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Qi H, Sun Z, Gao T, Yao Y, Wang Y, Li W, Wang X, Wang X, Liu D, Jiang JD. Genetic fusion of CCL11 to antigens enhances antigenicity in nucleic acid vaccines and eradicates tumor mass through optimizing T-cell response. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:46. [PMID: 38459592 PMCID: PMC10921619 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-01958-4] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid vaccines have shown promising potency and efficacy for cancer treatment with robust and specific T-cell responses. Improving the immunogenicity of delivered antigens helps to extend therapeutic efficacy and reduce dose-dependent toxicity. Here, we systematically evaluated chemokine-fused HPV16 E6/E7 antigen to improve the cellular and humoral immune responses induced by nucleotide vaccines in vivo. We found that fusion with different chemokines shifted the nature of the immune response against the antigens. Although a number of chemokines were able to amplify specific CD8 + T-cell or humoral response alone or simultaneously. CCL11 was identified as the most potent chemokine in improving immunogenicity, promoting specific CD8 + T-cell stemness and generating tumor rejection. Fusing CCL11 with E6/E7 antigen as a therapeutic DNA vaccine significantly improved treatment effectiveness and caused eradication of established large tumors in 92% tumor-bearing mice (n = 25). Fusion antigens with CCL11 expanded the TCR diversity of specific T cells and induced the infiltration of activated specific T cells, neutrophils, macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) into the tumor, which created a comprehensive immune microenvironment lethal to tumor. Combination of the DNA vaccine with anti-CTLA4 treatment further enhanced the therapeutic effect. In addition, CCL11 could also be used for mRNA vaccine design. To summarize, CCL11 might be a potent T cell enhancer against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Qi
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
- Newish Biological R&D Center, Wuxi, China.
| | - Zhongjie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- Newish Biological R&D Center, Wuxi, China
| | - Tianle Gao
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | | | - Yu Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Newish Biological R&D Center, Wuxi, China
| | - Weiwei Li
- Newish Biological R&D Center, Wuxi, China
| | | | | | - Defang Liu
- Newish Biological R&D Center, Wuxi, China
| | - Jian-Dong Jiang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
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2
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Yan J, Bangalore CR, Nikouyan N, Appelberg S, Silva DN, Yao H, Pasetto A, Weber F, Weber S, Larsson O, Höglund U, Bogdanovic G, Grabbe M, Aleman S, Szekely L, Szakos A, Tuvesson O, Gidlund EK, Cadossi M, Salati S, Tegel H, Hober S, Frelin L, Mirazimi A, Ahlén G, Sällberg M. Distinct roles of vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies and T cells in protection and disease. Mol Ther 2024; 32:540-555. [PMID: 38213030 PMCID: PMC10862018 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.01.007] [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: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) lack cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV species and variants and fail to mediate long-term protection against infection. The maintained protection against severe disease and death by vaccination suggests a role for cross-reactive T cells. We generated vaccines containing sequences from the spike or receptor binding domain, the membrane and/or nucleoprotein that induced only T cells, or T cells and NAbs, to understand their individual roles. In three models with homologous or heterologous challenge, high levels of vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 NAbs protected against neither infection nor mild histological disease but conferred rapid viral control limiting the histological damage. With no or low levels of NAbs, vaccine-primed T cells, in mice mainly CD8+ T cells, partially controlled viral replication and promoted NAb recall responses. T cells failed to protect against histological damage, presumably because of viral spread and subsequent T cell-mediated killing. Neither vaccine- nor infection-induced NAbs seem to provide long-lasting protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Thus, a more realistic approach for universal SARS-CoV-2 vaccines should be to aim for broadly cross-reactive NAbs in combination with long-lasting highly cross-reactive T cells. Long-lived cross-reactive T cells are likely key to prevent severe disease and fatalities during current and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Negin Nikouyan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Daniela Nacimento Silva
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Haidong Yao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Pasetto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Friedemann Weber
- Institute for Virology, FB10-Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Gordana Bogdanovic
- Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malin Grabbe
- Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Soo Aleman
- Infectious Disease Clinic, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laszlo Szekely
- Department of Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Attila Szakos
- Department of Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | - Hanna Tegel
- Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophia Hober
- Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ali Mirazimi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Public Health Agency of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Ahlén
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matti Sällberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska ATMP Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
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3
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Kranjc M, Polajžer T, Novickij V, Miklavčič D. Determination of the Impact of High-Intensity Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on the Release of Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14607. [PMID: 37834054 PMCID: PMC10572873 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914607] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
High-Intensity Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (HI-PEMF) treatment is an emerging noninvasive and contactless alternative to conventional electroporation, since the electric field inside the tissue is induced remotely by an externally applied pulsed magnetic field. Recently, HI-PEMF has been successfully used in the transfer of plasmid DNA and siRNA in vivo, with no or minimal infiltration of immune cells. In addition to gene electrotransfer, treatment with HI-PEMF has also shown potential for electrochemotherapy, where activation of the immune response contributes to the treatment outcome. The immune response can be triggered by immunogenic cell death that is characterized by the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) from damaged or/and dying cells. In this study, the release of the best-known DAMP molecules, i.e., adenosine triphosphate (ATP), calreticulin and high mobility group box 1 protein (HMBG1), after HI-PEMF treatment was investigated in vitro on three different cell lines of different tissue origin and compared with conventional electroporation treatment parameters. We have shown that HI-PEMF by itself does not cause the release of HMGB1 or calreticulin, whereas the release of ATP was detected immediately after HI-PEMF treatment. Our results indicate that HI-PEMF treatment causes no to minimal release of DAMP molecules, which results in minimal/limited activation of the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matej Kranjc
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Trzaska cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.K.); (T.P.)
| | - Tamara Polajžer
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Trzaska cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.K.); (T.P.)
| | - Vitalij Novickij
- Institute of High Magnetic Fields, Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Plytinės g. 27, 10105 Vilnius, Lithuania;
- Department of Immunology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Santariskiu g. 5, 08410 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Damijan Miklavčič
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Trzaska cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.K.); (T.P.)
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4
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Arshad MS, Gulfam S, Zafar S, Jalil NA, Ahmad N, Qutachi O, Chang MW, Singh N, Ahmad Z. Engineering of tetanus toxoid-loaded polymeric microneedle patches. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2023; 13:852-861. [PMID: 36253518 PMCID: PMC9576317 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-022-01249-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
This study is aimed to fabricate tetanus toxoid laden microneedle patches by using a polymeric blend comprising of polyvinyl pyrrolidone and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as base materials and sorbitol as a plasticizer. The tetanus toxoid was mixed with polymeric blend and patches were prepared by using vacuum micromolding technique. Microneedle patches were evaluated for physical attributes such as uniformity of thickness, folding endurance, and swelling profile. Morphological features were assessed by optical and scanning electron microscopy. In vitro performance of fabricated patches was studied by using bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA). Insertion ability of microstructures was studied in vitro on model skin parafilm and in vivo in albino rat. In vivo immunogenic activity of the formulation was assessed by recording immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) levels, and T-cell (CD4+ and CD8+) count following the application of dosage forms. Prepared patches, displaying sharp-tipped and smooth-surfaced microstructures, remained intact after 350 ± 36 foldings. Optimized microneedle patch formulation showed ~ 74% swelling and ~ 85.6% vaccine release within an hour. The microneedles successfully pierced parafilm. Histological examination of microneedle-treated rat skin confirmed disruption of epidermis without damaging the underneath vasculature. A significant increase in IgG levels (~ 21%), IFN-γ levels (~ 30%), CD4+ (~ 41.5%), and CD8+ (~ 48.5%) cell count was observed in tetanus vaccine-loaded microneedle patches treated albino rats with respect to control (untreated) group at 42nd day of immunization. In conclusion, tetanus toxoid-loaded microneedle patches can be considered as an efficient choice for transdermal delivery of vaccine without inducing pain commonly experienced with hypodermic needles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shafaq Gulfam
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Saman Zafar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | | | - Nadia Ahmad
- Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
| | - Omar Qutachi
- Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
| | - Ming-Wei Chang
- Nanotechnology and Integrated Bioengineering Centre, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Neenu Singh
- Leicester School of Allied Health Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
| | - Zeeshan Ahmad
- Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
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5
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Cheng L, Tang X, He Y, Ju B, Wang H. A Δ42PD1 fusion-expressing DNA vaccine elicits enhanced adaptive immune response to HIV-1: the key role of TLR4. Virol J 2022; 19:174. [PMID: 36320043 PMCID: PMC9628179 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-022-01909-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its discovery in the 1990s, the DNA vaccine has been of great interest because of its ability to elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses while showing relative advantages regarding producibility, stability and storage. However, when applied to human subjects, inadequate immunogenicity remains as the greatest challenge for the practical use of DNA vaccines. In this study, we generated a DNA vaccine Δ42PD1-P24 encoding a fusion protein comprised of the HIV-1 Gag p24 antigen and the extracellular domain of murine Δ42PD1, a novel endogenous Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) agonist. Using a mouse model, we found that Δ42PD1-P24 DNA vaccine elicited a higher antibody response and an increased number of IFN-γ-producing CD4 and CD8 T cells. Moreover, mice with Δ42PD1-P24 DNA vaccination were protected from a subcutaneous challenge with murine mesothelioma cells expressing the HIV-1 p24 antigen. Importantly, the Δ42PD1-mediated enhancement of immune responses was not observed in TLR4 knockout mice. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the immunogenicity and efficacy of DNA vaccines could be improved by the fusion of the extracellular domain of Δ42PD1 to target the immunogen to dendritic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cheng
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518112, Guangdong Province, China. .,The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518112, Guangdong Province, China.
| | - Xian Tang
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518112, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yun He
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518112, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bin Ju
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518112, Guangdong Province, China.,The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518112, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518112, Guangdong Province, China. .,The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518112, Guangdong Province, China.
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6
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Burm R, Maravelia P, Ahlen G, Ciesek S, Caro Perez N, Pasetto A, Urban S, Van Houtte F, Verhoye L, Wedemeyer H, Johansson M, Frelin L, Sällberg M, Meuleman P. Novel prime-boost immune-based therapy inhibiting both hepatitis B and D virus infections. Gut 2022; 72:1186-1195. [PMID: 35977815 PMCID: PMC10176361 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-327216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chronic HBV/HDV infections are a major cause of liver cancer. Current treatments can only rarely eliminate HBV and HDV. Our previously developed preS1-HDAg immunotherapy could induce neutralising antibodies to HBV in vivo and raise HBV/HDV-specific T-cells. Here, we further investigate if a heterologous prime-boost strategy can circumvent T-cell tolerance and preclude HDV superinfection in vivo. DESIGN A DNA prime-protein boost strategy was evaluated for immunogenicity in mice and rabbits. Its ability to circumvent T-cell tolerance was assessed in immunocompetent hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-transgenic mice. Neutralisation of HBV and HDV was evaluated both in vitro and in immunodeficient human-liver chimeric mice upon adoptive transfer. RESULTS The prime-boost strategy elicits robust HBV/HDV-specific T-cells and preS1-antibodies that can effectively prevent HBV and HDV (co-)infection in vitro and in vivo. In a mouse model representing the chronic HBsAg carrier state, active immunisation primes high levels of preS1-antibodies and HDAg-specific T-cells. Moreover, transfer of vaccine-induced antibodies completely protects HBV-infected human-liver chimeric mice from HDV superinfection. CONCLUSION The herein described preS1-HDAg immunotherapy is shown to be immunogenic and vaccine-induced antibodies are highly effective at preventing HBV and HDV (super)infection both in vitro and in vivo. Our vaccine can complement current and future therapies for the control of chronic HBV and HDV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rani Burm
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases (LLID), Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Panagiota Maravelia
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Ahlen
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sandra Ciesek
- Institute for Medical Virology, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, External partner site, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Noelia Caro Perez
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Pasetto
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stephan Urban
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Freya Van Houtte
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases (LLID), Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lieven Verhoye
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases (LLID), Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Magnus Johansson
- School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matti Sällberg
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Philip Meuleman
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases (LLID), Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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7
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Shayeghpour A, Kianfar R, Hosseini P, Ajorloo M, Aghajanian S, Hedayat Yaghoobi M, Hashempour T, Mozhgani SH. Hepatitis C virus DNA vaccines: a systematic review. Virol J 2021; 18:248. [PMID: 34903252 PMCID: PMC8667529 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-021-01716-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vaccination against HCV is an effective measure in reduction of virus-related public health burden and mortality. However, no prophylactic vaccine is available as of yet. DNA-based immunization is a promising modality to generate cellular and humoral immune responses. The objective of this study is to provide a systematic review of HCV DNA vaccines and investigate and discuss the strategies employed to optimize their efficacies. METHODS MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and databases in persian language including the Regional Information Centre for Science & Technology (RICeST), the Scientific Information Database and the Iranian Research Institute for Information Science and Technology (IranDoc) were examined to identify studies pertaining to HCV nucleic acid vaccine development from 2000 to 2020. RESULTS Twenty-seven articles were included. Studies related to HCV RNA vaccines were yet to be published. A variety of strategies were identified with the potential to optimize HCV DNA vaccines such as incorporating multiple viral proteins and molecular tags such as HBsAg and Immunoglobulin Fc, multi-epitope expression, co-expression plasmid utilization, recombinant subunit immunogens, heterologous prime-boosting, incorporating NS3 mutants in DNA vaccines, utilization of adjuvants, employment of less explored methods such as Gene Electro Transfer, construction of multi- CTL epitopes, utilizing co/post translational modifications and polycistronic genes, among others. The effectiveness of the aforementioned strategies in boosting immune response and improving vaccine potency was assessed. CONCLUSIONS The recent progress on HCV vaccine development was examined in this systematic review to identify candidates with most promising prophylactic and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Shayeghpour
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Roya Kianfar
- Department of Medical Virology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parastoo Hosseini
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Research Center for Clinical Virology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Ajorloo
- Hepatitis Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Sepehr Aghajanian
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Hedayat Yaghoobi
- Department of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Tayebeh Hashempour
- Shiraz HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sayed-Hamidreza Mozhgani
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
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8
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Maravelia P, Frelin L, Ni Y, Caro Pérez N, Ahlén G, Jagya N, Verch G, Verhoye L, Pater L, Johansson M, Pasetto A, Meuleman P, Urban S, Sällberg M. Blocking Entry of Hepatitis B and D Viruses to Hepatocytes as a Novel Immunotherapy for Treating Chronic Infections. J Infect Dis 2021; 223:128-138. [PMID: 31994701 PMCID: PMC7781452 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic hepatitis B and D virus (HBV/HDV) infections can cause cancer. Current HBV therapy using nucleoside analogues (NAs) is life-long and reduces but does not eliminate the risk of cancer. A hallmark of chronic hepatitis B is a dysfunctional HBV-specific T-cell response. We therefore designed an immunotherapy driven by naive healthy T cells specific for the HDV antigen (HDAg) to bypass the need for HBV-specific T cells in order to prime PreS1-specific T cells and PreS1 antibodies blocking HBV entry. Methods Ten combinations of PreS1 and/or HDAg sequences were evaluated for induction of PreS1 antibodies and HBV- and HDV-specific T cells in vitro and in vivo. Neutralization of HBV by PreS1-specific murine and rabbit antibodies was evaluated in cell culture, and rabbit anti-PreS1 were tested for neutralization of HBV in mice repopulated with human hepatocytes. Results The best vaccine candidate induced T cells to PreS1 and HDAg, and PreS1 antibodies blocking HBV entry in vitro. Importantly, adoptive transfer of PreS1 antibodies prevented, or modulated, HBV infection after a subsequent challenge in humanized mice. Conclusions We here describe a novel immunotherapy for chronic HBV/HDV that targets viral entry to complement NAs and coming therapies inhibiting viral maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Maravelia
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yi Ni
- Department of Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Noelia Caro Pérez
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Ahlén
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Neetu Jagya
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Georg Verch
- Department of Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lieven Verhoye
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Lena Pater
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magnus Johansson
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Anna Pasetto
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Philip Meuleman
- Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Stephan Urban
- Department of Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matti Sällberg
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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9
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Andrianov AK, Fuerst TR. Immunopotentiating and Delivery Systems for HCV Vaccines. Viruses 2021; 13:v13060981. [PMID: 34070543 PMCID: PMC8227888 DOI: 10.3390/v13060981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of preventive vaccines against hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains one of the main strategies in achieving global elimination of the disease. The effort is focused on the quest for vaccines capable of inducing protective cross-neutralizing humoral and cellular immune responses, which in turn dictate the need for rationally designed cross-genotype vaccine antigens and potent immunoadjuvants systems. This review provides an assessment of the current state of knowledge on immunopotentiating compounds and vaccine delivery systems capable of enhancing HCV antigen-specific immune responses, while focusing on the synergy and interplay of two modalities. Structural, physico-chemical, and biophysical features of these systems are discussed in conjunction with the analysis of their in vivo performance. Extreme genetic diversity of HCV-a well-known hurdle in the development of an HCV vaccine, may also present a challenge in a search for an effective immunoadjuvant, as the effort necessitates systematic and comparative screening of rationally designed antigenic constructs. The progress may be accelerated if the preference is given to well-defined molecular immunoadjuvants with greater formulation flexibility and adaptability, including those capable of spontaneous self-assembly behavior, while maintaining their robust immunopotentiating and delivery capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander K. Andrianov
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Thomas R. Fuerst
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850, USA;
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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Grødeland G, Baranowska-Hustad M, Abadejos J, Blane TR, Teijaro J, Nemazee D, Bogen B. Induction of Cross-Reactive and Protective Antibody Responses After DNA Vaccination With MHCII-Targeted Stem Domain From Influenza Hemagglutinin. Front Immunol 2020; 11:431. [PMID: 32269566 PMCID: PMC7112135 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel and more broadly protective vaccines against influenza are needed to efficiently meet antigenic drift and shift. Relevant to this end, the stem domain of hemagglutinin (HA) is highly conserved, and antibodies specific for epitopes located to the stem have been demonstrated to be able to confer broad protection against various influenza subtypes. However, a remaining challenge is to induce antibodies against the poorly immunogenic stem by vaccination strategies that can be scaled up for prophylactic vaccination of the general population. Here, we have developed DNA vaccines where the conserved stem domain of HA from influenza A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) and A/Shanghai/2/2013 (H7N9) was targeted toward MHC class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells (APC) for increased immunogenicity. Each of these vaccines induced antibodies that cross-reacted with other subtypes in the corresponding phylogenetic influenza groups. Importantly, when mixing the MHCII-targeted stem domains from H1N1 and H7N9 influenza viruses into one vaccine bolus, we observed broad protection against candidate stains from both phylogenetic groups 1 and 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnveig Grødeland
- K.G. Jebsen Centre for Influenza Vaccine Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marta Baranowska-Hustad
- K.G. Jebsen Centre for Influenza Vaccine Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Justin Abadejos
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Tanya R Blane
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - John Teijaro
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - David Nemazee
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Bjarne Bogen
- K.G. Jebsen Centre for Influenza Vaccine Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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11
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Savelyeva N, Allen A, Chotprakaikiat W, Harden E, Jobsri J, Godeseth R, Wang Y, Stevenson F, Ottensmeier C. Linked CD4 T Cell Help: Broadening Immune Attack Against Cancer by Vaccination. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2019; 405:123-143. [PMID: 27704269 DOI: 10.1007/82_2016_500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies targeting immunological check points has become a breakthrough therapeutic modality for solid cancers. However, only up to 50 % of patients benefit from this powerful approach. For others vaccination might provide a plausible addition or alternative. For induction of effective anticancer immunity CD4+ T cell help is required, which is often difficult to induce to self cancer targets because of tolerogenic mechanisms. Our approach for cancer vaccines has been to incorporate into the vaccine design sequences able to activate foreign T cell help, through genetically linking cancer targets to microbial sequences (King et al. in Nat Med 4(11):1281-1286, 1998; Savelyeva et al. in Nat Biotechnol 19(8):760-764, 2001). This harnesses the non-tolerized CD4 T cell repertoire available in patients to help induction of effective immunity against fused cancer antigens. Multiple immune effector mechanisms including antibody, CD8+ T cells as well as CD4 effector T cells can be activated using this strategy. Delivery via DNA vaccines has already indicated clinical efficacy. The same principle of linked T cell help has now been transferred to other novel vaccine modalities to further potentiate immunity against cancer targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Savelyeva
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
| | - Alex Allen
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Warayut Chotprakaikiat
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Oral Biology Department, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Elena Harden
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Jantipa Jobsri
- Oral Biology Department, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Rosemary Godeseth
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Yidao Wang
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Freda Stevenson
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Christian Ottensmeier
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
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12
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Thalmensi J, Pliquet E, Liard C, Chamel G, Kreuz C, Bestetti T, Escande M, Kostrzak A, Pailhes-Jimenez AS, Bourges E, Julithe M, Bourre L, Keravel O, Clayette P, Huet T, Wain-Hobson S, Langlade-Demoyen P. A DNA telomerase vaccine for canine cancer immunotherapy. Oncotarget 2019; 10:3361-3372. [PMID: 31164958 PMCID: PMC6534364 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is highly expressed in more than 90% of canine cancer cells and low to absent in normal cells. Given that immune tolerance to telomerase is easily broken both naturally and experimentally, telomerase is an attractive tumor associated antigen for cancer immunotherapy. Indeed, therapeutic trials using human telomerase peptides have been performed. We have developed an immunogenic yet catalytically inactive human telomerase DNA construct that is in clinical trials with patients presenting solid tumors. Paralleling this human construct, we have developed a canine telomerase DNA vaccine, called pDUV5. When administered intradermally to mice combined with electrogene transfer, pDUV5 induced canine TERT specific cytotoxic T-cells as measured by IFN-γ ELISpot assay. Intradermal vaccination of healthy dogs with 400 μg of pDUV5 generated strong, broad and long lasting TERT specific cellular immune responses. In vitro immunization with cTERT peptides revealed the maintenance of cTERT specific T-cells in PBMCs from tumor bearing dogs showing that this repertoire was not depleted. This study highlights the potential of pDUV5 as a cancer vaccine and supports its evaluation for the treatment of spontaneous canine tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Christine Kreuz
- ImmunoPharmacology and Biosafety Lab, Bertin Pharma/CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses 92265, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Pascal Clayette
- ImmunoPharmacology and Biosafety Lab, Bertin Pharma/CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses 92265, France
| | | | - Simon Wain-Hobson
- Invectys, Paris BioPark, Paris 75013, France.,Molecular Retrovirology Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS-URA 3015, Paris 75015, France
| | - Pierre Langlade-Demoyen
- Invectys, Paris BioPark, Paris 75013, France.,Molecular Retrovirology Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS-URA 3015, Paris 75015, France
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13
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Sun X, Zeng L, Huang Y. Transcutaneous delivery of DNA/mRNA for cancer therapeutic vaccination. J Gene Med 2019; 21:e3089. [PMID: 30958606 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic vaccination is a promising strategy for the immunotherapy of cancers. It eradicates cancer cells by evoking and strengthening the patient's own immune system. Because of the easy access and sophisticated immune networks, the skin becomes an ideal target organ for vaccination. Genetic vaccines have been widely investigated, with the advantages of the delivery of multiple antigens and a lower cost for production compared to protein/peptide vaccines. This review summarizes the advances made with respect to the transcutaneous delivery of DNA/mRNA for cancer therapeutic vaccination and also gives a brief description of the immunological milieu of the skin and the importance of dendritic cell-targeting in vaccine delivery, as well as the technologies that aim to facilitate antigen delivery and modulate antigen-presenting cells, thus improving cellular responses. The applications of genetic vaccines encoding tumor antigens delivered through the skin route, both in preclinical and clinical trials, are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Sun
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Linghui Zeng
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongzhuo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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14
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Levander S, Holmström F, Frelin L, Ahlén G, Rupp D, Long G, Bartenschlager R, Sällberg M. Immune-mediated effects targeting hepatitis C virus in a syngeneic replicon cell transplantation mouse model. Gut 2018; 67. [PMID: 28646094 PMCID: PMC6204962 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2016-313579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE HCV is characterised by its ability to establish chronic infection in hepatocytes and to replicate in the presence of an inflammation. We mimicked this situation in vivo in immune-competent mice by syngeneic transplantation of HCV replicon-containing mouse hepatoma cells. DESIGN A total of 5 million H-2b positive Hep56.1D cells, carrying a subgenomic genotype (gt) 2a replicon (HCV replicon cells) or stably expressing comparable levels of the HCV NS3/4A protease/helicase complex (NS3/4A hepatoma cells), were injected subcutaneously into syngeneic H-2b-restricted mice. Kinetics of tumour growth, HCV RNA replication levels and HCV-specific immune responses were monitored. For immune monitoring, new H-2b-restricted cytotoxic T cell epitopes within the gt2a NS3/4A region were mapped. Immune mice were generated by DNA-based vaccination. RESULTS HCV replicon and NS3/4A hepatoma cells generated solid tumours in vivo. Similar to what is seen in human HCV infection did HCV RNA replicate in the presence of inflammation. NS3/4A-specific CD8+ T cells seemed to transiently reduce HCV RNA levels. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were required for protection against tumour growth. Vaccine-induced NS3/4A(gt2a)-specific T cells protected against HCV replicon tumours in wild-type, but not in HCV NS3/4A(gt1a)-transgenic mice with dysfunctional HCV-specific T cells. Importantly, as in human HCV infection, HCV replicon cells neither primed nor boosted a strong NS3/4A-specific T cell response. CONCLUSION Syngeneic transplantation of mouse HCV replicon cells into immune-competent animals mirrors many in vivo events in humans. This system is versatile and can be applied to any genetically modified H-2b-restricted mouse strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Levander
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Solna, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Holmström
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Solna, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Solna, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Ahlén
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Solna, Sweden
| | - Daniel Rupp
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany,Division of Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gang Long
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany,Unit of Virus Assembly and Host, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) - Heidelberg Partner Site, Heidelberg, Germany,Division of Virus-AssociatedCarcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, germany
| | - Matti Sällberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden,Karolinska University Laboratory, Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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Qiu J, Peng S, Yang A, Ma Y, Han L, Cheng MA, Farmer E, Hung CF, Wu TC. Intramuscular vaccination targeting mucosal tumor draining lymph node enhances integrins-mediated CD8+ T cell infiltration to control mucosal tumor growth. Oncoimmunology 2018; 7:e1463946. [PMID: 30221059 PMCID: PMC6136882 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1463946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Mucosal immunization is suggested to be crucial for controlling tumors in the mucosal region; however, therapeutic DNA vaccination with electroporation in various mucosal sites has yet to become clinically adaptable. Since tumor-draining lymph nodes (tdLNs) have been suggested as immune-educated sites that can be utilized to mount a potent antitumor immune response, we examined whether intramuscular DNA vaccination with electroporation at sites that target the mucosal tdLNs could elicit mucosal immune response to restrict tumor growth. Experimental Design: The efficacy and mechanism of intramuscular administration of a therapeutic DNA vaccine with electroporation at different sites was examined by lymphocyte analysis, tumor growth, mouse survival, as well as integrin expression, in mice bearing orthotopic HPV16 E6/E7+ syngeneic TC-1 tumors in various mucosal areas. Results: While provoking comparable systemic CD8+ T cell responses, intramuscular hind leg vaccination generated stronger responses in cervicovaginal-draining LNs to control cervicovaginal tumors, whereas intramuscular front leg vaccination generated stronger responses in oral-draining LNs to control buccal tumors. Surgical removal of tdLNs abolished the antitumor effects of therapeutic vaccination. Mucosal-tdLN-targeted intramuscular vaccination induced the expression of mucosal-homing integrins LPAM-1 and CD49a by tumor-specific CD8+ T cells in the tdLNs. Inhibition of these integrins abolished the therapeutic effects of vaccination and the infiltration of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells into mucosal tumors. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that tumor draining lymph nodes targeted intramuscular immunization can effectively control mucosal tumors, which represents a readily adaptable strategy for treating mucosal cancers in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Qiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shiwen Peng
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Andrew Yang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ying Ma
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Liping Han
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Max A. Cheng
- Department of Pathology; Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Emily Farmer
- Department of Pathology; Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Chien-Fu Hung
- Department of Pathology and Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - T.-C. Wu
- Departments of Pathology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, UnitedStates
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16
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In vivo electroporation enhances vaccine-mediated therapeutic control of human papilloma virus-associated tumors by the activation of multifunctional and effector memory CD8 + T cells. Vaccine 2017; 35:7240-7249. [PMID: 29174677 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In vivo electroporation (EP) has reignited the clinical interest on DNA vaccines as immunotherapeutic approaches to control different types of cancer. EP has been associated with increased immune response potency, but its capacity in influencing immunomodulation remains unclear. Here we evaluated the impact of in vivo EP on the induction of cellular immune responses and therapeutic effects of a DNA vaccine targeting human papillomavirus-induced tumors. Our results demonstrate that association of EP with the conventional intramuscular administration route promoted a more efficient activation of multifunctional and effector memory CD8+ T cells with enhanced cytotoxic activity. Furthermore, EP increased tumor infiltration of CD8+ T cells and avoided tumor recurrences. Finally, our results demonstrated that EP promotes local migration of antigen presenting cells that enhances with vaccine co-delivery. Altogether the present evidences shed further light on the in vivo electroporation action and its impact on the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines.
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17
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Lee SH, Han BS, Choe J, Sin JI. Preferential production of IgM-secreting hybridomas by immunization with DNA vaccines coding for Ebola virus glycoprotein: use of protein boosting for IgG-secreting hybridoma production. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2017; 6:135-145. [PMID: 28775978 PMCID: PMC5540962 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2017.6.2.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The goal of this study was to investigate the utility of DNA vaccines encoding Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) as a vaccine type for the production of GP-specific hybridomas and antibodies. MATERIALS AND METHODS DNA vaccines were constructed to express Ebola virus GP. Mice were injected with GP DNA vaccines and their splenocytes were used for hybridoma production. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), limiting dilution subcloning, antibody purification methods, and Western blot assays were used to select GP-specific hybridomas and purify monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) from the hybridoma cells. RESULTS Twelve hybridomas, the cell supernatants of which displayed GP-binding activity, were selected by ELISA. When purified MAbs from 12 hybridomas were tested for their reactivity to GP, 11 MAbs, except for 1 MAb (from the A6-9 hybridoma) displaying an IgG2a type, were identified as IgM isotypes. Those 11 MAbs failed to recognize GP. However, the MAb from A6-9 recognized the mucin-like region of GP and remained reactive to the antigen at the lowest tested concentration (1.95 ng/mL). This result suggests that IgM-secreting hybridomas are predominantly generated by DNA vaccination. However, boosting with GP resulted in greater production of IgG-secreting hybridomas than GP DNA vaccination alone. CONCLUSION DNA vaccination may preferentially generate IgM-secreting hybridomas, but boosting with the protein antigen can reverse this propensity. Thus, this protein boosting approach may have implications for the production of IgG-specific hybridomas in the context of the DNA vaccination platform. In addition, the purified monoclonal IgG antibodies may be useful as therapeutic antibodies for controlling Ebola virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Hyeong Lee
- BK21 Plus Graduate Program and Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea
| | - Baek-Sang Han
- BK21 Plus Graduate Program and Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea
| | - Jongseon Choe
- BK21 Plus Graduate Program and Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea
| | - Jeong-Im Sin
- BK21 Plus Graduate Program and Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea
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Gálvez-Cancino F, Roco J, Rojas-Colonelli N, Flores C, Murgas P, Cruz-Gómez S, Oyarce C, Varas-Godoy M, Sauma D, Lladser A. A short hairpin RNA-based adjuvant targeting NF-κB repressor IκBα promotes migration of dermal dendritic cells to draining lymph nodes and antitumor CTL responses induced by DNA vaccination. Vaccine 2017; 35:4148-4154. [PMID: 28666759 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
DNA vaccination is an attractive approach to elicit tumor-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTL), which can mediate protective immunity against tumors. To initiate CTL responses, antigen-encoding plasmids employed for DNA vaccination need to activate dendritic cells (DC) through the stimulation of DNA-sensing innate immune receptors that converge in the activation of the master transcription factor NF-κB. To this end, NF-κB repressor IκBα needs to be degraded, allowing NF-κB to translocate to the nucleus and transcribe proinflammatory target genes, as well as its repressor IκBα. Therefore, NF-κB activation is self-limited by de novo synthesis of IκBa, which sequesters NF-κB in the cytosol. Hence, we tested whether co-delivering a shRNA-based adjuvant able to silence IκBα expression would further promote DNA-induced NFκB activation, DC activation and tumor-protective CTL responses induced by DNA vaccination in a preclinical model. First, an IκBα-targeting shRNA plasmid (shIκBα) was shown to reduce IκBα expression and promote NFκB-driven transcription in vitro, as well as up-regulate inflammatory target genes in vivo. Then, we showed that intradermal DNA electroporation induced the migration of skin migratory dendritic cells to draining lymph nodes and maturation of dermal dendritic cells (dDC). Interestingly, shIκBα further promoted the migration of mature skin migratory dendritic cells, in particular dDC, which are specialized in antigen cross-presentation and activation of CD8+ T cells. Consistently, mice vaccinated with a plasmid encoding the melanoma-associated antigen tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2) in combination with shIκBα enhanced TRP2-specific CTL responses and reduced the number of lung melanoma foci in mice challenged with intravenous injection of B16F10 cells. Moreover, therapeutic vaccination with pTRP2 and shIκBα delayed the growth of B16F10 melanoma subcutaneous tumors. Our data suggest that adjuvants promoting NF-κB activation represent an attractive strategy to boost DC activation and promote the generation of tumor-protective CTL responses elicited by DNA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Gálvez-Cancino
- Laboratorio de Inmunoterapia Génica, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Av. Zañartu 1482, Santiago 7780272, Chile
| | - Jonathan Roco
- Laboratorio de Inmunoterapia Génica, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Av. Zañartu 1482, Santiago 7780272, Chile
| | - Nicole Rojas-Colonelli
- Laboratorio de Inmunoterapia Génica, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Av. Zañartu 1482, Santiago 7780272, Chile
| | - Camila Flores
- Laboratorio de Inmunoterapia Génica, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Av. Zañartu 1482, Santiago 7780272, Chile
| | - Paola Murgas
- Laboratorio de Inmunoterapia Génica, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Av. Zañartu 1482, Santiago 7780272, Chile
| | - Sebastián Cruz-Gómez
- Laboratorio de Inmunoterapia Génica, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Av. Zañartu 1482, Santiago 7780272, Chile
| | - César Oyarce
- Laboratorio de Inmunoterapia Génica, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Av. Zañartu 1482, Santiago 7780272, Chile
| | - Manuel Varas-Godoy
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Sauma
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alvaro Lladser
- Laboratorio de Inmunoterapia Génica, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Av. Zañartu 1482, Santiago 7780272, Chile.
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19
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Gordy JT, Luo K, Zhang H, Biragyn A, Markham RB. Fusion of the dendritic cell-targeting chemokine MIP3α to melanoma antigen Gp100 in a therapeutic DNA vaccine significantly enhances immunogenicity and survival in a mouse melanoma model. J Immunother Cancer 2016; 4:96. [PMID: 28018602 PMCID: PMC5168589 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-016-0189-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although therapeutic cancer vaccines have been mostly disappointing in the clinic, the advent of novel immunotherapies and the future promise of neoantigen-based therapies have created the need for new vaccine modalities that can easily adapt to current and future developments in cancer immunotherapy. One such novel platform is a DNA vaccine fusing the chemokine Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-3α (MIP-3α) to an antigen, here melanoma antigen gp100. Previous published work has indicated that MIP-3α targets nascent peptides to immature dendritic cells, leading to processing by class I and II MHC pathways. This platform has shown enhanced efficacy in prophylactic melanoma and therapeutic lymphoma model systems. Methods The B16F10 melanoma syngeneic mouse model system was utilized, with a standard therapeutic protocol: challenge with lethal dose of B16F10 cells (5 × 104) on day 0 and then vaccinate by intramuscular electroporation with 50 μg plasmid on days three, 10, and 17. Efficacy was assessed by analysis of tumor burden, tumor growth, and mouse survival, using the statistical tests ANOVA, mixed effects regression, and log-rank, respectively. Immunogenicity was assessed by ELISA and flow cytometric methods, including intracellular cytokine staining to assess vaccine-specific T-cell responses, all tested by ANOVA. Results We demonstrate that the addition of MIP3α to gp100 significantly enhances systemic anti-gp100 immunological parameters. Further, chemokine-fusion vaccine therapy significantly reduces tumor burden, slows tumor growth, and enhances mouse overall survival compared to antigen-only, irrelevant-antigen, and mock vaccines, with efficacy mediated by both CD4+ and CD8+ effector T cells. Antigen-only, irrelevant-antigen, and chemokine-fusion vaccines elicit significantly higher and similar CD4+ and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) levels compared to mock vaccine. However, vaccine-specific CD8+ TILs are significantly higher in the chemokine-fusion vaccine group, indicating that the critical step induced by the fusion vaccine construct is the enhancement of vaccine-specific T-cell effectors. Conclusions The current study shows that fusion of MIP3α to melanoma antigen gp100 enhances the immunogenicity and efficacy of a DNA vaccine in a therapeutic B16F10 mouse melanoma model. This study analyzes an adaptable and easily produced MIP3α-antigen modular vaccine platform that could lend itself to a variety of functionalities, including combination treatments and neoantigen vaccination in the pursuit of personalized cancer therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40425-016-0189-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Gordy
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Kun Luo
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Hong Zhang
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Arya Biragyn
- Immunoregulation Section, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview, Blvd, Suite 100, Baltimore, MD 21224 USA
| | - Richard B Markham
- The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
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Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of severe liver disease worldwide. It is estimated that around 130-170 million individuals are chronic carriers of the infection and they are over time at an increased risk of developing severe liver disease. HCV is often referred to as a silent epidemic because the majority of infected individuals do not develop any symptoms. Hence, many individuals are diagnosed at a late stage and thus in need of immediate treatment. Today we have very effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which cure more than 90-95 % of all treated patients. However, this treatment is associated with high-costs and the use is limited to the patients with most advanced liver disease in high-income countries. Notably, a majority of the chronic HCV carriers live in resource-poor countries and do not have access to the new effective DAAs. We therefore need to develop alternative treatments for chronic HCV infection such as therapeutic vaccines. The idea with therapeutic vaccines is to reactivate the infected patient's own immune system. It is well known that patients with chronic HCV infection have dysfunctional immune responses to the virus. Hence, the vaccine should activate HCV-specific T cells that will home to the liver and eradicate the HCV infected hepatocytes. Importantly, one should also consider the combination of a therapeutic vaccine and DAAs as a treatment strategy to equip the resolving patients with post-cure HCV-specific immune responses. This would provide patients with a better protection against reinfection. Numerous genetic vaccine candidates for HCV have been developed and tested in clinical trials with limited effects on viral load and in general inefficient activation of HCV-specific immune responses. In this chapter we describe the rational of developing highly immunogenic vaccines for HCV. Different strategies to improve vaccine immunogenicity and methods to evaluate vaccine efficacy are described. Detailed description of vaccine delivery by intramuscular immunization in combination with in vivo electroporation/electrotransfer (EP/ET) is covered, as well as immunological analysis of primed immune responses by determination of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production by ELISpot assay and direct ex vivo quantification of HCV NS3/4A-specific CD8+ T cells by pentamer staining. To analyze the in vivo functionality of primed NS3/4A-specific T cells we utilized the in vivo bioluminescence imaging technology. In conclusion, this chapter describes a method to design HCV vaccines and also a protocol to assess their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustaf Ahlén
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Immunization with electroporation enhances the protective effect of a DNA vaccine candidate expressing prME antigen against dengue virus serotype 2 infection. Clin Immunol 2016; 171:41-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2016.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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22
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Lee SH, Danishmalik SN, Sin JI. DNA vaccines, electroporation and their applications in cancer treatment. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2016; 11:1889-900. [PMID: 25984993 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2015.1035502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous animal studies and recent clinical studies have shown that electroporation-delivered DNA vaccines can elicit robust Ag-specific CTL responses and reduce disease severity. However, cancer antigens are generally poorly immunogenic, requiring special conditions for immune response induction. To date, many different approaches have been used to elicit Ag-specific CTL and anti-neoplastic responses to DNA vaccines against cancer. In vivo electroporation is one example, whereas others include DNA manipulation, xenogeneic antigen use, immune stimulatory molecule and immune response regulator application, DNA prime-boost immunization strategy use and different DNA delivery methods. These strategies likely increase the immunogenicity of cancer DNA vaccines, thereby contributing to cancer eradication. However, cancer cells are heterogeneous and might become CTL-resistant. Thus, understanding the CTL resistance mechanism(s) employed by cancer cells is critical to develop counter-measures for this immune escape. In this review, the use of electroporation as a DNA delivery method, the strategies used to enhance the immune responses, the cancer antigens that have been tested, and the escape mechanism(s) used by tumor cells are discussed, with a focus on the progress of clinical trials using cancer DNA vaccines.
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Key Words
- AFP, α-fetoprotein
- APCs, antigen presenting cells
- CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen
- CTLA-4, cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4
- DCs, dendritic cells
- DNA vaccine
- EP, electroporation
- GITR, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor family-related gene
- HPV, human papillomavirus
- HSP, heat shock protein
- HSV, herpes simplex virus
- ID, intradermal
- IM, intramuscular
- MAGE, melanoma-associated antigen
- MART, melanoma antigen recognized by T cells
- PAP, prostatic acid phosphatase
- PD, programmed death
- PRAME, preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma
- PSA, prostate-specific antigen
- PSMA, prostate-specific membrane antigen
- WT1, Wilm's tumor
- anti-tumor immunity
- cancer
- hTERT, human telomerase reverse transcriptase
- tumor immune evasion
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Hyeong Lee
- a BK21 Plus Graduate Program; Department of Microbiology ; School of Medicine; Kangwon National University ; Chuncheon , Gangwon-do , Korea
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Holmström F, Chen M, Balasiddaiah A, Sällberg M, Ahlén G, Frelin L. Functional differences in hepatitis C virus nonstructural (NS) 3/4A- and 5A-specific T cell responses. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24991. [PMID: 27141891 PMCID: PMC4855235 DOI: 10.1038/srep24991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus nonstructural (NS) 3/4A and NS5A proteins are major targets for the new direct-acting antiviral compounds. Both viral proteins have been suggested as modulators of the response to the host cell. We have shown that NS3/4A- and NS5A-specific T cell receptors confer different effector functions, and that killing of NS3/4A-expressing hepatocytes is highly dependent on IFN-γ. We here characterize the functional differences in the T cell responses to NS3/4A and NS5A. NS3/4A- and NS5A-specific T cells could be induced at various frequencies in wild-type-, NS3/4A-, and NS5A-transgenic mice. Priming of NS5A-specific T cells required a high DNA dose, and was unlike NS3/4A dependent on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, but less influenced by CD25+/GITR+ regulatory T cells. The presence of IL-12 greatly improved specific CD8+ T cell priming by NS3/4A but not by NS5A, suggesting a less dependence of IFN-γ for NS5A. This notion was supported by the observation that NS5A-specific T cells could eliminate NS5A-expressing hepatocytes also in the absence of IFN-γ-receptor-2. This supports that NS3/4A- and NS5A-specific T cells become activated and eliminate antigen expressing, or infected hepatocytes, by distinct mechanisms, and that NS5A-specific T cells show an overall less dependence of IFN-γ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik Holmström
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margaret Chen
- Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, S-141 04 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anangi Balasiddaiah
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, S-141 04 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matti Sällberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Ahlén
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
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Levander S, Sällberg M, Ahlén G, Frelin L. A non-human hepadnaviral adjuvant for hepatitis C virus-based genetic vaccines. Vaccine 2016; 34:2821-33. [PMID: 27109565 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen (HBcAg) can act as an adjuvant in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-based DNA vaccines. Since two billion people are, or have been, in contact with HBV, one may question the use of human HBV sequences as adjuvant. We herein evaluated non-human stork hepatitis B virus core gene-sequences from stork as DNA vaccine adjuvants. Full-length and fragmented stork HBcAg gene-sequences were added to an HCV non-structural (NS) 3/4A gene (NS3/4A-stork-HBcAg). This resulted in an enhanced priming of HCV-specific IFN-γ and IL-2 responses in both wild-type (wt)- and NS3/4A-transgenic (Tg) mice, the latter with dysfunctional NS3/4A-specific T cells. The NS3/4A-stork-HBcAg vaccine primed NS3/4A-specific T cells in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-Tg mice with dysfunctional T cells to HBcAg and HBeAg. Repeated immunizations boosted expansion of IFN-γ and IL-2-producing NS3/4A-specific T cells in wt- and NS3/4A-Tg mice. Importantly, NS3/4A-stork-HBcAg-DNA induced in vivo long-term functional memory T cell responses, whose maintenance required CD4(+) T cells. Thus, avian HBcAg gene-sequences from stork can effectively act as a DNA vaccine adjuvant. This technology can most likely be universally expanded to other genetic vaccine antigens, as this completely avoids the use of sequences from a human virus where a pre-existing immunity may interfere with its adjuvant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Levander
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Matti Sällberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Gustaf Ahlén
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Lars Frelin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, F68, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Ahlén G, Frelin L, Holmström F, Smetham G, Augustyn S, Sällberg M. A targeted controlled force injection of genetic material in vivo. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2016; 5:16016. [PMID: 27069951 PMCID: PMC4813609 DOI: 10.1038/mtm.2016.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A general limitation in gene delivery is the cellular uptake in lager animals including humans. Several approaches have been tested including liposomes, micro-needles, in vivo electro-transfer, ballistic delivery, and needle-free delivery. All these techniques have individual limitations. One approach reproducibly delivering genetic material in muscle tissue in nonhuman primates is hydrodynamic injection, a forced injection of a volume equaling the volume of the tissue to be transfected thereby causing an increased local pressure resulting in an improved uptake of genetic material. We transferred the principle of hydrodynamic injection to a device, where a small injection volume can be delivered to a targeted tissue volume, termed in vivo intracellular injection (IVIN). The device is based on needle(s) with apertures along the needle shafts, where multiple needles can fix the tissue volume to be transfected. The apertures direct the injection from a central needle outward or inward to the centroid of a geometric arrangement thereby targeting the tissue to be transfected. With a controlled force, this results in a targeted injection with increased transfection efficiency. We here show that the IVIN technology reproducibly improved plasmid uptake and expression and the immunogenicity. The IVIN technology can be generally applied to a targeted delivery of genetic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustaf Ahlén
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge , Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge , Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Holmström
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge , Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Matti Sällberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge , Stockholm, Sweden
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Pouriayevali MH, Bamdad T, Aghasadeghi MR, Sadat SM, Sabahi F. Construction and Immunogenicity Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Truncated Non-Structural Protein 3 (NS3) Plasmid Vaccine. Jundishapur J Microbiol 2016; 9:e33909. [PMID: 27226878 PMCID: PMC4877565 DOI: 10.5812/jjm.33909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background To develop hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine, induction of potent humoral and T cell response against immunogenic targets with conserved region should be achieved. T cell response against NS3 is often associated with complete clearance of the virus. Objectives Herein, we expressed the truncated form of NS3 in a mammalian cell line and evaluated immune responses of NS3 DNA vaccine in BALB/c. Materials and Methods The partial length of NS3 gene, which encodes immunogenic epitopes (1095 - 1379 aa), was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on RNA obtained from a patient with HCV, inserted into pcDNA3.1 plasmid using XhoI/HindIII sites, and finally evaluated by restriction analysis and sequencing. After transfection of the recombinant plasmid into HEK293T cells, the NS3 protein expression was confirmed by western blotting. Mice were immunized intra-dermally close to the base of the mice tail with four doses in two-weeks intervals and the immune responses were assessed using total and subtypes of IgG antibody assay, cell proliferation and cytokine assay. Results The pcDNA3.1 plasmid harboring the coding sequence of NS3 (pc-NS3) was constructed and confirmed with the expected size. Proper expression of the recombinant protein in transfected HEK 293T cells was confirmed using western blotting. The immunization results indicated that pc-NS3 induced significant levels of total antibody, IgG2a subclass antibody, Interferon (IFN)-γ, Interleukin (IL)-4 and proliferation assay compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions The pc-NS3 possesses the capacity to express NS3 in the mammalian cell line and demonstrated strong immunogenicity in a murine model. Our primary results demonstrated that the immunogenic truncated region of NS3 could be used as a potential vaccine candidate against hepatitis C.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Taravat Bamdad
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran
- Corresponding author: Taravat Bamdad, Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran. Tel: +98-2182884525, E-mail:
| | | | - Seyed Mehdi Sadat
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran. Tehran, IR Iran
| | - Farzaneh Sabahi
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran
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Abstract
DNA plasmids can be used to induce a protective (or therapeutic) immune response by delivering genes encoding vaccine antigens. That naked DNA (without the refinement of coat proteins or host evasion systems) can cross from outside the cell into the nucleus and be expressed is particularly remarkable given the sophistication of the immune system in preventing infection by pathogens. As a result of the ease, low cost, and speed of custom gene synthesis, DNA vaccines dangle a tantalizing prospect of the next wave of vaccine technology, promising individual designer vaccines for cancer or mass vaccines with a rapid response time to emerging pandemics. There is considerable enthusiasm for the use of DNA vaccination as an approach, but this enthusiasm should be tempered by the successive failures in clinical trials to induce a potent immune response. The technology is evolving with the development of improved delivery systems that increase expression levels, particularly electroporation and the incorporation of genetically encoded adjuvants. This review will introduce some key concepts in the use of DNA plasmids as vaccines, including how the DNA enters the cell and is expressed, how it induces an immune response, and a summary of clinical trials with DNA vaccines. The review also explores the advances being made in vector design, delivery, formulation, and adjuvants to try to realize the promise of this technology for new vaccines. If the immunogenicity and expression barriers can be cracked, then DNA vaccines may offer a step change in mass vaccination.
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Chen M, Jagya N, Bansal R, Frelin L, Sällberg M. Prospects and progress of DNA vaccines for treating hepatitis B. Expert Rev Vaccines 2016; 15:629-40. [PMID: 26652035 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2016.1131615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a global cause of liver disease. The preventive HBV vaccine has effectively reduced the disease burden. However, an estimated 340 million chronic HBV cases are in need of treatment. Current standard therapy for chronic HBV blocks reverse transcription. As this therapy blocks viral maturation and not viral protein expression, any immune inhibition exerted by these proteins will remain throughout therapy. This may help to explain why these drugs rarely induce off-therapy responses. Albeit some restoration of immune function occurs during therapy, this is clearly insufficient to control replication. Central questions when considering therapeutic DNA vaccination as an addition to blocking virus production are as follows: what does one hope to achieve? What do we think is wrong and how can the vaccination correct this? We here discuss different scenarios with respect to the lack of success of tested DNA vaccines, and suggest strategies for improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Chen
- a Division of Clinical Microbiology, F 68, Department of Laboratory Medicine , Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.,b Department of Dental Medicine , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Neetu Jagya
- a Division of Clinical Microbiology, F 68, Department of Laboratory Medicine , Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Ruchi Bansal
- c Targeted Therapeutics, Department of Biomaterials Science and Technology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine , University of Twente , Enschede , The Netherlands
| | - Lars Frelin
- a Division of Clinical Microbiology, F 68, Department of Laboratory Medicine , Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Matti Sällberg
- a Division of Clinical Microbiology, F 68, Department of Laboratory Medicine , Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
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Abstract
DNA vaccination has emerged as an attractive immunotherapeutic approach against cancer
due to its simplicity, stability, and safety. Results from numerous clinical trials have
demonstrated that DNA vaccines are well tolerated by patients and do not trigger major
adverse effects. DNA vaccines are also very cost effective and can be administered
repeatedly for long-term protection. Despite all the practical advantages, DNA vaccines
face challenges in inducing potent antigen specific cellular immune responses as a result
of immune tolerance against endogenous self-antigens in tumors. Strategies to enhance
immunogenicity of DNA vaccines against self-antigens have been investigated including
encoding of xenogeneic versions of antigens, fusion of antigens to molecules that activate
T cells or trigger associative recognition, priming with DNA vectors followed by boosting
with viral vector, and utilization of immunomodulatory molecules. This review will focus
on discussing strategies that circumvent immune tolerance and provide updates on findings
from recent clinical trials.
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Key Words
- APCs, antigen presenting cells
- CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen
- CIN, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
- CT antigens, cancer-testis antigens
- CTLs, cytotoxic lymphocytes
- DNA vaccines
- DOM, fragment c domain
- EP, electroporation
- GITR, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor family-related genes
- HER2, Her2/neu
- HSP70, heat shock protein 70
- IFNs, interferons
- IRF, interferon regulatory factor
- Id, idiotype
- MHC, major histocompatibility complex
- Mam-A, Mammaglobin-A
- NHP, non-human primate
- PAP, Prostatic acid phosphatase
- PMED, particle mediated epidermal delivery
- PSMA, prostate-specific membrane antigen
- SCT, single-chain trimer
- STING, stimulator of interferon genes
- TAAs, tumor-associated antigens
- TBK1, Tank-binding kinase 1
- TLRs, Toll-like receptors
- TT, tetanus toxin
- Trp2, tyrosinase related protein 2
- cellular immune response
- hTERT, human telomerase reverse transcriptase
- humoral immune response
- immune tolerance
- phTERT, optimized full-length hTERT
- tumor antigens
- vaccine delivery
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Yang
- a Department of Pathology ; Johns Hopkins University ; Baltimore , MD USA
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Intradermal delivery of DNA encoding HCV NS3 and perforin elicits robust cell-mediated immunity in mice and pigs. Gene Ther 2015; 23:26-37. [PMID: 26262584 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2015.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Currently, no vaccine is available against hepatitis C virus (HCV), and although DNA vaccines have considerable potential, this has not been realised. Previously, the efficacy of DNA vaccines for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HCV was shown to be enhanced by including the gene for a cytolytic protein, viz. perforin. In this study, we examined the mechanism of cell death by this bicistronic DNA vaccine, which encoded the HCV non-structural protein 3 (NS3) under the control of the CMV promoter and perforin is controlled by the SV40 promoter. Compared with a canonical DNA vaccine and a bicistronic DNA vaccine encoding NS3 and the proapoptotic gene NSP4, the perforin-containing vaccine elicited enhanced cell-mediated immune responses against the NS3 protein in vaccinated mice and pigs, as determined by ELISpot and intracellular cytokine staining, whereas a mouse challenge model suggested that the immunity was CD8(+) T-cell-dependent. The results of the study showed that the inclusion of perforin in the DNA vaccine altered the fate of NS3-positive cells from apoptosis to necrosis, and this resulted in more robust immune responses in mice and pigs, the latter of which represents an accepted large animal model in which to test vaccine efficacy.
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Nilsson C, Hejdeman B, Godoy-Ramirez K, Tecleab T, Scarlatti G, Bråve A, Earl PL, Stout RR, Robb ML, Shattock RJ, Biberfeld G, Sandström E, Wahren B. HIV-DNA Given with or without Intradermal Electroporation Is Safe and Highly Immunogenic in Healthy Swedish HIV-1 DNA/MVA Vaccinees: A Phase I Randomized Trial. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131748. [PMID: 26121679 PMCID: PMC4486388 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We compared safety and immunogenicity of intradermal (ID) vaccination with and without electroporation (EP) in a phase I randomized placebo-controlled trial of an HIV-DNA prime HIV-MVA boost vaccine in healthy Swedish volunteers. METHODS HIV-DNA plasmids encoding HIV-1 genes gp160 subtypes A, B and C; Rev B; Gag A and B and RTmut B were given ID at weeks 0, 6 and 12 in a dose of 0.6 mg. Twenty-five volunteers received vaccine using a needle-free device (ZetaJet) with (n=16) or without (n=9) ID EP (Dermavax). Five volunteers were placebo recipients. Boosting with recombinant MVA-CMDR expressing HIV-1 Env, Gag, Pol of CRF01_AE (HIV-MVA) or placebo was performed at weeks 24 and 40. Nine of the vaccinees received a subtype C CN54 gp140 protein boost together with HIV-MVA. RESULTS The ID/EP delivery was very well tolerated. After three HIV-DNA immunizations, no statistically significant difference was seen in the IFN-γ ELISpot response rate to Gag between HIV-DNA ID/EP recipients (5/15, 33%) and HIV-DNA ID recipients (1/7, 14%, p=0.6158). The first HIV-MVA or HIV-MVA+gp140 vaccination increased the IFN-γ ELISpot response rate to 18/19 (95%). CD4+ and/or CD8+ T cell responses to Gag or Env were demonstrable in 94% of vaccinees. A balanced CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response was noted, with 78% and 71% responders, respectively. IFN-γ and IL-2 dominated the CD4+ T cell response to Gag and Env. The CD8+ response to Gag was broader with expression of IFN-γ, IL-2, MIP-1β and/or CD107. No differences were seen between DNA vaccine groups. Binding antibodies were induced after the second HIV-MVA+/-gp140 in 93% of vaccinees to subtype C Env, with the highest titers among EP/gp140 recipients. CONCLUSION Intradermal electroporation of HIV-DNA was well tolerated. Strong cell- and antibody-mediated immune responses were elicited by the HIV-DNA prime and HIV-MVA boosting regimen, with or without intradermal electroporation use. TRIAL REGISTRATION International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 60284968.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotta Nilsson
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Bo Hejdeman
- Venhälsan, Department of Education and Clinical Research, Karolinska Institutet, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Teghesti Tecleab
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
| | - Gabriella Scarlatti
- Viral Evolution and Transmission Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and infectious diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Andreas Bråve
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
| | - Patricia L. Earl
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, United States of America
| | | | - Merlin L. Robb
- Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robin J. Shattock
- Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Medicine, Norfolk Place, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gunnel Biberfeld
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eric Sandström
- Venhälsan, Department of Education and Clinical Research, Karolinska Institutet, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Britta Wahren
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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32
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Electroporation for therapeutic DNA vaccination in patients. Med Microbiol Immunol 2014; 204:131-5. [DOI: 10.1007/s00430-014-0384-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Functional aspects of intrahepatic hepatitis B virus-specific T cells induced by therapeutic DNA vaccination. Mol Ther 2014; 23:578-90. [PMID: 25492563 PMCID: PMC4351461 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2014.233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Current therapies for the hepatitis B virus (HBV), a major cause of severe liver disease, suppress viral replication but replication rebounds if therapy is withdrawn. It is widely accepted that immune activation is needed to control replication off-therapy. To specifically activate T cells crossreactive between the hepatitis B core and e antigens (HBcAg/HBeAg) in chronically infected patients, we developed a therapeutic vaccine candidate. The vaccine encompass codon-optimized HBcAg and IL-12 expressing plasmids delivered using targeted high-pressure injection combined with in vivo electroporation. One dose of the vaccine primed a B-cell-independent polyfunctional T-cell response, in wild-type, and in HBeAg-transgenic mice with an impaired ability to respond to HBc/eAg. The response peaked at 2 weeks and contracted at week 6 after vaccination. Coadministration of IL-12 improved antibody levels, and T-cell expansion and functionality. The vaccine primed T cells that, 2 weeks after a single dose, cleared hepatocytes transiently expressing HBcAg in vaccinated wild-type and HBeAg-transgenic mice. However, 4 weeks later, these functional responses were lost. Booster doses after 8-12 weeks effectively restored function and expansion of the rapidly contracting T cells. Thus, this vaccine strategy primes functional HBcAg-specific T cells in a host with dysfunctional response to HBV.
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Senovilla L, Vacchelli E, Garcia P, Eggermont A, Fridman WH, Galon J, Zitvogel L, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L. Trial watch: DNA vaccines for cancer therapy. Oncoimmunology 2014; 2:e23803. [PMID: 23734328 PMCID: PMC3654598 DOI: 10.4161/onci.23803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The foundation of modern vaccinology dates back to the 1790s, when the English physician Edward Jenner uncovered the tremendous medical potential of prophylactic vaccination. Jenner’s work ignited a wave of nationwide vaccination campaigns abating the incidence of multiple life-threatening infectious diseases and culminating with the eradication of natural smallpox virus, which was definitively certified by the WHO in 1980. The possibility of using vaccines against cancer was first proposed at the end of the 19th century by Paul Ehrlich and William Coley. However, it was not until the 1990s that such a hypothesis began to be intensively investigated, following the realization that the immune system is not completely unresponsive to tumors and that neoplastic cells express immunogenic tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). Nowadays, anticancer vaccines are rapidly moving from the bench to the bedside, and a few prophylactic and therapeutic preparations have already been approved by FDA for use in humans. In this setting, one interesting approach is constituted by DNA vaccines, i.e., TAA-encoding circularized DNA constructs, often of bacterial origin, that are delivered to patients as such or by means of specific vectors, including (but not limited to) liposomal preparations, nanoparticles, bacteria and viruses. The administration of DNA vaccines is most often performed via the intramuscular or subcutaneous route and is expected to cause (1) the endogenous synthesis of the TAA by myocytes and/or resident antigen-presenting cells; (2) the presentation of TAA-derived peptides on the cell surface, in association with MHC class I molecules; and (3) the activation of potentially therapeutic tumor-specific immune responses. In this Trial Watch, we will summarize the results of recent clinical trials that have evaluated/are evaluating DNA vaccines as therapeutic interventions against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Senovilla
- Institut Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France ; INSERM; U848; Villejuif, France ; INSERM; U1015 labelisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer; CICBT507; Villejuif, France
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Sedlik C, Vigneron J, Torrieri-Dramard L, Pitoiset F, Denizeau J, Chesneau C, de la Rochere P, Lantz O, Thery C, Bellier B. Different immunogenicity but similar antitumor efficacy of two DNA vaccines coding for an antigen secreted in different membrane vesicle-associated forms. J Extracell Vesicles 2014; 3:24646. [PMID: 25206960 PMCID: PMC4149746 DOI: 10.3402/jev.v3.24646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2014] [Revised: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The induction of an active immune response to control or eliminate tumours is still an unfulfilled challenge. We focused on plasmid DNA vaccines using an innovative approach whereby the antigen is expressed in association with extracellular vesicles (EVs) to facilitate antigen cross-presentation and improve induced immunity. Our two groups had independently shown previously that DNA vaccines encoding EV-associated antigens are more efficient at inducing cytotoxic T-cell responses than vaccines encoding the non-EV-associated antigen. Here, we compared our two approaches to associate the ovalbumin (OVA) antigen to EVs: (a) by fusion to the lipid-binding domain C1C2 of MFGE8(=lactadherin), which is exposed on the surface of secreted membrane vesicles; and (b) by fusion to retroviral Gag capsid protein, which is incorporated inside membrane-enclosed virus-like particles. Plasmids encoding either form of modified OVA were used as DNA-based vaccines (i.e. injected into mice to allow in vivo expression of the antigen associated to EVs). We show that both DNA vaccines induced, with similar efficiency, OVA-specific CD8(+) T cells and total IgG antibodies. By contrast, each vaccine preferentially stimulated different isotypes of immunoglobulins, and the OVA-C1C2-encoding vaccine favoured antigen-specific CD4(+) T lymphocyte induction as compared to the Gag-OVA vaccine. Nevertheless, both OVA-C1C2 and Gag-OVA vaccines efficiently prevented in vivo outgrowth of OVA-expressing tumours and reduced tumour progression when administered to tumour-bearing mice, although with variable efficacies depending on the tumour models. DNA vaccines encoding EV-associated antigens are thus promising immunotherapy tools in cancer but also potentially other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Sedlik
- INSERM U932, Paris, France ; Clinical Investigation Center-IGR-Curie 1428 and Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - James Vigneron
- INSERM U932, Paris, France ; Sorbonne University, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, UMRS_959, I , Paris, France ; INSERM, UMRS_959, Paris, France ; CNRS, FRE3632, Paris, France
| | - Lea Torrieri-Dramard
- Sorbonne University, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, UMRS_959, I , Paris, France ; INSERM, UMRS_959, Paris, France ; CNRS, FRE3632, Paris, France
| | - Fabien Pitoiset
- Sorbonne University, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, UMRS_959, I , Paris, France ; INSERM, UMRS_959, Paris, France ; CNRS, FRE3632, Paris, France
| | - Jordan Denizeau
- Clinical Investigation Center-IGR-Curie 1428 and Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Olivier Lantz
- INSERM U932, Paris, France ; Clinical Investigation Center-IGR-Curie 1428 and Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Clotilde Thery
- INSERM U932, Paris, France ; Clinical Investigation Center-IGR-Curie 1428 and Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Bellier
- Sorbonne University, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, UMRS_959, I , Paris, France ; INSERM, UMRS_959, Paris, France ; CNRS, FRE3632, Paris, France ; Department of Biotherapies, Clinical Investigation Center in Biotherapy, AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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Long-term functional duration of immune responses to HCV NS3/4A induced by DNA vaccination. Gene Ther 2014; 21:739-50. [PMID: 24871581 PMCID: PMC4126484 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2014.48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2013] [Revised: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
We have investigated the ability of hepatitis C virus non-structural (NS) 3/4A-DNA-based vaccines to activate long-term cell-mediated immune responses in mice. Wild-type and synthetic codon optimized (co) NS3/4A DNA vaccines have previously been shown to be immunogenic in mice, rabbits and humans, although we have very poor knowledge about the longevity of the immune responses primed. We therefore analyzed the functionality of primed NS3/4A-specific immune responses in BALB/c (H-2d) and/or C57BL/6J (H-2b) mice 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12 and 16 months after the last immunization. Mice were immunized one, two, three or four times using gene gun delivery to the skin or by intramuscular administration. Immunological responses after immunization were monitored by protection against in vivo challenge of NS3/4A-expressing syngeneic tumor cells. In addition, functionality of the NS3/4A-specific T cells was analyzed by a standard cytotoxicity assay. First, we identified a new unique murine H-2d-restricted NS3/4A cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope, which enabled us to study the epitope-specific immune responses. Our results show that the coNS3/4A vaccine was highly immunogenic by determination of interferon-γ/tumor necrosis factor-α production and lytic cytotoxic T cells, which could efficiently inhibit in vivo tumor growth. Importantly, we showed that one to four monthly immunizations protected mice from tumor development when challenged up to 16 months after the last immunization. When determining the functionality of NS3/4A-specific T cells in vitro, we showed detectable lytic activity up to 12 months after the last immunization. Thus, NS3/4A-based DNA vaccines activate potent cellular immune responses that are present and function in both BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice up to 12–16 months after the last immunization. The induction of long-term immunity after NS3/4A DNA immunization has not been shown previously and supports the use of NS3/4A in hepatitis C virus vaccine compositions.
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Pol J, Bloy N, Obrist F, Eggermont A, Galon J, Hervé Fridman W, Cremer I, Zitvogel L, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L. Trial Watch: DNA vaccines for cancer therapy. Oncoimmunology 2014; 3:e28185. [PMID: 24800178 PMCID: PMC4008456 DOI: 10.4161/onci.28185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During the past 2 decades, the possibility that preparations capable of eliciting tumor-specific immune responses would mediate robust therapeutic effects in cancer patients has received renovated interest. In this context, several approaches to vaccinate cancer patients against their own malignancies have been conceived, including the administration of DNA constructs coding for one or more tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). Such DNA-based vaccines conceptually differ from other types of gene therapy in that they are not devised to directly kill cancer cells or sensitize them to the cytotoxic activity of a drug, but rather to elicit a tumor-specific immune response. In spite of an intense wave of preclinical development, the introduction of this immunotherapeutic paradigm into the clinical practice is facing difficulties. Indeed, while most DNA-based anticancer vaccines are well tolerated by cancer patients, they often fail to generate therapeutically relevant clinical responses. In this Trial Watch, we discuss the latest advances on the use of DNA-based vaccines in cancer therapy, discussing the literature that has been produced around this topic during the last 13 months as well as clinical studies that have been launched in the same time frame to assess the actual therapeutic potential of this intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Pol
- Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France ; INSERM, U848; Villejuif, France ; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France ; Université Paris-Sud/Paris XI; Paris, France
| | - Norma Bloy
- Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France ; INSERM, U848; Villejuif, France ; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France ; Université Paris-Sud/Paris XI; Paris, France
| | - Florine Obrist
- Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France ; INSERM, U848; Villejuif, France ; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France ; Université Paris-Sud/Paris XI; Paris, France
| | | | - Jérôme Galon
- Université Paris Descartes/Paris V; Sorbonne Paris Cité; Paris, France ; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI; Paris, France ; INSERM, UMRS1138; Paris, France ; Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France
| | - Wolf Hervé Fridman
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI; Paris, France ; INSERM, UMRS1138; Paris, France ; Equipe 13, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Cremer
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI; Paris, France ; INSERM, UMRS1138; Paris, France ; Equipe 13, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France
| | - Laurence Zitvogel
- Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France ; INSERM, U1015; CICBT507; Villejuif, France
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP; Paris, France ; Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France ; INSERM, U848; Villejuif, France ; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France ; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V; Sorbonne Paris Cité; Paris, France
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France ; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France ; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V; Sorbonne Paris Cité; Paris, France
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Facciponte JG, Ugel S, De Sanctis F, Li C, Wang L, Nair G, Sehgal S, Raj A, Matthaiou E, Coukos G, Facciabene A. Tumor endothelial marker 1-specific DNA vaccination targets tumor vasculature. J Clin Invest 2014; 124:1497-511. [PMID: 24642465 DOI: 10.1172/jci67382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2012] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor endothelial marker 1 (TEM1; also known as endosialin or CD248) is a protein found on tumor vasculature and in tumor stroma. Here, we tested whether TEM1 has potential as a therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy by immunizing immunocompetent mice with Tem1 cDNA fused to the minimal domain of the C fragment of tetanus toxoid (referred to herein as Tem1-TT vaccine). Tem1-TT vaccination elicited CD8+ and/or CD4+ T cell responses against immunodominant TEM1 protein sequences. Prophylactic immunization of animals with Tem1-TT prevented or delayed tumor formation in several murine tumor models. Therapeutic vaccination of tumor-bearing mice reduced tumor vascularity, increased infiltration of CD3+ T cells into the tumor, and controlled progression of established tumors. Tem1-TT vaccination also elicited CD8+ cytotoxic T cell responses against murine tumor-specific antigens. Effective Tem1-TT vaccination did not affect angiogenesis-dependent physiological processes, including wound healing and reproduction. Based on these data and the widespread expression of TEM1 on the vasculature of different tumor types, we conclude that targeting TEM1 has therapeutic potential in cancer immunotherapy.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, CD/genetics
- Antigens, CD/immunology
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Cancer Vaccines/genetics
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Female
- Humans
- Immune Tolerance
- Immunodominant Epitopes
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Microvessels/immunology
- Microvessels/pathology
- Neoplasm Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors
- Neoplasm Proteins/genetics
- Neoplasm Proteins/immunology
- Neoplasms, Experimental/blood supply
- Neoplasms, Experimental/immunology
- Neoplasms, Experimental/therapy
- Pregnancy
- Tetanus Toxoid/genetics
- Tetanus Toxoid/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/therapeutic use
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39
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van Drunen Littel-van den Hurk S, Hannaman D. Electroporation for DNA immunization: clinical application. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 9:503-17. [DOI: 10.1586/erv.10.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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40
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Kim H, Kwon B, Sin JI. Combined stimulation of IL-2 and 4-1BB receptors augments the antitumor activity of E7 DNA vaccines by increasing Ag-specific CTL responses. PLoS One 2013; 8:e83765. [PMID: 24391824 PMCID: PMC3877103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major cause of cervical cancer. Here, we investigate whether concurrent therapy using HPV E7 DNA vaccines (pE7) plus IL-2 vs. IL-15 cDNA and anti-4-1BB Abs might augment antitumor activity against established tumors. IL-2 cDNA was slightly better than IL-15 cDNA as a pE7 adjuvant. Co-delivery of pE7+IL-2 cDNA increased tumor cure rates from 7% to 27%, whereas co-delivery of pE7+IL-2 cDNA with anti-4-1BB Abs increased tumor cure rates from 27% to 67% and elicited long-term memory responses. This increased activity was concomitant with increased induction of Ag-specific CTL activity and IFN-γ responses, but not with Ag-specific IgG production. Moreover, the combined stimulation of IL-2 and 4-1BB receptors with rIL-2 and anti-4-1BB Abs resulted in enhanced production of IFN-γ from Ag-specific CD8+ T cells. However, this effect was abolished by treatment with anti-IL-2 Abs and 4-1BB-Fc, suggesting that the observed effect was IL-2- and anti-4-1BB Ab-specific. A similar result was also obtained for Ag-specific CTL activity. Thus, these studies demonstrate that combined stimulation through the IL-2 and 4-1BB receptors augments the Ag-specific CD8+ CTL responses induced by pE7, increasing tumor cure rates and long-term antitumor immune memory. These findings may have implications for the design of DNA-based therapeutic vaccines against cancer.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Female
- Flow Cytometry
- Humans
- Interferon-gamma/metabolism
- Interleukin-15/antagonists & inhibitors
- Interleukin-15/immunology
- Interleukin-2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Interleukin-2/immunology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Neoplasms, Experimental/immunology
- Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- Neoplasms, Experimental/prevention & control
- Papillomavirus E7 Proteins/immunology
- Papillomavirus Vaccines/therapeutic use
- Stromal Cells/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 9/antagonists & inhibitors
- Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 9/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/therapeutic use
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Byungsuk Kwon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, Korea
| | - Jeong-Im Sin
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Korea
- * E-mail:
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In vivo electroporation of minicircle DNA as a novel method of vaccine delivery to enhance HIV-1-specific immune responses. J Virol 2013; 88:1924-34. [PMID: 24284319 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02757-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA vaccines offer advantage over conventional vaccines, as they are safer to use, easier to produce, and able to induce humoral as well cellular immune responses. Unfortunately, no DNA vaccines have been licensed for human use for the difficulties in developing an efficient and safe in vivo gene delivery system. In vivo electroporation (EP)-based DNA delivery has attracted great attention for its potency to enhance cellular uptake of DNA vaccines and function as an adjuvant. Minicircle DNA (a new form of DNA containing only a gene expression cassette and lacking a backbone of bacterial plasmid DNA) is a powerful candidate of gene delivery in terms of improving the levels and the duration of transgene expression in vivo. In this study, as a novel vaccine delivery system, we combined in vivo EP and the minicircle DNA carrying a codon-optimized HIV-1 gag gene (minicircle-gag) to evaluate the immunogenicity of this system. We found that minicircle-gag conferred persistent and high levels of gag expression in vitro and in vivo. The use of EP delivery further increased minicircle-based gene expression. Moreover, when delivered by EP, minicircle-gag vaccination elicited a 2- to 3-fold increase in cellular immune response and a 1.5- to 3-fold augmentation of humoral immune responses compared with those elicited by a pVAX1-gag positive control. Increased immunogenicity of EP-assisted minicircle-gag may benefit from increasing local antigen expression, upregulating inflammatory genes, and recruiting immune cells. Collectively, in vivo EP of minicircle DNA functions as a novel vaccine platform that can enhance efficacy and immunogenicity of DNA vaccines.
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Weiland O, Ahlén G, Diepolder H, Jung MC, Levander S, Fons M, Mathiesen I, Sardesai NY, Vahlne A, Frelin L, Sällberg M. Therapeutic DNA vaccination using in vivo electroporation followed by standard of care therapy in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C. Mol Ther 2013; 21:1796-805. [PMID: 23752314 PMCID: PMC3776630 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2013.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clearance of infections caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) correlates with HCV-specific T cell function. We therefore evaluated therapeutic vaccination in 12 patients with chronic HCV infection. Eight patients also underwent a subsequent standard-of-care (SOC) therapy with pegylated interferon (IFN) and ribavirin. The phase I/IIa clinical trial was performed in treatment naive HCV genotype 1 patients, receiving four monthly vaccinations in the deltoid muscles with 167, 500, or 1,500 μg codon-optimized HCV nonstructural (NS) 3/4A-expressing DNA vaccine delivered by in vivo electroporation (EP). Enrollment was done with 2 weeks interval between patients for safety reasons. Treatment was safe and well tolerated. The vaccinations significantly improved IFN-γ-producing responses to HCV NS3 during the first 6 weeks of therapy. Five patients experienced 2-10 weeks 0.6-2.4 log10 reduction in serum HCV RNA. Six out of eight patients starting SOC therapy within 1-30 months after the last vaccine dose were cured. This first-in-man therapeutic HCV DNA vaccine study with the vaccine delivered by in vivo EP shows transient effects in patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection. The interesting result noted after SOC therapy suggests that therapeutic vaccination can be explored in a combination with SOC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ola Weiland
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Ahlén
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helmut Diepolder
- Department of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | - Maria-Christina Jung
- Department of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
- ImmuSystems, Munich, Germany
| | - Sepideh Levander
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Fons
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | - Anders Vahlne
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
- ChronTech Pharma AB, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Lars Frelin
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matti Sällberg
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
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43
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Han KT, Sin JI. DNA vaccines targeting human papillomavirus-associated diseases: progresses in animal and clinical studies. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2013; 2:106-14. [PMID: 23858401 PMCID: PMC3710918 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2013.2.2.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Revised: 05/30/2013] [Accepted: 06/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major cause of cervical cancer and its precancerous diseases. Cervical cancer is the second deadliest cancer killer among women worldwide. Moreover, HPV is also known to be a causative agent of oral, pharyngeal, anal and genital cancer. Recent application of HPV structural protein (L1)-targeted prophylactic vaccines (Gardasil® and Cervarix®) is expected to reduce the incidence of HPV infection and cervical cancer, and possibly other HPV-associated cancers. However, the benefit of the prophylactic vaccines for treating HPV-infected patients is unlikely, underscoring the importance of developing therapeutic vaccines against HPV infection. In this regard, numerous types of therapeutic vaccine approaches targeting the HPV regulatory proteins, E6 and E7, have been tested for their efficacy in animals and clinically. In this communication, we review HPV vaccine types, in particular DNA vaccines, their designs and delivery by electroporation and their immunologic and antitumor efficacy in animals and humans, along with the basics of HPV and its pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyusun Torque Han
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea
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44
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Fournillier A, Frelin L, Jacquier E, Ahlén G, Brass A, Gerossier E, Holmström F, Broderick KE, Sardesai NY, Bonnefoy JY, Inchauspé G, Sällberg M. A heterologous prime/boost vaccination strategy enhances the immunogenicity of therapeutic vaccines for hepatitis C virus. J Infect Dis 2013; 208:1008-19. [PMID: 23776192 PMCID: PMC3749006 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jit267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. We explored the concept of heterologous prime/boost vaccination using 2 therapeutic vaccines currently in clinical development aimed at treating chronically infected hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients: prime with a DNA-based vaccine expressing HCV genotype 1a NS3/4A proteins (ChronVac-C) and boost with a modified vaccinia virus Ankara vaccine expressing genotype 1b NS3/4/5B proteins (MVATG16643). Methods. Two ChronVac-C immunizations 4 weeks apart were delivered intramuscularly in combination with in vivo electroporation and subsequently 5 or 12 weeks later boosted by 3 weekly subcutaneous injections of MVATG16643. Two mouse strains were used, and we evaluated quality, magnitude, and functionality of the T cells induced. Results. DNA prime/MVA boost regimen induced significantly higher levels of interferon γ (IFN-γ) or interleukin 2 (IL-2) ELISpot responses compared with each vaccine alone, independent of the time of analysis and the time interval between vaccinations. Both CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell responses as well as the spectrum of epitopes recognized was improved. A significant increase in polyfunctional IFN-γ/tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)/CD107a+ CD8+ T cells was detected following ChronVac-C/MVATG16643 vaccination (from 3% to 25%), and prime/boost was the only regimen that activated quadrifunctional T cells (IFN-γ/TNF-α/CD107a/IL-2). In vivo functional protective capacity of DNA prime/MVA boost was demonstrated in a Listeria-NS3-1a challenge model. Conclusions. We provide a proof-of-concept that immunogenicity of 2 HCV therapeutic vaccines can be improved using their combination, which merits further clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Fournillier
- Département des Maladies Infectieuses, Transgene SA, Centre d'Infectiologie, Lyon, France
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45
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Kichaev G, Mendoza JM, Amante D, Smith TRF, McCoy JR, Sardesai NY, Broderick KE. Electroporation mediated DNA vaccination directly to a mucosal surface results in improved immune responses. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2013; 9:2041-8. [PMID: 23954979 DOI: 10.4161/hv.25272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In vivo electroporation (EP) has been shown to be a highly efficient non-viral method for enhancing DNA vaccine delivery and immunogenicity, when the site of immunization is the skin or muscle of animals and humans. However, the route of entry for many microbial pathogens is via the mucosal surfaces of the human body. We have previously reported on minimally invasive, surface and contactless EP devices for enhanced DNA delivery to dermal tissue. Robust antibody responses were induced following vaccine delivery in several tested animal models using these devices. Here, we investigated extending the modality of the surface device to efficiently deliver DNA vaccines to mucosal tissue. Initially, we demonstrated reporter gene expression in the epithelial layer of buccal mucosa in a guinea pig model. There was minimal tissue damage in guinea pig mucosal tissue resulting from EP. Delivery of a DNA vaccine encoding influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza H1N1 elicited robust and sustained systemic IgG antibody responses following EP-enhanced delivery in the mucosa. Upon further analysis, IgA antibody responses were detected in vaginal washes and sustained cellular immune responses were detected in animals immunized at the oral mucosa with the surface EP device. This data confirms that DNA delivery and EP targeting mucosal tissue directly results in both robust and sustainable humoral as well as cellular immune responses without tissue damage. These responses are seen both in the mucosa and systemically in the blood. Direct DNA vaccine delivery enhanced by EP in mucosa may have important clinical applications for delivery of prophylactic and therapeutic DNA vaccines against diseases such as HIV, HPV and pneumonia that enter at mucosal sites and require both cellular and humoral immune responses for protection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jay R McCoy
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc.;Blue Bell, PA USA
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46
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Naderi M, Saeedi A, Moradi A, Kleshadi M, Zolfaghari MR, Gorji A, Ghaemi A. Interleukin-12 as a genetic adjuvant enhances hepatitis C virus NS3 DNA vaccine immunogenicity. Virol Sin 2013; 28:167-73. [PMID: 23709057 DOI: 10.1007/s12250-013-3291-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2012] [Accepted: 01/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infection is a worldwide health problem, and numerous efforts have been invested to develop novel vaccines. An efficient vaccine requires broad immune response induction against viral proteins. To achieve this goal, we constructed a DNA vaccine expressing nonstructural 3 (NS3) gene (pcDNA3.1-HCV-NS3) and assessed the immune response in C57BL/6 mice. In this study, the NS3 gene was amplified with a nested-reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method using sera of HCV-infected patients with genotype 1a. The resulting NS3 gene was subcloned into a pcDNA3.1 eukaryotic expression vector, and gene expression was detected by western blot. The resultant DNA vaccine was co-administered with interleukin-12 (IL-12) as an adjuvant to female C57BL/6 mice. After the final immunizations, lymphocyte proliferation, cytotoxicity, and cytokine levels were assessed to measure immune responses. Our data suggest that co-administration of HCV NS3 DNA vaccine with IL-12 induces production of significant levels of both IL-4 and interferon (IFN)-γ (p<0.05). Cytotoxicity and lymphocyte proliferation responses of vaccinated mice were significantly increased compared to control (p<0.05). Collectively, our results demonstrated that co-administration of HCV NS3 and IL-12 displayed strong immunogenicity in a murine model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malihe Naderi
- Department of Microbiology, Qom branch, Islamic Azad University, Qom 37185-364, Iran
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47
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Chiarella P, De Santis S, Fazio VM, Signori E. Hyaluronidase contributes to early inflammatory events induced by electrotransfer in mouse skeletal muscle. Hum Gene Ther 2013; 24:406-16. [PMID: 23360544 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2012.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrotransfer of genes is one of the preferred strategies used to deliver plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle. In our experience, the combination of hyaluronidase (HYA) with electrotransfer (ET) of DNA vaccine enhances transfection of muscular fibers and increases expression of the encoded antigen. However, the contribution of HYA to the inflammatory reaction induced by ET, and its role in supporting ET adjuvancy, has never been investigated. We analyzed the events occurring in the first 2 weeks after electrotransfer to mouse muscle in the presence of HYA, to verify whether HYA contributes to the local inflammatory response induced by ET. Our results demonstrate that HYA amplifies the ET effect in terms of inflammatory cell recruitment enhancing the early release of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-6 cytokines. In contrast, HYA does not induce helper T cell type 1 and 2 cytokine production, confirming that the DNA vaccine is indispensable to induce mediators of antigen-specific immune responses. We observed inflammatory cell migration in the muscle treated with HYA plus ET in a time window between days 4 and 7 after cytokine induction. These observations are important in the choice of prime-boost intervals for optimizing ET-based DNA vaccination protocols. Because HYA contributes to vaccine spread and enhances the proinflammatory effect of ET in muscle we strongly support the use of HYA to potentiate DNA vaccine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieranna Chiarella
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Experimental Oncology, Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy
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48
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Holmström F, Pasetto A, Nähr V, Brass A, Kriegs M, Hildt E, Broderick KE, Chen M, Ahlén G, Frelin L. A synthetic codon-optimized hepatitis C virus nonstructural 5A DNA vaccine primes polyfunctional CD8+ T cell responses in wild-type and NS5A-transgenic mice. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 190:1113-24. [PMID: 23284053 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1201497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural (NS) 5A protein has been shown to promote viral persistence by interfering with both innate and adaptive immunity. At the same time, the HCV NS5A protein has been suggested as a target for antiviral therapy. In this study, we performed a detailed characterization of HCV NS5A immunogenicity in wild-type (wt) and immune tolerant HCV NS5A-transgenic (Tg) C57BL/6J mice. We evaluated how efficiently HCV NS5A-based genetic vaccines could activate strong T cell responses. Truncated and full-length wt and synthetic codon-optimized NS5A genotype 1b genes were cloned into eukaryotic expression plasmids, and the immunogenicity was determined after i.m. immunization in combination with in vivo electroporation. The NS5A-based genetic vaccines primed high Ab levels, with IgG titers of >10(4) postimmunization. With respect to CD8(+) T cell responses, the coNS5A gene primed more potent IFN-γ-producing and lytic cytotoxic T cells in wt mice compared with NS5A-Tg mice. In addition, high frequencies of NS5A-specific CD8(+) T cells were found in wt mice after a single immunization. To test the functionality of the CTL responses, the ability to inhibit growth of NS5A-expressing tumor cells in vivo was analyzed after immunization. A single dose of coNS5A primed tumor-inhibiting responses in both wt and NS5A-Tg mice. Finally, immunization with the coNS5A gene primed polyfunctional NS5A-specific CD8(+) T cell responses. Thus, the coNS5A gene is a promising therapeutic vaccine candidate for chronic HCV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik Holmström
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
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49
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Babayan SA, Luo H, Gray N, Taylor DW, Allen JE. Deletion of parasite immune modulatory sequences combined with immune activating signals enhances vaccine mediated protection against filarial nematodes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1968. [PMID: 23301106 PMCID: PMC3531514 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2011] [Accepted: 10/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Filarial nematodes are tissue-dwelling parasites that can be killed by Th2-driven immune effectors, but that have evolved to withstand immune attack and establish chronic infections by suppressing host immunity. As a consequence, the efficacy of a vaccine against filariasis may depend on its capacity to counter parasite-driven immunomodulation. Methodology and Principal Findings We immunised mice with DNA plasmids expressing functionally-inactivated forms of two immunomodulatory molecules expressed by the filarial parasite Litomosoides sigmodontis: the abundant larval transcript-1 (LsALT) and cysteine protease inhibitor-2 (LsCPI). The mutant proteins enhanced antibody and cytokine responses to live parasite challenge, and led to more leukocyte recruitment to the site of infection than their native forms. The immune response was further enhanced when the antigens were targeted to dendritic cells using a single chain Fv-αDEC205 antibody and co-administered with plasmids that enhance T helper 2 immunity (IL-4) and antigen-presenting cell recruitment (Flt3L, MIP-1α). Mice immunised simultaneously against the mutated forms of LsALT and LsCPI eliminated adult parasites faster and consistently reduced peripheral microfilaraemia. A multifactorial analysis of the immune response revealed that protection was strongly correlated with the production of parasite-specific IgG1 and with the numbers of leukocytes present at the site of infection. Conclusions We have developed a successful strategy for DNA vaccination against a nematode infection that specifically targets parasite-driven immunosuppression while simultaneously enhancing Th2 immune responses and parasite antigen presentation by dendritic cells. Filarial infections are endemic in more that 80 countries, affecting over 120 million people and putting 1 billion more at risk. Antifilarial drugs must be administered regularly to infected people to control the disease, but they are contraindicated in under 6 year-olds and in pregnant women. Further, reports of drug resistance are now accumulating. A vaccine would therefore greatly help fight these diseases. Live attenuated L3 filariae larvae can evoke a protective immunity but their production is impractical and use in humans unacceptable while the efficacy of sub-unit vaccines has been poor. Filariae secrete proteins capable of suppressing their host's immune response, and have the potential to interfere with immunisation. We therefore decided to vaccinate hosts against secreted parasite products that modulate host immune responses rather than against structural components of the worms, and to boost the host's immune system by directly enhancing the uptake of parasite material by antigen presenting cells. This strategy generated substantial protection against both adult and offspring of a filarial parasite in mice. This provides a strong proof of principle for the anti-immunomodulatory approach we have developed.
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MESH Headings
- Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage
- Animals
- Antibodies, Helminth/blood
- Antigens, Helminth/genetics
- Antigens, Helminth/immunology
- Cytokines/metabolism
- DNA, Helminth/administration & dosage
- DNA, Helminth/genetics
- DNA, Helminth/immunology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Filariasis/immunology
- Filariasis/prevention & control
- Filarioidea/genetics
- Filarioidea/immunology
- Lymphocytes/immunology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Sequence Deletion
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, Subunit/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Subunit/genetics
- Vaccines, Subunit/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon A Babayan
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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50
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Starodubova E, Krotova O, Hallengärd D, Kuzmenko Y, Engström G, Legzdina D, Latyshev O, Eliseeva O, Maltais AK, Tunitskaya V, Karpov V, Bråve A, Isaguliants M. Cellular Immunogenicity of Novel Gene Immunogens in Mice Monitored by in Vivo Imaging. Mol Imaging 2012. [DOI: 10.2310/7290.2012.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizaveta Starodubova
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olga Krotova
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - David Hallengärd
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yulia Kuzmenko
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnel Engström
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Diana Legzdina
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oleg Latyshev
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olesja Eliseeva
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Karin Maltais
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vera Tunitskaya
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vadim Karpov
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Bråve
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Isaguliants
- From the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia; Center of Medical Research, University of Oslo, Moscow, Russia; DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia; and Cytopulse AB, Stockholm, Sweden
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