A multifaceted high-throughput assay for probing antigen-specific antibody-mediated primary monocyte phagocytosis and downstream functions

Monocytes are highly versatile innate immune cells responsible for pathogen clearance, innate immune coordination, and induction of adaptive immunity. Monocytes can directly and indirectly integrate pathogen-destructive instructions and contribute to disease control via pathogen uptake, presentation, or the release of cytokines. Indirect pathogen-specific instructions are conferred via Fc-receptor signaling and triggered by antibody opsonized material. Given the tremendous variation in polyclonal humoral immunity, defining the specific antibody-responses able to arm monocytes most effectively remains incompletely understood. While monocyte cell line-based assays have been used previously, cell lines may not faithfully recapitulate the full biology of monocytes. Thus, here we describe a multifaceted antigen-specific method for probing antibody-dependent primary monocyte phagocytosis (ADMP) and secondary responses. The assay not only reliably captures phagocytic uptake of immune complexes, but also detects unique changes in surface markers and cytokine secretions profiles, poorly detected by monocytic cell lines. The assay captures divergent polyclonal-monocyte recruiting activity across subjects with varying SARS-CoV-2 disease severity and also revealed biological nuances in Fc-mutant monoclonal antibody activity related to differences in Fc-receptor binding. Thus, the ADMP assay is a flexible assay able to provide key insights into the role of humoral immunity in driving monocyte phenotypic transitions and downstream functions across many diseases.

A versatile high-throughput assay to characterize antibody-mediated neutrophil phagocytosis

Neutrophils, the most abundant white blood cell, play a critical role in anti-pathogen immunity via phagocytic clearance, secretion of enzymes and immunomodulators, and the release of extracellular traps. Neutrophils non-specifically sense infection through an array of innate immune receptors and inflammatory sensors, but are also able to respond in a pathogen/antigen-specific manner when leveraged by antibodies via Fc-receptors. Among neutrophil functions, antibody-dependent neutrophil phagocytosis (ADNP) results in antibody-mediated opsonization, enabling neutrophils to sense and respond to infection in a pathogen-appropriate manner. Here, we describe a high-throughput flow cytometric approach to effectively visualize and quantify ADNP and its downstream consequences. The assay is easily adaptable, supporting both the use of purified neutrophils or white blood cells, the use of purified Ig or serum, and the broad utility of any target antigen. Thus, this ADNP assay represents a high-throughput platform for the in-depth characterization of neutrophil function.

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A high-throughput antibody-dependent neutrophil phagocytosis (ADNP) assay was developed.

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This flow cytometry assay is flexible and can be easily adapted to any pathogen.

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Analysis of sample sets by ADNP assay is fast, robust and cost-effective.

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Additional neutrophil functions can be profiled in secondary analyses.

Opportunities to improve immune-based prevention of HPV-associated cancers

Immunization of adolescent girls with VLP vaccines, made of L1 proteins from the most medically significant high risk HPV types, is a major strategy for prevention of cervical cancer plus other HPV-associated cancers. Maximal population impact, including through herd immunity, requires high vaccination coverage. However, protection of unvaccinated women requires secondary prevention through cytology screening. Unfortunately in countries with the highest incidence/mortality due to cervical cancer HPV vaccination (or cytology screening) is not sufficiently available. Vaccination programme costs and a lack of accessibility of the populations for immunization remain significant hurdles. Several approaches could increase effective implementation of HPV vaccination. 1) Use of a single immunization of the current VLP vaccines. 2) Vaccination bundled with other paediatric vaccines with lower dosage to facilitate delivery, improve coverage and reduce costs through established logistics. 3) Local manufacture with lower cost systems (e.g. bacteria) for VLP or capsomer based vaccine production and utilization of additional protective epitopes (e.g L2) for increasing breadth of protection. However, all the latter need appropriate clinical validation. Gender neutral vaccination and extending routine vaccination strategies to women up to age 30 years in combination with at least one HPV screening test can also hasten impact on cancer incidence.

The Role of Immune Responses in HIV Mother-to-Child Transmission

HIV mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) represents a success story in the HIV/AIDS field given the significant reduction in number of transmission events with the scale-up of antiretroviral treatment and other prevention methods. Nevertheless, MTCT still occurs and better understanding of the basic biology and immunology of transmission will aid in future prevention and treatment efforts. MTCT is a unique setting given that the transmission pair is known and the infant receives passively transferred HIV-specific antibodies from the mother while in utero. Thus, infant exposure to HIV occurs in the face of HIV-specific antibodies, especially during delivery and breastfeeding. This review highlights the immune correlates of protection in HIV MTCT including humoral (neutralizing antibodies, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and binding epitopes), cellular, and innate immune factors. We further discuss the future implications of this research as it pertains to opportunities for passive and active vaccination with the ultimate goal of eliminating HIV MTCT.

Immune correlates of protection for dengue: State of the art and research agenda

Dengue viruses (DENV1-4) are mosquito-borne flaviviruses estimated to cause up to ∼400 million infections and ∼100 million dengue cases each year. Factors that contribute to protection from and risk of dengue and severe dengue disease have been studied extensively but are still not fully understood. Results from Phase 3 vaccine efficacy trials have recently become available for one vaccine candidate, now licensed for use in several countries, and more Phase 2 and 3 studies of additional vaccine candidates are ongoing, making these issues all the more urgent and timely. At the "Summit on Dengue Immune Correlates of Protection", held in Annecy, France, on March 8-9, 2016, dengue experts from diverse fields came together to discuss the current understanding of the immune response to and protection from DENV infection and disease, identify key unanswered questions, discuss data on immune correlates and plans for comparison of results across assays/consortia, and propose a research agenda for investigation of dengue immune correlates, all in the context of both natural infection studies and vaccine trials.