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Qureshi H, Basheer A, Faheem M, Arshad MW, Rai SK, Jamal SB. Designing a multi-epitope vaccine against Shigella dysenteriae using immuno-informatics approach. Front Genet 2024; 15:1361610. [PMID: 38826807 PMCID: PMC11143797 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1361610] [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: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Shigella dysenteriae has been recognized as the second most prevalent pathogen associated with diarrhea that contains blood, contributing to 12.9% of reported cases, and it is additionally responsible for approximately 200,000 deaths each year. Currently, there is no S. dysenteriae licensed vaccine. Multidrug resistance in all Shigella spp. is a growing concern. Current vaccines, such as O-polysaccharide (OPS) conjugates, are in clinical trials but are ineffective in children but protective in adults. Thus, innovative treatments and vaccines are needed to combat antibiotic resistance. In this study, we used immuno-informatics to design a new multiepitope vaccine and identified S. dysenteriae strain SD197's membrane protein targets using in-silico methods. The target protein was prioritized using membrane protein topology analysis to find membrane proteins. B and T-cell epitopes were predicted for vaccine formulation. The epitopes were shortlisted based on an IC50 value <50, antigenicity, allergenicity, and a toxicity analysis. In the final vaccine construct, a total of 8 B-cell epitopes, 12 MHC Class I epitopes, and 7 MHC Class II epitopes were identified for the Lipopolysaccharide export system permease protein LptF. Additionally, 17 MHC Class I epitopes and 14 MHC Class II epitopes were predicted for the Lipoprotein-releasing ABC transporter permease subunit LolE. These epitopes were selected and linked via KK, AAY, and GGGS linkers, respectively. To enhance the immunogenic response, RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartate) adjuvant was incorporated into the final vaccine construct. The refined vaccine structure exhibits a Ramachandran score of 91.5% and demonstrates stable interaction with TLR4. Normal Mode Analysis (NMA) reveals low eigenvalues (3.925996e-07), indicating steady and flexible molecular mobility of docked complexes. Codon optimization was carried out in an effective microbial expression system of the Escherichia coli K12 strain using the recombinant plasmid pET-28a (+). Finally, the entire in-silico analysis suggests that the suggested vaccine may induce a significant immune response against S. dysenteriae, making it a promising option for additional experimental trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hurria Qureshi
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Amina Basheer
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Faheem
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, United States
| | - Muhammad Waqar Arshad
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Sunil Kumar Rai
- Medical University of the Americas Navis, Charlestown, Saint Kitts and Nevis, West Indies
| | - Syed Babar Jamal
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
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La Guidara C, Adamo R, Sala C, Micoli F. Vaccines and Monoclonal Antibodies as Alternative Strategies to Antibiotics to Fight Antimicrobial Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5487. [PMID: 38791526 PMCID: PMC11122364 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105487] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most critical threats to global public health in the 21st century, causing a large number of deaths every year in both high-income and low- and middle-income countries. Vaccines and monoclonal antibodies can be exploited to prevent and treat diseases caused by AMR pathogens, thereby reducing antibiotic use and decreasing selective pressure that favors the emergence of resistant strains. Here, differences in the mechanism of action and resistance of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies compared to antibiotics are discussed. The state of the art for vaccine technologies and monoclonal antibodies are reviewed, with a particular focus on approaches validated in clinical studies. By underscoring the scope and limitations of the different emerging technologies, this review points out the complementary of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies in fighting AMR. Gaps in antigen discovery for some pathogens, as well as challenges associated with the clinical development of these therapies against AMR pathogens, are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara La Guidara
- Magnetic Resonance Center CERM, University of Florence, 50019 Florence, Italy
- Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Sala
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Laboratory, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Francesca Micoli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.R.L. (GVGH), 53100 Siena, Italy
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Melogmo Dongmo YK, Tchatat Tali MB, Dize D, Jiatsa Mbouna CD, Kache Fotsing S, Ngouana V, Pinlap BR, Zeuko'o Menkem E, Yamthe Tchokouaha LR, Fotso Wabo G, Lenta Ndjakou B, Lunga PK, Fekam Boyom F. Anti-Shigella and antioxidant-based screening of some Cameroonian medicinal plants, UHPLC-LIT-MS/MS fingerprints, and prediction of pharmacokinetic and drug-likeness properties of identified chemicals. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 324:117788. [PMID: 38296176 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Shigella infection is a public health problem responsible for approximately 700,000 deaths annually. The management of this disease is impaired by the emergence of multidrug-resistant Shigella species, highlighting the urgent need to search for alternative treatment options. In this regard, investigating medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of dysentery, diarrheal infections, and/or associated symptoms in endemic regions might provide an opportunity to identify phytochemicals that could be further used as a basis for the development of future anti-shigella drug candidates. AIM OF THE STUDY This study was designed to investigate the anti-shigella and antioxidant-based ethnopharmacological potency of some Cameroonian medicinal plants with an emphasis on pharmacokinetic properties of the identified chemical pharmacophore. MATERIALS AND METHODS Briefly, plant species were selected and collected based on their ethnopharmacological uses and information reported in the literature. Crude aqueous, ethanolic, methanolic, and hydroethanolic (30:70, v/v) extracts from these plants were prepared and then screened for their anti-Shigella activity against four Shigella strains and cytotoxicity against Vero and Raw cell lines using microdilution and resazurin-based methods, respectively. The antioxidant activities of potent extracts were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, NO, and FRAP scavenging assays. The chemical profile of potent extracts was performed using the UHPLC-LIT-MS/MS and the pharmacokinetic properties, druglikeness, and likely molecular targets of the chemical scaffolds identified were predicted using SwissADME and SwissTargetPredictor. RESULTS Thirty-nine (39) plants belonging to 26 plant families were harvested. Out of the 228 extracts tested, 18 extracts originating from 6 plants (15.38 %) were active (MICs 250-1000 μg/mL) and nontoxic toward Vero (CC50 129.25-684.55 μg/mL) and Raw cell lines (CC50 336.20 to >1000 μg/mL). Six potent extracts from the two plants exhibited moderate to potent DPPH (SC50 8.870-54.410 μg/mL), ABTS (SC50 12.020-27.36 μg/mL), and NO (SC50 0.02-195.85 μg/mL) scavenging activities. Later, these extracts showed interesting ferric iron-reducing power (1.28-12.14 μg equivalent NH2OH/g of extract). The shortest onset of action time (4 and 6 h) observed following inhibition kinetics studies was observed with extracts BFSHE, PMSE, and PMSM. The UHPLC-LIT-MS/MS and some databases (Mass Spectral Library (NIST 14), Human Metabolome Database (HMD), MassBank, SuperNatural 3.0, The Food Database (FooDB), and Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI)) allowed the annotation of 18 and 17 metabolites in the extracts from stem bark of P. macrophylla and B. ferruginea respectively. Pharmacokinetic prediction of these chemicals showed that compound 6 (4,6a-bis(Hydroxymethyl)-9a-methyl-3-oxo-1a,1b,3,5,6,6a,7a,9a-octahydrobis (oxireno)[2',3':5,6; 2″,3'':9,10]cyclodeca[1,2-b]furan-5-yl methacrylate), compound 8 (Corynoxeine), and compounds 35 (Stachybotrydial acetate) demonstrated acceptable druglike and pharmacokinetic properties and might act through inhibition of kinase, transferase, protease, oxidoreductase, and family AG protein-linked receptors. CONCLUSION The findings from this investigation demonstrated that Cameroonian medicinal plants are suitable reservoirs of anti-Shigella and antioxidant agents with good drug candidate properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanick Kevin Melogmo Dongmo
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon.
| | - Mariscal Brice Tchatat Tali
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon.
| | - Darline Dize
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon.
| | - Cedric Derick Jiatsa Mbouna
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon.
| | - Sorelle Kache Fotsing
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Vincent Ngouana
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 96, Dschang, Cameroon.
| | - Brice Rostan Pinlap
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon.
| | - Elisabeth Zeuko'o Menkem
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, Cameroon.
| | - Lauve Rachel Yamthe Tchokouaha
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon; Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, P.O. Box 6133, Yaounde, Cameroon.
| | - Ghislain Fotso Wabo
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Bruno Lenta Ndjakou
- Department of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Paul Keilah Lunga
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon.
| | - Fabrice Fekam Boyom
- Antimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon.
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Conti V, Rossi O, Clarkson KA, Mancini F, Nakakana UN, Sarakinou E, Callegaro A, Ferruzzi P, Acquaviva A, Arora AK, Marchetti E, Necchi F, Frenck RW, Martin LB, Kaminski RW, Podda A, Micoli F. Putative correlates of protection against shigellosis assessing immunomarkers across responses to S. sonnei investigational vaccine. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:56. [PMID: 38459072 PMCID: PMC10923941 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00822-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Shigella spp. are a leading bacterial cause of diarrhea. No widely licensed vaccines are available and there is no generally accepted correlate of protection. We tested a S. sonnei Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigen (GMMA)-based vaccine (1790GAHB) in a phase 2b, placebo-controlled, randomized, controlled human infection model study (NCT03527173) enrolling healthy United States adults aged 18-50 years. We report analyses evaluating immune responses to vaccination, with the aim to identify correlates of risk for shigellosis among assessed immunomarkers. We found that 1790GAHB elicited S. sonnei lipopolysaccharide specific α4β7+ immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgA secreting B cells which are likely homing to the gut, indicating the ability to induce a mucosal in addition to a systemic response, despite parenteral delivery. We were unable to establish or confirm threshold levels that predict vaccine efficacy facilitating the evaluation of vaccine candidates. However, serum anti-lipopolysaccharide IgG and bactericidal activity were identified as potential correlates of risk for shigellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Omar Rossi
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health, Siena, Italy
| | - Kristen A Clarkson
- Department of Diarrheal Disease Research, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Horizon Therapeutics, Deerfield, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Robert W Frenck
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Laura B Martin
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health, Siena, Italy
- US Pharmacopeial Convention, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Robert W Kaminski
- Department of Diarrheal Disease Research, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- Latham BioPharm Group, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Audino Podda
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health, Siena, Italy
- Independent Consultant, Siena, Italy
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Dodd R, Awuor AO, Garcia Bardales PF, Khanam F, Mategula D, Onwuchekwa U, Sarwar G, Yousafzai MT, Ahmed N, Atlas HE, Amirul Islam Bhuiyan M, Colston JM, Conteh B, Diawara M, Dilruba N, Elwood S, Fatima I, Feutz E, Galagan SR, Haque S, Taufiqul Islam M, Karim M, Keita B, Kosek MN, Kotloff KL, Lefu C, Mballow M, Ndalama M, Ndeketa L, Ogwel B, Okonji C, Paredes Olortegui M, Pavlinac PB, Pinedo Vasquez T, Platts-Mills JA, Qadri F, Qureshi S, Rogawski McQuade ET, Sultana S, Traore MO, Cunliffe NA, Jahangir Hossain M, Omore R, Qamar FN, Tapia MD, Peñataro Yori P, Zaman K, McGrath CJ. Population Enumeration and Household Utilization Survey Methods in the Enterics for Global Health (EFGH): Shigella Surveillance Study. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:S17-S24. [PMID: 38532956 PMCID: PMC10962723 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Accurate estimation of diarrhea incidence from facility-based surveillance requires estimating the population at risk and accounting for case patients who do not seek care. The Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) Shigella surveillance study will characterize population denominators and healthcare-seeking behavior proportions to calculate incidence rates of Shigella diarrhea in children aged 6-35 months across 7 sites in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Methods The Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) Shigella surveillance study will use a hybrid surveillance design, supplementing facility-based surveillance with population-based surveys to estimate population size and the proportion of children with diarrhea brought for care at EFGH health facilities. Continuous data collection over a 24 month period captures seasonality and ensures representative sampling of the population at risk during the period of facility-based enrollments. Study catchment areas are broken into randomized clusters, each sized to be feasibly enumerated by individual field teams. Conclusions The methods presented herein aim to minimize the challenges associated with hybrid surveillance, such as poor parity between survey area coverage and facility coverage, population fluctuations, seasonal variability, and adjustments to care-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Dodd
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Alex O Awuor
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Global Health Research (KEMRI-CGHR), Kisumu, Kenya
| | | | - Farhana Khanam
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Donnie Mategula
- Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
- Department of Health Systems and Policy, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, School of Global Public Health, Blantyre, Malawi
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Uma Onwuchekwa
- Centre Pour le Développement des Vaccins du Mali (CVD-Mali), Bamako, Mali
| | - Golam Sarwar
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | | | - Naveed Ahmed
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hannah E Atlas
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Md Amirul Islam Bhuiyan
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Josh M Colston
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Bakary Conteh
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Manan Diawara
- Centre Pour le Développement des Vaccins du Mali (CVD-Mali), Bamako, Mali
| | - Nasrin Dilruba
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sarah Elwood
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Irum Fatima
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Erika Feutz
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sean R Galagan
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shahinur Haque
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Taufiqul Islam
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mehrab Karim
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Belali Keita
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Margaret N Kosek
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Karen L Kotloff
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Clement Lefu
- Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Mamadou Mballow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Maureen Ndalama
- Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Latif Ndeketa
- Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
- Department of Health Systems and Policy, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, School of Global Public Health, Blantyre, Malawi
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Billy Ogwel
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Global Health Research (KEMRI-CGHR), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Caleb Okonji
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Global Health Research (KEMRI-CGHR), Kisumu, Kenya
| | | | - Patricia B Pavlinac
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - James A Platts-Mills
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Firdausi Qadri
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sonia Qureshi
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Shazia Sultana
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Nigel A Cunliffe
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - M Jahangir Hossain
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Richard Omore
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Global Health Research (KEMRI-CGHR), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Farah Naz Qamar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Milagritos D Tapia
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Pablo Peñataro Yori
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - K Zaman
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Christine J McGrath
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Pastor Y, Calvo A, Salvador-Erro J, Gamazo C. Refining Immunogenicity through Intradermal Delivery of Outer Membrane Vesicles against Shigella flexneri in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16910. [PMID: 38069232 PMCID: PMC10706920 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigellosis remains a global health concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Despite improvements in sanitation, the absence of a licensed vaccine for human use has prompted global health organizations to support the development of a safe and effective multivalent vaccine that is cost-effective and accessible for limited-resource regions. Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) have emerged in recent years as an alternative to live attenuated or whole-inactivated vaccines due to their immunogenicity and self-adjuvating properties. Previous works have demonstrated the safety and protective capacity of OMVs against Shigella flexneri infection in mouse models when administered through mucosal or intradermal routes. However, some immunological properties, such as the cellular response or cross-protection among different Shigella strains, remained unexplored. In this study, we demonstrate that intradermal immunization of OMVs with needle-free devices recruits a high number of immune cells in the dermis, leading to a robust cellular response marked by antigen-specific cytokine release and activation of effector CD4 T cells. Additionally, functional antibodies are generated, neutralizing various Shigella serotypes, suggesting cross-protective capacity. These findings highlight the potential of OMVs as a promising vaccine platform against shigellosis and support intradermal administration as a simple and painless vaccination strategy to address this health challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Carlos Gamazo
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Navarra Medical Research Institute (IdiSNA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (Y.P.); (A.C.); (J.S.-E.)
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7
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Di Benedetto R, Mancini F, Caradonna V, Aruta MG, Giannelli C, Rossi O, Micoli F. Comparison of Shigella GMMA and glycoconjugate four-component formulations in animals. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1284515. [PMID: 38046812 PMCID: PMC10690372 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1284515] [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: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigellosis is leading bacterial cause of diarrhea with high prevalence in children younger than 5 years in low- and middle-income countries, and increasing number of reports of Shigella cases associated to anti-microbial resistance. No vaccines against Shigella are still licensed, but different candidates based on the O-antigen portion of lipopolysaccharides are in clinic. Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA) have been proposed as an alternative delivery system for the O-antigen, and a 4-component vaccine candidate (altSonflex1-2-3), containing GMMA from S. sonnei and S. flexneri 1b, 2a and 3a is being tested in a phase 1/2 clinical trial, with the aim to elicit broad protection against the most prevalent Shigella serotypes. Here, the 4-component GMMA vaccine candidate has been compared to a more traditional glycoconjugate formulation for the ability to induce functional antibodies in mice and rabbits. In mice, in the absence of Alhydrogel, GMMA induce higher IgG antibodies than glycoconjugates and stronger bactericidal titers against all Shigella serotypes. In the presence of Alhydrogel, GMMA induce O-antigen specific IgG levels similar to traditional glycoconjugates, but with a broader range of IgG subclasses, resulting in stronger bactericidal activity. In rabbits, GMMA elicit higher functional antibodies than glycoconjugates against S. sonnei, and similar responses to S. flexneri 1b, 2a and 3a, independently from the presence of Alhydrogel. Different O-antigen based vaccines against Shigella are now in clinical stage and it will be of particular interest to understand how the preclinical findings in the different animal models translate in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Di Benedetto
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Carlo Giannelli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Omar Rossi
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
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