1
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Gorman J, Cheung CSF, Duan Z, Ou L, Wang M, Chen X, Cheng C, Biju A, Sun Y, Wang P, Yang Y, Zhang B, Boyington JC, Bylund T, Charaf S, Chen SJ, Du H, Henry AR, Liu T, Sarfo EK, Schramm CA, Shen CH, Stephens T, Teng IT, Todd JP, Tsybovsky Y, Verardi R, Wang D, Wang S, Wang Z, Zheng CY, Zhou T, Douek DC, Mascola JR, Ho DD, Ho M, Kwong PD. Cleavage-intermediate Lassa virus trimer elicits neutralizing responses, identifies neutralizing nanobodies, and reveals an apex-situated site-of-vulnerability. Nat Commun 2024; 15:285. [PMID: 38177144 PMCID: PMC10767048 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44534-y] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) infection is expanding outside its traditionally endemic areas in West Africa, posing a pandemic biothreat. LASV-neutralizing antibodies, moreover, have proven difficult to elicit. To gain insight into LASV neutralization, here we develop a prefusion-stabilized LASV glycoprotein trimer (GPC), pan it against phage libraries comprising single-domain antibodies (nanobodies) from shark and camel, and identify one, D5, which neutralizes LASV. Cryo-EM analyses reveal D5 to recognize a cleavage-dependent site-of-vulnerability at the trimer apex. The recognized site appears specific to GPC intermediates, with protomers lacking full cleavage between GP1 and GP2 subunits. Guinea pig immunizations with the prefusion-stabilized cleavage-intermediate LASV GPC, first as trimer and then as a nanoparticle, induce neutralizing responses, targeting multiple epitopes including that of D5; we identify a neutralizing antibody (GP23) from the immunized guinea pigs. Collectively, our findings define a prefusion-stabilized GPC trimer, reveal an apex-situated site-of-vulnerability, and demonstrate elicitation of LASV-neutralizing responses by a cleavage-intermediate LASV trimer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Gorman
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | | | - Zhijian Duan
- NCI Antibody Engineering Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Li Ou
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Maple Wang
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Xuejun Chen
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Andrea Biju
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yaping Sun
- NCI Antibody Engineering Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Pengfei Wang
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Yongping Yang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Baoshan Zhang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Boyington
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Tatsiana Bylund
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Sam Charaf
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Steven J Chen
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Haijuan Du
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Amy R Henry
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Tracy Liu
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Edward K Sarfo
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Chaim A Schramm
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Chen-Hsiang Shen
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Tyler Stephens
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - I-Ting Teng
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - John-Paul Todd
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yaroslav Tsybovsky
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Raffaello Verardi
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Danyi Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Shuishu Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Zhantong Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Cheng-Yan Zheng
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Tongqing Zhou
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Daniel C Douek
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - John R Mascola
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - David D Ho
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Mitchell Ho
- NCI Antibody Engineering Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Peter D Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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2
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Sulis G, Peebles A, Basta NE. Lassa fever vaccine candidates: A scoping review of vaccine clinical trials. Trop Med Int Health 2023; 28:420-431. [PMID: 37095630 PMCID: PMC10247453 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lassa fever (LF) is caused by a viral pathogen with pandemic potential. LF vaccines have the potential to prevent significant disease in individuals at risk of infection, but no such vaccine has been licensed or authorised for use thus far. We conducted a scoping review to identify and compare registered phase 1, 2 or 3 clinical trials of LF vaccine candidates, and appraise the current trajectory of LF vaccine development. METHOD We systematically searched 24 trial registries, PubMed, relevant conference abstracts and additional grey literature sources up to 27 October 2022. After extracting key details about each vaccine candidate and each eligible trial, we qualitatively synthesised the evidence. RESULTS We found that four LF vaccine candidates (INO-4500, MV-LASV, rVSV∆G-LASV-GPC, and EBS-LASV) have entered the clinical stage of assessment. Five phase 1 trials (all focused on healthy adults) and one phase 2 trial (involving a broader age group from 18 months to 70 years) evaluating one of these vaccines have been registered to date. Here, we describe the characteristics of each vaccine candidate and trial and compare them to WHO's target product profile for Lassa vaccines. CONCLUSION Though LF vaccine development is still in early stages, current progress towards a safe and effective vaccine is encouraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Sulis
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Alexandra Peebles
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Nicole E. Basta
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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3
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Saito T, Reyna RA, Taniguchi S, Littlefield K, Paessler S, Maruyama J. Vaccine Candidates against Arenavirus Infections. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:635. [PMID: 36992218 PMCID: PMC10057967 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030635] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The viral family Arenaviridae contains several members that cause severe, and often lethal, diseases in humans. Several highly pathogenic arenaviruses are classified as Risk Group 4 agents and must be handled in the highest biological containment facility, biosafety level-4 (BSL-4). Vaccines and treatments are very limited for these pathogens. The development of vaccines is crucial for the establishment of countermeasures against highly pathogenic arenavirus infections. While several vaccine candidates have been investigated, there are currently no approved vaccines for arenavirus infection except for Candid#1, a live-attenuated Junin virus vaccine only licensed in Argentina. Current platforms under investigation for use include live-attenuated vaccines, recombinant virus-based vaccines, and recombinant proteins. We summarize here the recent updates of vaccine candidates against arenavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Saito
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Rachel A. Reyna
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Satoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Kirsten Littlefield
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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4
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Prévost J, Warner BM, Safronetz D. Multitasking to prevent viral haemorrhagic fevers. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:8-9. [PMID: 36604509 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01296-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jérémie Prévost
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Bryce M Warner
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - David Safronetz
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. .,Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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Abstract
Lassa Fever (LF) is a viral hemorrhagic fever endemic in West Africa. LF begins with flu-like symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from other common endemic diseases such as malaria, dengue, and yellow fever making it hard to diagnose clinically. Availability of a rapid diagnostic test and other serological and molecular assays facilitates accurate diagnosis of LF. Lassa virus therapeutics are currently in different stages of preclinical development. Arevirumab, a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies, demonstrates a great safety and efficacy profile in non-human primates. Major efforts have been made in the development of a Lassa virus vaccine. Two vaccine candidates, MeV-NP and pLASV-GPC are undergoing evaluation in phase I clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilia I Melnik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.
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6
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Recent Trends in Protective Textiles against Biological Threats: A Focus on Biological Warfare Agents. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14081599. [PMID: 35458353 PMCID: PMC9026340 DOI: 10.3390/polym14081599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The rising threats to worldwide security (affecting the military, first responders, and civilians) urge us to develop efficient and versatile technological solutions to protect human beings. Soldiers, medical personnel, firefighters, and law enforcement officers should be adequately protected, so that their exposure to biological warfare agents (BWAs) is minimized, and infectious microorganisms cannot be spread so easily. Current bioprotective military garments include multilayered fabrics integrating activated carbon as a sorptive agent and a separate filtrating layer for passive protection. However, secondary contaminants emerge following their accumulation within the carbon filler. The clothing becomes too heavy and warm to wear, not breathable even, preventing the wearer from working for extended hours. Hence, a strong need exists to select and/or create selectively permeable layered fibrous structures with bioactive agents that offer an efficient filtering capability and biocidal skills, ensuring lightweightness, comfort, and multifunctionality. This review aims to showcase the main possibilities and trends of bioprotective textiles, focusing on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., ZnO-based), and organic players such as chitosan (CS)-based small-scale particles and plant-derived compounds as bioactive agents. The textile itself should be further evaluated as the foundation for the barrier effect and in terms of comfort. The outputs of a thorough, standardized characterization should dictate the best elements for each approach.
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7
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Joseph AA, Fasipe OJ, Joseph OA, Olatunji OA. Contemporary and emerging pharmacotherapeutic agents for the treatment of Lassa viral haemorrhagic fever disease. J Antimicrob Chemother 2022; 77:1525-1531. [PMID: 35296886 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkac064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This review was designed to discuss the emerging and current pharmacotherapeutic agents for the treatment of Lassa viral haemorrhagic fever disease (LVHFD), also known as Lassa fever (LF). Original peer-reviewed articles that investigated LF were identified using the Medline Entrez-PubMed search. Information was also sourced from printed textbooks and reports by recognized health professional bodies such as the WHO, CDC, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). A total of 103 articles were reviewed and 78 were found to contain information relevant to the study. LF remains an endemic disease of public health concern in the West Africa region, and in the rest of the world as cases have been imported into non-endemic regions as well. Currently, there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the treatment of Lassa mammarenavirus (LASV) infection. There are, however, off-label therapeutics being used (ribavirin and convalescent plasma) whose efficacy is suboptimal. Research is still ongoing on possible therapeutic options and drug repurposing of therapeutic agents currently in use for other clinical conditions. Considered therapeutic options include favipiravir, taribavirin, Arevirumab-3 and experimental drugs such as losmapimod, adamantyl diphenyl piperazine 3.3, Arbidol (umifenovir) and decanoyl-RRLL-chloromethyl ketone (dec-RRLL-CMK). Current treatments for LF are limited, hence the institution of mitigating measures to prevent infection is of utmost importance and should be prioritized, especially in endemic regions. Heightened searches for other therapeutic options with greater efficacy and lower toxicity are still ongoing, as well as for vaccines as the absence of these classifies the disease as a priority disease of high public health impact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olumuyiwa John Fasipe
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Nigeria
| | | | - Olalekan Aliu Olatunji
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
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8
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To A, Lai CY, Wong TAS, Namekar M, Lieberman MM, Lehrer AT. Adjuvants Differentially Modulate the Immunogenicity of Lassa Virus Glycoprotein Subunits in Mice. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022; 3. [PMID: 37034031 PMCID: PMC10081732 DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.847598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa Fever (LF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa virus (LASV) that is primarily transmitted through contact with wild rodents in West Africa. Although several advanced vaccine candidates are progressing through clinical trials, some effective vaccines are virally vectored and thus require a stringent cold-chain, making distribution to rural and resource-poor areas difficult. Recombinant subunit vaccines are advantageous in this aspect as they can be thermostabilized and deployed with minimal storage and transportation requirements. However, antigen dose and adjuvant formulation must be carefully selected to ensure both the appropriate humoral and cell-mediated immune responses are elicited. In this study, we examine the immunogenicity of a two-step immunoaffinity-purified recombinant LASV glycoprotein (GP) with five clinical- and preclinical-grade adjuvants. Swiss Webster mice immunized intramuscularly with 2 or 3 doses of each vaccine formulation showed complete seroconversion and maximal GP-specific antibody response after two immunizations. Formulations with GPI-0100, LiteVax, Montanide™ ISA 51, and Montanide™ ISA 720 induced both IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies suggesting a balanced Th1/Th2 response, whereas formulation of LASV GP with Alhydrogel elicited a IgG1-dominant response. Splenocytes secreting both Th1 and Th2 cytokines i.e., IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5, were observed from mice receiving both antigen doses formulated with ISA 720, LiteVax and GPI-0100. However, robust, multifunctional T-cells were only detected in mice receiving a higher dose of LASV GP formulated with GPI-0100. Our results emphasize the importance of careful adjuvant selection and lay the immunological basis for a recombinant subunit protein LF vaccine formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert To
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Chih-Yun Lai
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Teri Ann S. Wong
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Madhuri Namekar
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Michael M. Lieberman
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Axel T. Lehrer
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Correspondence: Axel T. Lehrer,
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9
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Bai Y, Wang Q, Liu M, Bian L, Liu J, Gao F, Mao Q, Wang Z, Wu X, Xu M, Liang Z. The next major emergent infectious disease: reflections on vaccine emergency development strategies. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:471-481. [PMID: 35080441 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2027240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Major emergent infectious diseases (MEID) pose the most serious threat to human health. The research proposes targeted response strategies for the prevention and control of potential MEID. AREAS COVERED Based on the analysis of infectious diseases, this research analyzes pandemics that have a high probability of occurrence and aims to synthesize the past experience and lessons learned of controlling infectious diseases such as coronavirus, influenza, Ebola, etc. In addition, by integrating major infectious disease response guidelines developed by WHO, the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, we intend to bring forward national vaccine R&D development strategies for emergency use. EXPERT OPINION We advise to establish and improve existing laws, regulations, and also prevention and control systems for the emergent R&D and application of vaccines in response to potential infectious diseases. The strategies would not only help increase the various abilities in response to the research, development, evaluation, production, and supervision of emergency vaccines, but also establish surrogate endpoint of immunogenicity protection in early clinical studies to enable a rapid evaluation of the efficacy of emergency vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Bai
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Mingchen Liu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Lianlian Bian
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Jianyang Liu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Gao
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Qunying Mao
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongfang Wang
- Guangzhou Laboratory. No. 9 XingDaoHuanBei Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xing Wu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Miao Xu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenglun Liang
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
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10
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Stein DR, Warner BM, Audet J, Soule G, Siragam V, Sroga P, Griffin BD, Leung A, Grolla A, Tierney K, Albietz A, Kobasa D, Musa AS, Ahmad A, Akinpelu AM, Mba N, Rosenke R, Scott DP, Saturday G, Ihekweazu C, Safronetz D. Differential pathogenesis of closely related 2018 Nigerian outbreak clade III Lassa virus isolates. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009966. [PMID: 34634087 PMCID: PMC8530337 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nigeria continues to experience ever increasing annual outbreaks of Lassa fever (LF). The World Health Organization has recently declared Lassa virus (LASV) as a priority pathogen for accelerated research leading to a renewed international effort to develop relevant animal models of disease and effective countermeasures to reduce LF morbidity and mortality in endemic West African countries. A limiting factor in evaluating medical countermeasures against LF is a lack of well characterized animal models outside of those based on infection with LASV strain Josiah originating form Sierra Leone, circa 1976. Here we genetically characterize five recent LASV isolates collected from the 2018 outbreak in Nigeria. Three isolates were further evaluated in vivo and despite being closely related and from the same spatial / geographic region of Nigeria, only one of the three isolates proved lethal in strain 13 guinea pigs and non-human primates (NHP). Additionally, this isolate exhibited atypical pathogenesis characteristics in the NHP model, most notably respiratory failure, not commonly described in hemorrhagic cases of LF. These results suggest that there is considerable phenotypic heterogeneity in LASV infections in Nigeria, which leads to a multitude of pathogenesis characteristics that could account for differences between subclinical and lethal LF infections. Most importantly, the development of disease models using currently circulating LASV strains in West Africa are critical for the evaluation of potential vaccines and medical countermeasures. Lassa fever is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever of humans caused by infection with Lassa virus, which is endemic in many countries in West Africa. Annually, an estimated 300,000–500,000 people are infected with Lassa virus, making it one of the most prominent agents responsible for hemorrhagic disease in humans. Despite this significant burden of disease, to date, no approved therapeutic or prophylactic vaccine exists for Lassa fever, due in part to a lack of characterized animal models for studying the disease. Here, we describe guinea pig and non-human primate models for Lassa fever using recently isolated viruses from a 2018 outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria. Despite similar collection locations and dates, the isolates obtained from human infections demonstrated a high degree of genotypic heterogeneity and phenotypic characteristics in animal models resulting in both lethal and non-lethal infections. Of interest, one isolate resulted in significant respiratory manifestations, an under-reported disease manifestation in humans. These models will provide comparative models to those already characterized and aid in elucidating disease characteristics of Lassa fever. In addition, they will serve the immediate purpose of evaluating known and novel medical countermeasures to treat and prevent disease in West Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek R. Stein
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Bryce M. Warner
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Jonathan Audet
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Geoff Soule
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Vinayakumar Siragam
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Patrycja Sroga
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Bryan D. Griffin
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Anders Leung
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Allen Grolla
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Kevin Tierney
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Alix Albietz
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Darwyn Kobasa
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | | | - Adama Ahmad
- Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | - Nwando Mba
- Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Rebecca Rosenke
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton Montana, United States of America
| | - Dana P. Scott
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton Montana, United States of America
| | - Greg Saturday
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton Montana, United States of America
| | | | - David Safronetz
- Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
- * E-mail:
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11
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Hansen F, Jarvis MA, Feldmann H, Rosenke K. Lassa Virus Treatment Options. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040772. [PMID: 33917071 PMCID: PMC8067676 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever causes an approximate 5000 to 10,000 deaths annually in West Africa and cases have been imported into Europe and the Americas, challenging public health. Although Lassa virus was first described over 5 decades ago in 1969, no treatments or vaccines have been approved to treat or prevent infection. In this review, we discuss current therapeutics in the development pipeline for the treatment of Lassa fever, focusing on those that have been evaluated in humans or animal models. Several treatments, including the antiviral favipiravir and a human monoclonal antibody cocktail, have shown efficacy in preclinical rodent and non-human primate animal models and have potential for use in clinical settings. Movement of the promising preclinical treatment options for Lassa fever into clinical trials is critical to continue addressing this neglected tropical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick Hansen
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
| | - Michael A Jarvis
- The Vaccine Group Ltd., University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Heinz Feldmann
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
| | - Kyle Rosenke
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
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12
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Wang M, Li R, Li Y, Yu C, Chi X, Wu S, Liu S, Xu J, Chen W. Construction and Immunological Evaluation of an Adenoviral Vector-Based Vaccine Candidate for Lassa Fever. Viruses 2021; 13:v13030484. [PMID: 33804206 PMCID: PMC8001012 DOI: 10.3390/v13030484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a rodent-borne arenavirus circulating in West African regions that causes Lassa fever (LF). LF is normally asymptomatic at the initial infection stage, but can progress to severe disease with multiorgan collapse and hemorrhagic fever. To date, the therapeutic choices are limited, and there is no approved vaccine for avoiding LASV infection. Adenoviral vector-based vaccines represent an effective countermeasure against LASV because of their safety and adequate immunogenicity, as demonstrated in use against other emerging viral infections. Here, we constructed and characterized a novel Ad5 (E1-, E3-) vectored vaccine containing the glycoprotein precursor (GPC) of LASV. Ad5-GPCLASV elicited both humoral and cellular immune responses in BALB/c mice. Moreover, a bioluminescent imaging-based BALB/c mouse model infected with GPC-bearing and luciferase-expressing replication-incompetent LASV pseudovirus was utilized to evaluate the vaccine efficacy. The bioluminescence intensity of immunized mice was significantly lower than that of control mice after being inoculated with LASV pseudovirus. This study suggests that Ad5-GPCLASV represents a potential vaccine candidate against LF.
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13
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Zhu X, Liu Y, Guo J, Cao J, Wang Z, Xiao G, Wang W. Effects of N-Linked Glycan on Lassa Virus Envelope Glycoprotein Cleavage, Infectivity, and Immune Response. Virol Sin 2021; 36:774-783. [PMID: 33689141 PMCID: PMC7945000 DOI: 10.1007/s12250-021-00358-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) belongs to the Mammarenavirus genus (family Arenaviridae) and causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. The glycoprotein complex (GPC) contains eleven N-linked glycans that play essential roles in GPC functionalities such as cleavage, transport, receptor recognition, epitope shielding, and immune response. We used three mutagenesis strategies (asparagine to glutamine, asparagine to alanine, and serine/tyrosine to alanine mutants) to abolish individual glycan chain on GPC and found that all the three strategies led to cleavage inefficiency on the 2nd (N89), 5th (N119), or 8th (N365) glycosylation motif. To evaluate N to Q mutagenesis for further research, it was found that deletion of the 2nd (N89Q) or 8th (N365Q) glycan completely inhibited the transduction efficiency of pseudotyped particles. We further investigated the role of individual glycan on GPC-mediated immune response by DNA immunization of mice. Deletion of the individual 1st (N79Q), 3rd (N99Q), 5th (N119Q), or 6th (N167Q) glycan significantly enhanced the proportion of effector CD4+ cells, whereas deletion of the 1st (N79Q), 2nd (N89Q), 3rd (N99Q), 4th (N109Q), 5th (N119Q), 6th (N167Q), or 9th (N373Q) glycan enhanced the proportion of CD8+ effector T cells. Deletion of specific glycan improves the Th1-type immune response, and abolishment of glycan on GPC generally increases the antibody titer to the glycan-deficient GPC. However, the antibodies from either the mutant or WT GPC-immunized mice show little neutralization effect on wild-type LASV. The glycan residues on GPC provide an immune shield for the virus, and thus represent a target for the design and development of a vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Junyuan Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zonglin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Gengfu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China. .,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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14
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Pathogen Dose in Animal Models of Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Infections and the Potential Impact on Studies of the Immune Response. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10030275. [PMID: 33804381 PMCID: PMC7999429 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral hemorrhagic fever viruses come from a wide range of virus families and are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. Animal models of infection with a number of these viruses have contributed to our knowledge of their pathogenesis and have been crucial for the development of therapeutics and vaccines that have been approved for human use. Most of these models use artificially high doses of virus, ensuring lethality in pre-clinical drug development studies. However, this can have a significant effect on the immune response generated. Here I discuss how the dose of antigen or pathogen is a critical determinant of immune responses and suggest that the current study of viruses in animal models should take this into account when developing and studying animal models of disease. This can have implications for determination of immune correlates of protection against disease as well as informing relevant vaccination and therapeutic strategies.
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15
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Designing a multi-epitope vaccine against the Lassa virus through reverse vaccinology, subtractive proteomics, and immunoinformatics approaches. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2021.100683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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16
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Abstract
The vaccine field is pursuing diverse approaches to translate the molecular insights from analyses of effective antibodies and their targeted epitopes into immunogens capable of eliciting protective immune responses. Here we review current antibody-guided strategies including conformation-based, epitope-based, and lineage-based vaccine approaches, which are yielding promising vaccine candidates now being evaluated in clinical trials. We summarize directions being employed by the field, including the use of sequencing technologies to monitor and track developing immune responses for understanding and improving antibody-based immunity. We review opportunities and challenges to transform powerful new discoveries into safe and effective vaccines, which are encapsulated by vaccine efforts against a variety of pathogens including HIV-1, influenza A virus, malaria parasites, respiratory syncytial virus, and SARS-CoV-2. Overall, this review summarizes the extensive progress that has been made to realize antibody-guided structure-based vaccines, the considerable challenges faced, and the opportunities afforded by recently developed molecular approaches to vaccine development.
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17
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Antibodies from Sierra Leonean and Nigerian Lassa fever survivors cross-react with recombinant proteins representing Lassa viruses of divergent lineages. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16030. [PMID: 32994446 PMCID: PMC7525497 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72539-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is the causative agent of Lassa fever, an often-fatal hemorrhagic disease that is endemic in West Africa. Seven genetically distinct LASV lineages have been identified. As part of CEPI's (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) Lassa vaccine development program, we assessed the potential of the human immune system to mount cross-reactive and cross-protective humoral immune responses to antigens from the most prevalent LASV lineages, which are lineages II and III in Nigeria and lineage IV in Sierra Leone. IgG and IgM present in the blood of Lassa fever survivors from Nigeria or Sierra Leone exhibited substantial cross-reactivity for binding to LASV nucleoprotein and two engineered (linked and prefusion) versions of the glycoproteins (GP) of lineages II-IV. There was less cross-reactivity for the Zinc protein. Serum or plasma from Nigerian Lassa fever survivors neutralized LASV pseudoviruses expressing lineage II GP better than they neutralized lineage III or IV GP expressing pseudoviruses. Sierra Leonean survivors did not exhibit a lineage bias. Neutralization titres determined using LASV pseudovirus assays showed significant correlation with titres determined by plaque reduction with infectious LASV. These studies provide guidance for comparison of humoral immunity to LASV of distinct lineages following natural infection or immunization.
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18
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Kainulainen MH, Spengler JR, Welch SR, Coleman-McCray JD, Harmon JR, Scholte FEM, Goldsmith CS, Nichol ST, Albariño CG, Spiropoulou CF. Protection From Lethal Lassa Disease Can Be Achieved Both Before and After Virus Exposure by Administration of Single-Cycle Replicating Lassa Virus Replicon Particles. J Infect Dis 2020; 220:1281-1289. [PMID: 31152662 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever is a frequently severe human disease that is endemic to several countries in West Africa. To date, no licensed vaccines are available to prevent Lassa virus (LASV) infection, even though Lassa fever is thought to be an important disease contributing to mortality and both acute and chronic morbidity. We have previously described a vaccine candidate composed of single-cycle LASV replicon particles (VRPs) and a stable cell line for their production. Here, we refine the genetic composition of the VRPs and demonstrate the ability to reproducibly purify them with high yields. Studies in the guinea pig model confirm efficacy of the vaccine candidate, demonstrate that single-cycle replication is necessary for complete protection by the VRP vaccine, and show that postexposure vaccination can confer protection from lethal outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Cynthia S Goldsmith
- Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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19
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Ibukun FI. Inter-Lineage Variation of Lassa Virus Glycoprotein Epitopes: A Challenge to Lassa Virus Vaccine Development. Viruses 2020; 12:v12040386. [PMID: 32244402 PMCID: PMC7232328 DOI: 10.3390/v12040386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV), which causes considerable morbidity and mortality annually, has a high genetic diversity across West Africa. LASV glycoprotein (GP) expresses this diversity, but most LASV vaccine candidates utilize only the Lineage IV LASV Josiah strain GP antigen as an immunogen and homologous challenge with Lineage IV LASV. In addition to the sequence variation amongst the LASV lineages, these lineages are also distinguished in their presentations. Inter-lineage variations within previously mapped B-cell and T-cell LASV GP epitopes and the breadth of protection in LASV vaccine/challenge studies were examined critically. Multiple alignments of the GP primary sequence of strains from each LASV lineage showed that LASV GP has diverging degrees of amino acid conservation within known epitopes among LASV lineages. Conformational B-cell epitopes spanning different sites in GP subunits were less impacted by LASV diversity. LASV GP diversity should influence the approach used for LASV vaccine design. Expression of LASV GP on viral vectors, especially in its prefusion configuration, has shown potential for protective LASV vaccines that can overcome LASV diversity. Advanced vaccine candidates should demonstrate efficacy against all LASV lineages for evidence of a pan-LASV vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Ifedayo Ibukun
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21201, MD, USA
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20
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Asogun DA, Günther S, Akpede GO, Ihekweazu C, Zumla A. Lassa Fever: Epidemiology, Clinical Features, Diagnosis, Management and Prevention. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2020; 33:933-951. [PMID: 31668199 DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2019.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Lassa fever outbreaks West Africa have caused up to 10,000 deaths annually. Primary infection occurs from contact with Lassa virus-infected rodents and exposure to their excreta, blood, or meat. Incubation takes 2 to 21 days. Symptoms are difficult to distinguish from malaria, typhoid, dengue, yellow fever, and other viral hemorrhagic fevers. Clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic, to mild, to severe fulminant disease. Ribavirin can improve outcomes. Overall mortality is between 1% and 15%. Lassa fever should be considered in the differential diagnosis with travel to West Africa. There is an urgent need for rapid field-friendly diagnostics and preventive vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny A Asogun
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria; Department of Public Health, Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, P.M.B 008, Kilometre 87, Benin City-Auchi Road, Irrua, Nigeria.
| | - Stephan Günther
- Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Strab 74, Hamburg 20359, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - George O Akpede
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria
| | - Chikwe Ihekweazu
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Plot 801, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Center for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, Royal Free Campus 2nd Floor, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
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21
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Salami K, Imbault N, Erlebach A, Urban J, Zoglowek M, Tornieporth NG. A systematic scorecard-based approach to site assessment in preparation for Lassa fever vaccine clinical trials in affected countries. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2020; 6:24. [PMID: 32082610 PMCID: PMC7020360 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-020-00567-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We sought to develop and test an objective scorecard-based system for assessing and categorizing available research sites in Lassa fever-affected countries based on their preparedness and capability to host Lassa fever vaccine clinical trials. Methods We mapped available clinical research sites through interrogation of online clinical trial registries and relevant disease-based consortia. A structured online questionnaire was used to assess the capability of clinical trial sites to conduct Lassa fever vaccine clinical trials. We developed a new scoring template by allocating scores to questionnaire parameters based on perceived importance to the conduct of clinical trials as described in the WHO/TDR Global Competency Framework for Clinical Research. Cutoff points of 75% and 50% were used to categorize sites into categories A, B, or C. Results This study identified 44 clinical trial sites in 8 Lassa fever-affected countries. Out of these, 35 sites were characterized based on their capacity to hold Lassa fever vaccine clinical trials. A total of 14 sites in 4 countries were identified as ready to host Lassa fever vaccine trials immediately or with little support. Conclusion It is feasible to hold Lassa fever vaccine trials in affected countries based on the outcome of the survey. However, the findings are to be validated through sites' visits. This experience with a standardized and objective method of the site assessment is encouraging, and the site selection method used can serve as an orientation to sponsors and researchers planning clinical trials in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aljoscha Erlebach
- 3Department of Information and Communication, Hochschule Hannover - University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Faculty III, Hannover, Germany
| | - Johanna Urban
- 3Department of Information and Communication, Hochschule Hannover - University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Faculty III, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mike Zoglowek
- 3Department of Information and Communication, Hochschule Hannover - University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Faculty III, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nadia G Tornieporth
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations, London, UK.,3Department of Information and Communication, Hochschule Hannover - University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Faculty III, Hannover, Germany
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22
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Maruyama J, Mateer EJ, Manning JT, Sattler R, Seregin AV, Bukreyeva N, Jones FR, Balint JP, Gabitzsch ES, Huang C, Paessler S. Adenoviral vector-based vaccine is fully protective against lethal Lassa fever challenge in Hartley guinea pigs. Vaccine 2019; 37:6824-6831. [PMID: 31561999 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV), the causative agent of Lassa fever (LF), was first identified in 1969. Since then, outbreaks in the endemic countries of Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone occur on an annual basis resulting in a case-fatality rate of 15-70% in hospitalized patients. There is currently no licensed vaccine and there are limited animal models to test vaccine efficacy. An estimated 37.7 million people are at risk of contracting LASV; therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of a safe, effective vaccine against LASV infection. The LF endemic countries are also inflicted with HIV, Ebola, and malaria infections. The safety in immunocompromised populations must be considered in LASV vaccine development. The novel adenovirus vector-based platform, Ad5 (E1-,E2b-) has been used in clinical trial protocols for treatment of immunocompromised individuals, has been shown to exhibit high stability, low safety risk in humans, and induces a strong cell-mediated and pro-inflammatory immune response even in the presence of pre-existing adenovirus immunity. To this nature, our lab has developed an Ad5 (E1-,E2b-) vector-based vaccine expressing the LASV-NP or LASV-GPC. We found that guinea pigs vaccinated with two doses of Ad5 (E1-,E2b-) LASV-NP and Ad5 (E1-,E2b-) LASV-GPC were protected against lethal LASV challenge. The Ad5 (E1-,E2b-) LASV-NP and LASV-GPC vaccine represents a potential vaccine candidate against LF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junki Maruyama
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Mateer
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - John T Manning
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rachel Sattler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Alexey V Seregin
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Natalya Bukreyeva
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | - Cheng Huang
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Slobodan Paessler
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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23
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Fathi A, Dahlke C, Addo MM. Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus vector vaccines for WHO blueprint priority pathogens. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019; 15:2269-2285. [PMID: 31368826 PMCID: PMC6816421 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1649532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The devastating Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak in West Africa in 2013-2016 has flagged the need for the timely development of vaccines for high-threat pathogens. To be better prepared for new epidemics, the WHO has compiled a list of priority pathogens that are likely to cause future outbreaks and for which R&D efforts are, therefore, paramount (R&D Blueprint: https://www.who.int/blueprint/priority-diseases/en/ ). To this end, the detailed characterization of vaccine platforms is needed. The vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) has been established as a robust vaccine vector backbone for infectious diseases for well over a decade. The recent clinical trials testing the vaccine candidate VSV-EBOV against EBOV disease now have added a substantial amount of clinical data and suggest VSV to be an ideal vaccine vector candidate for outbreak pathogens. In this review, we discuss insights gained from the clinical VSV-EBOV vaccine trials as well as from animal studies investigating vaccine candidates for Blueprint pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anahita Fathi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany.,Department for Clinical Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine , Hamburg , Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems , Germany
| | - Christine Dahlke
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany.,Department for Clinical Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine , Hamburg , Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems , Germany
| | - Marylyn M Addo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Medical-Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany.,Department for Clinical Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine , Hamburg , Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems , Germany
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24
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Garnett LE, Strong JE. Lassa fever: With 50 years of study, hundreds of thousands of patients and an extremely high disease burden, what have we learned? Curr Opin Virol 2019; 37:123-131. [PMID: 31479990 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Garnett
- Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - James E Strong
- Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada; Departments of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
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25
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Salami K, Gouglas D, Schmaljohn C, Saville M, Tornieporth N. A review of Lassa fever vaccine candidates. Curr Opin Virol 2019; 37:105-111. [PMID: 31472333 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Lassa fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the Lassa virus, a rodent-borne arenavirus endemic to West Africa. Recent steady increase in reported cases of the disease in Nigeria, where 123 deaths occurred in 546 confirmed cases in 2019 has further underlined the need to accelerate the development of vaccines for preventing the disease. Intensified research and development of Lassa fever medical countermeasures have yielded some vaccine candidates with preclinical scientific plausibility using predominantly novel technology. The more advanced candidates are based on recombinant measles, Vesicular Stomatitis Virus or Mopiea and Lassa virus reassortants expressing Lassa virus antigens, and the deoxyribonucleic acid platform. However, the Lassa fever portfolio still lags behind other neglected tropical diseases', and further investments are needed for continued development and additional research, such as the safety and efficacy of these vaccine candidates in special populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kolawole Salami
- R & D Blueprint for the Prevention of Epidemics, Room 3170, World Health Organization Headquarters, 20, Avenue Appia, Geneva 1211, Switzerland
| | - Dimitrios Gouglas
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Marcus Thranes Gate 2, 0473 Oslo, Norway
| | - Connie Schmaljohn
- U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Melanie Saville
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Rd, Bloomsbury, London NW1 2BE, UK.
| | - Nadia Tornieporth
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Rd, Bloomsbury, London NW1 2BE, UK
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Mattiuzzo G, Bentley EM, Page M. The Role of Reference Materials in the Research and Development of Diagnostic Tools and Treatments for Haemorrhagic Fever Viruses. Viruses 2019; 11:E781. [PMID: 31450611 PMCID: PMC6783900 DOI: 10.3390/v11090781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the Ebola outbreak in Western Africa in 2013-16, a global effort has taken place for preparedness for future outbreaks. As part of this response, the development of vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tools has been accelerated, especially towards pathogens listed as likely to cause an epidemic and for which there are no current treatments. Several of the priority pathogens identified by the World Health Organisation are haemorrhagic fever viruses. This review provides information on the role of reference materials as an enabling tool for the development and evaluation of assays, and ultimately vaccines and treatments. The types of standards available are described, along with how they can be applied for assay harmonisation through calibration as a relative potency to a common arbitrary unitage system (WHO International Unit). This assures that assay metrology is accurate and robust. We describe reference materials that have been or are being developed for haemorrhagic fever viruses and consider the issues surrounding their production, particularly that of biosafety where the viruses require specialised containment facilities. Finally, we advocate the use of reference materials at early stages, including research and development, as this helps produce reliable assays and can smooth the path to regulatory approval.
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MESH Headings
- Africa, Western/epidemiology
- Animals
- Antigens, Viral/blood
- Dengue Virus/immunology
- Dengue Virus/isolation & purification
- Dengue Virus/pathogenicity
- Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures
- Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control
- Ebolavirus/immunology
- Ebolavirus/isolation & purification
- Ebolavirus/pathogenicity
- Epidemics/prevention & control
- Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo/immunology
- Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo/isolation & purification
- Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo/pathogenicity
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean/diagnosis
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean/immunology
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean/prevention & control
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/diagnosis
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/immunology
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/prevention & control
- Humans
- Information Services
- Lassa Fever/diagnosis
- Lassa Fever/immunology
- Lassa Fever/prevention & control
- Lassa virus/immunology
- Lassa virus/isolation & purification
- Lassa virus/pathogenicity
- Marburg Virus Disease/diagnosis
- Marburg Virus Disease/immunology
- Marburg Virus Disease/prevention & control
- Marburgvirus/immunology
- Marburgvirus/isolation & purification
- Marburgvirus/pathogenicity
- RNA Virus Infections/diagnosis
- RNA Virus Infections/immunology
- RNA Virus Infections/prevention & control
- RNA Viruses/immunology
- RNA Viruses/isolation & purification
- RNA Viruses/pathogenicity
- RNA, Viral/isolation & purification
- Rift Valley Fever/diagnosis
- Rift Valley Fever/immunology
- Rift Valley Fever/prevention & control
- Rift Valley fever virus/immunology
- Rift Valley fever virus/isolation & purification
- Rift Valley fever virus/pathogenicity
- Severe Dengue/diagnosis
- Severe Dengue/immunology
- Severe Dengue/prevention & control
- Vaccines/standards
- World Health Organization
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Mattiuzzo
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK.
| | - Emma M Bentley
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK.
| | - Mark Page
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK.
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Beitzel B, Hulseberg CE, Palacios G. Reverse genetics systems as tools to overcome the genetic diversity of Lassa virus. Curr Opin Virol 2019; 37:91-96. [PMID: 31357141 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Lassa virus is endemic in a large area of sub-Saharan Africa, and exhibits a large amount of genetic diversity. Of the four currently recognized lineages, lineages I-III circulate in Nigeria, and lineage IV circulates in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. However, several newly detected lineages have been proposed. LASV genetic diversity may result in differences in pathogenicity or response to medical countermeasures, necessitating the testing of multiple lineages during the development of countermeasures and diagnostics. Logistical and biosafety concerns can make it difficult to obtain representative collections of divergent LASV clades for comparison studies. For example, lack of a cold chain in remote areas, or shipping restrictions on live viruses can prevent the dissemination of natural virus isolates to researchers. Reverse genetics systems that have been developed for LASV can facilitate acquisition of hard-to-obtain LASV strains and enable comprehensive development of medical countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Beitzel
- Center for Genome Sciences, The United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease, 1425 Porter St., Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States
| | - Christine E Hulseberg
- Center for Genome Sciences, The United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease, 1425 Porter St., Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States
| | - Gustavo Palacios
- Center for Genome Sciences, The United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease, 1425 Porter St., Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, United States.
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Zhang X, Yan F, Tang K, Chen Q, Guo J, Zhu W, He S, Banadyga L, Qiu X, Guo Y. Identification of a clinical compound losmapimod that blocks Lassa virus entry. Antiviral Res 2019; 167:68-77. [PMID: 30953674 PMCID: PMC7111477 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) causes Lassa hemorrhagic fever in humans and poses a significant threat to public health in West Africa. Current therapeutic treatments for Lassa fever are limited, making the development of novel countermeasures an urgent priority. In this study, we identified losmapimod, a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, from 102 screened compounds as an inhibitor of LASV infection. Losmapimod exerted its inhibitory effect against LASV after p38 MAPK down-regulation, and, interestingly, had no effect on other arenaviruses capable of causing viral hemorrhagic fever. Mechanistic studies showed that losmapimod inhibited LASV entry by affecting the stable signal peptide (SSP)-GP2 subunit interface of the LASV glycoprotein, thereby blocking pH-dependent viral fusion. As an aryl heteroaryl bis-carboxyamide derivative, losmapimod represents a novel chemical scaffold with anti-LASV activity, and it provides a new lead structure for the future development of LASV fusion inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Feihu Yan
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 3R2, Canada; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0J9, Canada; Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, China
| | - Ke Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Qing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Jiamei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Wenjun Zhu
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - Shihua He
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - Logan Banadyga
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - Xiangguo Qiu
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 3R2, Canada; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0J9, Canada.
| | - Ying Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
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29
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Jiang J, Banglore P, Cashman KA, Schmaljohn CS, Schultheis K, Pugh H, Nguyen J, Humeau LM, Broderick KE, Ramos SJ. Immunogenicity of a protective intradermal DNA vaccine against lassa virus in cynomolgus macaques. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2019; 15:2066-2074. [PMID: 31071008 PMCID: PMC6773375 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1616499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) is a hemorrhagic fever virus of the Arenaviridae family with high rates of mortality and co-morbidities, including chronic seizures and permanent bilateral or unilateral deafness. LASV is endemic in West Africa and Lassa fever accounts for 10-16% of hospitalizations annually in parts of Sierra Leone and Liberia according to the CDC. An ongoing outbreak in Nigeria has resulted in 144 deaths in 568 cases confirmed as LASV as of November 2018, with many more suspected, highlighting the urgent need for a vaccine to prevent this severe disease. We previously reported on a DNA vaccine encoding a codon-optimized LASV glycoprotein precursor gene, pLASV-GPC, which completely protects Guinea pigs and nonhuman primates (NHPs) against viremia, clinical disease, and death following lethal LASV challenge. Herein we report on the immunogenicity profile of the LASV DNA vaccine in protected NHPs. Antigen-specific binding antibodies were generated in 100% (6/6) NHPs after two immunizations with pLASV-GPC. These antibodies bound predominantly to the assembled LASV glycoprotein complex and had robust neutralizing activity in a pseudovirus assay. pLASV-GPC DNA-immunized NHPs (5/6) also developed T cell responses as measured by IFNγ ELISpot assay. These results revealed that the pLASV-GPC DNA vaccine is capable of generating functional, LASV-specific T cell and antibody responses, and the assays developed in this study will provide a framework to identify correlates of protection and characterize immune responses in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Jiang
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Preeti Banglore
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Kathleen A. Cashman
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Connie S. Schmaljohn
- Office of the Chief Scientists, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | | | - Holly Pugh
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Jacklyn Nguyen
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Laurent M. Humeau
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Kate E. Broderick
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA
| | - Stephanie J. Ramos
- Research & Development, Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc, Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA,CONTACT Stephanie J. Ramos 10480 Wateridge Circle, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
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Stein DR, Sroga P, Warner BM, Deschambault Y, Poliquin G, Safronetz D. Evaluating Temperature Sensitivity of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Based Vaccines. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 25:1563-1566. [PMID: 31141474 PMCID: PMC6649338 DOI: 10.3201/eid2508.190281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Use of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based Ebola virus vaccine during outbreaks and the potential use of a similar VSV-based Lassa virus vaccine has raised questions about the vaccines' stability should the cold chain fail. We demonstrated that current cold chain conditions might tolerate significant variances without affecting efficacy.
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31
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Vaccine platforms for the prevention of Lassa fever. Immunol Lett 2019; 215:1-11. [PMID: 31026485 PMCID: PMC7132387 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2019.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The epidemiological significance of Lassa fever in West Africa is discussed. Viral ecology, pathology, and immunobiology of Lassa virus infection is described. Multiple vaccine candidates have been tested in pre-clinical models. Lassa fever vaccine candidates have yet to progress to clinical trials. Five platform technologies have been selected for expedited development.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus (LASV), which is endemic throughout much of West Africa. The virus primarily circulates in the Mastomys natalensis reservoir and is transmitted to humans through contact with infectious rodents or their secretions; human-to-human transmission is documented as well. With the exception of Dengue fever, LASV has the highest human impact of any haemorrhagic fever virus. On-going outbreaks in Nigeria have resulted in unprecedented mortality. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has listed LASV as a high priority pathogen for the development of treatments and prophylactics. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines to protect against LASV infection. Although numerous candidates have demonstrated efficacy in animal models, to date, only a single candidate has advanced to clinical trials. Lassa fever vaccine development efforts have been hindered by the high cost of biocontainment requirements, the absence of established correlates of protection, and uncertainty regarding the extent to which animal models are predictive of vaccine efficacy in humans. This review briefly discusses the epidemiology and biology of LASV infection and highlights recent progress in vaccine development.
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32
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Arbidol and Other Low-Molecular-Weight Drugs That Inhibit Lassa and Ebola Viruses. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.02185-18. [PMID: 30700611 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02185-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Antiviral therapies that impede virus entry are attractive because they act on the first phase of the infectious cycle. Drugs that target pathways common to multiple viruses are particularly desirable when laboratory-based viral identification may be challenging, e.g., in an outbreak setting. We are interested in identifying drugs that block both Ebola virus (EBOV) and Lassa virus (LASV), two unrelated but highly pathogenic hemorrhagic fever viruses that have caused outbreaks in similar regions in Africa and share features of virus entry: use of cell surface attachment factors, macropinocytosis, endosomal receptors, and low pH to trigger fusion in late endosomes. Toward this goal, we directly compared the potency of eight drugs known to block EBOV entry with their potency as inhibitors of LASV entry. Five drugs (amodiaquine, apilimod, arbidol, niclosamide, and zoniporide) showed roughly equivalent degrees of inhibition of LASV and EBOV glycoprotein (GP)-bearing pseudoviruses; three (clomiphene, sertraline, and toremifene) were more potent against EBOV. We then focused on arbidol, which is licensed abroad as an anti-influenza drug and exhibits activity against a diverse array of clinically relevant viruses. We found that arbidol inhibits infection by authentic LASV, inhibits LASV GP-mediated cell-cell fusion and virus-cell fusion, and, reminiscent of its activity on influenza virus hemagglutinin, stabilizes LASV GP to low-pH exposure. Our findings suggest that arbidol inhibits LASV fusion, which may partly involve blocking conformational changes in LASV GP. We discuss our findings in terms of the potential to develop a drug cocktail that could inhibit both LASV and EBOV.IMPORTANCE Lassa and Ebola viruses continue to cause severe outbreaks in humans, yet there are only limited therapeutic options to treat the deadly hemorrhagic fever diseases they cause. Because of overlapping geographic occurrences and similarities in mode of entry into cells, we seek a practical drug or drug cocktail that could be used to treat infections by both viruses. Toward this goal, we directly compared eight drugs, approved or in clinical testing, for the ability to block entry mediated by the glycoproteins of both viruses. We identified five drugs with approximately equal potencies against both. Among these, we investigated the modes of action of arbidol, a drug licensed abroad to treat influenza infections. We found, as shown for influenza virus, that arbidol blocks fusion mediated by the Lassa virus glycoprotein. Our findings encourage the development of a combination of approved drugs to treat both Lassa and Ebola virus diseases.
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Stein DR, Warner BM, Soule G, Tierney K, Frost KL, Booth S, Safronetz D. A recombinant vesicular stomatitis-based Lassa fever vaccine elicits rapid and long-term protection from lethal Lassa virus infection in guinea pigs. NPJ Vaccines 2019; 4:8. [PMID: 30774999 PMCID: PMC6368541 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-019-0104-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization has identified Lassa virus (LASV) as one of the top five pathogens to cause a severe outbreak in the near future. This study assesses the ability of a leading vaccine candidate, recombinant Vesicular stomatitis virus expressing LASV glycoprotein (VSVΔG/LASVGPC), and its ability to induce rapid and long-term immunity to lethal guinea pig-adapted LASV (GPA-LASV). Outbred guinea pigs were vaccinated with a single dose of VSVΔG/LASVGPC followed by a lethal challenge of GPA-LASV at 7, 14, 25, 189, and 355 days post-vaccination. Statistically significant rapid and long-term protection was achieved at all time points with 100% protection at days 7 and 14 post-vaccination. While 83 and 87% protection were achieved at 25 days and 6 months post-vaccination, respectively. When guinea pigs were challenged one year after vaccination 71% protection was achieved. Notable infectious virus was isolated from the serum and tissues of some but not all animals. Total LASVGPC-specific IgG titers were also measured on a monthly basis leading up to LASV challenge however, it is unclear if antibody alone correlates with short and long term survival. These studies confirm that a single dose of VSVΔG/LASVGPC can induce rapid and long-term protection from LASV infection in an aggressive outbred model of infection, and supports further development in non-human primates. Lassa virus (LASV) is an emerging pathogen that can be associated with high case fatality but for which no clinically-approved vaccine currently exists. David Safronetz and colleagues at the Public Health Agency of Canada and the University of Manitoba investigate the efficacy of a single dose of a recombinant vaccine of LASV glycoproteins vectorized into vesicular stomatitis virus (VSVΔG/LASVGPC). Using guinea pigs lethally challenged with LASV, the protective efficacy of VSVΔG/LASVGPC and LASV-specific IgG is assessed at a number of time points out to approximately one year after vaccination. VSVΔG/LASVGPC elicits stable LASV glycoprotein-specific antibody production and durable protection from lethal LASV challenge, with 71% of animals surviving even at one year following vaccination and complete protection being afforded at earlier (weeks) time points. This pre-clinical model demonstrates the stable protection that can be established by a single dose of VSVΔG/LASVGPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek R Stein
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Bryce M Warner
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada.,2Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Geoff Soule
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Kevin Tierney
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Kathy L Frost
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Stephanie Booth
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - David Safronetz
- 1Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB Canada.,2Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
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Mazzola LT, Kelly-Cirino C. Diagnostics for Lassa fever virus: a genetically diverse pathogen found in low-resource settings. BMJ Glob Health 2019; 4:e001116. [PMID: 30899575 PMCID: PMC6407561 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-001116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever virus (LASV) causes acute viral haemorrhagic fever with symptoms similar to those seen with Ebola virus infections. LASV is endemic to West Africa and is transmitted through contact with excretions of infected Mastomys natalensis rodents and other rodent species. Due to a high fatality rate, lack of treatment options and difficulties with prevention and control, LASV is one of the high-priority pathogens included in the WHO R&D Blueprint. The WHO LASV vaccine strategy relies on availability of effective diagnostic tests. Current diagnostics for LASV include in-house and commercial (primarily research-only) laboratory-based serological and nucleic acid amplification tests. There are two commercially available (for research use only) rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), and a number of multiplex panels for differential detection of LASV infection from other endemic diseases with similar symptoms have been evaluated. However, a number of diagnostic gaps remain. Lineage detection is a challenge due to the genomic diversity of LASV, as pan-lineage sensitivity for both molecular and immunological detection is necessary for surveillance and outbreak response. While pan-lineage ELISA and RDTs are commercially available (for research use only), validation and external quality assessment (EQA) is needed to confirm detection sensitivity for all known or relevant strains. Variable sensitivity of LASV PCR tests also highlights the need for improved validation and EQA. Given that LASV outbreaks typically occur in low-resource settings, more options for point-of-care testing would be valuable. These requirements should be taken into account in target product profiles for improved LASV diagnostics.
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Perdomo-Celis F, Salvato MS, Medina-Moreno S, Zapata JC. T-Cell Response to Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:E11. [PMID: 30678246 PMCID: PMC6466054 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) are a group of clinically similar diseases that can be caused by enveloped RNA viruses primarily from the families Arenaviridae, Filoviridae, Hantaviridae, and Flaviviridae. Clinically, this group of diseases has in common fever, fatigue, dizziness, muscle aches, and other associated symptoms that can progress to vascular leakage, bleeding and multi-organ failure. Most of these viruses are zoonotic causing asymptomatic infections in the primary host, but in human beings, the infection can be lethal. Clinical and experimental evidence suggest that the T-cell response is needed for protection against VHF, but can also cause damage to the host, and play an important role in disease pathogenesis. Here, we present a review of the T-cell immune responses to VHF and insights into the possible ways to improve counter-measures for these viral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Perdomo-Celis
- Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, 050010, Colombia.
- Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Maria S Salvato
- Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Sandra Medina-Moreno
- Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Juan C Zapata
- Institute of Human Virology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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