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Zhang X, Shi H, Hendy DA, Bachelder EM, Ainslie KM, Ross TM. Multi-COBRA hemagglutinin formulated with cGAMP microparticles elicits protective immune responses against influenza viruses. mSphere 2024:e0016024. [PMID: 38920382 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00160-24] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
In humans, seasonal influenza viruses cause epidemics. Avian influenza viruses are of particular concern because they can infect multiple species and lead to unpredictable and severe disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a universal influenza vaccine that provides protection against all influenza strains. The cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) is a promising adjuvant for subunit vaccines, which promotes type I interferons' production through the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. The encapsulation of cGAMP in acetalated dextran (Ace-DEX) microparticles (MPs) enhances its intracellular delivery. In this study, the Computationally Optimized Broadly Reactive Antigen (COBRA) methodology was used to generate H1, H3, and H5 vaccine candidates. Monovalent and multivalent COBRA HA vaccines formulated with cGAMP Ace-DEX MPs were evaluated in mice for protective antibody responses. cGAMP MPs adjuvanted COBRA HA vaccines elicited robust antigen-specific antibodies following vaccination. Compared with COBRA HA vaccine groups with no adjuvant or blank MPs, the cGAMP MPs enhanced HAI activity elicited by COBRA HA vaccines. The HAI activity was not significantly different between cGAMP MPs adjuvanted monovalent or multivalent COBRA HA vaccines. The cGAMP MPs adjuvanted COBRA vaccine groups had higher antigen-specific IgG2a-binding titers than the COBRA vaccine groups with no adjuvant or blank MPs. The COBRA vaccines formulated with cGAMP MPs mitigated diseases caused by influenza viral challenge and decreased pulmonary viral titers in mice. Therefore, the formulation of COBRA vaccines plus cGAMP MPs is a promising universal influenza vaccine that elicits protective immune responses against human seasonal and pre-pandemic strains. IMPORTANCE Influenza viruses cause severe respiratory disease, particularly in the very young and the elderly. Next-generation influenza vaccines are needed to protect against new influenza variants. This report used a promising adjuvant, cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), to enhance the elicited antibodies by an improved influenza hemagglutinin candidate and protect against influenza virus infection. Overall, adding adjuvants to influenza vaccines is an effective method to improve vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojian Zhang
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Hua Shi
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Dylan A Hendy
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Eric M Bachelder
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kristy M Ainslie
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ted M Ross
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Port Saint Lucie, Florida, USA
- Department of Infection Biology, Lehner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Zhang X, Shi H, Hendy DA, Bachelder EM, Ainslie KM, Ross TM. Multi-COBRA hemagglutinin formulated with cGAMP microparticles elicit protective immune responses against influenza viruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.27.582355. [PMID: 38464191 PMCID: PMC10925245 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.27.582355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Influenza viruses cause a common respiratory disease known as influenza. In humans, seasonal influenza viruses can lead to epidemics, with avian influenza viruses of particular concern because they can infect multiple species and lead to unpredictable and severe disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a universal influenza vaccine that provides protection against seasonal and pre-pandemic influenza virus strains. The cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) is a promising adjuvant for subunit vaccines that promotes type I interferons production through the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. The encapsulation of cGAMP in acetalated dextran (Ace-DEX) microparticles (MPs) enhances its intracellular delivery. In this study, the Computationally Optimized Broadly Reactive Antigen (COBRA) methodology was used to generate H1, H3, and H5 vaccine candidates. Monovalent and multivalent COBRA HA vaccines formulated with cGAMP Ace-DEX MPs were evaluated in a mouse model for antibody responses and protection against viral challenge. Serological analysis showed that cGAMP MPs adjuvanted monovalent and multivalent COBRA vaccines elicited robust antigen-specific antibody responses after a prime-boost vaccination and antibody titers were further enhanced after second boost. Compared to COBRA vaccine groups with no adjuvant or blank MPs, the cGAMP MPs enhanced HAI antibody responses against COBRA vaccination. The HAI antibody titers were not significantly different between cGAMP MPs adjuvanted monovalent and multivalent COBRA vaccine groups for most of the viruses tested in panels. The cGAMP MPs adjuvanted COBRA vaccines groups had higher antigen-specific IgG2a binding titers than the COBRA vaccine groups with no adjuvant or blank MPs. The COBRA vaccines formulated with cGAMP MPs mitigated disease caused by influenza viral challenge and decreased pulmonary viral titers in mice. Therefore, the formulation of COBRA vaccines plus cGAMP MPs is a promising universal influenza vaccine that elicits protective immune responses against human seasonal and pre-pandemic strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojian Zhang
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Hua Shi
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Dylan A. Hendy
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Eric M. Bachelder
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Kristy M. Ainslie
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ted M. Ross
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Port Saint, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Florida Research and Innovation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Port Saint Lucie, FL, USA
- Department of Infection Biology, Lehner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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