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Garrison AR, Moresco V, Zeng X, Cline CR, Ward MD, Ricks KM, Olschner SP, Cazares LH, Karaaslan E, Fitzpatrick CJ, Bergeron É, Pegan SD, Golden JW. Nucleocapsid protein-specific monoclonal antibodies protect mice against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1722. [PMID: 38409240 PMCID: PMC10897337 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46110-4] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a WHO priority pathogen. Antibody-based medical countermeasures offer an important strategy to mitigate severe disease caused by CCHFV. Most efforts have focused on targeting the viral glycoproteins. However, glycoproteins are poorly conserved among viral strains. The CCHFV nucleocapsid protein (NP) is highly conserved between CCHFV strains. Here, we investigate the protective efficacy of a CCHFV monoclonal antibody targeting the NP. We find that an anti-NP monoclonal antibody (mAb-9D5) protected female mice against lethal CCHFV infection or resulted in a significant delay in mean time-to-death in mice that succumbed to disease compared to isotype control animals. Antibody protection is independent of Fc-receptor functionality and complement activity. The antibody bound NP from several CCHFV strains and exhibited robust cross-protection against the heterologous CCHFV strain Afg09-2990. Our work demonstrates that the NP is a viable target for antibody-based therapeutics, providing another direction for developing immunotherapeutics against CCHFV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aura R Garrison
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.
| | - Vanessa Moresco
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Xiankun Zeng
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Curtis R Cline
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Michael D Ward
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Keersten M Ricks
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Scott P Olschner
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Lisa H Cazares
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Elif Karaaslan
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Collin J Fitzpatrick
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Éric Bergeron
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Scott D Pegan
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, USA
| | - Joseph W Golden
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.
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2
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Shanmugaraj B, Jirarojwattana P, Phoolcharoen W. Molecular Farming Strategy for the Rapid Production of Protein-Based Reagents for Use in Infectious Disease Diagnostics. PLANTA MEDICA 2023; 89:1010-1020. [PMID: 37072112 DOI: 10.1055/a-2076-2034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are a major breakthrough in biomedical research with a wide range of applications from diagnostics to therapeutics. Strategic construct design, consistent expression platforms, and suitable upstream and downstream techniques are key considerations to produce commercially viable recombinant proteins. The recombinant antigenic protein production for use either as a diagnostic reagent or subunit vaccine formulation is usually carried out in prokaryotic or eukaryotic expression platforms. Microbial and mammalian systems dominate the biopharmaceutical industry for such applications. However, there is no universal expression system that can meet all the requirements for different types of proteins. The adoptability of any expression system is likely based on the quality and quantity of the proteins that can be produced from it. The huge demand of recombinant proteins for different applications requires an inexpensive production platform for rapid development. The molecular farming scientific community has been promoting the plant system for nearly 3 decades as a cost-effective alternative to produce high-quality proteins for research, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. Here, we discuss how plant biotechnology could offer solutions for the rapid and scalable production of protein antigens as low-cost diagnostic reagents for use in functional assays.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Perawat Jirarojwattana
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Center of Excellence in Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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3
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Development of humanised antibodies for Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever virus: Comparison of hybridoma-based versus phage library techniques. J Immunol Methods 2023; 512:113405. [PMID: 36496007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2022.113405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Humanised antibodies targeting Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic virus (CCHFV) are needed for the development and standardisation of serological assays. These assays are needed to address a shortfall in available tests that meet regulatory diagnostic standards and to aid surveillance activities to extend knowledge on the distribution of CCHFV. To generate a humanised monoclonal antibody against CCHFV, we have compared two methods: the traditional mouse hybridoma approach with subsequent sequencing and humanisation of antibodies versus a non-animal alternative using a human combinatorial antibody library (HuCAL). Our results demonstrated that the mouse hybridoma followed by humanisation protocol gave higher affinity antibodies. Whilst not yet able to demonstrate the generation of equivalent humanised antibodies without the use of animals, sequencing data enables the subsequent production of recombinant antibodies, thus providing a reduction in future animal usage for this application. Ultimately, our report provides information on development of a humanised standardised control, which can form an important positive control component of serological assays against CCHFV.
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4
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Lombe BP, Saito T, Miyamoto H, Mori-Kajihara A, Kajihara M, Saijo M, Masumu J, Hattori T, Igarashi M, Takada A. Mapping of Antibody Epitopes on the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Nucleoprotein. Viruses 2022; 14:v14030544. [PMID: 35336951 PMCID: PMC8955205 DOI: 10.3390/v14030544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a nairovirus, is a tick-borne zoonotic virus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans. The CCHFV nucleoprotein (NP) is the antigen most used for serological screening of CCHFV infection in animals and humans. To gain insights into antibody epitopes on the NP molecule, we produced recombinant chimeric NPs between CCHFV and Nairobi sheep disease virus (NSDV), which is another nairovirus, and tested rabbit and mouse antisera/immune ascites, anti-NP monoclonal antibodies, and CCHFV-infected animal/human sera for their reactivities to the NP antigens. We found that the amino acids at positions 161–320 might include dominant epitopes recognized by anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies, whereas cross-reactivity between anti-CCHFV and anti-NSDV antibodies was limited. Their binding capacities were further tested using a series of synthetic peptides whose sequences were derived from CCHFV NP. IgG antibodies in CCHFV-infected monkeys and patients were reactive to some of the synthetic peptide antigens (e.g., amino acid residues at positions 131–150 and 211–230). Only a few peptides were recognized by IgG antibodies in the anti-NSDV serum. These results provide useful information to improve NP-based antibody detection assays as well as antigen detection tests relying on anti-NP monoclonal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boniface Pongombo Lombe
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (B.P.L.); (T.S.); (H.M.); (A.M.-K.); (M.K.); (T.H.); (M.I.)
- Central Veterinary Laboratory of Kinshasa, Kinshasa B.P. 8842, Democratic Republic of the Congo;
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, National Pedagogic University, Kinshasa B.P. 8815, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Takeshi Saito
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (B.P.L.); (T.S.); (H.M.); (A.M.-K.); (M.K.); (T.H.); (M.I.)
| | - Hiroko Miyamoto
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (B.P.L.); (T.S.); (H.M.); (A.M.-K.); (M.K.); (T.H.); (M.I.)
| | - Akina Mori-Kajihara
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (B.P.L.); (T.S.); (H.M.); (A.M.-K.); (M.K.); (T.H.); (M.I.)
| | - Masahiro Kajihara
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (B.P.L.); (T.S.); (H.M.); (A.M.-K.); (M.K.); (T.H.); (M.I.)
| | - Masayuki Saijo
- Department of Virology 1, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashimurayama 208-0011, Japan;
| | - Justin Masumu
- Central Veterinary Laboratory of Kinshasa, Kinshasa B.P. 8842, Democratic Republic of the Congo;
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, National Pedagogic University, Kinshasa B.P. 8815, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- National Institute of Biomedical Research, Kinshasa B.P. 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Takanari Hattori
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (B.P.L.); (T.S.); (H.M.); (A.M.-K.); (M.K.); (T.H.); (M.I.)
| | - Manabu Igarashi
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (B.P.L.); (T.S.); (H.M.); (A.M.-K.); (M.K.); (T.H.); (M.I.)
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Ayato Takada
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (B.P.L.); (T.S.); (H.M.); (A.M.-K.); (M.K.); (T.H.); (M.I.)
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
- Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
- Correspondence:
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5
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Fearon SH, Dennis SJ, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP, Meyers AE. Plant expression systems as an economical alternative for the production of iELISA coating antigen AHSV VP7. N Biotechnol 2022; 68:48-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2022.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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6
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Chung YH, Church D, Koellhoffer EC, Osota E, Shukla S, Rybicki EP, Pokorski JK, Steinmetz NF. Integrating plant molecular farming and materials research for next-generation vaccines. NATURE REVIEWS. MATERIALS 2021; 7:372-388. [PMID: 34900343 DOI: 10.1038/s41578-021-00399-395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Biologics - medications derived from a biological source - are increasingly used as pharmaceuticals, for example, as vaccines. Biologics are usually produced in bacterial, mammalian or insect cells. Alternatively, plant molecular farming, that is, the manufacture of biologics in plant cells, transgenic plants and algae, offers a cheaper and easily adaptable strategy for the production of biologics, in particular, in low-resource settings. In this Review, we discuss current vaccination challenges, such as cold chain requirements, and highlight how plant molecular farming in combination with advanced materials can be applied to address these challenges. The production of plant viruses and virus-based nanotechnologies in plants enables low-cost and regional fabrication of thermostable vaccines. We also highlight key new vaccine delivery technologies, including microneedle patches and material platforms for intranasal and oral delivery. Finally, we provide an outlook of future possibilities for plant molecular farming of next-generation vaccines and biologics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hun Chung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Derek Church
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Edward C Koellhoffer
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Elizabeth Osota
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Biomedical Science Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Sourabh Shukla
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Edward P Rybicki
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jonathan K Pokorski
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Center for Nano-Immuno Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Nicole F Steinmetz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA USA
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Center for Nano-Immuno Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
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7
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Chung YH, Church D, Koellhoffer EC, Osota E, Shukla S, Rybicki EP, Pokorski JK, Steinmetz NF. Integrating plant molecular farming and materials research for next-generation vaccines. NATURE REVIEWS. MATERIALS 2021; 7:372-388. [PMID: 34900343 PMCID: PMC8647509 DOI: 10.1038/s41578-021-00399-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Biologics - medications derived from a biological source - are increasingly used as pharmaceuticals, for example, as vaccines. Biologics are usually produced in bacterial, mammalian or insect cells. Alternatively, plant molecular farming, that is, the manufacture of biologics in plant cells, transgenic plants and algae, offers a cheaper and easily adaptable strategy for the production of biologics, in particular, in low-resource settings. In this Review, we discuss current vaccination challenges, such as cold chain requirements, and highlight how plant molecular farming in combination with advanced materials can be applied to address these challenges. The production of plant viruses and virus-based nanotechnologies in plants enables low-cost and regional fabrication of thermostable vaccines. We also highlight key new vaccine delivery technologies, including microneedle patches and material platforms for intranasal and oral delivery. Finally, we provide an outlook of future possibilities for plant molecular farming of next-generation vaccines and biologics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hun Chung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Derek Church
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Edward C. Koellhoffer
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Elizabeth Osota
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Biomedical Science Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Sourabh Shukla
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Edward P. Rybicki
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jonathan K. Pokorski
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Center for Nano-Immuno Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Nicole F. Steinmetz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA USA
- Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Center for Nano-Immuno Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
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8
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Karaaslan E, Çetin NS, Kalkan-Yazıcı M, Hasanoğlu S, Karakeçili F, Özdarendeli A, Kalkan A, Kılıç AO, Doymaz MZ. Immune responses in multiple hosts to Nucleocapsid Protein (NP) of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009973. [PMID: 34851958 PMCID: PMC8635347 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2019, the World Health Organization declared 3 billion to be at risk of developing Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF). The causative agent of this deadly infection is CCHFV. The data related to the biology and immunology of CCHFV are rather scarce. Due to its indispensable roles in the viral life cycle, NP becomes a logical target for detailed viral immunology studies. In this study, humoral immunity to NP was investigated in CCHF survivors, as well as in immunized mice and rabbits. Abundant antibody response against NP was demonstrated both during natural infection in humans and following experimental immunizations in mice and rabbits. Also, cellular immune responses to recombinant NP (rNP) was detected in multispecies. This study represents the most comprehensive investigation on NP as an inducer of both humoral and cellular immunity in multiple hosts and proves that rNP is an excellent candidate warranting further immunological studies specifically on vaccine investigations. Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) is the most lethal human pathogen of medical importance after the dengue virus among arboviruses. The increasing geographic spread of Hyalomma ticks, which are responsible for viral transmission widespread, threatens billions of people. WHO currently declares the field of research on CCHFV as the second most urgently needed areas of investigations on emerging pathogens. About 10 to 40% of those infected with the virus lose their life due to the rapidly developing severe clinical manifestations. Pandemic potential and the lack of any approved treatment or vaccine make raise the studies on CCHFV as critical. The studies on CCHFV are challenging due to the necessities of BSL-4 facilities and the immunological characterization of individual structural proteins will lay the groundwork for the steps to be taken to treat and prevent this emerging disease. As is known from other RNA viruses, nucleoprotein (NP) has crucial roles in the viral life cycle, both in viral replication and transcription and in the formation of the virion structure. So far, detailed and comprehensive immunological characterizations on NP in multiple are not undertaken. Our study was set out to embark such detailed investigation. The strong humoral and cellular immune response to NP demonstrated by this study indicates that NP might be an excellent candidate for future scrutinies on vaccines and diagnostic reagents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Karaaslan
- Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nesibe Selma Çetin
- Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Merve Kalkan-Yazıcı
- Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sevde Hasanoğlu
- Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Faruk Karakeçili
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Erzincan University School of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey
| | - Aykut Özdarendeli
- Erciyes University Vectors and Vector Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Kayseri, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Kalkan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Medical Faculty, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Ali Osman Kılıç
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Ziya Doymaz
- Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey
- * E-mail:
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9
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He W, Baysal C, Lobato Gómez M, Huang X, Alvarez D, Zhu C, Armario‐Najera V, Blanco Perera A, Cerda Bennaser P, Saba‐Mayoral A, Sobrino‐Mengual G, Vargheese A, Abranches R, Alexandra Abreu I, Balamurugan S, Bock R, Buyel JF, da Cunha NB, Daniell H, Faller R, Folgado A, Gowtham I, Häkkinen ST, Kumar S, Sathish Kumar R, Lacorte C, Lomonossoff GP, Luís IM, K.‐C. Ma J, McDonald KA, Murad A, Nandi S, O’Keef B, Parthiban S, Paul MJ, Ponndorf D, Rech E, Rodrigues JC, Ruf S, Schillberg S, Schwestka J, Shah PS, Singh R, Stoger E, Twyman RM, Varghese IP, Vianna GR, Webster G, Wilbers RHP, Christou P, Oksman‐Caldentey K, Capell T. Contributions of the international plant science community to the fight against infectious diseases in humans-part 2: Affordable drugs in edible plants for endemic and re-emerging diseases. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1921-1936. [PMID: 34181810 PMCID: PMC8486237 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The fight against infectious diseases often focuses on epidemics and pandemics, which demand urgent resources and command attention from the health authorities and media. However, the vast majority of deaths caused by infectious diseases occur in endemic zones, particularly in developing countries, placing a disproportionate burden on underfunded health systems and often requiring international interventions. The provision of vaccines and other biologics is hampered not only by the high cost and limited scalability of traditional manufacturing platforms based on microbial and animal cells, but also by challenges caused by distribution and storage, particularly in regions without a complete cold chain. In this review article, we consider the potential of molecular farming to address the challenges of endemic and re-emerging diseases, focusing on edible plants for the development of oral drugs. Key recent developments in this field include successful clinical trials based on orally delivered dried leaves of Artemisia annua against malarial parasite strains resistant to artemisinin combination therapy, the ability to produce clinical-grade protein drugs in leaves to treat infectious diseases and the long-term storage of protein drugs in dried leaves at ambient temperatures. Recent FDA approval of the first orally delivered protein drug encapsulated in plant cells to treat peanut allergy has opened the door for the development of affordable oral drugs that can be manufactured and distributed in remote areas without cold storage infrastructure and that eliminate the need for expensive purification steps and sterile delivery by injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenshu He
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Can Baysal
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Maria Lobato Gómez
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Derry Alvarez
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Changfu Zhu
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Victoria Armario‐Najera
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Aamaya Blanco Perera
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Pedro Cerda Bennaser
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Andrea Saba‐Mayoral
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | | | - Ashwin Vargheese
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Rita Abranches
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Isabel Alexandra Abreu
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Shanmugaraj Balamurugan
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityTamil NaduIndia
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Johannes F. Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAachenGermany
- Institute for Molecular BiotechnologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Nicolau B. da Cunha
- Centro de Análise Proteômicas e Bioquímicas de BrasíliaUniversidade Católica de BrasíliaBrasíliaBrazil
| | - Henry Daniell
- School of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Roland Faller
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - André Folgado
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Iyappan Gowtham
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityTamil NaduIndia
| | - Suvi T. Häkkinen
- Industrial Biotechnology and Food SolutionsVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland LtdEspooFinland
| | - Shashi Kumar
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyNew DelhiIndia
| | - Ramalingam Sathish Kumar
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityTamil NaduIndia
| | - Cristiano Lacorte
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in Biology, Parque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | | | - Ines M. Luís
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Julian K.‐C. Ma
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Karen A. McDonald
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Andre Murad
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in Biology, Parque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Barry O’Keef
- Division of Cancer Treatment and DiagnosisMolecular Targets ProgramCenter for Cancer ResearchNational Cancer Institute, and Natural Products Branch, Developmental Therapeutics ProgramNational Cancer Institute, NIHFrederickMDUSA
| | - Subramanian Parthiban
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityTamil NaduIndia
| | - Mathew J. Paul
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Daniel Ponndorf
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwich Research Park, NorwichUK
| | - Elibio Rech
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in Biology, Parque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Julio C.M. Rodrigues
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in Biology, Parque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Stephanie Ruf
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAachenGermany
- Institute for PhytopathologyJustus‐Liebig‐University GiessenGiessenGermany
| | - Jennifer Schwestka
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell BiologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Priya S. Shah
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Rahul Singh
- School of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Eva Stoger
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell BiologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | | | - Inchakalody P. Varghese
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityTamil NaduIndia
| | - Giovanni R. Vianna
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in Biology, Parque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Gina Webster
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Ruud H. P. Wilbers
- Laboratory of NematologyPlant Sciences GroupWageningen University and ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
- ICREACatalan Institute for Research and Advanced StudiesBarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Teresa Capell
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
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10
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Gülce-İz S, Elaldı N, Can H, Şahar EA, Karakavuk M, Gül A, Kumoğlu GÖ, Döşkaya AD, Gürüz AY, Özdarendeli A, Felgner PL, Davies H, Döşkaya M. Development of a novel recombinant ELISA for the detection of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus IgG antibodies. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5936. [PMID: 33723328 PMCID: PMC7961021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85323-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral infection caused by Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). Serological screening of CCHF is important and current ELISA use antigens prepared from virus which is expensive due to requirement of high bio-containment facilities. In this study, we aimed to develop a new recombinant ELISA. For this purpose, CCHFV genome were expressed as 13 proteins in E. coli and among them abundantly purified recombinant Nucleocapsid protein (rNP) and Mucin-like variable domain (rMLD) were used as antigen in ELISA (Rec-ELISA). Rec-ELISA using rNP, rMLD and a combination of both (rNP/rMLD) were probed with acute (n = 64; collected between days 1 and 7 after onset of symptoms), convalescent (n = 35; collected 8 days after onset of symptoms), consecutive sera (n = 25) of confirmed CCHF cases and control sera (n = 43). The sensitivity and specificity of Rec-ELISA using rNP/rMLD were 73% and 98% in acute cases and 97% and 98% in convalescent cases. The median interquartile absorbance value to discriminate the acute and convalescent phases of CCHF was significantly higher with ELISA using rNP/rMLD (P < 0.0001) compared to rNP (P > 0.05) and rMLD (P = 0.001). These results indicate that the Rec-ELISA using rNP/rMLD may be very useful to diagnose convalescent CCHF cases especially in field studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sultan Gülce-İz
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Vaccine Research and Development Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nazif Elaldı
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey.
| | - Hüseyin Can
- Department of Biology, Section of Molecular Biology, Ege University, Faculty of Science, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Esra Atalay Şahar
- Department of Biotechnology, Ege University, Faculty of Engineering, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Muhammet Karakavuk
- Department of Parasitology, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aytül Gül
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gizem Örs Kumoğlu
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aysu Değirmenci Döşkaya
- Department of Parasitology, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.,Blood Bank of Ege University, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Adnan Yüksel Gürüz
- Department of Parasitology, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aykut Özdarendeli
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Philip Louis Felgner
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Vaccine Research and Development Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Huw Davies
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Vaccine Research and Development Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Mert Döşkaya
- Department of Parasitology, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
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11
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Purification of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus nucleoprotein and its utility for serological diagnosis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2324. [PMID: 33504869 PMCID: PMC7840982 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81752-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) causes a zoonotic disease, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) endemic in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Southeastern Europe. However, the prevalence of CCHF is not monitored in most of the endemic countries due to limited availability of diagnostic assays and biosafety regulations required for handling infectious CCHFV. In this study, we established a protocol to purify the recombinant CCHFV nucleoprotein (NP), which is antigenically highly conserved among multiple lineages/clades of CCHFVs and investigated its utility in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect CCHFV-specific antibodies. The NP gene was cloned into the pCAGGS mammalian expression plasmid and human embryonic kidney 293 T cells were transfected with the plasmid. The expressed NP molecule was purified from the cell lysate using cesium-chloride gradient centrifugation. Purified NP was used as the antigen for the ELISA to detect anti-CCHFV IgG. Using the CCHFV NP-based ELISA, we efficiently detected CCHFV-specific IgG in anti-NP rabbit antiserum and CCHFV-infected monkey serum. When compared to the commercially available Blackbox CCHFV IgG ELISA kit, our assay showed equivalent performance in detecting CCHFV-specific IgG in human sera. These results demonstrate the usefulness of our CCHFV NP-based ELISA for seroepidemiological studies.
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12
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Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a global pandemic, prompting unprecedented efforts to contain the virus. Many developed countries have implemented widespread testing and have rapidly mobilized research programmes to develop vaccines and therapeutics. However, these approaches may be impractical in Africa, where the infrastructure for testing is poorly developed and owing to the limited manufacturing capacity to produce pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, a large burden of HIV-1 and tuberculosis in Africa could exacerbate the severity of infection and may affect vaccine immunogenicity. This Review discusses global efforts to develop diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, with these considerations in mind. We also highlight vaccine and diagnostic production platforms that are being developed in Africa and that could be translated into clinical development through appropriate partnerships for manufacture. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted unparalleled progress in the development of vaccines and therapeutics in many countries, but it has also highlighted the vulnerability of resource-limited countries in Africa. Margolin and colleagues review global efforts to develop SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, with a focus on the opportunities and challenges in Africa.
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13
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Tsekoa TL, Singh AA, Buthelezi SG. Molecular farming for therapies and vaccines in Africa. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 61:89-95. [PMID: 31786432 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Local manufacturing of protein-based vaccines and therapies in Africa is limited and contributes to a trade deficit, security of supply concerns and poor access to biopharmaceuticals by the poor. Plant molecular farming is a potential technology solution that has received growing adoption by African scientists attracted by the potential for the competitive cost of goods, safety and efficacy. Plant-made pharmaceutical technologies for veterinary and human vaccination and treatment of non-communicable and infectious diseases are available at different stages of development in Africa. There is also growth in the translation of these technologies to commercial operations. Africa is poised to benefit from the real-world impact of molecular farming in the next few years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsepo L Tsekoa
- NextGen Health and Future Production: Chemistry Clusters, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Advaita Acarya Singh
- NextGen Health and Future Production: Chemistry Clusters, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sindisiwe G Buthelezi
- NextGen Health and Future Production: Chemistry Clusters, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
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14
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Mbewana S, Meyers AE, Weber B, Mareledwane V, Ferreira ML, Majiwa PAO, Rybicki EP. Expression of Rift Valley fever virus N-protein in Nicotiana benthamiana for use as a diagnostic antigen. BMC Biotechnol 2018; 18:77. [PMID: 30537953 PMCID: PMC6290525 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-018-0489-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), the causative agent of Rift Valley fever, is an enveloped single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus in the genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae. The virus is spread by infected mosquitoes and affects ruminants and humans, causing abortion storms in pregnant ruminants, high neonatal mortality in animals, and morbidity and occasional fatalities in humans. The disease is endemic in parts of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, but is described as emerging due to the wide range of mosquitoes that could spread the disease into non-endemic regions. There are different tests for determining whether animals are infected with or have been exposed to RVFV. The most common serological test is antibody ELISA, which detects host immunoglobulins M or G produced specifically in response to infection with RVFV. The presence of antibodies to RVFV nucleocapsid protein (N-protein) is among the best indicators of RVFV exposure in animals. This work describes an investigation of the feasibility of producing a recombinant N-protein in Nicotiana benthamiana and using it in an ELISA. RESULTS The human-codon optimised RVFV N-protein was successfully expressed in N. benthamiana via Agrobacterium-mediated infiltration of leaves. The recombinant protein was detected as monomers and dimers with maximum protein yields calculated to be 500-558 mg/kg of fresh plant leaves. The identity of the protein was confirmed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) resulting in 87.35% coverage, with 264 unique peptides. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the protein forms ring structures of ~ 10 nm in diameter. Preliminary data revealed that the protein could successfully differentiate between sera of RVFV-infected sheep and from sera of those not infected with the virus. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge this is the first study demonstrating the successful production of RVFV N-protein as a diagnostic reagent by Agrobacterium-mediated transient heterologous expression in N. benthamiana. Preliminary testing of the antigen showed its ability to distinguish RVFV-positive animal sera from RVFV negative animal sera when used in an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cost-effective, scalable and simple production method has great potential for use in developing countries where rapid diagnosis of RVFV is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandiswa Mbewana
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, 6503200115084, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | - Ann E. Meyers
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, 6503200115084, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
| | - Brandon Weber
- Structural Biology Research Unit, University of Cape Town, P Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7700 South Africa
| | - Vuyokazi Mareledwane
- ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, 100 Old Southpan Road, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
| | - Maryke L. Ferreira
- ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, 100 Old Southpan Road, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
| | - Phelix A. O. Majiwa
- ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, 100 Old Southpan Road, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
| | - Edward P. Rybicki
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, 6503200115084, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700 South Africa
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 South Africa
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15
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MacDonald J. History and Promise of Plant-Made Vaccines for Animals. PROSPECTS OF PLANT-BASED VACCINES IN VETERINARY MEDICINE 2018. [PMCID: PMC7122757 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-90137-4_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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16
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Emmerich P, Mika A, von Possel R, Rackow A, Liu Y, Schmitz H, Günther S, Sherifi K, Halili B, Jakupi X, Berisha L, Ahmeti S, Deschermeier C. Sensitive and specific detection of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV)-Specific IgM and IgG antibodies in human sera using recombinant CCHFV nucleoprotein as antigen in μ-capture and IgG immune complex (IC) ELISA tests. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006366. [PMID: 29579040 PMCID: PMC5892944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
As the most widespread tick-borne arbovirus causing infections in numerous countries in Asia, Africa and Europe, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV, family Nairoviridae) was included in the WHO priority list of emerging pathogens needing urgent Research & Development attention. To ensure preparedness for potential future outbreak scenarios, reliable diagnostic tools for identification of acute cases as well as for performance of seroprevalence studies are necessary. Here, the CCHFV ortholog of the major bunyavirus antigen, the nucleoprotein (NP), was recombinantly expressed in E.coli, purified and directly labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Employing this antigen, two serological tests, a μ-capture ELISA for the detection of CCHFV-specific IgM antibodies (BLACKBOX CCHFV IgM) and an IgG immune complex (IC) ELISA for the detection of CCHFV-specific IgG antibodies (BLACKBOX CCHFV IgG), were developed. Test performance was evaluated and compared with both in-house gold standard testing by IgM/IgG indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and commercially available ELISA tests (VectoCrimean-CHF-IgM/IgG, Vector-Best, Russia) using a serum panel comprising paired samples collected in Kosovo during the years 2013–2016 from 15 patients with an acute, RT-PCR-confirmed CCHFV infection, and 12 follow-up sera of the same patients collected approximately one year after having overcome the infection. Reliably detecting IgM antibodies in all acute phase sera collected later than day 4 after onset of symptoms, both IgM ELISAs displayed excellent diagnostic and analytical sensitivity (100%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 85.2%–100.0%). While both IgG ELISAs readily detected the high IgG titers present in convalescent patients approximately one year after having overcome the infection (sensitivity 100%, 95% CI: 73.5%–100.0%), the newly developed BLACKBOX CCHFV IgG ELISA was superior to the commercial IgG ELISA in detecting the rising IgG titers during the acute phase of the disease. While all samples collected between day 11 and 19 after onset of symptoms tested positive in both the in-house gold standard IIFT and the BLACKBOX CCHFV IgG ELISA (sensitivity 100%, 95% CI: 71.5%–100.0%), only 27% (95% CI: 6.0%–61.0%) of those samples were tested positive in the commercial IgG ELISA. No false positive signals were observed in either IgM/IgG ELISA when analyzing a priori CCHFV IgM/IgG negative serum samples from healthy blood donors, malaria patients and flavivirus infected patients as well as CCHFV IgM/IgG IIFT negative serum samples from healthy Kosovar blood donors (for BLACKBOX CCHFV IgM/IgG: n = 218, 100% specificity, 95% CI: 98.3%–100.0%, for VectoCrimean-CHF-IgM/IgG: n = 113, 100% specificity, 95% CI: 96.8%–100.0%). Being endemic in several countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Southeastern Europe, the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) is the geographically most widespread tick-borne arbovirus. As evidenced by the recent occurrence of an autochthonous CCHFV infection in Spain, it possesses also a significant potential to spread to as yet non-endemic regions. Due to the severity of the disease caused by this bunyavirus, the lack of specific prophylactic and therapeutic measures and the infection’s epidemic potential, CCHFV was included in the WHO priority list of diseases needing urgent R&D attention, in particular the development and improvement of diagnostic tools. Here we present the development and validation of two novel ELISAs (BLACKBOX CCHFV IgM, BLACKBOX CCHFV IgG) for the detection of CCHFV-specific IgM and IgG antibodies employing recombinant CCHFV nucleoprotein (NP) as antigen. Test performance in comparison to both in-house gold standard testing (CCHFV IgM/IgG immunofluorescence test (IIFT)) and commercial ELISA kits (VectoCrimean-CHF-IgM/IgG; Vector-Best) was evaluated using a thoroughly characterized serum panel that was obtained from 15 Kosovar patients with an RT-PCR-confirmed CCHFV-infection collected during the years 2013–2016 and that comprised samples from both the acute and convalescent phase of the disease. While both IgM ELISAs, like the CCHFV IgM IIFT, detected CCHFV-specific IgM antibodies in all sera collected during the acute phase of the disease on day 5 after onset of symptoms or later, the BLACKBOX CCHFV IgG ELISA and the CCHFV IgG IIFT were found to be significantly more sensitive than the VectoCrimean-CHF-IgG ELISA in detecting the rising IgG antibody titers in samples collected between days 11 and 19 after onset of symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Emmerich
- Department for Virology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Center of Internal Medicine II, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Angela Mika
- Diagnostics Development Laboratory, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ronald von Possel
- Department for Virology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anne Rackow
- Diagnostics Development Laboratory, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Yang Liu
- Diagnostics Development Laboratory, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Herbert Schmitz
- Department for Virology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Günther
- Department for Virology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kurtesh Sherifi
- Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Medicine, University of Pristhina “Hasan Prishtina”, Pristhina, Kosovo
| | - Barie Halili
- University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Infectious Diseases Clinic, Pristhina, Kosovo
| | - Xhevat Jakupi
- Department of Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health of Kosova, Prishtina, Kosovo
| | - Lindita Berisha
- University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Infectious Diseases Clinic, Pristhina, Kosovo
| | - Salih Ahmeti
- University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Medical Faculty & University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Infectious Diseases Clinic, Prishtina, Kosovo
| | - Christina Deschermeier
- Diagnostics Development Laboratory, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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