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Gardner CL, Erwin-Cohen RA, Lewis BS, Bakken RR, Honnold SP, Glass PJ, Burke CW. Syrian Hamsters Model Does Not Reflect Human-like Disease after Aerosol Exposure to Encephalitic Alphaviruses. Methods Protoc 2024; 7:42. [PMID: 38804336 PMCID: PMC11130913 DOI: 10.3390/mps7030042] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Venezuelan (VEE), eastern (EEE), and western (WEE) equine encephalitis viruses are encephalitic New World alphaviruses that cause periodic epizootic and epidemic outbreaks in horses and humans that may cause severe morbidity and mortality. Currently there are no FDA-licensed vaccines or effective antiviral therapies. Each year, there are a limited number of human cases of encephalitic alphaviruses; thus, licensure of a vaccine or therapeutic would require approval under the FDA animal rule. Approval under the FDA animal rule requires the disease observed in the animal model to recapitulate what is observed in humans. Currently, initial testing of vaccines and therapeutics is performed in the mouse model. Unfortunately, alphavirus disease manifestations in a mouse do not faithfully recapitulate human disease; the VEEV mouse model is lethal whereas in humans VEEV is rarely lethal. In an effort to identify a more appropriate small animal model, we evaluated hamsters in an aerosol exposure model of encephalitic alphavirus infection. The pathology, lethality, and viremia observed in the infected hamsters was inconsistent with what is observed in NHP models and humans. These data suggest that hamsters are not an appropriate model for encephalitic alphaviruses to test vaccines or potential antiviral therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina L. Gardner
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (C.L.G.); (R.A.E.-C.); (R.R.B.); (P.J.G.)
| | - Rebecca A. Erwin-Cohen
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (C.L.G.); (R.A.E.-C.); (R.R.B.); (P.J.G.)
| | - Bridget S. Lewis
- Pathology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (B.S.L.); (S.P.H.)
| | - Russell R. Bakken
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (C.L.G.); (R.A.E.-C.); (R.R.B.); (P.J.G.)
| | - Shelley P. Honnold
- Pathology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (B.S.L.); (S.P.H.)
| | - Pamela J. Glass
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (C.L.G.); (R.A.E.-C.); (R.R.B.); (P.J.G.)
- Risk Management Office, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Crystal W. Burke
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (C.L.G.); (R.A.E.-C.); (R.R.B.); (P.J.G.)
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Burke CW, Gardner CL, Goodson AI, Piper AE, Erwin-Cohen RA, White CE, Glass PJ. Defining the Cynomolgus Macaque ( Macaca fascicularis) Animal Model for Aerosolized Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis: Importance of Challenge Dose and Viral Subtype. Viruses 2023; 15:2351. [PMID: 38140592 PMCID: PMC10748030 DOI: 10.3390/v15122351] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) outbreaks occur sporadically. Additionally, VEEV has a history of development as a biothreat agent. Yet, no FDA-approved vaccine or therapeutic exists for VEEV disease. The sporadic outbreaks present a challenge for testing medical countermeasures (MCMs) in humans; therefore, well-defined animal models are needed for FDA Animal Rule licensure. The cynomolgus macaque (CM) model has been studied extensively at high challenge doses of the VEEV Trinidad donkey strain (>1.0 × 108 plaque-forming units [PFU]), doses that are too high to be a representative human dose. Based on viremia of two subtypes of VEEV, IC, and IAB, we found the CM infectious dose fifty (ID50) to be low, 12 PFU, and 6.7 PFU, respectively. Additionally, we characterized the pattern of three clinical parameters (viremia, temperature, and lymphopenia) across a range of doses to identify a challenge dose producing consistent signs of infection. Based on these studies, we propose a shift to using a lower challenge dose of 1.0 × 103 PFU in the aerosol CM model of VEEV disease. At this dose, NHPs had the highest viremia, demonstrated a fever response, and had a measurable reduction in complete lymphocyte counts-biomarkers that can demonstrate MCM efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal W. Burke
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Christina L. Gardner
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Aimee I. Goodson
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Ashley E. Piper
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Rebecca A. Erwin-Cohen
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
| | - Charles E. White
- Statistics Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Pamela J. Glass
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA (A.I.G.)
- Risk Management Office, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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Sutton MS, Pletnev S, Callahan V, Ko S, Tsybovsky Y, Bylund T, Casner RG, Cerutti G, Gardner CL, Guirguis V, Verardi R, Zhang B, Ambrozak D, Beddall M, Lei H, Yang ES, Liu T, Henry AR, Rawi R, Schön A, Schramm CA, Shen CH, Shi W, Stephens T, Yang Y, Florez MB, Ledgerwood JE, Burke CW, Shapiro L, Fox JM, Kwong PD, Roederer M. Vaccine elicitation and structural basis for antibody protection against alphaviruses. Cell 2023; 186:2672-2689.e25. [PMID: 37295404 PMCID: PMC10411218 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.05.019] [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: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Alphaviruses are RNA viruses that represent emerging public health threats. To identify protective antibodies, we immunized macaques with a mixture of western, eastern, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus-like particles (VLPs), a regimen that protects against aerosol challenge with all three viruses. Single- and triple-virus-specific antibodies were isolated, and we identified 21 unique binding groups. Cryo-EM structures revealed that broad VLP binding inversely correlated with sequence and conformational variability. One triple-specific antibody, SKT05, bound proximal to the fusion peptide and neutralized all three Env-pseudotyped encephalitic alphaviruses by using different symmetry elements for recognition across VLPs. Neutralization in other assays (e.g., chimeric Sindbis virus) yielded variable results. SKT05 bound backbone atoms of sequence-diverse residues, enabling broad recognition despite sequence variability; accordingly, SKT05 protected mice against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, chikungunya virus, and Ross River virus challenges. Thus, a single vaccine-elicited antibody can protect in vivo against a broad range of alphaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Sutton
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sergei Pletnev
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Victoria Callahan
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sungyoul Ko
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yaroslav Tsybovsky
- Vaccine Research Center Electron Microscopy Unit, Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Tatsiana Bylund
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ryan G Casner
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Gabriele Cerutti
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christina L Gardner
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Veronica Guirguis
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Raffaello Verardi
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Baoshan Zhang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - David Ambrozak
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Margaret Beddall
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hong Lei
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Eun Sung Yang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tracy Liu
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Amy R Henry
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Reda Rawi
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Arne Schön
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Chaim A Schramm
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Chen-Hsiang Shen
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Wei Shi
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tyler Stephens
- Vaccine Research Center Electron Microscopy Unit, Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Yongping Yang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Maria Burgos Florez
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Julie E Ledgerwood
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Crystal W Burke
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Lawrence Shapiro
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA; Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Julie M Fox
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Peter D Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Mario Roederer
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Wang H, Liu S, Lv Y, Wei W. Codon usage bias of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus and its host adaption. Virus Res 2023; 328:199081. [PMID: 36854361 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an emerging zoonotic virus in the alphavirus genus. It can be transmitted to humans due to spillover from equid-mosquito cycles. The symptoms caused by VEEV include fever, headache, myalgia, nausea, and vomiting. It can also cause encephalitis in severe cases. The evolutionary features of VEEV are largely unknown. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the codon usage pattern of VEEV by computing a variety of indicators, such as effective number of codons (ENc), codon adaptation index (CAI), relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU), on 130 VEEV coding sequences retrieved from GenBank. The results showed that the codon usage bias of VEEV is relatively low. ENc-GC3s plot, neutrality plot, and CAI-ENc correlation analyses supported that translational selection plays an important role in shaping the codon usage pattern of VEEV whereas the mutation pressure has a minor influence. Analysis of RSCU values showed that most of the preferred codons in VEEV are C/G-ended. Analysis of dinucleotide composition found that all CG- and UA-containing codons are not preferentially used. Phylogenetic analysis showed that VEEV isolates can be clustered into three genera and evolutionary force affects the codon usage pattern. Furthermore, a correspondence analysis (COA) showed that aromaticity and hydrophobicity as well as geographical distribution also have certain effects on the codon usage variation of VEEV, suggesting the possible involvement of translational selection. Overall, the codon usage of VEEV is comparatively slight and translational selection might be the main factor that shapes the codon usage pattern of VEEV. This study will promote our understanding about the evolution of VEEV and its host adaption, and might provide some clues for preventing the cross-species transmission of VEEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongju Wang
- Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Infection and Biological Safety, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Shijie Liu
- School of Clinical Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Yao Lv
- School of Clinical Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Wenqiang Wei
- Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Infection and Biological Safety, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
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Ayers VB, Huang YJS, Dunlop JI, Kohl A, Brennan B, Higgs S, Vanlandingham DL. Replication Kinetics of a Candidate Live-Attenuated Vaccine for Cache Valley Virus in Aedes albopictus. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:553-558. [PMID: 36354965 PMCID: PMC9700352 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2022.0053] [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] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The emergence or re-emergence of several orthobunyaviruses (order: Bunyavirales; family: Peribunyaviridae), including Cache Valley virus (CVV) and Oropouche virus, warrants the development and evaluation of candidate live-attenuated vaccines (LAVs). Ideally, these vaccines would elicit long-lasting immunity with one single immunization. Materials and Methods: Since the deletion of two virulence factors, NSs and NSm, has been shown to attenuate the virulence phenotype of orthobunyaviruses, phleboviruses, and nairoviruses, genetic manipulation of the viral genome is considered an effective strategy for the rational design of candidate LAVs for bunyaviruses across multiple families. In addition, the deletion of Rift Valley fever virus NSs and NSm genes has been shown to reduce transmission by mosquitoes. Results: In this study, the ability of a CVV mutant lacking the NSs and NSm genes (2delCVV) to replicate in intrathoracically injected Aedes albopictus was compared with the parental wild-type CVV (wtCVV) 6V633 strain. In contrast to the robust replication of wtCVV in injected mosquitoes, the multiplication kinetics of the 2delCVV mutant was reduced by more than a 100-fold. Conclusion: These results suggest that the deletion of NSm and NSs genes is a feasible approach to rationally design candidate orthobunyavirus LAVs that are highly attenuated in mosquitoes and, therefore, pose little risk of reversion to virulence and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria B. Ayers
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Yan-Jang S. Huang
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - James I. Dunlop
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Alain Kohl
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Brennan
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Higgs
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Dana L. Vanlandingham
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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Torres-Ruesta A, Chee RSL, Ng LF. Insights into Antibody-Mediated Alphavirus Immunity and Vaccine Development Landscape. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9050899. [PMID: 33922370 PMCID: PMC8145166 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9050899] [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: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses are mosquito-borne pathogens distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate areas causing a wide range of symptoms ranging from inflammatory arthritis-like manifestations to the induction of encephalitis in humans. Historically, large outbreaks in susceptible populations have been recorded followed by the development of protective long-lasting antibody responses suggesting a potential advantageous role for a vaccine. Although the current understanding of alphavirus antibody-mediated immunity has been mainly gathered in natural and experimental settings of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection, little is known about the humoral responses triggered by other emerging alphaviruses. This knowledge is needed to improve serology-based diagnostic tests and the development of highly effective cross-protective vaccines. Here, we review the role of antibody-mediated immunity upon arthritogenic and neurotropic alphavirus infections, and the current research efforts for the development of vaccines as a tool to control future alphavirus outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Torres-Ruesta
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore; (A.T.-R.); (R.S.-L.C.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596, Singapore
| | - Rhonda Sin-Ling Chee
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore; (A.T.-R.); (R.S.-L.C.)
| | - Lisa F.P. Ng
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore; (A.T.-R.); (R.S.-L.C.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596, Singapore
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +65-6407-0028
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Read CM, Plante K, Rafael G, Rossi SL, Braun W, Weaver SC, Schein CH. Designing multivalent immunogens for alphavirus vaccine optimization. Virology 2021; 561:117-124. [PMID: 33823988 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There is a pressing need for vaccines against mosquito-borne alphaviruses such as Venezualen and eastern equine encephalitis viruses (VEEV, EEEV). We demonstrate an approach to vaccine development based on physicochemical properties (PCP) of amino acids to design a PCP-consensus sequence of the epitope-rich B domain of the VEEV major antigenic E2 protein. The consensus "spike" domain was incorporated into a live-attenuated VEEV vaccine candidate (ZPC/IRESv1). Mice inoculated with either ZPC/IRESv1 or the same virus containing the consensus E2 protein fragment (VEEVconE2) were protected against lethal challenge with VEEV strains ZPC-738 and 3908, and Mucambo virus (MUCV, related to VEEV), and had comparable neutralizing antibody titers against each virus. Both vaccines induced partial protection against Madariaga virus (MADV), a close relative of EEEV, lowering mortality from 60% to 20%. Thus PCP-consensus sequences can be integrated into a replicating virus that could, with further optimization, provide a broad-spectrum vaccine against encephalitic alphaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Read
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Kenneth Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII), University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Grace Rafael
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Shannan L Rossi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII), University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Werner Braun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Scott C Weaver
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII), University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Catherine H Schein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII), University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
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