatocytic-erythrocytic dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Infect Dis Model 2022; 7:82-108. [PMID: 34977436 PMCID: PMC8686038 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2021.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper presents an in-host malaria model subject to anti-malarial drug treatment and malaria vaccine antigens combinations. Pontryagin's Maximum Principle is applied to establish optimal control strategies against infected erythrocytes, infected hepatocytes and malaria parasites. Results from numerical simulation reveal that a combination of pre-erythrocytic vaccine antigen, blood schizontocide and gametocytocide drugs would offer the best strategy to eradicate clinical P. falciparum malaria. Sensitivity analysis, further reveal that the efficacy of blood schizontocides and blood stage vaccines are crucial in the control of clinical malaria infection. Futhermore, we found that an effective blood schizontocide should be used alongside efficacious blood stage vaccine for rapid eradication of infective malaria parasites. The authors hope that the results of this study will help accelerate malaria elimination efforts by combining malaria vaccines and anti-malarial drugs against the deadly P. falciparum malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titus Okello Orwa
- Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Strathmore University, P.O Box 59 857-00 200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rachel Waema Mbogo
- Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Strathmore University, P.O Box 59 857-00 200, Nairobi, Kenya
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3
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Pirahmadi S, Afzali S, Zargar M, Zakeri S, Mehrizi AA. How can we develop an effective subunit vaccine to achieve successful malaria eradication? Microb Pathog 2021; 160:105203. [PMID: 34547408 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Malaria, a mosquito-borne infection, is the most widespread parasitic disease. Despite numerous efforts to eradicate malaria, this disease is still a health concern worldwide. Owing to insecticide-resistant vectors and drug-resistant parasites, available controlling measures are insufficient to achieve a malaria-free world. Thus, there is an urgent need for new intervention tools such as efficient malaria vaccines. Subunit vaccines are the most promising malaria vaccines under development. However, one of the major drawbacks of subunit vaccines is the lack of efficient and durable immune responses including antigen-specific antibody, CD4+, and CD8+ T-cell responses, long-lived plasma cells, memory cells, and functional antibodies for parasite neutralization or inhibition of parasite invasion. These types of responses could be induced by whole organism vaccines, but eliciting these responses with subunit vaccines has been proven to be more challenging. Consequently, subunit vaccines require several policies to overcome these challenges. In this review, we address common approaches that can improve the efficacy of subunit vaccines against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakineh Pirahmadi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shima Afzali
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Zargar
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sedigheh Zakeri
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Akram Abouie Mehrizi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
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4
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Collins KA, Brod F, Snaith R, Ulaszewska M, Longley RJ, Salman AM, Gilbert SC, Spencer AJ, Franco D, Ballou WR, Hill AVS. Ultra-low dose immunization and multi-component vaccination strategies enhance protection against malaria in mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10792. [PMID: 34031479 PMCID: PMC8144388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90290-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
An effective vaccine would be a valuable tool for malaria control and elimination; however, the leading malaria vaccine in development, RTS,S/AS01, provided only partial protection in a Phase 3 trial. R21 is a next-generation RTS,S-like vaccine. We have previously shown in mice that R21 administered in Matrix-M is highly immunogenic, able to elicit complete protection against sporozoite challenge, and can be successfully administered with TRAP based viral-vectors resulting in enhanced protection. In this study, we developed a novel, GMP-compatible purification process for R21, and evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of ultra-low doses of both R21 and RTS,S when formulated in AS01. We demonstrated that both vaccines are highly immunogenic and also elicit comparable high levels of protection against transgenic parasites in BALB/c mice. By lowering the vaccine dose there was a trend for increased immunogenicity and sterile protection, with the highest dose vaccine groups achieving the lowest efficacy (50% sterile protection). We also evaluated the ability to combine RTS,S/AS01 with TRAP based viral-vectors and observed concurrent induction of immune responses to both antigens with minimal interference when mixing the vaccines prior to administration. These studies suggest that R21 or RTS,S could be combined with viral-vectors for a multi-component vaccination approach and indicate that low dose vaccination should be fully explored in humans to maximize potential efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine A Collins
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,Radboud Institute for Health Science, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Florian Brod
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rebecca Snaith
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marta Ulaszewska
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rhea J Longley
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ahmed M Salman
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah C Gilbert
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alexandra J Spencer
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Adrian V S Hill
- Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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5
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Discovery of four new B-cell protective epitopes for malaria using Q beta virus-like particle as platform. NPJ Vaccines 2020; 5:92. [PMID: 33083027 PMCID: PMC7546618 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-00242-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the world’s most urgent global health problems, with almost half a million deaths and hundreds of millions of clinical cases each year. Existing interventions by themselves will not be enough to tackle infection in high-transmission areas. The best new intervention would be an effective vaccine; but the leading P. falciparum and P. vivax vaccine candidates, RTS,S and VMP001, show only modest to low field efficacy. New antigens and improved ways for screening antigens for protective efficacy will be required. This study exploits the potential of Virus-Like Particles (VLP) to enhance immune responses to antigens, the ease of coupling peptides to the Q beta (Qβ) VLP and the existing murine malaria challenge to screen B-cell epitopes for protective efficacy. We screened P. vivax TRAP (PvTRAP) immune sera against individual 20-mer PvTRAP peptides. The most immunogenic peptides associated with protection were loaded onto Qβ VLPs to assess protective efficacy in a malaria sporozoite challenge. A second approach focused on identifying conserved regions within known sporozoite invasion proteins and assessing them as part of the Qβ. Using this VLP as a peptide scaffold, four new protective B-cell epitopes were discovered: three from the disordered region of PvTRAP and one from Thrombospondin-related sporozoite protein (TRSP). Antigenic interference between these and other B-cell epitopes was also explored using the virus-like particle/peptide platform. This approach demonstrates the utility of VLPs to help identifying new B-cell epitopes for inclusion in next-generation malaria vaccines.
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6
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Kim YC, Dema B, Rodriguez-Garcia R, López-Camacho C, Leoratti FMS, Lall A, Remarque EJ, Kocken CHM, Reyes-Sandoval A. Evaluation of Chimpanzee Adenovirus and MVA Expressing TRAP and CSP from Plasmodium cynomolgi to Prevent Malaria Relapse in Nonhuman Primates. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030363. [PMID: 32640702 PMCID: PMC7564164 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the world’s most widely distributed human malaria parasite, with over 2.8 billion people at risk in Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The 80–90% new P. vivax malaria infections are due to relapses which suggest that a vaccine with high efficacy against relapses by prevention of hypnozoite formation could lead to a significant reduction in the prevalence of P. vivax infections. Here, we describe the development of new recombinant ChAdOx1 and MVA vectors expressing P. cynomolgi Thrombospondin Related Adhesive Protein (PcTRAP) and the circumsporozoite protein (PcCSP). Both were shown to be immunogenic in mice prior to their assessment in rhesus macaques. We confirmed good vaccine-induced humoral and cellular responses after prime-boost vaccination in rhesus macaques prior to sporozoite challenge. Results indicate that there were no significant differences between mock-control and vaccinated animals after challenge, in terms of protective efficacy measured as the time taken to 1st patency, or as number of relapses. This suggests that under the conditions tested, the vaccination with PcTRAP and PcCSP using ChAdOx1 or MVA vaccine platforms do not protect against pre-erythrocytic malaria or relapses despite good immunogenicity induced by the viral-vectored vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Chan Kim
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (Y.C.K.); (B.D.); (C.L.-C.); (F.M.S.L.); (A.L.)
| | - Barbara Dema
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (Y.C.K.); (B.D.); (C.L.-C.); (F.M.S.L.); (A.L.)
| | - Roberto Rodriguez-Garcia
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC), 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (R.R.-G.); (E.J.R.); (C.H.M.K.)
| | - César López-Camacho
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (Y.C.K.); (B.D.); (C.L.-C.); (F.M.S.L.); (A.L.)
| | - Fabiana M. S. Leoratti
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (Y.C.K.); (B.D.); (C.L.-C.); (F.M.S.L.); (A.L.)
| | - Amar Lall
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (Y.C.K.); (B.D.); (C.L.-C.); (F.M.S.L.); (A.L.)
| | - Edmond J. Remarque
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC), 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (R.R.-G.); (E.J.R.); (C.H.M.K.)
| | - Clemens H. M. Kocken
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC), 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (R.R.-G.); (E.J.R.); (C.H.M.K.)
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (Y.C.K.); (B.D.); (C.L.-C.); (F.M.S.L.); (A.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)-1865-287811
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7
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Design and assessment of TRAP-CSP fusion antigens as effective malaria vaccines. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0216260. [PMID: 31967991 PMCID: PMC6975556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (TRAP) are major targets for pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine development. However, the CSP-based vaccine RTS,S provides only marginal protection, highlighting the need for innovative vaccine design and development. Here we design and characterize expression and folding of P. berghei (Pb) and P. falciparum (Pf) TRAP-CSP fusion proteins, and evaluate immunogenicity and sterilizing immunity in mice. TRAP N-terminal domains were fused to the CSP C-terminal αTSR domain with or without the CSP repeat region, expressed in mammalian cells, and evaluated with or without N-glycan shaving. Pb and Pf fusions were each expressed substantially better than the TRAP or CSP components alone; furthermore, the fusions but not the CSP component could be purified to homogeneity and were well folded and monomeric. As yields of TRAP and CSP fragments were insufficient, we immunized BALB/c mice with Pb TRAP-CSP fusions in AddaVax adjuvant and tested the effects of absence or presence of the CSP repeats and absence or presence of high mannose N-glycans on total antibody titer and protection from infection by mosquito bite both 2.5 months and 6 months after the last immunization. Fusions containing the repeats were completely protective against challenge and re-challenge, while those lacking repeats were significantly less effective. These results correlated with higher total antibody titers when repeats were present. Our results show that TRAP-CSP fusions increase protein antigen production, have the potential to yield effective vaccines, and also guide design of effective proteins that can be encoded by nucleic acid-based and virally vectored vaccines.
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8
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Antonelli LR, Junqueira C, Vinetz JM, Golenbock DT, Ferreira MU, Gazzinelli RT. The immunology of Plasmodium vivax malaria. Immunol Rev 2019; 293:163-189. [PMID: 31642531 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax infection, the predominant cause of malaria in Asia and Latin America, affects ~14 million individuals annually, with considerable adverse effects on wellbeing and socioeconomic development. A clinical hallmark of Plasmodium infection, the paroxysm, is driven by pyrogenic cytokines produced during the immune response. Here, we review studies on the role of specific immune cell types, cognate innate immune receptors, and inflammatory cytokines on parasite control and disease symptoms. This review also summarizes studies on recurrent infections in individuals living in endemic regions as well as asymptomatic infections, a serious barrier to eliminating this disease. We propose potential mechanisms behind these repeated and subclinical infections, such as poor induction of immunological memory cells and inefficient T effector cells. We address the role of antibody-mediated resistance to P. vivax infection and discuss current progress in vaccine development. Finally, we review immunoregulatory mechanisms, such as inhibitory receptors, T regulatory cells, and the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, that antagonizes both innate and acquired immune responses, interfering with the development of protective immunity and parasite clearance. These studies provide new insights for the clinical management of symptomatic as well as asymptomatic individuals and the development of an efficacious vaccine for vivax malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lis R Antonelli
- Instituto de Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Caroline Junqueira
- Instituto de Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Joseph M Vinetz
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Douglas T Golenbock
- Division of Infectious Disease and immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Marcelo U Ferreira
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo T Gazzinelli
- Instituto de Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Division of Infectious Disease and immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.,Plataforma de Medicina Translacional, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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9
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A probabilistic model of pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine combination in mice. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209028. [PMID: 30625136 PMCID: PMC6326473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one the world’s most deadly infectious diseases, with almost half a million deaths and over 150 million clinical cases each year. An effective vaccine would contribute enormously to malaria control and will almost certainly be required for eventual eradication of the disease. However, the leading malaria vaccine candidate, RTS,S, shows only 30–50% efficacy under field conditions, making it less cost-effective than long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets. Other subunit malaria vaccine candidates, including TRAP-based vaccines, show no better protective efficacy. This has led to increased interest in combining subunit malaria vaccines as a means of enhancing protective efficacy. Mathematical models of the effect of combining such vaccines on protective efficacy can help inform optimal vaccine strategies and decision-making at all stages of the clinical process. So far, however, no such model has been developed for pre-clinical murine studies, the stage at which all candidate antigens and combinations begin evaluation. To address this gap, this paper develops a mathematical model of vaccine combination adapted to murine malaria studies. The model is based on simple probabilistic assumptions which put the model on a firmer theoretical footing than previous clinical models, which rather than deriving a relationship between immune responses and protective efficacy posit the relationship to be either exponential or Hill curves. Data from pre-clinical murine malaria studies are used to derive values for unknowns in the model which in turn allows simulations of vaccine combination efficacy and suggests optimal strategies to pursue. Finally, the ability of the model to shed light on fundamental biological variables of murine malaria such as the blood stage growth rate and sporozoite infectivity is explored.
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10
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Rampling T, Ewer KJ, Bowyer G, Edwards NJ, Wright D, Sridhar S, Payne R, Powlson J, Bliss C, Venkatraman N, Poulton ID, de Graaf H, Gbesemete D, Grobbelaar A, Davies H, Roberts R, Angus B, Ivinson K, Weltzin R, Rajkumar BY, Wille-Reece U, Lee C, Ockenhouse C, Sinden RE, Gerry SC, Lawrie AM, Vekemans J, Morelle D, Lievens M, Ballou RW, Lewis DJM, Cooke GS, Faust SN, Gilbert S, Hill AVS. Safety and efficacy of novel malaria vaccine regimens of RTS,S/AS01B alone, or with concomitant ChAd63-MVA-vectored vaccines expressing ME-TRAP. NPJ Vaccines 2018; 3:49. [PMID: 30323956 PMCID: PMC6177476 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-018-0084-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We assessed a combination multi-stage malaria vaccine schedule in which RTS,S/AS01B was given concomitantly with viral vectors expressing multiple-epitope thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (ME-TRAP) in a 0-month, 1-month, and 2-month schedule. RTS,S/AS01B was given as either three full doses or with a fractional (1/5th) third dose. Efficacy was assessed by controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). Safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine regimen was also assessed. Forty-one malaria-naive adults received RTS,S/AS01B at 0, 4 and 8 weeks, either alone (Groups 1 and 2) or with ChAd63 ME-TRAP at week 0, and modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) ME-TRAP at weeks 4 and 8 (Groups 3 and 4). Groups 2 and 4 received a fractional (1/5th) dose of RTS,S/AS01B at week 8. CHMI was delivered by mosquito bite 11 weeks after first vaccination. Vaccine efficacy was 6/8 (75%), 8/9 (88.9%), 6/10 (60%), and 5/9 (55.6%) of subjects in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Immunological analysis indicated significant reductions in anti-circumsporozoite protein antibodies and TRAP-specific T cells at CHMI in the combination vaccine groups. This reduced immunogenicity was only observed after concomitant administration of the third dose of RTS,S/AS01B with the second dose of MVA ME-TRAP. The second dose of the MVA vector with a four-week interval caused significantly higher anti-vector immunity than the first and may have been the cause of immunological interference. Co-administration of ChAd63/MVA ME-TRAP with RTS,S/AS01B led to reduced immunogenicity and efficacy, indicating the need for evaluation of alternative schedules or immunization sites in attempts to generate optimal efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Rampling
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Katie J. Ewer
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Georgina Bowyer
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Nick J. Edwards
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Danny Wright
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Saranya Sridhar
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Ruth Payne
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | | | - Carly Bliss
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | | | - Ian D. Poulton
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Hans de Graaf
- NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Diane Gbesemete
- NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Amy Grobbelaar
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Huw Davies
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Rachel Roberts
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Brian Angus
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
| | | | - Rich Weltzin
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC USA
| | | | | | - Cynthia Lee
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC USA
| | | | - Robert E. Sinden
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen C. Gerry
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - David J. M. Lewis
- Clinical Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XP UK
| | - Graham S. Cooke
- Infectious Diseases Section, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Saul N. Faust
- NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Sarah Gilbert
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ UK
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11
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Tailoring a Plasmodium vivax Vaccine To Enhance Efficacy through a Combination of a CSP Virus-Like Particle and TRAP Viral Vectors. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00114-18. [PMID: 29986894 PMCID: PMC6105880 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00114-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Vivax malaria remains one of the most serious and neglected tropical diseases, with 132 to 391 million clinical cases per year and 2.5 billion people at risk of infection. A vaccine against Plasmodium vivax could have more impact than any other intervention, and the use of a vaccine targeting multiple antigens may result in higher efficacy against sporozoite infection than targeting a single antigen. Vivax malaria remains one of the most serious and neglected tropical diseases, with 132 to 391 million clinical cases per year and 2.5 billion people at risk of infection. A vaccine against Plasmodium vivax could have more impact than any other intervention, and the use of a vaccine targeting multiple antigens may result in higher efficacy against sporozoite infection than targeting a single antigen. Here, two leading P. vivax preerythrocytic vaccine candidate antigens, the P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (PvCSP) and the thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (PvTRAP) were delivered as a combined vaccine. This strategy provided a dose-sparing effect, with 100% sterile protection in mice using doses that individually conferred low or no protection, as with the unadjuvanted antigens PvTRAP (0%) and PvCSP (50%), and reached protection similar to that of adjuvanted components. Efficacy against malaria infection was assessed using a new mouse challenge model consisting of a double-transgenic Plasmodium berghei parasite simultaneously expressing PvCSP and PvTRAP used in mice immunized with the virus-like particle (VLP) Rv21 previously reported to induce high efficacy in mice using Matrix-M adjuvant, while PvTRAP was concomitantly administered in chimpanzee adenovirus and modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vectors (viral-vectored TRAP, or vvTRAP) to support effective induction of T cells. We examined immunity elicited by these vaccines in the context of two adjuvants approved for human use (AddaVax and Matrix-M). Matrix-M supported the highest anti-PvCSP antibody titers when combined with Rv21, and, interestingly, mixing PvCSP Rv21 and PvTRAP viral vectors enhanced immunity to malaria over levels provided by single vaccines.
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12
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An in vitro assay to measure antibody-mediated inhibition of P. berghei sporozoite invasion against P. falciparum antigens. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17011. [PMID: 29209029 PMCID: PMC5717233 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17274-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A large research effort is currently underway to find an effective and affordable malaria vaccine. Tools that enable the rapid evaluation of protective immune responses are essential to vaccine development as they can provide selection criteria to rank order vaccine candidates. In this study we have revisited the Inhibition of Sporozoite Invasion (ISI) assay to assess the ability of antibodies to inhibit sporozoite infection of hepatocytes. By using GFP expressing sporozoites of the rodent parasite P. berghei we are able to robustly quantify parasite infection of hepatocyte cell lines by flow cytometry. In conjunction with recently produced transgenic P. berghei parasites that express P. falciparum sporozoite antigens, we have been able to use this assay to measure antibody mediated inhibition of sporozoite invasion against one of the lead malaria antigens P. falciparum CSP. By combining chimeric rodent parasites expressing P. falciparum antigens and a flow cytometric readout of infection, we are able to robustly assess vaccine-induced antibodies, from mice, rhesus macaques and human clinical trials, for their functional ability to block sporozoite invasion of hepatocytes.
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Schussek S, Trieu A, Apte SH, Sidney J, Sette A, Doolan DL. Novel Plasmodium antigens identified via genome-based antibody screen induce protection associated with polyfunctional T cell responses. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15053. [PMID: 29118376 PMCID: PMC5678182 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15354-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of vaccines against complex intracellular pathogens, such as Plasmodium spp., where protection is likely mediated by cellular immune responses, has proven elusive. The availability of whole genome, proteome and transcriptome data has the potential to advance rational vaccine development but yet there are no licensed vaccines against malaria based on antigens identified from genomic data. Here, we show that the Plasmodium yoelii orthologs of four Plasmodium falciparum proteins identified by an antibody-based genome-wide screening strategy induce a high degree of sterile infection-blocking protection against sporozoite challenge in a stringent rodent malaria model. Protection increased in multi-antigen formulations. Importantly, protection was highly correlated with the induction of multifunctional triple-positive T cells expressing high amounts of IFN-γ, IL-2 and TNF. These data demonstrate that antigens identified by serological screening are targets of multifunctional cellular immune responses that correlate with protection. Our results provide experimental validation for the concept of rational vaccine design from genomic sequence data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Schussek
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Infectious Diseases Programme, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.,University of Queensland, School of Medicine, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Angela Trieu
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Infectious Diseases Programme, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Simon H Apte
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Infectious Diseases Programme, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - John Sidney
- La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Alessandro Sette
- La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Denise L Doolan
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Infectious Diseases Programme, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia. .,Centre for Biosecurity and Tropical Infectious Diseases, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4879, Australia.
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14
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Fonseca JA, McCaffery JN, Kashentseva E, Singh B, Dmitriev IP, Curiel DT, Moreno A. A prime-boost immunization regimen based on a simian adenovirus 36 vectored multi-stage malaria vaccine induces protective immunity in mice. Vaccine 2017; 35:3239-3248. [PMID: 28483199 PMCID: PMC5522619 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.04.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a considerable burden on public health. In 2015, the WHO estimates there were 212 million malaria cases causing nearly 429,000 deaths globally. A highly effective malaria vaccine is needed to reduce the burden of this disease. We have developed an experimental vaccine candidate (PyCMP) based on pre-erythrocytic (CSP) and erythrocytic (MSP1) stage antigens derived from the rodent malaria parasite P. yoelii. Our protein-based vaccine construct induces protective antibodies and CD4+ T cell responses. Based on evidence that viral vectors increase CD8+ T cell-mediated immunity, we also have tested heterologous prime-boost immunization regimens that included human adenovirus serotype 5 vector (Ad5), obtaining protective CD8+ T cell responses. While Ad5 is commonly used for vaccine studies, the high prevalence of pre-existing immunity to Ad5 severely compromises its utility. Here, we report the use of the novel simian adenovirus 36 (SAd36) as a candidate for a vectored malaria vaccine since this virus is not known to infect humans, and it is not neutralized by anti-Ad5 antibodies. Our study shows that the recombinant SAd36PyCMP can enhance specific CD8+ T cell response and elicit similar antibody titers when compared to an immunization regimen including the recombinant Ad5PyCMP. The robust immune responses induced by SAd36PyCMP are translated into a lower parasite load following P. yoelii infectious challenge when compared to mice immunized with Ad5PyCMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jairo A Fonseca
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30307, United States
| | - Jessica N McCaffery
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
| | - Elena Kashentseva
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - Balwan Singh
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
| | - Igor P Dmitriev
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - David T Curiel
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., 4511 Forest Park Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108, United States
| | - Alberto Moreno
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30307, United States.
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15
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Collins KA, Snaith R, Cottingham MG, Gilbert SC, Hill AVS. Enhancing protective immunity to malaria with a highly immunogenic virus-like particle vaccine. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46621. [PMID: 28422178 PMCID: PMC5395940 DOI: 10.1038/srep46621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The leading malaria vaccine in development is the circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-based particle vaccine, RTS,S, which targets the pre-erythrocytic stage of Plasmodium falciparum infection. It induces modest levels of protective efficacy, thought to be mediated primarily by CSP-specific antibodies. We aimed to enhance vaccine efficacy by generating a more immunogenic CSP-based particle vaccine and therefore developed a next-generation RTS,S-like vaccine, called R21. The major improvement is that in contrast to RTS,S, R21 particles are formed from a single CSP-hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) fusion protein, and this leads to a vaccine composed of a much higher proportion of CSP than in RTS,S. We demonstrate that in BALB/c mice R21 is immunogenic at very low doses and when administered with the adjuvants Abisco-100 and Matrix-M it elicits sterile protection against transgenic sporozoite challenge. Concurrent induction of potent cellular and humoral immune responses was also achieved by combining R21 with TRAP-based viral vectors and protective efficacy was significantly enhanced. In addition, in contrast to RTS,S, only a minimal antibody response to the HBsAg carrier was induced. These studies identify an anti-sporozoite vaccine component that may improve upon the current leading malaria vaccine RTS,S. R21 is now under evaluation in Phase 1/2a clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine A Collins
- The Jenner Institute Laboratories, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Rebecca Snaith
- The Jenner Institute Laboratories, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Matthew G Cottingham
- The Jenner Institute Laboratories, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Sarah C Gilbert
- The Jenner Institute Laboratories, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Adrian V S Hill
- The Jenner Institute Laboratories, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
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16
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Yadava A, Waters NC. Rationale for Further Development of a Vaccine Based on the Circumsporozoite Protein of Plasmodium vivax. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005164. [PMID: 28081149 PMCID: PMC5230741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Yadava
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, U.S. Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Norman C. Waters
- Malaria Vaccine Branch, U.S. Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
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Rampling T, Ewer KJ, Bowyer G, Bliss CM, Edwards NJ, Wright D, Payne RO, Venkatraman N, de Barra E, Snudden CM, Poulton ID, de Graaf H, Sukhtankar P, Roberts R, Ivinson K, Weltzin R, Rajkumar BY, Wille-Reece U, Lee CK, Ockenhouse CF, Sinden RE, Gerry S, Lawrie AM, Vekemans J, Morelle D, Lievens M, Ballou RW, Cooke GS, Faust SN, Gilbert S, Hill AVS. Safety and High Level Efficacy of the Combination Malaria Vaccine Regimen of RTS,S/AS01B With Chimpanzee Adenovirus 63 and Modified Vaccinia Ankara Vectored Vaccines Expressing ME-TRAP. J Infect Dis 2016; 214:772-81. [PMID: 27307573 PMCID: PMC4978377 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiw244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The need for a highly efficacious vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum remains pressing. In this controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) study, we assessed the safety, efficacy and immunogenicity of a schedule combining 2 distinct vaccine types in a staggered immunization regimen: one inducing high-titer antibodies to circumsporozoite protein (RTS,S/AS01B) and the other inducing potent T-cell responses to thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (TRAP) by using a viral vector. METHOD Thirty-seven healthy malaria-naive adults were vaccinated with either a chimpanzee adenovirus 63 and modified vaccinia virus Ankara-vectored vaccine expressing a multiepitope string fused to TRAP and 3 doses of RTS,S/AS01B (group 1; n = 20) or 3 doses of RTS,S/AS01B alone (group 2; n = 17). CHMI was delivered by mosquito bites to 33 vaccinated subjects at week 12 after the first vaccination and to 6 unvaccinated controls. RESULTS No suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions or severe adverse events related to vaccination were reported. Protective vaccine efficacy was observed in 14 of 17 subjects (82.4%) in group 1 and 12 of 16 subjects (75%) in group 2. All control subjects received a diagnosis of blood-stage malaria parasite infection. Both vaccination regimens were immunogenic. Fourteen protected subjects underwent repeat CHMI 6 months after initial CHMI; 7 of 8 (87.5%) in group 1 and 5 of 6 (83.3%) in group 2 remained protected. CONCLUSIONS The high level of sterile efficacy observed in this trial is encouraging for further evaluation of combination approaches using these vaccine types. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT01883609.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hans de Graaf
- NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
| | - Priya Sukhtankar
- NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
| | | | - Karen Ivinson
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Seattle, Washington
| | - Rich Weltzin
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Seattle, Washington
| | | | | | - Cynthia K Lee
- PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Seattle, Washington
| | | | | | - Stephen Gerry
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine, University of Oxford
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Graham S Cooke
- Infectious Diseases Section, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London
| | - Saul N Faust
- NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
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