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Selvaggio G, Leonardelli L, Lofano G, Fresnay S, Parolo S, Medini D, Siena E, Marchetti L. A quantitative systems pharmacology approach to support mRNA vaccine development and optimization. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol 2021; 10:1448-1451. [PMID: 34672423 PMCID: PMC8674002 DOI: 10.1002/psp4.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Selvaggio
- Fondazione The Microsoft Research – University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI)RoveretoItaly
| | - Lorena Leonardelli
- Fondazione The Microsoft Research – University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI)RoveretoItaly
| | | | | | - Silivia Parolo
- Fondazione The Microsoft Research – University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI)RoveretoItaly
| | | | | | - Luca Marchetti
- Fondazione The Microsoft Research – University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI)RoveretoItaly
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
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2
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Kiszewski AE, Cleary EG, Jackson MJ, Ledley FD. NIH funding for vaccine readiness before the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine 2021; 39:2458-2466. [PMID: 33781600 PMCID: PMC7938738 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rapid development of vaccines for COVID-19 has relied on the application of existing vaccine technologies. This work examines the maturity of ten technologies employed in candidate vaccines (as of July 2020) and NIH funding for published research on these technologies from 2000–2019. These technologies vary from established platforms, which have been used successfully in approved products, to emerging technologies with no prior clinical validation. A robust body of published research on vaccine technologies was supported by 16,358 fiscal years of NIH funding totaling $17.2 billion from 2000–2019. During this period, NIH funding for published vaccine research against specific pandemic threats such as coronavirus, Zika, Ebola, and dengue was not sustained. NIH funding contributed substantially to the advance of technologies available for rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines, suggesting the importance of sustained public sector funding for foundational technologies in the rapid response to emerging public health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony E Kiszewski
- Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, United States
| | - Ekaterina Galkina Cleary
- Center for Integration of Science and Industry, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, United States; Department of Mathematical Sciences, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, United States
| | - Matthew J Jackson
- Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, United States; Center for Integration of Science and Industry, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, United States
| | - Fred D Ledley
- Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, United States; Center for Integration of Science and Industry, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, United States; Department of Management, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, United States.
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3
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Connell DJ, Gebril A, Khan MAH, Patwardhan SV, Kubiak-Ossowska K, Ferro VA, Mulheran PA. Rationalising drug delivery using nanoparticles: a combined simulation and immunology study of GnRH adsorbed to silica nanoparticles. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17115. [PMID: 30459397 PMCID: PMC6244087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35143-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) have been shown to have significant potential for drug delivery and as adjuvants for vaccines. We have simulated the adsorption of GnRH-I (gonadotrophin releasing hormone I) and a cysteine-tagged modification (cys-GnRH-I) to model silica surfaces, as well as its conjugation to the widely-used carrier protein bovine serum albumin (BSA). Our subsequent immunological studies revealed no significant antibody production was caused by the peptide-SiNP systems, indicating that the treatment was not effective. However, the testosterone response with the native peptide-SiNPs indicated a drug effect not found with cys-GnRH-I-SiNPs; this behaviour is explained by the specific orientation of the peptides at the silica surface found in the simulations. With the BSA systems, we found significant testosterone reduction, particularly for the BSA-native conjugates, and an antibody response that was notably higher with the SiNPs acting as an adjuvant; this behaviour again correlates well with the epitope presentation predicted by the simulations. The range of immunological and hormone response can therefore be interpreted and understood by the simulation results and the presentation of the peptides to solution, paving the way for the future rational design of drug delivery and vaccine systems guided by biomolecular simulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Connell
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK
| | - Ayman Gebril
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Mohammad A H Khan
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
| | - Siddharth V Patwardhan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Karina Kubiak-Ossowska
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK
| | - Valerie A Ferro
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Paul A Mulheran
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK.
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Geels MJ, Thøgersen RL, Guzman CA, Ho MM, Verreck F, Collin N, Robertson JS, McConkey SJ, Kaufmann SHE, Leroy O. TRANSVAC research infrastructure - Results and lessons learned from the European network of vaccine research and development. Vaccine 2015; 33:5481-5487. [PMID: 25667962 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.01.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
TRANSVAC was a collaborative infrastructure project aimed at enhancing European translational vaccine research and training. The objective of this four year project (2009-2013), funded under the European Commission's (EC) seventh framework programme (FP7), was to support European collaboration in the vaccine field, principally through the provision of transnational access (TNA) to critical vaccine research and development (R&D) infrastructures, as well as by improving and harmonising the services provided by these infrastructures through joint research activities (JRA). The project successfully provided all available services to advance 29 projects and, through engaging all vaccine stakeholders, successfully laid down the blueprint for the implementation of a permanent research infrastructure for early vaccine R&D in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Geels
- European Vaccine Initiative, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 326 - 3.OG, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Regitze L Thøgersen
- European Vaccine Initiative, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 326 - 3.OG, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carlos A Guzman
- Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Mei Mei Ho
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Department of Health-Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Verreck
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Nicolas Collin
- Vaccine Formulation Laboratory, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - James S Robertson
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Department of Health-Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel J McConkey
- Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123St. Stephens Green Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Stefan H E Kaufmann
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Odile Leroy
- European Vaccine Initiative, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 326 - 3.OG, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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5
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Skrastina D, Petrovskis I, Lieknina I, Bogans J, Renhofa R, Ose V, Dishlers A, Dekhtyar Y, Pumpens P. Silica nanoparticles as the adjuvant for the immunisation of mice using hepatitis B core virus-like particles. PLoS One 2014; 9:e114006. [PMID: 25436773 PMCID: PMC4250084 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Accepted: 11/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in nanotechnology and nanomaterials have facilitated the development of silicon dioxide, or Silica, particles as a promising immunological adjuvant for the generation of novel prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. In the present study, we have compared the adjuvanting potential of commercially available Silica nanoparticles (initial particles size of 10–20 nm) with that of aluminium hydroxide, or Alum, as well as that of complete and incomplete Freund's adjuvants for the immunisation of BALB/c mice with virus-like particles (VLPs) formed by recombinant full-length Hepatitis B virus core (HBc) protein. The induction of B-cell and T-cell responses was studied after immunisation. Silica nanoparticles were able to adsorb maximally 40% of the added HBc, whereas the adsorption capacity of Alum exceeded 90% at the same VLPs/adjuvant ratio. Both Silica and Alum formed large complexes with HBc VLPs that sedimented rapidly after formulation, as detected by dynamic light scattering, spectrophotometry, and electron microscopy. Both Silica and Alum augmented the humoral response against HBc VLPs to the high anti-HBc level in the case of intraperitoneal immunisation, whereas in subcutaneous immunisation, the Silica-adjuvanted anti-HBc level even exceeded the level adjuvanted by Alum. The adjuvanting of HBc VLPs by Silica resulted in the same typical IgG2a/IgG1 ratios as in the case of the adjuvanting by Alum. The combination of Silica with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) led to the same enhancement of the HBc-specific T-cell induction as in the case of the Alum and MPL combination. These findings demonstrate that Silica is not a weaker putative adjuvant than Alum for induction of B-cell and T-cell responses against recombinant HBc VLPs. This finding may have an essential impact on the development of the set of Silica-adjuvanted vaccines based on a long list of HBc-derived virus-like particles as the biological component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dace Skrastina
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Ilva Lieknina
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
| | - Janis Bogans
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
| | - Regina Renhofa
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
| | - Velta Ose
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
| | | | - Yuri Dekhtyar
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanotechnologies, Riga Technical University, Riga, Latvia
| | - Paul Pumpens
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia
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Genetic vaccination against experimental infection with myotropic parasite strains of Trypanosoma cruzi. Mediators Inflamm 2014; 2014:605023. [PMID: 25061263 PMCID: PMC4098640 DOI: 10.1155/2014/605023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 05/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In earlier studies, we reported that a heterologous prime-boost regimen using recombinant plasmid DNA followed by replication-defective adenovirus vector, both containing Trypanosoma cruzi genes encoding trans-sialidase (TS) and amastigote surface protein (ASP) 2, provided protective immunity against experimental infection with a reticulotropic strain of this human protozoan parasite. Herein, we tested the outcome of genetic vaccination of F1 (CB10XBALB/c) mice challenged with myotropic parasite strains (Brazil and Colombian). Initially, we determined that the coadministration during priming of a DNA plasmid containing the murine IL-12 gene improved the immune response and was essential for protective immunity elicited by the heterologous prime-boost regimen in susceptible male mice against acute lethal infections with these parasites. The prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination of resistant female mice led to a drastic reduction in the number of inflammatory infiltrates in cardiac and skeletal muscles during the chronic phase of infection with either strain. Analysis of the electrocardiographic parameters showed that prophylactic vaccination reduced the frequencies of sinus arrhythmia and atrioventricular block. Our results confirmed that prophylactic vaccination using the TS and ASP-2 genes benefits the host against acute and chronic pathologies caused by T. cruzi and should be further evaluated for the development of a veterinary or human vaccine against Chagas disease.
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