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Avril A, Tournier JN, Paucod JC, Fournes B, Thullier P, Pelat T. Antibodies against Anthrax Toxins: A Long Way from Benchlab to the Bedside. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14030172. [PMID: 35324669 PMCID: PMC8955606 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14030172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, and is a potential biowarfare/bioterrorist agent. Its pulmonary form, caused by inhalation of the spores, is highly lethal and is mainly related to injury caused by the toxins secretion. Antibodies neutralizing the toxins of B. anthracis are regarded as promising therapeutic drugs, and two are already approved by the Federal Drug Administration. We developed a recombinant human-like humanized antibody, 35PA83 6.20, that binds the protective antigen and that neutralized anthrax toxins in-vivo in White New Zealand rabbits infected with the lethal 9602 strain by intranasal route. Considering these promising results, the preclinical and clinical phase one development was funded and a program was started. Unfortunately, after 5 years, the preclinical development was cancelled due to industrial and scientific issues. This shutdown underlined the difficulty particularly, but not only, for an academic laboratory to proceed to clinical development, despite the drug candidate being promising. Here, we review our strategy and some preliminary results, and we discuss the issues that led to the no-go decision of the pre-clinical development of 35PA83 6.20 mAb. Our review provides general information to the laboratories planning a (pre-)clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Avril
- Département Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France; (J.-N.T.); (J.-C.P.); (P.T.); (T.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-(0)-1-78-65-10-72
| | - Jean-Nicolas Tournier
- Département Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France; (J.-N.T.); (J.-C.P.); (P.T.); (T.P.)
- Ecole du Val-de-Grâce, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Charles Paucod
- Département Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France; (J.-N.T.); (J.-C.P.); (P.T.); (T.P.)
| | - Bénédicte Fournes
- Laboratoire Français du Fractionnement et des Biotechnologies, 91940 Les Ulis, France;
| | - Philippe Thullier
- Département Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France; (J.-N.T.); (J.-C.P.); (P.T.); (T.P.)
| | - Thibaut Pelat
- Département Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France; (J.-N.T.); (J.-C.P.); (P.T.); (T.P.)
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Kanduc D. The comparative biochemistry of viruses and humans: an evolutionary path towards autoimmunity. Biol Chem 2019; 400:629-638. [PMID: 30504522 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2018-0271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Analyses of the peptide sharing between five common human viruses (Borna disease virus, influenza A virus, measles virus, mumps virus and rubella virus) and the human proteome highlight a massive viral vs. human peptide overlap that is mathematically unexpected. Evolutionarily, the data underscore a strict relationship between viruses and the origin of eukaryotic cells. Indeed, according to the viral eukaryogenesis hypothesis and in light of the endosymbiotic theory, the first eukaryotic cell (our lineage) originated as a consortium consisting of an archaeal ancestor of the eukaryotic cytoplasm, a bacterial ancestor of the mitochondria and a viral ancestor of the nucleus. From a pathologic point of view, the peptide sequence similarity between viruses and humans may provide a molecular platform for autoimmune crossreactions during immune responses following viral infections/immunizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Via Orabona 4, I-70124 Bari, Italy
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Kondakova OA, Nikitin NA, Evtushenko EA, Ryabchevskaya EM, Atabekov JG, Karpova OV. Vaccines against anthrax based on recombinant protective antigen: problems and solutions. Expert Rev Vaccines 2019; 18:813-828. [PMID: 31298973 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2019.1643242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Anthrax is a dangerous bio-terror agent because Bacillus anthracis spores are highly resilient and can be easily aerosolized and disseminated. There is a threat of deliberate use of anthrax spores aerosol that could lead to serious fatal diseases outbreaks. Existing control measures against inhalation form of the disease are limited. All of this has provided an impetus to the development of new generation vaccines. Areas сovered: This review is devoted to challenges and achievements in the design of vaccines based on the anthrax recombinant protective antigen (rPA). Scientific databases have been searched, focusing on causes of PA instability and solutions to this problem, including new approaches of rPA expression, novel rPA-based vaccines formulations as well as the simultaneous usage of PA with other anthrax antigens. Expert opinion: PA is a central anthrax toxin component, playing a key role in the defense against encapsulated and unencapsulated strains. Subunit rPA-based vaccines have a good safety and protective profile. However, there are problems of PA instability that are greatly enhanced when using aluminum adjuvants. New adjuvant compositions, dry formulations and resistant to proteolysis and deamidation mutant PA forms can help to handle this issue. Devising a modern anthrax vaccine requires huge efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A Kondakova
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Nikolai A Nikitin
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Ekaterina A Evtushenko
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Ekaterina M Ryabchevskaya
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Joseph G Atabekov
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Olga V Karpova
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
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Avril A. Therapeutic Antibodies for Biodefense. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1053:173-205. [PMID: 29549640 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-72077-7_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Diseases can be caused naturally by biological agents such as bacteria, viruses and toxins (natural risk). However, such biological agents can be intentionally disseminated in the environment by a State (military context) or terrorists to cause diseases in a population or livestock, to destabilize a nation by creating a climate of terror, destabilizing the economy and undermining institutions. Biological agents can be classified according to the severity of illness they cause, its mortality and how easily the agent can be spread. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) classify biological agents in three categories (A, B and C); Category A consists of the six pathogens most suitable for use as bioweapons (Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, botulinum neurotoxins, smallpox and viral hemorrhagic fevers). Antibodies represent a perfect biomedical countermeasure as they present both prophylactic and therapeutic properties, act fast and are highly specific to the target. This review focuses on the main biological agents that could be used as bioweapons, the history of biowarfare and antibodies that have been developed to neutralize these agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Avril
- Département des maladies infectieuses, Unité biothérapies anti-infectieuses et immunité, Institut de Recherche Biomédical des Armées, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France.
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Vrentas CE, Moayeri M, Keefer AB, Greaney AJ, Tremblay J, O'Mard D, Leppla SH, Shoemaker CB. A Diverse Set of Single-domain Antibodies (VHHs) against the Anthrax Toxin Lethal and Edema Factors Provides a Basis for Construction of a Bispecific Agent That Protects against Anthrax Infection. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:21596-21606. [PMID: 27539858 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.749184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, can lead to persistence of lethal secreted toxins in the bloodstream, even after antibiotic treatment. VHH single-domain antibodies have been demonstrated to neutralize diverse bacterial toxins both in vitro and in vivo, with protein properties such as small size and high stability that make them attractive therapeutic candidates. Recently, we reported on VHHs with in vivo activity against the protective antigen component of the anthrax toxins. Here, we characterized a new set of 15 VHHs against the anthrax toxins that act by binding to the edema factor (EF) and/or lethal factor (LF) components. Six of these VHHs are cross-reactive against both EF and LF and recognize the N-terminal domain (LFN, EFN) of their target(s) with subnanomolar affinity. The cross-reactive VHHs block binding of EF/LF to the protective antigen C-terminal binding interface, preventing toxin entry into the cell. Another VHH appears to recognize the LF C-terminal domain and exhibits a kinetic effect on substrate cleavage by LF. A subset of the VHHs neutralized against EF and/or LF in murine macrophage assays, and the neutralizing VHHs that were tested improved survival of mice in a spore model of anthrax infection. Finally, a bispecific VNA (VHH-based neutralizing agent) consisting of two linked toxin-neutralizing VHHs, JMN-D10 and JMO-G1, was fully protective against lethal anthrax spore infection in mice as a single dose. This set of VHHs should facilitate development of new therapeutic VNAs and/or diagnostic agents for anthrax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Vrentas
- From the Department of Biology, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, Maryland 50010.,Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and
| | - Mahtab Moayeri
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and
| | - Andrea B Keefer
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and
| | - Allison J Greaney
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and
| | - Jacqueline Tremblay
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Maryland 01536
| | - Danielle O'Mard
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and
| | - Stephen H Leppla
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and
| | - Charles B Shoemaker
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Maryland 01536
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Ahmad TA, Eweida AE, Sheweita SA. B-cell epitope mapping for the design of vaccines and effective diagnostics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trivac.2016.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Miethe S, Rasetti-Escargueil C, Avril A, Liu Y, Chahboun S, Korkeala H, Mazuet C, Popoff MR, Pelat T, Thullier P, Sesardic D, Hust M. Development of Human-Like scFv-Fc Neutralizing Botulinum Neurotoxin E. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139905. [PMID: 26440796 PMCID: PMC4595074 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are considered to be the most toxic substances known on earth and are responsible for human botulism, a life-threatening disease characterized by flaccid muscle paralysis that occurs naturally by food-poisoning or colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by BoNT-producing clostridia. BoNTs have been classified as category A agent by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are listed among the six agents with the highest risk to be used as bioweapons. Neutralizing antibodies are required for the development of effective anti-botulism therapies to deal with the potential risk of exposure. Results In this study, a macaque (Macaca fascicularis) was immunized with recombinant light chain of BoNT/E3 and an immune phage display library was constructed. After a multi-step panning, several antibody fragments (scFv, single chain fragment variable) with nanomolar affinities were isolated, that inhibited the endopeptidase activity of pure BoNT/E3 in vitro by targeting its light chain. Furthermore, three scFv were confirmed to neutralize BoNT/E3 induced paralysis in an ex vivo mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm assay. The most effective neutralization (20LD50/mL, BoNT/E3) was observed with scFv ELC18, with a minimum neutralizing concentration at 0.3 nM. Furthermore, ELC18 was highly effective in vivo when administered as an scFv-Fc construct. Complete protection of 1LD50 BoNT/E3 was observed with 1.6 ng/dose in the mouse flaccid paralysis assay. Conclusion These scFv-Fcs antibodies are the first recombinant antibodies neutralizing BoNT/E by targeting its light chain. The human-like nature of the isolated antibodies is predicting a good tolerance for further clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Miethe
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christine Rasetti-Escargueil
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), a centre of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, United Kingdom
| | - Arnaud Avril
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA-CRSSA), Département de Microbiologie, Unité de biotechnologie des anticorps et des toxines, 24 avenue des Maquis du Grésivaudan, B.P. 87, 38702 La Tronche Cedex, France
| | - Yvonne Liu
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), a centre of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, United Kingdom
| | - Siham Chahboun
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA-CRSSA), Département de Microbiologie, Unité de biotechnologie des anticorps et des toxines, 24 avenue des Maquis du Grésivaudan, B.P. 87, 38702 La Tronche Cedex, France
| | - Hannu Korkeala
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre of Excellence in Microbial Food Safety Research, Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, P.O. Box 66 (Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2), 00014 Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Christelle Mazuet
- Unité des Bactéries anaérobies et Toxines, Institut Pasteur, 25 avenue du Docteur Roux, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Michel-Robert Popoff
- Unité des Bactéries anaérobies et Toxines, Institut Pasteur, 25 avenue du Docteur Roux, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Thibaut Pelat
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA-CRSSA), Département de Microbiologie, Unité de biotechnologie des anticorps et des toxines, 24 avenue des Maquis du Grésivaudan, B.P. 87, 38702 La Tronche Cedex, France
| | - Philippe Thullier
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA-CRSSA), Département de Microbiologie, Unité de biotechnologie des anticorps et des toxines, 24 avenue des Maquis du Grésivaudan, B.P. 87, 38702 La Tronche Cedex, France
| | - Dorothea Sesardic
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), a centre of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Hust
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Interactions between Autophagy and Bacterial Toxins: Targets for Therapy? Toxins (Basel) 2015; 7:2918-58. [PMID: 26248079 PMCID: PMC4549733 DOI: 10.3390/toxins7082918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a physiological process involved in defense mechanisms for clearing intracellular bacteria. The autophagic pathway is finely regulated and bacterial toxins interact with this process in a complex manner. Bacterial toxins also interact significantly with many biochemical processes. Evaluations of the effects of bacterial toxins, such as endotoxins, pore-forming toxins and adenylate cyclases, on autophagy could support the development of new strategies for counteracting bacterial pathogenicity. Treatment strategies could focus on drugs that enhance autophagic processes to improve the clearance of intracellular bacteria. However, further in vivo studies are required to decipher the upregulation of autophagy and potential side effects limiting such approaches. The capacity of autophagy activation strategies to improve the outcome of antibiotic treatment should be investigated in the future.
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Sharon J, Rynkiewicz MJ, Lu Z, Yang CY. Discovery of protective B-cell epitopes for development of antimicrobial vaccines and antibody therapeutics. Immunology 2014; 142:1-23. [PMID: 24219801 PMCID: PMC3992043 DOI: 10.1111/imm.12213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2013] [Revised: 11/05/2013] [Accepted: 11/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protective antibodies play an essential role in immunity to infection by neutralizing microbes or their toxins and recruiting microbicidal effector functions. Identification of the protective B-cell epitopes, those parts of microbial antigens that contact the variable regions of the protective antibodies, can lead to development of antibody therapeutics, guide vaccine design, enable assessment of protective antibody responses in infected or vaccinated individuals, and uncover or localize pathogenic microbial functions that could be targeted by novel antimicrobials. Monoclonal antibodies are required to link in vivo or in vitro protective effects to specific epitopes and may be obtained from experimental animals or from humans, and their binding can be localized to specific regions of antigens by immunochemical assays. The epitopes are then identified with mapping methods such as X-ray crystallography of antigen-antibody complexes, antibody inhibition of hydrogen-deuterium exchange in the antigen, antibody-induced alteration of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the antigen, and experimentally validated computational docking of antigen-antibody complexes. The diversity in shape, size and structure of protective B-cell epitopes, and the increasing importance of protective B-cell epitope discovery to development of vaccines and antibody therapeutics are illustrated through examples from different microbe categories, with emphasis on epitopes targeted by broadly neutralizing antibodies to pathogens of high antigenic variation. Examples include the V-shaped Ab52 glycan epitope in the O-antigen of Francisella tularensis, the concave CR6261 peptidic epitope in the haemagglutinin stem of influenza virus H1N1, and the convex/concave PG16 glycopeptidic epitope in the gp120 V1/V2 loop of HIV type 1.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Viral/immunology
- Antigen-Antibody Reactions
- Antigens, Bacterial/chemistry
- Antigens, Bacterial/immunology
- Antigens, Viral/chemistry
- Antigens, Viral/immunology
- Bacterial Vaccines/immunology
- Bacterial Vaccines/therapeutic use
- Epitope Mapping
- Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/chemistry
- Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/immunology
- Humans
- Models, Molecular
- Protein Conformation
- Viral Vaccines/immunology
- Viral Vaccines/therapeutic use
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Sharon
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of MedicineBoston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Rynkiewicz
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of MedicineBoston, MA, USA
| | - Zhaohua Lu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of MedicineBoston, MA, USA
| | - Chiou-Ying Yang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of MedicineBoston, MA, USA
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