A novel trivalent HPV 16/18/58 vaccine with anti-HPV 16 and 18 neutralizing antibody responses comparable to those induced by the Gardasil quadrivalent vaccine in rhesus macaque model

Micro-interdigitated electrodes genosensor based on Au-deposited nanoparticles for early detection of cervical cancer

Genosensor-based electrodes mediated with nanoparticles (NPs) have tremendously developed in medical diagnosis. Herein, we report a facile, rapid, low cost and highly sensitive biosensing strategy for early detection of HPV 18 using gold-nanoparticles (AuNPs) deposited on micro-IDEs. This study represents surface charge transduction of micro-interdigitated electrodes (micro-IDE) alumina insulated with silica, independent and mini genosensor modified with colloidal gold NPs (AuNPs), and determination of gene hybridization for early detection of cervical cancer. The surface of AuNPs deposited micro-IDE functionalized with optimized 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES) followed by hybridization with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) virus to develop DNA genosensor. The results of ssDNA hybridization with the ssDNA target of human papillomavirus (HPV) 18 have affirmed that micro-IDE functionalized with colloidal AuNPs resulted in the lowest detection at 0.529 aM. Based on coefficient regression, micro-IDE functionalized with AuNPs produces better results in the sensitivity test (R2 = 0.99793) than unfunctionalized micro-IDE.

Spontaneous, naturally occurring cancers in non-human primates as a translational model for cancer immunotherapy

The complexity of cancer immunotherapy (CIT) demands reliable preclinical models to successfully translate study findings to the clinics. Non-human primates (NHPs; here referring to rhesus and cynomolgus macaques) share broad similarities with humans including physiology, genetic homology, and importantly also immune cell populations, immune regulatory mechanisms, and protein targets for CIT. Furthermore, NHP naturally develop cancers such as colorectal and breast cancer with an incidence, pathology, and age pattern comparable to humans. Thus, these tumor-bearing monkeys (TBMs) have the potential to bridge the experimental gap between early preclinical cancer models and patients with human cancer.This review presents our current knowledge of NHP immunology, the incidence and features of naturally-occurring cancers in NHP, and recent TBM trials investigating CIT to provide a scientific rationale for this unique model for human cancer.

Real-world safety profile of the 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine: A study in Zhejiang, China from 2019 to 2021

The safety profile of the 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine (9vHPV) was evaluated based on the reporting rate of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) obtained from the passive surveillance data in Zhejiang. The 9vHPV AEFI reports in Zhejiang were collected and reviewed from the National Adverse Event Following Immunization Surveillance System (NAEFISS) from 2019 to 2021. Reporting rates of AEFI were analyzed under multiple aspects, including age, city, number of vaccinations, AEFI categories, and diagnosis categories. This study used the reporting odds ratio (ROR) for anomalous signal assessment. The NAEFISS collected 331 AEFI reports after administering 1,064,851 doses of 9vHPV, with a crude AEFI rate of 3.12/10,000 doses. The third dose had the highest reporting rate of minor vaccine-related reaction (n = 80, 3.06 per 10,000), followed by the first dose (n = 134, 2.98 per 10,000), and second dose (n = 76, 2.15 per 10,000). Fever/redness/induration was the most common minor adverse event (281 records, 2.64/10,000 doses). Nine cases of urticaria, ten cases of allergic rash, and ten cases of syncope were recorded. This study found a positive signal association between 9vHPV immunization and adverse events such as syncope, encephalitis, sterile abscess, and urticaria. This study did not identify any new emerging safety concerns. In the future, more research is needed to validate and further explore adverse reactions associated with 9vHPV.

Designing DNA probe from HPV 18 and 58 in the E6 region for sensing element in the development of genosensor-based gold nanoparticles

The E6 region has higher protuberant probability annealing than consensus probe focusing on another region in the human papillomavirus (HPV) genome in terms of detection and screening method. Here, we designed the first multiple virus single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA) for multiple detections in an early phase of screening for cervical cancer in the E6 region and became a fundamental evolution of detection electrochemical HPV biosensor. Gene profiling of the virus ssDNA sequences has been carried by high-end bioinformatics tools such as GenBank, Basic Local Alignment Searching Tools (BLAST), and Clustal OMEGA in a row. The output from bioinformatics tools resulted in 100% of similarities between our virus ssDNA probe and HPV complete genome in the databases. The cross-validation between HPV genome and our designed virus ssDNA provided high specificity and selectivity during screening methods compared with Pap smear. The DNA probe for HPV 18, 5' COOH-GAT CCA GAA GGT ACA GAC GGG GAG GGC ACG 3', while 5'COOH-GGG CGC TGT GCA GTG TGT TGG AGA CCC CGA3' as DNA probe for HPV 58 designed with 66.77% guanine (G) and cytosine (C) content for both. Our virus ssDNA probe for the HPV biosensor promises high sensitivity, specificity, selectivity, repeatability, low fluid consumption, and will be useful in mini-size diagnostic devices for cervical cancer detection.

Novel Production of Bovine Papillomavirus Pseudovirions in Tobacco Plants

Vaccine efficacy requires the production of neutralising antibodies which offer protection against the native virus. The current gold standard for determining the presence of neutralising antibodies is the pseudovirion-based neutralisation assay (PBNA). PBNAs utilise pseudovirions (PsVs), structures which mimic native virus capsids, but contain non-viral nucleic material. PsVs are currently produced in expensive cell culture systems, which limits their production, yet plant expression systems may offer cheaper, safer alternatives. Our aim was to determine whether plants could be used for the production of functional PsVs of bovine papillomavirus 1 (BPV1), an important causative agent of economically damaging bovine papillomas in cattle and equine sarcoids in horses and wild equids. BPV1 capsid proteins, L1 and L2, and a self-replicating reporter plasmid were transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana to produce virus-like particles (VLPs) and PsVs. Strategies to enhance particle yields were investigated and optimised protocols were established. The PsVs' ability to infect mammalian cells and express their encapsidated reporter genes in vitro was confirmed, and their functionality as reagents in PBNAs was demonstrated through their neutralisation by several different antibodies. This is the first report of BPV PsVs expressed in plants and demonstrates the potential for the development of therapeutic veterinary vaccines in planta.

Cross-neutralizing antibody titres against non-vaccine types induced by a recombinant trivalent HPV vaccine (16/18/58) in rhesus macaques

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes not only most cervical cancers but also cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis, anus, rectum, and oropharynx. Every year, 200,000 women die of cervical cancer in the world, and China accounts for about 10%. HPV vaccines are effective in preventing HPV infections thus HPV-related cancers worldwide. Studies on the clinical trials of the 2v Cervarix™ and the 4v Gardasil® have suggested that immunization with either of these vaccines provided some level of protection against other HPV types that are closely related to the types contained in the vaccines. Here we conducted a preliminary evaluation on the ability to induce cross-neutralizing antibodies in rhesus monkeys by a 3v HPV vaccine that targets HPV16, 18, and 58 and it is specifically designed for Chinese women. We found that this vaccine is no less than Gardasil® in terms of the ability to induce NAbs against non-vaccine types of HPV in rhesus macaques. These results provided evidence from the immunogenicity point of view that the KLWS 3v HPV vaccine is a strong competitor to the imported 2v and 4v HPV vaccines currently available on the market.

Human papillomavirus vaccination: Ongoing challenges and future directions

Studies with prophylactic HPV vaccination have demonstrated impressive efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety results; however, the implementation and uptake in both low and high-income countries continues to be challenging. Since 2006, administration guidelines have undergone multiple updates regarding age, dosing schedule, and gender. Despite these changes, the basic tenet remains the same: prioritize immunization before initiation of sexual activity and subsequent exposure to HPV. The importance of immunizing males and females equally and the role for catch-up vaccination in late adolescent and adulthood has also been supported by subsequent research. Very recently, the FDA approved to expand the range of eligible patients for the nonavalent (9vHPV) vaccine to women and men from age 27 to 45 for the prevention of HPV-related cancers and diseases. Furthermore, members of the ACIP voted to recommend that individuals between ages 27 and 45 who have not yet been vaccinated discuss the option with their physician. This review will highlight the history of the vaccine, barriers to vaccination, current recommendations, and future directions for success.