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Zhao Y, Li Z, Voyer J, Li Y, Chen X. Flagellin/Virus-like Particle Hybrid Platform with High Immunogenicity, Safety, and Versatility for Vaccine Development. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:21872-21885. [PMID: 35467839 PMCID: PMC9121874 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c01028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLPs) and flagellin are highly immunogenic and widely explored vaccine delivery platforms. Yet, HBc VLPs mainly allow the insertion of relatively short antigenic epitopes into the immunodominant c/e1 loop without affecting VLP assembly, and flagellin-based vaccines carry the risk of inducing systemic adverse reactions. This study explored a hybrid flagellin/HBc VLP (FH VLP) platform to present heterologous antigens by replacing the surface-exposed D3 domain of flagellin. FH VLPs were prepared by the insertion of flagellin gene into the c/e1 loop of HBc, followed by E. coli expression, purification, and self-assembly into VLPs. Using the ectodomain of influenza matrix protein 2 (M2e) and ovalbumin (OVA) as models, we found that the D3 domain of flagellin could be replaced with four tandem copies of M2e or the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope of OVA without interfering with the FH VLP assembly, while the insertion of four tandem copies of M2e into the c/e1 loop of HBc disrupted the VLP assembly. FH VLP-based M2e vaccine elicited potent anti-M2e antibody responses and conferred significant protection against multiple influenza A viral strains, while FljB- or HBc-based M2e vaccine failed to elicit significant protection. FH VLP-based OVA peptide vaccine elicited more potent CTL responses and protection against OVA-expressing lymphoma or melanoma challenges than FljB- or HBc-based OVA peptide vaccine. FH VLP-based vaccines showed a good systemic safety, while flagellin-based vaccines significantly increased serum interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α levels and also rectal temperature at increased doses. We further found that the incorporation of a clinical CpG 1018 adjuvant could enhance the efficacy of FH VLP-based vaccines. Our data support FH VLPs to be a highly immunogenic, safe, and versatile platform for vaccine development to elicit potent humoral and cellular immune responses.
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Côté-Cyr M, Zottig X, Gauthier L, Archambault D, Bourgault S. Self-Assembly of Flagellin into Immunostimulatory Ring-like Nanostructures as an Antigen Delivery System. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2022; 8:694-707. [PMID: 35080372 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c01332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Proteinaceous nanoparticles represent attractive antigen carriers for vaccination as their size and repetitive antigen displays that mimic most viral particles enable efficient immune processing. However, these nanocarriers are often unable to stimulate efficiently the innate immune system, requiring coadministration with adjuvants to promote long-lasting protective immunity. The protein flagellin, which constitutes the primary constituent of the bacterial flagellum, has been widely evaluated as an antigen carrier due to its intrinsic adjuvant properties involving activation of the innate immune receptor Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5). Although flagellin is known for its ability to self-assemble into micron-scale length nanotubes, few studies have evaluated the potential usage of flagellin-based nanostructures as immunostimulatory antigen carriers. In this study, we reported for the first time a strategy to guide the self-assembly of a flagellin protein from Bacillus subtilis, Hag, into lower aspect ratio nanoparticles by hindering non-covalent interactions responsible for its elongation into nanotubes. We observed that addition of an antigenic sequence derived from the influenza A virus (3M2e) at the C-terminus of this flagellin, as opposed to positioning the epitope into mid-sequence, precluded filament elongation and resulted in low aspect ratio ring-like nanostructures upon salting-out-induced self-assembly. These nanostructures displayed the antigen at their surface and shared morphological and structural characteristics with flagellin nanotubes, with a diameter of approximately 12 nm, and an α-helix-rich secondary structure. Flagellin ring-like nanostructures were efficiently internalized by antigen-presenting cells, and avidly activated the TLR5 in vitro as well as the innate and adaptive immune responses. Intranasal immunization of mice with these nanostructures resulted in the potentiation of the antigen-specific antibody response and protection against a lethal infection with the influenza A virus, illustrating the potential of these intrinsically immunostimulatory nanostructures as antigen carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie Côté-Cyr
- Chemistry Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications (PROTEO), Québec G1V 0A6, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Ximena Zottig
- Chemistry Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications (PROTEO), Québec G1V 0A6, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Laurie Gauthier
- Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications (PROTEO), Québec G1V 0A6, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Denis Archambault
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Steve Bourgault
- Chemistry Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 3P8, Canada.,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications (PROTEO), Québec G1V 0A6, Canada.,The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe J2S 2M2, Canada
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3
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O'Neill CL, Shrimali PC, Clapacs ZP, Files MA, Rudra JS. Peptide-based supramolecular vaccine systems. Acta Biomater 2021; 133:153-167. [PMID: 34010691 PMCID: PMC8497425 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Currently approved replication-competent and inactivated vaccines are limited by excessive reactogenicity and poor safety profiles, while subunit vaccines are often insufficiently immunogenic without co-administering exogenous adjuvants. Self-assembling peptide-, peptidomimetic-, and protein-based biomaterials offer a means to overcome these challenges through their inherent modularity, multivalency, and biocompatibility. As these scaffolds are biologically derived and present antigenic arrays reminiscent of natural viruses, they are prone to immune recognition and are uniquely capable of functioning as self-adjuvanting vaccine delivery vehicles that improve humoral and cellular responses. Beyond this intrinsic immunological advantage, the wide range of available amino acids allows for facile de novo design or straightforward modifications to existing sequences. This has permitted the development of vaccines and immunotherapies tailored to specific disease models, as well as generalizable platforms that have been successfully applied to prevent or treat numerous infectious and non-infectious diseases. In this review, we briefly introduce the immune system, discuss the structural determinants of coiled coils, β-sheets, peptide amphiphiles, and protein subunit nanoparticles, and highlight the utility of these materials using notable examples of their innate and adaptive immunomodulatory capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor L O'Neill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States.
| | - Paresh C Shrimali
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States.
| | - Zain P Clapacs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States.
| | - Megan A Files
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States.
| | - Jai S Rudra
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States.
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4
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Liu ZH, Xu HL, Han GW, Tao LN, Lu Y, Zheng SY, Fang WH, He F. Self-Assembling Nanovaccine Enhances Protective Efficacy Against CSFV in Pigs. Front Immunol 2021; 12:689187. [PMID: 34367147 PMCID: PMC8334734 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.689187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is a highly contagious pathogen, which pose continuous threat to the swine industry. Though most attenuated vaccines are effective, they fail to serologically distinguish between infected and vaccinated animals, hindering CSFV eradication. Beneficially, nanoparticles (NPs)-based vaccines resemble natural viruses in size and antigen structure, and offer an alternative tool to circumvent these limitations. Using self-assembling NPs as multimerization platforms provides a safe and immunogenic tool against infectious diseases. This study presented a novel strategy to display CSFV E2 glycoprotein on the surface of genetically engineered self-assembling NPs. Eukaryotic E2-fused protein (SP-E2-mi3) could self-assemble into uniform NPs as indicated in transmission electron microscope (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). SP-E2-mi3 NPs showed high stability at room temperature. This NP-based immunization resulted in enhanced antigen uptake and up-regulated production of immunostimulatory cytokines in antigen presenting cells (APCs). Moreover, the protective efficacy of SP-E2-mi3 NPs was evaluated in pigs. SP-E2-mi3 NPs significantly improved both humoral and cellular immunity, especially as indicated by the elevated CSFV-specific IFN-γ cellular immunity and >10-fold neutralizing antibodies as compared to monomeric E2. These observations were consistent to in vivo protection against CSFV lethal virus challenge in prime-boost immunization schedule. Further results revealed single dose of 10 μg of SP-E2-mi3 NPs provided considerable clinical protection against lethal virus challenge. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that this NP-based technology has potential to enhance the potency of subunit vaccine, paving ways for nanovaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Hui Liu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences & College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui-Ling Xu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences & College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guang-Wei Han
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences & College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Na Tao
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences & College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Lu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences & College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Su-Ya Zheng
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences & College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Huan Fang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences & College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fang He
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences & College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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5
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Protective Zika vaccines engineered to eliminate enhancement of dengue infection via immunodominance switch. Nat Immunol 2021; 22:958-968. [PMID: 34267374 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-021-00966-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is an important safety concern for vaccine development against dengue virus (DENV) and its antigenically related Zika virus (ZIKV) because vaccine may prime deleterious antibodies to enhance natural infections. Cross-reactive antibodies targeting the conserved fusion loop epitope (FLE) are known as the main sources of ADE. We design ZIKV immunogens engineered to change the FLE conformation but preserve neutralizing epitopes. Single vaccination conferred sterilizing immunity against ZIKV without ADE of DENV-serotype 1-4 infections and abrogated maternal-neonatal transmission in mice. Unlike the wild-type-based vaccine inducing predominately cross-reactive ADE-prone antibodies, B cell profiling revealed that the engineered vaccines switched immunodominance to dispersed patterns without DENV enhancement. The crystal structure of the engineered immunogen showed the dimeric conformation of the envelope protein with FLE disruption. We provide vaccine candidates that will prevent both ZIKV infection and infection-/vaccination-induced DENV ADE.
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6
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Al-Halifa S, Zottig X, Babych M, Côté-Cyr M, Bourgault S, Archambault D. Harnessing the Activation of Toll-Like Receptor 2/6 by Self-Assembled Cross-β Fibrils to Design Adjuvanted Nanovaccines. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10101981. [PMID: 33036404 PMCID: PMC7600500 DOI: 10.3390/nano10101981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Protein fibrils characterized with a cross-β-sheet quaternary structure have gained interest as nanomaterials in biomedicine, including in the design of subunit vaccines. Recent studies have shown that by conjugating an antigenic determinant to a self-assembling β-peptide, the resulting supramolecular assemblies act as an antigen delivery system that potentiates the epitope-specific immune response. In this study, we used a ten-mer self-assembling sequence (I10) derived from an amyloidogenic peptide to biophysically and immunologically characterize a nanofibril-based vaccine against the influenza virus. The highly conserved epitope from the ectodomain of the matrix protein 2 (M2e) was elongated at the N-terminus of I10 by solid phase peptide synthesis. The chimeric M2e-I10 peptide readily self-assembled into unbranched, long, and twisted fibrils with a diameter between five and eight nm. These cross-β nanoassemblies were cytocompatible and activated the heterodimeric Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/6. Upon mice subcutaneous immunization, M2e-fibrils triggered a robust anti-M2e specific immune response, which was dependent on self-assembly and did not require the use of an adjuvant. Overall, this study describes the efficacy of cross-β fibrils to activate the TLR 2/6 and to stimulate the epitope-specific immune response, supporting usage of these proteinaceous assemblies as a self-adjuvanted delivery system for antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soultan Al-Halifa
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (S.A.-H.); (X.Z.); (M.B.); (M.C.-C)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada
| | - Ximena Zottig
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (S.A.-H.); (X.Z.); (M.B.); (M.C.-C)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada
| | - Margaryta Babych
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (S.A.-H.); (X.Z.); (M.B.); (M.C.-C)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Mélanie Côté-Cyr
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (S.A.-H.); (X.Z.); (M.B.); (M.C.-C)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada
| | - Steve Bourgault
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (S.A.-H.); (X.Z.); (M.B.); (M.C.-C)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (D.A.)
| | - Denis Archambault
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (D.A.)
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7
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Zottig X, Côté-Cyr M, Arpin D, Archambault D, Bourgault S. Protein Supramolecular Structures: From Self-Assembly to Nanovaccine Design. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 10:E1008. [PMID: 32466176 PMCID: PMC7281494 DOI: 10.3390/nano10051008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Life-inspired protein supramolecular assemblies have recently attracted considerable attention for the development of next-generation vaccines to fight against infectious diseases, as well as autoimmune diseases and cancer. Protein self-assembly enables atomic scale precision over the final architecture, with a remarkable diversity of structures and functionalities. Self-assembling protein nanovaccines are associated with numerous advantages, including biocompatibility, stability, molecular specificity and multivalency. Owing to their nanoscale size, proteinaceous nature, symmetrical organization and repetitive antigen display, protein assemblies closely mimic most invading pathogens, serving as danger signals for the immune system. Elucidating how the structural and physicochemical properties of the assemblies modulate the potency and the polarization of the immune responses is critical for bottom-up design of vaccines. In this context, this review briefly covers the fundamentals of supramolecular interactions involved in protein self-assembly and presents the strategies to design and functionalize these assemblies. Examples of advanced nanovaccines are presented, and properties of protein supramolecular structures enabling modulation of the immune responses are discussed. Combining the understanding of the self-assembly process at the molecular level with knowledge regarding the activation of the innate and adaptive immune responses will support the design of safe and effective nanovaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena Zottig
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (X.Z.); (M.C.-C.); (D.A.)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Mélanie Côté-Cyr
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (X.Z.); (M.C.-C.); (D.A.)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Dominic Arpin
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (X.Z.); (M.C.-C.); (D.A.)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Denis Archambault
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada
| | - Steve Bourgault
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H2L 2C4, Canada; (X.Z.); (M.C.-C.); (D.A.)
- The Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- The Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, CRIPA, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
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Rana J, Burrone OR. DENV2 Pseudoviral Particles with Unprocessed Capsid Protein Are Assembled and Infectious. Viruses 2019; 12:v12010027. [PMID: 31881703 PMCID: PMC7019998 DOI: 10.3390/v12010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolytic processing of flavivirus polyprotein is a uniquely controlled process. To date, the sequential cleavage of the capsid anchor sequence at the junction of C-PrM has been considered essential for the production of flaviviruses. In this study, we used two experimental approaches to show the effect of unprocessed capsid on the production and infectivity of dengue virus 2 (DENV2) pseudoviral particles. The results showed that (1) both mature and unprocessed capsids of DENV2 were equally efficient in the viral RNA packaging and also in the assembly of infective particles; (2) DENV2 variants, in which the viral and host mediated cleavage of Ca peptide were independent, produced significantly higher levels of infective particles. Overall, this study demonstrated that unlike other flaviviruses, DENV2 capsid does not require a cleavable Ca sequence, and the sequential cleavage is not an obligatory requirement for the morphogenesis of infective pseudoviral particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Rana
- Correspondence: (J.R.); (O.R.B.); Tel.: +39-040-3757314 (J.R. & O.R.B.)
| | - Oscar R. Burrone
- Correspondence: (J.R.); (O.R.B.); Tel.: +39-040-3757314 (J.R. & O.R.B.)
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9
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Rana J, Slon Campos JL, Poggianella M, Burrone OR. Dengue virus capsid anchor modulates the efficiency of polyprotein processing and assembly of viral particles. J Gen Virol 2019; 100:1663-1673. [DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly and secretion of flaviviruses are part of an elegantly regulated process. During maturation, the viral polyprotein undergoes several co- and post-translational cleavages mediated by both viral and host proteases. Among these, sequential cleavage at the N and C termini of the hydrophobic capsid anchor (Ca) is crucial in deciding the fate of viral infection. Here, using a refined dengue pseudovirus production system, along with cleavage and furin inhibition assays, immunoblotting and secondary structure prediction analysis, we show that Ca plays a key role in the processing efficiency of dengue virus type 2 (DENV2) structural proteins and viral particle assembly. Replacement of the DENV2 Ca with the homologous regions from West nile or Zika viruses or, alternatively, increasing its length, improved cleavage and hence particle assembly. Further, we showed that substitution of the Ca conserved proline residue (P110) to alanine abolishes pseudovirus production, regardless of the Ca sequence length. Besides providing the results of a biochemical analysis of DENV2 structural polyprotein processing, this study also presents a system for efficient production of dengue pseudoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Rana
- Present address: Gene and Cell Therapy group, IU School of Medicine, Wells Center of Pediatric Research, IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, ICGEB, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - José Luis Slon Campos
- Present address: Nuffield Department of Medicine, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, ICGEB, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Monica Poggianella
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, ICGEB, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Oscar R. Burrone
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, ICGEB, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy
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10
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Gries CM, Mohan RR, Morikis D, Lo DD. Crosslinked flagella as a stabilized vaccine adjuvant scaffold. BMC Biotechnol 2019; 19:48. [PMID: 31319823 PMCID: PMC6637544 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-019-0545-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Engineered vaccine proteins incorporating both antigen and adjuvant components are constructed with the aim of combining functions to induce effective protective immunity. Bacterial flagellin is a strong candidate for an engineered vaccine scaffold as it is known to provide adjuvant activity through its TLR5 and inflammasome activation. Moreover, polymerized flagellin filaments can elicit a more robust immunoglobulin response than monomeric flagellin, and the multimeric antigen form can also promote T cell-independent antibody responses. Here, we aim to produce and test a covalently stabilized polymerized flagellar filament, providing additional immune efficacy through stabilization of its polymeric filament structure, as well as stabilization for long-term storage. Results Computational modeling of monomer packing in flagellin filaments helped identify amino acids with proximity to neighboring flagella protofilaments. Paired cysteine substitutions were made at amino acids predicted to form inter-monomer disulfide cross-links, and these substitutions were capable of forming flagella when transfected into a flagellin-negative strain of Salmonella enterica subspecies Typhimurium. Interestingly, each paired substitution stabilized different helical conformational polymorphisms; the stabilized filaments lost the ability to transition between conformations, reducing bacterial motility. More importantly, the paired substitutions enabled extensive disulfide cross links and intra-filament multimer formation, and in one of the three variants, permitted filament stability in high acidic and temperature conditions where wild-type filaments would normally rapidly depolymerize. In addition, with regard to potential adjuvant activity, all crosslinked flagella filaments were able to induce wild-type levels of epithelial NF-κB in a cell reporter system. Finally, bacterial virulence was unimpaired in epithelial adherence and invasion, and the cysteine substitutions also appeared to increase bacterial resistance to oxidizing and reducing conditions. Conclusions We identified amino acid pairs, with cysteine substitutions, were able to form intermolecular disulfide bonds that stabilized the resulting flagellar filaments in detergent, hydrochloric acid, and high temperatures while retaining its immunostimulatory function. Flagellar filaments with disulfide-stabilized protofilaments introduce new possibilities for the application of flagella as a vaccine adjuvant. Specifically, increased stability and heat tolerance permits long-term storage in a range of temperature environments, as well as delivery under a range of clinical conditions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12896-019-0545-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey M Gries
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, USA
| | - Rohith R Mohan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, USA
| | - Dimitrios Morikis
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, USA
| | - David D Lo
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, USA.
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Rapid detection of extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli multi-locus sequence type 127 using a specific PCR assay. J Med Microbiol 2019; 68:188-196. [DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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12
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Role of Capsid Anchor in the Morphogenesis of Zika Virus. J Virol 2018; 92:JVI.01174-18. [PMID: 30158295 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01174-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The flavivirus capsid protein (C) is separated from the downstream premembrane (PrM) protein by a hydrophobic sequence named capsid anchor (Ca). During polyprotein processing, Ca is sequentially cleaved by the viral NS2B/NS3 protease on the cytosolic side and by signal peptidase on the luminal side of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To date, Ca is considered important mostly for directing translocation of PrM into the ER lumen. In this study, the role of Ca in the assembly and secretion of Zika virus was investigated using a pseudovirus-based approach. Our results show that, while Ca-mediated anchoring of C to the ER membrane is not needed for the production of infective particles, Ca expression in cis with respect to PrM is strictly required to allow proper assembly of infectious particles. Finally, we show that the presence of heterologous, but not homologous, Ca induces degradation of E through the autophagy/lysosomal pathway.IMPORTANCE The capsid anchor (Ca) is a single-pass transmembrane domain at the C terminus of the capsid protein (C) known to function as a signal for the translocation of PrM into the ER lumen. The objective of this study was to further examine the role of Ca in Zika virus life cycle, whether involved in the formation of nucleocapsid through association with C or in the formation of viral envelope. In this study, we show that Ca has a function beyond the one of translocation signal, controlling protein E stability and therefore its availability for assembly of infectious particles.
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13
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Li Q, Xu Z, Wu T, Peng O, Huang L, Zhang Y, Xue C, Wen Z, Zhou Q, Cao Y. A flagellin-adjuvanted PED subunit vaccine improved protective efficiency against PEDV variant challenge in pigs. Vaccine 2018; 36:4228-4235. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.05.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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14
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Li Q, Peng O, Wu T, Xu Z, Huang L, Zhang Y, Xue C, Wen Z, Zhou Q, Cao Y. PED subunit vaccine based on COE domain replacement of flagellin domain D3 improved specific humoral and mucosal immunity in mice. Vaccine 2018; 36:1381-1388. [PMID: 29426660 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.01.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is an important re-emergent infectious disease and inflicts huge economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. To meet the pressing need of developing a safe and cost-efficient PED maternal vaccine, we generated three PED subunit vaccine candidates, using recombined Salmonella flagellin (rSF) as a mucosal molecular adjuvant. Domain D3 in rSF was replaced with COE domain of PEDV to generate rSF-COE-3D. COE fused to the flanking C'/N' terminal of rSF yielded rSF-COE-C and rSF-COE-N. As a result, rSF-COE-3D could significantly improve COE specific antibody production including serum IgG, serum IgA, mucosal IgA and PEDV neutralizing antibody. Furthermore, rSF-COE-3D elicited more CD3+CD8+ T cell and cytokine production of IFN-γ and IL-4 in mouse splenocytes. In summary, our data showed that rSF-COE-3D could improve specific humoral and mucosal immunity in mice, thus suggesting that rSF-COE-3D could be applied as a novel efficient maternal PED vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianniu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ouyang Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Tingting Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhichao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Licheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chunyi Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhifen Wen
- Guangdong Wen's Foodstuffs Group Co, Ltd, Yunfu 527300, China
| | - Qingfeng Zhou
- Guangdong Wen's Foodstuffs Group Co, Ltd, Yunfu 527300, China
| | - Yongchang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Wen's Foodstuffs Group Co, Ltd, Yunfu 527300, China.
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15
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Rubio‐Reyes P, Parlane NA, Buddle BM, Wedlock DN, Rehm BHA. Immunological properties and protective efficacy of a single mycobacterial antigen displayed on polyhydroxybutyrate beads. Microb Biotechnol 2017; 10:1434-1440. [PMID: 28714174 PMCID: PMC5658617 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2015, there were an estimated 10.4 million new tuberculosis (TB) cases and 1.4 million deaths worldwide. Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), an attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis, is the vaccine available against TB, but it is insufficient for global TB control. This study evaluated the immunogenicity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen Rv1626 in mice while assessing the effect of co-delivering either Cpe30 (immunostimulatory peptide), CS.T3378-395 (promiscuous T helper epitope) or flagellin (TLR5 agonist) or a combination of all three immunostimulatory agents. Rv1626 and the respective immunostimulatory proteins/peptides were co-displayed on polyhydroxybutyrate beads assembled inside an engineered endotoxin-free mutant of Escherichia coli. Mice vaccinated with these beads produced immune responses biased towards Th1-/Th17-type responses, but inclusion of Cpe30, CS.T3378-395 and flagellin did not enhance immunogenicity of the Rv1626 protein. This was confirmed in a M. bovis challenge experiment in mice, where Rv1626 beads reduced bacterial cell counts in the lungs by 0.48 log10 compared with the adjuvant alone control group. Co-delivery of immunostimulatory peptides did not further enhance protective immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Rubio‐Reyes
- Institute of Fundamental SciencesMassey University11222 Private BagPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Natalie A. Parlane
- AgResearch, Hopkirk Research InstituteGrasslands Research Centre11008 Private BagPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Bryce M. Buddle
- AgResearch, Hopkirk Research InstituteGrasslands Research Centre11008 Private BagPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - D. Neil Wedlock
- AgResearch, Hopkirk Research InstituteGrasslands Research Centre11008 Private BagPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Bernd H. A. Rehm
- Institute of Fundamental SciencesMassey University11222 Private BagPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
- Griffith Institute for Drug DiscoveryGriffith UniversityNathanQLDAustralia
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16
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Bacterial flagellin-a potent immunomodulatory agent. Exp Mol Med 2017; 49:e373. [PMID: 28860663 PMCID: PMC5628280 DOI: 10.1038/emm.2017.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Flagellin is a subunit protein of the flagellum, a whip-like appendage that enables bacterial motility. Traditionally, flagellin was viewed as a virulence factor that contributes to the adhesion and invasion of host cells, but now it has emerged as a potent immune activator, shaping both the innate and adaptive arms of immunity during microbial infections. In this review, we summarize our understanding of bacterial flagellin and host immune system interactions and the role flagellin as an adjuvant, anti-tumor and radioprotective agent, and we address important areas of future research interests.
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17
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Rehm BHA. Bioengineering towards self-assembly of particulate vaccines. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2017; 48:42-53. [PMID: 28365472 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2017.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is an unmet demand for safe and efficient vaccines for prevention of various infectious diseases. Subunit vaccines comprise selected pathogen specific antigens are a safe alternative to whole organism vaccines. However they often lack immunogenicity. Natural and synthetic self-assembling polymers and proteins will be reviewed in view their use to encapsulate and/or display antigens to serve as immunogenic antigen carriers for induction of protective immunity. Recent advances made in in vivo assembly of antigen-displaying polyester inclusions will be a focus. Particulate vaccines are inherently immunogenic due to enhanced uptake by antigen presenting cells which process antigens mediating adaptive immune responses. Bioengineering approaches enable the design of tailor-made particulate vaccines to fine tune immune responses towards protective immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd H A Rehm
- Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
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18
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Biotechnology approaches to produce potent, self-adjuvanting antigen-adjuvant fusion protein subunit vaccines. Biotechnol Adv 2017; 35:375-389. [PMID: 28288861 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2017.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Traditional vaccination approaches (e.g. live attenuated or killed microorganisms) are among the most effective means to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. These approaches, nevertheless, have failed to yield successful vaccines against many important pathogens. To overcome this problem, methods have been developed to identify microbial components, against which protective immune responses can be elicited. Subunit antigens identified by these approaches enable the production of defined vaccines, with improved safety profiles. However, they are generally poorly immunogenic, necessitating their administration with potent immunostimulatory adjuvants. Since few safe and effective adjuvants are currently used in vaccines approved for human use, with those available displaying poor potency, or an inability to stimulate the types of immune responses required for vaccines against specific diseases (e.g. cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) to treat cancers), the development of new vaccines will be aided by the availability of characterized platforms of new adjuvants, improving our capacity to rationally select adjuvants for different applications. One such approach, involves the addition of microbial components (pathogen-associated molecular patterns; PAMPs), that can stimulate strong immune responses, into subunit vaccine formulations. The conjugation of PAMPs to subunit antigens provides a means to greatly increase vaccine potency, by targeting immunostimulation and antigen to the same antigen presenting cell. Thus, methods that enable the efficient, and inexpensive production of antigen-adjuvant fusions represent an exciting mean to improve immunity towards subunit antigens. Herein we review four protein-based adjuvants (flagellin, bacterial lipoproteins, the extra domain A of fibronectin (EDA), and heat shock proteins (Hsps)), which can be genetically fused to antigens to enable recombinant production of antigen-adjuvant fusion proteins, with a focus on their mechanisms of action, structural or sequence requirements for activity, sequence modifications to enhance their activity or simplify production, adverse effects, and examples of vaccines in preclinical or human clinical trials.
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Letarov AV, Biryukova YK, Epremyan AS, Shevelev AB. Prospects of the use of bacteriophage-based virus-like particles in the creation of anthrax vaccines. APPL BIOCHEM MICRO+ 2017. [DOI: 10.1134/s0003683816090040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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