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Thimmiraju SR, Kimata JT, Pollet J. Pseudoviruses, a safer toolbox for vaccine development against enveloped viruses. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:174-185. [PMID: 38164690 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2299380] [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: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pseudoviruses are recombinant, replication-incompetent, viral particles designed to mimic the surface characteristics of native enveloped viruses. They are a safer, and cost-effective research alternative to live viruses. With the potential emergence of the next major infectious disease, more vaccine scientists must become familiar with the pseudovirus platform as a vaccine development tool to mitigate future outbreaks. AREAS COVERED This review aims at vaccine developers to provide a basic understanding of pseudoviruses, list their production methods, and discuss their utility to assess vaccine efficacy against enveloped viral pathogens. We further illustrate their usefulness as wet-lab simulators for emerging mutant variants, and new viruses to help prepare for current and future viral outbreaks, minimizing the need for gain-of-function experiments with highly infectious or lethal enveloped viruses. EXPERT OPINION With this platform, researchers can better understand the role of virus-receptor interactions and entry in infections, prepare for dangerous mutations, and develop effective vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syamala R Thimmiraju
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jason T Kimata
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Lee EB, Kim JH, Hur W, Choi JE, Kim SM, Park DJ, Kang BY, Lee GW, Yoon SK. Liver-specific Gene Delivery Using Engineered Virus-Like Particles of Hepatitis E Virus. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1616. [PMID: 30733562 PMCID: PMC6367430 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38533-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) possess great potential for organ-specific transport of therapeutic agents due to their central cavity surrounded by viral capsid proteins and similar tropism to their original viruses. The N-terminal truncated second open reading frame (Nt-ORF2) of the hepatotropic hepatitis E virus (HEV) forms VLPs via self-assembly. In the present study, we investigated whether HEV-LPs could deliver foreign genes specifically to the liver. HEV-LPs were obtained from Nt-ORF2 expression in Huh7 cells that were transduced with recombinant baculoviruses and purified by continuous density gradient centrifugation. The purified HEV-LPs efficiently penetrated liver-derived cell lines and the liver tissues. To evaluate HEV-LPs as gene delivery tools, we encapsulated foreign plasmids in HEV-LPs with disassembly/reassembly systems. Green fluorescence was detected at higher frequency in liver-derived Huh7 cells treated with HEV-LPs bearing GFP-encoding plasmids than in control cells. Additionally, HEV-LPs bearing Bax-encoding plasmids induced apoptotic signatures in Huh7 cells. In conclusion, HEV-LPs produced in mammalian cells can encapsulate foreign genes in their central cavity and specifically transport these genes to liver-derived cells, where they are expressed. The present study could contribute to advances in liver-targeted gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Byul Lee
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hee Kim
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
- am SCIENCES, C-912, SK V1 GL Metrocity, 128, Beobwonro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05854, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonhee Hur
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Eun Choi
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
- 1014, A Building Gangseo-Hangang-Xi Tower 401 Yangcheon-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 157-801, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Min Kim
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Jun Park
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Yoon Kang
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Gil Won Lee
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Kew Yoon
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.
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Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Pseudovirions with Few Point Mutations in L1 Major Capsid Protein FG Loop Could Escape Actual or Future Vaccination for Potential Use in Gene Therapy. Mol Biotechnol 2014; 56:479-86. [DOI: 10.1007/s12033-014-9745-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Jariyapong P, Chotwiwatthanakun C, Somrit M, Jitrapakdee S, Xing L, Cheng HR, Weerachatyanukul W. Encapsulation and delivery of plasmid DNA by virus-like nanoparticles engineered from Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus. Virus Res 2013; 179:140-6. [PMID: 24184445 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2013.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 09/29/2013] [Accepted: 10/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are potential candidates in developing biological containers for packaging therapeutic or biologically active agents. Here, we expressed Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNv) capsid protein (encoding amino acids M1-N371 with 6 histidine residuals) in an Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). These easily purified capsid protein self-assembled into VLPs, and disassembly/reassembly could be controlled in a calcium-dependent manner. Physically, MrNv VLPs resisted to digestive enzymes, a property that should be advantageous for protection of active compounds against harsh conditions. We also proved that MrNv VLPs were capable of encapsulating plasmid DNA in the range of 0.035-0.042 mol ratio (DNA/protein) or 2-3 plasmids/VLP (assuming that MrNV VLPs is T=1, i made up of 60 capsid monomers). These VLPs interacted with cultured insect cells and delivered loaded plasmid DNA into the cells as shown by green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter. With many advantageous properties including self-encapsulation, MrNv VLPs are good candidates for delivery of therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pitchanee Jariyapong
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Phyathai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; School of Medicine, Walailak University, Thasala District, Nakhonsrithammarat, Thailand
| | | | - Monsicha Somrit
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Phyathai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Sarawut Jitrapakdee
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Phyathai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Li Xing
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Holland R Cheng
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Wattana Weerachatyanukul
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Phyathai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
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Pushko P, Pumpens P, Grens E. Development of Virus-Like Particle Technology from Small Highly Symmetric to Large Complex Virus-Like Particle Structures. Intervirology 2013; 56:141-65. [DOI: 10.1159/000346773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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High hepatitis E virus seroprevalence in forestry workers and in wild boars in France. J Clin Microbiol 2012; 50:2888-93. [PMID: 22718947 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00989-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a fecally and orally transmitted human pathogen of worldwide distribution. In industrial countries, HEV is observed in an increasing number of autochthonous cases and is considered to be an emerging pathogen. A growing body of evidence suggests that HEV is a zoonotic disease, and pig handlers and pig veterinarians have been reported to be high-risk groups for HEV infection. The aims of the present study were to establish the prevalence of anti-HEV in wild boars in France and to identify whether forestry workers are at a higher risk of HEV infection. Three different anti-HEV tests were used to compare their effectiveness in detecting anti-HEV in the general population. The most sensitive test was then used to investigate HEV seroprevalence in 593 forestry workers and 421 wild boars. Anti-HEV was detected in 31% of the forestry workers and 14% of the wild boars. Detection of anti-HEV in humans was correlated with age, geographical location, and occupational activity and in wild boars was correlated with geographical location. HEV infection is frequent in woodcutters in France, and it varies geographically. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to elucidate the transmission route and the exact virus reservoirs.
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Kamili S. Toward the development of a hepatitis E vaccine. Virus Res 2011; 161:93-100. [PMID: 21620908 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2011.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2011] [Revised: 05/04/2011] [Accepted: 05/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes large epidemics of enterically transmitted acute hepatitis and accounts for a majority of sporadic acute hepatitis in endemic countries. Due to a very high mortality rate among infected pregnant women and substantial morbidity, disability and costs associated with hepatitis E, concerted efforts are being made to develop an efficacious vaccine. Experimental vaccines, based on recombinant proteins derived from the capsid gene of HEV, have been shown efficacious in pre-clinical trials in macaques conferring cross-protection against various genotypes. Two vaccine candidates, the rHEV vaccine expressed in baculovirus and the HEV 239 vaccine, expressed in Escherichia coli, were successfully evaluated in Phase II/III trials. However, at this time no approved vaccine against hepatitis E is commercially available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleem Kamili
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention, Division of Viral Hepatitis, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Krawczynski K, Meng XJ, Rybczynska J. Pathogenetic elements of hepatitis E and animal models of HEV infection. Virus Res 2011; 161:78-83. [PMID: 21414365 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2011.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2010] [Revised: 03/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/06/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of HEV infection responsible for liver pathology and clinical disease is not well understood. The main target for the virus is the hepatocyte, where it replicates and is released to bile and gastrointestinal tract. Viremia is regularly seen during the virus replication. The exact mechanism of hepatocytic death is uncertain. In experimentally infected non-human primates, the peak of liver lesions, measured by alanine aminotransferase activity elevation, is concordant with the virus disappearance from stool at the time of dynamic humoral immune response; the role of cellular immunity has not been researched adequately, especially HEV-specific immune response in the liver. Non-human primates (chimpanzees, rhesus and cynomolgus macaques) are most widely used animal models for the study of HEV infection, its pathogenesis and vaccine trials. Several other animal models including pigs, rabbits and chickens have recently been established for the study of various aspects of HEV infection. Infectivity studies in susceptible primates were of significance in molecular studies of the virus itself. Preclinical vaccine trials with the use of various recombinant HEV capsid proteins and viral DNA established basic platform for formulation of HEV vaccine applied in HEV-endemic regions (China, Nepal).
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Krawczynski
- Experimental Pathology and Immunology Laboratory, Division of Viral Hepatitis, NCHHSTP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Yang S, Wang C, Fang X, Zhai L, Dong C, Ding L, Meng J, Wang L. Fusion of C3d molecule with neutralization epitope(s) of hepatitis E virus enhances antibody avidity maturation and neutralizing activity following DNA immunization. Virus Res 2010; 151:162-9. [PMID: 20451569 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2010.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2009] [Revised: 04/27/2010] [Accepted: 04/28/2010] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have identified that a hepatits E virus peptide (HEV-p179), spanning amino acids (aa) 439-617 in the 660-aa protein encoded by open reading frame 2(ORF2) of the Chinese epidemic strain (genotype 4), is the minimal size fragment of conformation-dependent neutralization epitope(s). We report here the successful immunization of mice with DNA vaccines expressing the secreted form of HEV-p179 (fused with a human tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) signal sequence) and the tPA-p179-C3d fusion protein (fused with three tandem copies of the murine complement C3d). Analysis of antibody responses in vaccinated mice revealed that immunizations with tPA-p179-C3d3 DNA vaccine dramatically increased both the level and avidity maturation of antibodies against HEV-p179 compared to p179 and tPA-p179 DNA vaccines. In addition, this increased antibody response correlated with neutralizing titers in a PCR-based cell culture neutralization assay. These results indicate that vaccination with C3d conjugated p179 DNA vaccine enhances antibody responses to HEV, and this approach may be applied to overcome the poor immunogenicity of DNA vaccines to generate HEV neutralizing antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shucai Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School of Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Rd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China.
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Combelas N, Saussereau E, Fleury MJJ, Ribeiro T, Gaitan J, Duarte-Forero DF, Coursaget P, Touzé A. Papillomavirus pseudovirions packaged with the L2 gene induce cross-neutralizing antibodies. J Transl Med 2010; 8:28. [PMID: 20334659 PMCID: PMC2852459 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-8-28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2009] [Accepted: 03/24/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current vaccines against HPVs are constituted of L1 protein self-assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs) and they have been shown to protect against natural HPV16 and HPV18 infections and associated lesions. In addition, limited cross-protection has been observed against closely related types. Immunization with L2 protein in animal models has been shown to provide cross-protection against distant papillomavirus types, suggesting that the L2 protein contains cross-neutralizing epitopes. However, vaccination with L2 protein or L2 peptides does not induce high titers of anti-L2 antibodies. In order to develop a vaccine with the potential to protect against other high-risk HPV types, we have produced HPV58 pseudovirions encoding the HPV31 L2 protein and compared their capacity to induce cross-neutralizing antibodies with that of HPV L1 and HPV L1/L2 VLPs. METHODS The titers of neutralizing antibodies against HPV16, HPV18, HPV31 and HPV58 induced in Balb/c mice were compared after immunization with L2-containing vaccines. RESULTS Low titers of cross-neutralizing antibodies were detected in mice when immunized with L1/L2 VLPs, and the highest levels of cross-neutralizing antibodies were observed in mice immunized with HPV 58 L1/L2 pseudovirions encoding the HPV 31 L2 protein. CONCLUSIONS The results obtained indicate that high levels of cross-neutralizing antibodies are only observed after immunization with pseudovirions encoding the L2 protein. HPV pseudovirions thus represent a possible new strategy for the generation of a broad-spectrum vaccine to protect against high-risk HPVs and associated neoplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Combelas
- Inserm U618 Protéases et vectorisation pulmonaires, Tours, University François Rabelais, Tours, France and IFR 136 Agents Transmissibles et Infectiologie, Tours, France.
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Virag T, Cecchini S, Kotin RM. Producing recombinant adeno-associated virus in foster cells: overcoming production limitations using a baculovirus-insect cell expression strategy. Hum Gene Ther 2009; 20:807-17. [PMID: 19604040 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2009.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishing pharmacological parameters, such as efficacy, routes of administration, and toxicity, for recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors is a prerequisite for gaining acceptance for clinical applications. In fact, even a therapeutic window, that is, the dose range between therapeutic efficacy and toxicity, has yet to be determined for rAAV in vivo. Multiphase clinical trials investigating the safety and efficacy of recombinant AAV-based therapeutics will require unprecedented vector production capacity to meet the needs of preclinical toxicology studies, and the progressive clinical protocol phases of safety/dose escalation (phase I), efficacy (phase II), and high-enrollment, multicenter evaluations (phase III). Methods of rAAV production capable of supporting such trials must be scalable, robust, and efficient. We have taken advantage of the ease of scalability of nonadherent cell culture techniques coupled with the inherent efficiency of viral infection to develop an rAAV production method based on recombinant baculovirus-mediated expression of AAV components in insect-derived suspension cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamas Virag
- Molecular Virology and Gene Delivery Section, Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Amini-Bavil-Olyaee S, Trautwein C, Tacke F. Hepatitis E vaccine: current status and future prospects. Future Virol 2009. [DOI: 10.2217/17460794.4.2.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
HEV, a positive ssRNA and nonenveloped virus, is endemic in many developing countries and one of the most frequent causes of acute hepatitis after fecal–oral transmission. Pregnant women are at particular risk for a fatal course of disease, including maternal and fetal mortality. Recent reports indicate that HEV genotype 3, possibly related to zoonotic transmission, may cause chronic hepatitis in some immunosuppressed organ transplant patients. Various approaches have been conducted to develop HEV vaccines, but only one candidate, a recombinant HEV (rHEV) vaccine generated from Spodoptera frugiperda-9 cells by baculoviruses expressing the HEV capsid antigen, has reached clinical Phase I and II trials so far. These trials suggest that the rHEV vaccine is safe and can prevent clinically overt acute hepatitis E in high-risk populations. We herein review the different approaches in HEV-vaccine development and critically discuss the current status and future directions of the rHEV vaccine used in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Trautwein
- Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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