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Padula L, Fisher E, Wijayalath W, Patterson NB, Huang J, Ganeshan H, Robinson T, Bates FA, Hanson MA, Martin ML, Rivas K, Garcia D, Edgel KA, Sedegah M, Villasante E, Strbo N. Induction of antigen specific intrahepatic CD8+ T cell responses by a secreted heat shock protein based gp96-Ig-PfCA malaria vaccine. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1130054. [PMID: 37056783 PMCID: PMC10086177 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1130054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionA highly efficacious and durable vaccine against malaria is an essential tool for global malaria eradication. One of the promising strategies to develop such a vaccine is to induce robust CD8+ T cell mediated immunity against malaria liver-stage parasites.MethodsHere we describe a novel malaria vaccine platform based on a secreted form of the heat shock protein, gp96-immunoglobulin, (gp96-Ig) to induce malaria antigen specific, memory CD8+ T cells. Gp96-Ig acts as an adjuvant to activate antigen presenting cells (APCs) and chaperone peptides/antigens to APCs for cross presentation to CD8+ T cells.ResultsOur study shows that vaccination of mice and rhesus monkeys with HEK-293 cells transfected with gp96-Ig and two well-known Plasmodium falciparum CSP and AMA1 (PfCA) vaccine candidate antigens, induces liver-infiltrating, antigen specific, memory CD8+ T cell responses. The majority of the intrahepatic CSP and AMA1 specific CD8+ T cells expressed CD69 and CXCR3, the hallmark of tissue resident memory T cells (Trm). Also, we found intrahepatic, antigen-specific memory CD8+ T cells secreting IL-2, which is relevant for maintenance of effective memory responses in the liver.DiscussionOur novel gp96-Ig malaria vaccine strategy represents a unique approach to induce liver-homing, antigen-specific CD8+ T cells critical for Plasmodium liver-stage protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Padula
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Eva Fisher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Wathsala Wijayalath
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, United States
- CAMRIS International, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Noelle B. Patterson
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jun Huang
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Tanisha Robinson
- Malaria Serology Lab, Immunology Core, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Parsons Technical Services Inc., Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - François A. Bates
- Animal Medicine Branch, Veterinary Services Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Margaret A. Hanson
- Necropsy Branch, Veterinary Services Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Monica L. Martin
- Animal Medicine Branch, Veterinary Services Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Katelyn Rivas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Denisse Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Kimberly A. Edgel
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Natasa Strbo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Natasa Strbo,
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Belmonte M, Ganeshan H, Huang J, Belmonte A, Inoue S, Velasco R, Acheampong N, Ofori EA, Akyea-Mensah K, Frimpong A, Ennuson NA, Frempong AF, Kyei-Baafour E, Amoah LE, Edgel K, Peters B, Villasante E, Kusi KA, Sedegah M. Immunodominant T cell peptides from four candidate malarial antigens as biomarkers of protective immunity against malaria. Vaccine 2023; 41:1265-1273. [PMID: 36642628 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.01.016] [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: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A malaria vaccine with high efficacy and capable of inducing sterile immunity against malaria within genetically diverse populations is urgently needed to complement ongoing disease control and elimination efforts. Parasite-specific IFN-γ and granzyme B-secreting CD8 + T cells have been identified as key mediators of protection and the rapid identification of malaria antigen targets that elicit these responses will fast-track the development of simpler, cost-effective interventions. This study extends our previous work which used peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from adults with life-long exposure to malaria parasites to identify immunodominant antigen-specific peptide pools composed of overlapping 15mer sequences spanning full length proteins of four malarial antigens. Our current study aimed to identify CD8 + T cell epitopes within these previously identified positive peptide pools. Cryopreserved PBMCs from 109 HLA-typed subjects were stimulated with predicted 9-11mer CD8 + T cell epitopes from P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP), apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), thrombospondin related anonymous protein (TRAP) and cell traversal for ookinetes and sporozoites (CelTOS) in FluoroSpot assays. A total of 135 epitopes out of 297 tested peptides from the four antigens were experimentally identified as positive for IFN-γ and/or granzyme B production in 65 of the 109 subjects. Forty-three of 135 epitopes (32 %) were promiscuous for HLA binding, with 31 of these promiscuous epitopes (72 %) being presented by HLA alleles that fall within at least two different HLA supertypes. Furthermore, about 52 % of identified epitopes were conserved when the respective sequences were aligned with those from 16 highly diverse P. falciparum parasite strains. In summary, we have identified a number of conserved epitopes, immune responses to which could be effective against multiple P. falciparum parasite strains in genetically diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jun Huang
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Arnel Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; GDIT, MD 20817, USA
| | - Sandra Inoue
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; GDIT, MD 20817, USA
| | - Rachel Velasco
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; GDIT, MD 20817, USA
| | - Neda Acheampong
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; GDIT, MD 20817, USA
| | - Ebenezer Addo Ofori
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Akyea-Mensah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Augustina Frimpong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Nana Aba Ennuson
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Abena Fremaah Frempong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Eric Kyei-Baafour
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Linda Eva Amoah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Kimberly Edgel
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA
| | - Bjoern Peters
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Kwadwo Asamoah Kusi
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA
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3
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Sedegah M, Porter C, Goguet E, Ganeshan H, Belmonte M, Huang J, Belmonte A, Inoue S, Acheampong N, Malloy AMW, Hollis-Perry M, Jackson-Thompson B, Ramsey KF, Alcorta Y, Maiolatesi SE, Wang G, Reyes AE, Illinik L, Sanchez-Edwards M, Burgess TH, Broder CC, Laing ED, Pollett SD, Villasante E, Mitre E, Hollingdale MR. Cellular interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 responses to SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins are broader and higher in those vaccinated after SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to vaccinees without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276241. [PMID: 36251675 PMCID: PMC9576055 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Class I- and Class II-restricted epitopes have been identified across the SARS-CoV-2 structural proteome. Vaccine-induced and post-infection SARS-CoV-2 T-cell responses are associated with COVID-19 recovery and protection, but the precise role of T-cell responses remains unclear, and how post-infection vaccination ('hybrid immunity') further augments this immunity To accomplish these goals, we studied healthy adult healthcare workers who were (a) uninfected and unvaccinated (n = 12), (b) uninfected and vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine (2 doses n = 177, one dose n = 1) or Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine (one dose, n = 1), and (c) previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 and vaccinated (BNT162b2, two doses, n = 6, one dose n = 1; mRNA-1273 two doses, n = 1). Infection status was determined by repeated PCR testing of participants. We used FluoroSpot Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) assays, using subpools of 15-mer peptides covering the S (10 subpools), N (4 subpools) and M (2 subpools) proteins. Responses were expressed as frequencies (percent positive responders) and magnitudes (spot forming cells/106 cytokine-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs]). Almost all vaccinated participants with no prior infection exhibited IFN-γ, IL-2 and IFN-γ+IL2 responses to S glycoprotein subpools (89%, 93% and 27%, respectively) mainly directed to the S2 subunit and were more robust than responses to the N or M subpools. However, in previously infected and vaccinated participants IFN-γ, IL-2 and IFN-γ+IL2 responses to S subpools (100%, 100%, 88%) were substantially higher than vaccinated participants with no prior infection and were broader and directed against nine of the 10 S glycoprotein subpools spanning the S1 and S2 subunits, and all the N and M subpools. 50% of uninfected and unvaccinated individuals had IFN-γ but not IL2 or IFN-γ+IL2 responses against one S and one M subpools that were not increased after vaccination of uninfected or SARS-CoV-2-infected participants. Summed IFN-γ, IL-2, and IFN-γ+IL2 responses to S correlated with IgG responses to the S glycoprotein. These studies demonstrated that vaccinations with BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 results in T cell-specific responses primarily against epitopes in the S2 subunit of the S glycoprotein, and that individuals that are vaccinated after SARS-CoV-2 infection develop broader and greater T cell responses to S1 and S2 subunits as well as the N and M proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Sedegah
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Chad Porter
- Translational Clinical Research Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Emilie Goguet
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Jun Huang
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Arnel Belmonte
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States of America
| | - Sandra Inoue
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States of America
| | - Neda Acheampong
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States of America
| | - Allison M. W. Malloy
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Monique Hollis-Perry
- Clinical Trials Center, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Belinda Jackson-Thompson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Kathy F. Ramsey
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States of America
- Clinical Trials Center, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Program, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Yolanda Alcorta
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States of America
- Clinical Trials Center, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Santina E. Maiolatesi
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- Clinical Trials Center, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Gregory Wang
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States of America
- Clinical Trials Center, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Anatolio E. Reyes
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States of America
- Clinical Trials Center, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Luca Illinik
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Program, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Margaret Sanchez-Edwards
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Program, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Timothy H. Burgess
- Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Program, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Christopher C. Broder
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Eric D. Laing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Simon D. Pollett
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Program, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Edward Mitre
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Hollingdale
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail: ,
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Sedegah M, Porter C, Hollingdale MR, Ganeshan H, Huang J, Goforth CW, Belmonte M, Belmonte A, Weir DL, Lizewski RA, Lizewski SE, Sealfon SC, Jani V, Cheng Y, Inoue S, Velasco R, Villasante E, Sun P, Letizia AG. CHARM: COVID-19 Health Action Response for Marines-Association of antigen-specific interferon-gamma and IL2 responses with asymptomatic and symptomatic infections after a positive qPCR SARS-CoV-2 test. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266691. [PMID: 35390102 PMCID: PMC8989306 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266691] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 T cell responses are associated with COVID-19 recovery, and Class I- and Class II-restricted epitopes have been identified in the spike (S), nucleocapsid (N) and membrane (M) proteins and others. This prospective COVID-19 Health Action Response for Marines (CHARM) study enabled assessment of T cell responses against S, N and M proteins in symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infected participants. At enrollment all participants were negative by qPCR; follow-up occurred biweekly and bimonthly for the next 6 weeks. Study participants who tested positive by qPCR SARS-CoV-2 test were enrolled in an immune response sub-study. FluoroSpot interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and IL2 responses following qPCR-confirmed infection at enrollment (day 0), day 7 and 14 and more than 28 days later were measured using pools of 17mer peptides covering S, N, and M proteins, or CD4+CD8 peptide pools containing predicted epitopes from multiple SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Among 124 asymptomatic and 105 symptomatic participants, SARS-CoV-2 infection generated IFN-γ responses to the S, N and M proteins that persisted longer in asymptomatic cases. IFN-γ responses were significantly (p = 0.001) more frequent to the N pool (51.4%) than the M pool (18.9%) among asymptomatic but not symptomatic subjects. Asymptomatic IFN-γ responders to the CD4+CD8 pool responded more frequently to the S pool (55.6%) and N pool (57.1%), than the M pool (7.1%), but not symptomatic participants. The frequencies of IFN-γ responses to the S and N+M pools peaked 7 days after the positive qPCR test among asymptomatic (S pool: 22.2%; N+M pool: 28.7%) and symptomatic (S pool: 15.3%; N+M pool 21.9%) participants and dropped by >28 days. Magnitudes of post-infection IFN-γ and IL2 responses to the N+M pool were significantly correlated with IFN-γ and IL2 responses to the N and M pools. These data further support the central role of Th1-biased cell mediated immunity IFN-γ and IL2 responses, particularly to the N protein, in controlling COVID-19 symptoms, and justify T cell-based COVID-19 vaccines that include the N and S proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Sedegah
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Chad Porter
- Virology Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Hollingdale
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Jun Huang
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Carl W. Goforth
- Virology Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Arnel Belmonte
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- GDIT, MD, United States of America
| | - Dawn L. Weir
- Virology Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | | | | | - Stuart C. Sealfon
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Vihasi Jani
- Virology Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Ying Cheng
- Virology Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Leidos, Reston, VA, United States of America
| | - Sandra Inoue
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- GDIT, MD, United States of America
| | - Rachael Velasco
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Agile Vaccines and Therapeutics Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Peifang Sun
- Virology Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Andrew G. Letizia
- Virology Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
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Kusi KA, Ofori EA, Akyea-Mensah K, Kyei-Baafour E, Frimpong A, Ennuson NA, Belmonte M, Ganeshan H, Huang J, Amoah LE, Villasante E, Sedegah M. Towards large-scale identification of HLA-restricted T cell epitopes from four vaccine candidate antigens in a malaria endemic community in Ghana. Vaccine 2021; 40:757-764. [PMID: 34969544 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.12.042] [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: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sterile protection against clinical malaria has been achieved in animal models and experimental human challenge studies involving immunization with radiation attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite vaccines as well as by live sporozoites under chloroquine prophylaxis. Parasite-specific IFN-γ and granzyme B-secreting CD8 + T cells have been identified as key mediators of protection. Although the exact parasite targets of protective CD8 + T cell responses are not fully defined, responses against a handful of vaccine candidate antigens have been associated with protection. Identifying the T cell targets in these antigens will facilitate the development of simpler, cost-effective, and efficacious next generation multi-epitope vaccines. The aim of this study was to identify immunodominant portions of four malaria vaccine candidate antigens using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from adults with life-long exposure to malaria parasites. Cryopreserved PBMCs from 291 HLA-typed subjects were stimulated with pools of overlapping 15mer peptides spanning the entire sequences of P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP, 9 pools), apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1, 12 pools), thrombospondin related anonymous protein (TRAP, 6 pools) and cell traversal for ookinetes and sporozoites (CelTOS, 4 pools) in FluoroSpot assays. 125 of 291 subjects made IFN-γ responses to 30 of the 31 peptide pools tested and 22 of 291 made granzyme B responses, with 20 making dual responses. The most frequent responses were to the CSP C-terminal region and the least frequent responses were to TRAP and CelTOS. There was no association between FluoroSpot responses and active malaria infection, detected by either microscopy, RDT, or PCR. In conclusion, CSP and AMA1 have relatively higher numbers of epitopes that trigger IFN-γ and granzyme B-secreting T cells in adults with life-long malaria parasite exposure compared to the other two antigens tested, and highlights the continued relevance of these two antigens as vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwadwo Asamoah Kusi
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Ebenezer Addo Ofori
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Akyea-Mensah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Eric Kyei-Baafour
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Augustina Frimpong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Nana Aba Ennuson
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jun Huang
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Linda Eva Amoah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, MD, USA
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6
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Ofori EA, Tetteh JKA, Frimpong A, Ganeshan H, Belmonte M, Peters B, Villasante E, Sedegah M, Ofori MF, Kusi KA. Comparison of the impact of allelic polymorphisms in PfAMA1 on the induction of T Cell responses in high and low malaria endemic communities in Ghana. Malar J 2021; 20:367. [PMID: 34507582 PMCID: PMC8431259 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03900-1] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria eradication requires a combined effort involving all available control tools, and these efforts would be complemented by an effective vaccine. The antigen targets of immune responses may show polymorphisms that can undermine their recognition by immune effectors and hence render vaccines based on antigens from a single parasite variant ineffective against other variants. This study compared the influence of allelic polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1) peptide sequences from three strains of P. falciparum (3D7, 7G8 and FVO) on their function as immunodominant targets of T cell responses in high and low malaria transmission communities in Ghana. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 10 subjects from a high transmission area (Obom) and 10 subjects from a low transmission area (Legon) were tested against 15 predicted CD8 + T cell minimal epitopes within the PfAMA1 antigen of multiple parasite strains using IFN-γ ELISpot assay. The peptides were also tested in similar assays against CD8 + enriched PBMC fractions from the same subjects in an effort to characterize the responding T cell subsets. RESULTS In assays using unfractionated PBMCs, two subjects from the high transmission area, Obom, responded positively to four (26.7%) of the 15 tested peptides. None of the Legon subject PBMCs yielded positive peptide responses using unfractionated PBMCs. In assays with CD8 + enriched PBMCs, three subjects from Obom made positive recall responses to six (40%) of the 15 tested peptides, while only one subject from Legon made a positive recall response to a single peptide. Overall, 5 of the 20 study subjects who had positive peptide-specific IFN-γ recall responses were from the high transmission area, Obom. Furthermore, while subjects from Obom responded to peptides in PfAMA1 from multiple parasite strains, one subject from Legon responded to a peptide from 3D7 strain only. CONCLUSIONS The current data demonstrate the possibility of a real effect of PfAMA1 polymorphisms on the induction of T cell responses in malaria exposed subjects, and this effect may be more pronounced in communities with higher parasite exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebenezer A Ofori
- West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - John K A Tetteh
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Augustina Frimpong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bjoern Peters
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, USA
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, USA
| | - Michael F Ofori
- West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo A Kusi
- West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana. .,Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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7
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Lyke KE, Singer A, Berry AA, Reyes S, Chakravarty S, James ER, Billingsley PF, Gunasekera A, Manoj A, Murshedkar T, Laurens MB, Church WP, Garver Baldwin LS, Sedegah M, Banania G, Ganeshan H, Guzman I, Reyes A, Wong M, Belmonte A, Ozemoya A, Belmonte M, Huang J, Villasante E, Sim BKL, Hoffman SL, Richie TL, Epstein JE. Multidose Priming and Delayed Boosting Improve Plasmodium falciparum Sporozoite Vaccine Efficacy Against Heterologous P. falciparum Controlled Human Malaria Infection. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 73:e2424-e2435. [DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa1294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
A live-attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite (SPZ) vaccine (PfSPZ Vaccine) has shown up to 100% protection against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) using homologous parasites (same P. falciparum strain as in the vaccine). Using a more stringent CHMI, with heterologous parasites (different P. falciparum strain), we assessed the impact of higher PfSPZ doses, a novel multi-dose prime regimen, and a delayed vaccine boost upon vaccine efficacy (VE).
Methods
We immunized 4 groups that each contained 15 healthy, malaria-naive adults. Group 1 received 5 doses of 4.5 x 105 PfSPZ (Days 1, 3, 5, and 7; Week 16). Groups 2, 3, and 4 received 3 doses (Weeks 0, 8, and 16), with Group 2 receiving 9.0 × 105/doses; Group 3 receiving 18.0 × 105/doses; and Group 4 receiving 27.0 × 105 for dose 1 and 9.0 × 105 for doses 2 and 3. VE was assessed by heterologous CHMI after 12 or 24 weeks. Volunteers not protected at 12 weeks were boosted prior to repeat CHMI at 24 weeks.
Results
At 12-week CHMI, 6/15 (40%) participants in Group 1 (P = .04) and 3/15 (20%) participants in Group 2 remained aparasitemic, as compared to 0/8 controls. At 24-week CHMI, 3/13 (23%) participants in Group 3 and 3/14 (21%) participants in Group 4 remained aparasitemic, versus 0/8 controls (Groups 2–4, VE not significant). Postboost, 9/14 (64%) participants versus 0/8 controls remained aparasitemic (3/6 in Group 1, P = .025; 6/8 in Group 2, P = .002).
Conclusions
Administering 4 stacked priming injections (multi-dose priming) resulted in 40% VE against heterologous CHMI, while dose escalation of PfSPZ using single-dose priming was not significantly protective. Boosting unprotected subjects improved VE at 24 weeks, to 64%.
Clinical Trials Registration
NCT02601716.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten E Lyke
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alexandra Singer
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrea A Berry
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sharina Reyes
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Matthew B Laurens
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Lindsey S Garver Baldwin
- Pharmaceutical Systems Project Management Office US Army Medical and Material Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, USA
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Glenna Banania
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Ivelese Guzman
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Anatalio Reyes
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Mimi Wong
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Arnel Belmonte
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Amelia Ozemoya
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Jun Huang
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | - Judith E Epstein
- Naval Medical Research Center Malaria Department, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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8
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Hickey B, Teneza-Mora N, Lumsden J, Reyes S, Sedegah M, Garver L, Hollingdale MR, Banania JG, Ganeshan H, Dowler M, Reyes A, Tamminga C, Singer A, Simmons A, Belmonte M, Belmonte A, Huang J, Inoue S, Velasco R, Abot S, Vasquez CS, Guzman I, Wong M, Twomey P, Wojnarski M, Moon J, Alcorta Y, Maiolatesi S, Spring M, Davidson S, Chaudhury S, Villasante E, Richie TL, Epstein JE. IMRAS-A clinical trial of mosquito-bite immunization with live, radiation-attenuated P. falciparum sporozoites: Impact of immunization parameters on protective efficacy and generation of a repository of immunologic reagents. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233840. [PMID: 32555601 PMCID: PMC7299375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [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: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immunization with radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS) by mosquito bite provides >90% sterile protection against Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria in humans. RAS invade hepatocytes but do not replicate. CD8+ T cells recognizing parasite-derived peptides on the surface of infected hepatocytes are likely the primary protective mechanism. We conducted a randomized clinical trial of RAS immunization to assess safety, to achieve 50% vaccine efficacy (VE) against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI), and to generate reagents from protected and non-protected subjects for future identification of protective immune mechanisms and antigens. Methods Two cohorts (Cohort 1 and Cohort 2) of healthy, malaria-naïve, non-pregnant adults age 18–50 received five monthly immunizations with infected (true-immunized, n = 21) or non-infected (mock-immunized, n = 5) mosquito bites and underwent homologous CHMI at 3 weeks. Immunization parameters were selected for 50% protection based on prior clinical data. Leukapheresis was done to collect plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results Adverse event rates were similar in true- and mock-immunized subjects. Two true- and two mock-immunized subjects developed large local reactions likely caused by mosquito salivary gland antigens. In Cohort 1, 11 subjects received 810–1235 infected bites; 6/11 (55%) were protected against CHMI vs. 0/3 mock-immunized and 0/6 infectivity controls (VE 55%). In Cohort 2, 10 subjects received 839–1131 infected bites with a higher first dose and a reduced fifth dose; 9/10 (90%) were protected vs. 0/2 mock-immunized and 0/6 controls (VE 90%). Three/3 (100%) protected subjects administered three booster immunizations were protected against repeat CHMI vs. 0/6 controls (VE 100%). Cohort 2 uniquely showed a significant rise in IFN-γ responses after the third and fifth immunizations and higher antibody responses to CSP. Conclusions PfRAS were generally safe and well tolerated. Cohort 2 had a higher first dose, reduced final dose, higher antibody responses to CSP and significant rise of IFN-γ responses after the third and fifth immunizations. Whether any of these factors contributed to increased protection in Cohort 2 requires further investigation. A cryobank of sera and cells from protected and non-protected individuals was generated for future immunological studies and antigen discovery. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01994525.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Hickey
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Nimfa Teneza-Mora
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Joanne Lumsden
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Sharina Reyes
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Lindsey Garver
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Hollingdale
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jo Glenna Banania
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Megan Dowler
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Anatalio Reyes
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Cindy Tamminga
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Alexandra Singer
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Alicia Simmons
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Arnel Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Jun Huang
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Sandra Inoue
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Rachel Velasco
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Steve Abot
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Carlos S. Vasquez
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Ivelese Guzman
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Mimi Wong
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Patrick Twomey
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Mariusz Wojnarski
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - James Moon
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Yolanda Alcorta
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Santina Maiolatesi
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Michele Spring
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Silas Davidson
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Sidhartha Chaudhury
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Biotechnology HPC Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Frederick, MD, United States of America
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Thomas L. Richie
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Judith E. Epstein
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
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9
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Strbo N, Padula L, Fisher E, Wijayalath W, Patterson NB, Huang J, Ganeshan H, O’Neill K, Garcia D, Etobayeva IV, Edgel KA, Podack ER, Sedegah M, Villasante EF. Secreted heat shock protein gp96-Ig vaccine induces malaria specific intrahepatic CD8 T cell responses. The Journal of Immunology 2020. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.204.supp.168.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
A highly-efficacious and durable malaria vaccine is an essential tool for global malaria eradication. One promising strategy to develop such a vaccine is to induce robust CD8+ T cell-mediated protective immunity against malaria liver stage parasites.
We developed and tested a novel malaria vaccine platform based on the secreted form of the heat shock protein gp96 immunoglobulin, (gp96-Ig) to induce malaria antigen-specific liver resident memory CD8+ T cells. Gp96-Ig has ideal properties as an antigen carrier and vaccine adjuvant to activate antigen presenting cells (APCs) and effectively chaperone antigens for cross presentation via MHC I to CD8+ T lymphocytes. Our study shows that vaccination of mice and non-human primate (NHP) animal models with HEK-293 cells transfected with gp96-Ig and two well-known Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) vaccine candidate antigens, circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), induce liver infiltrating, antigen-specific, cytotoxic memory CD8+ T cell responses. The majority of the CSP and AMA specific intrahepatic CD8+ T cells expressed CD69 and CXCR3, hallmarks of tissue resident memory T cells (TRM). Also, we found an increased frequency of intrahepatic CD8+ T cells secreting IL-2, which is relevant for maintenance of effective memory responses.
Our findings are strongly supportive of a novel gp96-Ig-based malaria vaccine as a unique systemic and liver-homing, liver-stage antigen-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) vaccine strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eva Fisher
- 1University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
| | | | - Noelle B. Patterson
- 4Naval Medical Research Ceneter
- 5Henry M. Jackson Foundation for Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc
| | - Jun Huang
- 2Naval Medical Research Center
- 5Henry M. Jackson Foundation for Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- 4Naval Medical Research Ceneter
- 6Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc
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10
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Kusi KA, Aggor FE, Amoah LE, Anum D, Nartey Y, Amoako-Sakyi D, Obiri-Yeboah D, Hollingdale M, Ganeshan H, Belmonte M, Peters B, Kim Y, Tetteh J, Kyei-Baafour E, Dodoo D, Villasante E, Sedegah M. Identification of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein-specific CD8+ T cell epitopes in a malaria exposed population. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228177. [PMID: 32040522 PMCID: PMC7010280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228177] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sterile protection against malaria, most likely mediated by parasite-specific CD8+ T cells, has been achieved by attenuated sporozoite vaccination of animals as well as malaria-naïve and malaria-exposed subjects. The circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-based vaccine, RTS,S, shows low efficacy partly due to limited CD8+ T cell induction, and inclusion of such epitopes could improve RTS,S. This study assessed 8-10mer CSP peptide epitopes, present in predicted or previously positive P. falciparum 3D7 CSP 15mer overlapping peptide pools, for their ability to induce CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses in natural malaria-exposed subjects. METHODS Cryopreserved PBMCs from nine HLA-typed subjects were stimulated with 23 8-10mer CSP peptides from the 3D7 parasite in IFN-ɣ ELISpot assays. The CD8+ T cell specificity of IFN-γ responses was confirmed in ELISpot assays using CD8+ T cell-enriched PBMC fractions after CD4+ cell depletion. RESULTS Ten of 23 peptide epitopes elicited responses in whole PBMCs from five of the nine subjects. Four peptides tested positive in CD8+ T cell-enriched PBMCs from two previously positive responders and one new subject. All four immunodominant peptides are restricted by globally common HLA supertypes (A02, A03, B07) and mapped to regions of the CSP antigen with limited or no reported polymorphism. Association of these peptide-specific responses with anti-malarial protection remains to be confirmed. CONCLUSIONS The relatively conserved nature of the four identified epitopes and their binding to globally common HLA supertypes makes them good candidates for inclusion in potential multi-epitope malaria vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwadwo A. Kusi
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- * E-mail:
| | - Felix E. Aggor
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Linda E. Amoah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Dorothy Anum
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yvonne Nartey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Daniel Amoako-Sakyi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Michael Hollingdale
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
| | - Bjoern Peters
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Yohan Kim
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - John Tetteh
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eric Kyei-Baafour
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Daniel Dodoo
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Springs, MD, United States of America
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11
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Epstein JE, Paolino KM, Richie TL, Sedegah M, Singer A, Ruben AJ, Chakravarty S, Stafford A, Ruck RC, Eappen AG, Li T, Billingsley PF, Manoj A, Silva JC, Moser K, Nielsen R, Tosh D, Cicatelli S, Ganeshan H, Case J, Padilla D, Davidson S, Garver L, Saverino E, Murshedkar T, Gunasekera A, Twomey PS, Reyes S, Moon JE, James ER, Kc N, Li M, Abot E, Belmonte A, Hauns K, Belmonte M, Huang J, Vasquez C, Remich S, Carrington M, Abebe Y, Tillman A, Hickey B, Regules J, Villasante E, Sim BKL, Hoffman SL. Protection against Plasmodium falciparum malaria by PfSPZ Vaccine. JCI Insight 2017; 2:e89154. [PMID: 28097230 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.89154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A radiation-attenuated Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoite (SPZ) malaria vaccine, PfSPZ Vaccine, protected 6 of 6 subjects (100%) against homologous Pf (same strain as in the vaccine) controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) 3 weeks after 5 doses administered intravenously. The next step was to assess protective efficacy against heterologous Pf (different from Pf in the vaccine), after fewer doses, and at 24 weeks. METHODS: The trial assessed tolerability, safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of direct venous inoculation (DVI) of 3 or 5 doses of PfSPZ Vaccine in non-immune subjects. RESULTS: Three weeks after final immunization, 5 doses of 2.7 × 105 PfSPZ protected 12 of 13 recipients (92.3% [95% CI: 48.0, 99.8]) against homologous CHMI and 4 of 5 (80.0% [10.4, 99.5]) against heterologous CHMI; 3 doses of 4.5 × 105 PfSPZ protected 13 of 15 (86.7% [35.9, 98.3]) against homologous CHMI. Twenty-four weeks after final immunization, the 5-dose regimen protected 7 of 10 (70.0% [17.3, 93.3]) against homologous and 1 of 10 (10.0% [-35.8, 45.6]) against heterologous CHMI; the 3-dose regimen protected 8 of 14 (57.1% [21.5, 76.6]) against homologous CHMI. All 22 controls developed Pf parasitemia. PfSPZ Vaccine was well tolerated, safe, and easy to administer. No antibody or T cell responses correlated with protection. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge that PfSPZ Vaccine can protect against a 3-week heterologous CHMI in a limited group of malaria-naive adult subjects. A 3-dose regimen protected against both 3-week and 24-week homologous CHMI (87% and 57%, respectively) in this population. These results provide a foundation for developing an optimized immunization regimen for preventing malaria. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02215707. FUNDING: Support was provided through the US Army Medical Research and Development Command, Military Infectious Diseases Research Program, and the Naval Medical Research Center's Advanced Medical Development Program.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - April Stafford
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard C Ruck
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Tao Li
- Sanaria Inc., Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Joana C Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kara Moser
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robin Nielsen
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Donna Tosh
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Susan Cicatelli
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Jessica Case
- Statistics Collaborative Inc., Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Silas Davidson
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Lindsey Garver
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | - Patrick S Twomey
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - James E Moon
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Natasha Kc
- Sanaria Inc., Rockville, Maryland, USA.,Protein Potential, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Minglin Li
- Sanaria Inc., Rockville, Maryland, USA.,Protein Potential, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Kevin Hauns
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Jun Huang
- Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC)
| | | | - Shon Remich
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Amy Tillman
- Statistics Collaborative Inc., Washington, DC, USA
| | - Bradley Hickey
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Jason Regules
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | - B Kim Lee Sim
- Sanaria Inc., Rockville, Maryland, USA.,Protein Potential, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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12
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Hickey BW, Lumsden JM, Reyes S, Sedegah M, Hollingdale MR, Freilich DA, Luke TC, Charoenvit Y, Goh LM, Berzins MP, Bebris L, Sacci JB, De La Vega P, Wang R, Ganeshan H, Abot EN, Carucci DJ, Doolan DL, Brice GT, Kumar A, Aguiar J, Nutman TB, Leitman SF, Hoffman SL, Epstein JE, Richie TL. Mosquito bite immunization with radiation-attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites: safety, tolerability, protective efficacy and humoral immunogenicity. Malar J 2016; 15:377. [PMID: 27448805 PMCID: PMC4957371 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1435-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this phase 1 clinical trial, healthy adult, malaria-naïve subjects were immunized with radiation-attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites (PfRAS) by mosquito bite and then underwent controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). The PfRAS model for immunization against malaria had previously induced >90 % sterile protection against homologous CHMI. This study was to further explore the safety, tolerability and protective efficacy of the PfRAS model and to provide biological specimens to characterize protective immune responses and identify protective antigens in support of malaria vaccine development. METHODS Fifty-seven subjects were screened, 41 enrolled and 30 received at least one immunization. The true-immunized subjects received PfRAS via mosquito bite and the mock-immunized subjects received mosquito bites from irradiated uninfected mosquitoes. Sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected before and after PfRAS immunizations. RESULTS Immunization with PfRAS was generally safe and well tolerated, and repeated immunization via mosquito bite did not appear to increase the risk or severity of AEs. Local adverse events (AEs) of true-immunized and mock-immunized groups consisted of erythaema, papules, swelling, and induration and were consistent with reactions from mosquito bites seen in nature. Two subjects, one true- and one mock-immunized, developed large local reactions that completely resolved, were likely a result of mosquito salivary antigens, and were withdrawn from further participation as a safety precaution. Systemic AEs were generally rare and mild, consisting of headache, myalgia, nausea, and low-grade fevers. Two true-immunized subjects experienced fever, malaise, myalgia, nausea, and rigours approximately 16 h after immunization. These symptoms likely resulted from pre-formed antibodies interacting with mosquito salivary antigens. Ten subjects immunized with PfRAS underwent CHMI and five subjects (50 %) were sterilely protected and there was a significant delay to parasitaemia in the other five subjects. All ten subjects developed humoral immune responses to whole sporozoites and to the circumsporozoite protein prior to CHMI, although the differences between protected and non-protected subjects were not statistically significant for this small sample size. CONCLUSIONS The protective efficacy of this clinical trial (50 %) was notably less than previously reported (>90 %). This may be related to differences in host genetics or the inherent variability in mosquito biting behavior and numbers of sporozoites injected. Differences in trial procedures, such as the use of leukapheresis prior to CHMI and of a longer interval between the final immunization and CHMI in these subjects compared to earlier trials, may also have reduced protective efficacy. This trial has been retrospectively registered at ISRCTN ID 17372582, May 31, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley W. Hickey
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Joanne M. Lumsden
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Sharina Reyes
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Martha Sedegah
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Michael R. Hollingdale
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Daniel A. Freilich
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Thomas C. Luke
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Yupin Charoenvit
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Lucy M. Goh
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Mara P. Berzins
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Lolita Bebris
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - John B. Sacci
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Patricia De La Vega
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Ruobing Wang
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Esteban N. Abot
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Daniel J. Carucci
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Denise L. Doolan
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Gary T. Brice
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Anita Kumar
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Joao Aguiar
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Thomas B. Nutman
- />Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Susan F. Leitman
- />Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Stephen L. Hoffman
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Sanaria Inc., Rockville, MD USA
| | - Judith E. Epstein
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Thomas L. Richie
- />US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD USA
- />Sanaria Inc., Rockville, MD USA
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13
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Ganeshan H, Kusi KA, Anum D, Hollingdale MR, Peters B, Kim Y, Tetteh JKA, Ofori MF, Gyan BA, Koram KA, Huang J, Belmonte M, Banania JG, Dodoo D, Villasante E, Sedegah M. Measurement of ex vivo ELISpot interferon-gamma recall responses to Plasmodium falciparum AMA1 and CSP in Ghanaian adults with natural exposure to malaria. Malar J 2016; 15:55. [PMID: 26830334 PMCID: PMC4736649 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1098-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria eradication requires a concerted approach involving all available control tools, and an effective vaccine would complement these efforts. An effective malaria vaccine should be able to induce protective immune responses in a genetically diverse population. Identification of immunodominant T cell epitopes will assist in determining if candidate vaccines will be immunogenic in malaria-endemic areas. This study therefore investigated whether class I-restricted T cell epitopes of two leading malaria vaccine antigens, Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1), could recall T cell interferon-γ responses from naturally exposed subjects using ex vivo ELISpot assays. Methods Thirty-five subjects aged between 24 and 43 years were recruited from a malaria-endemic urban community of Ghana in 2011, and their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were tested in ELISpot IFN-γ assays against overlapping 15mer peptide pools spanning the entire CSP and AMA1 antigens, and 9–10mer peptide epitope mixtures that included previously identified and/or predicted human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class 1-restricted epitopes from same two antigens. Results For CSP, 26 % of subjects responded to at least one of the nine 15mer peptide pools whilst 17 % responded to at least one of the five 9–10mer HLA-restricted epitope mixtures. For AMA1, 63 % of subjects responded to at least one of the 12 AMA1 15mer peptide pools and 51 % responded to at least one of the six 9–10mer HLA-restricted epitope mixtures. Following analysis of data from the two sets of peptide pools, along with bioinformatics predictions of class I-restricted epitopes and the HLA supertypes expressed by a subset of study subjects, peptide pools that may contain epitopes recognized by multiple HLA supertypes were identified. Collectively, these results suggest that natural transmission elicits ELISpot IFN-γ activities to class 1-restricted epitopes that are largely HLA-promiscuous. Conclusions These results generally demonstrate that CSP and AMA1 peptides recalled ELISpot IFN-γ responses from naturally exposed individuals and that both CSP and AMA1 contain diverse class 1-restricted epitopes that are HLA-promiscuous and are widely recognized in this population. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1098-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harini Ganeshan
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Kwadwo A Kusi
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Dorothy Anum
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | | | - Bjoern Peters
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Yohan Kim
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - John K A Tetteh
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Michael F Ofori
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Ben A Gyan
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Kwadwo A Koram
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Jun Huang
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Jo Glenna Banania
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Daniel Dodoo
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
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14
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Sedegah M, Hollingdale MR, Farooq F, Ganeshan H, Belmonte M, Huang J, Abot E, Limbach K, Chuang I, Tamminga C, Epstein JE, Villasante E. Controlled Human Malaria Infection (CHMI) differentially affects cell-mediated and antibody responses to CSP and AMA1 induced by adenovirus vaccines with and without DNA-priming. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2015; 11:2705-15. [PMID: 26292027 PMCID: PMC4685686 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2015.1019186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that a DNA-prime followed by an adenovirus-5 boost vaccine containing CSP and AMA1 (DNA/Ad) successfully protected 4 of 15 subjects to controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). However, the adenovirus-5 vaccine alone (AdCA) failed to induce protection despite eliciting cellular responses that were often higher than those induced by DNA/Ad. Here we determined the effect of CHMI on pre-CHMI cellular and antibody responses against CSP and AMA1 expressed as fold-changes in activities. Generally, in the DNA/Ad trial, CHMI caused pre-CHMI ELISpot IFN-γ and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses of the protected subjects to fall but among non-protected subjects, CHMI caused rises of pre-CHMI ELISpot IFN-γ but falls of CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses. In contrast in the AdCA trial, CHMI caused both pre-CHMI ELISpot IFN-γ and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses of the AdCA subjects to fall. We suggest that the falls in activities are due to migration of peripheral CD8+ T cells to the liver in response to developing liver stage parasites, and this fall, in the DNA/Ad trial, is masked in ELISpot responses of the non-protected subjects by rises in other immune cell types. In addition, CHMI caused falls in antibody activities of protected subjects, but rises in non-protected subjects in both trials to CSP, and dramatically in the AdCA trial to AMA1, reaching 380 μg/ml that is probably due to boosting by transient blood stage infection before chloroquine treatment. Taken together, these results further define differences in cellular responses between DNA/Ad and AdCA trials, and suggest that natural transmission may boost responses induced by these malaria vaccines especially when protection is not achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Sedegah
- a Naval Medical Research Center ; Silver Spring , MD USA
| | | | - Fouzia Farooq
- a Naval Medical Research Center ; Silver Spring , MD USA
| | | | - Maria Belmonte
- a Naval Medical Research Center ; Silver Spring , MD USA
| | - Jun Huang
- a Naval Medical Research Center ; Silver Spring , MD USA
| | - Esteban Abot
- a Naval Medical Research Center ; Silver Spring , MD USA
| | - Keith Limbach
- a Naval Medical Research Center ; Silver Spring , MD USA
| | - Ilin Chuang
- a Naval Medical Research Center ; Silver Spring , MD USA
| | - Cindy Tamminga
- a Naval Medical Research Center ; Silver Spring , MD USA
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15
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Anum D, Kusi KA, Ganeshan H, Hollingdale MR, Ofori MF, Koram KA, Gyan BA, Adu-Amankwah S, Badji E, Huang J, Belmonte M, Banania GJ, Kwofie TB, Villasante E, Dodoo D, Sedegah M. Measuring naturally acquired ex vivo IFN-γ responses to Plasmodium falciparum cell-traversal protein for ookinetes and sporozoites (CelTOS) in Ghanaian adults. Malar J 2015; 14:20. [PMID: 25604473 PMCID: PMC4308902 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-014-0539-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A malaria vaccine that targets the sporozoite/liver stage parasites could potentially prevent blood stage infection and the associated clinical symptoms. Identification of sporozoite/liver stage antigens is, therefore, crucial for the development of effective vaccines. Cell-traversal protein for ookinetes and sporozoites (CelTOS) is a highly conserved antigen involved in sporozoite motility and hepatocyte invasion and has been shown to induce significant IFN-γ production in PBMCs from radiation-attenuated sporozoite-immunized malaria-naïve individuals. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether such CelTOS-specific recall responses are also induced in individuals with natural exposure to Plasmodium falciparum. METHODS Ex vivo IFN-γ responses to 15mer overlapping peptide pools covering the entire sequence of CelTOS and five other candidate antigens, CSP, AMA1, MSP1, TRAP and LSA1, were characterized using PBMCs from 35 malaria exposed adults. Responses to four CelTOS peptide pools (CelTp1, CelTp2, CelTp3 and CelTp4), a pool containing peptides from the entire CelTOS antigen (CelTTp), and pools comprised of overlapping peptides from each of the other five malaria antigens were assessed by ex vivo ELISpot assay. A positive IFN-γ response for stimulants was defined by two criteria; a stimulation index of two or greater relative to the unstimulated control, and a difference of 10 or greater in spot forming cells between stimulant and the unstimulated control. RESULTS Of the 35 volunteers tested, five had positive IFN-γ recall responses against the four different CelTOS pools while four volunteers made responses against the CelTTp pool; six volunteers were, therefore, positive with CelTOS. By contrast, six volunteers responded to AMA1, seven to LSA1, 15 to MSP1 and two volunteers responded against CSP and TRAP. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest natural malaria transmission induces CelTOS-specific ex vivo IFN-γ in Ghanaian adults and that the frequency of these responses was similar to those of other previously characterized malaria antigens. These findings support the further evaluation of CelTOS as a pre-erythrocytic candidate antigen for inclusion in a potential multi-antigen vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kwadwo A Kusi
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
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16
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Sedegah M, Hollingdale MR, Farooq F, Ganeshan H, Belmonte M, Kim Y, Peters B, Sette A, Huang J, McGrath S, Abot E, Limbach K, Shi M, Soisson L, Diggs C, Chuang I, Tamminga C, Epstein JE, Villasante E, Richie TL. Sterile immunity to malaria after DNA prime/adenovirus boost immunization is associated with effector memory CD8+T cells targeting AMA1 class I epitopes. PLoS One 2014; 9:e106241. [PMID: 25211344 PMCID: PMC4161338 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fifteen volunteers were immunized with three doses of plasmid DNA encoding P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1) and boosted with human adenovirus-5 (Ad) expressing the same antigens (DNA/Ad). Four volunteers (27%) demonstrated sterile immunity to controlled human malaria infection and, overall, protection was statistically significantly associated with ELISpot and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ activities to AMA1 but not CSP. DNA priming was required for protection, as 18 additional subjects immunized with Ad alone (AdCA) did not develop sterile protection. Methodology/Principal Findings We sought to identify correlates of protection, recognizing that DNA-priming may induce different responses than AdCA alone. Among protected volunteers, two and three had higher ELISpot and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses to CSP and AMA1, respectively, than non-protected volunteers. Unexpectedly, non-protected volunteers in the AdCA trial showed ELISpot and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses to AMA1 equal to or higher than the protected volunteers. T cell functionality assessed by intracellular cytokine staining for IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2 likewise did not distinguish protected from non-protected volunteers across both trials. However, three of the four protected volunteers showed higher effector to central memory CD8+ T cell ratios to AMA1, and one of these to CSP, than non-protected volunteers for both antigens. These responses were focused on discrete regions of CSP and AMA1. Class I epitopes restricted by A*03 or B*58 supertypes within these regions of AMA1 strongly recalled responses in three of four protected volunteers. We hypothesize that vaccine-induced effector memory CD8+ T cells recognizing a single class I epitope can confer sterile immunity to P. falciparum in humans. Conclusions/Significance We suggest that better understanding of which epitopes within malaria antigens can confer sterile immunity and design of vaccine approaches that elicit responses to these epitopes will increase the potency of next generation gene-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Sedegah
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael R. Hollingdale
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Fouzia Farooq
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Maria Belmonte
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yohan Kim
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Bjoern Peters
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Alessandro Sette
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jun Huang
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shannon McGrath
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Esteban Abot
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Keith Limbach
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Meng Shi
- Division of Medical, Audio, Visual, Library and Statistical Services, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | | | - Ilin Chuang
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cindy Tamminga
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Judith E. Epstein
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Eileen Villasante
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Thomas L. Richie
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
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17
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Schwenk R, Banania G, Epstein J, Kim Y, Peters B, Belmonte M, Ganeshan H, Huang J, Reyes S, Stryhn A, Ockenhouse CF, Buus S, Richie TL, Sedegah M. Ex vivo tetramer staining and cell surface phenotyping for early activation markers CD38 and HLA-DR to enumerate and characterize malaria antigen-specific CD8+ T-cells induced in human volunteers immunized with a Plasmodium falciparum adenovirus-vectored malaria vaccine expressing AMA1. Malar J 2013; 12:376. [PMID: 24168370 PMCID: PMC3819688 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 09/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria is responsible for up to a 600,000 deaths per year; conveying an urgent need for the development of a malaria vaccine. Studies with whole sporozoite vaccines in mice and non-human primates have shown that sporozoite-induced CD8+ T cells targeting liver stage antigens can mediate sterile protection. There is a need for a direct method to identify and phenotype malaria vaccine-induced CD8+ T cells in humans. Methods Fluorochrome-labelled tetramers consisting of appropriate MHC class I molecules in complex with predicted binding peptides derived from Plasmodium falciparum AMA-1 were used to label ex vivo AMA-1 epitope specific CD8+ T cells from research subjects responding strongly to immunization with the NMRC-M3V-Ad-PfCA (adenovirus-vectored) malaria vaccine. The identification of these CD8+ T cells on the basis of their expression of early activation markers was also investigated. Results Analyses by flow cytometry demonstrated that two of the six tetramers tested: TLDEMRHFY: HLA-A*01:01 and NEVVVKEEY: HLA-B*18:01, labelled tetramer-specific CD8+ T cells from two HLA-A*01:01 volunteers and one HLA-B*18:01 volunteer, respectively. By contrast, post-immune CD8+ T cells from all six of the immunized volunteers exhibited enhanced expression of the CD38 and HLA-DRhi early activation markers. For the three volunteers with positive tetramer staining, the early activation phenotype positive cells included essentially all of the tetramer positive, malaria epitope- specific CD8+ T cells suggesting that the early activation phenotype could identify all malaria vaccine-induced CD8+ T cells without prior knowledge of their exact epitope specificity. Conclusions The results demonstrated that class I tetramers can identify ex vivo malaria vaccine antigen-specific CD8+ T cells and could therefore be used to determine their frequency, cell surface phenotype and transcription factor usage. The results also demonstrated that vaccine antigen-specific CD8+ T cells could be identified by activation markers without prior knowledge of their antigen-specificity, using a subunit vaccine for proof-of-concept. Whether, whole parasite or adjuvanted protein vaccines will also induce {CD38 and HLA-DRhi}+ CD8+ T cell populations reflective of the antigen-specific response will the subject of future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Infectious Disease Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
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18
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Sedegah M, Kim Y, Ganeshan H, Huang J, Belmonte M, Abot E, Banania JG, Farooq F, McGrath S, Peters B, Sette A, Soisson L, Diggs C, Doolan DL, Tamminga C, Villasante E, Hollingdale MR, Richie TL. Identification of minimal human MHC-restricted CD8+ T-cell epitopes within the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP). Malar J 2013; 12:185. [PMID: 23738590 PMCID: PMC3683343 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is a leading malaria vaccine candidate antigen, known to elicit protective antibody responses in humans (RTS,S vaccine). Recently, a DNA prime / adenovirus (Ad) vector boost vaccine encoding CSP and a second P. falciparum antigen, apical membrane antigen-1, also elicited sterile protection, but in this case associated with interferon gamma ELISpot and CD8+ T cell but not antibody responses. The finding that CSP delivered by an appropriate vaccine platform likely elicits protective cell-mediated immunity provided a rationale for identifying class I-restricted epitopes within this leading vaccine candidate antigen. Methods Limited samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from clinical trials of the Ad vaccine were used to identify CD8+ T cell epitopes within pools of overlapping 15mer peptides spanning portions of CSP that stimulated recall responses. Computerized algorithms (NetMHC) predicted 17 minimal class I-restricted 9-10mer epitopes within fifteen 15mers positive in ELISpot assay using PBMC from 10 HLA-matched study subjects. Four additional epitopes were subsequently predicted using NetMHC, matched to other study subjects without initial 15mer ELISpot screening. Nine of the putative epitopes were synthesized and tested by ELISpot assay, and six of these nine were further tested for CD8+ T cell responses by ELISpot CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-depletion and flow cytometry assays for evidence of CD8+ T cell dependence. Results Each of the nine putative epitopes, all sequence-conserved, recalled responses from HLA-matched CSP-immunized research subjects. Four shorter sequences contained within these sequences were identified using NetMHC predictions and may have contributed to recall responses. Five (9-10mer) epitopes were confirmed to be targets of CD8+ T cell responses using ELISpot depletion and ICS assays. Two 9mers among these nine epitopes were each restricted by two HLA supertypes (A01/B07; A01A24/A24) and one 9mer was restricted by three HLA supertypes (A01A24/A24/B27) indicating that some CSP class I-restricted epitopes, like DR epitopes, may be HLA-promiscuous. Conclusions This study identified nine and confirmed five novel class I epitopes restricted by six HLA supertypes, suggesting that an adenovirus-vectored CSP vaccine would be immunogenic and potentially protective in genetically diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Sedegah
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
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Tamminga C, Sedegah M, Maiolatesi S, Fedders C, Reyes S, Reyes A, Vasquez C, Alcorta Y, Chuang I, Spring M, Kavanaugh M, Ganeshan H, Huang J, Belmonte M, Abot E, Belmonte A, Banania J, Farooq F, Murphy J, Komisar J, Richie NO, Bennett J, Limbach K, Patterson NB, Bruder JT, Shi M, Miller E, Dutta S, Diggs C, Soisson LA, Hollingdale MR, Epstein JE, Richie TL. Human adenovirus 5-vectored Plasmodium falciparum NMRC-M3V-Ad-PfCA vaccine encoding CSP and AMA1 is safe, well-tolerated and immunogenic but does not protect against controlled human malaria infection. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2013; 9:2165-77. [PMID: 23899517 PMCID: PMC3906401 DOI: 10.4161/hv.24941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In a prior study, a DNA prime / adenovirus boost vaccine (DNA/Ad) expressing P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1) (NMRC-M3V-D/Ad-PfCA Vaccine) induced 27% protection against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). To investigate the contribution of DNA priming, we tested the efficacy of adenovirus vaccine alone (NMRC-M3V-Ad-PfCA ) in a Phase 1 clinical trial. Methodology/Principal Findings: The regimen was a single intramuscular injection with two non-replicating human serotype 5 adenovectors encoding CSP and AMA1, respectively. One x 1010 particle units of each construct were combined prior to administration. The regimen was safe and well-tolerated. Four weeks later, 18 study subjects received P. falciparum CHMI administered by mosquito bite. None were fully protected although one showed delayed onset of parasitemia. Antibody responses were low, with geometric mean CSP ELISA titer of 381 (range < 50–1626) and AMA1 ELISA of 4.95 µg/mL (range 0.2–38). Summed ex vivo IFN-γ ELISpot responses to overlapping peptides were robust, with geometric mean spot forming cells/million peripheral blood mononuclear cells [sfc/m] for CSP of 273 (range 38–2550) and for AMA1 of 1303 (range 435–4594). CD4+ and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses to CSP were positive by flow cytometry in 25% and 56% of the research subjects, respectively, and to AMA1 in 94% and 100%, respectively. Significance: In contrast to DNA/Ad, Ad alone did not protect against CHMI despite inducing broad, cell-mediated immunity, indicating that DNA priming is required for protection by the adenovirus-vectored vaccine. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00392015.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sharina Reyes
- Naval Medical Research Center; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | | | | | | | - Ilin Chuang
- Naval Medical Research Center; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Michele Spring
- Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences; Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | - Jun Huang
- Naval Medical Research Center; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | | | - Esteban Abot
- Naval Medical Research Center; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | | | | | - Fouzia Farooq
- Naval Medical Research Center; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | | | - Jack Komisar
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Nancy O Richie
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Jason Bennett
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Keith Limbach
- Naval Medical Research Center; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | | | | | - Meng Shi
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Silver Spring, MD USA
| | | | - Sheetij Dutta
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Silver Spring, MD USA
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Chuang I, Sedegah M, Cicatelli S, Spring M, Polhemus M, Tamminga C, Patterson N, Guerrero M, Bennett JW, McGrath S, Ganeshan H, Belmonte M, Farooq F, Abot E, Banania JG, Huang J, Newcomer R, Rein L, Litilit D, Richie NO, Wood C, Murphy J, Sauerwein R, Hermsen CC, McCoy AJ, Kamau E, Cummings J, Komisar J, Sutamihardja A, Shi M, Epstein JE, Maiolatesi S, Tosh D, Limbach K, Angov E, Bergmann-Leitner E, Bruder JT, Doolan DL, King CR, Carucci D, Dutta S, Soisson L, Diggs C, Hollingdale MR, Ockenhouse CF, Richie TL. DNA prime/Adenovirus boost malaria vaccine encoding P. falciparum CSP and AMA1 induces sterile protection associated with cell-mediated immunity. PLoS One 2013; 8:e55571. [PMID: 23457473 PMCID: PMC3573028 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [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: 09/21/2012] [Accepted: 12/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gene-based vaccination using prime/boost regimens protects animals and humans against malaria, inducing cell-mediated responses that in animal models target liver stage malaria parasites. We tested a DNA prime/adenovirus boost malaria vaccine in a Phase 1 clinical trial with controlled human malaria infection. Methodology/Principal Findings The vaccine regimen was three monthly doses of two DNA plasmids (DNA) followed four months later by a single boost with two non-replicating human serotype 5 adenovirus vectors (Ad). The constructs encoded genes expressing P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1). The regimen was safe and well-tolerated, with mostly mild adverse events that occurred at the site of injection. Only one AE (diarrhea), possibly related to immunization, was severe (Grade 3), preventing daily activities. Four weeks after the Ad boost, 15 study subjects were challenged with P. falciparum sporozoites by mosquito bite, and four (27%) were sterilely protected. Antibody responses by ELISA rose after Ad boost but were low (CSP geometric mean titer 210, range 44–817; AMA1 geometric mean micrograms/milliliter 11.9, range 1.5–102) and were not associated with protection. Ex vivo IFN-γ ELISpot responses after Ad boost were modest (CSP geometric mean spot forming cells/million peripheral blood mononuclear cells 86, range 13–408; AMA1 348, range 88–1270) and were highest in three protected subjects. ELISpot responses to AMA1 were significantly associated with protection (p = 0.019). Flow cytometry identified predominant IFN-γ mono-secreting CD8+ T cell responses in three protected subjects. No subjects with high pre-existing anti-Ad5 neutralizing antibodies were protected but the association was not statistically significant. Significance The DNA/Ad regimen provided the highest sterile immunity achieved against malaria following immunization with a gene-based subunit vaccine (27%). Protection was associated with cell-mediated immunity to AMA1, with CSP probably contributing. Substituting a low seroprevalence vector for Ad5 and supplementing CSP/AMA1 with additional antigens may improve protection. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.govNCT00870987.
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MESH Headings
- Adenoviruses, Human/genetics
- Adenoviruses, Human/immunology
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Antigens, Protozoan/genetics
- Antigens, Protozoan/immunology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Female
- Humans
- Immunity, Cellular
- Interferon-gamma/immunology
- Malaria Vaccines/adverse effects
- Malaria Vaccines/genetics
- Malaria Vaccines/immunology
- Malaria Vaccines/therapeutic use
- Malaria, Falciparum/immunology
- Malaria, Falciparum/parasitology
- Malaria, Falciparum/prevention & control
- Male
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Membrane Proteins/immunology
- Middle Aged
- Plasmodium falciparum/genetics
- Plasmodium falciparum/immunology
- Protozoan Proteins/genetics
- Protozoan Proteins/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/adverse effects
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/therapeutic use
- Young Adult
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilin Chuang
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Martha Sedegah
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Susan Cicatelli
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michele Spring
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Mark Polhemus
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cindy Tamminga
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Noelle Patterson
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Melanie Guerrero
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jason W. Bennett
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shannon McGrath
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Maria Belmonte
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Fouzia Farooq
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Esteban Abot
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jo Glenna Banania
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jun Huang
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Rhonda Newcomer
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lisa Rein
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Dianne Litilit
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nancy O. Richie
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Chloe Wood
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jittawadee Murphy
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robert Sauerwein
- Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Andrea J. McCoy
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Edwin Kamau
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - James Cummings
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jack Komisar
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Awalludin Sutamihardja
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Meng Shi
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Judith E. Epstein
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Santina Maiolatesi
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Donna Tosh
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Keith Limbach
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Evelina Angov
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Elke Bergmann-Leitner
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Denise L. Doolan
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - C. Richter King
- GenVec, Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel Carucci
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Carter Diggs
- USAID, Washington, D. C., United States of America
| | - Michael R. Hollingdale
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christian F. Ockenhouse
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Thomas L. Richie
- US Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Richie TL, Charoenvit Y, Wang R, Epstein JE, Hedstrom RC, Kumar S, Luke TC, Freilich DA, Aguiar JC, Sacci JB, Sedegah M, Nosek RA, De La Vega P, Berzins MP, Majam VF, Abot EN, Ganeshan H, Richie NO, Banania JG, Baraceros MFB, Geter TG, Mere R, Bebris L, Limbach K, Hickey BW, Lanar DE, Ng J, Shi M, Hobart PM, Norman JA, Soisson LA, Hollingdale MR, Rogers WO, Doolan DL, Hoffman SL. Clinical trial in healthy malaria-naïve adults to evaluate the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and efficacy of MuStDO5, a five-gene, sporozoite/hepatic stage Plasmodium falciparum DNA vaccine combined with escalating dose human GM-CSF DNA. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2012; 8:1564-84. [PMID: 23151451 PMCID: PMC3601132 DOI: 10.4161/hv.22129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
When introduced in the 1990s, immunization with DNA plasmids was considered potentially revolutionary for vaccine development, particularly for vaccines intended to induce protective CD8 T cell responses against multiple antigens. We conducted, in 1997−1998, the first clinical trial in healthy humans of a DNA vaccine, a single plasmid encoding Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), as an initial step toward developing a multi-antigen malaria vaccine targeting the liver stages of the parasite. As the next step, we conducted in 2000–2001 a clinical trial of a five-plasmid mixture called MuStDO5 encoding pre-erythrocytic antigens PfCSP, PfSSP2/TRAP, PfEXP1, PfLSA1 and PfLSA3. Thirty-two, malaria-naïve, adult volunteers were enrolled sequentially into four cohorts receiving a mixture of 500 μg of each plasmid plus escalating doses (0, 20, 100 or 500 μg) of a sixth plasmid encoding human granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF). Three doses of each formulation were administered intramuscularly by needle-less jet injection at 0, 4 and 8 weeks, and each cohort had controlled human malaria infection administered by five mosquito bites 18 d later. The vaccine was safe and well-tolerated, inducing moderate antigen-specific, MHC-restricted T cell interferon-γ responses but no antibodies. Although no volunteers were protected, T cell responses were boosted post malaria challenge. This trial demonstrated the MuStDO5 DNA and hGM-CSF plasmids to be safe and modestly immunogenic for T cell responses. It also laid the foundation for priming with DNA plasmids and boosting with recombinant viruses, an approach known for nearly 15 y to enhance the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of DNA vaccines.
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Sedegah M, Tamminga C, McGrath S, House B, Ganeshan H, Lejano J, Abot E, Banania GJ, Sayo R, Farooq F, Belmonte M, Manohar N, Richie NO, Wood C, Long CA, Regis D, Williams FT, Shi M, Chuang I, Spring M, Epstein JE, Mendoza-Silveiras J, Limbach K, Patterson NB, Bruder JT, Doolan DL, King CR, Soisson L, Diggs C, Carucci D, Dutta S, Hollingdale MR, Ockenhouse CF, Richie TL. Adenovirus 5-vectored P. falciparum vaccine expressing CSP and AMA1. Part A: safety and immunogenicity in seronegative adults. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24586. [PMID: 22003383 PMCID: PMC3189181 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [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: 11/15/2010] [Accepted: 08/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Models of immunity to malaria indicate the importance of CD8+ T cell responses for targeting intrahepatic stages and antibodies for targeting sporozoite and blood stages. We designed a multistage adenovirus 5 (Ad5)-vectored Plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine, aiming to induce both types of responses in humans, that was tested for safety and immunogenicity in a Phase 1 dose escalation trial in Ad5-seronegative volunteers. Methodology/Principal Findings The NMRC-M3V-Ad-PfCA vaccine combines two adenovectors encoding circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1). Group 1 (n = 6) healthy volunteers received one intramuscular injection of 2×10∧10 particle units (1×10∧10 each construct) and Group 2 (n = 6) a five-fold higher dose. Transient, mild to moderate adverse events were more pronounced with the higher dose. ELISpot responses to CSP and AMA1 peaked at 1 month, were higher in the low dose (geomean CSP = 422, AMA1 = 862 spot forming cells/million) than in the high dose (CSP = 154, p = 0.049, AMA1 = 423, p = 0.045) group and were still positive at 12 months in a number of volunteers. ELISpot depletion assays identified dependence on CD4+ or on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, with few responses dependent only on CD8+ T cells. Intracellular cytokine staining detected stronger CD8+ than CD4+ T cell IFN-γ responses (CSP p = 0.0001, AMA1 p = 0.003), but similar frequencies of multifunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secreting two or more of IFN-γ, TNF-α or IL-2. Median fluorescence intensities were 7–10 fold higher in triple than single secreting cells. Antibody responses were low but trended higher in the high dose group and did not inhibit growth of cultured P. falciparum blood stage parasites. Significance As found in other trials, adenovectored vaccines appeared safe and well-tolerated at doses up to 1×10∧11 particle units. This is the first demonstration in humans of a malaria vaccine eliciting strong CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.govNCT00392015
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Sedegah
- U.S. Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America.
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Tamminga C, Sedegah M, Regis D, Chuang I, Epstein JE, Spring M, Mendoza-Silveiras J, McGrath S, Maiolatesi S, Reyes S, Steinbeiss V, Fedders C, Smith K, House B, Ganeshan H, Lejano J, Abot E, Banania GJ, Sayo R, Farooq F, Belmonte M, Murphy J, Komisar J, Williams J, Shi M, Brambilla D, Manohar N, Richie NO, Wood C, Limbach K, Patterson NB, Bruder JT, Doolan DL, King CR, Diggs C, Soisson L, Carucci D, Levine G, Dutta S, Hollingdale MR, Ockenhouse CF, Richie TL. Adenovirus-5-vectored P. falciparum vaccine expressing CSP and AMA1. Part B: safety, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the CSP component. PLoS One 2011; 6:e25868. [PMID: 22003411 PMCID: PMC3189219 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 11/12/2010] [Accepted: 09/12/2011] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A protective malaria vaccine will likely need to elicit both cell-mediated and antibody responses. As adenovirus vaccine vectors induce both these responses in humans, a Phase 1/2a clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of an adenovirus serotype 5-vectored malaria vaccine against sporozoite challenge. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC is an adenovirus vector encoding the Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 circumsporozoite protein (CSP). It is one component of a two-component vaccine NMRC-M3V-Ad-PfCA consisting of one adenovector encoding CSP and one encoding apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1) that was evaluated for safety and immunogenicity in an earlier study (see companion paper, Sedegah et al). Fourteen Ad5 seropositive or negative adults received two doses of NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC sixteen weeks apart, at 1 x 1010 particle units per dose. The vaccine was safe and well tolerated. All volunteers developed positive ELISpot responses by 28 days after the first immunization (geometric mean 272 spot forming cells/million[sfc/m]) that declined during the following 16 weeks and increased after the second dose to levels that in most cases were less than the initial peak (geometric mean 119 sfc/m). CD8+ predominated over CD4+ responses, as in the first clinical trial. Antibody responses were poor and like ELISpot responses increased after the second immunization but did not exceed the initial peak. Pre-existing neutralizing antibodies (NAb) to Ad5 did not affect the immunogenicity of the first dose, but the fold increase in NAb induced by the first dose was significantly associated with poorer antibody responses after the second dose, while ELISpot responses remained unaffected. When challenged by the bite of P. falciparum-infected mosquitoes, two of 11 volunteers showed a delay in the time to patency compared to infectivity controls, but no volunteers were sterilely protected. SIGNIFICANCE The NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC vaccine expressing CSP was safe and well tolerated given as two doses, but did not provide sterile protection. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00392015.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Tamminga
- U.S. Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America.
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Sedegah M, Kim Y, Peters B, McGrath S, Ganeshan H, Lejano J, Abot E, Banania G, Belmonte M, Sayo R, Farooq F, Doolan DL, Regis D, Tamminga C, Chuang I, Bruder JT, King CR, Ockenhouse CF, Faber B, Remarque E, Hollingdale MR, Richie TL, Sette A. Identification and localization of minimal MHC-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes within the Plasmodium falciparum AMA1 protein. Malar J 2010; 9:241. [PMID: 20735847 PMCID: PMC2939619 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-9-241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2010] [Accepted: 08/24/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1) is a leading malaria vaccine candidate antigen that is expressed by sporozoite, liver and blood stage parasites. Since CD8+ T cell responses have been implicated in protection against pre-erythrocytic stage malaria, this study was designed to identify MHC class I-restricted epitopes within AMA1. Methods A recombinant adenovirus serotype 5 vector expressing P. falciparum AMA1 was highly immunogenic when administered to healthy, malaria-naive adult volunteers as determined by IFN-γ ELISpot responses to peptide pools containing overlapping 15-mer peptides spanning full-length AMA1. Computerized algorithms (NetMHC software) were used to predict minimal MHC-restricted 8-10-mer epitope sequences within AMA1 15-mer peptides active in ELISpot. A subset of epitopes was synthesized and tested for induction of CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses by ELISpot depletion and ICS assays. A 3-dimensional model combining Domains I + II of P. falciparum AMA1 and Domain III of P. vivax AMA1 was used to map these epitopes. Results Fourteen 8-10-mer epitopes were predicted to bind to HLA supertypes A01 (3 epitopes), A02 (4 epitopes), B08 (2 epitopes) and B44 (5 epitopes). Nine of the 14 predicted epitopes were recognized in ELISpot or ELISpot and ICS assays by one or more volunteers. Depletion of T cell subsets confirmed that these epitopes were CD8+ T cell-dependent. A mixture of the 14 minimal epitopes was capable of recalling CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses from PBMC of immunized volunteers. Thirteen of the 14 predicted epitopes were polymorphic and the majority localized to the more conserved front surface of the AMA1 model structure. Conclusions This study predicted 14 and confirmed nine MHC class I-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes on AMA1 recognized in the context of seven HLA alleles. These HLA alleles belong to four HLA supertypes that have a phenotypic frequency between 23% - 100% in different human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Sedegah
- USMMVP, Malaria Department, NMRC, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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Jiang G, Charoenvit Y, Moreno A, Baraceros MF, Banania G, Richie N, Abot S, Ganeshan H, Fallarme V, Patterson NB, Geall A, Weiss WR, Strobert E, Caro-Aquilar I, Lanar DE, Saul A, Martin LB, Gowda K, Morrissette CR, Kaslow DC, Carucci DJ, Galinski MR, Doolan DL. Induction of multi-antigen multi-stage immune responses against Plasmodium falciparum in rhesus monkeys, in the absence of antigen interference, with heterologous DNA prime/poxvirus boost immunization. Malar J 2007; 6:135. [PMID: 17925026 PMCID: PMC2147027 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-6-135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2007] [Accepted: 10/09/2007] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study has evaluated the immunogenicity of single or multiple Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) antigens administered in a DNA prime/poxvirus boost regimen with or without the poloxamer CRL1005 in rhesus monkeys. Animals were primed with PfCSP plasmid DNA or a mixture of PfCSP, PfSSP2/TRAP, PfLSA1, PfAMA1 and PfMSP1-42 (CSLAM) DNA vaccines in PBS or formulated with CRL1005, and subsequently boosted with ALVAC-Pf7, a canarypox virus expressing the CSLAM antigens. Cell-mediated immune responses were evaluated by IFN-γ ELIspot and intracellular cytokine staining, using recombinant proteins and overlapping synthetic peptides. Antigen-specific and parasite-specific antibody responses were evaluated by ELISA and IFAT, respectively. Immune responses to all components of the multi-antigen mixture were demonstrated following immunization with either DNA/PBS or DNA/CRL1005, and no antigen interference was observed in animals receiving CSLAM as compared to PfCSP alone. These data support the down-selection of the CSLAM antigen combination. CRL1005 formulation had no apparent effect on vaccine-induced T cell or antibody responses, either before or after viral boost. In high responder monkeys, CD4+IL-2+ responses were more predominant than CD8+ T cell responses. Furthermore, CD8+ IFN-γ responses were detected only in the presence of detectable CD4+ T cell responses. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential for multivalent Pf vaccines based on rational antigen selection and combination, and suggests that further formulation development to increase the immunogenicity of DNA encoded antigens is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Jiang
- Malaria Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, USA.
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26
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Charoenvit Y, Brice GT, Bacon D, Majam V, Williams J, Abot E, Ganeshan H, Sedegah M, Doolan DL, Carucci DJ, Zimmerman DH. A small peptide (CEL-1000) derived from the beta-chain of the human major histocompatibility complex class II molecule induces complete protection against malaria in an antigen-independent manner. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2004; 48:2455-63. [PMID: 15215094 PMCID: PMC434180 DOI: 10.1128/aac.48.7.2455-2463.2004] [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: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
CEL-1000 (DGQEEKAGVVSTGLIGGG) is a novel potential preventative and therapeutic agent. We report that CEL-1000 confers a high degree of protection against Plasmodium sporozoite challenge in a murine model of malaria, as shown by the total absence of blood stage infection following challenge with 100 sporozoites (100% protection) and by a substantial reduction (400-fold) of liver stage parasite RNA following challenge with 50,000 sporozoites. CEL-1000 protection was demonstrated in A/J (H-2(a)) and C3H/HeJ (H-2(k)) mice but not in BALB/c (H-2(d)) or CAF1 (A/J x BALB/c F(1) hybrid) mice. In CEL-1000-treated and protected mice, high levels of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) in serum and elevated frequencies of hepatic and splenic CD4+ IFN-gamma-positive T cells were detected 24 h after administration of an additional dose of CEL-1000. Treatment of A/J mice that received CEL-1000 with antibodies against IFN-gamma just prior to challenge abolished the protection, and a similar treatment with antibodies against CD4+ T cells partially reduced the level of protection, while treatment with control antibodies or antibodies specific for interleukin-12 (IL-12), CD8+ T cells, or NK cells had no effect. Our data establish that the protection induced by CEL-1000 is dependent on IFN-gamma and is partially dependent on CD4+ T cells but is independent of CD8+ T cells, NK cells, and IL-12 at the effector phase and does not induce a detectable antibody response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupin Charoenvit
- CEL-SCI Corporation, 8229 Boone Blvd., Suite 802, Vienna, VA 22182, USA
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Sedegah M, Charoenvit Y, Minh L, Belmonte M, Majam VF, Abot S, Ganeshan H, Kumar S, Bacon DJ, Stowers A, Narum DL, Carucci DJ, Rogers WO. Reduced immunogenicity of DNA vaccine plasmids in mixtures. Gene Ther 2004; 11:448-56. [PMID: 14973538 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We measured the ability of nine DNA vaccine plasmids encoding candidate malaria vaccine antigens to induce antibodies and interferon-gamma responses when delivered alone or in a mixture containing all nine plasmids. We further examined the possible immunosuppressive effect of individual plasmids, by assessing a series of mixtures in which each of the nine vaccine plasmids was replaced with a control plasmid. Given alone, each of the vaccine plasmids induced significant antibody titers and, in the four cases for which appropriate assays were available, IFN-gamma responses. Significant suppression or complete abrogation of responses were seen when the plasmids were pooled in a nine-plasmid cocktail and injected in a single site. Removal of single genes from the mixture frequently reduced the observed suppression. Boosting with recombinant poxvirus increased the antibody response in animals primed with either a single gene or the mixture, but, even after boosting, responses were higher in animals primed with single plasmids than in those primed with the nine-plasmid mixture. Boosting did not overcome the suppressive effect of mixing for IFN-gamma responses. Interactions between components in a multiplasmid DNA vaccine may limit the ability to use plasmid pools alone to induce responses against multiple targets simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Sedegah
- Malaria Program, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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28
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Epstein JE, Charoenvit Y, Kester KE, Wang R, Newcomer R, Fitzpatrick S, Richie TL, Tornieporth N, Heppner DG, Ockenhouse C, Majam V, Holland C, Abot E, Ganeshan H, Berzins M, Jones T, Freydberg CN, Ng J, Norman J, Carucci DJ, Cohen J, Hoffman SL. Safety, tolerability, and antibody responses in humans after sequential immunization with a PfCSP DNA vaccine followed by the recombinant protein vaccine RTS,S/AS02A. Vaccine 2004; 22:1592-603. [PMID: 15068840 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2004.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [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: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Optimal protection against malaria may require induction of high levels of protective antibody and CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cell responses. In humans, malaria DNA vaccines elicit CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and IFNgamma responses as measured by short-term (ex vivo) ELISPOT assays, and recombinant proteins elicit antibodies and excellent T cell responses, but no CD8(+) CTL or CD8(+) IFNgamma-producing cells as measured by ex vivo ELISPOT. Priming with DNA and boosting with recombinant pox virus elicits much better T cell responses than DNA alone, but not antibody responses. In an attempt to elicit antibodies and enhanced T cell responses, we administered RTS,S/AS02A, a partially protective Plasmodium falciparum recombinant circumsporozoite protein (CSP) vaccine in adjuvant, to volunteers previously immunized with a P. falciparum CSP DNA vaccine (VCL-2510) and to naïve volunteers. This vaccine regimen was well tolerated and safe. The volunteers who received RTS,S/AS02A alone had, as expected, antibody and CD4(+) T cell responses, but no CD8(+) T cell responses. Volunteers who received PfCSP DNA followed by RTS,S/AS02A had antibody and CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cell responses (Wang et al., submitted). Sequential immunization with DNA and recombinant protein, also called heterologous prime-boost, led to enhanced immune responses as compared to DNA or recombinant protein alone, suggesting that it might provide enhanced protective immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith E Epstein
- Malaria Program, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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