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Yang D, Wang X, Yang X, Qi S, Zhao F, Guo D, Li C, Zhu Q, Xing X, Cao Y, Sun D. Construction and immune effect evaluation of the S protein heptad repeat-based nanoparticle vaccine against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. Virology 2024; 596:110113. [PMID: 38801794 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a highly virulent enteropathogenic coronavirus, is a significant threat to the pig industry. High frequency mutations in the PEDV genome have limited the effectiveness of current vaccines in providing immune protection. Developing efficient vaccines that can quickly adapt to mutant strains is a challenging but crucial task. In this study, we chose the pivotal protein heptad repeat (HR) responsible for coronavirus entry into host cells, as the vaccine antigen. HR-Fer nanoparticles prepared using ferritin were evaluated them as PEDV vaccine candidates. Nanoparticle vaccines elicited stronger neutralizing antibody responses in mice compared to monomer vaccines. Additionally, HR protein delivered via nanoparticles increased antigen uptake by antigen-presenting cells in vitro by 2.75-fold. The collective results suggest that HR can be used as antigens for vaccines, and the HR vaccine based on ferritin nanoparticles significantly enhances immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Xinglin Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Xu Yang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Shanshan Qi
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Feiyu Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Donghua Guo
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Chunqiu Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Qinghe Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Xiaoxu Xing
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China
| | - Yang Cao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China.
| | - Dongbo Sun
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, No. 5 Xinfeng Road, Sartu District, Daqing, 163319, China.
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Yang D, Su M, Guo D, Zhao F, Wang M, Liu J, Zhou J, Sun Y, Yang X, Qi S, Li Z, Zhu Q, Xing X, Li C, Cao Y, Feng L, Sun D. Combination of S1-N-Terminal and S1-C-Terminal Domain Antigens Targeting Double Receptor-Binding Domains Bolsters Protective Immunity of a Nanoparticle Vaccine against Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus. ACS NANO 2024; 18:12235-12260. [PMID: 38696217 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c00809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2024]
Abstract
Variants of coronavirus porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) frequently emerge, causing an incomplete match between the vaccine and variant strains, which affects vaccine efficacy. Designing vaccines with rapidly replaceable antigens and high efficacy is a promising strategy for the prevention of infection with PEDV variant strains. In our study, three different types of self-assembled nanoparticles (nps) targeting receptor-binding N-terminal domain (NTD) and C-terminal domain (CTD) of S1 protein, named NTDnps, CTDnps, and NTD/CTDnps, were constructed and evaluated as vaccine candidates against PEDV. NTDnps and CTDnps vaccines mediated significantly higher neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers than NTD and CTD recombinant proteins in mice. The NTD/CTDnps in varying ratios elicited significantly higher NAb titers when compared with NTDnps and CTDnps alone. The NTD/CTDnps (3:1) elicited NAb with titers up to 92.92% of those induced by the commercial vaccine. Piglets immunized with NTD/CTDnps (3:1) achieved a passive immune protection rate of 83.33% of that induced by the commercial vaccine. NTD/CTDnps (3:1) enhanced the capacity of mononuclear macrophages and dendritic cells to take up and present antigens by activating major histocompatibility complex I and II molecules to stimulate humoral and cellular immunity. These data reveal that a combination of S1-NTD and S1-CTD antigens targeting double receptor-binding domains strengthens the protective immunity of nanoparticle vaccines against PEDV. Our findings will provide a promising vaccine candidate against PEDV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Mingjun Su
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Donghua Guo
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Feiyu Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Meijiao Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Jiaying Liu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Jingxuan Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Ying Sun
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Xu Yang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Shanshan Qi
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Qinghe Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoxu Xing
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Chunqiu Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Yang Cao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
| | - Li Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, P. R. China
| | - Dongbo Sun
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, P. R. China
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Lobaina Y, Chen R, Suzarte E, Ai P, Huerta V, Musacchio A, Silva R, Tan C, Martín A, Lazo L, Guillén-Nieto G, Yang K, Perera Y, Hermida L. The Nucleocapsid Protein of SARS-CoV-2, Combined with ODN-39M, Is a Potential Component for an Intranasal Bivalent Vaccine with Broader Functionality. Viruses 2024; 16:418. [PMID: 38543783 PMCID: PMC10976088 DOI: 10.3390/v16030418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the rapid development of vaccines against COVID-19, they have important limitations, such as safety issues, the scope of their efficacy, and the induction of mucosal immunity. The present study proposes a potential component for a new generation of vaccines. The recombinant nucleocapsid (N) protein from the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was combined with the ODN-39M, a synthetic 39 mer unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG ODN), used as an adjuvant. The evaluation of its immunogenicity in Balb/C mice revealed that only administration by intranasal route induced a systemic cross-reactive, cell-mediated immunity (CMI). In turn, this combination was able to induce anti-N IgA in the lungs, which, along with the specific IgG in sera and CMI in the spleen, was cross-reactive against the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-1. Furthermore, the nasal administration of the N + ODN-39M preparation, combined with RBD Delta protein, enhanced the local and systemic immune response against RBD, with a neutralizing capacity. Results make the N + ODN-39M preparation a suitable component for a future intranasal vaccine with broader functionality against Sarbecoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadira Lobaina
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- R&D Department, Yongzhou Zhong Gu Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Yangjiaqiao Street, Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China
| | - Rong Chen
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- Yongzhou Development and Construction Investment Co., Ltd. (YDCI), Changfeng Industry Park, Yongzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, No. 1 Liebao Road, Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China
| | - Edith Suzarte
- CIGB: Research Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana 10600, Cuba; (E.S.); (A.M.); (L.L.); (G.G.-N.)
| | - Panchao Ai
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- Yongzhou Development and Construction Investment Co., Ltd. (YDCI), Changfeng Industry Park, Yongzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, No. 1 Liebao Road, Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China
| | - Vivian Huerta
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- CIGB: Research Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana 10600, Cuba; (E.S.); (A.M.); (L.L.); (G.G.-N.)
| | - Alexis Musacchio
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- CIGB: Research Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana 10600, Cuba; (E.S.); (A.M.); (L.L.); (G.G.-N.)
| | - Ricardo Silva
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- BCF: R&D Section, Representative Office BCF in China, Jingtai Tower, No. 24 Jianguomen Wai Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022, China
| | - Changyuan Tan
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- Yongzhou Development and Construction Investment Co., Ltd. (YDCI), Changfeng Industry Park, Yongzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, No. 1 Liebao Road, Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China
| | - Alejandro Martín
- CIGB: Research Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana 10600, Cuba; (E.S.); (A.M.); (L.L.); (G.G.-N.)
| | - Laura Lazo
- CIGB: Research Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana 10600, Cuba; (E.S.); (A.M.); (L.L.); (G.G.-N.)
| | - Gerardo Guillén-Nieto
- CIGB: Research Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana 10600, Cuba; (E.S.); (A.M.); (L.L.); (G.G.-N.)
| | - Ke Yang
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- Yongzhou Development and Construction Investment Co., Ltd. (YDCI), Changfeng Industry Park, Yongzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, No. 1 Liebao Road, Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China
| | - Yasser Perera
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- R&D Department, Yongzhou Zhong Gu Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Yangjiaqiao Street, Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China
- CIGB: Research Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana 10600, Cuba; (E.S.); (A.M.); (L.L.); (G.G.-N.)
| | - Lisset Hermida
- Research Department, China-Cuba Biotechnology Joint Innovation Center (CCBJIC), Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China; (Y.L.); (R.C.); (P.A.); (V.H.); (A.M.); (R.S.); (C.T.)
- Yongzhou Development and Construction Investment Co., Ltd. (YDCI), Changfeng Industry Park, Yongzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, No. 1 Liebao Road, Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou 425000, China
- BCF: R&D Section, Representative Office BCF in China, Jingtai Tower, No. 24 Jianguomen Wai Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022, China
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Wang Y, Liu Y, Wang J, Zhang M, Deng X, Song J, Zhu J, Yu L, Li G, Liu G. An adenovirus-vectored vaccine based on the N protein of feline coronavirus elicit robust protective immune responses. Antiviral Res 2024; 223:105825. [PMID: 38311297 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is an unsegmented, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Alphacoronavirus genus. It can cause fatal feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in cats of any ages. Currently, there are no effective prevention and control measures to against FCoV. In this study, we developed a recombinant adenovirus vaccine, AD5-N, based on the nucleocapsid(N) protein of FCoV. The immunogenicity of AD5-N was evaluated through intramuscular immunization in 6-week-old Balb/c mice and 9-12 months old cats. Compared to the control group, AD5-N specifically induced a significant increase in IgG and SIgA levels in the vaccinated mice. Furthermore, AD5-N not only effectively promoted strong cellular immune responses in cats but also induced high levels of specific SIgA, effectively helping cats resist FCoV infection. Our findings suggest that adenovirus vector vaccines based on the N gene have the potential to become candidate vaccines for the prevention and control of FCoV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhong Wang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Yun Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Junna Wang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Miao Zhang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Xiaoying Deng
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Junhan Song
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Jie Zhu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Lingxue Yu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China.
| | - Guoxin Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China.
| | - Guangqing Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China.
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Eltayeb A, Al-Sarraj F, Alharbi M, Albiheyri R, Mattar E, Abu Zeid IM, Bouback TA, Bamagoos A, Aljohny BO, Uversky VN, Redwan EM. Overview of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 260:129523. [PMID: 38232879 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Since the emergence of SARS-CoV in 2003, researchers worldwide have been toiling away at deciphering this virus's biological intricacies. In line with other known coronaviruses, the nucleocapsid (N) protein is an important structural component of SARS-CoV. As a result, much emphasis has been placed on characterizing this protein. Independent research conducted by a variety of laboratories has clearly demonstrated the primary function of this protein, which is to encapsidate the viral genome. Furthermore, various accounts indicate that this particular protein disrupts diverse intracellular pathways. Such observations imply its vital role in regulating the virus as well. The opening segment of this review will expound upon these distinct characteristics succinctly exhibited by the N protein. Additionally, it has been suggested that the N protein possesses diagnostic and vaccine capabilities when dealing with SARS-CoV. In light of this fact, we will be reviewing some recent headway in the use cases for N protein toward clinical purposes within this article's concluding segments. This forward movement pertains to both developments of COVID-19-oriented therapeutic targets as well as diagnostic measures. The strides made by medical researchers offer encouragement, knowing they are heading toward a brighter future combating global pandemic situations such as these.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Eltayeb
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal Al-Sarraj
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mona Alharbi
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raed Albiheyri
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Centre of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ehab Mattar
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Isam M Abu Zeid
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Princess Dr. Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Center for Excellence Research in Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80200, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thamer A Bouback
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Princess Dr. Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Center for Excellence Research in Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80200, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Atif Bamagoos
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bassam O Aljohny
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - Elrashdy M Redwan
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Centre of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Therapeutic and Protective Proteins Laboratory, Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City for Scientific Research and Technology Applications, New Borg EL-Arab, 21934 Alexandria, Egypt.
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Yan J, Bangalore CR, Nikouyan N, Appelberg S, Silva DN, Yao H, Pasetto A, Weber F, Weber S, Larsson O, Höglund U, Bogdanovic G, Grabbe M, Aleman S, Szekely L, Szakos A, Tuvesson O, Gidlund EK, Cadossi M, Salati S, Tegel H, Hober S, Frelin L, Mirazimi A, Ahlén G, Sällberg M. Distinct roles of vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies and T cells in protection and disease. Mol Ther 2024; 32:540-555. [PMID: 38213030 PMCID: PMC10862018 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) lack cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV species and variants and fail to mediate long-term protection against infection. The maintained protection against severe disease and death by vaccination suggests a role for cross-reactive T cells. We generated vaccines containing sequences from the spike or receptor binding domain, the membrane and/or nucleoprotein that induced only T cells, or T cells and NAbs, to understand their individual roles. In three models with homologous or heterologous challenge, high levels of vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 NAbs protected against neither infection nor mild histological disease but conferred rapid viral control limiting the histological damage. With no or low levels of NAbs, vaccine-primed T cells, in mice mainly CD8+ T cells, partially controlled viral replication and promoted NAb recall responses. T cells failed to protect against histological damage, presumably because of viral spread and subsequent T cell-mediated killing. Neither vaccine- nor infection-induced NAbs seem to provide long-lasting protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Thus, a more realistic approach for universal SARS-CoV-2 vaccines should be to aim for broadly cross-reactive NAbs in combination with long-lasting highly cross-reactive T cells. Long-lived cross-reactive T cells are likely key to prevent severe disease and fatalities during current and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Negin Nikouyan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Daniela Nacimento Silva
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Haidong Yao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Pasetto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Friedemann Weber
- Institute for Virology, FB10-Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Gordana Bogdanovic
- Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malin Grabbe
- Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Soo Aleman
- Infectious Disease Clinic, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laszlo Szekely
- Department of Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Attila Szakos
- Department of Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | - Hanna Tegel
- Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophia Hober
- Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ali Mirazimi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Public Health Agency of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Ahlén
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matti Sällberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
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7
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von Possel R, Menge B, Deschermeier C, Fritzsche C, Hemmer C, Geerdes-Fenge H, Loebermann M, Schulz A, Lattwein E, Steinhagen K, Tönnies R, Ahrendt R, Emmerich P. Performance Analysis of Serodiagnostic Tests to Characterize the Incline and Decline of the Individual Humoral Immune Response in COVID-19 Patients: Impact on Diagnostic Management. Viruses 2024; 16:91. [PMID: 38257792 PMCID: PMC10820597 DOI: 10.3390/v16010091] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Serodiagnostic tests for antibody detection to estimate the immunoprotective status regarding SARS-CoV-2 support diagnostic management. This study aimed to investigate the performance of serological assays for COVID-19 and elaborate on test-specific characteristics. Sequential samples (n = 636) of four panels (acute COVID-19, convalescent COVID-19 (partly vaccinated post-infection), pre-pandemic, and cross-reactive) were tested for IgG by indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) and EUROIMMUN EUROLINE Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Profile (IgG). Neutralizing antibodies were determined by a virus neutralization test (VNT) and two surrogate neutralization tests (sVNT, GenScript cPass, and EUROIMMUN SARS-CoV-2 NeutraLISA). Analysis of the acute and convalescent panels revealed high positive (78.3% and 91.6%) and negative (91.6%) agreement between IIFT and Profile IgG. The sVNTs revealed differences in their positive (cPass: 89.4% and 97.0%, NeutraLISA: 71.5% and 72.1%) and negative agreement with VNT (cPass: 92.3% and 50.0%, NeutraLISA: 95.1% and 92.5%) at a diagnostic specificity of 100% for all tests. The cPass showed higher inhibition rates than NeutraLISA at VNT titers below 1:640. Cross-reactivities were only found by cPass (57.1%). Serodiagnostic tests, which showed substantial agreement and fast runtime, could provide alternatives for cell-based assays. The findings of this study suggest that careful interpretation of serodiagnostic results obtained at different times after SARS-CoV-2 antigen exposure is crucial to support decision-making in diagnostic management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald von Possel
- Department for Virology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Center of Internal Medicine II, University of Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Babett Menge
- Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, 23560 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christina Deschermeier
- Diagnostics Development Laboratory, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carlos Fritzsche
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Center of Internal Medicine II, University of Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Christoph Hemmer
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Center of Internal Medicine II, University of Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Hilte Geerdes-Fenge
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Center of Internal Medicine II, University of Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Micha Loebermann
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Center of Internal Medicine II, University of Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Anette Schulz
- Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, 23560 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Erik Lattwein
- Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, 23560 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Katja Steinhagen
- Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, 23560 Lübeck, Germany
| | | | | | - Petra Emmerich
- Department for Virology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Center of Internal Medicine II, University of Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany
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8
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Johnson L, Bartlett ML, Ramirez F, Heger CD, Smith DR. Development of automated microfluidic immunoassays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and antigen. J Immunol Methods 2024; 524:113586. [PMID: 38040191 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2023.113586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. Rapid and sensitive detection of the virus soon after infection is important for the treatment and prevention of transmission of COVID-19, and detection of antibodies is important for epidemiology, assessment of vaccine immunogenicity, and identification of the natural reservoir and intermediate host(s). Patient nasal or oropharyngeal swabs or saliva used in conjunction with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA, whereas lateral flow immunoassays (LFI) detect SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in blood. Although effective, these assays have poor sensitivity (e.g., LFI) or are labor intensive and time consuming (PCR and ELISA). Here we describe the development of rapid, automated ELISA-based immunoassays to detect SARS-CoV-2 antigens and antibodies against the virus. The Simple Plex™ platform uses rapid microfluidic reaction kinetics for sensitive analyte detection with small sample volumes. We developed three sensitive <90-min Simple Plex immunoassays that measure either the SARS-CoV-2 antigens or the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, including neutralizing antibodies, in serum from COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linwood Johnson
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Maggie L Bartlett
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Darci R Smith
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.
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9
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Lao T, Avalos I, Rodríguez EM, Zamora Y, Rodriguez A, Ramón A, Alvarez Y, Cabrales A, Andújar I, González LJ, Puente P, García C, Gómez L, Valdés R, Estrada MP, Carpio Y. Production and characterization of a chimeric antigen, based on nucleocapsid of SARS-CoV-2 fused to the extracellular domain of human CD154 in HEK-293 cells as a vaccine candidate against COVID-19. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288006. [PMID: 37751460 PMCID: PMC10522030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite that more than one hundred vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been developed and that some of them were evaluated in clinical trials, the latest results revealed that these vaccines still face great challenges. Among the components of the virus, the N-protein constitutes an attractive target for a subunit vaccine because it is the most abundant, highly conserved and immunogenic protein. In the present work, a chimeric protein (N-CD protein) was constructed by the fusion of the N-protein to the extracellular domain of human CD154 as the molecular adjuvant. HEK-293 cells were transduced with lentiviral vector bearing the N-CD gene and polyclonal cell populations were obtained. The N-CD protein was purified from cell culture supernatant and further characterized by several techniques. Immunogenicity studies in mice and non-human primates showed the N-CD protein induced high IgG titers in both models after two doses. Moreover, overall health monitoring of non-human primates demonstrated that animals were healthy during 228 days after first immunization. Data obtained support further investigation in order to develop this chimeric protein as vaccine candidate against COVID-19 and other coronavirus diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thailin Lao
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana, Cuba
| | - Ileanet Avalos
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana, Cuba
| | - Elsa María Rodríguez
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana, Cuba
| | - Yasser Zamora
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana, Cuba
| | - Alianet Rodriguez
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana, Cuba
| | - Ailyn Ramón
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Havana, Cuba
| | - Yanitza Alvarez
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana, Cuba
| | - Ania Cabrales
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Systems Biology, Havana, Cuba
| | - Ivan Andújar
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Systems Biology, Havana, Cuba
| | | | - Pedro Puente
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal housing, Havana, Cuba
| | - Cristina García
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Production Division, Havana, Cuba
| | - Leonardo Gómez
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Production Division, Havana, Cuba
| | - Rodolfo Valdés
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Production Division, Havana, Cuba
| | - Mario Pablo Estrada
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana, Cuba
| | - Yamila Carpio
- Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Animal Biotechnology Department, Havana, Cuba
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10
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Radion EI, Mukhin VE, Kholodova AV, Vladimirov IS, Alsaeva DY, Zhdanova AS, Ulasova NY, Bulanova NV, Makarov VV, Keskinov AA, Yudin SM. Functional Characteristics of Serum Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies against Delta and Omicron Variants after Vaccination with Sputnik V. Viruses 2023; 15:1349. [PMID: 37376648 DOI: 10.3390/v15061349] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination leads to the production of neutralizing as well as non-neutralizing antibodies. In the current study, we investigated the temporal dynamics of both sides of immunity after vaccination with two doses of Sputnik V against SARS-CoV-2 variants Wuhan-Hu-1 SARS-CoV-2 G614-variant (D614G), B.1.617.2 (Delta), and BA.1 (Omicron). First, we constructed a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus assay to assess the neutralization activity of vaccine sera. We show that serum neutralization activity against BA.1 compared to D614G is decreased by 8.16-, 11.05-, and 11.16- fold in 1, 4, and 6 months after vaccination, respectively. Moreover, previous vaccination did not increase serum neutralization activity against BA.1 in recovered patients. Next, we used the ADMP assay to evaluate the Fc-mediated function of vaccine-induced serum antibodies. Our results show that the antibody-dependent phagocytosis triggered by S-proteins of the D614G, B.1.617.2 and BA.1 variants did not differ significantly in vaccinated individuals. Moreover, the ADMP efficacy was retained over up to 6 months in vaccine sera. Our results demonstrate differences in the temporal dynamics of neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibody functions after vaccination with Sputnik V.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizaveta I Radion
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Vladimir E Mukhin
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Alyona V Kholodova
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Ivan S Vladimirov
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Darya Y Alsaeva
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Anastasia S Zhdanova
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Natalya Y Ulasova
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Natalya V Bulanova
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Valentin V Makarov
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Anton A Keskinov
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Sergey M Yudin
- Federal State Budgetary Institution, Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Schukinskaya 5, Building 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
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11
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Pereira GC. An Automated Strategy to Handle Antigenic Variability in Immunisation Protocols, Part II: In Vitro Transcribed mRNA Vector Design for Inoculation Against Infectious Agent Variants. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2575:323-340. [PMID: 36301484 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2716-7_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A fully automated strategy to handle antigenic variability in immunisation protocols is here presented. The method comprises of (1) nanopore sequencing of infectious agent variants, with focus on the SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, followed by (2) in-vitro transcribed mRNA vector design for immunotherapy. This chapter introduces the mRNA vector design protocol and Chapter 16 presents the nano-pore sequencing step.
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12
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Ghaemi A, Roshani Asl P, Zargaran H, Ahmadi D, Hashimi AA, Abdolalipour E, Bathaeian S, Miri SM. Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine based on recombinant RBD/Nucleoprotein and saponin adjuvant induces long-lasting neutralizing antibodies and cellular immunity. Front Immunol 2022; 13:974364. [PMID: 36159845 PMCID: PMC9494508 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.974364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic, infecting millions of people. An effective preventive vaccine against this virus is urgently needed. Here, we designed and developed a novel formulated recombinant receptor-binding domain (RBD) nucleocapsid (N) recombinant vaccine candidates. The RBD and N were separately expressed in E. coli and purified using column chromatography. The female Balb/c mice were immunized subcutaneously with the combination of purified RBD and N alone or formulated with saponin adjuvant in a two-week interval in three doses. Neutralization antibody (Nabs) titers against the SARS-CoV-2 were detected by a Surrogate Virus Neutralization (sVNT) Test. Also, total IgG and IgG1, and IgG2a isotypes and the balance of cytokines in the spleen (IFN-γ, Granzyme B, IL-4, and IL-12) were measured by ELISA. The percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were quantified by flow cytometry. The lymphoproliferative activity of restimulated spleen cells was also determined. The findings showed that the combination of RBD and N proteins formulated with saponin significantly promoted specific total IgG and neutralization antibodies, elicited robust specific lymphoproliferative and T cell response responses. Moreover, marked increase in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were observed in the adjuvanted RBD and N vaccine group compared with other groups. The results suggest that the formulations are able to elicit a specific long-lasting mixed Th1/Th2 balanced immune response. Our data indicate the significance of the saponin-adjuvanted RBD/N vaccine in the design of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and provide a rationale for the development of a protective long-lasting and strong vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Ghaemi
- Department of Influenza and other respiratory viruses, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parisa Roshani Asl
- Department of Influenza and other respiratory viruses, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Delaram Ahmadi
- Department of Influenza and other respiratory viruses, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Sahar Bathaeian
- Department of Influenza and other respiratory viruses, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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13
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Gu Y, Duan J, Yang N, Yang Y, Zhao X. mRNA vaccines in the prevention and treatment of diseases. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e167. [PMID: 36033422 PMCID: PMC9409637 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines made their successful public debut in the effort against the COVID-19 outbreak starting in late 2019, although the history of mRNA vaccines can be traced back decades. This review provides an overview to discuss the historical course and present situation of mRNA vaccine development in addition to some basic concepts that underly mRNA vaccines. We discuss the general preparation and manufacturing of mRNA vaccines and also discuss the scientific advances in the in vivo delivery system and evaluate popular approaches (i.e., lipid nanoparticle and protamine) in detail. Next, we highlight the clinical value of mRNA vaccines as potent candidates for therapeutic treatment and discuss clinical progress in the treatment of cancer and coronavirus disease 2019. Data suggest that mRNA vaccines, with several prominent advantages, have achieved encouraging results and increasing attention due to tremendous potential in disease management. Finally, we suggest some potential directions worthy of further investigation and optimization. In addition to basic research, studies that help to facilitate storage and transportation will be indispensable for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangzhuo Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan University; Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyChengduChina
| | - Jiangyao Duan
- Department of Life SciencesImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Na Yang
- Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center/School of Basic Medical SciencesGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Yuxin Yang
- Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center/School of Basic Medical SciencesGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Xing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan University; Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyChengduChina
- Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center/School of Basic Medical SciencesGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
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14
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Appelberg S, Ahlén G, Yan J, Nikouyan N, Weber S, Larsson O, Höglund U, Aleman S, Weber F, Perlhamre E, Apro J, Gidlund E, Tuvesson O, Salati S, Cadossi M, Tegel H, Hober S, Frelin L, Mirazimi A, Sallberg M. A universal
SARS‐CoV DNA
vaccine inducing highly crossreactive neutralizing antibodies and T cells. EMBO Mol Med 2022; 14:e15821. [PMID: 35986481 PMCID: PMC9538582 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202215821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
New variants in the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic are more contagious (Alpha/Delta), evade neutralizing antibodies (Beta), or both (Omicron). This poses a challenge in vaccine development according to WHO. We designed a more universal SARS‐CoV‐2 DNA vaccine containing receptor‐binding domain loops from the huCoV‐19/WH01, the Alpha, and the Beta variants, combined with the membrane and nucleoproteins. The vaccine induced spike antibodies crossreactive between huCoV‐19/WH01, Beta, and Delta spike proteins that neutralized huCoV‐19/WH01, Beta, Delta, and Omicron virus in vitro. The vaccine primed nucleoprotein‐specific T cells, unlike spike‐specific T cells, recognized Bat‐CoV sequences. The vaccine protected mice carrying the human ACE2 receptor against lethal infection with the SARS‐CoV‐2 Beta variant. Interestingly, priming of cross‐reactive nucleoprotein‐specific T cells alone was 60% protective, verifying observations from humans that T cells protect against lethal disease. This SARS‐CoV vaccine induces a uniquely broad and functional immunity that adds to currently used vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gustaf Ahlén
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Sweden
| | - Jingyi Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Sweden
| | - Negin Nikouyan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Soo Aleman
- Department of Infectious Disease Karolinska University Hospital and Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet Sweden
| | - Friedemann Weber
- Institute for Virology FB10‐Veterinary Medicine, Justus‐Liebing University Giessen Germany
| | - Emma Perlhamre
- Karolinska Trial Alliance Karolinska University Hospital Sweden
| | - Johanna Apro
- Karolinska Trial Alliance Karolinska University Hospital Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | - Hanna Tegel
- Department of Protein Science Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm Sweden
| | - Sophia Hober
- Department of Protein Science Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Sweden
| | - Ali Mirazimi
- Public Health Agency of Sweden Solna Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Sweden
| | - Matti Sallberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Sweden
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15
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Kumar A, Ladha A, Choudhury A, Ikbal AMA, Bhattacharjee B, Das T, Gupta G, Sharma C, Sarbajna A, Mandal SC, Choudhury MD, Ali N, Slama P, Rezaei N, Palit P, Tiwari ON. The chimera of S1 and N proteins of SARS-CoV-2: can it be a potential vaccine candidate for COVID-19? Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:1071-1086. [PMID: 35604776 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2081156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emerged as one of the biggest global health issues. Spike protein (S) and nucleoprotein (N), the major immunogenic components of SARS-CoV-2, have been shown to be involved in the attachment and replication of the virus inside the host cell. AREAS COVERED Several investigations have shown that the SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein can elicit a cell-mediated immune response capable of regulating viral replication and lowering viral burden. However, the development of an effective vaccine that can stop the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains a matter of concern. Literature was retrieved using the keywords COVID-19 vaccine, role of nucleoprotein as vaccine candidate, spike protein, nucleoprotein immune responses against SARS-CoV-2, and chimera vaccine in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google. EXPERT OPINION We have focussed on the use of chimera protein, consisting of N and S-1 protein components of SARS-CoV-2, as a potential vaccine candidate. This may act as a polyvalent mixed recombinant protein vaccine to elicit a strong T and B cell immune response, which will be capable of neutralizing the wild and mutated variants of SARS-CoV-2, and also restricting its attachment, replication, and budding in the host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amresh Kumar
- Department of Life Sciences and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, India
| | - Amit Ladha
- Area of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, NIIT University, Neemrana, India
| | - Ankita Choudhury
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Allama TR College of Pharmacy, Hospital Rd, Srigouri, India
| | - Abu Md Ashif Ikbal
- Department of Pharmacy, Tripura University (A Central University), Suryamaninagar, Tripura (W), India
| | - Bedanta Bhattacharjee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, India
| | - Tanmay Das
- Department of Business Administration, Assam University Silchar, India
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- Area of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, NIIT University, Neemrana, India.,Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Chhavi Sharma
- Area of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, NIIT University, Neemrana, India
| | - Adity Sarbajna
- Department of Zoology, Surendranath College, Kolkata, India
| | - Subhash C Mandal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
| | | | - Nahid Ali
- Division of Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, INDIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL BIOLOGY, Kolkata, India
| | - Petr Slama
- Laboratory of Animal Immunology and Biotechnology, Department of Animal Morphology, Physiology and Genetics, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Partha Palit
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Drug Discovery research Laboratory, Assam University, Silchar, India
| | - Onkar Nath Tiwari
- Centre for Conservation and Utilisation of Blue Green Algae (CCUBGA), Division of Microbiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India
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16
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Phatarphekar A, Vidyadhar Reddy GEC, Gokhale A, Karanam G, Kuchroo P, Shinde K, Masand G, Pagare S, Khadpe N, Pai SS, Vijayan V, Ramnath RL, Pratap Reddy K, Rao P, Harinarayana Rao S, Ramana V. RelCoVax®, a two antigen subunit protein vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 induces strong immune responses in mice. Vaccine 2022; 40:4522-4530. [PMID: 35718590 PMCID: PMC9189014 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred an unprecedented movement to develop safe and effective vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus to immunize the global population. The first set of vaccine candidates that received emergency use authorization targeted the spike (S) glycoprotein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that enables virus entry into cells via the receptor binding domain (RBD). Recently, multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged with mutations in S protein and the ability to evade neutralizing antibodies in vaccinated individuals. We have developed a dual RBD and nucleocapsid (N) subunit protein vaccine candidate named RelCoVax® through heterologous expression in mammalian cells (RBD) and E. coli (N). The RelCoVax® formulation containing a combination of aluminum hydroxide (alum) and a synthetic CpG oligonucleotide as adjuvants elicited high antibody titers against RBD and N proteins in mice after a prime and boost dose regimen administered 2 weeks apart. The vaccine also stimulated cellular immune responses with a potential Th1 bias as evidenced by increased IFN-γ release by splenocytes from immunized mice upon antigen exposure particularly N protein. Finally, the serum of mice immunized with RelCoVax® demonstrated the ability to neutralize two different SARS-CoV-2 viral strains in vitro including the Delta strain that has become dominant in many regions of the world and can evade vaccine induced neutralizing antibodies. These results warrant further evaluation of RelCoVax® through advanced studies and contribute towards enhancing our understanding of multicomponent subunit vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Phatarphekar
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India.
| | - G E C Vidyadhar Reddy
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Abhiram Gokhale
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Gopala Karanam
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Pushpa Kuchroo
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Ketaki Shinde
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Girish Masand
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shyam Pagare
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Nilesh Khadpe
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sangita S Pai
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Vijita Vijayan
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - R L Ramnath
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - K Pratap Reddy
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Praveen Rao
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - S Harinarayana Rao
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
| | - Venkata Ramana
- Dhirubhai Ambani Life Sciences Centre, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra, India
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17
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Feng W, Xiang Y, Wu L, Chen Z, Li Q, Chen J, Guo Y, Xia D, Chen N, Zhang L, Zhu S, Zhao K. Nucleocapsid protein of SARS‐CoV‐2 is a potential target for developing new generation of vaccine. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24479. [PMID: 35527696 PMCID: PMC9169192 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixu Feng
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Yunru Xiang
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Lianpeng Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine The Sixth People Hospital of Wenzhou Wenzhou China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Qingfeng Li
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Jun Chen
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Yanru Guo
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Dandan Xia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine The Sixth People Hospital of Wenzhou Wenzhou China
| | - Na Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine The Sixth People Hospital of Wenzhou Wenzhou China
| | - Lifang Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Shanli Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
| | - Kong‐Nan Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Science Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuyin Children Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou China
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
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18
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Soto JA, Díaz FE, Retamal-Díaz A, Gálvez NMS, Melo-González F, Piña-Iturbe A, Ramírez MA, Bohmwald K, González PA, Bueno SM, Kalergis AM. BCG-Based Vaccines Elicit Antigen-Specific Adaptive and Trained Immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and Andes orthohantavirus. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10050721. [PMID: 35632475 PMCID: PMC9143576 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10050721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background:Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a live attenuated vaccine mainly administered to newborns and used for over 100 years to prevent the disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). This vaccine can induce immune response polarization towards a Th1 profile, which is desired for counteracting M. tb, other mycobacteria, and unrelated intracellular pathogens. The vaccine BCG has been used as a vector to express recombinant proteins and has been shown to protect against several diseases, particularly respiratory viruses. Methods: BCG was used to develop recombinant vaccines expressing either the Nucleoprotein from SARS-CoV-2 or Andes orthohantavirus. Mice were immunized with these vaccines with the aim of evaluating the safety and immunogenicity parameters. Results: Immunization with two doses of 1 × 108 CFU or one dose of 1 × 105 CFU of these BCGs was safe in mice. A statistically significant cellular immune response was induced by both formulations, characterized as the activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Stimulation with unrelated antigens resulted in increased expression of activation markers by T cells and secretion of IL-2 and IFN-γ, while increased secretion of IL-6 was found for both recombinant vaccines; all of these parameters related to a trained immunity profile. The humoral immune response elicited by both vaccines was modest, but further exposure to antigens could increase this response. Conclusions: The BCG vaccine is a promising platform for developing vaccines against different pathogens, inducing a marked antigen-specific immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A. Soto
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 7550196, Chile
| | - Fabián E. Díaz
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Angello Retamal-Díaz
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Nicolás M. S. Gálvez
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Felipe Melo-González
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 7550196, Chile
| | - Alejandro Piña-Iturbe
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Mario A. Ramírez
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Karen Bohmwald
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Pablo A. González
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Susan M. Bueno
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Alexis M. Kalergis
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (J.A.S.); (F.E.D.); (A.R.-D.); (N.M.S.G.); (F.M.-G.); (A.P.-I.); (M.A.R.); (K.B.); (P.A.G.); (S.M.B.)
- Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +56-2-686-2842
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19
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Nandakumar V, Profaizer T, Lozier BK, Elgort MG, Rychert J, Slev PR, Delgado JC. Evaluation of a Novel Multiplex Platform for Simultaneous Detection of IgG Antibodies Against the 4 Main SARS-CoV-2 Antigens. J Appl Lab Med 2022; 7:698-710. [PMID: 34741514 PMCID: PMC8767881 DOI: 10.1093/jalm/jfab161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous serology assays are available for detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies but are limited in that only 1 or 2 target antigen(s) can be tested at a time. Here, we describe a novel multiplex assay that simultaneously detects and quantifies IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 antigens, spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), receptor-binding domain (RBD), and N-terminal domain (NTD) in a single well. METHODS Sensitivity was determined using samples (n = 124) from confirmed SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive individuals. Prepandemic (n = 100) and non-COVID respiratory infection positive samples (n = 100) were used to evaluate specificity. Samples were analyzed using COVID-19 IgG multiplex serology assay from Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) and using commercial platforms from Abbott, EUROIMMUN, and Siemens. RESULTS At >14 days post-PCR, MSD assay displayed >98.0% sensitivity [S 100% (95% CI 98.0%-100.0%); N 98.0% (95% CI 97.2%-98.9%); RBD 94.1% (95% CI 92.6%-95.6%); NTD 98.0% (95% CI, 97.2%-98.9%)] and 99% specificity (95% CI 99.3%-99.7%) for antibodies to all 4 antigens. Parallel assessment of antibodies to more than 1 antigen improved the sensitivity to 100% (95% CI 98.0%-100.0%) while maintaining 98% (95% CI 97.6%-98.4%) specificity regardless of the combinations used. When AU/mL concentrations of IgG antibodies from the MSD assay were compared against the corresponding IgG signals acquired from the single target commercial assays, the following correlations were observed: Abbott (vs MSD N, R2 = 0.73), Siemens (vs MSD RBD, R2 = 0.92), and EUROIMMUN (vs MSD S, R2 = 0.82). CONCLUSION MSD assay offers an accurate and a comprehensive assessment of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with higher sensitivity and equivalent specificity compared to the commercial IgG serology assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijayalakshmi Nandakumar
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Tracie Profaizer
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Bucky K Lozier
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Marc G Elgort
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jenna Rychert
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Patricia R Slev
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Julio C Delgado
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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20
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Preclinical Establishment of a Divalent Vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10040516. [PMID: 35455265 PMCID: PMC9028954 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10040516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
First-generation vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 do not provide adequate immune protection. Therefore, we engineered a divalent gene construct combining the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein and the immunodominant region of the viral nucleocapsid. This fusion protein was produced in either E. coli or a recombinant baculovirus system. Subsequently, the fusion protein was mixed with adjuvant and administered to mice in a prime-booster mode. Mice (72%) produced an IgG response against both proteins (titer: 10−4–10−5) 14 days after the first booster injection, which was increased to 100% by a second booster. Comparable IgG responses were detected against the delta, gamma and omicron variants of the RBD region. Durability testing revealed IgGs beyond 90 days. In addition, cytolytic effector cell molecules were increased in lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood. Ex vivo stimulation of T cells by nucleocapsid and RBD peptides showed antigen-specific upregulation of CD44 among the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells of vaccinated mice. No side effect was documented in the central nervous system. Cumulatively, these data represent a proof-of-principle approach alternative to existing mRNA vaccination strategies.
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21
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Maghsood F, Shokri MR, Jeddi-Tehrani M, Rahvar MT, Ghaderi A, Salimi V, Kardar GA, Zarnani AH, Amiri MM, Shokri F. Identification of immunodominant epitopes on nucleocapsid and spike proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 in Iranian COVID-19 patients. Pathog Dis 2022; 80:6498121. [PMID: 34994386 PMCID: PMC8755367 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftac001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 virus as a life-threatening pandemic, identification of immunodominant epitopes of the viral structural proteins, particularly the nucleocapsid (NP) protein and receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein, is important to determine targets for immunotherapy and diagnosis. In this study, epitope screening was performed using a panel of overlapping peptides spanning the entire sequences of the RBD and NP proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in the sera from 66 COVID-19 patients and 23 healthy subjects by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results showed that while reactivity of patients' sera with reduced recombinant RBD protein was significantly lower than the native form of RBD (p<0.001), no significant differences were observed for reactivity of patients' sera with reduced and non-reduced NP protein. Pepscan analysis revealed weak to moderate reactivity towards different RBD peptide pools, which was more focused on peptides encompassing aa 181-223 of RBD. NP peptides, however, displayed strong reactivity with a single peptide covering aa 151-170. These findings were confirmed by peptide depletion experiments using both ELISA and Western blotting. Altogether, our data suggest involvement of mostly conformational disulfide bond-dependent immunodominant epitopes in RBD-specific antibody response, while the IgG response to NP is dominated by linear epitopes. Identification of dominant immunogenic epitopes in NP and RBD of SARS-CoV-2 could provide important information for the development of passive and active immunotherapy as well as diagnostic tools for the control of COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Maghsood
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Reza Shokri
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Jeddi-Tehrani
- Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Monireh Torabi Rahvar
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Ghaderi
- Cancer Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Vahid Salimi
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gholam Ali Kardar
- Immunology Asthma & Allergy Research Institute, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir-Hassan Zarnani
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Amiri
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fazel Shokri
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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22
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Production of recombinant SARS-COV-2 proteins and diphtheria toxoid CRM197-based fusion. UKRAINIAN BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.15407/ubj93.06.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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23
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Virus neutralisation by intracellular antibodies. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 126:108-116. [PMID: 34782185 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
For decades antibodies were largely thought to provide protection in extracellular spaces alone, mediating their effector functions by mechanisms such as entry-blocking, complement activation and phagocyte recruitment. However, a wealth of research has shown that antibodies are also capable of neutralising numerous viruses inside cells. Efficacy has now been demonstrated at virtually all intracellular stages of the viral life cycle. Antibodies can neutralise viruses in endosomes by blocking uncoating, fusion mechanisms, or new particle egress. Neutralisation can also occur in the cytosol via recruitment of the intracellular antibody receptor TRIM21. In addition to these direct neutralisation effects, recent research has shown that antibodies can mediate virus control indirectly by promoting MHC class I presentation and thereby increasing the CD8 T cell response. This provides valuable new insight into how non-neutralising antibodies can mediate potent protection in vivo. Overall, the importance of understanding the mechanisms of intracellular neutralisation by antibodies is highlighted by the ongoing need to develop new methods to control viruses. Using or inducing antibodies to block virus replication inside cells is now an innovative approach used by several vaccination and therapeutic strategies.
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24
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Zhao J, Wang L, Schank M, Dang X, Lu Z, Cao D, Khanal S, Nguyen LN, Nguyen LNT, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Adkins JL, Baird EM, Wu XY, Ning S, Gazzar ME, Moorman JP, Yao ZQ. SARS-CoV-2 specific memory T cell epitopes identified in COVID-19-recovered subjects. Virus Res 2021; 304:198508. [PMID: 34329696 PMCID: PMC8314866 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection poses a serious threat to public health. An explicit investigation of COVID-19 immune responses, particularly the host immunity in recovered subjects, will lay a foundation for the rational design of therapeutics and/or vaccines against future coronaviral outbreaks. Here, we examined virus-specific T cell responses and identified T cell epitopes using peptides spanning SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins. These peptides were used to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from COVID-19-recovered subjects, followed by an analysis of IFN-γ-secreting T cells by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot). We also evaluated virus-specific CD4 or CD8 T cell activation by flow cytometry assay. By screening 52 matrix pools (comprised of 315 peptides) of the spike (S) glycoprotein and 21 matrix pools (comprised of 102 peptides) spanning the nucleocapsid (N) protein, we identified 28 peptides from S protein and 5 peptides from N protein as immunodominant epitopes. The immunogenicity of these epitopes was confirmed by a second ELISpot using single peptide stimulation in memory T cells, and they were mapped by HLA restrictions. Notably, SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell responses positively correlated with B cell IgG and neutralizing antibody responses to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S protein. Our results demonstrate that defined levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell responses are generated in some, but not all, COVID-19-recovered subjects, fostering hope for the protection of a proportion of COVID-19-exposed individuals against reinfection. These results also suggest that these virus-specific T cell responses may induce protective immunity in unexposed individuals upon vaccination, using vaccines generated based on the immune epitopes identified in this study. However, SARS-CoV-2 S and N peptides are not potently immunogenic, and none of the single peptides could universally induce robust T cell responses, suggesting the necessity of using a multi-epitope strategy for COVID-19 vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Zhao
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Ling Wang
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Madison Schank
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Xindi Dang
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Zeyuan Lu
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Dechao Cao
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Sushant Khanal
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Lam N Nguyen
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Lam N T Nguyen
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Jinyu Zhang
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Yi Zhang
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - James L Adkins
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Evan M Baird
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Xiao Y Wu
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Shunbin Ning
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Mohamed El Gazzar
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Jonathan P Moorman
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Hepatitis (HCV/HBV/HIV) Program, James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States
| | - Zhi Q Yao
- Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States; Hepatitis (HCV/HBV/HIV) Program, James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, United States.
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25
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Thura M, Sng J, Ang K, Li J, Gupta A, Hong J, Hong C, Zeng Q. Targeting intra-viral conserved nucleocapsid (N) proteins as novel vaccines against SARS-CoVs. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:BSR20211491. [PMID: 34519332 PMCID: PMC8463655 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20211491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the global pandemic of the Coronavirus disease in late 2019 (COVID-19). Vaccine development efforts have predominantly been aimed at 'Extra-viral' Spike (S) protein as vaccine vehicles, but there are concerns regarding 'viral immune escape' since multiple mutations may enable the mutated virus strains to escape from immunity against S protein. The 'Intra-viral' Nucleocapsid (N-protein) is relatively conserved among mutant strains of coronaviruses during spread and evolution. Herein, we demonstrate novel vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 by using the whole conserved N-protein or its fragment/peptides. Using ELISA assay, we showed that high titers of specific anti-N antibodies (IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, IgM) were maintained for a reasonably long duration (> 5 months), suggesting that N-protein is an excellent immunogen to stimulate host immune system and robust B-cell activation. We synthesized three peptides located at the conserved regions of N-protein among CoVs. One peptide showed as a good immunogen for vaccination as well. Cytokine arrays on post-vaccination mouse sera showed progressive up-regulation of various cytokines such as IFN-γ and CCL5, suggesting that TH1 associated responses are also stimulated. Furthermore, vaccinated mice exhibited an elevated memory T cells population. Here, we propose an unconventional vaccine strategy targeting the conserved N-protein as an alternative vaccine target for coronaviruses. Moreover, we generated a mouse monoclonal antibody specifically against an epitope shared between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, and we are currently developing the First-in-Class humanized anti-N-protein antibody to potentially treat patients infected by various CoVs in the future.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
- Antibodies, Viral/blood
- Antibodies, Viral/immunology
- COVID-19/immunology
- COVID-19/prevention & control
- COVID-19/virology
- COVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage
- COVID-19 Vaccines/genetics
- COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology
- Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins/genetics
- Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins/immunology
- Epitopes/immunology
- Humans
- Immune Evasion
- Immunogenicity, Vaccine
- Mice
- Models, Animal
- Pandemics/prevention & control
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus/genetics
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus/immunology
- SARS-CoV-2/genetics
- SARS-CoV-2/immunology
- Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology
- Th1 Cells/immunology
- Vaccines, Subunit/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Subunit/genetics
- Vaccines, Subunit/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Thura
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673
| | - Joel Xuan En Sng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673
| | - Koon Hwee Ang
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673
| | - Jie Li
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673
| | - Abhishek Gupta
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673
| | | | - Cheng William Hong
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92103, USA
| | - Qi Zeng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119260
- INTRA-ImmuSG Private Limited, Singapore 079903
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26
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Zollner A, Watschinger C, Rössler A, Farcet MR, Penner A, Böhm V, Kiechl SJ, Stampfel G, Hintenberger R, Tilg H, Koch R, Antlanger M, Kreil TR, Kimpel J, Moschen AR. B and T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in health care professionals with and without previous COVID-19. EBioMedicine 2021; 70:103539. [PMID: 34391087 PMCID: PMC8358275 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In recent months numerous health care professional acquired COVID-19 at the workplace resulting in significant shortages in medical and nursing staff. We investigated how prior COVID-19 affects SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and how such knowledge could facilitate frugal vaccination strategies. Methods In a cohort of 41 healthcare professionals with (n=14) and without (n=27) previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, we assessed the immune status before, during and after vaccination with BNT162b2. The humoral immune response was assessed by receptor binding domain ELISA and different SARS-CoV-2 neutralisation assays using wildtype and pseudo-typed viruses. T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 surface and nucleocapsid peptides were studied using interferon-γ release assays and intracellular flow cytometry. Vaccine-related side effects were captured. Findings Prior COVID-19 resulted in improved vaccine responses both in the B and T cell compartment. In vaccine recipients with prior COVID-19, the first vaccine dose induced high antibody concentrations comparable to seronegative vaccine recipients after two injections. This translated into more efficient neutralisation of virus particles, even more pronounced than expected from the RBD ELISA results. Furthermore, T cell responses were stronger in convalescents and particularly strong against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Interpretation Herein, we corroborate recent findings suggesting that in convalescents a single vaccine dose is sufficient to boost adequate in vitro neutralisation of SARS-CoV-2 and therefore may be sufficient to induce adequate protection against severe COVID-19. New spike mutated virus variants render the highly conserved nucleocapsid protein – eliciting strong SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell immunity – an interesting additional vaccine target. Funding Christian Doppler Research Association, Johannes Kepler University Linz
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Zollner
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Mucosal Immunology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria; Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine 1 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christina Watschinger
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Mucosal Immunology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria; Department of Internal Medicine 2 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology, Rheumatology), Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Annika Rössler
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck Austria
| | - Maria R Farcet
- Global Pathogen Safety, Baxter AG (part of Takeda), Vienna, Austria
| | - Agnes Penner
- Department of Internal Medicine 2 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology, Rheumatology), Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Vincent Böhm
- Department of Internal Medicine 2 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology, Rheumatology), Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Sophia J Kiechl
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria; VASCage, Research Centre on Vascular Ageing and Stroke, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gerald Stampfel
- Department of Internal Medicine 2 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology, Rheumatology), Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Rainer Hintenberger
- Department of Internal Medicine 2 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology, Rheumatology), Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Herbert Tilg
- Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine 1 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Robert Koch
- Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine 1 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Marlies Antlanger
- Department of Internal Medicine 2 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology, Rheumatology), Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Thomas R Kreil
- Global Pathogen Safety, Baxter AG (part of Takeda), Vienna, Austria
| | - Janine Kimpel
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck Austria
| | - Alexander R Moschen
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Mucosal Immunology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria; Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine 1 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Internal Medicine 2 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology, Rheumatology), Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.
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27
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Bai Z, Cao Y, Liu W, Li J. The SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein and Its Role in Viral Structure, Biological Functions, and a Potential Target for Drug or Vaccine Mitigation. Viruses 2021; 13:v13061115. [PMID: 34200602 PMCID: PMC8227405 DOI: 10.3390/v13061115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on the world is still expanding. Thus, there is an urgent need to better understand this novel virus and find a way to control its spread. Like other coronaviruses, the nucleocapsid (N) protein is one of the most crucial structural components of SARS-CoV-2. This protein shares 90% homology with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus N protein, implying functional significance. Based on the evolutionary conservation of the N protein in coronavirus, we reviewed the currently available knowledge regarding the SARS-CoV-2 N protein in terms of structure, biological functions, and clinical application as a drug target or vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihua Bai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (Z.B.); (Y.C.); (W.L.)
- Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ying Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (Z.B.); (Y.C.); (W.L.)
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Wenjun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (Z.B.); (Y.C.); (W.L.)
- Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jing Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (Z.B.); (Y.C.); (W.L.)
- Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence:
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28
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ATP biphasically modulates LLPS of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and specifically binds its RNA-binding domain. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 541:50-55. [PMID: 33477032 PMCID: PMC7808732 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious coronavirus causing the ongoing pandemic. Very recently its genomic RNA of ∼30 kb was decoded to be packaged with nucleocapsid (N) protein into phase separated condensates. Interestingly, viruses have no ability to generate ATP but host cells have very high ATP concentrations of 2–12 mM. A key question thus arises whether ATP modulates liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of the N protein. Here we discovered that ATP not only biphasically modulates LLPS of the viral N protein as we previously found on human FUS and TDP-43, but also dissolves the droplets induced by oligonucleic acid. Residue-specific NMR characterization showed ATP specifically binds the RNA-binding domain (RBD) of the N protein with the average Kd of 3.3 ± 0.4 mM. The ATP-RBD complex structure was constructed by NMR-derived constraints, in which ATP occupies a pocket within the positive-charged surface utilized for binding nucleic acids. Our study suggests that ATP appears to be exploited by SARS-CoV-2 to promote its life cycle by facilitating the uncoating, localizing and packing of its genomic RNA. Therefore the interactions of ATP with the viral RNA and N protein might represent promising targets for design of drugs and vaccines to terminate the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA is packaged with its N protein via phase separation. Here we discovered that ATP biphasically modulates phase separation of N protein. ATP also specifically bind the RNA-binding domain of N protein with Kd of 3.3 mM. ATP is thus critical for uncoating, localizing and packing of the viral genomic RNA. ATP-Nprotein-RNA interactions represent key targets for drug of drugs and vaccines.
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29
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He J, Huang JR, Zhang YL, Zhang J. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein intranasal inoculation induces local and systemic T cell responses in mice. J Med Virol 2021; 93:1923-1925. [PMID: 33386773 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein has been proposed as a good vaccine target. N-specific T cells were observed in SARS-CoV-2 N immunized mice and COVID-19 convalescents. It is of importance to identify the T cell responses triggered by SARS-CoV-2 N protein. Intradermal immunization with SARS-CoV N protein was demonstrated to elicit non-protective T cell responses which may be avoided by intranasal vaccination. Therefore, we conducted intranasal vaccination of BALB/c mice with recombinant adenovirus type-5 expressing SARS-CoV-2 N protein. Such procedure induced CD8 T cell responses in the lung. Meanwhile CD4 T cell responses were observed in the spleen, which was associated with robust antibody production. Our study further supports the notion that SARS-CoV-2 N protein can work as a target for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia He
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing-Ru Huang
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yao-Lin Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiyan Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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30
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Designing of Nucleocapsid Protein Based Novel Multi-epitope Vaccine Against SARS-COV-2 Using Immunoinformatics Approach. Int J Pept Res Ther 2020; 27:941-956. [PMID: 33192207 PMCID: PMC7653218 DOI: 10.1007/s10989-020-10140-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2 and spreading rapidly worldwide with extremely high infection rate. Since effective and specific vaccine is not available to combat the deadly COVID-19, the objective of our study was to design a multi-epitope vaccine using immunoinformatics approach with translational implications. Nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is stable, conserved and highly immunogenic along with being less prone to mutations during infection, which makes it a suitable candidate for designing vaccine. In our study, B- and T-cells epitopes were identified from N protein and screened based on crucial parameters to design the multi-epitope vaccine construct. Additionally, human beta-defensin-2 was incorporated into the vaccine construct as an adjuvant along with suitable linkers followed by its further evaluation based on crucial parameters including allergenicity, antigenicity, stability etc. Combined major histocompatibility complexes (MHC-I and MHC-II) binding epitopes presented broader population coverage of the vaccine throughout the world. The three-dimensional structure of vaccine candidate implied strong interaction with toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) using molecular docking. The vaccine-TLR3 complex was observed to be highly stable during simulation and electrostatic free energy was foremost contributor for stabilization of the structure. Subsequently, in silico cloning of vaccine candidate was carried out to generate the construct into pET-28a(+) expression vector succeeded by its virtual confirmation. Altogether, our results advocate that the designed vaccine candidate could be an effective and promising weapon to fight with COVID-19 infection worldwide.
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