1
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Van de Steen A, Wilkinson HC, Dalby PA, Frank S. Encapsulation of Transketolase into In Vitro-Assembled Protein Nanocompartments Improves Thermal Stability. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:3660-3674. [PMID: 38835217 PMCID: PMC11190991 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c01153] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Protein compartments offer definitive structures with a large potential design space that are of particular interest for green chemistry and therapeutic applications. One family of protein compartments, encapsulins, are simple prokaryotic nanocompartments that self-assemble from a single monomer into selectively permeable cages of between 18 and 42 nm. Over the past decade, encapsulins have been developed for a diverse application portfolio utilizing their defined cargo loading mechanisms and repetitive surface display. Although it has been demonstrated that encapsulation of non-native cargo proteins provides protection from protease activity, the thermal effects arising from enclosing cargo within encapsulins remain poorly understood. This study aimed to establish a methodology for loading a reporter protein into thermostable encapsulins to determine the resulting stability change of the cargo. Building on previous in vitro reassembly studies, we first investigated the effectiveness of in vitro reassembly and cargo-loading of two size classes of encapsulins Thermotoga maritima T = 1 and Myxococcus xanthus T = 3, using superfolder Green Fluorescent Protein. We show that the empty T. maritima capsid reassembles with higher yield than the M. xanthus capsid and that in vitro loading promotes the formation of the M. xanthus T = 3 capsid form over the T = 1 form, while overloading with cargo results in malformed T. maritima T = 1 encapsulins. For the stability study, a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-probed industrially relevant enzyme cargo, transketolase, was then loaded into the T. maritima encapsulin. Our results show that site-specific orthogonal FRET labels can reveal changes in thermal unfolding of encapsulated cargo, suggesting that in vitro loading of transketolase into the T. maritima T = 1 encapsulin shell increases the thermal stability of the enzyme. This work supports the move toward fully harnessing structural, spatial, and functional control of in vitro assembled encapsulins with applications in cargo stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paul A. Dalby
- Department of Biochemical
Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Stefanie Frank
- Department of Biochemical
Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
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2
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Pandey KK, Sahoo BR, Pattnaik AK. Protein Nanoparticles as Vaccine Platforms for Human and Zoonotic Viruses. Viruses 2024; 16:936. [PMID: 38932228 PMCID: PMC11209504 DOI: 10.3390/v16060936] [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: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Vaccines are one of the most effective medical interventions, playing a pivotal role in treating infectious diseases. Although traditional vaccines comprise killed, inactivated, or live-attenuated pathogens that have resulted in protective immune responses, the negative consequences of their administration have been well appreciated. Modern vaccines have evolved to contain purified antigenic subunits, epitopes, or antigen-encoding mRNAs, rendering them relatively safe. However, reduced humoral and cellular responses pose major challenges to these subunit vaccines. Protein nanoparticle (PNP)-based vaccines have garnered substantial interest in recent years for their ability to present a repetitive array of antigens for improving immunogenicity and enhancing protective responses. Discovery and characterisation of naturally occurring PNPs from various living organisms such as bacteria, archaea, viruses, insects, and eukaryotes, as well as computationally designed structures and approaches to link antigens to the PNPs, have paved the way for unprecedented advances in the field of vaccine technology. In this review, we focus on some of the widely used naturally occurring and optimally designed PNPs for their suitability as promising vaccine platforms for displaying native-like antigens from human viral pathogens for protective immune responses. Such platforms hold great promise in combating emerging and re-emerging infectious viral diseases and enhancing vaccine efficacy and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kush K. Pandey
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA; (K.K.P.); (B.R.S.)
- Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Bikash R. Sahoo
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA; (K.K.P.); (B.R.S.)
- Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Asit K. Pattnaik
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA; (K.K.P.); (B.R.S.)
- Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
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3
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Luo H, Ma Y, Bi J, Li Z, Wang Y, Su Z, Gerstweiler L, Ren Y, Zhang S. Experimental and molecular dynamics simulation studies on the physical properties of three HBc-VLP derivatives as nanoparticle protein vaccine candidates. Vaccine 2024:S0264-410X(24)00599-1. [PMID: 38811268 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.05.040] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Self-assembling virus-like particles (VLPs) are promising platforms for vaccine development. However, the unpredictability of the physical properties, such as self-assembly capability, hydrophobicity, and overall stability in engineered protein particles fused with antigens, presents substantial challenges in their downstream processing. We envision that these challenges can be addressed by combining more precise computer-aided molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with experimental studies on the modified products, with more to-date forcefield descriptions and larger models closely resembling real assemblies, realized by rapid advancement in computing technology. In this study, three chimeric designs based on the hepatitis B core (HBc) protein as model vaccine candidates were constructed to study and compare the influence of inserted epitopes as well as insertion strategy on HBc modifications. Large partial VLP models containing 17 chains for the HBc chimeric model vaccines were constructed based on the wild-type (wt) HBc assembly template. The findings from our simulation analysis have demonstrated good consistency with experimental results, pertaining to the surface hydrophobicity and overall stability of the chimeric vaccine candidates. Furthermore, the different impact of foreign antigen insertions on the HBc scaffold was investigated through simulations. It was found that separately inserting two epitopes into the HBc platform at the N-terminal and the major immunogenic regions (MIR) yields better results compared to a serial insertion at MIR in terms of protein structural stability. This study substantiates that an MD-guided design approach can facilitate vaccine development and improve its manufacturing efficiency by predicting products with extreme surface hydrophobicity or structural instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Luo
- School of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia; State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery (CAS), Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China; Institute of Pharmaceutical and Food Engineering, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong 030619, PR China
| | - Yanyan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery (CAS), Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China
| | - Jingxiu Bi
- School of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Zhengjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery (CAS), Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China
| | - Yingli Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Food Engineering, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong 030619, PR China
| | - Zhiguo Su
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery (CAS), Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China
| | - Lukas Gerstweiler
- School of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia.
| | - Ying Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
| | - Songping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery (CAS), Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China.
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4
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Merwaiss F, Lozano‐Sanchez E, Zulaica J, Rusu L, Vazquez‐Vilar M, Orzáez D, Rodrigo G, Geller R, Daròs J. Plant virus-derived nanoparticles decorated with genetically encoded SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies display enhanced neutralizing activity. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:876-891. [PMID: 37966715 PMCID: PMC10955499 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Viral nanoparticles (VNPs) are a new class of virus-based formulations that can be used as building blocks to implement a variety of functions of potential interest in biotechnology and nanomedicine. Viral coat proteins (CP) that exhibit self-assembly properties are particularly appropriate for displaying antigens and antibodies, by generating multivalent VNPs with therapeutic and diagnostic potential. Here, we developed genetically encoded multivalent VNPs derived from two filamentous plant viruses, potato virus X (PVX) and tobacco etch virus (TEV), which were efficiently and inexpensively produced in the biofactory Nicotiana benthamiana plant. PVX and TEV-derived VNPs were decorated with two different nanobodies recognizing two different regions of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. The addition of different picornavirus 2A ribosomal skipping peptides between the nanobody and the CP allowed for modulating the degree of VNP decoration. Nanobody-decorated VNPs purified from N. benthamiana tissues successfully recognized the RBD antigen in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and showed efficient neutralization activity against pseudoviruses carrying the Spike protein. Interestingly, multivalent PVX and TEV-derived VNPs exhibited a neutralizing activity approximately one order of magnitude higher than the corresponding nanobody in a dimeric format. These properties, combined with the ability to produce VNP cocktails in the same N. benthamiana plant based on synergistic infection of the parent PVX and TEV, make these green nanomaterials an attractive alternative to standard antibodies for multiple applications in diagnosis and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Merwaiss
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Enrique Lozano‐Sanchez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - João Zulaica
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Luciana Rusu
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Marta Vazquez‐Vilar
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Diego Orzáez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
| | - Guillermo Rodrigo
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - Ron Geller
- Institute for Integrative Systems BiologyConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat de ValènciaPaternaSpain
| | - José‐Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de PlantasConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain
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5
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Richards BA, Goncalves AG, Sullivan MO, Chen W. Engineering protein nanoparticles for drug delivery. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 86:103070. [PMID: 38354452 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103070] [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: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Protein nanoparticles offer a highly tunable platform for engineering multifunctional drug delivery vehicles that can improve drug efficacy and reduce off-target effects. While many protein nanoparticles have demonstrated the ability to tolerate genetic and posttranslational modifications for drug delivery applications, this review will focus on three protein nanoparticles of increasing size. Each protein nanoparticle possesses distinct properties such as highly tunable stability, capacity for splitting or fusing subunits for modular surface decoration, and well-characterized conformational changes with impressive capacity for large protein cargos. While many of the genetic and posttranslational modifications leverage these protein nanoparticle's properties, the shared techniques highlight engineering approaches that have been generalized across many protein nanoparticle platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake A Richards
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Antonio G Goncalves
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Millicent O Sullivan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
| | - Wilfred Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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6
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Shao S, Zhang XF, Hou JW, Yang SS, Han ZB, Wu HL, Tang F, Li XY, Lei ZH, Zhao ZX, Li SX, Liu ZM, Shan P, Jin YQ, Su JG, Liang Y, Zhang J, Li QM. Design of hepadnavirus core protein-based chimeric virus-like particles carrying epitopes from respiratory syncytial virus. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:62. [PMID: 38503757 PMCID: PMC10951352 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00855-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important pathogens causing respiratory tract infection in humans, especially in infants and the elderly. The identification and structural resolution of the potent neutralizing epitopes on RSV fusion (F) protein enable an "epitope-focused" vaccine design. However, the display of RSV F epitope II on the surface of the widely-used human hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) has failed to induce neutralizing antibody response in mice. Here, we used the hepadnavirus core protein (HcAg) from different mammalian hosts as scaffolds to construct chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs) presenting the RSV F epitope II. Mouse immunization showed that different HcAg-based chimeric VLPs elicited significantly different neutralizing antibody responses, among which the HcAg derived from roundleaf bat (RBHcAg) is the most immunogenic. Furthermore, RBHcAg was used as the scaffold platform to present multiple RSV F epitopes, and the immunogenicity was further improved in comparison to that displaying a single epitope II. The designed RBHcAg-based multiple-epitope-presenting VLP formulated with MF59-like adjuvant elicited a potent and balanced Th1/Th2 immune response, and offered substantial protection in mice against the challenge of live RSV A2 virus. The designed chimeric VLPs may serve as the potential starting point for developing epitope-focused vaccines against RSV. Our study also demonstrated that RBHcAg is an effective VLP carrier for presenting foreign epitopes, providing a promising platform for epitope-focused vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Shao
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Feng Zhang
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Wei Hou
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Sen Sen Yang
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Zi Bo Han
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Hai Lan Wu
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Tang
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Yu Li
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Ze Hua Lei
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Zi Xin Zhao
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Shu Xiang Li
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
- The Third Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
| | - Zhao Ming Liu
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Pu Shan
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
- The Third Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
| | - Yu Qin Jin
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Ji Guo Su
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
- High Performance Computing Center, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
| | - Yu Liang
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China.
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China.
| | - Qi Ming Li
- The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China.
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China.
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7
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Han J, Zhang J, Hu L, Wang C, Wang S, Miao G. Chloroplast display of subunit vaccines and their efficacy via oral administration. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 258:129125. [PMID: 38163512 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.129125] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
As a safe and natural "capsule," plants have several advantages over mammals and microorganisms for the production of oral vaccines. In this study, we innovatively utilized the transmembrane region of the pea Translocase of chloroplast 34 (TOC34) protein to display two subunit vaccines, capsid protein VP2 of Porcine parvovirus (PPV) and the heat-labile enterotoxin B (LTB) of Escherichia coli, on the surface of chloroplasts. Unlike microbial display techniques, chloroplast display circumvents antigen degradation in the stomach while retaining the size characteristic of microorganisms. Additionally, a co-expressed peptide adjuvant, antimicrobial peptide protegin-1 (PG1), was used to enhance the strength of oral immunization. Immunohistochemistry and trypsin digestion of chloroplast surface proteins confirmed the successful localization of both antigens on the chloroplast surface. In stable transgenic tobacco plants, the expression level of VP2-TOC34 ranged from 0.21 to 6.83 μg/g FW, while LTB-TOC34 ranged from 2.42 to 10.04 μg/g FW. By contrasting the digestive characteristics of plant materials with different particle sizes, it was observed that plant materials with diameters around 1 mm exhibited more prominent advantages in terms of chloroplast release and antigen exposure compared to both larger and smaller particles. Oral immunization resulted in significantly increased levels of specific IgG and secretory IgA in the mice compared to the control, with similar effects observed between the groups receiving oral immunization alone and those receiving a combination of initial injection and subsequent oral immunization. Challenge experiments further demonstrated the effective protection against infection in mice using this approach. These findings highlight the potential of chloroplast display technology for the development of effective oral vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Han
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China; Institute of Digital Ecology and Health, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Luya Hu
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Chengrun Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China; Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Shunchang Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China; Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China
| | - Guopeng Miao
- Department of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China; Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, Anhui Province 232038, China.
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8
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Chen YL, Bao CJ, Duan JL, Xie Y, Lu WL. Overcoming biological barriers by virus-like drug particles for drug delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 203:115134. [PMID: 37926218 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115134] [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: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) have natural structural antigens similar to those found in viruses, making them valuable in vaccine immunization. Furthermore, VLPs have demonstrated significant potential in drug delivery, and emerged as promising vectors for transporting chemical drug, genetic drug, peptide/protein, and even nanoparticle drug. With virus-like permeability and strong retention, they can effectively target specific organs, tissues or cells, facilitating efficient intracellular drug release. Further modifications allow VLPs to transfer across various physiological barriers, thus acting the purpose of efficient drug delivery and accurate therapy. This article provides an overview of VLPs, covering their structural classifications, deliverable drugs, potential physiological barriers in drug delivery, strategies for overcoming these barriers, and future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Systems, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Chun-Jie Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Systems, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jia-Lun Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Systems, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ying Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Systems, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Wan-Liang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Systems, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
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9
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Mellid-Carballal R, Gutierrez-Gutierrez S, Rivas C, Garcia-Fuentes M. Viral protein nanoparticles (Part 1): Pharmaceutical characteristics. Eur J Pharm Sci 2023; 187:106460. [PMID: 37156338 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2023.106460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Viral protein nanoparticles fill the gap between viruses and synthetic nanoparticles. Combining advantageous properties of both systems, they have revolutionized pharmaceutical research. Virus-like particles are characterized by a structure identical to viruses but lacking genetic material. Another type of viral protein nanoparticles, virosomes, are similar to liposomes but include viral spike proteins. Both systems are effective and safe vaccine candidates capable of overcoming the disadvantages of both traditional and subunit vaccines. Besides, their particulate structure, biocompatibility, and biodegradability make them good candidates as vectors for drug and gene delivery, and for diagnostic applications. In this review, we analyze viral protein nanoparticles from a pharmaceutical perspective and examine current research focused on their development process, from production to administration. Advances in synthesis, modification and formulation of viral protein nanoparticles are critical so that large-scale production of viral protein nanoparticle products becomes viable and affordable, which ultimately will increase their market penetration in the future. We will discuss their expression systems, modification strategies, formulation, biopharmaceutical properties, and biocompatibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocio Mellid-Carballal
- CiMUS Research Center, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Sara Gutierrez-Gutierrez
- CiMUS Research Center, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Carmen Rivas
- CiMUS Research Center, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Departamento de Biología Molecular y Celular, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB)-CSIC, Spain
| | - Marcos Garcia-Fuentes
- CiMUS Research Center, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
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10
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Yuan B, Liu Y, Lv M, Sui Y, Hou S, Yang T, Belhadj Z, Zhou Y, Chang N, Ren Y, Sun C. Virus-like particle-based nanocarriers as an emerging platform for drug delivery. J Drug Target 2023; 31:433-455. [PMID: 36940208 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2023.2193358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
New nanocarrier technologies are emerging, and they have great potential for improving drug delivery, targeting efficiency, and bioavailability. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are natural nanoparticles from animal and plant viruses and bacteriophages. Hence, VLPs present several great advantages, such as morphological uniformity, biocompatibility, reduced toxicity, and easy functionalisation. VLPs can deliver many active ingredients to the target tissue and have great potential as a nanocarrier to overcome the limitations associated with other nanoparticles. This review will focus primarily on the construction and applications of VLPs, particularly as a novel nanocarrier to deliver active ingredients. Herein, the main methods for the construction, purification, and characterisation of VLPs, as well as various VLP-based materials used in delivery systems are summarised. The biological distribution of VLPs in drug delivery, phagocyte-mediated clearance, and toxicity are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No.100, Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Meilin Lv
- Harbin Medical University-Daqing, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Yilei Sui
- Harbin Medical University-Daqing, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Shenghua Hou
- Harbin Medical University-Daqing, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Tinghui Yang
- Harbin Medical University-Daqing, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Zakia Belhadj
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yulong Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Naidan Chang
- Harbin Medical University-Daqing, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Yachao Ren
- Harbin Medical University-Daqing, Daqing 163319, China.,School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, tianjin, 300000, China
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11
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Sazegari S, Akbarzadeh Niaki M, Afsharifar A, Niazi A, Derakhshandeh A, Moradi Vahdat M, Hemmati F, Eskandari MH. Chimeric Hepatitis B core virus-like particles harboring SARS-CoV2 epitope elicit a humoral immune response in mice. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:39. [PMID: 36841778 PMCID: PMC9958315 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02043-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Virus-like particles are an interesting vector platform for vaccine development. Particularly, Hepatitis B virus core antigen has been used as a promising VLP platform. It is highly expressed in different recombinant expression systems, such as E. coli, and self-assembled in vitro. It effectively improves the immunogenicity of foreign antigenic epitopes on its surface. Various foreign antigens from bacteria, viruses, and protozoa can be genetically inserted into such nanoparticles. The effective immunogenicity due to VLP vaccines has been reported. However, no research has been performed on the SARS-CoV2 vaccine within this unique platform through genetic engineering. Considering the high yield of target proteins, low cost of production, and feasibility of scaling up, E. coli is an outstanding expression platform to develop such vaccines. Therefore, in this investigation, we planned to study and develop a unique HBc VLP-based vaccine against SARS-Cov2 utilizing the E. coli expression system due to its importance. RESULTS Insertion of the selected epitope was done into the major immunodominant region (MIR) of truncated (149 residues) hepatitis B core capsid protein. The chimeric protein was constructed in PET28a+ and expressed through the bacterial E. coli BL21 expression system. However, the protein was expressed in inclusion body forms and extracted following urea denaturation from the insoluble phase. Following the extraction, the vaccine protein was purified using Ni2 + iminodiacetic acid (IDA) affinity chromatography. SDS-PAGE and western blotting were used to confirm the protein expression. Regarding the denaturation step, the unavoidable refolding process was carried out, so that the chimeric VLP reassembled in native conformation. Based on the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, the HBC VLP was successfully assembled. Confirming the assembled chimeric VLP, we explored the immunogenic effectivity of the vaccine through mice immunization with two-dose vaccination with and without adjuvant. The utilization of adjuvant was suggested to assess the effect of adjuvant on improving the immune elicitation of chimeric VLP-based vaccine. Immunization analysis based on anti-spike specific IgG antibody showed a significant increase in antibody production in harvested serum from immunized mice with HBc-VLP harboring antigenic epitope compared to HBc-VLP- and PBS-injected mice. CONCLUSIONS The results approved the successful production and the effectiveness of the vaccine in terms of humoral IgG antibody production. Therefore, this platform can be considered a promising strategy for developing safe and reasonable vaccines; however, more complementary immunological evaluations are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sima Sazegari
- grid.412573.60000 0001 0745 1259Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Fars Iran
| | - Malihe Akbarzadeh Niaki
- grid.412573.60000 0001 0745 1259Department of Food Science and Technology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Fars Iran
| | - Alireza Afsharifar
- grid.412573.60000 0001 0745 1259Plant Virology Research Center, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Niazi
- grid.412573.60000 0001 0745 1259Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Fars Iran
| | - Abdollah Derakhshandeh
- grid.412573.60000 0001 0745 1259Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Maryam Moradi Vahdat
- grid.412573.60000 0001 0745 1259Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Fars Iran
| | - Farshad Hemmati
- grid.412573.60000 0001 0745 1259Plant Virology Research Center, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
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12
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VelcroVax: a "Bolt-On" Vaccine Platform for Glycoprotein Display. mSphere 2023; 8:e0056822. [PMID: 36719225 PMCID: PMC9942589 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00568-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Having varied approaches to the design and manufacture of vaccines is critical in being able to respond to worldwide needs and newly emerging pathogens. Virus-like particles (VLPs) form the basis of two of the most successful licensed vaccines (against hepatitis B virus [HBV] and human papillomavirus). They are produced by recombinant expression of viral structural proteins, which assemble into immunogenic nanoparticles. VLPs can be modified to present unrelated antigens, and here we describe a universal "bolt-on" platform (termed VelcroVax) where the capturing VLP and the target antigen are produced separately. We utilize a modified HBV core (HBcAg) VLP with surface expression of a high-affinity binding sequence (Affimer) directed against a SUMO tag and use this to capture SUMO-tagged gp1 glycoprotein from the arenavirus Junín virus (JUNV). Using this model system, we have solved the first high-resolution structures of VelcroVax VLPs and shown that the VelcroVax-JUNV gp1 complex induces superior humoral immune responses compared to the noncomplexed viral protein. We propose that this system could be modified to present a range of antigens and therefore form the foundation of future rapid-response vaccination strategies. IMPORTANCE The hepatitis B core protein (HBc) forms noninfectious virus-like particles, which can be modified to present a capturing molecule, allowing suitably tagged antigens to be bound on their surface. This system can be adapted and provides the foundation for a universal "bolt-on" vaccine platform (termed VelcroVax) that can be easily and rapidly modified to generate nanoparticle vaccine candidates.
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13
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Armero-Gimenez J, Wilbers R, Schots A, Williams C, Finnern R. Rapid screening and scaled manufacture of immunogenic virus-like particles in a tobacco BY-2 cell-free protein synthesis system. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1088852. [PMID: 36776898 PMCID: PMC9909599 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1088852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Several vaccine platforms have been developed to fight pathogenic threats, with Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) representing a very promising alternative to traditional platforms. VLPs trigger strong and lasting humoral and cellular immune responses with fewer safety concerns and higher stability than other platforms. The use of extensively characterized carrier VLPs modified with heterologous antigens was proposed to circumvent the viral complexity of specific viruses that could lead to poor VLP assembly and yields. Although carrier VLPs have been successfully produced in a wide variety of cell-based systems, these are limited by low protein yields and protracted clone selection and optimization workflows that limit VLP screening approaches. In response, we have demonstrated the cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) of several variants of the hepatitis B core (HBc) carrier VLP using a high-yielding tobacco BY-2 lysate (BYL). High VLP yields in the BYL system allowed in-depth characterization of HBc variants. Insertion of heterologous sequences at the spike region of the HBc monomer proved more structurally demanding than at the N-terminus but removal of the C-terminal domain allowed higher particle flexibility and insert acceptance, albeit at the expense of thermal and chemical stability. We also proved the possibility to scale the CFPS reaction up to 1L in batch mode to produce 0.45 grams of the native HBc VLP within a 48-hour reaction window. A maximum yield of 820 µg/ml of assembled VLP particles was observed at the 100µl scale and most remarkably the CFPS reaction was successfully scaled from 50µl to 1L without any reduction in protein yield across this 20,000-fold difference in reaction volumes. We subsequently proved the immunogenicity of BYL-derived VLPs, as flow cytometry and microscopy clearly showed prompt recognition and endocytosis of fluorescently labelled VLPs by human dendritic cells. Triggering of inflammatory cytokine production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was also quantitated using a multiplex assay. This research establishes BYL as a tool for rapid production and microscale screening of VLP variants with subsequent manufacturing possibilities across scales, thus accelerating discovery and implementation of new vaccine candidates using carrier VLPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Armero-Gimenez
- Technology center, LenioBio GmbH, Dusseldorf, Germany.,Laboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ruud Wilbers
- Laboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Arjen Schots
- Laboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
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14
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Esquirol L, McNeale D, Venturi M, Sainsbury F. Production and Purification of Virus-Like Particles by Transient Expression in Plants. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2671:387-402. [PMID: 37308657 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3222-2_22] [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: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Transient expression in plants has become a useful production system for virus-like particle (VLP) expression. High yields and flexible approaches to assembling complex VLPs, combine with ease of scale-up and inexpensive reagents to provide an attractive method for recombinant protein expression in general. Plants have demonstrated excellent capacity for the assembly and production of protein cages for use in vaccine design and nanotechnology. Furthermore, numerous virus structures have now been determined using plant-expressed VLPs, showing the utility of this approach in structural virology. Transient protein expression in plants uses common microbiology techniques, leading to a straightforward transformation procedure that does not result in stable transgenesis. In this chapter, we aim to provide a generic protocol for transient expression of VLPs in Nicotiana benthamiana using soil-free plant cultivation and a simple vacuum infiltration procedure, along with methodology for purifying VLPs from plant leaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lygie Esquirol
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Donna McNeale
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Micol Venturi
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Frank Sainsbury
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia.
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15
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Virus-like Particles for TEM Regulation and Antitumor Therapy. J Funct Biomater 2022; 13:jfb13040304. [PMID: 36547564 PMCID: PMC9788044 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13040304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor development and metastasis are intimately associated with the tumor microenvironment (TME), and it is difficult for vector-restricted drugs to act on the TME for long-term cancer immunotherapy. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are nanocage structures self-assembled from nucleic acid free viral proteins. Most VLPs range from 20-200 nm in diameter and can naturally drain into lymph nodes to induce robust humoral immunity. As natural nucleic acid nanocarriers, their surfaces can also be genetically or chemically modified to achieve functions such as TME targeting. This review focuses on the design ideas of VLP as nanocarriers and the progress of their research in regulating TME.
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16
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Wijesundara YH, Herbert FC, Kumari S, Howlett T, Koirala S, Trashi O, Trashi I, Al-Kharji NM, Gassensmith JJ. Rip it, stitch it, click it: A Chemist's guide to VLP manipulation. Virology 2022; 577:105-123. [PMID: 36343470 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Viruses are some of nature's most ubiquitous self-assembled molecular containers. Evolutionary pressures have created some incredibly robust, thermally, and enzymatically resistant carriers to transport delicate genetic information safely. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are human-engineered non-infectious systems that inherit the parent virus' ability to self-assemble under controlled conditions while being non-infectious. VLPs and plant-based viral nanoparticles are becoming increasingly popular in medicine as their self-assembly properties are exploitable for applications ranging from diagnostic tools to targeted drug delivery. Understanding the basic structure and principles underlying the assembly of higher-order structures has allowed researchers to disassemble (rip it), reassemble (stitch it), and functionalize (click it) these systems on demand. This review focuses on the current toolbox of strategies developed to manipulate these systems by ripping, stitching, and clicking to create new technologies in the biomedical space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalini H Wijesundara
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Fabian C Herbert
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Sneha Kumari
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Thomas Howlett
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Shailendra Koirala
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Orikeda Trashi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Ikeda Trashi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Noora M Al-Kharji
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Jeremiah J Gassensmith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
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17
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Liu ZH, Deng ZF, Lu Y, Fang WH, He F. A modular and self-adjuvanted multivalent vaccine platform based on porcine circovirus virus-like nanoparticles. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:493. [PMID: 36424615 PMCID: PMC9685936 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01710-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Virus-like particles (VLPs) are supramolecular structures composed of multiple protein subunits and resemble natural virus particles in structure and size, making them highly immunogenic materials for the development of next-generation subunit vaccines. The orderly and repetitive display of antigenic epitopes on particle surface allows efficient recognition and cross-link by B cell receptors (BCRs), thereby inducing higher levels of neutralizing antibodies and cellular immune responses than regular subunit vaccines. Here, we present a novel multiple antigen delivery system using SpyCatcher/Spytag strategy and self-assembled VLPs formed by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) Cap, a widely used swine vaccine in solo. RESULTS Cap-SC, recombinant Cap with a truncated SpyCatcher polypeptide at its C-terminal, self-assembled into 26-nm VLPs. Based on isopeptide bonds formed between SpyCatcher and SpyTag, classical swine fever virus (CSFV) E2, the antigen of interest, was linked to SpyTag and readily surface-displayed on SpyCatcher decorated Cap-SC via in vitro covalent conjugation. E2-conjugated Cap VLPs (Cap-E2 NPs) could be preferentially captured by antigen presenting cells (APCs) and effectively stimulate APC maturation and cytokine production. In vivo studies confirmed that Cap-E2 NPs elicited an enhanced E2 specific IgG response, which was significantly higher than soluble E2, or the admixture of Cap VLPs and E2. Moreover, E2 displayed on the surface did not mask the immunodominant epitopes of Cap-SC VLPs, and Cap-E2 NPs induced Cap-specific antibody levels and neutralizing antibody levels comparable to native Cap VLPs. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that this modularly assembled Cap-E2 NPs retains the immune potential of Cap VLP backbone, while the surface-displayed antigen significantly elevated E2-induced immune potency. This immune strategy provides distinctly improved efficacy than conventional vaccine combination. It can be further applied to the development of dual or multiple nanoparticle vaccines to prevent co-infection of PCV2 and other swine pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Hui Liu
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XInstitute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang road, 310058 Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhuo-Fan Deng
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XInstitute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang road, 310058 Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Lu
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XInstitute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang road, 310058 Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Huan Fang
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XInstitute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang road, 310058 Hangzhou, China ,grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XLaboratory of Animal Virology of Ministry of Agriculture, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, China
| | - Fang He
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XInstitute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang road, 310058 Hangzhou, China ,grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XLaboratory of Animal Virology of Ministry of Agriculture, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, China
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18
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Needle-free, spirulina-produced Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite vaccination provides sterile protection against pre-erythrocytic malaria in mice. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:113. [PMID: 36195607 PMCID: PMC9532447 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00534-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies against the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) can block hepatocyte infection by sporozoites and protect against malaria. Needle-free vaccination strategies are desirable, yet most PfCSP-targeted vaccines like RTS,S require needle-based administration. Here, we evaluated the edible algae, Arthrospira platensis (commonly called 'spirulina') as a malaria vaccine platform. Spirulina were genetically engineered to express virus-like particles (VLPs) consisting of the woodchuck hepatitis B core capsid protein (WHcAg) displaying a (NANP)15 PfCSP antigen on its surface. PfCSP-spirulina administered to mice intranasally followed by oral PfCSP-spirulina boosters resulted in a strong, systemic anti-PfCSP immune response that was protective against subcutaneous challenge with PfCSP-expressing P. yoelii. Unlike male mice, female mice did not require Montanide adjuvant to reach high antibody titers or protection. The successful use of spirulina as a vaccine delivery system warrants further development of spirulina-based vaccines as a useful tool in addressing malaria and other diseases of global health importance.
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19
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Abstract
The idea of producing vaccines in plants originated in the late 1980s. Initially, it was contemplated that this notion could facilitate the concept of edible vaccines, making them more cost effective and easily accessible. Initial studies on edible vaccines focussed on the use of a variety of different transgenic plant host species for the production of vaccine antigens. However, adequate expression levels of antigens, the difficulties predicted with administration of consistent doses, and regulatory rules required for growth of transgenic plants gave way to the development of vaccine candidates that could be purified and administered parenterally. The field has subsequently advanced with improved expression techniques including a shift from using transgenic to transient expression of antigens, refinement of purification protocols, a deeper understanding of the biological processes and a wealth of evidence of immunogenicity and efficacy of plant-produced vaccine candidates, all contributing to the successful practice of what is now known as biopharming or plant molecular farming. The establishment of this technology has resulted in the development of many different types of vaccine candidates including subunit vaccines and various different types of nanoparticle vaccines targeting a wide variety of bacterial and viral diseases. This has brought further acceptance of plants as a suitable platform for vaccine production and in this review, we discuss the most recent advances in the production of vaccines in plants for human use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Stander
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Sandiswa Mbewana
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Ann E Meyers
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa.
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20
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Edwardson TGW, Levasseur MD, Tetter S, Steinauer A, Hori M, Hilvert D. Protein Cages: From Fundamentals to Advanced Applications. Chem Rev 2022; 122:9145-9197. [PMID: 35394752 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Proteins that self-assemble into polyhedral shell-like structures are useful molecular containers both in nature and in the laboratory. Here we review efforts to repurpose diverse protein cages, including viral capsids, ferritins, bacterial microcompartments, and designed capsules, as vaccines, drug delivery vehicles, targeted imaging agents, nanoreactors, templates for controlled materials synthesis, building blocks for higher-order architectures, and more. A deep understanding of the principles underlying the construction, function, and evolution of natural systems has been key to tailoring selective cargo encapsulation and interactions with both biological systems and synthetic materials through protein engineering and directed evolution. The ability to adapt and design increasingly sophisticated capsid structures and functions stands to benefit the fields of catalysis, materials science, and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephan Tetter
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Angela Steinauer
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mao Hori
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Donald Hilvert
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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21
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Martí M, Merwaiss F, Butković A, Daròs JA. Production of Potyvirus-Derived Nanoparticles Decorated with a Nanobody in Biofactory Plants. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:877363. [PMID: 35433643 PMCID: PMC9008781 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.877363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral nanoparticles (VNPs) have recently attracted attention for their use as building blocks for novel materials to support a range of functions of potential interest in nanotechnology and medicine. Viral capsids are ideal for presenting small epitopes by inserting them at an appropriate site on the selected coat protein (CP). VNPs presenting antibodies on their surfaces are considered highly promising tools for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Due to their size, nanobodies are an interesting alternative to classic antibodies for surface presentation. Nanobodies are the variable domains of heavy-chain (VHH) antibodies from animals belonging to the family Camelidae, which have several properties that make them attractive therapeutic molecules, such as their small size, simple structure, and high affinity and specificity. In this work, we have produced genetically encoded VNPs derived from two different potyviruses—the largest group of RNA viruses that infect plants—decorated with nanobodies. We have created a VNP derived from zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) decorated with a nanobody against the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) plants. As reported for other viruses, the expression of ZYMV-derived VNPs decorated with this nanobody was only made possible by including a picornavirus 2A splicing peptide between the fused proteins, which resulted in a mixed population of unmodified and decorated CPs. We have also produced tobacco etch virus (TEV)-derived VNPs in Nicotiana benthamiana plants decorated with the same nanobody against GFP. Strikingly, in this case, VNPs could be assembled by direct fusion of the nanobody to the viral CP with no 2A splicing involved, likely resulting in fully decorated VNPs. For both expression systems, correct assembly and purification of the recombinant VNPs was confirmed by transmission electron microscope; the functionality of the CP-fused nanobody was assessed by western blot and binding assays. In sum, here we report the production of genetically encoded plant-derived VNPs decorated with a nanobody. This system may be an attractive alternative for the sustainable production in plants of nanobody-containing nanomaterials for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
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22
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Pereira M, Oh JK, Kang DK, Engstrand L, Valeriano VD. Hacking Commensal Bacteria to Consolidate the Adaptive Mucosal Immune Response in the Gut–Lung Axis: Future Possibilities for SARS-CoV-2 Protection. BIOTECH 2022; 11:biotech11010003. [PMID: 35822811 PMCID: PMC9245903 DOI: 10.3390/biotech11010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by mucosal pathogens significantly increase mortality and morbidity. Thus, the possibility to target these pathogens at their primary entry points can consolidate protective immunity. Regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection, it has been observed that the upper respiratory mucosa is highly affected and that dysregulation of resident microbiota in the gut–lung axis plays a crucial role in determining symptom severity. Thus, understanding the possibility of eliciting various mucosal and adaptive immune responses allows us to effectively design bacterial mucosal vaccine vectors. Such design requires rationally selecting resident bacterial candidates as potential host carriers, evaluating effective carrier proteins for stimulating an immune response, and combining these two to improve antigenic display and immunogenicity. This review investigated mucosal vaccine vectors from 2015 to present, where a few have started to utilize Salmonella and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to display SARS-CoV-2 Spike S proteins or fragments. Although current literature is still lacking for its studies beyond in vitro or in vivo efficiency, decades of research into these vectors show promising results. Here, we discuss the mucosal immune systems focusing on the gut–lung axis microbiome and offer new insight into the potential use of alpha streptococci in the upper respiratory tract as a vaccine carrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Pereira
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; (M.P.); (J.K.O.); (L.E.)
| | - Ju Kyoung Oh
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; (M.P.); (J.K.O.); (L.E.)
| | - Dae-Kyung Kang
- Department of Animal Resources Science, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea;
| | - Lars Engstrand
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; (M.P.); (J.K.O.); (L.E.)
| | - Valerie Diane Valeriano
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; (M.P.); (J.K.O.); (L.E.)
- Correspondence:
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23
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Improving Protein Quantity and Quality—The Next Level of Plant Molecular Farming. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031326. [PMID: 35163249 PMCID: PMC8836236 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants offer several unique advantages in the production of recombinant pharmaceuticals for humans and animals. Although numerous recombinant proteins have been expressed in plants, only a small fraction have been successfully put into use. The hugely distinct expression systems between plant and animal cells frequently cause insufficient yield of the recombinant proteins with poor or undesired activity. To overcome the issues that greatly constrain the development of plant-produced pharmaceuticals, great efforts have been made to improve expression systems and develop alternative strategies to increase both the quantity and quality of the recombinant proteins. Recent technological revolutions, such as targeted genome editing, deconstructed vectors, virus-like particles, and humanized glycosylation, have led to great advances in plant molecular farming to meet the industrial manufacturing and clinical application standards. In this review, we discuss the technological advances made in various plant expression platforms, with special focus on the upstream designs and milestone achievements in improving the yield and glycosylation of the plant-produced pharmaceutical proteins.
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Plant-Derived Recombinant Vaccines against Zoonotic Viruses. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12020156. [PMID: 35207444 PMCID: PMC8878793 DOI: 10.3390/life12020156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases cause serious illness with billions of cases, and millions of deaths. The most effective way to restrict the spread of zoonotic viruses among humans and animals and prevent disease is vaccination. Recombinant proteins produced in plants offer an alternative approach for the development of safe, effective, inexpensive candidate vaccines. Current strategies are focused on the production of highly immunogenic structural proteins, which mimic the organizations of the native virion but lack the viral genetic material. These include chimeric viral peptides, subunit virus proteins, and virus-like particles (VLPs). The latter, with their ability to self-assemble and thus resemble the form of virus particles, are gaining traction among plant-based candidate vaccines against many infectious diseases. In this review, we summarized the main zoonotic diseases and followed the progress in using plant expression systems for the production of recombinant proteins and VLPs used in the development of plant-based vaccines against zoonotic viruses.
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Moon KB, Jeon JH, Choi H, Park JS, Park SJ, Lee HJ, Park JM, Cho HS, Moon JS, Oh H, Kang S, Mason HS, Kwon SY, Kim HS. Construction of SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles in plant. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1005. [PMID: 35046461 PMCID: PMC8770512 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04883-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a public health emergency, and research on the development of various types of vaccines is rapidly progressing at an unprecedented development speed internationally. Some vaccines have already been approved for emergency use and are being supplied to people around the world, but there are still many ongoing efforts to create new vaccines. Virus-like particles (VLPs) enable the construction of promising platforms in the field of vaccine development. Here, we demonstrate that non-infectious SARS-CoV-2 VLPs can be successfully assembled by co-expressing three important viral proteins membrane (M), envelop (E) and nucleocapsid (N) in plants. Plant-derived VLPs were purified by sedimentation through a sucrose cushion. The shape and size of plant-derived VLPs are similar to native SARS-CoV-2 VLPs without spike. Although the assembled VLPs do not have S protein spikes, they could be developed as formulations that can improve the immunogenicity of vaccines including S antigens, and further could be used as platforms that can carry S antigens of concern for various mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Beom Moon
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Heung Jeon
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyukjun Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, UNIST-Gil 50, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Sun Park
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Jin Park
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Jun Lee
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Mee Park
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Sun Cho
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Sun Moon
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunwoo Oh
- Core Facility Management Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sebyung Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, UNIST-Gil 50, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hugh S Mason
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines, and Virotherapy (CIVV), The Biodesign Institute at ASU, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Suk-Yoon Kwon
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyun-Soon Kim
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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Karczmarzyk K, Kęsik-Brodacka M. Attacking the Intruder at the Gate: Prospects of Mucosal Anti SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11020117. [PMID: 35215061 PMCID: PMC8876505 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11020117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The sudden outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in December 2019 caused crises and health emergencies worldwide. The rapid spread of the virus created an urgent need for the development of an effective vaccine and mass immunization to achieve herd immunity. Efforts of scientific teams at universities and pharmaceutical companies around the world allowed for the development of various types of preparations and made it possible to start the vaccination process. However, it appears that the developed vaccines are not effective enough and do not guarantee long-lasting immunity, especially for new variants of SARS-CoV-2. Considering this problem, it is promising to focus on developing a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mucosal vaccine. Such a preparation applied directly to the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract might provide an immune barrier at the primary point of virus entry into the human body while inducing systemic immunity. A number of such preparations against SARS-CoV-2 are already in various phases of preclinical and clinical trials, and several of them are very close to being accepted for general use, constituting a milestone toward pandemic containment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kacper Karczmarzyk
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
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27
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Jin S, Zhuo SH, Takemoto Y, Li YM, Uesugi M. Self-assembling small-molecule adjuvants as antigen nano-carriers. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:12228-12231. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cc05016a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nano-carrier adjuvant for antigens: the co-delivery of antigens and adjuvants and the high degree of antigen presentation are achieved by conjugating peptide antigens with cholicamide, a self-assembling small molecule adjuvant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyu Jin
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Shao-hua Zhuo
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yasushi Takemoto
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yan-mei Li
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Motonari Uesugi
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
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28
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Lobato Gómez M, Huang X, Alvarez D, He W, Baysal C, Zhu C, Armario‐Najera V, Blanco Perera A, Cerda Bennasser P, Saba‐Mayoral A, Sobrino‐Mengual G, Vargheese A, Abranches R, Abreu IA, Balamurugan S, Bock R, Buyel J, da Cunha NB, Daniell H, Faller R, Folgado A, Gowtham I, Häkkinen ST, Kumar S, Ramalingam SK, Lacorte C, Lomonossoff GP, Luís IM, Ma JK, McDonald KA, Murad A, Nandi S, O’Keefe B, Oksman‐Caldentey K, Parthiban S, Paul MJ, Ponndorf D, Rech E, Rodrigues JCM, Ruf S, Schillberg S, Schwestka J, Shah PS, Singh R, Stoger E, Twyman RM, Varghese IP, Vianna GR, Webster G, Wilbers RHP, Capell T, Christou P. Contributions of the international plant science community to the fight against human infectious diseases - part 1: epidemic and pandemic diseases. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1901-1920. [PMID: 34182608 PMCID: PMC8486245 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases, also known as transmissible or communicable diseases, are caused by pathogens or parasites that spread in communities by direct contact with infected individuals or contaminated materials, through droplets and aerosols, or via vectors such as insects. Such diseases cause ˜17% of all human deaths and their management and control places an immense burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Traditional approaches for the prevention and control of infectious diseases include vaccination programmes, hygiene measures and drugs that suppress the pathogen, treat the disease symptoms or attenuate aggressive reactions of the host immune system. The provision of vaccines and biologic drugs such as antibodies is hampered by the high cost and limited scalability of traditional manufacturing platforms based on microbial and animal cells, particularly in developing countries where infectious diseases are prevalent and poorly controlled. Molecular farming, which uses plants for protein expression, is a promising strategy to address the drawbacks of current manufacturing platforms. In this review article, we consider the potential of molecular farming to address healthcare demands for the most prevalent and important epidemic and pandemic diseases, focussing on recent outbreaks of high-mortality coronavirus infections and diseases that disproportionately affect the developing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lobato Gómez
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Derry Alvarez
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Wenshu He
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Can Baysal
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Changfu Zhu
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Victoria Armario‐Najera
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Amaya Blanco Perera
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Pedro Cerda Bennasser
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Andera Saba‐Mayoral
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | | | - Ashwin Vargheese
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Rita Abranches
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Isabel Alexandra Abreu
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Shanmugaraj Balamurugan
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Johannes.F. Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAachenGermany
- Institute for Molecular BiotechnologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Nicolau B. da Cunha
- Centro de Análise Proteômicas e Bioquímicas de BrasíliaUniversidade Católica de BrasíliaBrasíliaBrazil
| | - Henry Daniell
- School of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Roland Faller
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - André Folgado
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Iyappan Gowtham
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Suvi T. Häkkinen
- Industrial Biotechnology and Food SolutionsVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland LtdEspooFinland
| | - Shashi Kumar
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyNew DelhiIndia
| | - Sathish Kumar Ramalingam
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Cristiano Lacorte
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | | | - Ines M. Luís
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Julian K.‐C. Ma
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Karen. A. McDonald
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Andre Murad
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Barry O’Keefe
- Molecular Targets ProgramCenter for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, and Natural Products BranchDevelopmental Therapeutics ProgramDivision of Cancer Treatment and DiagnosisNational Cancer Institute, NIHFrederickMDUSA
| | | | - Subramanian Parthiban
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Mathew J. Paul
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Daniel Ponndorf
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwichUK
| | - Elibio Rech
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Julio C. M. Rodrigues
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Stephanie Ruf
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAachenGermany
- Institute for PhytopathologyJustus‐Liebig‐University GiessenGiessenGermany
| | - Jennifer Schwestka
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell BiologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Priya S. Shah
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Rahul Singh
- School of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Eva Stoger
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell BiologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | | | - Inchakalody P. Varghese
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Giovanni R. Vianna
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Gina Webster
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Ruud H. P. Wilbers
- Laboratory of NematologyPlant Sciences GroupWageningen University and ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Teresa Capell
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
- ICREACatalan Institute for Research and Advanced StudiesBarcelonaSpain
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29
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Cid R, Bolívar J. Platforms for Production of Protein-Based Vaccines: From Classical to Next-Generation Strategies. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1072. [PMID: 34439738 PMCID: PMC8394948 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, vaccination has become one of the most effective strategies to control and reduce infectious diseases, preventing millions of deaths worldwide. The earliest vaccines were developed as live-attenuated or inactivated pathogens, and, although they still represent the most extended human vaccine types, they also face some issues, such as the potential to revert to a pathogenic form of live-attenuated formulations or the weaker immune response associated with inactivated vaccines. Advances in genetic engineering have enabled improvements in vaccine design and strategies, such as recombinant subunit vaccines, have emerged, expanding the number of diseases that can be prevented. Moreover, antigen display systems such as VLPs or those designed by nanotechnology have improved the efficacy of subunit vaccines. Platforms for the production of recombinant vaccines have also evolved from the first hosts, Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to insect or mammalian cells. Traditional bacterial and yeast systems have been improved by engineering and new systems based on plants or insect larvae have emerged as alternative, low-cost platforms. Vaccine development is still time-consuming and costly, and alternative systems that can offer cost-effective and faster processes are demanding to address infectious diseases that still do not have a treatment and to face possible future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Cid
- ADL Bionatur Solutions S.A., Av. del Desarrollo Tecnológico 11, 11591 Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
| | - Jorge Bolívar
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health-Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
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30
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Producing Vaccines against Enveloped Viruses in Plants: Making the Impossible, Difficult. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9070780. [PMID: 34358196 PMCID: PMC8310165 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The past 30 years have seen the growth of plant molecular farming as an approach to the production of recombinant proteins for pharmaceutical and biotechnological uses. Much of this effort has focused on producing vaccine candidates against viral diseases, including those caused by enveloped viruses. These represent a particular challenge given the difficulties associated with expressing and purifying membrane-bound proteins and achieving correct assembly. Despite this, there have been notable successes both from a biochemical and a clinical perspective, with a number of clinical trials showing great promise. This review will explore the history and current status of plant-produced vaccine candidates against enveloped viruses to date, with a particular focus on virus-like particles (VLPs), which mimic authentic virus structures but do not contain infectious genetic material.
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Szyszka TN, Jenner EN, Tasneem N, Lau YH. Molecular Display on Protein Nanocompartments: Design Strategies and Systems Applications. CHEMSYSTEMSCHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/syst.202100025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Taylor N. Szyszka
- School of Chemistry The University of Sydney Eastern Ave Camperdown NSW 2006 Australia
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute Camperdown NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Eric N. Jenner
- School of Chemistry The University of Sydney Eastern Ave Camperdown NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Nuren Tasneem
- School of Chemistry The University of Sydney Eastern Ave Camperdown NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Yu Heng Lau
- School of Chemistry The University of Sydney Eastern Ave Camperdown NSW 2006 Australia
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute Camperdown NSW 2006 Australia
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32
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Castells‐Graells R, Lomonossoff GP. Plant-based production can result in covalent cross-linking of proteins. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1095-1097. [PMID: 33834594 PMCID: PMC8196630 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Roger Castells‐Graells
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwich Research ParkColneyUK
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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33
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Snowden JS, Alzahrani J, Sherry L, Stacey M, Rowlands DJ, Ranson NA, Stonehouse NJ. Structural insight into Pichia pastoris fatty acid synthase. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9773. [PMID: 33963233 PMCID: PMC8105331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89196-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Type I fatty acid synthases (FASs) are critical metabolic enzymes which are common targets for bioengineering in the production of biofuels and other products. Serendipitously, we identified FAS as a contaminant in a cryoEM dataset of virus-like particles (VLPs) purified from P. pastoris, an important model organism and common expression system used in protein production. From these data, we determined the structure of P. pastoris FAS to 3.1 Å resolution. While the overall organisation of the complex was typical of type I FASs, we identified several differences in both structural and enzymatic domains through comparison with the prototypical yeast FAS from S. cerevisiae. Using focussed classification, we were also able to resolve and model the mobile acyl-carrier protein (ACP) domain, which is key for function. Ultimately, the structure reported here will be a useful resource for further efforts to engineer yeast FAS for synthesis of alternate products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Snowden
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Jehad Alzahrani
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Lee Sherry
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Martin Stacey
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - David J Rowlands
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Neil A Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Nicola J Stonehouse
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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Microparticles and Nanoparticles from Plants-The Benefits of Bioencapsulation. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9040369. [PMID: 33920425 PMCID: PMC8069552 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9040369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of drugs and vaccines depends on their stability and ability to interact with their targets in vivo. Many drugs benefit from encapsulation, which protects them from harsh conditions and allows targeted delivery and controlled release. Although many encapsulation methods are inexpensive, such as the formulation of tablets for oral delivery, others require complex procedures that add significantly to production costs and require low-temperature transport and storage, making them inaccessible in developing countries. In this review we consider the benefits of encapsulation technologies based on plants. Plant-derived biopolymers such as starch and the maize storage protein zein are already used as protective coatings, but plant cells used as production host provide natural in vivo bioencapsulation that survives passage through the stomach and releases drugs in the intestine, due to the presence of microbes that can digest the cell wall. Proteins can also be encapsulated in subcellular compartments such as protein bodies, which ensure stability and activity while often conferring additional immunomodulatory effects. Finally, we consider the incorporation of drugs and vaccines into plant-derived nanoparticles assembled from the components of viruses. These are extremely versatile, allowing the display of epitopes and targeting peptides as well as carrying cargoes of drugs and imaging molecules.
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Swanson J, Fragkoudis R, Hawes PC, Newman J, Burman A, Panjwani A, Stonehouse NJ, Tuthill TJ. Generation of Antibodies against Foot-and-Mouth-Disease Virus Capsid Protein VP4 Using Hepatitis B Core VLPs as a Scaffold. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:338. [PMID: 33920339 PMCID: PMC8069431 DOI: 10.3390/life11040338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The picornavirus foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is the causative agent of the economically important disease of livestock, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). VP4 is a highly conserved capsid protein, which is important during virus entry. Previous published work has shown that antibodies targeting the N-terminus of VP4 of the picornavirus human rhinovirus are broadly neutralising. In addition, previous studies showed that immunisation with the N-terminal 20 amino acids of enterovirus A71 VP4 displayed on the hepatitis B core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLP) can induce cross-genotype neutralisation. To investigate if a similar neutralising response against FMDV VP4 could be generated, HBc VLPs displaying the N-terminus of FMDV VP4 were designed. The N-terminal 15 amino acids of FMDV VP4 was inserted into the major immunodominant region. HBc VLPs were also decorated with peptides of the N-terminus of FMDV VP4 attached using a HBc-spike binding tag. Both types of VLPs were used to immunise mice and the resulting serum was investigated for VP4-specific antibodies. The VLP with VP4 inserted into the spike, induced VP4-specific antibodies, however the VLPs with peptides attached to the spikes did not. The VP4-specific antibodies could recognise native FMDV, but virus neutralisation was not demonstrated. This work shows that the HBc VLP presents a useful tool for the presentation of FMDV capsid epitopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Swanson
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright GU24 0NF, UK; (J.S.); (R.F.); (P.C.H.); (J.N.); (A.B.); (A.P.)
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK;
| | - Rennos Fragkoudis
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright GU24 0NF, UK; (J.S.); (R.F.); (P.C.H.); (J.N.); (A.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Philippa C. Hawes
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright GU24 0NF, UK; (J.S.); (R.F.); (P.C.H.); (J.N.); (A.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Joseph Newman
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright GU24 0NF, UK; (J.S.); (R.F.); (P.C.H.); (J.N.); (A.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Alison Burman
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright GU24 0NF, UK; (J.S.); (R.F.); (P.C.H.); (J.N.); (A.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Anusha Panjwani
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright GU24 0NF, UK; (J.S.); (R.F.); (P.C.H.); (J.N.); (A.B.); (A.P.)
| | | | - Tobias J. Tuthill
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright GU24 0NF, UK; (J.S.); (R.F.); (P.C.H.); (J.N.); (A.B.); (A.P.)
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Ponndorf D, Meshcheriakova Y, Thuenemann EC, Dobon Alonso A, Overman R, Holton N, Dowall S, Kennedy E, Stocks M, Lomonossoff GP, Peyret H. Plant-made dengue virus-like particles produced by co-expression of structural and non-structural proteins induce a humoral immune response in mice. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:745-756. [PMID: 33099859 PMCID: PMC8051607 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is an emerging threat causing an estimated 390 million infections per year. Dengvaxia, the only licensed vaccine, may not be adequately safe in young and seronegative patients; hence, development of a safer, more effective vaccine is of great public health interest. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are a safe and very efficient vaccine strategy, and DENV VLPs have been produced in various expression systems. Here, we describe the production of DENV VLPs in Nicotiana benthamiana using transient expression. The co-expression of DENV structural proteins (SP) and a truncated version of the non-structural proteins (NSPs), lacking NS5 that contains the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, led to the assembly of DENV VLPs in plants. These VLPs were comparable in appearance and size to VLPs produced in mammalian cells. Contrary to data from other expression systems, expression of the protein complex prM-E was not successful, and strategies used in other expression systems to improve the VLP yield did not result in increased yields in plants but, rather, increased purification difficulties. Immunogenicity assays in BALB/c mice revealed that plant-made DENV1-SP + NSP VLPs led to a higher antibody response in mice compared with DENV-E domain III displayed inside bluetongue virus core-like particles and a DENV-E domain III subunit. These results are consistent with the idea that VLPs could be the optimal approach to creating candidate vaccines against enveloped viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ponndorf
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
| | - Yulia Meshcheriakova
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
| | - Eva C. Thuenemann
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
| | | | - Ross Overman
- Leaf Expression SystemsNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
| | | | | | | | - Martin Stocks
- Plant Bioscience LimitedNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
| | | | - Hadrien Peyret
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
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Hepatitis B core-based virus-like particles: A platform for vaccine development in plants. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 29:e00605. [PMID: 33732633 PMCID: PMC7937989 DOI: 10.1016/j.btre.2021.e00605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are a class of structures formed by the self-assembly of viral capsid protein subunits and contain no infective viral genetic material. The Hepatitis B core (HBc) antigen is capable of assembling into VLPs that can elicit strong immune responses and has been licensed as a commercial vaccine against Hepatitis B. The HBc VLPs have also been employed as a platform for the presentation of foreign epitopes to the immune system and have been used to develop vaccines against, for example, influenza A and Foot-and-mouth disease. Plant expression systems are rapid, scalable and safe, and are capable of providing correct post-translational modifications and reducing upstream production costs. The production of HBc-based virus-like particles in plants would thus greatly increase the efficiency of vaccine production. This review investigates the application of plant-based HBc VLP as a platform for vaccine production.
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Colant N, Melinek B, Frank S, Rosenberg W, Bracewell DG. Escherichia Coli-Based Cell-Free Protein Synthesis for Iterative Design of Tandem-Core Virus-Like Particles. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:193. [PMID: 33669126 PMCID: PMC7996620 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9030193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tandem-core hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) virus-like particles (VLPs), in which two HBcAg monomers are joined together by a peptide linker, can be used to display two different antigens on the VLP surface. We produced universal influenza vaccine candidates that use this scaffold in an Escherichia coli-based cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) platform. We then used the CFPS system to rapidly test modifications to the arginine-rich region typically found in wild-type HBcAg, the peptide linkers around the influenza antigen inserts, and the plasmid vector backbone to improve titer and quality. Using a minimal plasmid vector backbone designed for CFPS improved titers by at least 1.4-fold over the original constructs. When the linker lengths for the influenza inserts were more consistent in length and a greater variety of codons for glycine and serine were utilized, titers were further increased to over 70 μg/mL (4.0-fold greater than the original construct) and the presence of lower molecular weight product-related impurities was significantly reduced, although improvements in particle assembly were not seen. Furthermore, any constructs with the C-terminal arginine-rich region removed resulted in asymmetric particles of poor quality. This demonstrates the potential for CFPS as a screening platform for VLPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle Colant
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; (N.C.); (B.M.); (S.F.)
| | - Beatrice Melinek
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; (N.C.); (B.M.); (S.F.)
| | - Stefanie Frank
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; (N.C.); (B.M.); (S.F.)
| | - William Rosenberg
- Division of Medicine, UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK;
| | - Daniel G. Bracewell
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; (N.C.); (B.M.); (S.F.)
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The Versatile Manipulations of Self-Assembled Proteins in Vaccine Design. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041934. [PMID: 33669238 PMCID: PMC7919822 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein assemblies provide unique structural features which make them useful as carrier molecules in biomedical and chemical science. Protein assemblies can accommodate a variety of organic, inorganic and biological molecules such as small proteins and peptides and have been used in development of subunit vaccines via display parts of viral pathogens or antigens. Such subunit vaccines are much safer than traditional vaccines based on inactivated pathogens which are more likely to produce side-effects. Therefore, to tackle a pandemic and rapidly produce safer and more effective subunit vaccines based on protein assemblies, it is necessary to understand the basic structural features which drive protein self-assembly and functionalization of portions of pathogens. This review highlights recent developments and future perspectives in production of non-viral protein assemblies with essential structural features of subunit vaccines.
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40
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Yang D. Application of Nanotechnology in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Nanomedicine 2021; 16:623-649. [PMID: 33531805 PMCID: PMC7847377 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s296383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, has been prevalent worldwide for almost a year. In early 2000, there was an outbreak of SARS-CoV, and in early 2010, a similar dissemination of infection by MERS-CoV occurred. However, no clear explanation for the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and a massive increase in the number of infections has yet been proposed. The best solution to overcome this pandemic is the development of suitable and effective vaccines and therapeutics. Fortunately, for SARS-CoV-2, the genome sequence and protein structure have been published in a short period, making research and development for prevention and treatment relatively easy. In addition, intranasal drug delivery has proven to be an effective method of administration for treating viral lung diseases. In recent years, nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems have been applied to intranasal drug delivery to overcome various limitations that occur during mucosal administration, and advances have been made to the stage where effective drug delivery is possible. This review describes the accumulated knowledge of the previous SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infections and aims to help understand the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, it elucidates the achievements in developing COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics to date through existing approaches. Finally, the applicable nanotechnology approach is described in detail, and vaccines and therapeutic drugs developed based on nanomedicine, which are currently undergoing clinical trials, have presented the potential to become innovative alternatives for overcoming COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongki Yang
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon, 21999, South Korea
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41
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Asymmetrizing an icosahedral virus capsid by hierarchical assembly of subunits with designed asymmetry. Nat Commun 2021; 12:589. [PMID: 33500404 PMCID: PMC7838286 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20862-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Symmetrical protein complexes are ubiquitous in biology. Many have been re-engineered for chemical and medical applications. Viral capsids and their assembly are frequent platforms for these investigations. A means to create asymmetric capsids may expand applications. Here, starting with homodimeric Hepatitis B Virus capsid protein, we develop a heterodimer, design a hierarchical assembly pathway, and produce asymmetric capsids. In the heterodimer, the two halves have different growth potentials and assemble into hexamers. These preformed hexamers can nucleate co-assembly with other dimers, leading to Janus-like capsids with a small discrete hexamer patch. We can remove the patch specifically and observe asymmetric holey capsids by cryo-EM reconstruction. The resulting hole in the surface can be refilled with fluorescently labeled dimers to regenerate an intact capsid. In this study, we show how an asymmetric subunit can be used to generate an asymmetric particle, creating the potential for a capsid with different surface chemistries.
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42
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Zahmanova G, Mazalovska M, Takova K, Toneva V, Minkov I, Peyret H, Lomonossoff G. Efficient Production of Chimeric Hepatitis B Virus-Like Particles Bearing an Epitope of Hepatitis E Virus Capsid by Transient Expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11010064. [PMID: 33477348 PMCID: PMC7830250 DOI: 10.3390/life11010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The core antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBcAg) is capable of self-assembly into virus-like particles (VLPs) when expressed in a number of heterologous systems. Such VLPs are potential carriers of foreign antigenic sequences for vaccine design. In this study, we evaluated the production of chimeric HBcAg VLPs presenting a foreign epitope on their surface, the 551–607 amino acids (aa) immunological epitope of the ORF2 capsid protein of hepatitis E virus. A chimeric construct was made by the insertion of 56 aa into the immunodominant loop of the HBcAg. The sequences encoding the chimera were inserted into the pEAQ-HT vector and infiltrated into Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The plant-expressed chimeric HBcHEV ORF2 551–607 protein was recognized by an anti-HBcAg mAb and anti-HEV IgG positive swine serum. Electron microscopy showed that plant-produced chimeric protein spontaneously assembled into “knobbly” ~34 nm diameter VLPs. This study shows that HBcAg is a promising carrier platform for the neutralizing epitopes of hepatitis E virus (HEV) and the chimeric HBcAg/HEV VLPs could be a candidate for a bivalent vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergana Zahmanova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (M.M.); (K.T.); (V.T.)
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria;
- Correspondence: (G.Z.); (G.L.); Tel.: +359-32-261529 (G.Z.); +44-1603-450351 (G.L.)
| | - Milena Mazalovska
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (M.M.); (K.T.); (V.T.)
| | - Katerina Takova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (M.M.); (K.T.); (V.T.)
| | - Valentina Toneva
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (M.M.); (K.T.); (V.T.)
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, 4108 Markovo, Bulgaria
| | - Ivan Minkov
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria;
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnologies, 4108 Markovo, Bulgaria
| | - Hadrien Peyret
- Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney NR4 7UH, UK;
| | - George Lomonossoff
- Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney NR4 7UH, UK;
- Correspondence: (G.Z.); (G.L.); Tel.: +359-32-261529 (G.Z.); +44-1603-450351 (G.L.)
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Lico C, Santi L, Baschieri S, Noris E, Marusic C, Donini M, Pedrazzini E, Maga G, Franconi R, Di Bonito P, Avesani L. Plant Molecular Farming as a Strategy Against COVID-19 - The Italian Perspective. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:609910. [PMID: 33381140 PMCID: PMC7768017 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.609910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed more than 37,000 people in Italy and has caused widespread socioeconomic disruption. Urgent measures are needed to contain and control the virus, particularly diagnostic kits for detection and surveillance, therapeutics to reduce mortality among the severely affected, and vaccines to protect the remaining population. Here we discuss the potential role of plant molecular farming in the rapid and scalable supply of protein antigens as reagents and vaccine candidates, antibodies for virus detection and passive immunotherapy, other therapeutic proteins, and virus-like particles as novel vaccine platforms. We calculate the amount of infrastructure and production capacity needed to deal with predictable subsequent waves of COVID-19 in Italy by pooling expertise in plant molecular farming, epidemiology and the Italian health system. We calculate the investment required in molecular farming infrastructure that would enable us to capitalize on this technology, and provide a roadmap for the development of diagnostic reagents and biopharmaceuticals using molecular farming in plants to complement production methods based on the cultivation of microbes and mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Biotechnologies and Agroindustry Division, Department of Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Science, Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Biotechnologies and Agroindustry Division, Department of Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Noris
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council IPSP-CNR, Turin, Italy
| | - Carla Marusic
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Biotechnologies and Agroindustry Division, Department of Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Donini
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Biotechnologies and Agroindustry Division, Department of Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Pedrazzini
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council IBBA-CNR, Turin, Italy
| | - Giovanni Maga
- Institute of Molecular Genetics IGM-CNR “Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza,”Pavia, Italy
| | - Rosella Franconi
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Health Technologies Division, Department of Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Di Bonito
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Viral Hepatitis, Oncoviruses and Retroviruses (EVOR) Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Linda Avesani
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Comas-Garcia M, Colunga-Saucedo M, Rosales-Mendoza S. The Role of Virus-Like Particles in Medical Biotechnology. Mol Pharm 2020; 17:4407-4420. [PMID: 33147978 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are protein-based, nanoscale, self-assembling, cage architectures, which have relevant applications in biomedicine. They can be used for the development of vaccines, imaging approaches, drug and gene therapy delivery systems, and in vitro diagnostic methods. Today, three relevant viruses are targeted using VLP-based recombinant vaccines. VLP-based drug delivery, nanoreactors for therapy, and imaging systems are approaches under development with promising outcomes. Several VLP-based vaccines are under clinical evaluation. Herein, an updated view on the VLP-based biomedical applications is provided; advanced methods for the production, functionalization, and drug loading of VLPs are described, and perspectives for the field are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Comas-Garcia
- Department of Sciences, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78295, México.,Genomic Medicine Section, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México.,High-Resolution Microscopy Section, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México
| | - Mayra Colunga-Saucedo
- Genomic Medicine Section, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México
| | - Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Departament of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México.,Biotechnology Section, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi 78210, México
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45
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Sani MZ, Bargahi A, Momenzadeh N, Dehghani P, Moghadam MV, Maleki SJ, Nabipour I, Shirkani A, Akhtari J, Hesamizadeh K, Heidari S, Omrani F, Akbarzadeh S, Mohammadi M. Genetically engineered fusion of allergen and viral-like particle induces a more effective allergen-specific immune response than a combination of them. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 105:77-91. [PMID: 33215260 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-11012-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs) were developed as a candidate for allergen-specific immunotherapy. In this study, hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) that genetically fused to Chenopodium album polcalcin (Che a 3)-derived peptide was expressed in E. coli BL21, purified, and VLP formation was evaluated using native agarose gel electrophoresis (NAGE) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Chimeric HBc VLPs were characterized in terms of their reactivity to IgE, the induction of blocking IgG and allergen-specific IgE, basophil-activating capacity, and Th1-type immune responses. Results from IgE reactivity and basophil activation test showed that chimeric HBc VLPs lack IgE-binding capacity and basophil degranulation activity. Although chimeric HBc VLPs induced the highest level of efficient polcalcin-specific IgG antibody in comparison to those induced by recombinant Che a 3 (rChe a 3) mixed either with HBc VLPs or alum, they triggered the lowest level of polcalcin-specific IgE in mice following immunization. Furthermore, in comparison to the other antigens, chimeric HBc VLPs produced a polcalcin-specific Th1 cell response. Taken together, genetically fusion of allergen derivatives to HBc VLPs, in comparison to a mix of them, may be a more effective way to induce appropriate immune responses in allergen-specific immunotherapy. KEY POINTS: • The insertion of allergen-derived peptide into major insertion region (MIR) of hepatitis B virus core (HBc) antigen resulted in nanoparticles displaying allergen-derived peptide upon its expression in prokaryotic host. • The resultant VLPs (chimeric HBc VLPs) did not exhibit IgE reactivity with allergic patients' sera and were not able to degranulate basophils. • Chimeric HBc VLPs dramatically improved protective IgG antibody response compared with those induced by allergen mixed either with HBc VLPs or alum. • Chimeric HBc VLPs induced Th1 responses that were counterparts of Th2 responses (allergic). • Chimeric HBc VLPs increased IgG2a/ IgG1 ratio and the level of IFN-γ compared to those induced by allergen mixed with either HBc VLPs or alum. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Zamani Sani
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Afshar Bargahi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Niloofar Momenzadeh
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Moallem Street, Bushehr, 7514633196, Iran
| | - Parva Dehghani
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Moallem Street, Bushehr, 7514633196, Iran
| | - Maryam Vakili Moghadam
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Soheila June Maleki
- Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Iraj Nabipour
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Moallem Street, Bushehr, 7514633196, Iran
| | - Afshin Shirkani
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Javad Akhtari
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Khashayar Hesamizadeh
- Department of Virology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Sahel Heidari
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Omrani
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Moallem Street, Bushehr, 7514633196, Iran
| | - Samad Akbarzadeh
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Mohsen Mohammadi
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Moallem Street, Bushehr, 7514633196, Iran.
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46
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Peyret H, Ponndorf D, Meshcheriakova Y, Richardson J, Lomonossoff GP. Covalent protein display on Hepatitis B core-like particles in plants through the in vivo use of the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17095. [PMID: 33051543 PMCID: PMC7555512 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74105-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) can be used as nano-carriers and antigen-display systems in vaccine development and therapeutic applications. Conjugation of peptides or whole proteins to VLPs can be achieved using different methods such as the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system. Here we investigate the conjugation of tandem Hepatitis B core (tHBcAg) VLPs and the model antigen GFP in vivo in Nicotiana benthamiana. We show that tHBcAg VLPs could be successfully conjugated with GFP in the cytosol and ER without altering VLP formation or GFP fluorescence. Conjugation in the cytosol was more efficient when SpyCatcher was displayed on tHBcAg VLPs instead of being fused to GFP. This effect was even more obvious in the ER, showing that it is optimal to display SpyCatcher on the tHBcAg VLPs and SpyTag on the binding partner. To test transferability of the GFP results to other antigens, we successfully conjugated tHBcAg VLPs to the HIV capsid protein P24 in the cytosol. This work presents an efficient strategy which can lead to time and cost saving post-translational, covalent conjugation of recombinant proteins in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadrien Peyret
- Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
| | - Daniel Ponndorf
- Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | | | - Jake Richardson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
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Gómez E, Cassani MF, Lucero MS, Parreño V, Chimeno Zoth S, Berinstein A. Development of diagnostic tools for IBDV detection using plants as bioreactors. AMB Express 2020; 10:95. [PMID: 32436057 PMCID: PMC7239984 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-020-01029-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is the etiological agent of an immunosuppressive and highly contagious disease that affects young birds, thus causing important economic losses in the poultry industry. Multimeric particles with different architectures based on the capsid protein VP2 have been widely produced for different purposes. We hereby show the production and easy recovery of IBDV subviral particles (SVP) from transiently transformed Nicotiana benthamiana. The SVP, which were observed by electronic microscopy, proved to be antigenically and immunogenically similar to the virion. Indeed, anti-IBDV antibodies from samples of infected birds recognized these SVP and, when injected intramuscularly, these subviral particles also evoked a humoral immune response in chickens. We developed an in-house ELISA using SVP as coating reagent that demonstrated to be highly accurate and in good agreement with a commercial ELISA. This study demonstrates that the recombinant antigen generated and the technology used to produce it are suitable for developing a diagnostic tool against Infectious bursal disease.
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Aston-Deaville S, Carlsson E, Saleem M, Thistlethwaite A, Chan H, Maharjan S, Facchetti A, Feavers IM, Alistair Siebert C, Collins RF, Roseman A, Derrick JP. An assessment of the use of Hepatitis B Virus core protein virus-like particles to display heterologous antigens from Neisseria meningitidis. Vaccine 2020; 38:3201-3209. [PMID: 32178907 PMCID: PMC7113836 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is the causative agent of meningococcal meningitis and sepsis and remains a significant public health problem in many countries. Efforts to develop a comprehensive vaccine against serogroup B meningococci have focused on the use of surface-exposed outer membrane proteins. Here we report the use of virus-like particles derived from the core protein of Hepatitis B Virus, HBc, to incorporate antigen domains derived from Factor H binding protein (FHbp) and the adhesin NadA. The extracellular domain of NadA was inserted into the major immunodominant region of HBc, and the C-terminal domain of FHbp at the C-terminus (CFHbp), creating a single polypeptide chain 3.7-fold larger than native HBc. Remarkably, cryoelectron microscopy revealed that the construct formed assemblies that were able to incorporate both antigens with minimal structural changes to native HBc. Electron density was weak for NadA and absent for CFHbp, partly attributable to domain flexibility. Following immunization of mice, three HBc fusions (CFHbp or NadA alone, NadA + CFHbp) were able to induce production of IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies reactive against their respective antigens at dilutions in excess of 1:18,000. However, only HBc fusions containing NadA elicited the production of antibodies with serum bactericidal activity. It is hypothesized that this improved immune response is attributable to the adoption of a more native-like folding of crucial conformational epitopes of NadA within the chimeric VLP. This work demonstrates that HBc can incorporate insertions of large antigen domains but that maintenance of their three-dimensional structure is likely to be critical in obtaining a protective response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Aston-Deaville
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Emil Carlsson
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Muhammad Saleem
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Angela Thistlethwaite
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Hannah Chan
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Sunil Maharjan
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Alessandra Facchetti
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Ian M Feavers
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK
| | - C Alistair Siebert
- Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Richard F Collins
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Alan Roseman
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Jeremy P Derrick
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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Diamos AG, Pardhe MD, Sun H, Hunter JGL, Mor T, Meador L, Kilbourne J, Chen Q, Mason HS. Codelivery of improved immune complex and virus-like particle vaccines containing Zika virus envelope domain III synergistically enhances immunogenicity. Vaccine 2020; 38:3455-3463. [PMID: 32173095 PMCID: PMC7102565 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.02.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) reemergence poses a significant health threat especially due to its risks to fetal development, necessitating safe and effective vaccines that can protect pregnant women. Zika envelope domain III (ZE3) has been identified as a safe and effective vaccine candidate, however it is poorly immunogenic. We previously showed that plant-made recombinant immune complex (RIC) vaccines are a robust platform to improve the immunogenicity of weak antigens. In this study, we altered the antigen fusion site on the RIC platform to accommodate N-terminal fusion to the IgG heavy chain (N-RIC), and thus a wider range of antigens, with a resulting 40% improvement in RIC expression over the normal C-terminal fusion (C-RIC). Both types of RICs containing ZE3 were efficiently assembled in plants and purified to >95% homogeneity with a simple one-step purification. Both ZE3 RICs strongly bound complement receptor C1q and elicited strong ZE3-specific antibody titers that correlated with ZIKV neutralization. When either N-RIC or C-RIC was codelivered with plant-produced hepatitis B core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLP) displaying ZE3, the combination elicited 5-fold greater antibody titers (>1,000,000) and more strongly neutralized ZIKV than either RICs or VLPs alone, after only two doses without adjuvant. These findings demonstrate that antigens that require a free N-terminus for optimal antigen display can now be used with the RIC system, and that plant-made RICs and VLPs are highly effective vaccines targeting ZE3. Thus, the RIC platform can be more generally applied to a wider variety of antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Diamos
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States
| | - Mary D Pardhe
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States
| | - Haiyan Sun
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States
| | - Joseph G L Hunter
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States
| | - Tsafrir Mor
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States
| | - Lydia Meador
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States
| | - Jacquelyn Kilbourne
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States
| | - Qiang Chen
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States
| | - Hugh S Mason
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, The Biodesign Institute, and The School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, United States.
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50
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A new approach for therapeutic vaccination against chronic HBV infections. Vaccine 2020; 38:3105-3120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.02.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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