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Abstract
We describe a novel vaccine platform that can generate protective immunity to chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in C57BL/6J mice after a single immunization by employing an infectious RNA (iRNA), which upon introduction into a host cell launches an infectious attenuated virus. We and others have previously reported that an engineered deletion of 183 nucleotides in the nsP3 gene attenuates chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and reduces in vivo viral replication and viremia after challenge in mice, macaques and man. Here, we demonstrated that in vitro transfection of iRNA carrying the nsP3 deletion generated infectious viruses, and after intramuscular injection, the iRNA induced robust antibody responses in mice. The iRNA was superior at eliciting binding and neutralizing antibody responses as compared to a DNA vaccine encoding the same RNA (iDNA) or a non-propagating RNA replicon (RREP) lacking the capsid encoding gene. Subsequent challenge with a high dose of CHIKV demonstrated that the antibody responses induced by this vaccine candidate protected animals from viremia. The iRNA approach constitutes a novel vaccine platform with the potential to impact the spread of CHIKV. Moreover, we believe that this approach is likely applicable also to other positive-strand viruses.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
- Antibodies, Viral/immunology
- Chikungunya Fever/immunology
- Chikungunya Fever/prevention & control
- Chikungunya Fever/virology
- Chikungunya virus/genetics
- Chikungunya virus/immunology
- Chikungunya virus/pathogenicity
- Female
- Immunogenicity, Vaccine
- Injections, Intramuscular
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mutation
- Vaccines, Attenuated/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Attenuated/genetics
- Vaccines, Attenuated/immunology
- Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Synthetic/genetics
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
- Viral Nonstructural Proteins/genetics
- Viral Nonstructural Proteins/immunology
- mRNA Vaccines
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Szurgot
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
- Eurocine Vaccines AB, Karolinska Institutet Science Park, 171 65, Solna, Sweden
| | - Beate M Kümmerer
- Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Peter Liljeström
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
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2
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Seruyange E, Ljungberg K, Muvunyi CM, Gahutu JB, Katare S, Nyamusore J, Gwon YD, Evander M, Norder H, Liljeström P, Bergström T. Seroreactivity to Chikungunya and West Nile Viruses in Rwandan Blood Donors. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019; 19:731-740. [PMID: 31246538 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and West Nile virus (WNV) have previously been reported from several African countries, including those bordering Rwanda where they may have originated. However, there have been no serosurveillance reports from Rwanda regarding these two viral pathogens. In this article, we present the first study of immunoglobulin G (IgG) seroreactivity of CHIKV and WNV in Rwandan blood donor samples. Methods: Blood donors from Rwanda (n = 874) and Sweden (n = 199) were tested for IgG reactivity against CHIKV, using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the E1 envelope protein fused with p62 as antigen, and against WNV using a commercial kit. Data on mosquito distribution were obtained from the 2012 assessment of yellow fever virus circulation in Rwanda. Results: Seroreactivity to CHIKV was high in Rwanda (63.0%), when compared with Swedish donors, where only 8.5% were IgG positive. However, a cross-reactivity to O'nyong'nyong virus in neutralization test was noted in Rwandan donors. No significant difference in WNV seroreactivity was found (10.4% for Rwandan and 14.1% for Swedish donors). The relatively high seroreactivity to WNV among Swedish donors could partly be explained by cross-reactivity with tick-borne encephalitis virus prevalent in Sweden. Donors from the Eastern Province of Rwanda had the highest IgG reactivity to the two investigated viruses (86.7% for CHIKV and 33.3% for WNV). Five genera of mosquitoes were found in Rwanda where Culex was the most common (82.5%). The vector of CHIKV, Aedes, accounted for 9.6% of mosquitoes and this species was most commonly found in the Eastern Province. Conclusions: Our results showed high seroreactivity to CHIKV in Rwandan donors. The highest IgG reactivity to CHIKV, and to WNV, was found in the Eastern Province, the area reporting the highest number of mosquito vectors for these two viruses. Infection control by eliminating mosquito-breeding sites in population-dense areas is recommended, especially in eastern Rwanda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Seruyange
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.,Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claude Mambo Muvunyi
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Jean Bosco Gahutu
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Swaibu Katare
- National Centre for Blood Transfusion, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - José Nyamusore
- Division of Epidemic Surveillance and Response, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Yong-Dae Gwon
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Magnus Evander
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Heléne Norder
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter Liljeström
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas Bergström
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Öhlund P, García-Arriaza J, Zusinaite E, Szurgot I, Männik A, Kraus A, Ustav M, Merits A, Esteban M, Liljeström P, Ljungberg K. DNA-launched RNA replicon vaccines induce potent anti-Ebolavirus immune responses that can be further improved by a recombinant MVA boost. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12459. [PMID: 30127450 PMCID: PMC6102224 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31003-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There are currently no licensed therapeutic treatment or preventive vaccines against Ebolavirus disease, and the 2013-2016 West African outbreak of Ebolavirus disease spread rapidly and resulted in almost 30,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths. However, the devastating outbreak has spurred the development of novel Ebolavirus vaccines. Here, we demonstrate that alphavirus-based DNA-launched self-replicating RNA replicon vaccines (DREP) encoding either the glycoprotein (GP) gene or co-expressing the GP and VP40 genes of Sudan or Zaire Ebolavirus are immunogenic in mice inducing both binding and neutralizing antibodies as well as CD8 T cell responses. In addition, antibodies were cross-reactive against another Ebolavirus, although the specificity was higher for the vaccination antigen. DREP vaccines were more immunogenic than recombinant MVA vaccines expressing the same Ebolavirus antigens. However, a DREP prime followed by an MVA boost immunization regimen improved vaccine immunogenicity as compared to DREP and MVA homologous prime-boost immunizations. Moreover, we show that a bivalent approach targeting both Sudan and Zaire Ebolavirus can be employed without significant loss of immunity. This opens for further investigation of a pan-Ebolavirus or even a pan-filovirus vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pontus Öhlund
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biomedical Science and Veterinary Public Health, Virology Unit, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Juan García-Arriaza
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Zusinaite
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Inga Szurgot
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andres Männik
- Icosagen Cell Factory OÜ, Ülenurme vald, Tartumaa, Estonia
| | - Annette Kraus
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
| | - Mart Ustav
- Icosagen Cell Factory OÜ, Ülenurme vald, Tartumaa, Estonia
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mariano Esteban
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Peter Liljeström
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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van de Wall S, Ljungberg K, Ip PP, Boerma A, Knudsen ML, Nijman HW, Liljeström P, Daemen T. Potent therapeutic efficacy of an alphavirus replicon DNA vaccine expressing human papilloma virus E6 and E7 antigens. Oncoimmunology 2018; 7:e1487913. [PMID: 30288352 PMCID: PMC6169581 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1487913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer develops as a result of infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) through persistent expression of early proteins E6 and E7. Our group pioneered a recombinant viral vector system based on Semliki Forest virus (SFV) for vaccination against cervical cancer. The most striking benefit of this alphavirus vector-based vaccine platform is its high potency. DNA vaccines on the other hand, have a major advantage with respect to ease of production. In this study, the benefits associated with both SFV-based vaccines and DNA vaccines were combined with the development of a DNA-launched RNA replicon (DREP) vaccine targeting cervical cancer. Using intradermal delivery followed by electroporation, we demonstrated that DREP encoding for E6,7 (DREP-E6,7) induced effective, therapeutic antitumor immunity. While immunizations with a conventional DNA vaccine did not prevent tumor outgrowth, immunization with a 200-fold lower equimolar dose of DREP (0.05 µg of DREP) resulted in approximately 85% of tumor-free mice. To overcome the safety concern of potential malignant transformation at the vaccination site, we evaluated the anti-tumor effect of a DREP vaccine encoding a shuffled version of E7 (DREP-E7sh). DREP-E7sh delayed tumor growth yet not to the same extent as DREP-E6,7. In addition, inclusion of a helper cassette and an ER targeting signal (sigHelp) did not significantly further enhance the suppression of tumor outgrowth in the long term, albeit exhibiting better tumor control early after immunization. Collectively, this study points towards the clinical evaluation of DREP encoding HPV antigens as a potent immunotherapy for patients with HPV16 (pre)-malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie van de Wall
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tumor Virology and Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peng Peng Ip
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tumor Virology and Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Boerma
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tumor Virology and Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria L Knudsen
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hans W Nijman
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Liljeström
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Toos Daemen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tumor Virology and Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Stenler S, Lundin KE, Hansen L, Petkov S, Mozafari N, Isaguliants M, Blomberg P, Smith CIE, Goldenberg DM, Chang CH, Ljungberg K, Hinkula J, Wahren B. Immunization with HIV-1 envelope T20-encoding DNA vaccines elicits cross-clade neutralizing antibody responses. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2017; 13:2849-2858. [PMID: 28696158 PMCID: PMC5718786 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2017.1338546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Genetic immunization is expected to induce the expression of antigens in a native form. The encoded peptide epitopes are presented on endogenous MHC molecules, mimicking antigen presentation during a viral infection. We have explored the potential of enfuvirtide (T20), a short HIV peptide with antiviral properties, to enhance immune response to HIV antigens. To generate an expression vector, the T20 sequence was cloned into a conventional plasmid, the novel minicircle construct, and a replicon plasmid. In addition, 3 conventional plasmids that express the envelope of HIV-1 subtypes A, B and C and contain T20 in their gp41 sequences were also tested. Results: All combinations induced HIV-specific antibodies and cellular responses. The addition of T20 as a peptide and as an expression cassette in the 3 DNA vectors enhanced antibody responses. The highest anti-HIV-1 Env titers were obtained by the replicon T20 construct. This demonstrates that besides its known antiviral activity, T20 promotes immune responses. We also confirm that the combination of slightly divergent antigens improves immune responses. Conclusions: The antiretroviral T20 HIV-1 sequence can be used as an immunogen to elicit binding and neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1. These, or similarly modified gp41 genes/peptides, can be used as priming or boosting components for induction of broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies. Future comparative studies will reveal the optimal mode of T20 administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Stenler
- a Karolinska Cell Therapy Center , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - K E Lundin
- b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center , Karolinska Institutet , Huddinge , Sweden
| | - L Hansen
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - S Petkov
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - N Mozafari
- b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center , Karolinska Institutet , Huddinge , Sweden
| | - M Isaguliants
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - P Blomberg
- a Karolinska Cell Therapy Center , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - C I E Smith
- b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center , Karolinska Institutet , Huddinge , Sweden
| | - D M Goldenberg
- d Immunomedics, Inc., Morris Plains , NJ , USA.,e IBC Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Morris Plains , NJ , USA
| | - C-H Chang
- d Immunomedics, Inc., Morris Plains , NJ , USA.,e IBC Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Morris Plains , NJ , USA
| | - K Ljungberg
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - J Hinkula
- f Department of Molecular Virology , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden
| | - B Wahren
- c Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
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6
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Hinkula J, Petkov S, Ljungberg K, Hallengärd D, Bråve A, Isaguliants M, Falkeborn T, Sharma S, Liakina V, Robb M, Eller M, Moss B, Biberfeld G, Sandström E, Nilsson C, Markland K, Blomberg P, Wahren B. HIVIS-DNA or HIVISopt-DNA priming followed by CMDR vaccinia-based boosts induce both humoral and cellular murine immune responses to HIV. Heliyon 2017; 3:e00339. [PMID: 28721397 PMCID: PMC5496381 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In order to develop a more effective prophylactic HIV-1 vaccine it is important optimize the components, improve Envelope glycoprotein immunogenicity as well as to explore prime-boost immunization schedules. It is also valuable to include several HIV-1 subtype antigens representing the world-wide epidemic. Methods HIVIS-DNA plasmids which include Env genes of subtypes A, B and C together with Gag subtypes A and B and RTmut/Rev of subtype B were modified as follows: the Envelope sequences were shortened, codon optimized, provided with an FT4 sequence and an immunodominant region mutated. The reverse transcriptase (RT) gene was shortened to contain the most immunogenic N-terminal fragment and fused with an inactivated viral protease vPR gene. HIVISopt-DNA thus contains fewer plasmids but additional PR epitopes compared to the native HIVIS-DNA. DNA components were delivered intradermally to young Balb/c mice once, using a needle-free Biojector® immediately followed by dermal electroporation. Vaccinia-based MVA-CMDR boosts including Env gene E and Gag-RT genes A were delivered intramuscularly by needle, once or twice. Results Both HIVIS-DNA and HIVISopt-DNA primed humoral and cell mediated responses well. When boosted with heterologous MVA-CMDR (subtypes A and E) virus inhibitory neutralizing antibodies were obtained to HIV-1 subtypes A, B, C and AE. Both plasmid compositions boosted with MVA-CMDR generated HIV-1 specific cellular responses directed against HIV-1 Env, Gag and Pol, as measured by IFNγ ELISpot. It was shown that DNA priming augmented the vector MVA immunological boosting effects, the HIVISopt-DNA with a trend to improved (Env) neutralization, the HIVIS-DNA with a trend to better (Gag) cell mediated immune reponses. Conclusions HIVIS-DNA was modified to obtain HIVISopt-DNA that had fewer plasmids, and additional epitopes. Even with one DNA prime followed by two MVA-CMDR boosts, humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were readily induced by priming with either DNA construct composition. Priming by HIV-DNA augmented neutralizing antibody responses revealed by boosting with the vaccinia-based heterologous sequences. Cellular and antibody responses covered selected strains representing HIV-1 subtypes A, B, C and CRF01_AE. We assume this is related to the inclusion of heterologous full genes in the vaccine schedule.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Hinkula
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S Petkov
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - K Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - D Hallengärd
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A Bråve
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M Isaguliants
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - T Falkeborn
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - S Sharma
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - V Liakina
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University 2, 08661 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - M Robb
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, 20892 MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, 20892 MD, USA
| | - M Eller
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, 20892 MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, 20892 MD, USA
| | - B Moss
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892 MD, USA
| | - G Biberfeld
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - E Sandström
- Department of South Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, 11883 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C Nilsson
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - K Markland
- Clinical Research Center and Vecura, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - P Blomberg
- Clinical Research Center and Vecura, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - B Wahren
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Roques P, Ljungberg K, Kümmerer BM, Gosse L, Dereuddre-Bosquet N, Tchitchek N, Hallengärd D, García-Arriaza J, Meinke A, Esteban M, Merits A, Le Grand R, Liljeström P. Attenuated and vectored vaccines protect nonhuman primates against Chikungunya virus. JCI Insight 2017; 2:e83527. [PMID: 28352649 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.83527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is rapidly spreading across the globe, and millions are infected. Morbidity due to this virus is a serious threat to public health, but at present, there is no vaccine against this debilitating disease. We have recently developed a number of vaccine candidates, and here we have evaluated 3 of them in a nonhuman primate model. A single immunization with an attenuated strain of CHIKV (Δ5nsP3), a homologous prime-boost immunization with a DNA-launched RNA replicon encoding CHIKV envelope proteins (DREP-E), and a DREP-E prime followed by a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara encoding CHIKV capsid and envelope (MVA-CE) boost all induced protection against WT CHIKV infection. The attenuated Δ5nsP3 virus proved to be safe and did not show any clinical signs typically associated with WT CHIKV infections such as fever, skin rash, lymphopenia, or joint swelling. These vaccines are based on an East/Central/South African strain of Indian Ocean lineage, but they also generated neutralizing antibodies against an isolate of the Asian genotype that now is rapidly spreading across the Americas. These results form the basis for clinical development of an efficacious CHIKV vaccine that generates both humoral and cellular immunity with long-term immunological memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Roques
- Université Paris Sud, UMR 1184, Orsay, France.,CEA, DSV/iMETI, Division of Immuno-Virology, IDMIT center.,Inserm, U1184, Center for immunology of viral infections and autoimmune diseases, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Beate M Kümmerer
- Institute of Virology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany
| | - Leslie Gosse
- Université Paris Sud, UMR 1184, Orsay, France.,CEA, DSV/iMETI, Division of Immuno-Virology, IDMIT center.,Inserm, U1184, Center for immunology of viral infections and autoimmune diseases, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Nathalie Dereuddre-Bosquet
- Université Paris Sud, UMR 1184, Orsay, France.,CEA, DSV/iMETI, Division of Immuno-Virology, IDMIT center.,Inserm, U1184, Center for immunology of viral infections and autoimmune diseases, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Nicolas Tchitchek
- Université Paris Sud, UMR 1184, Orsay, France.,CEA, DSV/iMETI, Division of Immuno-Virology, IDMIT center.,Inserm, U1184, Center for immunology of viral infections and autoimmune diseases, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - David Hallengärd
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juan García-Arriaza
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Mariano Esteban
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Roger Le Grand
- Université Paris Sud, UMR 1184, Orsay, France.,CEA, DSV/iMETI, Division of Immuno-Virology, IDMIT center.,Inserm, U1184, Center for immunology of viral infections and autoimmune diseases, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - Peter Liljeström
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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8
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Knudsen ML, Ljungberg K, Tatoud R, Weber J, Esteban M, Liljeström P. Alphavirus replicon DNA expressing HIV antigens is an excellent prime for boosting with recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) or with HIV gp140 protein antigen. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117042. [PMID: 25643354 PMCID: PMC4314072 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination with DNA is an attractive strategy for induction of pathogen-specific T cells and antibodies. Studies in humans have shown that DNA vaccines are safe, but their immunogenicity needs further improvement. As a step towards this goal, we have previously demonstrated that immunogenicity is increased with the use of an alphavirus DNA-launched replicon (DREP) vector compared to conventional DNA vaccines. In this study, we investigated the effect of varying the dose and number of administrations of DREP when given as a prime prior to a heterologous boost with poxvirus vector (MVA) and/or HIV gp140 protein formulated in glucopyranosyl lipid A (GLA-AF) adjuvant. The DREP and MVA vaccine constructs encoded Env and a Gag-Pol-Nef fusion protein from HIV clade C. One to three administrations of 0.2 μg DREP induced lower HIV-specific T cell and IgG responses than the equivalent number of immunizations with 10 μg DREP. However, the two doses were equally efficient as a priming component in a heterologous prime-boost regimen. The magnitude of immune responses depended on the number of priming immunizations rather than the dose. A single low dose of DREP prior to a heterologous boost resulted in greatly increased immune responses compared to MVA or protein antigen alone, demonstrating that a mere 0.2 μg DREP was sufficient for priming immune responses. Following a DREP prime, T cell responses were expanded greatly by an MVA boost, and IgG responses were also expanded when boosted with protein antigen. When MVA and protein were administered simultaneously following multiple DREP primes, responses were slightly compromised compared to administering them sequentially. In conclusion, we have demonstrated efficient priming of HIV-specific T cell and IgG responses with a low dose of DREP, and shown that the priming effect depends on number of primes administered rather than dose.
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MESH Headings
- Alphavirus/genetics
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral/immunology
- Chemistry, Pharmaceutical
- DNA, Recombinant/genetics
- DNA, Viral/genetics
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Genetic Vectors/genetics
- HIV Antigens/genetics
- HIV Antigens/immunology
- HIV-1/immunology
- Immunization, Secondary
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
- Lipid A/chemistry
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Replicon/genetics
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccinia virus/genetics
- env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/chemistry
- env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L. Knudsen
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail: (MLK); (PL)
| | - Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Roger Tatoud
- Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Medicine, Norfolk Place, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Weber
- Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Medicine, Norfolk Place, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mariano Esteban
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Peter Liljeström
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail: (MLK); (PL)
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9
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Abstract
Recombinant nucleic acids are considered as promising next-generation vaccines. These vaccines express the native antigen upon delivery into tissue, thus mimicking live attenuated vaccines without having the risk of reversion to pathogenicity. They also stimulate the innate immune system, thus potentiating responses. Nucleic acid vaccines are easy to produce at reasonable cost and are stable. During the past years, focus has been on the use of plasmid DNA for vaccination. Now mRNA and replicon vaccines have come into focus as promising technology platforms for vaccine development. This review discusses self-replicating RNA vaccines developed from alphavirus expression vectors. These replicon vaccines can be delivered as RNA, DNA or as recombinant virus particles. All three platforms have been pre-clinically evaluated as vaccines against a number of infectious diseases and cancer. Results have been very encouraging and propelled the first human clinical trials, the results of which have been promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Abstract
This chapter describes the in vivo delivery of conventional mRNA or alphaviral replicon RNA via intradermal electroporation. The use of RNA in clinical applications has several potential advantages compared to DNA. For instance, RNA cannot integrate into the host genome, and it does not contain bacterial sequence motifs such as CpG often present in plasmid DNA backbones that can potentially trigger autoimmune responses. Intradermal electroporation is well tolerated and causes only minor trauma compared to intramuscular electroporation. As the skin houses high concentrations of antigen-presenting cells, vaccines could especially benefit from intradermal administration of RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Knudsen
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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11
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Knudsen ML, Johansson DX, Kostic L, Nordström EKL, Tegerstedt K, Pasetto A, Applequist SE, Ljungberg K, Sirard JC, Liljeström P. The adjuvant activity of alphavirus replicons is enhanced by incorporating the microbial molecule flagellin into the replicon. PLoS One 2013; 8:e65964. [PMID: 23785460 PMCID: PMC3681802 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ligands of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) including Toll-like receptors (TLRs) stimulate innate and adaptive immune responses and are considered as potent adjuvants. Combinations of ligands might act in synergy to induce stronger and broader immune responses compared to stand-alone ligands. Alphaviruses stimulate endosomal TLRs 3, 7 and 8 as well as the cytoplasmic PRR MDA-5, resulting in induction of a strong type I interferon (IFN) response. Bacterial flagellin stimulates TLR5 and when delivered intracellularly the cytosolic PRR NLRC4, leading to secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Both alphaviruses and flagellin have independently been shown to act as adjuvants for antigen-specific antibody responses. Here, we hypothesized that alphavirus and flagellin would act in synergy when combined. We therefore cloned the Salmonella Typhimurium flagellin (FliC) gene into an alphavirus replicon and assessed its adjuvant activity on the antibody response against co-administered antigen. In mice immunized with recombinant alphavirus, antibody responses were greatly enhanced compared to soluble FliC or control alphavirus. Both IgG1 and IgG2a/c responses were increased, indicating an enhancement of both Th1 and Th2 type responses. The adjuvant activity of FliC-expressing alphavirus was diminished but not abolished in the absence of TLR5 or type I IFN signaling, suggesting the contribution of several signaling pathways and some synergistic and redundant activity of its components. Thus, we have created a recombinant adjuvant that stimulates multiple signaling pathways of innate immunity resulting in a strong and broad antibody response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Knudsen
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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12
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Ljungberg K, McBrayer A, Camp JV, Chu YK, Tapp R, Noah DL, Grimes S, Proctor ML, Liljeström P, Jonsson CB, Bruder CE. Host gene expression signatures discriminate between ferrets infected with genetically similar H1N1 strains. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40743. [PMID: 22808249 PMCID: PMC3396591 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2012] [Accepted: 06/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Different respiratory viruses induce virus-specific gene expression in the host. Recent evidence, including those presented here, suggests that genetically related isolates of influenza virus induce strain-specific host gene regulation in several animal models. Here, we identified systemic strain-specific gene expression signatures in ferrets infected with pandemic influenza A/California/07/2009, A/Mexico/4482/2009 or seasonal influenza A/Brisbane/59/2007. Using uncorrelated shrunken centroid classification, we were able to accurately identify the infecting influenza strain with a combined gene expression profile of 10 selected genes, independent of the severity of disease. Another gene signature, consisting of 7 genes, could classify samples based on lung pathology. Furthermore, we identified a gene expression profile consisting of 31 probes that could classify samples based on both strain and severity of disease. Thus, we show that expression-based analysis of non-infected tissue enables distinction between genetically related influenza viruses as well as lung pathology. These results open for development of alternative tools for influenza diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexis McBrayer
- Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Jeremy V. Camp
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Yong-Kyu Chu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Ronald Tapp
- Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Diana L. Noah
- Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Sheila Grimes
- Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Mary L. Proctor
- Research Resources Facilities, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Peter Liljeström
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Colleen B. Jonsson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Carl E. Bruder
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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13
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Johansson DX, Ljungberg K, Kakoulidou M, Liljeström P. Intradermal electroporation of naked replicon RNA elicits strong immune responses. PLoS One 2012; 7:e29732. [PMID: 22238645 PMCID: PMC3251598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2011] [Accepted: 12/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-based vaccines represent an interesting immunization modality, but suffer from poor stability and a lack of efficient and clinically feasible delivery technologies. This study evaluates the immunogenic potential of naked in vitro transcribed Semliki Forest virus replicon RNA (RREP) delivered intradermally in combination with electroporation. Replicon-immunized mice showed a strong cellular and humoral response, contrary to mice immunized with regular mRNA. RREP-elicited induction of interferon-γ secreting CD8+ T cells and antibody responses were significantly increased by electroporation. CD8+ T cell responses remained substantial five weeks post vaccination, and antigen-specific CD8+ T cells with phenotypic characteristics of both effector and central memory cells were identified. The immune response during the contraction phase was further increased by a booster immunization, and the proportion of effector memory cells increased significantly. These results demonstrate that naked RREP delivered via intradermal electroporation constitute an immunogenic, safe and attractive alternative immunization strategy to DNA-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel X Johansson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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14
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Abstract
RNA-based vaccines represent an interesting immunization modality, but suffer from poor stability and a lack of efficient and clinically feasible delivery technologies. This study evaluates the immunogenic potential of naked in vitro transcribed Semliki Forest virus replicon RNA (RREP) delivered intradermally in combination with electroporation. Replicon-immunized mice showed a strong cellular and humoral response, contrary to mice immunized with regular mRNA. RREP-elicited induction of interferon-γ secreting CD8+ T cells and antibody responses were significantly increased by electroporation. CD8+ T cell responses remained substantial five weeks post vaccination, and antigen-specific CD8+ T cells with phenotypic characteristics of both effector and central memory cells were identified. The immune response during the contraction phase was further increased by a booster immunization, and the proportion of effector memory cells increased significantly. These results demonstrate that naked RREP delivered via intradermal electroporation constitute an immunogenic, safe and attractive alternative immunization strategy to DNA-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel X Johansson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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15
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Rosario M, Bridgeman A, Quakkelaar ED, Quigley MF, Hill BJ, Knudsen ML, Ammendola V, Ljungberg K, Borthwick N, Im EJ, McMichael AJ, Drijfhout JW, Greenaway HY, Venturi V, Douek DC, Colloca S, Liljeström P, Nicosia A, Price DA, Melief CJM, Hanke T. Long peptides induce polyfunctional T cells against conserved regions of HIV-1 with superior breadth to single-gene vaccines in macaques. Eur J Immunol 2010; 40:1973-84. [PMID: 20468055 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201040344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A novel T-cell vaccine strategy designed to deal with the enormity of HIV-1 variation is described and tested for the first time in macaques to inform and complement approaching clinical trials. T-cell immunogen HIVconsv, which directs vaccine-induced responses to the most conserved regions of the HIV-1, proteome and thus both targets diverse clades in the population and reduces the chance of escape in infected individuals, was delivered using six different vaccine modalities: plasmid DNA (D), attenuated human (A) and chimpanzee (C) adenoviruses, modified vaccinia virus Ankara (M), synthetic long peptides, and Semliki Forest virus replicons. We confirmed that the initial DDDAM regimen, which mimics one of the clinical schedules (DDDCM), is highly immunogenic in macaques. Furthermore, adjuvanted synthetic long peptides divided into sub-pools and delivered into anatomically separate sites induced T-cell responses that were markedly broader than those elicited by traditional single-open-reading-frame genetic vaccines and increased by 30% the overall response magnitude compared with DDDAM. Thus, by improving both the HIV-1-derived immunogen and vector regimen/delivery, this approach could induce stronger, broader, and theoretically more protective T-cell responses than vaccines previously used in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximillian Rosario
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, The John Radcliffe, Oxford, UK
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16
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Lladser A, Ljungberg K, Tufvesson H, Tazzari M, Roos AK, Quest AFG, Kiessling R. Intradermal DNA electroporation induces survivin-specific CTLs, suppresses angiogenesis and confers protection against mouse melanoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2010; 59:81-92. [PMID: 19526360 PMCID: PMC11030864 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-009-0725-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2009] [Accepted: 05/28/2009] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Survivin is an intracellular tumor-associated antigen that is broadly expressed in a large variety of tumors and also in tumor associated endothelial cells but mostly absent in differentiated tissues. Naked DNA vaccines targeting survivin have been shown to induce T cell as well as humoral immune responses in mice. However, the lack of epitope-specific CD8+ T cell detection and modest tumor protection observed highlight the need for further improvements to develop effective survivin DNA vaccination approaches. Here, the efficacy of a human survivin DNA vaccine delivered by intradermal electroporation (EP) was tested. The CD8+ T cell epitope surv(20-28) restricted to H-2 Db was identified based on in-silico epitope prediction algorithms and binding to MHC class I molecules. Intradermal DNA EP of mice with a human survivin encoding plasmid generated CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses cross-reactive with the mouse epitope surv(20-28), as determined by intracellular IFN-gamma staining, suggesting that self-tolerance has been broken. Survivin-specific CTLs displayed an activated effector phenotype as determined by CD44 and CD107 up-regulation. Vaccinated mice displayed specific cytotoxic activity against B16 and peptide-pulsed RMA-S cells in vitro as well as against surv(20-28) peptide-pulsed target cells in vivo. Importantly, intradermal EP with a survivin DNA vaccine suppressed angiogenesis in vivo and elicited protection against highly aggressive syngeneic B16 melanoma tumor challenge. We conclude that intradermal EP is an attractive method for delivering a survivin DNA vaccine that should be explored also in clinical studies.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Cytokines/biosynthesis
- Cytokines/immunology
- Electroporation
- Humans
- Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
- Injections, Intradermal
- Melanoma, Experimental/immunology
- Melanoma, Experimental/pathology
- Melanoma, Experimental/prevention & control
- Melanoma, Experimental/therapy
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Microtubule-Associated Proteins/immunology
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/immunology
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/therapy
- Survivin
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Lladser
- Immune and Gene Therapy Laboratory, Department of Oncology and Pathology, Cancer Center Karolinska, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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17
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Sandström E, Nilsson C, Hejdeman B, Bråve A, Bratt G, Robb M, Cox J, Vancott T, Marovich M, Stout R, Aboud S, Bakari M, Pallangyo K, Ljungberg K, Moss B, Earl P, Michael N, Birx D, Mhalu F, Wahren B, Biberfeld G. Broad immunogenicity of a multigene, multiclade HIV-1 DNA vaccine boosted with heterologous HIV-1 recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara. J Infect Dis 2009; 198:1482-90. [PMID: 18808335 DOI: 10.1086/592507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine that limits disease and transmission is urgently needed. This clinical trial evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of an HIV vaccine that combines a plasmid-DNA priming vaccine and a modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) boosting vaccine. METHODS Forty healthy volunteers were injected with DNA plasmids containing gp160 of HIV-1 subtypes A, B, and C; rev B; p17/p24 gag A and B, and RTmut B by use of a needle-free injection system. The vaccine was administered intradermally or intramuscularly, with or without recombinant granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and boosted with a heterologous MVA containing env, gag, and pol of CRF01A_E. Immune responses were monitored with HIV-specific interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2 ELISpot and lymphoproliferative assays (LPAs). RESULTS Vaccine-related adverse events were mild and tolerable. After receipt of the DNA priming vaccine, 11 (30%) of 37 vaccinees had HIV-specific IFN-gamma responses. After receipt of the MVA boosting vaccine, ELISpot assays showed that 34 (92%) of 37 vaccinees had HIV-specific IFN-gamma responses, 32 (86%) to Gag and 24 (65%) to Env. IFN-gamma production was detected in both the CD8(+) T cell compartment (5 of 9 selected vaccinees) and the CD4(+) T cell compartment (9 of 9). ELISpot results showed that 25 (68%) of 37 vaccinees had a positive IL-2 response and 35 (92%) of 38 had a positive LPA response. Of 38 subjects, a total of 37 (97%) were responders. One milligram of HIV-1 DNA administered intradermally was as effective as 4 mg administered intramuscularly in priming for the MVA boosting vaccine. CONCLUSION This HIV-DNA priming-MVA boosting approach is safe and highly immunogenic. TRIALS REGISTRATION International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial number: ISRCTN32604572 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Sandström
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Sweden.
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18
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Kiessling R, Ljungberg K, Von Gabain A. [Therapeutic vaccines against cancer and infectious diseases. Great possibilities in the research--small clinical progress so far]. Lakartidningen 2008; 105:2402-2404. [PMID: 18831450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
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19
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20
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Ljungberg K, Whitmore AC, Fluet ME, Moran TP, Shabman RS, Collier ML, Kraus AA, Thompson JM, Montefiori DC, Beard C, Johnston RE. Increased immunogenicity of a DNA-launched Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus-based replicon DNA vaccine. J Virol 2007; 81:13412-23. [PMID: 17913817 PMCID: PMC2168848 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01799-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel genetic vaccine that is based on a Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE) replicon launched from plasmid DNA is described. The plasmid encodes a VEE replicon under the transcriptional control of the cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter (VEE DNA). The VEE DNA consistently expressed 3- to 15-fold more green fluorescent protein in vitro than did a conventional DNA vaccine. Furthermore, transfection with the DNA-launched VEE replicon induced apoptosis and type I interferon production. Inoculation of mice with VEE DNA encoding human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp160 significantly increased humoral responses by several orders of magnitude compared to an equal dose of a conventional DNA vaccine. These increases were also observed at 10- and 100-fold-lower doses of the VEE DNA. Cellular immune responses measured by gamma interferon and interleukin 2 enzyme-linked immunospot assay were significantly higher in mice immunized with the VEE DNA at decreased doses. The immune responses induced by the VEE DNA-encoded antigen, however, were independent of an intact type I interferon signaling pathway. Moreover, the DNA-launched VEE replicon induced an efficient prime to a VEE replicon particle (VRP) boost, increasing humoral and cellular immunity by at least 1 order of magnitude compared to VEE DNA only. Importantly, immunization with VEE DNA, as opposed to VRP, did not induce any anti-VRP neutralizing antibodies. Increased potency of DNA vaccines and reduced vector immunity may ultimately have an impact on the design of vaccination strategies in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Ljungberg
- Carolina Vaccine Institute, 9th Floor Burnett-Womack, West Drive, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7292, USA.
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21
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Bråve A, Boberg A, Gudmundsdotter L, Rollman E, Hallermalm K, Ljungberg K, Blomberg P, Stout R, Paulie S, Sandström E, Biberfeld G, Earl P, Moss B, Cox JH, Wahren B. A New Multi-clade DNA Prime/Recombinant MVA Boost Vaccine Induces Broad and High Levels of HIV-1-specific CD8+ T-cell and Humoral Responses in Mice. Mol Ther 2007; 15:1724-33. [PMID: 17579577 DOI: 10.1038/sj.mt.6300235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The results presented here are from the preclinical evaluation in BALB/c mice of a DNA prime/modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) boost multi-gene multi-subtype human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) vaccine intended for use in humans. The plasmid DNA vaccine was delivered intradermally using a Biojector, and the MVA was delivered intramuscularly by needle. This combination of recombinant DNA and MVA proved to induce extraordinarily strong cellular responses, with more than 80% of the CD8(+) T cells specific for HIV-1 antigens. Furthermore, we show that the DNA priming increases the number of T-cell epitopes recognized after the MVA boost. In the prime/boost-immunized animals, a significant proportion of CD8(+) T cells were stained positive for both interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-2 (IL-2), a feature that has been associated with control of HIV-1 infection in long-term non-progressors. The HIV-1-specific antibody levels were moderate after the plasmid DNA immunizations but increased dramatically after the MVA boost. Although the initial injection of MVA induced significant levels of vaccinia-neutralizing antibodies, the HIV-specific responses were still significantly boosted by the second MVA immunization. The results from this study demonstrate the potency of this combination of DNA plasmids and MVA construct to induce broad and high levels of immune responses against several HIV-1 proteins of different subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Bråve
- Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Solna, Sweden.
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22
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Abstract
Viral vectors have different capabilities as gene delivery vehicles for vaccines and immunotherapeutics. This review discusses selected viral vector systems and plasmid DNA and provides an overview of their specific characteristics, strengths, and limitations. The features, modes of viral entry and replication, expression of heterologous proteins, issues related to both preexisting and heterologous immunity, and vaccine strategies are discussed for the different vectors. Comparisons of the features and capabilities of the vectors are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Bråve
- Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control and Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, 171 82 Stockholm, Sweden
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23
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Bråve A, Ljungberg K, Boberg A, Rollman E, Engström G, Hinkula J, Wahren B. Reduced cellular immune responses following immunization with a multi-gene HIV-1 vaccine. Vaccine 2006; 24:4524-6. [PMID: 16174543 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2005.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the effects of immunizing with several genes and subtypes of HIV-1. The genes used as immunogens were: gp160 envelope (env subtypes A, B and C), p37gag (gag subtypes A and B), rev (subtype B) and reverse transcriptase (RT subtype B). The different genes are all carried by separate plasmids. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were immunized with different combinations of the genes together with recombinant cytokine granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor. The env genes injected alone induced significantly stronger cellular responses to envelope in both strains of mice than when env genes were injected together with gag and RT genes. In the C57BL/6 mice, the envelope specific responses were significantly increased after spatial separation of env genes from gag and RT genes as compared to when all vaccine genes were injected as a mixture. The gag responses were strong in gag-immunized animals and were not significantly affected by the spatial separation of gag and RT genes from the env genes. Our results illustrate the importance of being cautious when formulating multivalent genetic vaccines and that it might be possible to overcome lost immune responses through spatial separation of vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Bråve
- Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, 17182 Solna, Sweden
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24
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Bråve A, Ljungberg K, Boberg A, Rollman E, Isaguliants M, Lundgren B, Blomberg P, Hinkula J, Wahren B. Multigene/Multisubtype HIV-1 Vaccine Induces Potent Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses by Needle-Free Intradermal Delivery. Mol Ther 2005; 12:1197-205. [PMID: 16112909 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2005.06.473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2005] [Revised: 06/22/2005] [Accepted: 06/29/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene vaccination encounters problems different from those of gene therapy since both a short half-life of the gene and a strong immune response to the gene product are desirable. We have evaluated a DNA vaccine consisting of seven plasmids encoding nine HIV-1 proteins. Using a needle-free delivery device, the Biojector, together with recombinant mouse GM-CSF, this vaccine induced strong gp160 Env- and p24 Gag-specific cellular and humoral immune responses in mice. The rGM-CSF was crucial for inducing both antibodies and antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell responses against both gp160 and p24. A GMP-produced lot of this vaccine, intended for human use, was delivered intradermally or intramuscularly into BALB/c mice at a GLP-accredited animal facility. This vaccine induced strong cellular responses independent of the route of immunization; moreover, no signs of toxicity were detected after histopathological examination of various tissues. Overall, the results indicate that the intradermal delivery of multigene/multisubtype HIV DNA in combination with recombinant GM-CSF is a safe and efficacious strategy for inducing high levels of specific CD8(+) T cells and unusually high titers of antibodies. This vaccine has been approved by the Swedish Medicinal Products Agency and is currently in a Phase I clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Bråve
- Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, 171 82 Stockholm, Sweden.
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25
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Rollman E, Bråve A, Boberg A, Gudmundsdotter L, Engström G, Isaguliants M, Ljungberg K, Lundgren B, Blomberg P, Hinkula J, Hejdeman B, Sandström E, Liu M, Wahren B. The rationale behind a vaccine based on multiple HIV antigens. Microbes Infect 2005; 7:1414-23. [PMID: 16257558 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2005.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2005] [Accepted: 07/13/2005] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The viral diversity of HIV-1 is likely to require a vaccine strategy that induces broad cellular and humoral anti-HIV-1 immunity. Our strategy is based on multiple HIV-1 DNA immunogens together with adjuvant recombinant granulocyte-macrophage stimulating factor. This article describes pre-clinical and clinical work preceding the initiation of clinical HIV-1 phase I/II trials.
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MESH Headings
- AIDS Vaccines/genetics
- AIDS Vaccines/immunology
- Animals
- Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic
- Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic
- Disease Models, Animal
- Gene Products, gag/genetics
- Gene Products, gag/immunology
- Gene Products, nef/genetics
- Gene Products, nef/immunology
- Gene Products, rev/genetics
- Gene Products, rev/immunology
- Gene Products, tat/genetics
- Gene Products, tat/immunology
- HIV Antigens/genetics
- HIV Antigens/immunology
- HIV Envelope Protein gp160/genetics
- HIV Envelope Protein gp160/immunology
- HIV Infections/immunology
- HIV Infections/prevention & control
- HIV Infections/therapy
- HIV Reverse Transcriptase/genetics
- HIV Reverse Transcriptase/immunology
- HIV-1/genetics
- HIV-1/immunology
- Humans
- Leukemia Virus, Murine
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Vaccines, Combined/genetics
- Vaccines, Combined/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
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Affiliation(s)
- E Rollman
- Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Solna, Sweden
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Elmén J, Zhang HY, Zuber B, Ljungberg K, Wahren B, Wahlestedt C, Liang Z. Locked nucleic acid containing antisense oligonucleotides enhance inhibition of HIV-1 genome dimerization and inhibit virus replication. FEBS Lett 2005; 578:285-90. [PMID: 15589834 PMCID: PMC7232750 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2004.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2004] [Revised: 11/05/2004] [Accepted: 11/09/2004] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
We have evaluated antisense design and efficacy of locked nucleic acid (LNA) and DNA oligonucleotide (ON) mix‐mers targeting the conserved HIV‐1 dimerization initiation site (DIS). LNA is a high affinity nucleotide analog, nuclease resistant and elicits minimal toxicity. We show that inclusion of LNA bases in antisense ONs augments the interference of HIV‐1 genome dimerization. We also demonstrate the concomitant RNase H activation by six consecutive DNA bases in an LNA/DNA mix‐mer. We show ON uptake via receptor‐mediated transfection of a human T‐cell line in which the mix‐mers subsequently inhibit replication of a clinical HIV‐1 isolate. Thus, the technique of LNA/DNA mix‐mer antisense ONs targeting the conserved HIV‐1 DIS region may provide a strategy to prevent HIV‐1 assembly in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joacim Elmén
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Karolinska Institutet, Berzeliusväg 35, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Elmén J, Thonberg H, Ljungberg K, Frieden M, Westergaard M, Xu Y, Wahren B, Liang Z, Ørum H, Koch T, Wahlestedt C. Locked nucleic acid (LNA) mediated improvements in siRNA stability and functionality. Nucleic Acids Res 2005; 33:439-47. [PMID: 15653644 PMCID: PMC546170 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gki193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 378] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic application of the recently discovered small interfering RNA (siRNA) gene silencing phenomenon will be dependent on improvements in molecule bio-stability, specificity and delivery. To address these issues, we have systematically modified siRNA with the synthetic RNA-like high affinity nucleotide analogue, Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA). Here, we show that incorporation of LNA substantially enhances serum half-life of siRNA's, which is a key requirement for therapeutic use. Moreover, we provide evidence that LNA is compatible with the intracellular siRNA machinery and can be used to reduce undesired, sequence-related off-target effects. LNA-modified siRNAs targeting the emerging disease SARS, show improved efficiency over unmodified siRNA on certain RNA motifs. The results from this study emphasize LNA's promise in converting siRNA from a functional genomics technology to a therapeutic platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joacim Elmén
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Karolinska Institutet 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Rollman E, Hinkula J, Arteaga J, Zuber B, Kjerrström A, Liu M, Wahren B, Ljungberg K. Multi-subtype gp160 DNA immunization induces broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies. Gene Ther 2004; 11:1146-54. [PMID: 15103320 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A highly desirable feature for an human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine is the ability to induce broadly reactive anti-envelope antibodies that can neutralize primary HIV-1 isolates. Two immunizations with an HIV-1 envelope-encoding plasmid together with recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) resulted in high antibody titers in mice. The antibody induction was further enhanced after immunization with genes encoding HIV-1 envelopes originating from subtypes A, B and C. The sera from these animals were able to neutralize A, B and C viral isolates, whereas the sera from animals immunized solely with subtype B DNA neutralized only subtype B virus. The combined DNA vaccine gave serum antibodies with broad recognition of HIV-1 envelope epitopes as determined by peptide mapping. Cell-mediated immunity was not compromised by the increased humoral immunity. This demonstrates the ability of multiple envelope genes to induce the desired antibody response against several subtypes. Moreover, it documents the ability of rGM-CSF to enhance the potency of such a vaccine when given simultaneously. The strategy may be useful for making an HIV vaccine more potent and broadly effective against strains of different clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Rollman
- Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control and Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Zuber AK, Bråve A, Engström G, Zuber B, Ljungberg K, Fredriksson M, Benthin R, Isaguliants MG, Sandström E, Hinkula J, Wahren B. Topical delivery of imiquimod to a mouse model as a novel adjuvant for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA. Vaccine 2004; 22:1791-8. [PMID: 15068863 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2003.10.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the compound imiquimod as a possible adjuvant for DNA immunization against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We found that gene-gun epidermal delivery of the DNA in combination with imiquimod resulted in the strongest HIV specific immune responses. The effect of imiquimod was further compared to that of recombinant granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a known DNA vaccine adjuvant. Both adjuvants were able to enhance the immune responses induced by the HIV-1 genes alone. The delivery of an adjuvant as a topical cream rather than through injections has a clear clinical benefit. We show for the first time that imiquimod can act as an adjuvant for DNA vaccination.
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Abstract
Immortalized and transduced cell lines are traditionally used in model of the HIV-1 life cycle. Primary cells may better represent the tissue of origin and events in vivo. We utilized an HIV-1/murine leukemia A4070 pseudotype virus and human Cyclin T1 to replicate HIV-1 in primary murine cells, and demonstrate that primary murine cells support HIV-1 infection better than immortalized cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars H Lund
- Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center and Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Karolinska Institute, 17182 Solna, Sweden
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Abstract
MOTIVATION A simultaneous search is necessary for maximizing the power to detect epistatic quantitative trait loci (QTL). The computational complexity demands that the traditional exhaustive search be replaced by a more efficient global optimization algorithm. RESULTS We have the previously known algorithm adapted DIRECT, to the problem of simultaneous mapping of multiple QTL. We have compared DIRECT with standard exhaustive search and a genetic algorithm previously used for QTL mapping in two dimensions. In all two- and three-QTL test cases, DIRECT accurately finds the global optimum two to four orders of magnitude faster than when using an exhaustive search, and one order of magnitude faster than when using the genetic algorithm. Thus, randomization testing for determining empirical significance thresholds for at least three QTL is made feasible by the use of DIRECT. AVAILABILITY The code of the prototype implementation is available at http://user.it.uu.se/~kl/qtl_software.html
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Affiliation(s)
- K Ljungberg
- Information Technology, Division of Scientific Computing, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 337,751 05 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Rollman E, Ramqvist T, Zuber B, Tegerstedt K, Kjerrström Zuber A, Klingström J, Eriksson L, Ljungberg K, Hinkula J, Wahren B, Dalianis T. Genetic immunization is augmented by murine polyomavirus VP1 pseudocapsids. Vaccine 2003; 21:2263-7. [PMID: 12744856 DOI: 10.1016/s0264-410x(03)00049-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
To improve immune responses induced by DNA immunization, murine polyomavirus major capsid protein (VP1) pseudocapsids were complexed with a DNA plasmid encoding the p37 (p24 and p17) nucleocapsid proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). A 10-fold increase in antibody titer was noted in mice given DNA plasmid together with VP1 pseudocapsids in comparison to animals that received DNA plasmid alone. Cell mediated responses to HIV-1 p24 occurred, but were not significantly augmented by delivering the DNA as a VP1 complex. We have consequently for the first time shown a carrier/adjuvant effect of polyomavirus pseudocapsids that strongly increased the humoral immune response in DNA immunization.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Rollman
- Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control and the Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institute, SE-171 82, Solna, Sweden.
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Ljungberg K, Rollman E, Eriksson L, Hinkula J, Wahren B. Enhanced immune responses after DNA vaccination with combined envelope genes from different HIV-1 subtypes. Virology 2002; 302:44-57. [PMID: 12429515 DOI: 10.1006/viro.2002.1547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In a multisubtype approach to HIV-1 vaccination, mice were immunized with HIV-1 envelope gp160 genes from subtypes A, B, and C. Subsequently the mice were challenged with syngeneic primary splenocytes infected with a HIV-1/MuLV pseudovirus carrying a subtype B genome. HIV-specific immune responses and protection were strongest in the group of animals immunized with a combination of subtype A, B, and C specific gp160 genes as compared to subtype B only. Immunization with the combination of the cross-reactive subtypes A and C envelope genes induced HIV-specific immune responses but did not result in significant protection to challenge with subtype B infected cells. From this we conclude that immunization with the envelope genes from several HIV-1 subtypes may indeed enhance immune responses. This study shows that by using a mix of subtype envelope genes, an enhanced protective immunity can be obtained experimentally, potentially also in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control and Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institute, SE-17182, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Ljungberg K, Hassan MS, Islam MN, Siddiqui MA, Aziz MM, Wahren B, Islam KB, Leitner T. Subtypes A, C, G, and recombinant HIV type 1 are circulating in Bangladesh. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2002; 18:667-70. [PMID: 12079563 DOI: 10.1089/088922202760019374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We analyzed the genetic diversity of HIV-1 circulating in Bangladesh by direct sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of the V3 region of the env gene and p17 fragment of the gag gene from nine unrelated patients. The sequences from one sample grouped into subtype A, five samples grouped into subtype C, and one grouped into subtype G. In addition, two patients appeared to be infected with different recombinant viruses consisting of subtype A and unclassifiable viral sequences. Epidemiological analysis revealed heterosexual transmission in the majority of cases. Furthermore, most subjects had a history of traveling, either to India or to the Arabian Peninsula. This study shows that several HIV-1 subtypes are circulating in Bangladesh, and we conclude that there must have been several introductions of HIV-1 into the Bangladeshi population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Ljungberg
- Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, and Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institute, SE-171 82 Solna, Sweden
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Ljungberg K, Kolmskog C, Wahren B, van Amerongen G, Baars M, Osterhaus A, Linde A, Rimmelzwaan G. DNA vaccination of ferrets with chimeric influenza A virus hemagglutinin (H3) genes. Vaccine 2002; 20:2045-52. [PMID: 11972972 DOI: 10.1016/s0264-410x(02)00049-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Recently a technology was established based on homologous recombination that allowed the rapid generation of chimeric HA genes of influenza viruses, containing the antigenic determinants obtained from various influenza virus A (H3N2) viruses. In the present report plasmids were generated using a H3 HA vector handle and the hypervariable regions of two genetically distinct influenza A H3N2 viruses, A/Stockholm/7/97 and A/Netherlands/18/94. In a ferret model it was shown that immunisation with plasmid DNA encoding chimeric HA indeed elicited antibody responses specific for the virus from which the hypervariable region with the antigenic determinants were obtained. After DNA-immunisation of the ferrets, protective immunity against infection with influenza virus A/Netherlands/18/94 was evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Ljungberg
- Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, SE-17182 Solna, Sweden
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Wahren B, Ljungberg K, Rollman E, Levi M, Zuber B, Kjerrström Zuber A, Hinkula J, Leandersson AC, Calarota S, Hejdeman B, Bratt G, Sandström E. HIV subtypes and recombination strains--strategies for induction of immune responses in man. Vaccine 2002; 20:1988-93. [PMID: 11983260 DOI: 10.1016/s0264-410x(02)00084-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Clinical and experimental studies of HIV-1 subcomponents were made in order to increase their immunogenicity. HIV subtype envelopes A, B and C have been compared and a detailed analysis made by peptides of the coreceptor-ligand interactions. We identified a direct interaction between HIV-1 envelope and a cellular receptor at the amino acid level. Both the viral subtype and its tropism appeared to influence inhibition of infection. Genetic immunization induced new cytotoxic responses while proteins appeared to efficiently boost previous responses. One HIV-1 subtype B antigen was strongly immunogenic in a human immunotherapeutic trial and permitted better survival at 2 years of the study in patients with poor prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Wahren
- Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Department of Venereology, South Hospital, Karolinska Institute, 171 82 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Ljungberg K, Wahren B, Almqvist J, Hinkula J, Linde A, Winberg G. Effective construction of DNA vaccines against variable influenza genes by homologous recombination. Virology 2000; 268:244-50. [PMID: 10704333 DOI: 10.1006/viro.2000.0199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate the potential of cloning by homologous recombination as a rapid method to construct DNA molecules encoding newly developing hemagglutinins (HA) of influenza A virus. The variable parts of the HA genes were cloned into a basic construct containing the HA gene from an H3N2 strain. The recombinant DNAs thus created encode different variable domains with neutralising epitopes from four recently circulating influenza A H3 strains. The technology allows rapid production of DNA constructs for vaccines that can induce antibody and, particularly, cellular immune responses. These new constructs were also capable of conferring protection to challenge in mice. The technology may hence be a valuable tool for rapid adaptation of influenza vaccines to changes in the circulating influenza strains.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Substitution/genetics
- Animals
- Cell Line
- Cloning, Molecular
- Dogs
- Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/biosynthesis
- Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/genetics
- Humans
- Influenza A virus/genetics
- Influenza A virus/immunology
- Influenza Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Influenza Vaccines/chemical synthesis
- Influenza Vaccines/genetics
- Influenza Vaccines/immunology
- Influenza, Human/genetics
- Influenza, Human/immunology
- Macaca
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Plasmids/genetics
- Recombination, Genetic
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/chemical synthesis
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- K Ljungberg
- Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SE-171 82. Karl.Ljungberg.smi.ki.se
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Hertz H, Malmqvist L, Rosengren L, Ljungberg K. Optically trapped non-linear particles as probes for scanning near-field optical microscopy. Ultramicroscopy 1995. [DOI: 10.1016/0304-3991(94)00158-j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Ljungberg K. [Branch pharmacy Vingen in Västerås]. Sven Farm Tidskr 1966; 70:273-8. [PMID: 5916553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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