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Wang S, Guirakhoo F, Periasamy S, Ryan V, Wiggins J, Subramani C, Thibodeaux B, Sahni J, Hellerstein M, Kuzmina NA, Bukreyev A, Dodart JC, Rumyantsev A. RBD-Protein/Peptide Vaccine UB-612 Elicits Mucosal and Fc-Mediated Antibody Responses against SARS-CoV-2 in Cynomolgus Macaques. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 12:40. [PMID: 38250853 PMCID: PMC10818657 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010040] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibodies provide critical protective immunity against COVID-19, and the Fc-mediated effector functions and mucosal antibodies also contribute to the protection. To expand the characterization of humoral immunity stimulated by subunit protein-peptide COVID-19 vaccine UB-612, preclinical studies in non-human primates were undertaken to investigate mucosal secretion and the effector functionality of vaccine-induced antibodies in antibody-dependent monocyte phagocytosis (ADMP) and antibody-dependent NK cell activation (ADNKA) assays. In cynomolgus macaques, UB-612 induced potent serum-neutralizing, RBD-specific IgG binding, ACE2 binding-inhibition antibodies, and antibodies with Fc-mediated effector functions in ADMP and ADNKA assays. Additionally, immunized animals developed mucosal antibodies in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BAL). The level of mucosal or serum ADMP and ADNKA antibodies was found to be UB-612 dose-dependent. Our results highlight that the novel subunit UB-612 vaccine is a potent B-cell immunogen inducing polyfunctional antibody responses contributing to anti-viral immunity and vaccine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shixia Wang
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
| | - Farshad Guirakhoo
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
| | - Sivakumar Periasamy
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA; (S.P.); (C.S.); (N.A.K.); (A.B.)
- Galveston National Laboratory, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
| | - Valorie Ryan
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
| | - Jonathan Wiggins
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
| | - Chandru Subramani
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA; (S.P.); (C.S.); (N.A.K.); (A.B.)
- Galveston National Laboratory, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
| | - Brett Thibodeaux
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
| | - Jaya Sahni
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
| | - Michael Hellerstein
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
| | - Natalia A. Kuzmina
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA; (S.P.); (C.S.); (N.A.K.); (A.B.)
- Galveston National Laboratory, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
| | - Alexander Bukreyev
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA; (S.P.); (C.S.); (N.A.K.); (A.B.)
- Galveston National Laboratory, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
| | - Jean-Cosme Dodart
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
| | - Alexander Rumyantsev
- Vaxxinity, Inc., Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA; (F.G.); (V.R.); (J.W.); (B.T.); (J.S.); (M.H.); (J.-C.D.)
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Brady T, Cayatte C, Roe TL, Speer SD, Ji H, Machiesky L, Zhang T, Wilkins D, Tuffy KM, Kelly EJ. Fc-mediated functions of nirsevimab complement direct respiratory syncytial virus neutralization but are not required for optimal prophylactic protection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1283120. [PMID: 37901217 PMCID: PMC10600457 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1283120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Nirsevimab is an extended half-life (M252Y/S254T/T256E [YTE]-modified) monoclonal antibody to the pre-fusion conformation of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Fusion protein, with established efficacy in preventing RSV-associated lower respiratory tract infection in infants for the duration of a typical RSV season. Previous studies suggest that nirsevimab confers protection via direct virus neutralization. Here we use preclinical models to explore whether fragment crystallizable (Fc)-mediated effector functions contribute to nirsevimab-mediated protection. Methods Nirsevimab, MEDI8897* (i.e., nirsevimab without the YTE modification), and MEDI8897*-TM (i.e., MEDI8897* without Fc effector functions) binding to Fc γ receptors (FcγRs) was evaluated using surface plasmon resonance. Antibody-dependent neutrophil phagocytosis (ADNP), antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), antibody-dependent complement deposition (ADCD), and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) were assessed through in vitro and ex vivo serological analyses. A cotton rat challenge study was performed with MEDI8897* and MEDI8897*-TM to explore whether Fc effector functions contribute to protection from RSV. Results Nirsevimab and MEDI8897* exhibited binding to a range of FcγRs, with expected reductions in FcγR binding affinities observed for MEDI8897*-TM. Nirsevimab exhibited in vitro ADNP, ADCP, ADCD, and ADCC activity above background levels, and similar ADNP, ADCP, and ADCD activity to palivizumab. Nirsevimab administration increased ex vivo ADNP, ADCP, and ADCD activity in participant serum from the MELODY study (NCT03979313). However, ADCC levels remained similar between nirsevimab and placebo. MEDI8897* and MEDI8897*-TM exhibited similar dose-dependent reduction in lung and nasal turbinate RSV titers in the cotton rat model. Conclusion Nirsevimab possesses Fc effector activity comparable with the current standard of care, palivizumab. However, despite possessing the capacity for Fc effector activity, data from RSV challenge experiments illustrate that nirsevimab-mediated protection is primarily dependent on direct virus neutralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Brady
- Translational Medicine, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Corinne Cayatte
- Early Oncology ICA, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Tiffany L. Roe
- Translational Medicine, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Scott D. Speer
- Virology and Vaccine Discovery, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Hong Ji
- Translational Medicine, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - LeeAnn Machiesky
- Process and Analytical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Tianhui Zhang
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Deidre Wilkins
- Translational Medicine, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Kevin M. Tuffy
- Translational Medicine, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| | - Elizabeth J. Kelly
- Translational Medicine, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
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Scholte FEM, Karaaslan E, O’Neal TJ, Sorvillo TE, Genzer SC, Welch SR, Coleman-McCray JD, Spengler JR, Kainulainen MH, Montgomery JM, Pegan SD, Bergeron E, Spiropoulou CF. Vaccination with the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus viral replicon vaccine induces NP-based T-cell activation and antibodies possessing Fc-mediated effector functions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1233148. [PMID: 37671145 PMCID: PMC10475602 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1233148] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV; family Nairoviridae) is a tick-borne pathogen that frequently causes lethal disease in humans. CCHFV has a wide geographic distribution, and cases have been reported in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Availability of a safe and efficacious vaccine is critical for restricting outbreaks and preventing disease in endemic countries. We previously developed a virus-like replicon particle (VRP) vaccine that provides complete protection against homologous and heterologous lethal CCHFV challenge in mice after a single dose. However, the immune responses induced by this vaccine are not well characterized, and correlates of protection remain unknown. Here we comprehensively characterized the kinetics of cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in VRP-vaccinated mice, and demonstrate that they predominantly target the nucleoprotein (NP). NP antibodies are not associated with protection through neutralizing activity, but VRP vaccination results in NP antibodies possessing Fc-mediated antibody effector functions, such as complement activation (ADCD) and antibody-mediated cellular phagocytosis (ADCP). This suggests that Fc-mediated effector functions may contribute to this vaccine's efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. E. M. Scholte
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - E. Karaaslan
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - T. J. O’Neal
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - T. E. Sorvillo
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - S. C. Genzer
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - S. R. Welch
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - J. D. Coleman-McCray
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - J. R. Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - M. H. Kainulainen
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - J. M. Montgomery
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - S. D. Pegan
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - E. Bergeron
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - C. F. Spiropoulou
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Beaudoin-Bussières G, Arduini A, Bourassa C, Medjahed H, Gendron-Lepage G, Richard J, Pan Q, Wang Z, Liang C, Finzi A. SARS-CoV-2 Accessory Protein ORF8 Decreases Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061237. [PMID: 35746708 PMCID: PMC9230529 DOI: 10.3390/v14061237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses use many different strategies to evade host immune responses. In the case of SARS-CoV-2, its Spike mutates rapidly to escape from neutralizing antibodies. In addition to this strategy, ORF8, a small accessory protein encoded by SARS-CoV-2, helps immune evasion by reducing the susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2-infected cells to the cytotoxic CD8+ T cell response. Interestingly, among all accessory proteins, ORF8 is rapidly evolving and a deletion in this protein has been linked to milder disease. Here, we studied the effect of ORF8 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Specifically, we found that ORF8 can bind monocytes as well as NK cells. Strikingly, ORF8 binds CD16a (FcγRIIIA) with nanomolar affinity and decreases the overall level of CD16 at the surface of monocytes and, to a lesser extent, NK cells. This decrease significantly reduces the capacity of PBMCs and particularly monocytes to mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Overall, our data identifies a new immune-evasion activity used by SARS-CoV-2 to escape humoral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada; (G.B.-B.); (C.B.); (H.M.); (G.G.-L.); (J.R.)
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Ariana Arduini
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada; (A.A.); (Q.P.); (Z.W.)
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada
| | - Catherine Bourassa
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada; (G.B.-B.); (C.B.); (H.M.); (G.G.-L.); (J.R.)
| | - Halima Medjahed
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada; (G.B.-B.); (C.B.); (H.M.); (G.G.-L.); (J.R.)
| | - Gabrielle Gendron-Lepage
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada; (G.B.-B.); (C.B.); (H.M.); (G.G.-L.); (J.R.)
| | - Jonathan Richard
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada; (G.B.-B.); (C.B.); (H.M.); (G.G.-L.); (J.R.)
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Qinghua Pan
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada; (A.A.); (Q.P.); (Z.W.)
| | - Zhen Wang
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada; (A.A.); (Q.P.); (Z.W.)
| | - Chen Liang
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada; (A.A.); (Q.P.); (Z.W.)
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Correspondence: (C.L.); (A.F.)
| | - Andrés Finzi
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada; (G.B.-B.); (C.B.); (H.M.); (G.G.-L.); (J.R.)
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Correspondence: (C.L.); (A.F.)
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Visciano ML, Gohain N, Sherburn R, Orlandi C, Flinko R, Dashti A, Lewis GK, Tolbert WD, Pazgier M. Induction of Fc-Mediated Effector Functions Against a Stabilized Inner Domain of HIV-1 gp120 Designed to Selectively Harbor the A32 Epitope Region. Front Immunol 2019; 10:677. [PMID: 31001276 PMCID: PMC6455405 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent clinical trials and studies using nonhuman primates (NHPs) suggest that antibody-mediated protection against HIV-1 will require α-HIV envelope humoral immunity beyond direct neutralization to include Fc-receptor (FcR) mediated effector functions such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). There is also strong evidence indicating that the most potent ADCC response in humans is directed toward transitional non-neutralizing epitopes associated with the gp41-interactive face of gp120, particularly those within the first and second constant (C1–C2) region (A32-like epitopes). These epitopes were shown to be major targets of ADCC responses during natural infection and have been implicated in vaccine-induced protective immunity. Here we describe the immunogenicity of ID2, an immunogen consisting of the inner domain of the clade A/E 93TH057 HIV-1 gp120 expressed independently of the outer domain (OD) and stabilized in the CD4-bound conformation to harbor conformational A32 region epitopes within a minimal structural unit of HIV-1 Env. ID2 induced A32-specific antibody responses in BALB/c mice when injected alone or in the presence of the adjuvants Alum or GLA-SE. Low α-ID2 titers were detected in mice immunized with ID2 alone whereas robust responses were observed with ID2 plus adjuvant, with the greatest ID2 and A32-specific titers observed in the GLA-SE group. Only sera from groups immunized in the presence of GLA-SE were capable of mediating significant ADCC using NKr cells sensitized with recombinant BaL gp120 as targets and human PBMCs as effectors. A neutralization response to a tier 2 virus was not observed. Altogether, our studies demonstrate that ID2 is highly immunogenic and elicits A32-specific ADCC responses in an animal host. The ID2 immunogen has significant translational value as it can be used in challenge studies to evaluate the role of non-neutralizing antibodies directed at the A32 subregion in HIV-1 protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Visciano
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Neelakshi Gohain
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rebekah Sherburn
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Chiara Orlandi
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Robin Flinko
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Amir Dashti
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - George K Lewis
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - William D Tolbert
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marzena Pazgier
- Division of Vaccine Research of Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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