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Ullah I, Symmes K, Keita K, Zhu L, Grunst MW, Li W, Mothes W, Kumar P, Uchil PD. Beta Spike-Presenting SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particle Vaccine Confers Broad Protection against Other VOCs in Mice. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:1007. [PMID: 39340037 PMCID: PMC11435481 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12091007] [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: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 08/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are non-infectious and serve as promising vaccine platforms because they mimic the membrane-embedded conformations of fusion glycoproteins on native viruses. Here, we employed SARS-CoV-2 VLPs (SMEN) presenting ancestral, Beta, or Omicron spikes to identify the variant spike that elicits potent and cross-protective immune responses in the highly sensitive K18-hACE2 challenge mouse model. A combined intranasal and intramuscular SMEN vaccine regimen generated the most effective immune responses to significantly reduce disease burden. Protection was primarily mediated by antibodies, with minor but distinct contributions from T cells in reducing virus spread and inflammation. Immunization with SMEN carrying ancestral spike resulted in 100, 75, or 0% protection against ancestral, Delta, or Beta variant-induced mortality, respectively. However, SMEN with an Omicron spike provided only limited protection against ancestral (50%), Delta (0%), and Beta (25%) challenges. By contrast, SMEN with Beta spikes offered 100% protection against the variants used in this study. Thus, the Beta variant not only overcame the immunity produced by other variants, but the Beta spike also elicited diverse and effective humoral immune responses. Our findings suggest that leveraging the Beta variant spike protein can enhance SARS-CoV-2 immunity, potentially leading to a more comprehensive vaccine against emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan Ullah
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; (I.U.); (K.S.); (L.Z.); (P.K.)
| | - Kelly Symmes
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; (I.U.); (K.S.); (L.Z.); (P.K.)
| | - Kadiatou Keita
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.K.); (M.W.G.); (W.L.); (W.M.)
| | - Li Zhu
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; (I.U.); (K.S.); (L.Z.); (P.K.)
| | - Michael W. Grunst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.K.); (M.W.G.); (W.L.); (W.M.)
| | - Wenwei Li
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.K.); (M.W.G.); (W.L.); (W.M.)
| | - Walther Mothes
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.K.); (M.W.G.); (W.L.); (W.M.)
| | - Priti Kumar
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; (I.U.); (K.S.); (L.Z.); (P.K.)
| | - Pradeep D. Uchil
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.K.); (M.W.G.); (W.L.); (W.M.)
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Puarattana-aroonkorn S, Tharakaraman K, Suriyawipada D, Ruchirawat M, Fuangthong M, Sasisekharan R, Artpradit C. Rapid and Scalable Production of Functional SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles (VLPs) by a Stable HEK293 Cell Pool. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:561. [PMID: 38932290 PMCID: PMC11209123 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12060561] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
At times of pandemics, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the situation demands rapid development and production timelines of safe and effective vaccines for delivering life-saving medications quickly to patients. Typical biologics production relies on using the lengthy and arduous approach of stable single-cell clones. Here, we used an alternative approach, a stable cell pool that takes only weeks to generate compared to a stable single-cell clone that needs several months to complete. We employed the membrane, envelope, and highly immunogenic spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 to produce virus-like particles (VLPs) using the HEK293-F cell line as a host system with an economical transfection reagent. The cell pool showed the stability of protein expression for more than one month. We demonstrated that the production of SARS-CoV-2 VLPs using this cell pool was scalable up to a stirred-tank 2 L bioreactor in fed-batch mode. The purified VLPs were properly assembled, and their size was consistent with the authentic virus. Our particles were functional as they specifically entered the cell that naturally expresses ACE-2. Notably, this work reports a practical and cost-effective manufacturing platform for scalable SARS-CoV-2 VLPs production and chromatographic purification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kannan Tharakaraman
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Disapan Suriyawipada
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand (M.F.)
| | - Mathuros Ruchirawat
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand (M.F.)
- Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Mayuree Fuangthong
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand (M.F.)
- Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Program in Applied Biological Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Ram Sasisekharan
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Charlermchai Artpradit
- Translational Research Unit, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand (M.F.)
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3
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Wu G, Li Q, Dai J, Mao G, Ma Y. Design and Application of Biosafe Coronavirus Engineering Systems without Virulence. Viruses 2024; 16:659. [PMID: 38793541 PMCID: PMC11126016 DOI: 10.3390/v16050659] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last twenty years, three deadly zoonotic coronaviruses (CoVs)-namely, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and SARS-CoV-2-have emerged. They are considered highly pathogenic for humans, particularly SARS-CoV-2, which caused the 2019 CoV disease pandemic (COVID-19), endangering the lives and health of people globally and causing unpredictable economic losses. Experiments on wild-type viruses require biosafety level 3 or 4 laboratories (BSL-3 or BSL-4), which significantly hinders basic virological research. Therefore, the development of various biosafe CoV systems without virulence is urgently needed to meet the requirements of different research fields, such as antiviral and vaccine evaluation. This review aimed to comprehensively summarize the biosafety of CoV engineering systems. These systems combine virological foundations with synthetic genomics techniques, enabling the development of efficient tools for attenuated or non-virulent vaccines, the screening of antiviral drugs, and the investigation of the pathogenic mechanisms of novel microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqiang Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Qiaoyu Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Junbiao Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Guobin Mao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Yingxin Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
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Elfayres G, Paswan RR, Sika L, Girard MP, Khalfi S, Letanneur C, Milette K, Singh A, Kobinger G, Berthoux L. Mammalian cells-based platforms for the generation of SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles. J Virol Methods 2023; 322:114835. [PMID: 37871706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2023.114835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of COVID-19. Though many COVID-19 vaccines have been developed, most of them are delivered via intramuscular injection and thus confer relatively weak mucosal immunity against the natural infection. Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) are self-assembled nanostructures composed of key viral structural proteins, that mimic the wild-type virus structure but are non-infectious and non-replicating due to the lack of viral genetic material. In this study, we efficiently generated SARS-CoV-2 VLPs by co-expressing the four SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins, specifically the membrane (M), small envelope (E), spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. We show that these proteins are essential and sufficient for the efficient formation and release of SARS-CoV-2 VLPs. Moreover, we used lentiviral vectors to generate human cell lines that stably produce VLPs. Because VLPs can bind to the virus natural receptors, hence leading to entry into cells and viral antigen presentation, this platform could be used to develop novel vaccine candidates that are delivered intranasally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghada Elfayres
- Department of Medical Biology and FRQS SIDA/MI Network, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Ricky Raj Paswan
- Department of Medical Biology and FRQS SIDA/MI Network, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Laura Sika
- Department of Medical Biology and FRQS SIDA/MI Network, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Marie-Pierre Girard
- Department of Medical Biology and FRQS SIDA/MI Network, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Soumia Khalfi
- Department of Medical Biology and FRQS SIDA/MI Network, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Claire Letanneur
- Department of Medical Biology and FRQS SIDA/MI Network, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Kéziah Milette
- Institute of Innovations in Eco-materials, Eco-products and Eco-energies, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Amita Singh
- Department of Medical Biology and FRQS SIDA/MI Network, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada
| | - Gary Kobinger
- University Hospital Research Center and Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Lionel Berthoux
- Department of Medical Biology and FRQS SIDA/MI Network, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada.
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Zak AJ, Hoang T, Yee CM, Rizvi SM, Prabhu P, Wen F. Pseudotyping Improves the Yield of Functional SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles (VLPs) as Tools for Vaccine and Therapeutic Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14622. [PMID: 37834067 PMCID: PMC10572262 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914622] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) have been proposed as an attractive tool in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development, both as (1) a vaccine candidate with high immunogenicity and low reactogenicity and (2) a substitute for live virus in functional and neutralization assays. Though multiple SARS-CoV-2 VLP designs have already been explored in Sf9 insect cells, a key parameter ensuring VLPs are a viable platform is the VLP spike yield (i.e., spike protein content in VLP), which has largely been unreported. In this study, we show that the common strategy of producing SARS-CoV-2 VLPs by expressing spike protein in combination with the native coronavirus membrane and/or envelope protein forms VLPs, but at a critically low spike yield (~0.04-0.08 mg/L). In contrast, fusing the spike ectodomain to the influenza HA transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail and co-expressing M1 increased VLP spike yield to ~0.4 mg/L. More importantly, this increased yield translated to a greater VLP spike antigen density (~96 spike monomers/VLP) that more closely resembles that of native SARS-CoV-2 virus (~72-144 Spike monomers/virion). Pseudotyping further allowed for production of functional alpha (B.1.1.7), beta (B.1.351), delta (B.1.617.2), and omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 VLPs that bound to the target ACE2 receptor. Finally, we demonstrated the utility of pseudotyped VLPs to test neutralizing antibody activity using a simple, acellular ELISA-based assay performed at biosafety level 1 (BSL-1). Taken together, this study highlights the advantage of pseudotyping over native SARS-CoV-2 VLP designs in achieving higher VLP spike yield and demonstrates the usefulness of pseudotyped VLPs as a surrogate for live virus in vaccine and therapeutic development against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Fei Wen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (P.P.)
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6
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Hirschberg S, Ghazaani F, Ben Amor G, Pydde M, Nagel A, Germani S, Monica L, Schlör A, Bauer H, Hornung J, Voetz M, Dwai Y, Scheer B, Ringel F, Kamal-Eddin O, Harms C, Füner J, Adrian L, Pruß A, Schulze-Forster K, Hanack K, Kamhieh-Milz J. An Efficient and Scalable Method for the Production of Immunogenic SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles (VLP) from a Mammalian Suspension Cell Line. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1469. [PMID: 37766145 PMCID: PMC10535180 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11091469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of new SARS-CoV-2 variants poses a continuing threat to human health. Vaccination has become the primary therapeutic intervention. The goal of the current work was the construction of immunogenic virus-like particles (VLPs). Here, we describe a human cell line for cost-efficient and scalable production of immunogenic SARS-CoV-2 VLPs. The modular design of the VLP-production platform facilitates rapid adaptation to new variants. Methods: The N, M-, and E-protein genes were integrated into the genome of Expi293 cells (ExpiVLP_MEN). Subsequently, this cell line was further modified for the constitutive expression of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The resulting cell line (ExpiVLP_SMEN) released SARS-CoV-2 VLP upon exposure to doxycycline. ExpiVLP_SMEN cells were readily adapted for VLP production in a 5 L bioreactor. Purified VLPs were quantified by Western blot, ELISA, and nanoparticle tracking analysis and visualized by electron microscopy. Immunogenicity was tested in mice. Results: The generated VLPs contained all four structural proteins, are within the size range of authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, and reacted strongly and specifically with immunoserum from naturally infected individuals. The VLPs were stable in suspension at 4 °C for at least 10 weeks. Mice immunized with VLPs developed neutralizing antibodies against lentiviruses pseudotyped with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The flexibility of the VLP-production platform was demonstrated by the rapid switch of the spike protein to a new variant of concern (BA.1/Omicron). The present study describes an efficient, scalable, and adaptable production method of immunogenic SARS-CoV-2 VLPs with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Hirschberg
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Preclinics Certified Products GmbH, 14482 Potsdam, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Saveria Germani
- Preclinics Gesellschaft für Präklinische Forschung mbH, 14482 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Lara Monica
- Preclinics Gesellschaft für Präklinische Forschung mbH, 14482 Potsdam, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Yamen Dwai
- Preclinics Gesellschaft für Präklinische Forschung mbH, 14482 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Benjamin Scheer
- Department Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Christoph Harms
- Center for Stroke Research Berlin with Department of Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonas Füner
- Preclinics Gesellschaft für Präklinische Forschung mbH, 14482 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Lorenz Adrian
- Department Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Chair of Geobiotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, 13355 Berlin, Germany
| | - Axel Pruß
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Katja Hanack
- New/Era/Mabs GmbH, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Julian Kamhieh-Milz
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- DHS—Diagnostic HealthCare Solutions GmbH, 13347 Berlin, Germany
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7
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Alpuche-Lazcano SP, Stuible M, Akache B, Tran A, Kelly J, Hrapovic S, Robotham A, Haqqani A, Star A, Renner TM, Blouin J, Maltais JS, Cass B, Cui K, Cho JY, Wang X, Zoubchenok D, Dudani R, Duque D, McCluskie MJ, Durocher Y. Preclinical evaluation of manufacturable SARS-CoV-2 spike virus-like particles produced in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2023; 3:116. [PMID: 37612423 PMCID: PMC10447459 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00340-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, novel vaccines need to be developed that are readily manufacturable and provide clinical efficacy against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Virus-like particles (VLPs) presenting the spike antigen at their surface offer remarkable benefits over other vaccine antigen formats; however, current SARS-CoV-2 VLP vaccines candidates in clinical development suffer from challenges including low volumetric productivity, poor spike antigen density, expression platform-driven divergent protein glycosylation and complex upstream/downstream processing requirements. Despite their extensive use for therapeutic protein manufacturing and proven ability to produce enveloped VLPs, Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells are rarely used for the commercial production of VLP-based vaccines. METHODS Using CHO cells, we aimed to produce VLPs displaying the full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike. Affinity chromatography was used to capture VLPs released in the culture medium from engineered CHO cells expressing spike. The structure, protein content, and glycosylation of spikes in VLPs were characterized by several biochemical and biophysical methods. In vivo, the generation of neutralizing antibodies and protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection was tested in mouse and hamster models. RESULTS We demonstrate that spike overexpression in CHO cells is sufficient by itself to generate high VLP titers. These VLPs are evocative of the native virus but with at least three-fold higher spike density. In vivo, purified VLPs elicit strong humoral and cellular immunity at nanogram dose levels which grant protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that CHO cells are amenable to efficient manufacturing of high titers of a potently immunogenic spike protein-based VLP vaccine antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio P Alpuche-Lazcano
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Matthew Stuible
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Bassel Akache
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Anh Tran
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - John Kelly
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 100 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Sabahudin Hrapovic
- Aquatic and Crop Resources Development Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Anna Robotham
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 100 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Arsalan Haqqani
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 100 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Alexandra Star
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 100 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Tyler M Renner
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Julie Blouin
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Jean-Sébastien Maltais
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Brian Cass
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Kai Cui
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Jae-Young Cho
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Daria Zoubchenok
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Renu Dudani
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Diana Duque
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Michael J McCluskie
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada.
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8
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Low-volume label-free SARS-CoV-2 detection with the microcavity-based optical fiber sensor. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1512. [PMID: 36707671 PMCID: PMC9880943 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28790-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate and fast detection of viruses is crucial for controlling outbreaks of many diseases; therefore, to date, numerous sensing systems for their detection have been studied. On top of the performance of these sensing systems, the availability of biorecognition elements specific to especially the new etiological agents is an additional fundamental challenge. Therefore, besides high sensitivity and selectivity, such advantages as the size of the sensor and possibly low volume of analyzed samples are also important, especially at the stage of evaluating the receptor-target interactions in the case of new etiological agents when typically, only tiny amounts of the receptor are available for testing. This work introduces a real-time, highly miniaturized sensing solution based on microcavity in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (μIMZI) induced in optical fiber for SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles detection. The assay is designed to detect conserved regions of the SARS-CoV-2 viral particles in a sample with a volume as small as hundreds of picoliters, reaching the detection limit at the single ng per mL level.
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9
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Pseudotyped Viruses for Coronaviruses. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1407:133-151. [PMID: 36920695 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-0113-5_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Seven coronaviruses have been identified that can infect humans, four of which usually cause mild symptoms, including HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, and HCoV-HKU1, three of which are lethal coronaviruses, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Pseudotyped virus is an important tool in the field of human coronavirus research because it is safe, easy to prepare, easy to detect, and highly modifiable. In addition to the application of pseudotyped viruses in the study of virus infection mechanism, vaccine, and candidate antiviral drug or antibody evaluation and screening, pseudotyped viruses can also be used as an important platform for further application in the prediction of immunogenicity and antigenicity after virus mutation, cross-species transmission prediction, screening, and preparation of vaccine strains with better broad spectrum and antigenicity. Meanwhile, as clinical trials of various types of vaccines and post-clinical studies are also being carried out one after another, the establishment of a high-throughput and fully automated detection platform based on SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped virus to further reduce the cost of detection and manual intervention and improve the efficiency of large-scale detection is also a demand for the development of SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped virus.
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SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles (VLPs) Specifically Detect Humoral Immune Reactions in an ELISA-Based Platform. Antibodies (Basel) 2022; 11:antib11040076. [PMID: 36546901 PMCID: PMC9774516 DOI: 10.3390/antib11040076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A key in controlling the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is the assessment of the immune status of the population. We explored the utility of SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles (VLPs) as antigens to detect specific humoral immune reactions in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For this purpose, SARS-CoV-2 VLPs were produced from an engineered cell line and characterized by Western blot, ELISA, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Subsequently, we collected 42 serum samples from before the pandemic (2014), 89 samples from healthy subjects, and 38 samples from vaccinated subjects. Seventeen samples were collected less than three weeks after infection, and forty-four samples more than three weeks after infection. All serum samples were characterized for their reactivity with VLPs and the SARS-CoV-2 N- and S-protein. Finally, we compared the performance of the VLP-based ELISA with a certified in vitro diagnostic device (IVD). In the applied set of samples, we determined a sensitivity of 95.5% and a specificity of 100% for the certified IVD. There were seven samples with an uncertain outcome. Our VLP-ELISA demonstrated a superior performance, with a sensitivity of 97.5%, a specificity of 100%, and only three uncertain outcomes. This result warrants further research to develop a certified IVD based on SARS-CoV-2 VLPs as an antigen.
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11
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Jaron M, Lehky M, Zarà M, Zaydowicz CN, Lak A, Ballmann R, Heine PA, Wenzel EV, Schneider KT, Bertoglio F, Kempter S, Köster RW, Barbieri SS, van den Heuvel J, Hust M, Dübel S, Schubert M. Baculovirus-Free SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particle Production in Insect Cells for Rapid Neutralization Assessment. Viruses 2022. [PMID: 36298643 DOI: 10.3390/v14102087/s1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) resemble authentic virus while not containing any genomic information. Here, we present a fast and powerful method for the production of SARS-CoV-2 VLP in insect cells and the application of these VLPs to evaluate the inhibition capacity of monoclonal antibodies and sera of vaccinated donors. Our method avoids the baculovirus-based approaches commonly used in insect cells by employing direct plasmid transfection to co-express SARS-CoV-2 envelope, membrane, and spike protein that self-assemble into VLPs. After optimization of the expression plasmids and vector ratios, VLPs with an ~145 nm diameter and the typical "Corona" aura were obtained, as confirmed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fusion of the membrane protein to GFP allowed direct quantification of binding inhibition to angiotensin II-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on cells by therapeutic antibody candidates or sera from vaccinated individuals. Neither VLP purification nor fluorescent labeling by secondary antibodies are required to perform these flow cytometric assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Jaron
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Lehky
- Recombinant Protein Expression Platform, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marta Zarà
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis, IRCCS Monzino Cardiology Center, Via C. Parea 4, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Chris Nicole Zaydowicz
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Aidin Lak
- Institute for Electrical Measurement Science and Fundamental Electrical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Straße 66, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rico Ballmann
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Philip Alexander Heine
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Kai-Thomas Schneider
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Federico Bertoglio
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Susanne Kempter
- Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539 München, Germany
| | - Reinhard Wolfgang Köster
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Silvia Stella Barbieri
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis, IRCCS Monzino Cardiology Center, Via C. Parea 4, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Recombinant Protein Expression Platform, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Dübel
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maren Schubert
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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12
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Jaron M, Lehky M, Zarà M, Zaydowicz CN, Lak A, Ballmann R, Heine PA, Wenzel EV, Schneider KT, Bertoglio F, Kempter S, Köster RW, Barbieri SS, van den Heuvel J, Hust M, Dübel S, Schubert M. Baculovirus-Free SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particle Production in Insect Cells for Rapid Neutralization Assessment. Viruses 2022; 14:v14102087. [PMID: 36298643 PMCID: PMC9606917 DOI: 10.3390/v14102087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) resemble authentic virus while not containing any genomic information. Here, we present a fast and powerful method for the production of SARS-CoV-2 VLP in insect cells and the application of these VLPs to evaluate the inhibition capacity of monoclonal antibodies and sera of vaccinated donors. Our method avoids the baculovirus-based approaches commonly used in insect cells by employing direct plasmid transfection to co-express SARS-CoV-2 envelope, membrane, and spike protein that self-assemble into VLPs. After optimization of the expression plasmids and vector ratios, VLPs with an ~145 nm diameter and the typical “Corona” aura were obtained, as confirmed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fusion of the membrane protein to GFP allowed direct quantification of binding inhibition to angiotensin II-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on cells by therapeutic antibody candidates or sera from vaccinated individuals. Neither VLP purification nor fluorescent labeling by secondary antibodies are required to perform these flow cytometric assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Jaron
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Lehky
- Recombinant Protein Expression Platform, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marta Zarà
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis, IRCCS Monzino Cardiology Center, Via C. Parea 4, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Chris Nicole Zaydowicz
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Aidin Lak
- Institute for Electrical Measurement Science and Fundamental Electrical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Straße 66, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rico Ballmann
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Philip Alexander Heine
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Kai-Thomas Schneider
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Federico Bertoglio
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Susanne Kempter
- Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539 München, Germany
| | - Reinhard Wolfgang Köster
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Silvia Stella Barbieri
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis, IRCCS Monzino Cardiology Center, Via C. Parea 4, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Recombinant Protein Expression Platform, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Dübel
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maren Schubert
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Correspondence:
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13
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Kaewborisuth C, Wanitchang A, Koonpaew S, Srisutthisamphan K, Saenboonrueng J, Im-Erbsin R, Inthawong M, Sunyakumthorn P, Thaweerattanasinp T, Tanwattana N, Jantraphakorn Y, Reed MC, Lugo-Roman LA, Hunsawong T, Klungthong C, Jones AR, Fernandez S, Teeravechyan S, Lombardini ED, Jongkaewwattana A. Chimeric Virus-like Particle-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Confers Strong Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Viremia in K18-hACE2 Mice. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10050786. [PMID: 35632541 PMCID: PMC9143195 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10050786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are highly immunogenic and versatile subunit vaccines composed of multimeric viral proteins that mimic the whole virus but lack genetic material. Due to the lack of infectivity, VLPs are being developed as safe and effective vaccines against various infectious diseases. In this study, we generated a chimeric VLP-based COVID-19 vaccine stably produced by HEK293T cells. The chimeric VLPs contain the influenza virus A matrix (M1) proteins and the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan strain spike (S) proteins with a deletion of the polybasic furin cleavage motif and a replacement of the transmembrane and cytoplasmic tail with that of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA). These resulting chimeric S-M1 VLPs, displaying S and M1, were observed to be enveloped particles that are heterogeneous in shape and size. The intramuscular vaccination of BALB/c mice in a prime-boost regimen elicited high titers of S-specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies. After immunization and a challenge with SARS-CoV-2 in K18-hACE2 mice, the S-M1 VLP vaccination resulted in a drastic reduction in viremia, as well as a decreased viral load in the lungs and improved survival rates compared to the control mice. Balanced Th1 and Th2 responses of activated S-specific T-cells were observed. Moderate degrees of inflammation and viral RNA in the lungs and brains were observed in the vaccinated group; however, brain lesion scores were less than in the PBS control. Overall, we demonstrate the immunogenicity of a chimeric VLP-based COVID-19 vaccine which confers strong protection against SARS-CoV-2 viremia in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Challika Kaewborisuth
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
| | - Asawin Wanitchang
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
| | - Surapong Koonpaew
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
| | - Kanjana Srisutthisamphan
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
| | - Janya Saenboonrueng
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
| | - Rawiwan Im-Erbsin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (R.I.-E.); (M.I.); (P.S.); (M.C.R.); (L.A.L.-R.)
| | - Manutsanun Inthawong
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (R.I.-E.); (M.I.); (P.S.); (M.C.R.); (L.A.L.-R.)
| | - Piyanate Sunyakumthorn
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (R.I.-E.); (M.I.); (P.S.); (M.C.R.); (L.A.L.-R.)
| | - Theeradej Thaweerattanasinp
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
| | - Nathiphat Tanwattana
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
- Interdisciplinary Program in Genetic Engineering and Bioinformatics, Graduate School, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Yuparat Jantraphakorn
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
| | - Matthew C. Reed
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (R.I.-E.); (M.I.); (P.S.); (M.C.R.); (L.A.L.-R.)
| | - Luis A. Lugo-Roman
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (R.I.-E.); (M.I.); (P.S.); (M.C.R.); (L.A.L.-R.)
| | - Taweewun Hunsawong
- Department of Virology, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (T.H.); (C.K.); (A.R.J.); (S.F.)
| | - Chonticha Klungthong
- Department of Virology, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (T.H.); (C.K.); (A.R.J.); (S.F.)
| | - Anthony R. Jones
- Department of Virology, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (T.H.); (C.K.); (A.R.J.); (S.F.)
| | - Stefan Fernandez
- Department of Virology, U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (T.H.); (C.K.); (A.R.J.); (S.F.)
| | - Samaporn Teeravechyan
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
| | - Eric D. Lombardini
- U.S. Army Medical Directorate-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand;
| | - Anan Jongkaewwattana
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; (C.K.); (A.W.); (S.K.); (K.S.); (J.S.); (T.T.); (N.T.); (Y.J.); (S.T.)
- Correspondence:
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14
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Sullivan E, Sung PY, Wu W, Berry N, Kempster S, Ferguson D, Almond N, Jones IM, Roy P. SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles Produced by a Single Recombinant Baculovirus Generate Anti-S Antibody and Protect against Variant Challenge. Viruses 2022; 14:914. [PMID: 35632656 PMCID: PMC9143203 DOI: 10.3390/v14050914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has highlighted the need for the rapid generation of efficient vaccines for emerging disease. Virus-like particles, VLPs, are an established vaccine technology that produces virus-like mimics, based on expression of the structural proteins of a target virus. SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus where the basis of VLP formation has been shown to be the co-expression of the spike, membrane and envelope structural proteins. Here we describe the generation of SARS-CoV-2 VLPs by the co-expression of the salient structural proteins in insect cells using the established baculovirus expression system. VLPs were heterologous ~100 nm diameter enveloped particles with a distinct fringe that reacted strongly with SARS-CoV-2 convalescent sera. In a Syrian hamster challenge model, non-adjuvanted VLPs induced neutralizing antibodies to the VLP-associated Wuhan S protein and reduced virus shedding and protected against disease associated weight loss following a virulent challenge with SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.7 variant). Immunized animals showed reduced lung pathology and lower challenge virus replication than the non-immunized controls. Our data suggest SARS-CoV-2 VLPs offer an efficient vaccine that mitigates against virus load and prevents severe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Sullivan
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (E.S.); (P.-Y.S.); (W.W.)
| | - Po-Yu Sung
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (E.S.); (P.-Y.S.); (W.W.)
| | - Weining Wu
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (E.S.); (P.-Y.S.); (W.W.)
| | - Neil Berry
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Potters Bar EN6 3QG, UK; (N.B.); (S.K.); (D.F.); (N.A.)
| | - Sarah Kempster
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Potters Bar EN6 3QG, UK; (N.B.); (S.K.); (D.F.); (N.A.)
| | - Deborah Ferguson
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Potters Bar EN6 3QG, UK; (N.B.); (S.K.); (D.F.); (N.A.)
| | - Neil Almond
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Potters Bar EN6 3QG, UK; (N.B.); (S.K.); (D.F.); (N.A.)
| | - Ian M. Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AH, UK;
| | - Polly Roy
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (E.S.); (P.-Y.S.); (W.W.)
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