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Borrow R, Tomasi Cont L, Toneatto D, Bambini S, Bobde S, Sohn WY, Biolchi A, Masignani V, Beernink PT, Lattanzi M. Methods to evaluate the performance of a multicomponent meningococcal serogroup B vaccine. mSphere 2025; 10:e0089824. [PMID: 40197090 PMCID: PMC12039234 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00898-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2025] Open
Abstract
Meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccine licensure was based on the assessment of vaccine-induced immune responses by human serum bactericidal antibody (hSBA) assay against a small number of antigen-specific strains complemented by strain coverage predictions. However, the evaluation of vaccine strain coverage is challenging because of genotypic and phenotypic diversity in surface-exposed MenB strain antigens. This narrative review considers the principal methods applied to assess the performance of a multicomponent MenB vaccine at different stages of its development. Traditional hSBA assay against a limited panel of strains is useful at all stages, while predicted strain coverage methods, such as the meningococcal antigen typing system, are used independent of clinical trials. A new method, the endogenous complement hSBA assay, has been developed to evaluate a vaccine's ability to induce a bactericidal immune response in clinical trials, in conditions that approximate real-world settings through the use of each vaccinee's serum as a source of complement and by testing against a panel of 110 epidemiologically representative MenB strains. Each assay, therefore, has a different scope during the vaccine's development and all complement each other, enabling comprehensive evaluation of the performance of multicomponent MenB vaccines, in advance of real-world evidence of vaccine effectiveness and vaccine impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Borrow
- Meningococcal Reference Unit, UK Health Security Agency, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, United Kingdom
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2
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Mellors J, Dhaliwal R, Longet S, Tipton T, Barnes E, Dunachie SJ, Klenerman P, Hiscox J, Carroll M. Complement-mediated enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 antibody neutralisation potency in vaccinated individuals. Nat Commun 2025; 16:2666. [PMID: 40102474 PMCID: PMC11920438 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57947-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2025] [Indexed: 03/20/2025] Open
Abstract
With the continued emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and concerns of waning immunity, there is a need for better defined correlates of protection to aid future vaccine and therapeutic developments. Whilst neutralising antibody titres are associated with protection, these are typically determined in the absence of the complement system, which has the potential to enhance neutralisation titres and strengthen correlates with protection in vivo. Here we show that replenishment of the complement system in neutralisation assays can significantly enhance neutralisation titres, with up to an ~83-fold increase in neutralisation of the BA.1.1.529 strain using cross-reactive sera from vaccination against the ancestral strain. The magnitude of enhancement significantly varies between individuals, viral strains (wild-type/VIC01 and Omicron/BA.1), and cell lines (Vero E6 and Calu-3), and is abrogated following heat-inactivation of the complement source. Utilising ACE2 competition assays, we show that the mechanism of action is partially mediated by reducing ACE2-spike interactions. Through the addition of compstatin (a C3 inhibitor) to live virus neutralisation assays, the complement protein C3 is shown to be required for maximum efficiency. These findings further our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 immunity and neutralisation, with implications for protection against emerging variants and assessing future vaccine and therapeutic developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Mellors
- Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Raman Dhaliwal
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stephanie Longet
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université Jean Monnet, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, Inserm, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Tom Tipton
- Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Eleanor Barnes
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Translational Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Susanna J Dunachie
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- NDM Centre for Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul Klenerman
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Translational Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian Hiscox
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Miles Carroll
- Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Fantoni G, Deghmane AE, Caron F, Taha MK. A Bioluminescence-Based Serum Bactericidal Assay to Detect Bactericidal Antibodies Against Neisseria meningitidis in Human Sera. Microorganisms 2025; 13:595. [PMID: 40142487 PMCID: PMC11944440 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13030595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2025] [Revised: 02/11/2025] [Accepted: 02/25/2025] [Indexed: 03/28/2025] Open
Abstract
Serum bactericidal assay (SBA) is a functional assay that evaluates infection- and vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies representing the serological correlate of protection against Neisseria meningitidis. However, it is time consuming due to its readout using the enumeration of colony-forming units (CFUs), making this conventional SBA (C-SBA) difficult for large-scale use. We developed a new SBA method that takes advantage of a bioluminescence N. meningitidis serogroup B (BioLux-SBA). The assay development steps involved the human complement source validation, the setup of the optimal incubation time, and the assessment of intra-day and inter-day variability. BioLux-SBA was then compared to C-SBA using a serum collection of Norman children vaccinated in 2011 with MenBvac, an OMV meningococcal vaccine. While a conventional approach requests 48 h of work to test 24 sera per day, BioLux-SBA takes only 5 h to test 96 sera per day. The SBA titers (n = 10) correlated with R2 of 0.98 (p-value < 0.0001). The deposition of terminal complement components (C5b-C9) measured by flow cytometry on the bacterial surface well correlated with BioLux SBA titers. This high-throughput method to evaluate the immunogenicity of meningococcal vaccines appears to be a reliable method for an OMV meningococcal B vaccine and requires further assessment in other laboratories and against other meningococcal vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Fantoni
- Institut Pasteur, Invasive Bacterial Infections, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; (G.F.); (A.-E.D.)
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Ala-Eddine Deghmane
- Institut Pasteur, Invasive Bacterial Infections, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; (G.F.); (A.-E.D.)
| | - François Caron
- Department of Infectious Diseases, INSERM, University of Normandie Caen-Rouen, Normandie University, DYNAMICURE UMR 1311, CHU Rouen, F-76000 Rouen, France;
| | - Muhamed-Kheir Taha
- Institut Pasteur, Invasive Bacterial Infections, Université Paris Cité, F-75006 Paris, France; (G.F.); (A.-E.D.)
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4
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Mellors J, Carroll M. Direct enhancement of viral neutralising antibody potency by the complement system: a largely forgotten phenomenon. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:22. [PMID: 38200235 PMCID: PMC10781860 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05074-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Neutralisation assays are commonly used to assess vaccine-induced and naturally acquired immune responses; identify correlates of protection; and inform important decisions on the screening, development, and use of therapeutic antibodies. Neutralisation assays are useful tools that provide the gold standard for measuring the potency of neutralising antibodies, but they are not without limitations. Common methods such as the heat-inactivation of plasma samples prior to neutralisation assays, or the use of anticoagulants such as EDTA for blood collection, can inactivate the complement system. Even in non-heat-inactivated samples, the levels of complement activity can vary between samples. This can significantly impact the conclusions regarding neutralising antibody potency. Restoration of the complement system in these samples can be achieved using an exogenous source of plasma with preserved complement activity or with purified complement proteins. This can significantly enhance the neutralisation titres for some antibodies depending on characteristics such as antibody isotype and the epitope they bind, enable neutralisation with otherwise non-neutralising antibodies, and demonstrate a better relationship between in vitro and in vivo findings. In this review, we discuss the evidence for complement-mediated enhancement of antibody neutralisation against a range of viruses, explore the potential mechanisms which underpin this enhancement, highlight current gaps in the literature, and provide a brief summary of considerations for adopting this approach in future research applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Mellors
- Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Miles Carroll
- Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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5
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Findlay-Wilson S, Easterbrook L, Smith S, Pope N, Aldridge M, Humphries G, Schuhmann H, Ngabo D, Rayner E, Otter A, Coleman T, Hicks B, Halkerston R, Apostolakis K, Taylor S, Fotheringham S, Horton A, CanoCejas I, Wand M, Tree JA, Sutton M, Graham V, Hewson R, Dowall S. Refinement of an ovine-based immunoglobulin therapy against SARS-CoV-2, with comparison of whole IgG versus F(ab') 2 fragments. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13912. [PMID: 37626085 PMCID: PMC10457378 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40277-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of new therapies against SARS-CoV-2 is required to extend the toolkit of intervention strategies to combat the global pandemic. In this study, hyperimmune plasma from sheep immunised with whole spike SARS-CoV-2 recombinant protein has been used to generate candidate products. In addition to purified IgG, we have refined candidate therapies by removing non-specific IgG via affinity binding along with fragmentation to eliminate the Fc region to create F(ab')2 fragments. These preparations were evaluated for in vitro activity and demonstrated to be strongly neutralising against a range of SARS-CoV-2 strains, including Omicron B2.2. In addition, their protection against disease manifestations and viral loads were assessed using a hamster SARS-CoV-2 infection model. Results demonstrated protective effects of both IgG and F(ab')2, with the latter requiring sequential dosing to maintain in vivo activity due to rapid clearance from the circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda Easterbrook
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Sandra Smith
- International Therapeutic Proteins Ltd, Longford, TAS, 7301, Australia
| | - Neville Pope
- International Therapeutic Proteins Ltd, Goleigh Farm, Selborne, GU34 3SE, Hampshire, UK
| | | | - Gareth Humphries
- Native Antigen Company, Langford Locks, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1LH, UK
| | - Holger Schuhmann
- Native Antigen Company, Langford Locks, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1LH, UK
| | - Didier Ngabo
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Emma Rayner
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Ashley Otter
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Thomas Coleman
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Bethany Hicks
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Rachel Halkerston
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Kostis Apostolakis
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Stephen Taylor
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Susan Fotheringham
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Amanda Horton
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Irene CanoCejas
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Matthew Wand
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Julia A Tree
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Mark Sutton
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Victoria Graham
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Roger Hewson
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Stuart Dowall
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK.
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Ryan KA, Bewley KR, Watson RJ, Burton C, Carnell O, Cavell BE, Challis A, Coombes NS, Davies ER, Edun-Huges J, Emery K, Fell R, Fotheringham SA, Gooch KE, Gowan K, Handley A, Harris DJ, Hesp R, Hunter L, Humphreys R, Johnson R, Kennard C, Knott D, Lister S, Morley D, Ngabo D, Osman KL, Paterson J, Penn EJ, Pullan ST, Richards KS, Summers S, Thomas SR, Weldon T, Wiblin NR, Rayner EL, Vipond RT, Hallis B, Salguero FJ, Funnell SGP, Hall Y. Syrian hamster convalescence from prototype SARS-CoV-2 confers measurable protection against the attenuated disease caused by the Omicron variant. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011293. [PMID: 37014911 PMCID: PMC10104347 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The mutation profile of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (lineage BA.1) variant posed a concern for naturally acquired and vaccine-induced immunity. We investigated the ability of prior infection with an early SARS-CoV-2 ancestral isolate (Australia/VIC01/2020, VIC01) to protect against disease caused by BA.1. We established that BA.1 infection in naïve Syrian hamsters resulted in a less severe disease than a comparable dose of the ancestral virus, with fewer clinical signs including less weight loss. We present data to show that these clinical observations were almost absent in convalescent hamsters challenged with the same dose of BA.1 50 days after an initial infection with ancestral virus. These data provide evidence that convalescent immunity against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 is protective against BA.1 in the Syrian hamster model of infection. Comparison with published pre-clinical and clinical data supports consistency of the model and its predictive value for the outcome in humans. Further, the ability to detect protection against the less severe disease caused by BA.1 demonstrates continued value of the Syrian hamster model for evaluation of BA.1-specific countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Amy Challis
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Kirsty Emery
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Fell
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | - Karen E Gooch
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn Gowan
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Richard Hesp
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Hunter
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Daniel Knott
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Sian Lister
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Morley
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Didier Ngabo
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Karen L Osman
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Sian Summers
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | - Thomas Weldon
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | - Emma L Rayner
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | - Bassam Hallis
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Yper Hall
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
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7
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Borrow R, Martinón-Torres F, Abitbol V, Andani A, Preiss S, Muzzi A, Serino L, Sohn WY. Use of expanded Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B panels with the serum bactericidal antibody assay for the evaluation of meningococcal B vaccine effectiveness. Expert Rev Vaccines 2023; 22:738-748. [PMID: 37622470 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2244596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (NmB) antigens are inherently diverse with variable expression among strains. Prediction of meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine effectiveness therefore requires an assay suitable for use against large panels of epidemiologically representative disease-causing NmB strains. Traditional serum bactericidal antibody assay using exogenous human complement (hSBA) is limited to the quantification of MenB vaccine immunogenicity on a small number of indicator strains. AREAS COVERED Additional and complementary methods for assessing strain coverage developed previously include the Meningococcal Antigen Typing System (MATS), Meningococcal Antigen Surface Expression (MEASURE) assay, and genotyping approaches, but these do not estimate vaccine effectiveness. We provide a narrative review of these methods, highlighting a more recent approach involving the hSBA assay in conjunction with expanded NmB strain panels: hSBA assay using endogenous complement in each vaccinated person's serum (enc-hSBA) against a 110-strain NmB panel and the traditional hSBA assay against 14 (4 + 10) NmB strains. EXPERT OPINION The enc-hSBA is a highly standardized, robust method that can be used in clinical trials to measure the immunological effectiveness of MenB vaccines under conditions that mimic real-world settings as closely as possible, through the use of endogenous complement and a diverse, epidemiologically representative panel of NmB strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Borrow
- Meningococcal Reference Unit, UK Health Security Agency, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK
| | - Federico Martinón-Torres
- Pediatrics Research Group (GENVIP), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago and Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
- Translational Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Pediatrics Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
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8
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Blanc P, Liu Y, Reveneau N, Cavell B, Gorringe A, Renauld-Mongénie G. The role of bactericidal and opsonic activity in immunity against Bordetella pertussis. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:1727-1738. [PMID: 36369768 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2137145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pertussis vaccines have drastically reduced the disease burden in humans since their implementation. Despite their success, pertussis remains an important global public health challenge. Bordetella pertussis resurgence could be a result of greater surveillance combined with improved diagnosis methods, changes in Bordetella pertussis biology, vaccine schedules, and/or coverage. Additionally, mechanisms of protection conferred by acellular pertussis (aP) and whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccines differ qualitatively. There are no clear immune correlates of protection for pertussis vaccines. Pertussis antigens can induce toxin neutralizing antibodies, block adherence or engage complement mediated phagocytic/bactericidal killing. AREAS COVERED We reviewed the existing evidence on antibody-mediated serum bactericidal and opsonophagocytic activity and discussed the relevance of these functional antibodies in the development of next-generation pertussis vaccines. EXPERT OPINION Current paradigm proposes that wP vaccines may confer greater herd protection than aP vaccines due to their enhanced clearance of bacteria from the nasopharynx in animal models. Functional antibodies may contribute to the reduction of nasal colonization, which differentiates aP and wP vaccines. Understanding the intrinsic differences in protective immune responses elicited by each class of vaccines will help to identify biomarkers that can be used as immunological end points in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Blanc
- Research & Development, Sanofi, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Yuanqing Liu
- Research & Development, Sanofi, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | | | - Breeze Cavell
- Department of Research and Evaluation, United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency, Salisbury, UK
| | - Andrew Gorringe
- Department of Research and Evaluation, United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency, Salisbury, UK
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9
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Findlay-Wilson S, Easterbrook L, Smith S, Pope N, Humphries G, Schuhmann H, Ngabo D, Rayner E, Otter AD, Coleman T, Hicks B, Graham VA, Halkerston R, Apostolakis K, Taylor S, Fotheringham S, Horton A, Tree JA, Wand M, Hewson R, Dowall SD. Development of a cost-effective ovine antibody-based therapy against SARS-CoV-2 infection and contribution of antibodies specific to the spike subunit proteins. Antiviral Res 2022; 203:105332. [PMID: 35533779 PMCID: PMC9075985 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are important to generate protective immunity, with convalescent plasma one of the first therapies approved. An alternative source of polyclonal antibodies suitable for upscaling would be more amendable to regulatory approval and widespread use. In this study, sheep were immunised with SARS-CoV-2 whole spike protein or one of the subunit proteins: S1 and S2. Once substantial antibody titres were generated, plasma was collected and samples pooled for each antigen. Non-specific antibodies were removed via affinity-purification to yield candidate products for testing in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies to whole spike, S1 and S2 proteins were evaluated for in vitro for neutralising activity against SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-like virus (Australia/VIC01/2020) and a recent variant of concern, B.1.1.529 BA.1 (Omicron), antibody-binding, complement fixation and phagocytosis assays were also performed. All antibody preparations demonstrated an effect against SARS-CoV-2 disease in the hamster model of challenge, with those raised against the S2 subunit providing the most promise. A rapid, cost-effective therapy for COVID-19 was developed which provides a source of highly active immunoglobulin specific to SARS-CoV-2 with multi-functional activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Findlay-Wilson
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Linda Easterbrook
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Sandra Smith
- International Therapeutic Proteins Ltd (Australia), Longford, Tasmania, 7301, Australia
| | - Neville Pope
- International Therapeutic Proteins Ltd (UK), Goleigh Farm, Selborne, Hampshire, GU34 3SE, UK
| | - Gareth Humphries
- Native Antigen Company, Langford Locks, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1LH, UK
| | - Holger Schuhmann
- Native Antigen Company, Langford Locks, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1LH, UK
| | - Didier Ngabo
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Emma Rayner
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Ashley David Otter
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Tom Coleman
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Bethany Hicks
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Victoria Anne Graham
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Rachel Halkerston
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Kostis Apostolakis
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Stephen Taylor
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Susan Fotheringham
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Amanda Horton
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Julia Anne Tree
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Matthew Wand
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Roger Hewson
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Stuart David Dowall
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK.
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10
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Mellors J, Tipton T, Fehling SK, Akoi Bore J, Koundouno FR, Hall Y, Hudson J, Alexander F, Longet S, Taylor S, Gorringe A, Magassouba N, Konde MK, Hiscox J, Strecker T, Carroll M. Complement-Mediated Neutralisation Identified in Ebola Virus Disease Survivor Plasma: Implications for Protection and Pathogenesis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:857481. [PMID: 35493467 PMCID: PMC9039621 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.857481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The 2013-2016 Ebola virus (EBOV) epidemic in West Africa was unprecedented in case numbers and fatalities, and sporadic outbreaks continue to arise. Antibodies to the EBOV glycoprotein (GP) are strongly associated with survival and their use in immunotherapy is often initially based on their performance in neutralisation assays. Other immune effector functions also contribute to EBOV protection but are more complex to measure. Their interactions with the complement system in particular are comparatively under-researched and commonly excluded from cellular immunoassays. Using EBOV convalescent plasma samples from the 2013-2016 epidemic, we investigated antibody and complement-mediated neutralisation and how these interactions can influence immunity in response to EBOV-GP and its secreted form (EBOV-sGP). We defined two cohorts: one with low-neutralising titres in relation to EBOV-GP IgG titres (LN cohort) and the other with a direct linear relationship between neutralisation and EBOV-GP IgG titres (N cohort). Using flow cytometry antibody-dependent complement deposition (ADCD) assays, we found that the LN cohort was equally efficient at mediating ADCD in response to the EBOV-GP but was significantly lower in response to the EBOV-sGP, compared to the N cohort. Using wild-type EBOV neutralisation assays with a cohort of the LN plasma, we observed a significant increase in neutralisation associated with the addition of pooled human plasma as a source of complement. Flow cytometry ADCD was also applied using the GP of the highly virulent Sudan virus (SUDV) of the Sudan ebolavirus species. There are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics against SUDV and it overlaps in endemicity with EBOV. We found that the LN plasma was significantly less efficient at cross-reacting and mediating ADCD. Overall, we found a differential response in ADCD between LN and N plasma in response to various Ebolavirus glycoproteins, and that these interactions could significantly improve EBOV neutralisation for selected LN plasma samples. Preservation of the complement system in immunoassays could augment our understanding of neutralisation and thus protection against infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Mellors
- Department of Research and Evaluation, United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom.,Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Tipton
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Joseph Akoi Bore
- Center for Training and Research on Priority Diseases including Malaria in Guinea, Conakry, Guinea.,Department of Research, Ministry of Health Guinea, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Fara Raymond Koundouno
- Department of Research, Ministry of Health Guinea, Conakry, Guinea.,Department of Virology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Yper Hall
- Department of Research and Evaluation, United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob Hudson
- Department of Research and Evaluation, United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom.,School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,Department of Biochemical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Frances Alexander
- Department of Research and Evaluation, United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie Longet
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Taylor
- Department of Research and Evaluation, United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Gorringe
- Department of Research and Evaluation, United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - N'Faly Magassouba
- Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Reference Department, Projet Laboratoire Fièvres Hémorragiques, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Mandy Kader Konde
- Center for Training and Research on Priority Diseases including Malaria in Guinea, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Julian Hiscox
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Strecker
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Miles Carroll
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics and the Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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