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Pantazica AM, Dobrica MO, Lazar C, Scurtu C, Tucureanu C, Caras I, Ionescu I, Costache A, Onu A, Clarke JL, Stavaru C, Branza-Nichita N. Efficient cellular and humoral immune response and production of virus-neutralizing antibodies by the Hepatitis B Virus S/preS116-42 antigen. Front Immunol 2022; 13:941243. [PMID: 35935966 PMCID: PMC9354405 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.941243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of improved antiviral therapies, infection with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a3 significant health issue, as a curable treatment is yet to be discovered. Current HBV vaccines relaying on the efficient expression of the small (S) envelope protein in yeast and the implementation of mass vaccination programs have clearly contributed to containment of the disease. However, the lack of an efficient immune response in up to 10% of vaccinated adults, the controversies regarding the seroprotection persistence in vaccine responders and the emergence of vaccine escape virus mutations urge for the development of better HBV immunogens. Due to the critical role played by the preS1 domain of the large (L) envelope protein in HBV infection and its ability to trigger virus neutralizing antibodies, including this protein in novel vaccine formulations has been considered a promising strategy to overcome the limitations of S only-based vaccines. In this work we aimed to combine relevant L and S epitopes in chimeric antigens, by inserting preS1 sequences within the external antigenic loop of S, followed by production in mammalian cells and detailed analysis of their antigenic and immunogenic properties. Of the newly designed antigens, the S/preS116–42 protein assembled in subviral particles (SVP) showed the highest expression and secretion levels, therefore, it was selected for further studies in vivo. Analysis of the immune response induced in mice vaccinated with S/preS116–42- and S-SVPs, respectively, demonstrated enhanced immunogenicity of the former and its ability to activate both humoral and cellular immune responses. This combined activation resulted in production of neutralizing antibodies against both wild-type and vaccine-escape HBV variants. Our results validate the design of chimeric HBV antigens and promote the novel S/preS1 protein as a potential vaccine candidate for administration in poor-responders to current HBV vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana-Maria Pantazica
- Department of Viral Glycoproteins, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mihaela-Olivia Dobrica
- Department of Viral Glycoproteins, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Catalin Lazar
- Department of Viral Glycoproteins, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristina Scurtu
- Department of Viral Glycoproteins, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Catalin Tucureanu
- Immunology Laboratory, “Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Iuliana Caras
- Immunology Laboratory, “Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Irina Ionescu
- Immunology Laboratory, “Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adriana Costache
- Immunology Laboratory, “Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adrian Onu
- Immunology Laboratory, “Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Jihong Liu Clarke
- Division of Biotechnology and Plant Health, NIBIO - Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | - Crina Stavaru
- Immunology Laboratory, “Cantacuzino” Medico-Military National Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
- *Correspondence: Norica Branza-Nichita, ; Crina Stavaru,
| | - Norica Branza-Nichita
- Department of Viral Glycoproteins, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
- *Correspondence: Norica Branza-Nichita, ; Crina Stavaru,
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Vesikari T, Finn A, van Damme P, Leroux-Roels I, Leroux-Roels G, Segall N, Toma A, Vallieres G, Aronson R, Reich D, Arora S, Ruane PJ, Cone CL, Manns M, Cosgrove C, Faust SN, Ramasamy MN, Machluf N, Spaans JN, Yassin-Rajkumar B, Anderson D, Popovic V, Diaz-Mitoma F. Immunogenicity and Safety of a 3-Antigen Hepatitis B Vaccine vs a Single-Antigen Hepatitis B Vaccine: A Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2128652. [PMID: 34636914 PMCID: PMC8511978 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.28652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE There is a need for improved immunogenicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines among young adults with risk of infection. OBJECTIVES To demonstrate manufacturing equivalence of a 3-antigen (3A) HBV vaccine, evaluate noninferiority of seroprotection rate (SPR) of 3A-HBV vs single-antigen (1A) HBV after 2 and 3 vaccine doses, and compare safety and reactogenicity between 3A-HBV and 1A-HBV vaccines. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This phase 3, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial included healthy adults aged 18 to 45 years randomized to 1 of three 3A-HBV groups or 1 control group receiving 1A-HBV. The trial was conducted at 37 community clinics and academic hospitals in Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States between December 2017 and October 2019. Participants were followed up for 48 weeks after the first vaccination. INTERVENTIONS Intramuscular administration of 3A-HBV (10 μg) or 1A-HBV (20 μg) on days 0, 28, and 168. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Geometric mean concentration (GMC) of serum hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs) and proportion of participants achieving seroprotection. RESULTS Of 2838 participants, 1638 (57.8%) were women, 2595 (91.5%) were White, and 161 (5.7%) were Black or African American. A total of 712 participants (25.1%) were randomized to the 1A-HBV group and 2126 (74.9%) to 3A-HBV. The mean (SD) age at informed consent was 33.5 (8.0) years. The study demonstrated 3A-HBV lot-to-lot consistency, as the 2-sided 95% CIs for each pairwise comparison for the anti-HBs GMC ratios were within 0.67 and 1.50 (eg, adjusted GMC ratio, lot A vs lot B: 0.82; 95% CI, 0.67-1.00; lot A vs lot C: 0.95; 95% CI, 0.78-1.15; lot B vs lot C: 1.16; 95% CI, 0.95-1.41). The SPR of the pooled 3A-HBV was noninferior to 1A-HBV and higher than 1A-HBV after 2 vaccinations at day 168 (90.4% [95% CI, 89.0%-91.8%] vs 51.6% [95% CI, 47.5%-55.6%]) and 3 vaccinations at day 196 (99.3% [95% CI, 98.7%-99.6%] vs 94.8% [95% CI, 92.7%-96.4%]). The mean GMC of anti-HBs with 3A-HBV was 7.9 times higher after 2 vaccinations at day 168 and 3.5 times higher after 3 vaccinations at day 196 compared with 1A-HBV (after 2 vaccinations, 3A-HBV: GMC, 118.7 mIU/mL; 95% CI, 108.0-129.0 mIU/mL; SE, 1.0 mIU/mL; 1A-HBV: GMC, 15.0 mIU/mL; 95% CI, 12.9-17.5 mIU/mL; SE, 1.0 mIU/mL; after 3 vaccinations, 3A-HBV: GMC, 5442.4 mIU/mL; 95% CI, 4967.0-5963.0 mIU/mL; SE, 1.0 mIU/mL; 1A-HBV: 1567.2 mIU/mL; 95% CI, 1338.0-1834.0 mIU/mL; SE, 1.0 mIU/mL). Rates of local and systemic reactogenicities were higher with 3A-HBV compared with 1A-HBV (local: 1805 of 2124 [85.0%] vs 469 of 712 [65.9%]; systemic: 1445 [68.0%] vs 428 [60.1%]). Vaccine discontinuation due to adverse events (AE) was uncommon, and serious AEs were infrequent, reported in 42 participants (2.0%) and 3 participants (0.4%) in the 3A-HBV and 1A-HBV groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, consistently higher antibody concentrations and SPRs were found with 3A-HBV after 2 and 3 doses vs 1A-HBV in adults aged 18 to 45 years old. The safety and efficacy of 3A-HBV shows its usefulness for the prevention of hepatitis B in young healthy adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03408730; EU Clinical Trials Number: 2017-001820-22.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Finn
- Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre van Damme
- University of Antwerp–Center for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Universiteitsplein, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Azhar Toma
- Manna Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Ronnie Aronson
- LMC Diabetes and Endocrinology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Peter J. Ruane
- Ruane Clinical Research Group Inc, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Michael Manns
- Medizinishe Hochschule, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Catherine Cosgrove
- St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Saul N. Faust
- NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Medicine and Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Maheshi N. Ramasamy
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine, Churchill Hospital and University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Ninyio NN, Ho KL, Yong CY, Chee HY, Hamid M, Ong HK, Mariatulqabtiah AR, Tan WS. Chimeric Virus-Like Particles of Prawn Nodavirus Displaying Hepatitis B Virus Immunodominant Region: Biophysical Properties and Cytokine Response. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041922. [PMID: 33672018 PMCID: PMC7919259 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B is a major global health challenge. In the absence of an effective treatment for the disease, hepatitis B vaccines provide protection against the viral infection. However, some individuals do not have positive immune responses after being vaccinated with the hepatitis B vaccines available in the market. Thus, it is important to develop a more protective vaccine. Previously, we showed that hepatitis B virus (HBV) ‘a’ determinant (aD) displayed on the prawn nodavirus capsid (Nc) and expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells (namely, Nc-aD-Sf9) self-assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs). Immunisation of BALB/c mice with the Nc-aD-Sf9 VLPs showed significant induction of humoral, cellular and memory B-cell immunity. In the present study, the biophysical properties of the Nc-aD-Sf9 VLPs were studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the antigenicity of the Nc-aD-Sf9 VLPs, and multiplex ELISA was employed to quantify the cytokine response induced by the VLPs administered intramuscularly into BALB/c mice (n = 8). CD spectroscopy of Nc-aD-Sf9 VLPs showed that the secondary structure of the VLPs predominantly consisted of beta (β)-sheets (44.8%), and they were thermally stable up to ~52 °C. ELISA revealed that the aD epitope of the VLPs was significantly antigenic to anti-HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) antibodies. In addition, multiplex ELISA of serum samples from the vaccinated mice showed a significant induction (p < 0.001) of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12p70. This cytokine profile is indicative of natural killer cell, macrophage, dendritic cell and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activities, which suggests a prophylactic innate and adaptive cellular immune response mediated by Nc-aD-Sf9 VLPs. Interestingly, Nc-aD-Sf9 induced a more robust release of the aforementioned cytokines than that of Nc-aD VLPs produced in Escherichia coli and a commercially used hepatitis B vaccine. Overall, Nc-aD-Sf9 VLPs are thermally stable and significantly antigenic, demonstrating their potential as an HBV vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Nyakaat Ninyio
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia; (N.N.N.); (C.Y.Y.); (M.H.)
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kaduna State University, P.M.B. 2339, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kaduna 800241, Nigeria
| | - Kok Lian Ho
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia; (K.L.H.); (H.K.O.)
| | - Chean Yeah Yong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia; (N.N.N.); (C.Y.Y.); (M.H.)
| | - Hui Yee Chee
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia;
| | - Muhajir Hamid
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia; (N.N.N.); (C.Y.Y.); (M.H.)
| | - Hui Kian Ong
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia; (K.L.H.); (H.K.O.)
| | - Abdul Razak Mariatulqabtiah
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia;
- Laboratory of Vaccine and Biomolecules, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
| | - Wen Siang Tan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia; (N.N.N.); (C.Y.Y.); (M.H.)
- Laboratory of Vaccine and Biomolecules, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +603-9769-6715; Fax: +603-9769-7590
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Aneja A, Lal SB, Sharma AK, Rawat A, Singh S. Clinical Characteristics of Children With Celiac Disease Not Responding to Hepatitis B Vaccination in India. JPGN REPORTS 2021; 2:e046. [PMID: 37206938 PMCID: PMC10191543 DOI: 10.1097/pg9.0000000000000046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The immunological response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine may be suboptimal in children with celiac disease (CD), but the reasons for this are not well defined. Objectives This study was undertaken to assess the immune response to HBV vaccine in CD children and to explore the possible factors affecting the immune response. Methods The study population consisted of 3 groups-50 newly diagnosed CD children (group 1), 50 previously diagnosed CD children who were on gluten free diet (GFD) >3 months (group 2), and 100 age and gender matched healthy controls (group 3). The patient characteristics were recorded, and the blood samples were analyzed for HBsAg and anti-HBs titers. The nonresponders were given a booster dose of HBV vaccine and reevaluated after 6 weeks. Results Positive anti-HBs response was found in 46% in newly diagnosed CD children, 60% in CD children on GFD, and 83% in healthy controls (P < 0.001). The immune response to HBV vaccine in CD children was inferior to that in healthy children (53% vs 83%, P < 0.001). The immune response was found to be significantly affected by age at diagnosis, delay in diagnosis, type of presentation, and compliance to GFD. 44 out of 45 (97.77%) nonresponders from CD group seroconverted after a single booster dose. Conclusion Early diagnosis and good compliance to GFD may improve the immune response to HBV vaccine in CD children. Single additional booster dose is sufficient to attain optimal immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aradhana Aneja
- From the Division of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
| | - Sadhna B. Lal
- From the Division of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
| | | | - Amit Rawat
- Division of Paediatric Immunology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Surjit Singh
- Division of Paediatric Immunology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
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Wongjarupong N, Yonli AT, Nagalo BM, Djigma FW, Somda SK, Hassan MA, Mohamed EA, Sorgho AP, Compaore TR, Soubeiga ST, Kiendrebeogo I, Sanou M, Diarra B, Yang H, Chen C, Ouattara AK, Zohoncon TM, Martinson JJ, Buetow K, Chamcheu JC, Antwi SO, Borad MJ, Simpore J, Roberts LR. Characteristics of Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection With Genotype E Predominance in Burkina Faso. Hepatol Commun 2020; 4:1781-1792. [PMID: 33305149 PMCID: PMC7706297 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype E (HBV-E) accounts for the majority of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infections in West Africa. We aimed to determine factors associated with HBV-E-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in West Africa. Data on patients from Burkina Faso who were hepatitis B surface antigen positive (HBsAg+) and had CHB were analyzed. HBV viral load and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status were measured in 3,885 individuals with CHB without HCC (CHB HCC-) and 59 individuals with CHB with HCC (CHB HCC+). HBV genotyping was performed for 364 subjects with CHB HCC- and 41 subjects with CHB HCC+. Overall, 2.5% of the CHB HCC- group was HBeAg+ compared with 0% of the CHB HCC+ group. Of the 364 patients who were CHB HCC- with available genotyping, the frequencies of HBV genotypes E and C/E were 70.3% and 12.9%, respectively. Age (odds ratio [OR] for older age, 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.10 per 1-year increase in age), male sex (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.11-3.69), and HBV viremia (OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.31-1.67 per 1 log10 IU/mL) were each associated with HCC diagnosis. Patients with genotype E had a lower HBeAg prevalence (6.3% vs. 14.9%), lower HBV viral load, and higher prevalence of cirrhosis (14.5% vs. 4.8%) than patients with genotype C/E. Conclusion: HBV-E is the most common circulating strain (70.3%) in West African patients. HCC was associated with older age, male sex, and high HBV viral load. It is expected that these results will further inform guidance on clinical management of HBV infection in West Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Albert Theophane Yonli
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | | | - Florencia Wendkuuni Djigma
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Sosthene Kounpielime Somda
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | | | - Essa A. Mohamed
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyMayo ClinicRochesterMN
| | - Abel Pegdwende Sorgho
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Tegwinde Rebeca Compaore
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Serge Theophile Soubeiga
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Isabelle Kiendrebeogo
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Mahamoudou Sanou
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Birama Diarra
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Hwai‐I Yang
- Genomics Research CenterAcademia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | | | - Abdoul K. Ouattara
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Théodora M. Zohoncon
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Jeremy J. Martinson
- Division of Infectious Diseases and MicrobiologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPA
| | - Kenneth Buetow
- Computational Sciences and Informatics Program for Complex Adaptive SystemArizona State UniversityTempeAZ
| | | | - Samuel O. Antwi
- Department of Health Sciences ResearchMayo ClinicJacksonvilleFL
| | - Mitesh J. Borad
- Division of Hematology and Medical OncologyMayo Clinic HospitalPhoenixAZ
| | - Jacques Simpore
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyPietro Annigonni Biomolecular Research CenterOuagadougouBurkina FasoWest Africa
| | - Lewis R. Roberts
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyMayo ClinicRochesterMN
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Ye H, Teng J, Lin Z, Wang Y, Fu X. Analysis of HBsAg mutations in the 25 years after the implementation of the hepatitis B vaccination plan in China. Virus Genes 2020; 56:546-556. [PMID: 32542478 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-020-01773-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Since 1992, China has promoted hepatitis B vaccination. Concurrently, during this period, increasing use of immunoglobulins and nucleoside analogues might have exerted selective pressure on the hepatitis B virus (HBV) S gene, driving mutations in the HBsAg and changed the subtype. Using the National Center for Biotechnology Information database, we obtained gene sequence information for HBV strains from China and analysed changes in HBsAg subtypes and substitution mutations in HBsAg in 5-year intervals over 25 years to identify potential challenges to the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B. Most HBV sequences from China were genotype C (1996/2833, 70.46%) or B (706/2833, 24.92%). During the implementation of hepatitis B vaccination (recombinant hepatitis B vaccine was subgenotype A2 and HBsAg subtype adw2), the proportion of subtypes ayw1 and adw3 in genotype B and ayw2 in genotype C increased over the programme period. The overall mutation rate in HBsAg tended to decrease for genotype B, whereas, for genotype C, the rate increased gradually and then decreased slightly. Moreover, the mutation rate at some HBsAg amino acid sites (such as sG145 of genotype B and sG130 and sK141 of genotype C) is gradually increasing. HBV strains with internal stop codons of HBsAg (e.g., sC69*) and additional N-glycosylation (e.g., sG130N) mutations should be studied extensively to prevent them from becoming dominant circulating strains. The development of HBV vaccines and antiviral immunoglobulins and use of antiviral drugs may require making corresponding changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiming Ye
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, No. 10 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003, Fujian Province, China
| | - Jing Teng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiamen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1739 Xianyue Road, Xiamen, 361009, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zhiyuan Lin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiamen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1739 Xianyue Road, Xiamen, 361009, Fujian Province, China
| | - Ye Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, No. 10 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003, Fujian Province, China
| | - Xiaochun Fu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiamen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1739 Xianyue Road, Xiamen, 361009, Fujian Province, China. .,Department of Clinical Laboratory, Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, No. 10 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003, Fujian Province, China.
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Ninyio NN, Ho KL, Ong HK, Yong CY, Chee HY, Hamid M, Tan WS. Immunological Analysis of the Hepatitis B Virus "a" Determinant Displayed on Chimeric Virus-Like Particles of Macrobrachium rosenbergii Nodavirus Capsid Protein Produced in Sf9 Cells. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8020275. [PMID: 32512923 PMCID: PMC7350026 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020275] [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: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs) have been widely exploited for various purposes including their use as vaccine candidates, particularly due to their ability to induce stronger immune responses than VLPs consisting of single viral proteins. In the present study, VLPs of the Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV) capsid protein (Nc) displaying the hepatitis B virus “a” determinant (aD) were produced in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells. BALB/c mice immunised with the purified chimeric Nc-aD VLPs elicited a sustained titre of anti-aD antibody, which was significantly higher than that elicited by a commercially available hepatitis B vaccine and Escherichia coli-produced Nc-aD VLPs. Immunophenotyping showed that the Sf9-produced Nc-aD VLPs induced proliferation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK1.1 natural killer cells. Furthermore, enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT)analysis showed the presence of antibody-secreting memory B cells in the mice splenocytes stimulated with the synthetic aD peptide. The significant humoral, natural killer cell and memory B cell immune responses induced by the Sf9-produced Nc-aD VLPs suggest that they present good prospects for use as a hepatitis B vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Nyakaat Ninyio
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.N.N.); (C.Y.Y.); (M.H.)
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kaduna State University, P.M.B. 2339, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kaduna 800241, Nigeria
| | - Kok Lian Ho
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (K.L.H.); (H.K.O.)
| | - Hui Kian Ong
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (K.L.H.); (H.K.O.)
| | - Chean Yeah Yong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.N.N.); (C.Y.Y.); (M.H.)
| | - Hui Yee Chee
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Malaysia;
| | - Muhajir Hamid
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.N.N.); (C.Y.Y.); (M.H.)
| | - Wen Siang Tan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.N.N.); (C.Y.Y.); (M.H.)
- Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +603-9769-6715; Fax: +603-9769-7590
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In Vitro Systems for Studying Different Genotypes/Sub-Genotypes of Hepatitis B Virus: Strengths and Limitations. Viruses 2020; 12:v12030353. [PMID: 32210021 PMCID: PMC7150782 DOI: 10.3390/v12030353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects the liver resulting in end stage liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite an effective vaccine, HBV poses a serious health problem globally, accounting for 257 million chronic carriers. Unique features of HBV, including its narrow virus-host range and its hepatocyte tropism, have led to major challenges in the development of suitable in vivo and in vitro model systems to recapitulate the HBV replication cycle and to test various antiviral strategies. Moreover, HBV is classified into at least nine genotypes and 35 sub-genotypes with distinct geographical distributions and prevalence, which have different natural histories of infection, clinical manifestation, and response to current antiviral agents. Here, we review various in vitro systems used to study the molecular biology of the different (sub)genotypes of HBV and their response to antiviral agents, and we discuss their strengths and limitations. Despite the advances made, no system is ideal for pan-genotypic HBV research or drug development and therefore further improvement is required. It is necessary to establish a centralized repository of HBV-related generated materials, which are readily accessible to HBV researchers, with international collaboration toward advancement and development of in vitro model systems for testing new HBV antivirals to ensure their pan-genotypic and/or customized activity.
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Peculiarities in the designations of hepatitis B virus genes, their products, and their antigenic specificities: a potential source of misunderstandings. Virus Genes 2020; 56:109-119. [PMID: 32026198 PMCID: PMC7093336 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-020-01733-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The nomenclature of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genes and their products has developed stepwise, occasionally in an erratic way, creating many misunderstandings, especially among those who do not know the structure of HBV and its genome in detail. One of the most frequent misunderstandings, even presented in leading journals, is the designation of HBV “e”-antigen as envelope or early antigen. Another problem area are the so-called “pre” regions in the HBV genome present upstream of both the core and the surface genes of HBV, inadvertently suggesting that they may be a part of corresponding precursor proteins. Misnomers and misclassifications are frequent in defining the subgenotypes and serological subtypes of HBV. Even the well-established terminology for HBV surface (HBs) or HBV core (HBc) antigen deviates from the conventional virological nomenclature for viral envelopes or capsid proteins/antigens, respectively. Another matter of undesirable variability between publications is the numbering of the nucleotides and the graphical representation of genomic maps. This editorial briefly explains how the nomenclature evolved, what it really means, and suggests how it could be adapted to today’s knowledge.
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