1
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Strother CA, Brewer-Jensen PD, Becker-Dreps S, Zepeda O, May S, Gonzalez F, Reyes Y, McElvany BD, Averill AM, Mallory ML, Montmayeur AM, Costantini VP, Vinjé J, Baric RS, Bucardo F, Lindesmith LC, Diehl SA. Infant antibody and B-cell responses following confirmed pediatric GII.17 norovirus infections functionally distinguish GII.17 genetic clusters. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1229724. [PMID: 37662930 PMCID: PMC10471973 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1229724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Genogroup II (GII) noroviruses are a major cause of diarrheal disease burden in children in both high- and low-income countries. GII.17 noroviruses are composed of distinct genetic clusters (I, II, IIIa, and IIIb) and have shown potential for replacing historically more prevalent GII.4 strains, but the serological basis for GII.17 antigenic diversity has not been studied in children. Utilizing samples from a birth cohort, we investigated antibody and B-cell responses to GII.17 cluster variants in confirmed GII.17 infections in young children as well as demonstrated that the distinct genetic clusters co-circulate. Polyclonal serum antibodies bound multiple clusters but showed cluster-specific blockade activity in a surrogate virus neutralization assay. Antibodies secreted by immortalized memory B cells (MBCs) from an infant GII.17 case were highly specific to GII.17 and exhibited blockade activity against this genotype. We isolated an MBC-derived GII.17-specific Immunoglobulin A (IgA) monoclonal antibody called NVA.1 that potently and selectively blocked GII.17 cluster IIIb and recognized an epitope targeted in serum from cluster IIIb-infected children. These data indicate that multiple antigenically distinct GII.17 variants co-circulate in young children, suggesting retention of cluster diversity alongside potential for immune escape given the existence of antibody-defined cluster-specific epitopes elicited during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla A. Strother
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
- Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
- Translational Global Infectious Disease Research Center, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Paul D. Brewer-Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Sylvia Becker-Dreps
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Omar Zepeda
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León, Nicaragua
| | - Samantha May
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Fredman Gonzalez
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León, Nicaragua
| | - Yaoska Reyes
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León, Nicaragua
| | - Benjamin D. McElvany
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - April M. Averill
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Michael L. Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Anna M. Montmayeur
- National Calicivirus Laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Verónica P. Costantini
- National Calicivirus Laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jan Vinjé
- National Calicivirus Laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ralph S. Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Filemon Bucardo
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León, Nicaragua
| | - Lisa C. Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Sean A. Diehl
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
- Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
- Translational Global Infectious Disease Research Center, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
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2
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Lindesmith LC, Brewer-Jensen PD, Conrad H, O’Reilly KM, Mallory ML, Kelly D, Williams R, Edmunds WJ, Allen DJ, Breuer J, Baric RS. Emergent variant modeling of the serological repertoire to norovirus in young children. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:100954. [PMID: 36854303 PMCID: PMC10040388 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.100954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Human norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis. Young children and the elderly bear the greatest burden of disease, representing more than 200,000 deaths annually. Infection prevalence peaks at younger than 2 years and is driven by novel GII.4 variants that emerge and spread globally. Using a surrogate neutralization assay, we characterize the evolution of the serological neutralizing antibody (nAb) landscape in young children as they transition between sequential GII.4 pandemic variants. Following upsurge of the replacement variant, antigenic cartography illustrates remodeling of the nAb landscape to the new variant accompanied by improved nAb titer. However, nAb relative avidity remains focused on the preceding variant. These data support immune imprinting as a mechanism of immune evasion and GII.4 virus persistence across a population. Understanding the complexities of immunity to rapidly evolving and co-circulating viral variants, like those of norovirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), and dengue viruses, will fundamentally inform vaccine design for emerging pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C. Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Paul D. Brewer-Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Helen Conrad
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kathleen M. O’Reilly
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases and Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1EW 7HT, UK
| | - Michael L. Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Daniel Kelly
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Rachel Williams
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - W. John Edmunds
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases and Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1EW 7HT, UK
| | - David J. Allen
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Judith Breuer
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
- Department of Microbiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London WC1N 3JH, UK
| | - Ralph S. Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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3
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Brewer-Jensen PD, Reyes Y, Becker-Dreps S, González F, Mallory ML, Gutiérrez L, Zepeda O, Centeno E, Vielot N, Diez-Valcarce M, Vinjé J, Baric R, Lindesmith LC, Bucardo F. Norovirus Infection in Young Nicaraguan Children Induces Durable and Genotype-Specific Antibody Immunity. Viruses 2022; 14:v14092053. [PMID: 36146859 PMCID: PMC9501366 DOI: 10.3390/v14092053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
There are significant challenges to the development of a pediatric norovirus vaccine, mainly due to the antigenic diversity among strains infecting young children. Characterizing human norovirus serotypes and understanding norovirus immunity in naïve children would provide key information for designing rational vaccine platforms. In this study, 26 Nicaraguan children experiencing their first norovirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE) episode during the first 18 months of life were investigated. We used a surrogate neutralization assay that measured antibodies blocking the binding of 13 different norovirus virus-like particles (VLPs) to histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) in pre- and post-infection sera. To assess for asymptomatic norovirus infections, stools from asymptomatic children were collected monthly, screened for norovirus by RT-qPCR and genotyped by sequencing. Seroconversion of an HBGA-blocking antibody matched the infecting genotype in 25 (96%) of the 26 children. A subset of 13 (50%) and 4 (15%) of the 26 children experienced monotypic GII and GI seroconversion, respectively, strongly suggesting a type-specific response in naïve children, and 9 (35%) showed multitypic seroconversion. The most frequent pairing in multitypic seroconversion (8/12) were GII.4 Sydney and GII.12 noroviruses, both co-circulating at the time. Blocking antibody titers to these two genotypes did not correlate with each other, suggesting multiple exposure rather than cross-reactivity between genotypes. In addition, GII titers remained consistent for at least 19 months post-infection, demonstrating durable immunity. In conclusion, the first natural norovirus gastroenteritis episodes in these young children were dominated by a limited number of genotypes and induced responses of antibodies blocking binding of norovirus VLPs in a genotype-specific manner, suggesting that an effective pediatric norovirus vaccine likely needs to be multivalent and include globally dominant genotypes. The duration of protection from natural infections provides optimism for pediatric norovirus vaccines administered early in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D. Brewer-Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yaoska Reyes
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León 21000, Nicaragua
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sylvia Becker-Dreps
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Fredman González
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León 21000, Nicaragua
| | - Michael L. Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lester Gutiérrez
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León 21000, Nicaragua
| | - Omar Zepeda
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León 21000, Nicaragua
| | - Edwing Centeno
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León 21000, Nicaragua
| | - Nadja Vielot
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Marta Diez-Valcarce
- Division of Viral Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Jan Vinjé
- Division of Viral Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Ralph Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lisa C. Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Filemon Bucardo
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León 21000, Nicaragua
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +505-89040938
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4
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Becker-Dreps S, Brewer-Jensen PD, González F, Reyes Y, Mallory ML, Gutiérrez L, Vielot NA, Diez-Valcarce M, Vinjé J, Baric RS, Lindesmith LC, Bucardo F. Preexisting Heterotypic Ligand-blocking Antibody Does Not Protect Against Genogroup II Norovirus Episodes in Young Children. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2022; 11:459-462. [PMID: 35849117 PMCID: PMC9595053 DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piac063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
A birth cohort design was used to understand whether heterotypic ligand-blocking norovirus antibodies provide cross-protection within the GII genogroup. We found that almost one-half of children who experienced a norovirus GII episode had preexisting antibodies heterotypic to the infecting genotype; therefore, these antibodies did not provide cross-protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Becker-Dreps
- Corresponding Author: Sylvia Becker-Dreps, MD, MPH, Department of Family Medicine, UNC-Chapel Hill, 590 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7595, USA. E-mail:
| | | | - Fredman González
- Department of Microbiology, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua
| | - Yaoska Reyes
- Department of Microbiology, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua,Division of Viral Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael L Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lester Gutiérrez
- Department of Microbiology, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua,Division of Viral Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nadja A Vielot
- Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Marta Diez-Valcarce
- Division of Viral Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jan Vinjé
- Division of Viral Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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5
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Lindesmith LC, Brewer-Jensen PD, Mallory ML, Zweigart MR, May SR, Kelly D, Williams R, Becker-Dreps S, Bucardo F, Allen DJ, Breuer J, Baric RS. Antigenic Site Immunodominance Redirection Following Repeat Variant Exposure. Viruses 2022; 14:1293. [PMID: 35746763 PMCID: PMC9229260 DOI: 10.3390/v14061293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human norovirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis, driven by antigenic variants within the GII.4 genotype. Antibody responses to GII.4 vaccination in adults are shaped by immune memory. How children without extensive immune memory will respond to GII.4 vaccination has not been reported. Here, we characterized the GII.4 neutralizing antibody (nAb) landscape following natural infection using a surrogate assay and antigenic site chimera virus-like particles. We demonstrate that the nAb landscape changes with age and virus exposure. Among sites A, C, and G, nAbs from first infections are focused on sites A and C. As immunity develops with age/exposure, site A is supplemented with antibodies that bridge site A to sites C and G. Cross-site nAbs continue to develop into adulthood, accompanied by an increase in nAb to site G. Continued exposure to GII.4 2012 Sydney correlated with a shift to co-dominance of sites A and G. Furthermore, site G nAbs correlated with the broadening of nAb titer across antigenically divergent variants. These data describe fundamental steps in the development of immunity to GII.4 over a lifetime, and illustrate how the antigenicity of one pandemic variant could influence the pandemic potential of another variant through the redirection of immunodominant epitopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C. Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (P.D.B.-J.); (M.L.M.); (M.R.Z.); (S.R.M.); (S.B.-D.)
| | - Paul D. Brewer-Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (P.D.B.-J.); (M.L.M.); (M.R.Z.); (S.R.M.); (S.B.-D.)
| | - Michael L. Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (P.D.B.-J.); (M.L.M.); (M.R.Z.); (S.R.M.); (S.B.-D.)
| | - Mark R. Zweigart
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (P.D.B.-J.); (M.L.M.); (M.R.Z.); (S.R.M.); (S.B.-D.)
| | - Samantha R. May
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (P.D.B.-J.); (M.L.M.); (M.R.Z.); (S.R.M.); (S.B.-D.)
| | - Daniel Kelly
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (D.K.); (D.J.A.)
| | - Rachel Williams
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK; (R.W.); (J.B.)
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Sylvia Becker-Dreps
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (P.D.B.-J.); (M.L.M.); (M.R.Z.); (S.R.M.); (S.B.-D.)
- Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Filemón Bucardo
- Department of Microbiology, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua-León (UNAN-León), León 21000, Nicaragua;
| | - David J. Allen
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (D.K.); (D.J.A.)
| | - Judith Breuer
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK; (R.W.); (J.B.)
- Department of Microbiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London WC1N 3JH, UK
| | - Ralph S. Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (P.D.B.-J.); (M.L.M.); (M.R.Z.); (S.R.M.); (S.B.-D.)
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6
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Pattekar A, Mayer LS, Lau CW, Liu C, Palko O, Bewtra M, Consortium HPAP, Lindesmith LC, Brewer-Jensen PD, Baric RS, Betts MR, Naji A, Wherry EJ, Tomov VT. Norovirus-Specific CD8 + T Cell Responses in Human Blood and Tissues. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 11:1267-1289. [PMID: 33444817 PMCID: PMC8010716 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Noroviruses (NoVs) are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Moreover, an asymptomatic carrier state can persist following acute infection, promoting NoV spread and evolution. Thus, defining immune correlates of NoV protection and persistence is needed to guide the development of future vaccines and limit viral spread. Whereas antibody responses following NoV infection or vaccination have been studied extensively, cellular immunity has received less attention. Data from the mouse NoV model suggest that T cells are critical for preventing persistence and achieving viral clearance, but little is known about NoV-specific T-cell immunity in humans, particularly at mucosal sites. METHODS We screened peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 3 volunteers with an overlapping NoV peptide library. We then used HLA-peptide tetramers to track virus-specific CD8+ T cells in peripheral, lymphoid, and intestinal tissues. Tetramer+ cells were further characterized using markers for cellular trafficking, exhaustion, cytotoxicity, and proliferation. RESULTS We defined 7 HLA-restricted immunodominant class I epitopes that were highly conserved across pandemic strains from genogroup II.4. NoV-specific CD8+ T cells with central, effector, or tissue-resident memory phenotypes were present at all sites and were especially abundant in the intestinal lamina propria. The properties and differentiation states of tetramer+ cells varied across donors and epitopes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are an important step toward defining the breadth, distribution, and properties of human NoV T-cell immunity. Moreover, the molecular tools we have developed can be used to evaluate future vaccines and engineer novel cellular therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajinkya Pattekar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Lena S. Mayer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Department of Medicine II: Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, and Infectious Disease, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Chi Wai Lau
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Chengyang Liu
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Olesya Palko
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
| | - Meenakshi Bewtra
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Lisa C. Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Paul D. Brewer-Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Ralph S. Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Michael R. Betts
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ali Naji
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - E. John Wherry
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Vesselin T. Tomov
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Vesselin Tomov, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB 313, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. fax: (215) 349-5915.
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7
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Verardi R, Lindesmith LC, Tsybovsky Y, Gorman J, Chuang GY, Edwards CE, Brewer-Jensen PD, Mallory ML, Ou L, Schön A, Shi W, Tully ES, Georgiou G, Baric RS, Kwong PD. Disulfide stabilization of human norovirus GI.1 virus-like particles focuses immune response toward blockade epitopes. NPJ Vaccines 2020; 5:110. [PMID: 33318483 PMCID: PMC7736355 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-00260-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Human noroviruses are non-enveloped, single-strand RNA viruses that cause pandemic outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis. A bivalent vaccine containing GI.1 and GII.4 virus-like particles (VLPs) has been shown to be safe and highly immunogenic, but its efficacy and durability have been limited. Here, we show that norovirus GI.1 VLPs are unstable and contain a substantial fraction of dissociated VLP components. Broadly reactive, non-neutralizing antibodies isolated from vaccinated donors bound to the dissociated components, but not to the intact VLPs. Engineering of interprotomer disulfide bonds within the shell domain prevented disassembly of the VLPs, while preserving antibody accessibility to blockade epitopes. Without adjuvant, mice immunized with stabilized GI.1 VLPs developed faster blockade antibody titers compared to immunization with wild-type GI.1 VLPs. In addition, immunization with stabilized particles focused immune responses toward surface-exposed epitopes and away from occluded epitopes. Overall, disulfide-stabilized norovirus GI.1 VLPs elicited improved responses over the non-disulfide-stabilized version, suggesting their promise as candidate vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaello Verardi
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Lisa C Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Yaroslav Tsybovsky
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, 21702, MD, USA
| | - Jason Gorman
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Gwo-Yu Chuang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Caitlin E Edwards
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Paul D Brewer-Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Michael L Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Li Ou
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Arne Schön
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 21218, MD, USA
| | - Wei Shi
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Ena S Tully
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - George Georgiou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, 78712, TX, USA
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA.
| | - Peter D Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA.
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8
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Ruis C, Lindesmith LC, Mallory ML, Brewer-Jensen PD, Bryant JM, Costantini V, Monit C, Vinjé J, Baric RS, Goldstein RA, Breuer J. Preadaptation of pandemic GII.4 noroviruses in unsampled virus reservoirs years before emergence. Virus Evol 2020; 6:veaa067. [PMID: 33381305 PMCID: PMC7751145 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veaa067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [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: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The control of re-occurring pandemic pathogens requires understanding the origins of new pandemic variants and the factors that drive their global spread. This is especially important for GII.4 norovirus, where vaccines under development offer promise to prevent hundreds of millions of annual gastroenteritis cases. Previous studies have hypothesized that new GII.4 pandemic viruses arise when previously circulating pandemic or pre-pandemic variants undergo substitutions in antigenic regions that enable evasion of host population immunity, as described by conventional models of antigenic drift. In contrast, we show here that the acquisition of new genetic and antigenic characteristics cannot be the proximal driver of new pandemics. Pandemic GII.4 viruses diversify and spread over wide geographical areas over several years prior to simultaneous pandemic emergence of multiple lineages, indicating that the necessary sequence changes must have occurred before diversification, years prior to pandemic emergence. We confirm this result through serological assays of reconstructed ancestral virus capsids, demonstrating that by 2003, the ancestral 2012 pandemic strain had already acquired the antigenic characteristics that allowed it to evade prevailing population immunity against the previous 2009 pandemic variant. These results provide strong evidence that viral genetic changes are necessary but not sufficient for GII.4 pandemic spread. Instead, we suggest that it is changes in host population immunity that enable pandemic spread of an antigenically preadapted GII.4 variant. These results indicate that predicting future GII.4 pandemic variants will require surveillance of currently unsampled reservoir populations. Furthermore, a broadly acting GII.4 vaccine will be critical to prevent future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Ruis
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lisa C Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael L Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Josephine M Bryant
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Veronica Costantini
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christopher Monit
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jan Vinjé
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Richard A Goldstein
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Judith Breuer
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
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9
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Mallory ML, Lindesmith LC, Brewer-Jensen PD, Graham RL, Baric RS. Bile Facilitates Human Norovirus Interactions with Diverse Histoblood Group Antigens, Compensating for Capsid Microvariation Observed in 2016-2017 GII.2 Strains. Viruses 2020; 12:E989. [PMID: 32899556 PMCID: PMC7552067 DOI: 10.3390/v12090989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human norovirus (HuNoV) is the leading cause of global infectious acute gastroenteritis, causing ~20% of reported diarrheal episodes. Typically, GII.4 strains cause 50-70% of yearly outbreaks, and pandemic waves of disease approximately every 2-7 years due to rapid evolution. Importantly, GII.4 dominance is occasionally challenged by the sudden emergence of other GII strains, most recently by GII.2 strains which peaked in 2016-2017, dramatically increasing from 1% to 20% of total HuNoV outbreaks. To determine if viral capsid evolution may account for the sudden rise in GII.2 outbreaks, Virus Like Particles (VLPs) of two 2016-2017 GII.2 strains were compared by antigenic and histo blood group antigen (HBGA) binding profiles to the prototypic 1976 GII.2 Snow Mountain Virus (SMV) strain. Despite >50 years of GII.2 strain persistence in human populations, limited sequence diversity and antigenic differences were identified between strains. However, capsid microvariation did affect HBGA binding patterns, with contemporary strains demonstrating decreased avidity for type A saliva. Furthermore, bile salts increased GII.2 VLP avidity for HBGAs, but did not alter antigenicity. These data indicate that large changes in antigenicity or receptor binding are unlikely to explain GII.2 emergence, in contrast to the pandemic GII.4 strains, and indicate that host factors such as waning or remodeling of serum or mucosal immunity likely contributed to the surge in GII.2 prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ralph S. Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.L.M.); (L.C.L.); (P.D.B.-J.); (R.L.G.)
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10
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Lindesmith LC, Brewer-Jensen PD, Mallory ML, Jensen K, Yount BL, Costantini V, Collins MH, Edwards CE, Sheahan TP, Vinjé J, Baric RS. Virus-Host Interactions Between Nonsecretors and Human Norovirus. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 10:245-267. [PMID: 32289501 PMCID: PMC7301201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Human norovirus infection is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis. Genetic polymorphisms, mediated by the FUT2 gene (secretor enzyme), define strain susceptibility. Secretors express a diverse set of fucosylated histoblood group antigen carbohydrates (HBGA) on mucosal cells; nonsecretors (FUT2-/-) express a limited array of HBGAs. Thus, nonsecretors have less diverse norovirus strain infections, including resistance to the epidemiologically dominant GII.4 strains. Because future human norovirus vaccines will comprise GII.4 antigen and because secretor phenotype impacts GII.4 infection and immunity, nonsecretors may mimic young children immunologically in response to GII.4 vaccination, providing a needed model to study cross-protection in the context of limited pre-exposure. METHODS By using specimens collected from the first characterized nonsecretor cohort naturally infected with GII.2 human norovirus, we evaluated the breadth of serologic immunity by surrogate neutralization assays, and cellular activation and cytokine production by flow cytometry. RESULTS GII.2 infection resulted in broad antibody and cellular immunity activation that persisted for at least 30 days for T cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells, and for 180 days for blocking antibody. Multiple cellular lineages expressing interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α dominated the response. Both T-cell and B-cell responses were cross-reactive with other GII strains, but not GI strains. To promote entry mechanisms, inclusion of bile acids was essential for GII.2 binding to nonsecretor HBGAs. CONCLUSIONS These data support development of within-genogroup, cross-reactive antibody and T-cell immunity, key outcomes that may provide the foundation for eliciting broad immune responses after GII.4 vaccination in individuals with limited GII.4 immunity, including young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Paul D Brewer-Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Michael L Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kara Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Boyd L Yount
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Veronica Costantini
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Matthew H Collins
- Hope Clinic of the Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Caitlin E Edwards
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Timothy P Sheahan
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jan Vinjé
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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11
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Lindesmith LC, McDaniel JR, Changela A, Verardi R, Kerr SA, Costantini V, Brewer-Jensen PD, Mallory ML, Voss WN, Boutz DR, Blazeck JJ, Ippolito GC, Vinje J, Kwong PD, Georgiou G, Baric RS. Sera Antibody Repertoire Analyses Reveal Mechanisms of Broad and Pandemic Strain Neutralizing Responses after Human Norovirus Vaccination. Immunity 2019; 50:1530-1541.e8. [PMID: 31216462 PMCID: PMC6591005 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Rapidly evolving RNA viruses, such as the GII.4 strain of human norovirus (HuNoV), and their vaccines elicit complex serological responses associated with previous exposure. Specific correlates of protection, moreover, remain poorly understood. Here, we report the GII.4-serological antibody repertoire—pre- and post-vaccination—and select several antibody clonotypes for epitope and structural analysis. The humoral response was dominated by GII.4-specific antibodies that blocked ancestral strains or by antibodies that bound to divergent genotypes and did not block viral-entry-ligand interactions. However, one antibody, A1431, showed broad blockade toward tested GII.4 strains and neutralized the pandemic GII.P16-GII.4 Sydney strain. Structural mapping revealed conserved epitopes, which were occluded on the virion or partially exposed, allowing for broad blockade with neutralizing activity. Overall, our results provide high-resolution molecular information on humoral immune responses after HuNoV vaccination and demonstrate that infection-derived and vaccine-elicited antibodies can exhibit broad blockade and neutralization against this prevalent human pathogen. Serum vaccine response is dominated by a small number of abundant antibody clonotypes Vaccine-boosted antibodies predominantly target conserved norovirus epitopes Identified cross-genogroup and strain-specific epitopes Discovered a pandemic-genotype neutralizing antibody recognizing a conserved epitope
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jonathan R McDaniel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Anita Changela
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Raffaello Verardi
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Scott A Kerr
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Veronica Costantini
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Paul D Brewer-Jensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Michael L Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - William N Voss
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Daniel R Boutz
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - John J Blazeck
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Gregory C Ippolito
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jan Vinje
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Peter D Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - George Georgiou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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12
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Lindesmith LC, Brewer-Jensen PD, Mallory ML, Debbink K, Swann EW, Vinjé J, Baric RS. Antigenic Characterization of a Novel Recombinant GII.P16-GII.4 Sydney Norovirus Strain With Minor Sequence Variation Leading to Antibody Escape. J Infect Dis 2018; 217:1145-1152. [PMID: 29281104 PMCID: PMC5939617 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human noroviruses are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis. Strains of the GII.4 genotype cause pandemic waves associated with viral evolution and subsequent antigenic drift and ligand-binding modulation. In November 2015, a novel GII.4 Sydney recombinant variant (GII.P16-GII.4 Sydney) emerged and replaced GII.Pe-GII.4 Sydney as the predominant cause of acute gastroenteritis in the 2016-2017 season in the United States. Methods Virus-like particles of GII.4 2012 and GII.4 2015 were compared for ligand binding and antibody reactivity, using a surrogate neutralization assay. Results Residue changes in the capsid between GII.4 2012 and GII.4 2015 decreased the potency of human polyclonal sera and monoclonal antibodies. A change in epitope A resulted in the complete loss of reactivity of a class of blockade antibodies and reduced levels of a second antibody class. Epitope D changes modulated monoclonal antibody potency and ligand-binding patterns. Conclusions Substitutions in blockade antibody epitopes between GII.4 2012 and GII.4 2015 influenced antigenicity and ligand-binding properties. Although the impact of polymerases on fitness remains uncertain, antigenic variation resulting in decreased potency of antibodies to epitope A, coupled with altered ligand binding, likely contributed significantly to the spread of GII.4 2015 and its replacement of GII.4 2012 as the predominant norovirus outbreak strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | | | - Michael L Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Kari Debbink
- Department of Natural Sciences, Bowie State University, Maryland
| | - Excel W Swann
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Jan Vinjé
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,Correspondence: R. S. Baric, PhD, 3304 Hooker Research Center, 135 Dauer Dr, CB7435, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 ()
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13
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Lindesmith LC, Kocher JF, Donaldson EF, Debbink K, Mallory ML, Swann EW, Brewer-Jensen PD, Baric RS. Emergence of Novel Human Norovirus GII.17 Strains Correlates With Changes in Blockade Antibody Epitopes. J Infect Dis 2017; 216:1227-1234. [PMID: 28973354 PMCID: PMC5853573 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human norovirus is a significant public health burden, with >30 genotypes causing endemic levels of disease and strains from the GII.4 genotype causing serial pandemics as the virus evolves new ligand binding and antigenicity features. During 2014-2015, genotype GII.17 cluster IIIb strains emerged as the leading cause of norovirus infection in select global locations. Comparison of capsid sequences indicates that GII.17 is evolving at previously defined GII.4 antibody epitopes. Methods Antigenicity of virus-like particles (VLPs) representative of clusters I, II, and IIIb GII.17 strains were compared by a surrogate neutralization assay based on antibody blockade of ligand binding. Results Sera from mice immunized with a single GII.17 VLP identified antigenic shifts between each cluster of GII.17 strains. Ligand binding of GII.17 cluster IIIb VLP was blocked only by antisera from mice immunized with cluster IIIb VLPs. Exchange of residues 393-396 from GII.17.2015 into GII.17.1978 ablated ligand binding and altered antigenicity, defining an important varying epitope in GII.17. Conclusions The capsid sequence changes in GII.17 strains result in loss of blockade antibody binding, indicating that viral evolution, specifically at residues 393-396, may have contributed to the emergence of cluster IIIb strains and the persistence of GII.17 in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C Lindesmith
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Jacob F Kocher
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Eric F Donaldson
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Kari Debbink
- Department of Natural Sciences, Bowie State University, Maryland
| | - Michael L Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Excel W Swann
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | | | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,Correspondence: R. S. Baric, PhD, 3304 Hooker Research Center, 135 Dauer Dr, CB7435, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 ()
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