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Beliveau M, Rubets I, Bojan D, Hall C, Toth D, Kodihalli S, Kammanadiminti S. Animal-to-Human Dose Translation of ANTHRASIL for Treatment of Inhalational Anthrax in Healthy Adults, Obese Adults, and Pediatric Subjects. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 115:248-255. [PMID: 38082506 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Anthrax Immune Globulin Intravenous (AIGIV [ANTHRASIL]), was developed for the treatment of toxemia associated with inhalational anthrax. It is a plasma product collected from individuals vaccinated with anthrax vaccine and contains antitoxin IgG antibodies against Bacillus anthracis protective antigen. A pharmacokinetic (PK) and exposure-response model was constructed to assess the PKs of AIGIV in anthrax-free and anthrax-exposed rabbits, non-human primates and anthrax-free humans, as well as the relationship between AIGIV exposure and survival from anthrax, based on available preclinical/clinical studies. The potential effect of anthrax on the PKs of AIGIV was evaluated and estimates of survival odds following administration of AIGIV protective doses with and without antibiotic co-treatment were established. As the developed PK model can simulate exposure of AIGIV in any species for any dosing scenario, the relationship between the predicted area under the concentration curve of AIGIV in humans and the probability of survival observed in preclinical studies was explored. Based on the simulation results, the intravenous administration of 420 U (units of potency as measured by validated Toxin Neutralization Assay) of AIGIV is expected to result in a > 80% probability of survival in more than 90% of the human population. Additional simulations suggest that exposure levels were similar in healthy and obese humans, and exposure in pediatrics is expected to be up to approximately seven-fold higher than in healthy adults, allowing for doses in pediatric populations that ranged from one to seven vials. Overall, the optimal human dose was justified based on the PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of AIGIV in animals and model-based translation of PK/PD to predict human exposure and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Beliveau
- Integrated Drug Development, Certara, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Igor Rubets
- Integrated Drug Development, Certara, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Drobic Bojan
- Emergent BioSolutions Inc., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Derek Toth
- Emergent BioSolutions Inc., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Sharma S, Bahl V, Srivastava G, Shamim R, Bhatnagar R, Gaur D. Recombinant full-length Bacillus Anthracis protective antigen and its 63 kDa form elicits protective response in formulation with addavax. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1075662. [PMID: 36713362 PMCID: PMC9877290 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1075662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent for the lethal disease anthrax, primarily affecting animals and humans in close contact with an infected host. The pathogenicity of B. anthracis is attributed to the secreted exotoxins and their outer capsule. The host cell-binding exotoxin component "protective antigen" (PA) is reported to be a potent vaccine candidate. The aim of our study is to produce several PA constructs and analyze their vaccine potential. Methods We have designed the various subunit, PA-based recombinant proteins, i.e., full-length Protective antigen (PA-FL), C-terminal 63 kDa fragment (PA63), Protective antigen domain 1-domain 4 chimeras (PA-D1-4) and protective antigen domain 4 (PA-D4) and analyzed their vaccine potential with different human-compatible adjuvants in the mouse model. We have optimized the process and successfully expressed our recombinant antigens as soluble proteins, except full-length PA. All the recombinant antigen formulations with three different adjuvants i.e., Addavax, Alhydrogel, and Montanide ISA 720, were immunized in different mouse groups. The vaccine efficacy of the formulations was analyzed by mouse serum antigen-specific antibody titer, toxin neutralization assay, and survival analysis of mouse groups challenged with a lethal dose of B. anthracis virulent spores. Results We have demonstrated that the PA-FL addavax and PA63 addavax formulations were most effective in protecting spore-challenged mice and serum from the mice immunized with PAFL addavax, PA-FL alhydrogel, PA63 addavax, and PA63 alhydrogel formulations were equivalently efficient in neutralizing the anthrax lethal toxin. The higher levels of serum Th1, Th2, and Th17 cytokines in PA-FL addavax immunized mice correspond to the enhanced protection provided by the formulation in challenged mice. Discussion We have demonstrated that the PA-FL addavax and PA63 addavax formulations exhibit equivalent efficiency as vaccine formulation both in a mouse model of anthrax and mammalian cell lines. However, PA63 is a smaller antigen than PA-FL and more importantly, PA63 is expressed as a soluble protein in E. coli, which imparts a translational advantage to PA63-based formulation. Thus, the outcome of our study has significant implications for the development of protective antigen-based vaccine formulations for human use against the lethal disease anthrax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikhar Sharma
- Laboratory of Malaria & Vaccine Research, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India,Department of Oncology Science, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States,*Correspondence: Shikhar Sharma, ;
| | - Vanndita Bahl
- Laboratory of Malaria & Vaccine Research, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Gaurav Srivastava
- Food Technology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Risha Shamim
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Bhatnagar
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepak Gaur
- Laboratory of Malaria & Vaccine Research, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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Kammanadiminti S, Comer J, Meister G, Carnelley T, Toth D, Kodihalli S. Efficacy of ANTHRASIL (Anthrax Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)) in rabbit and nonhuman primate models of inhalational anthrax: Data supporting approval under animal rule. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283164. [PMID: 36930692 PMCID: PMC10022752 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
To meet the requirements of the Animal Rule, the efficacy of monotherapy with ANTHRASIL® (Anthrax Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)) for inhalational anthrax was evaluated in blinded studies using rabbit and nonhuman primate models. Animals in both studies were randomized to treatment groups exposed to ~ 200 LD50 Bacillus anthracis (Ames strain) spores by the aerosol route to induce inhalational anthrax. Rabbits (N = 50/group) were treated with either 15 U/kg ANTHRASIL or a volume-matching dose of IGIV after disease onset as determined by the detection of bacterial toxin in the blood. At the end of the study, survival rates were 2% (1 of 48) in the IGIV control group, and 26% (13 of 50) in the ANTHRASIL-treated group (p = 0.0009). Similarly, ANTHRASIL was effective in cynomolgus monkeys (N = 16/group) when administered therapeutically after the onset of toxemia, with 6% survival in the IGIV control and a dose-related increase in survival of 36%, 43%, and 70% with 7.5, 15 or 30 U/kg doses of ANTHRASIL, respectively. These studies formed the basis for approval of ANTHRASIL by FDA under the Animal Rule.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Comer
- Battelle Biomedical Research Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Gabriel Meister
- Battelle Biomedical Research Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Trevor Carnelley
- Emergent BioSolutions Canada (Previously Cangene Corporation), Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Derek Toth
- Emergent BioSolutions Canada (Previously Cangene Corporation), Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Shantha Kodihalli
- Emergent BioSolutions Canada (Previously Cangene Corporation), Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Biselli R, Nisini R, Lista F, Autore A, Lastilla M, De Lorenzo G, Peragallo MS, Stroffolini T, D’Amelio R. A Historical Review of Military Medical Strategies for Fighting Infectious Diseases: From Battlefields to Global Health. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2050. [PMID: 36009598 PMCID: PMC9405556 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10082050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The environmental conditions generated by war and characterized by poverty, undernutrition, stress, difficult access to safe water and food as well as lack of environmental and personal hygiene favor the spread of many infectious diseases. Epidemic typhus, plague, malaria, cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis, tetanus, and smallpox have nearly constantly accompanied wars, frequently deeply conditioning the outcome of battles/wars more than weapons and military strategy. At the end of the nineteenth century, with the birth of bacteriology, military medical researchers in Germany, the United Kingdom, and France were active in discovering the etiological agents of some diseases and in developing preventive vaccines. Emil von Behring, Ronald Ross and Charles Laveran, who were or served as military physicians, won the first, the second, and the seventh Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for discovering passive anti-diphtheria/tetanus immunotherapy and for identifying mosquito Anopheline as a malaria vector and plasmodium as its etiological agent, respectively. Meanwhile, Major Walter Reed in the United States of America discovered the mosquito vector of yellow fever, thus paving the way for its prevention by vector control. In this work, the military relevance of some vaccine-preventable and non-vaccine-preventable infectious diseases, as well as of biological weapons, and the military contributions to their control will be described. Currently, the civil-military medical collaboration is getting closer and becoming interdependent, from research and development for the prevention of infectious diseases to disasters and emergencies management, as recently demonstrated in Ebola and Zika outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic, even with the high biocontainment aeromedical evacuation, in a sort of global health diplomacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Biselli
- Ispettorato Generale della Sanità Militare, Stato Maggiore della Difesa, Via S. Stefano Rotondo 4, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Roberto Nisini
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Florigio Lista
- Dipartimento Scientifico, Policlinico Militare, Comando Logistico dell’Esercito, Via S. Stefano Rotondo 4, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Alberto Autore
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico della Difesa, Ispettorato Generale della Sanità Militare, Stato Maggiore della Difesa, Via S. Stefano Rotondo 4, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Lastilla
- Istituto di Medicina Aerospaziale, Comando Logistico dell’Aeronautica Militare, Viale Piero Gobetti 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe De Lorenzo
- Comando Generale dell’Arma dei Carabinieri, Dipartimento per l’Organizzazione Sanitaria e Veterinaria, Viale Romania 45, 00197 Roma, Italy
| | - Mario Stefano Peragallo
- Centro Studi e Ricerche di Sanità e Veterinaria, Comando Logistico dell’Esercito, Via S. Stefano Rotondo 4, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Tommaso Stroffolini
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive e Tropicali, Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Raffaele D’Amelio
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Sapienza Università di Roma, Via di Grottarossa 1035-1039, 00189 Roma, Italy
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Song X, Zhang W, Zhai L, Guo J, Zhao Y, Zhang L, Hu L, Xiong X, Zhou D, Lv M, Yang W. Aerosolized Intratracheal Inoculation of Recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA) Vaccine Provides Protection Against Inhalational Anthrax in B10.D2-Hc 0 Mice. Front Immunol 2022; 13:819089. [PMID: 35154137 PMCID: PMC8826967 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.819089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax caused by Bacillus anthracis is a fatal zoonotic disease with a high lethality and poor prognosis. Inhalational anthrax is the most severe of the three forms of anthrax. The currently licensed commercial human anthrax vaccines require a complex immunization procedure for efficacy and have side effects that limit its use in emergent situations. Thus, development of a better anthrax vaccine is necessary. In this study, we evaluate the potency and efficacy of aerosolized intratracheal (i.t.) inoculation with recombinant protective antigen (rPA) subunit vaccines against aerosolized B. anthracis Pasteur II spores (an attenuated strain) challenge in a B10.D2-Hc0 mouse (deficient in complement component C5) model. Immunization of rPA in liquid, powder or powder reconstituted formulations via i.t. route conferred 100% protection against a 20× LD50 aerosolized Pasteur II spore challenge in mice, compared with only 50% of subcutaneous (s.c.) injection with liquid rPA. Consistently, i.t. inoculation of rPA vaccines induced a higher lethal toxin (LeTx) neutralizing antibody titer, a stronger lung mucosal immune response and a greater cellular immune response than s.c. injection. Our results demonstrate that immunization with rPA dry powder vaccine via i.t. route may provide a stable and effective strategy to improve currently available anthrax vaccines and B10.D2-Hc0 mice challenged with B. anthracis attenuated strains might be an alternative model for anthrax vaccine candidate screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Lina Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jianshu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Lingfei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolu Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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Zorigt T, Furuta Y, Simbotwe M, Ochi A, Tsujinouchi M, Shawa M, Shimizu T, Isoda N, Enkhtuya J, Higashi H. Development of ELISA based on Bacillus anthracis capsule biosynthesis protein CapA for naturally acquired antibodies against anthrax. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258317. [PMID: 34634075 PMCID: PMC8504768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-positive spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Detecting naturally acquired antibodies against anthrax sublethal exposure in animals is essential for anthrax surveillance and effective control measures. Serological assays based on protective antigen (PA) of B. anthracis are mainly used for anthrax surveillance and vaccine evaluation. Although the assay is reliable, it is challenging to distinguish the naturally acquired antibodies from vaccine-induced immunity in animals because PA is cross-reactive to both antibodies. Although additional data on the vaccination history of animals could bypass this problem, such data are not readily accessible in many cases. In this study, we established a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specific to antibodies against capsule biosynthesis protein CapA antigen of B. anthracis, which is non-cross-reactive to vaccine-induced antibodies in horses. Using in silico analyses, we screened coding sequences encoded on pXO2 plasmid, which is absent in the veterinary vaccine strain Sterne 34F2 but present in virulent strains of B. anthracis. Among the 8 selected antigen candidates, capsule biosynthesis protein CapA (GBAA_RS28240) and peptide ABC transporter substrate-binding protein (GBAA_RS28340) were detected by antibodies in infected horse sera. Of these, CapA has not yet been identified as immunoreactive in other studies to the best of our knowledge. Considering the protein solubility and specificity of B. anthracis, we prepared the C-terminus region of CapA, named CapA322, and developed CapA322-ELISA based on a horse model. Comparative analysis of the CapA322-ELISA and PAD1-ELISA (ELISA uses domain one of the PA) showed that CapA322-ELISA could detect anti-CapA antibodies in sera from infected horses but was non-reactive to sera from vaccinated horses. The CapA322-ELISA could contribute to the anthrax surveillance in endemic areas, and two immunoreactive proteins identified in this study could be additives to the improvement of current or future vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuvshinzaya Zorigt
- Division of Infection and Immunity, International Institute for Zoonosis Control (Former Research Center for Zoonosis Control), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Furuta
- Division of Infection and Immunity, International Institute for Zoonosis Control (Former Research Center for Zoonosis Control), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Manyando Simbotwe
- Division of Infection and Immunity, International Institute for Zoonosis Control (Former Research Center for Zoonosis Control), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Ochi
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Mai Tsujinouchi
- Division of Infection and Immunity, International Institute for Zoonosis Control (Former Research Center for Zoonosis Control), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Misheck Shawa
- Division of Infection and Immunity, International Institute for Zoonosis Control (Former Research Center for Zoonosis Control), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Shimizu
- Division of Infection and Immunity, International Institute for Zoonosis Control (Former Research Center for Zoonosis Control), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Norikazu Isoda
- Laboratory of Microbiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | | | - Hideaki Higashi
- Division of Infection and Immunity, International Institute for Zoonosis Control (Former Research Center for Zoonosis Control), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Vietri NJ, Tobery SA, Chabot DJ, Ingavale S, Somerville BC, Miller JA, Schellhase CW, Twenhafel NA, Fetterer DP, Cote CK, Klimko CP, Boyer AE, Woolfitt AR, Barr JR, Wright ME, Friedlander AM. Clindamycin Protects Nonhuman Primates Against Inhalational Anthrax But Does Not Enhance Reduction of Circulating Toxin Levels When Combined With Ciprofloxacin. J Infect Dis 2021; 223:319-325. [PMID: 32697310 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inhalational anthrax is rare and clinical experience limited. Expert guidelines recommend treatment with combination antibiotics including protein synthesis-inhibitors to decrease toxin production and increase survival, although evidence is lacking. METHODS Rhesus macaques exposed to an aerosol of Bacillus anthracis spores were treated with ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, or ciprofloxacin + clindamycin after becoming bacteremic. Circulating anthrax lethal factor and protective antigen were quantitated pretreatment and 1.5 and 12 hours after beginning antibiotics. RESULTS In the clindamycin group, 8 of 11 (73%) survived demonstrating its efficacy for the first time in inhalational anthrax, compared to 9 of 9 (100%) with ciprofloxacin, and 8 of 11 (73%) with ciprofloxacin + clindamycin. These differences were not statistically significant. There were no significant differences between groups in lethal factor or protective antigen levels from pretreatment to 12 hours after starting antibiotics. Animals that died after clindamycin had a greater incidence of meningitis compared to those given ciprofloxacin or ciprofloxacin + clindamycin, but numbers of animals were very low and no definitive conclusion could be reached. CONCLUSION Treatment of inhalational anthrax with clindamycin was as effective as ciprofloxacin in the nonhuman primate. Addition of clindamycin to ciprofloxacin did not enhance reduction of circulating toxin levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Vietri
- Division of Bacteriology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven A Tobery
- Division of Bacteriology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Donald J Chabot
- Division of Bacteriology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Susham Ingavale
- Division of Bacteriology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Brandon C Somerville
- Division of Bacteriology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeremy A Miller
- Division of Bacteriology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Chris W Schellhase
- Division of Pathology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Nancy A Twenhafel
- Division of Pathology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - David P Fetterer
- Division of Biostatistics, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher K Cote
- Division of Bacteriology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher P Klimko
- Division of Bacteriology, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Anne E Boyer
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Adrian R Woolfitt
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - John R Barr
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mary E Wright
- Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Arthur M Friedlander
- Headquarters, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland, USA.,Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of a Non-Living Anthrax Vaccine versus a Live Spore Vaccine with Simultaneous Penicillin-G Treatment in Cattle. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8040595. [PMID: 33050254 PMCID: PMC7711464 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sterne live spore vaccine (SLSV) is the current veterinary anthrax vaccine of choice. Unlike the non-living anthrax vaccine (NLAV) prototype, SLSV is incompatible with concurrent antibiotics use in an anthrax outbreak scenario. The NLAV candidates used in this study include a crude recombinant protective antigen (CrPA) and a purified recombinant protective antigen (PrPA) complemented by formalin-inactivated spores and Emulsigen-D®/Alhydrogel® adjuvants. Cattle were vaccinated twice (week 0 and 3) with NLAVs plus penicillin-G (Pen-G) treatment and compared to cattle vaccinated twice with SLSV alone and with Pen-G treatment. The immunogenicity was assessed using ELISA against rPA and FIS, toxin neutralisation assay (TNA) and opsonophagocytic assay. The protection was evaluated using an in vivo passive immunisation mouse model. The anti-rPA IgG titres for NLAVs plus Pen-G and SLSV without Pen-G treatment showed a significant increase, whereas the titres for SLSV plus Pen-G were insignificant compared to pre-vaccination values. A similar trend was measured for IgM, IgG1, and IgG2 and TNA titres (NT50) showed similar trends to anti-rPA titres across all vaccine groups. The anti-FIS IgG and IgM titres increased significantly for all vaccination groups at week 3 and 5 when compared to week 0. The spore opsonising capacity increased significantly in the NLAV vaccinated groups including Pen-G treatment and the SLSV without Pen-G but much less in the SLSV group with Pen-G treatment. Passive immunization of A/J mice challenged with a lethal dose of 34F2 spores indicated significant protective capacity of antibodies raised in the SLSV and the PrPA + FIS + adjuvants vaccinated and Pen-G treated groups but not for the NLAV with the CrPA + FIS + adjuvants and the SLSV vaccinated and Pen-G treated group. Our findings indicate that the PrPA + FIS + Emulsigen-D®/Alhydrogel® vaccine candidate may provide the same level of antibody responses and protective capacity as the SLSV. Advantageously, it can be used concurrently with Penicillin-G in an outbreak situation and as prophylactic treatment in feedlots and valuable breeding stocks.
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Skoura N, Wang-Jairaj J, Della Pasqua O, Chandrasekaran V, Billiard J, Yeakey A, Smith W, Steel H, Tan LK. Effect of raxibacumab on immunogenicity of Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed: a phase 4, open-label, parallel-group, randomised non-inferiority study. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2020; 20:983-991. [PMID: 32333847 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(20)30069-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Raxibacumab is a monoclonal antibody against protective antigen, which is the cell-binding part of Bacillus anthracis toxin, and is approved for treatment and postexposure prophylaxis of inhalational anthrax. Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (AVA), for anthrax prophylaxis, consists primarily of adsorbed protective antigen. We did a postapproval study to assess the effect of raxibacumab on immunogenicity of AVA. METHODS We did an open-label, parallel-group, randomised non-inferiority study at three centres in the USA. We enrolled healthy volunteers (aged 18-65 years) with no evidence of exposure to protective antigen. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) according to a pregenerated balanced independent randomisation schedule to either subcutaneous 0·5 mL AVA on days 1, 15, and 29 or raxibacumab intravenous infusion (40 mg/kg) immediately before AVA on day 1, followed by AVA only on days 15 and 29. It was an open-label study to investigators and participants; however, the sponsor remained blinded during the study. The primary outcome was the ratio of geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of anti-protective antigen antibodies (attributable to the immune response to AVA) between AVA and AVA plus raxibacumab 4 weeks after the first AVA dose in the per-protocol population. The per-protocol population comprised all individuals who received the allocated treatment within the protocol-specified visit window and completed the primary study outcome assessment, without a protocol deviation requiring exclusion. The non-inferiority margin for the ratio of GMCs was predefined (upper limit of 90% CI <1·5). This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02339155. FINDINGS Between Feb 24, 2015, and June 6, 2017, 873 participants were screened for eligibility, of whom 300 were excluded. 573 were randomly allocated either AVA (n=287) or AVA plus raxibacumab (n=286). The per-protocol population comprised 276 individuals assigned AVA and 269 allocated AVA plus raxibacumab. At week 4, the GMC of anti-protective antigen antibodies in participants allocated AVA was 26·5 μg/mL (95% CI 23·6-29·8) compared with 22·5 μg/mL (20·1-25·1) among individuals allocated AVA plus raxibacumab. The ratio between groups was 1·18 (90% CI 1·03-1·35; p=0·0019), which met the predefined non-inferiority margin. Adverse events in the safety population were similar across groups (87 [30%] of 286 in the AVA group vs 80 [29%] of 280 in the AVA plus raxibacumab group) and no treatment-related serious adverse events were reported. INTERPRETATION Co-administration of raxibacumab with AVA does not negatively affect AVA immunogenicity. This finding suggests that combining raxibacumab with AVA might provide added benefit in postexposure prophylaxis against inhalational anthrax. FUNDING US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and GlaxoSmithKline.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - William Smith
- Alliance for Multispecialty Research at University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, TN, USA; New Orleans Center for Clinical Research, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Kondakova OA, Nikitin NA, Evtushenko EA, Ryabchevskaya EM, Atabekov JG, Karpova OV. Vaccines against anthrax based on recombinant protective antigen: problems and solutions. Expert Rev Vaccines 2019; 18:813-828. [PMID: 31298973 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2019.1643242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Anthrax is a dangerous bio-terror agent because Bacillus anthracis spores are highly resilient and can be easily aerosolized and disseminated. There is a threat of deliberate use of anthrax spores aerosol that could lead to serious fatal diseases outbreaks. Existing control measures against inhalation form of the disease are limited. All of this has provided an impetus to the development of new generation vaccines. Areas сovered: This review is devoted to challenges and achievements in the design of vaccines based on the anthrax recombinant protective antigen (rPA). Scientific databases have been searched, focusing on causes of PA instability and solutions to this problem, including new approaches of rPA expression, novel rPA-based vaccines formulations as well as the simultaneous usage of PA with other anthrax antigens. Expert opinion: PA is a central anthrax toxin component, playing a key role in the defense against encapsulated and unencapsulated strains. Subunit rPA-based vaccines have a good safety and protective profile. However, there are problems of PA instability that are greatly enhanced when using aluminum adjuvants. New adjuvant compositions, dry formulations and resistant to proteolysis and deamidation mutant PA forms can help to handle this issue. Devising a modern anthrax vaccine requires huge efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A Kondakova
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Nikolai A Nikitin
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Ekaterina A Evtushenko
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Ekaterina M Ryabchevskaya
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Joseph G Atabekov
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | - Olga V Karpova
- a Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Moscow , Russian Federation
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Koehler SM, Buyuk F, Celebi O, Demiraslan H, Doganay M, Sahin M, Moehring J, Ndumnego OC, Otlu S, van Heerden H, Beyer W. Protection of farm goats by combinations of recombinant peptides and formalin inactivated spores from a lethal Bacillus anthracis challenge under field conditions. BMC Vet Res 2017; 13:220. [PMID: 28701192 PMCID: PMC5508662 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-1140-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bacillus (B.) anthracis, the causal agent of anthrax, is effectively controlled by the Sterne live spore vaccine (34F2) in animals. However, live spore vaccines are not suitable for simultaneous vaccination and antibiotic treatment of animals being at risk of infection in an outbreak situation. Non-living vaccines could close this gap. Results In this study a combination of recombinant protective antigen and recombinant Bacillus collagen-like antigen (rBclA) with or without formalin inactivated spores (FIS), targeted at raising an immune response against both the toxins and the spore of B. anthracis, was tested for immunogenicity and protectiveness in goats. Two groups of goats received from local farmers of the Kars region of Turkey were immunized thrice in three weeks intervals and challenged together with non-vaccinated controls with virulent B. anthracis, four weeks after last immunization. In spite of low or none measurable toxin neutralizing antibodies and a surprisingly low immune response to the rBclA, 80% of the goats receiving the complete vaccine were protected against a lethal challenge. Moreover, the course of antibody responses indicates that a two-step vaccination schedule could be sufficient for protection. Conclusion The combination of recombinant protein antigens and FIS induces a protective immune response in goats. The non-living nature of this vaccine would allow for a concomitant antibiotic treatment and vaccination procedure. Further studies should clarify how this vaccine candidate performs in a post infection scenario controlled by antibiotics. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-017-1140-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne M Koehler
- Department of Infectiology and Animal Hygiene, University of Hohenheim, Institute of Animal Science, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany.,Robert-Koch-Institut, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fatih Buyuk
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Kafkas University, 36300, Kars, Turkey
| | - Ozgur Celebi
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Kafkas University, 36300, Kars, Turkey
| | - Hayati Demiraslan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Doganay
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Mitat Sahin
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Kafkas University, 36300, Kars, Turkey
| | - Jens Moehring
- Institute for Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Biostatistical Unit, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Okechukwu C Ndumnego
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.,Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, 4013, South Africa
| | - Salih Otlu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Kafkas University, 36300, Kars, Turkey
| | - Henriette van Heerden
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - Wolfgang Beyer
- Department of Infectiology and Animal Hygiene, University of Hohenheim, Institute of Animal Science, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany.
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Protection against inhalation anthrax by immunization with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi Ty21a stably producing protective antigen of Bacillus anthracis. NPJ Vaccines 2017; 2:17. [PMID: 29263873 PMCID: PMC5627300 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-017-0018-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The national blueprint for biodefense concluded that the United States is underprepared for biological threats. The licensed anthrax vaccine absorbed vaccine, BioThrax, requires administration of at least 3–5 intramuscular doses. The anthrax vaccine absorbed vaccine consists of complex cell-free culture filtrates of a toxigenic Bacillus anthracis strain and causes tenderness at the injection site and significant adverse events. We integrated a codon-optimized, protective antigen gene of B. anthracis (plus extracellular secretion machinery), into the chromosome of the licensed, oral, live-attenuated typhoid fever vaccineTy21a to form Ty21a-PA-01 and demonstrated excellent expression of the gene encoding protective antigen. We produced the vaccine in a 10-L fermenter; foam-dried and vialed it, and characterized the dried product. The vaccine retained ~50% viability for 20 months at ambient temperature. Sera from animals immunized by the intraperitoneal route had high levels of anti-protective antigen antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and anthrax lethal toxin-neutralizing activity. Immunized mice were fully protected against intranasal challenge with ~5 LD50 of B. anthracis Sterne spores, and 70% (7/10) of vaccinated rabbits were protected against aerosol challenge with 200 LD50 of B. anthracis Ames spores. There was a significant correlation between protection and antibody levels determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and toxin-neutralizing activity. These data provide the foundation for achievement of our ultimate goal, which is to develop an oral anthrax vaccine that is stable at ambient temperatures and induces the rapid onset of durable, high-level protection after a 1-week immunization regimen. A vaccine candidate for anthrax infection shows promise for improving preparedness for a biological attack. Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium responsible for anthrax is a top-tier bioterrorism agent due to its high lethality and spore stability. The current FDA-approved anthrax vaccine and other vaccine candidates in development lack ease of preparation, have short shelf lives and adverse effects. B. Kim Lee Sim of Protein Potential LLC and her collaborators combined key B. anthracis genetic material into an existing typhoid vaccine. The vaccine vector possesses high stability, a strong safety record, and offers long-term protection after oral administration, which Sim’s group hopes to preserve in their candidate anthrax vaccine. The team showed that their hybrid vaccine conferred excellent protection in rabbits and a short vaccination regimen, and suggest further studies into its suitability for human vaccine studies.
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Suryanarayana N, Verma M, Thavachelvam K, Saxena N, Mankere B, Tuteja U, Hmuaka V. Generation of a novel chimeric PALFn antigen of Bacillus anthracis and its immunological characterization in mouse model. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 100:8439-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-016-7684-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Mamedov T, Chichester JA, Jones RM, Ghosh A, Coffin MV, Herschbach K, Prokhnevsky AI, Streatfield SJ, Yusibov V. Production of Functionally Active and Immunogenic Non-Glycosylated Protective Antigen from Bacillus anthracis in Nicotiana benthamiana by Co-Expression with Peptide-N-Glycosidase F (PNGase F) of Flavobacterium meningosepticum. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153956. [PMID: 27101370 PMCID: PMC4839623 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis has long been considered a potential biological warfare agent, and therefore, there is a need for a safe, low-cost and highly efficient anthrax vaccine with demonstrated long-term stability for mass vaccination in case of an emergency. Many efforts have been made towards developing an anthrax vaccine based on recombinant protective antigen (rPA) of B. anthracis, a key component of the anthrax toxin, produced using different expression systems. Plants represent a promising recombinant protein production platform due to their relatively low cost, rapid scalability and favorable safety profile. Previous studies have shown that full-length rPA produced in Nicotiana benthamiana (pp-PA83) is immunogenic and can provide full protection against lethal spore challenge; however, further improvement in the potency and stability of the vaccine candidate is necessary. PA of B. anthracis is not a glycoprotein in its native host; however, this protein contains potential N-linked glycosylation sites, which can be aberrantly glycosylated during expression in eukaryotic systems including plants. This glycosylation could affect the availability of certain key epitopes either due to masking or misfolding of the protein. Therefore, a non-glycosylated form of pp-PA83 was engineered and produced in N. benthamiana using an in vivo deglycosylation approach based on co-expression of peptide-N-glycosidase F (PNGase F) from Flavobacterium meningosepticum. For comparison, versions of pp-PA83 containing point mutations in six potential N-glycosylation sites were also engineered and expressed in N. benthamiana. The in vivo deglycosylated pp-PA83 (pp-dPA83) was shown to have in vitro activity, in contrast to glycosylated pp-PA83, and to induce significantly higher levels of toxin-neutralizing antibody responses in mice compared with glycosylated pp-PA83, in vitro deglycosylated pp-PA83 or the mutated versions of pp-PA83. These results suggest that pp-dPA83 may offer advantages in terms of dose sparing and enhanced immunogenicity as a promising candidate for a safe, effective and low-cost subunit vaccine against anthrax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarlan Mamedov
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Jessica A. Chichester
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - R. Mark Jones
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Ananya Ghosh
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Megan V. Coffin
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Kristina Herschbach
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Alexey I. Prokhnevsky
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Stephen J. Streatfield
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Vidadi Yusibov
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
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Animal Models for the Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention of Infection by Bacillus anthracis. Microbiol Spectr 2016; 3:TBS-0001-2012. [PMID: 26104551 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.tbs-0001-2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reviews the characteristics of the major animal models utilized for studies on Bacillus anthracis and highlights their contributions to understanding the pathogenesis and host responses to anthrax and its treatment and prevention. Advantages and drawbacks associated with each model, to include the major models (murine, guinea pig, rabbit, nonhuman primate, and rat), and other less frequently utilized models, are discussed. Although the three principal forms of anthrax are addressed, the main focus of this review is on models for inhalational anthrax. The selection of an animal model for study is often not straightforward and is dependent on the specific aims of the research or test. No single animal species provides complete equivalence to humans; however, each species, when used appropriately, can contribute to a more complete understanding of anthrax and its etiologic agent.
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Abstract
Anthrax is caused by the spore-forming, gram-positive bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The bacterium's major virulence factors are (a) the anthrax toxins and (b) an antiphagocytic polyglutamic capsule. These are encoded by two large plasmids, the former by pXO1 and the latter by pXO2. The expression of both is controlled by the bicarbonate-responsive transcriptional regulator, AtxA. The anthrax toxins are three polypeptides-protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF), and edema factor (EF)-that come together in binary combinations to form lethal toxin and edema toxin. PA binds to cellular receptors to translocate LF (a protease) and EF (an adenylate cyclase) into cells. The toxins alter cell signaling pathways in the host to interfere with innate immune responses in early stages of infection and to induce vascular collapse at late stages. This review focuses on the role of anthrax toxins in pathogenesis. Other virulence determinants, as well as vaccines and therapeutics, are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahtab Moayeri
- Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; , , , ,
| | - Stephen H Leppla
- Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; , , , ,
| | - Catherine Vrentas
- Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; , , , ,
| | - Andrei P Pomerantsev
- Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; , , , ,
| | - Shihui Liu
- Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; , , , ,
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Generation and Characterization of Human Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Anthrax Protective Antigen following Vaccination with a Recombinant Protective Antigen Vaccine. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2015; 22:553-60. [PMID: 25787135 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00792-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The anthrax protective antigen (PA) is the central component of the three-part anthrax toxin, and it is the primary immunogenic component in the approved AVA anthrax vaccine and the "next-generation" recombinant PA (rPA) anthrax vaccines. Animal models have indicated that PA-specific antibodies (AB) are sufficient to protect against infection with Bacillus anthracis. In this study, we investigated the PA domain specificity, affinity, mechanisms of neutralization, and synergistic effects of PA-specific antibodies from a single donor following vaccination with the rPA vaccine. Antibody-secreting cells were isolated 7 days after the donor received a boost vaccination, and 34 fully human monoclonal antibodies (hMAb) were identified. Clones 8H6, 4A3, and 22F1 were able to neutralize lethal toxin (LeTx) both in vitro and in vivo. Clone 8H6 neutralized LeTx by preventing furin cleavage of PA in a dose-dependent manner. Clone 4A3 enhanced degradation of nicked PA, thereby interfering with PA oligomerization. The mechanism of 22F1 is still unclear. A fourth clone, 2A6, that was protective only in vitro was found to be neutralizing in vivo in combination with a toxin-enhancing antibody, 8A7, which binds to domain 3 of PA and PA oligomers. These results provide novel insights into the antibody response elicited by the rPA vaccine and may be useful for PA-based vaccine and immunotherapeutic cocktail design.
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Kim YH, Kim KA, Kim YR, Choi MK, Kim HK, Choi KJ, Chun JH, Cha K, Hong KJ, Lee NG, Yoo CK, Oh HB, Kim TS, Rhie GE. Immunoproteomically identified GBAA_0345, alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit C is a potential target for multivalent anthrax vaccine. Proteomics 2014; 14:93-104. [PMID: 24273028 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201200495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2012] [Revised: 10/04/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Anthrax is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which has been used as a weapon for bioterrorism. Although current vaccines are effective, they involve prolonged dose regimens and often cause adverse reactions. High rates of mortality associated with anthrax have made the development of an improved vaccine a top priority. To identify novel vaccine candidates, we applied an immunoproteomics approach. Using sera from convalescent guinea pigs or from human patients with anthrax, we identified 34 immunogenic proteins from the virulent B. anthracis H9401. To evaluate vaccine candidates, six were expressed as recombinant proteins and tested in vivo. Two proteins, rGBAA_0345 (alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit C) and rGBAA_3990 (malonyl CoA-acyl carrier protein transacylase), have afforded guinea pigs partial protection from a subsequent virulent-spore challenge. Moreover, combined vaccination with rGBAA_0345 and rPA (protective antigen) exhibited an enhanced ability to protect against anthrax mortality. Finally, we demonstrated that GBAA_0345 localizes to anthrax spores and bacilli. Our results indicate that rGBAA_0345 may be a potential component of a multivalent anthrax vaccine, as it enhances the efficacy of rPA vaccination. This is the first time that sera from patients with anthrax have been used to interrogate the proteome of virulent B. anthracis vegetative cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeon Hee Kim
- Division of High-risk Pathogen Research, Korea National Institute of Health, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea; School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Jończyk-Matysiak E, Kłak M, Weber-Dąbrowska B, Borysowski J, Górski A. Possible use of bacteriophages active against Bacillus anthracis and other B. cereus group members in the face of a bioterrorism threat. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:735413. [PMID: 25247187 PMCID: PMC4163355 DOI: 10.1155/2014/735413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Revised: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Anthrax is an infectious fatal disease with epidemic potential. Nowadays, bioterrorism using Bacillus anthracis is a real possibility, and thus society needs an effective weapon to neutralize this threat. The pathogen may be easily transmitted to human populations. It is easy to store, transport, and disseminate and may survive for many decades. Recent data strongly support the effectiveness of bacteriophage in treating bacterial diseases. Moreover, it is clear that bacteriophages should be considered a potential incapacitative agent against bioterrorism using bacteria belonging to B. cereus group, especially B. anthracis. Therefore, we have reviewed the possibility of using bacteriophages active against Bacillus anthracis and other species of the B. cereus group in the face of a bioterrorism threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Marlena Kłak
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Beata Weber-Dąbrowska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
- Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Jan Borysowski
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, The Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
- Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, The Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
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Kaur M, Singh S, Bhatnagar R. Anthrax vaccines: present status and future prospects. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 12:955-70. [PMID: 23984963 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2013.814860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The management of anthrax remains a top priority among the biowarfare/bioterror agents. It was the Bacillus anthracis spore attack through the US mail system after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the USA that highlighted the potential of B. anthracis as a bioterrorism agent and the threat posed by its deliberate dissemination. These attacks invigorated the efforts toward understanding the anthrax pathogenesis and development of more comprehensive medical intervention strategies for its containment in case of both natural disease and manmade, accidental or deliberate infection of a non-suspecting population. Currently, efforts are directed toward the development of safe and efficacious vaccines as well as intervention tools for controlling the disease in the advanced fulminant stage when toxemia has already developed. This work presents an overview of the current understanding of anthrax pathogenesis and recent advances made, particularly after 2001, for the successful management of anthrax and outlines future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manpreet Kaur
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, Delhi, India
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Whiting G, Wheeler JX, Rijpkema S. Identification of peptide sequences as a measure of Anthrax vaccine stability during storage. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2014; 10:1669-81. [PMID: 24637775 PMCID: PMC4185962 DOI: 10.4161/hv.28443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The UK anthrax vaccine is an alum precipitate of a sterile filtrate of Bacillus anthracis Sterne culture (AVP). An increase in shelf life of AVP from 3 to 5 years prompted us to investigate the in vivo potency and the antigen content of 12 batches with a shelf life of 6.4 to 9.9 years and one bulk with a shelf life of 23.8 years. All batches, except for a 9.4-year-old batch, passed the potency test. Mass spectrometry (MS) and in-gel difference 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (DIGE) were used to examine antigens of the pellet and supernatant of AVP. The pellet contained proteins with a MW in excess of 15 kDa. DIGE of desorbed proteins from the pellet revealed that with aging, 19 spots showed a significant change in size or intensity, a sign of protein degradation. MS identified 21 proteins including protective antigen (PA), enolase, lethal factor (LF), nucleoside diphosphate kinase, edema factor, and S-layer proteins. Fifteen proteins were detected for the first time including metabolic enzymes, iron binding proteins, and manganese dependent superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). The supernatant contained131 peptide sequences. Peptides representing septum formation inhibitor protein and repeat domain protein were most abundant. Five proteins were shared with the pellet: 2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine-6-dicarboxylate N-succinyltransferase, enolase, LF, MnSOD, and PA. The number of peptide sequences increased with age. Peptides from PA and LF appeared once batches exceeded their shelf life by 2 and 4 years, respectively. In conclusion, changes in antigen content resulting from decay or desorption only had a limited effect on in vivo potency of AVP. The presence of PA and LF peptides in the supernatant can inform on the age and stability of AVP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail Whiting
- Division of Bacteriology; National Institute for Biological Standards and Control; Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Jun X Wheeler
- Laboratory of Molecular Structure; National Institute for Biological Standards and Control; Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Sjoerd Rijpkema
- Division of Bacteriology; National Institute for Biological Standards and Control; Hertfordshire, UK
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Tournier JN, Ulrich RG, Quesnel-Hellmann A, Mohamadzadeh M, Stiles BG. Anthrax, toxins and vaccines: a 125-year journey targetingBacillus anthracis. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2014; 7:219-36. [DOI: 10.1586/14787210.7.2.219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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23
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Wright JG, Plikaytis BD, Rose CE, Parker SD, Babcock J, Keitel W, El Sahly H, Poland GA, Jacobson RM, Keyserling HL, Semenova VA, Li H, Schiffer J, Dababneh H, Martin SK, Martin SW, Marano N, Messonnier NE, Quinn CP. Effect of reduced dose schedules and intramuscular injection of anthrax vaccine adsorbed on immunological response and safety profile: a randomized trial. Vaccine 2013; 32:1019-28. [PMID: 24373307 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Revised: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We evaluated an alternative administration route, reduced schedule priming series, and increased intervals between booster doses for anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA). AVA's originally licensed schedule was 6 subcutaneous (SQ) priming injections administered at months (m) 0, 0.5, 1, 6, 12 and 18 with annual boosters; a simpler schedule is desired. METHODS Through a multicenter randomized, double blind, non-inferiority Phase IV human clinical trial, the originally licensed schedule was compared to four alternative and two placebo schedules. 8-SQ group participants received 6 SQ injections with m30 and m42 "annual" boosters; participants in the 8-IM group received intramuscular (IM) injections according to the same schedule. Reduced schedule groups (7-IM, 5-IM, 4-IM) received IM injections at m0, m1, m6; at least one of the m0.5, m12, m18, m30 vaccine doses were replaced with saline. All reduced schedule groups received a m42 booster. Post-injection blood draws were taken two to four weeks following injection. Non-inferiority of the alternative schedules was compared to the 8-SQ group at m2, m7, and m43. Reactogenicity outcomes were proportions of injection site and systemic adverse events (AEs). RESULTS The 8-IM group's m2 response was non-inferior to the 8-SQ group for the three primary endpoints of anti-protective antigen IgG geometric mean concentration (GMC), geometric mean titer, and proportion of responders with a 4-fold rise in titer. At m7 anti-PA IgG GMCs for the three reduced dosage groups were non-inferior to the 8-SQ group GMCs. At m43, 8-IM, 5-IM, and 4-IM group GMCs were superior to the 8-SQ group. Solicited injection site AEs occurred at lower proportions in the IM group compared to SQ. Route of administration did not influence the occurrence of systemic AEs. A 3 dose IM priming schedule with doses administered at m0, m1, and m6 elicited long term immunological responses and robust immunological memory that was efficiently stimulated by a single booster vaccination at 42 months. CONCLUSIONS A priming series of 3 intramuscular doses administered at m0, m1, and m6 with a triennial booster was non-inferior to more complex schedules for achieving antibody response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer G Wright
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States.
| | - Brian D Plikaytis
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Charles E Rose
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Scott D Parker
- Alabama Vaccine Research Clinic, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 908 20th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294-2050, United States
| | - Janiine Babcock
- Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Springs, MD 20910-7500, United States
| | - Wendy Keitel
- Departments of Molecular Virology & Microbiology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Hana El Sahly
- Departments of Molecular Virology & Microbiology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Gregory A Poland
- Mayo Clinic and Foundation, 611C Guggenheim Building, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Robert M Jacobson
- Mayo Clinic and Foundation, 611C Guggenheim Building, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Harry L Keyserling
- Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Vera A Semenova
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Han Li
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Jarad Schiffer
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Hanan Dababneh
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Sandra K Martin
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Stacey W Martin
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Nina Marano
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Nancy E Messonnier
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Conrad P Quinn
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
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Chun JH, Choi OJ, Cho MH, Hong KJ, Seong WK, Oh HB, Rhie GE. Serological Correlate of Protection in Guinea Pigs for a Recombinant Protective Antigen Anthrax Vaccine Produced from Bacillus brevis. Osong Public Health Res Perspect 2013; 3:170-6. [PMID: 24159510 PMCID: PMC3738701 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrp.2012.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2012] [Revised: 07/18/2012] [Accepted: 07/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Recombinant protective antigen (rPA) is the active pharmaceutical ingredient of a second generation anthrax vaccine undergoing clinical trials both in Korea and the USA. By using the rPA produced from Bacillus brevis pNU212 expression system, correlations of serological immune response to anthrax protection efficacy were analyzed in a guinea pig model. Methods Serological responses of rPA anthrax vaccine were investigated in guinea pigs that were given single or two injections (interval of 4 weeks) of various amounts of rPA combined with aluminumhydroxide adjuvant. Guinea pigs were subsequently challenged by the intramuscular injection with 30 half-lethal doses (30LD50) of virulent Bacillus anthracis spores. Serumantibody titerswere determined by anti-PA IgGELISA and the ability of antibodies to neutralize the cytotoxicity of lethal toxin on J774A.1 cell was measured through the toxin neutralizing antibody (TNA) assay. Results To examine correlations between survival rate and antibody titers, correlation between neutralizing antibody titers and the extent of protection was determined. Toxin neutralization titers of at least 1176 were sufficient to confer protection against a dose of 30LD50 of virulent anthrax spores of the H9401 strain. Such consistency in the correlation was not observed from those antibody titers determined by ELISA. Conclusion Neutralizing-antibody titers can be used as a surrogate marker.
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25
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Pittman PR, Fisher D, Quinn X, Schmader T, Barrera-Oro JG. Effect of delayed anthrax vaccine dose on Bacillus anthracis protective antigen IgG response and lethal toxin neutralization activity. Vaccine 2013; 31:5009-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.08.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Coggeshall KM, Lupu F, Ballard J, Metcalf JP, James JA, Farris D, Kurosawa S. The sepsis model: an emerging hypothesis for the lethality of inhalation anthrax. J Cell Mol Med 2013; 17:914-20. [PMID: 23742651 PMCID: PMC3729634 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.12075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 03/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhalation anthrax is often described as a toxin-mediated disease. However, the toxaemia model does not account for the high mortality of inhalation anthrax relative to other forms of the disease or for the pathology present in inhalation anthrax. Patients with inhalation anthrax consistently show extreme bacteraemia and, in contrast to animals challenged with toxin, signs of sepsis. Rather than toxaemia, we propose that death in inhalation anthrax results from an overwhelming bacteraemia that leads to severe sepsis. According to our model, the central role of anthrax toxin is to permit the vegetative bacteria to escape immune detection. Other forms of B. anthracis infection have lower mortality because their overt symptoms early in the course of disease cause patients to seek medical care at a time when the infection and its sequelae can still be reversed by antibiotics. Thus, the sepsis model explains key features of inhalation anthrax and may offer a more complete understanding of disease pathology for researchers as well as those involved in the care of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Mark Coggeshall
- Immunobiology and Cancer Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
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Combinations of monoclonal antibodies to anthrax toxin manifest new properties in neutralization assays. Infect Immun 2013; 81:1880-8. [PMID: 23509144 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01328-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) are potential therapeutic agents against Bacillus anthracis toxins, since there is no current treatment to counteract the detrimental effects of toxemia. In hopes of isolating new protective MAbs to the toxin component lethal factor (LF), we used a strain of mice (C57BL/6) that had not been used in previous studies, generating MAbs to LF. Six LF-binding MAbs were obtained, representing 3 IgG isotypes and one IgM. One MAb (20C1) provided protection from lethal toxin (LeTx) in an in vitro mouse macrophage system but did not provide significant protection in vivo. However, the combination of two MAbs to LF (17F1 and 20C1) provided synergistic increases in protection both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, when these MAbs were mixed with MAbs to protective antigen (PA) previously generated in our laboratory, these MAb combinations produced synergistic toxin neutralization in vitro. But when 17F1 was combined with another MAb to LF, 19C9, the combination resulted in enhanced lethal toxicity. While no single MAb to LF provided significant toxin neutralization, LF-immunized mice were completely protected from infection with B. anthracis strain Sterne, which suggested that a polyclonal response is required for effective toxin neutralization. In total, these studies show that while a single MAb against LeTx may not be effective, combinations of multiple MAbs may provide the most effective form of passive immunotherapy, with the caveat that these may demonstrate emergent properties with regard to protective efficacy.
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28
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Chichester JA, Manceva SD, Rhee A, Coffin MV, Musiychuk K, Mett V, Shamloul M, Norikane J, Streatfield SJ, Yusibov V. A plant-produced protective antigen vaccine confers protection in rabbits against a lethal aerosolized challenge with Bacillus anthracis Ames spores. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2013; 9:544-52. [PMID: 23324615 PMCID: PMC3891710 DOI: 10.4161/hv.23233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2012] [Accepted: 11/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential use of Bacillus anthracis as a bioterrorism weapon threatens the security of populations globally, requiring the immediate availability of safe, efficient and easily delivered anthrax vaccine for mass vaccination. Extensive research efforts have been directed toward the development of recombinant subunit vaccines based on protective antigen (PA), the principal virulence factor of B. anthracis. Among the emerging technologies for the production of these vaccine antigens is our launch vector-based plant transient expression system. Using this system, we have successfully engineered, expressed, purified and characterized full-length PA (pp-PA83) in Nicotiana benthamiana plants using agroinfiltration. This plant-produced antigen elicited high toxin neutralizing antibody titers in mice and rabbits after two vaccine administrations with Alhydrogel. In addition, immunization with this vaccine candidate protected 100% of rabbits from a lethal aerosolized B. anthracis challenge. The vaccine effects were dose-dependent and required the presence of Alhydrogel adjuvant. In addition, the vaccine antigen formulated with Alhydrogel was stable and retained immunogenicity after two-week storage at 4°C, the conditions intended for clinical use. These results support the testing of this vaccine candidate in human volunteers and the utility of our plant expression system for the production of a recombinant anthrax vaccine.
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MESH Headings
- Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage
- Aerosols
- Aluminum Hydroxide/administration & dosage
- Animals
- Anthrax/immunology
- Anthrax/prevention & control
- Anthrax Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Anthrax Vaccines/immunology
- Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Antigens, Bacterial/administration & dosage
- Antigens, Bacterial/genetics
- Antigens, Bacterial/immunology
- Antigens, Bacterial/isolation & purification
- Bacterial Toxins/administration & dosage
- Bacterial Toxins/genetics
- Bacterial Toxins/immunology
- Bacterial Toxins/isolation & purification
- Disease Models, Animal
- Inhalation Exposure
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics
- Rabbits
- Survival Analysis
- Nicotiana/genetics
- Treatment Outcome
- Vaccines, Subunit/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Subunit/immunology
- Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amy Rhee
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology; Newark, DE USA
| | - Megan V. Coffin
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology; Newark, DE USA
| | | | - Vadim Mett
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology; Newark, DE USA
| | - Moneim Shamloul
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology; Newark, DE USA
| | - Joey Norikane
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology; Newark, DE USA
| | | | - Vidadi Yusibov
- Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology; Newark, DE USA
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29
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Mangal S, Pawar D, Agrawal U, Jain AK, Vyas SP. Evaluation of mucoadhesive carrier adjuvant: toward an oral anthrax vaccine. ARTIFICIAL CELLS NANOMEDICINE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2013; 42:47-57. [PMID: 23452384 DOI: 10.3109/21691401.2013.769447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The aim of present study was to evaluate the potential of mucoadhesive alginate-coated chitosan microparticles (A-CHMp) for oral vaccine against anthrax. The zeta potential of A-CHMp was -29.7 mV, and alginate coating could prevent the burst release of antigen in simulated gastric fluid. The results indicated that A-CHMp was mucoadhesive in nature and transported it to the peyer's patch upon oral delivery. The immunization studies indicated that A-CHMp resulted in the induction of potent systemic and mucosal immune responses, whereas alum-adjuvanted rPA could induce only systemic immune response. Thus, A-CHMp represents a promising acid carrier adjuvant for oral immunization against anthrax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharad Mangal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Drug Delivery Research Laboratory, Dr. H. S. Gour University , Sagar, (M.P.) , India
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30
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D'Souza AJM, Mar KD, Huang J, Majumdar S, Ford BM, Dyas B, Ulrich RG, Sullivan VJ. Rapid Deamidation of Recombinant Protective Antigen when Adsorbed on Aluminum Hydroxide Gel Correlates with Reduced Potency of Vaccine. J Pharm Sci 2013; 102:454-61. [DOI: 10.1002/jps.23422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2012] [Revised: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Abstract
Nonhuman primates (NHPs) and rabbits are the animal models most commonly used to evaluate the efficacy of medical countermeasures against anthrax in support of licensure under the FDA's "Animal Rule." However, a need for an alternative animal model may arise in certain cases. The development of such an alternative model requires a thorough understanding of the course and manifestation of experimental anthrax disease induced under controlled conditions in the proposed animal species. The guinea pig, which has been used extensively for anthrax pathogenesis studies and anthrax vaccine potency testing, is a good candidate for such an alternative model. This study was aimed at determining the median lethal dose (LD50) of the Bacillus anthracis Ames strain in guinea pigs and investigating the natural history, pathophysiology, and pathology of inhalational anthrax in this animal model following nose-only aerosol exposure. The inhaled LD50 of aerosolized Ames strain spores in guinea pigs was determined to be 5.0 × 10(4) spores. Aerosol challenge of guinea pigs resulted in inhalational anthrax with death occurring between 46 and 71 h postchallenge. The first clinical signs appeared as early as 36 h postchallenge. Cardiovascular function declined starting at 20 h postexposure. Hematogenous dissemination of bacteria was observed microscopically in multiple organs and tissues as early as 24 h postchallenge. Other histopathologic findings typical of disseminated anthrax included suppurative (heterophilic) inflammation, edema, fibrin, necrosis, and/or hemorrhage in the spleen, lungs, and regional lymph nodes and lymphocyte depletion and/or lymphocytolysis in the spleen and lymph nodes. This study demonstrated that the course of inhalational anthrax disease and the resulting pathology in guinea pigs are similar to those seen in rabbits and NHPs, as well as in humans.
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Recombinant vaccine displaying the loop-neutralizing determinant from protective antigen completely protects rabbits from experimental inhalation anthrax. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2013; 20:341-9. [PMID: 23283638 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00612-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We previously showed that a multiple antigenic peptide (MAP) vaccine displaying amino acids (aa) 304 to 319 from the 2β2-2β3 loop of protective antigen was capable of protecting rabbits from an aerosolized spore challenge with Bacillus anthracis Ames strain. Antibodies to this sequence, referred to as the loop-neutralizing determinant (LND), are highly potent at neutralizing lethal toxin yet are virtually absent in rabbit and human protective antigen (PA) antiserum. While the MAP vaccine was protective against anthrax, it contains a single heterologous helper T cell epitope which may be suboptimal for stimulating an outbred human population. We therefore engineered a recombinant vaccine (Rec-LND) containing two tandemly repeated copies of the LND fused to maltose binding protein, with enhanced immunogenicity resulting from the p38/P4 helper T cell epitope from Schistosoma mansoni. Rec-LND was found to be highly immunogenic in four major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-diverse strains of mice. All (7/7) rabbits immunized with Rec-LND developed high-titer antibody, 6 out of 7 developed neutralizing antibody, and all rabbits were protected from an aerosolized spore challenge of 193 50% lethal doses (LD(50)) of the B. anthracis Ames strain. Survivor serum from Rec-LND-immunized rabbits revealed significantly increased neutralization titers and specific activity compared to prechallenge levels yet lacked PA or lethal factor (LF) antigenemia. Control rabbits immunized with PA, which were also completely protected, appeared sterilely immune, exhibiting significant declines in neutralization titer and specific activity compared to prechallenge levels. We conclude that Rec-LND may represent a prototype anthrax vaccine for use alone or potentially combined with PA-containing vaccines.
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33
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Friedlander AM, Grabenstein JD, Brachman PS. Anthrax vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-1-4557-0090-5.00022-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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McWilliams BD, Palzkill T, Weinstock GM, Petrosino JF. Identification of novel and cross-species seroreactive proteins from Bacillus anthracis using a ligation-independent cloning-based, SOS-inducible expression system. Microb Pathog 2012; 53:250-8. [PMID: 22975444 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2012.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Revised: 08/27/2012] [Accepted: 08/28/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The current standard for Bacillus anthracis vaccination is the Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (AVA, BioThrax). While effective, the licensed vaccine schedule requires five intramuscular injections in the priming series and yearly boosters to sustain protection. One potential approach to maintain or improve the protection afforded by an anthrax vaccine, but requiring fewer doses, is through the use of purified proteins to enhance an antibody response, which could be used on their own or in combination with the current vaccine. This study describes a novel, high-throughput system to amplify and clone every gene in the B. anthracis pXO1 and pXO2 virulence plasmids. We attempted to express each cloned gene in Escherichia coli, and obtained full-length expression of 57% of the proteins. Expressed proteins were then used to identify immunogens using serum from three different mammalian infection models: Dutch-belted rabbits, BALB/c mice, and rhesus macaque monkeys. Ten proteins were detected by antibodies in all of these models, eight of which have not been identified as immunoreactive in other studies to date. Serum was also collected from humans who had received the AVA vaccine, and similar screens showed that antigens that were detected in the infection models were not present in the serum of vaccinated humans, suggesting that antibodies elicited by the current AVA vaccine do not react with the immunoreactive proteins identified in this study. These results will contribute to the future selection of targets in antigenicity and protection studies as one or more of these proteins may prove to be worthy of inclusion in future vaccine preparations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D McWilliams
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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35
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Fay MP, Follmann DA, Lynn F, Schiffer JM, Stark GV, Kohberger R, Quinn CP, Nuzum EO. Anthrax vaccine-induced antibodies provide cross-species prediction of survival to aerosol challenge. Sci Transl Med 2012; 4:151ra126. [PMID: 22972844 PMCID: PMC3668972 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3004073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Because clinical trials to assess the efficacy of vaccines against anthrax are not ethical or feasible, licensure for new anthrax vaccines will likely involve the Food and Drug Administration's "Animal Rule," a set of regulations that allow approval of products based on efficacy data only in animals combined with immunogenicity and safety data in animals and humans. U.S. government-sponsored animal studies have shown anthrax vaccine efficacy in a variety of settings. We examined data from 21 of those studies to determine whether an immunological bridge based on lethal toxin neutralization activity assay (TNA) can predict survival against an inhalation anthrax challenge within and across species and genera. The 21 studies were classified into 11 different settings, each of which had the same animal species, vaccine type and formulation, vaccination schedule, time of TNA measurement, and challenge time. Logistic regression models determined the contribution of vaccine dilution dose and TNA on prediction of survival. For most settings, logistic models using only TNA explained more than 75% of the survival effect of the models with dose additionally included. Cross-species survival predictions using TNA were compared to the actual survival and shown to have good agreement (Cohen's κ ranged from 0.55 to 0.78). In one study design, cynomolgus macaque data predicted 78.6% survival in rhesus macaques (actual survival, 83.0%) and 72.6% in rabbits (actual survival, 64.6%). These data add support for the use of TNA as an immunological bridge between species to extrapolate data in animals to predict anthrax vaccine effectiveness in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Fay
- Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 6700B Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-7630, USA.
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36
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Kyriacou DN, Dobrez D, Parada JP, Steinberg JM, Kahn A, Bennett CL, Schmitt BP. Cost-effectiveness comparison of response strategies to a large-scale anthrax attack on the chicago metropolitan area: impact of timing and surge capacity. Biosecur Bioterror 2012; 10:264-79. [PMID: 22845046 DOI: 10.1089/bsp.2011.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Rapid public health response to a large-scale anthrax attack would reduce overall morbidity and mortality. However, there is uncertainty about the optimal cost-effective response strategy based on timing of intervention, public health resources, and critical care facilities. We conducted a decision analytic study to compare response strategies to a theoretical large-scale anthrax attack on the Chicago metropolitan area beginning either Day 2 or Day 5 after the attack. These strategies correspond to the policy options set forth by the Anthrax Modeling Working Group for population-wide responses to a large-scale anthrax attack: (1) postattack antibiotic prophylaxis, (2) postattack antibiotic prophylaxis and vaccination, (3) preattack vaccination with postattack antibiotic prophylaxis, and (4) preattack vaccination with postattack antibiotic prophylaxis and vaccination. Outcomes were measured in costs, lives saved, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). We estimated that postattack antibiotic prophylaxis of all 1,390,000 anthrax-exposed people beginning on Day 2 after attack would result in 205,835 infected victims, 35,049 fulminant victims, and 28,612 deaths. Only 6,437 (18.5%) of the fulminant victims could be saved with the existing critical care facilities in the Chicago metropolitan area. Mortality would increase to 69,136 if the response strategy began on Day 5. Including postattack vaccination with antibiotic prophylaxis of all exposed people reduces mortality and is cost-effective for both Day 2 (ICER=$182/QALY) and Day 5 (ICER=$1,088/QALY) response strategies. Increasing ICU bed availability significantly reduces mortality for all response strategies. We conclude that postattack antibiotic prophylaxis and vaccination of all exposed people is the optimal cost-effective response strategy for a large-scale anthrax attack. Our findings support the US government's plan to provide antibiotic prophylaxis and vaccination for all exposed people within 48 hours of the recognition of a large-scale anthrax attack. Future policies should consider expanding critical care capacity to allow for the rescue of more victims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demetrios N Kyriacou
- Demetrios N. Kyriacou, MD, PhD, is Professor of Emergency Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine and Department of Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.
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Expression of either lethal toxin or edema toxin by Bacillus anthracis is sufficient for virulence in a rabbit model of inhalational anthrax. Infect Immun 2012; 80:2414-25. [PMID: 22526673 DOI: 10.1128/iai.06340-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of therapeutics against biothreats requires that we understand the pathogenesis of the disease in relevant animal models. The rabbit model of inhalational anthrax is an important tool in the assessment of potential therapeutics against Bacillus anthracis. We investigated the roles of B. anthracis capsule and toxins in the pathogenesis of inhalational anthrax in rabbits by comparing infection with the Ames strain versus isogenic mutants with deletions of the genes for the capsule operon (capBCADE), lethal factor (lef), edema factor (cya), or protective antigen (pagA). The absence of capsule or protective antigen (PA) resulted in complete avirulence, while the presence of either edema toxin or lethal toxin plus capsule resulted in lethality. The absence of toxin did not influence the ability of B. anthracis to traffic to draining lymph nodes, but systemic dissemination required the presence of at least one of the toxins. Histopathology studies demonstrated minimal differences among lethal wild-type and single toxin mutant strains. When rabbits were coinfected with the Ames strain and the PA- mutant strain, the toxin produced by the Ames strain was not able to promote dissemination of the PA- mutant, suggesting that toxigenic action occurs in close proximity to secreting bacteria. Taken together, these findings suggest that a major role for toxins in the pathogenesis of anthrax is to enable the organism to overcome innate host effector mechanisms locally and that much of the damage during the later stages of infection is due to the interactions of the host with the massive bacterial burden.
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38
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Validation and long term performance characteristics of a quantitative enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for human anti-PA IgG. J Immunol Methods 2012; 376:97-107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2011.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2011] [Revised: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 12/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Kulshreshtha P, Aggarwal S, Jaiswal H, Bhatnagar R. S-layer homology motif is an immunogen and confers protection to mouse model against anthrax. Mol Immunol 2011; 50:18-25. [PMID: 22178119 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2011.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2011] [Revised: 11/10/2011] [Accepted: 11/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
SLH proteins bear an S-layer homology motif comprised of three S-layer homology (SLH) domains. Several SLH proteins in Bacillus anthracis have been recognized as immunogenic in recent past. We hypothesized that the SLH motif, the most common moiety amongst all the SLH proteins could be responsible for their immunogenicity. To test this hypothesis, we checked the immunogenic capacity of recombinant SLH motif. The rSLH fragment on immunization in mice led to the development of a potent humoral and T Helper immune response as compared to the only adjuvant immunized group. Antibodies raised against rSLH could identify the surface of B. anthracis Ames strain vegetative forms. rSLH immunization protected 50% mice challenged with B. anthracis compared to 0% survival in group of mice immunized with only adjuvant. But when rSLH immunization was synergized with a single sub-optimal dose of rPA (Protective Antigen), 80% immunized mice survived the lethal challenge of B. anthracis. Taken together, for the first time we demonstrate the immunogenic and protective potential of SLH motif of the SLH proteins of B. anthracis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Kulshreshtha
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
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40
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Pauli NT, Henry Dunand CJ, Wilson PC. Exploiting human memory B cell heterogeneity for improved vaccine efficacy. Front Immunol 2011; 2:77. [PMID: 22566866 PMCID: PMC3342318 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2011.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2011] [Accepted: 11/29/2011] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The major goal in vaccination is establishment of long-term, prophylactic humoral memory to a pathogen. Two major components to long-lived humoral memory are plasma cells for the production of specific immunoglobulin and memory B cells that survey for their specific antigen in the periphery for later affinity maturation, proliferation, and differentiation. The study of human B cell memory has been aided by the discovery of a general marker for B cell memory, expression of CD27; however, new data suggests the existence of CD27⁻ memory B cells as well. These recently described non-canonical memory populations have increasingly pointed to the heterogeneity of the memory compartment. The novel B memory subsets in humans appear to have unique origins, localization, and functions compared to what was considered to be a "classical" memory B cell. In this article, we review the known B cell memory subsets, the establishment of B cell memory in vaccination and infection, and how understanding these newly described subsets can inform vaccine design and disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel T. Pauli
- Committee on Immunology, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA
- The Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA
| | - Carole J. Henry Dunand
- The Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA
| | - Patrick C. Wilson
- Committee on Immunology, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA
- The Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA
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Chabot DJ, Joyce J, Caulfield M, Cook J, Hepler R, Wang S, Vietri NJ, Ruthel G, Shoop W, Pitt L, Leffel E, Ribot W, Friedlander AM. Efficacy of a capsule conjugate vaccine against inhalational anthrax in rabbits and monkeys. Vaccine 2011; 30:846-52. [PMID: 22172509 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Revised: 12/01/2011] [Accepted: 12/03/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is recognized as one of the most serious bioterrorism threats. The current human vaccines are based on the protective antigen component of the anthrax toxins. Concern about possible vaccine resistant strains and reliance on a single antigen has prompted the search for additional immunogens. Bacterial capsules, as surface-expressed virulence factors, are well-established components of several licensed vaccines. In a previous study we showed that an anthrax vaccine consisting of the B. anthracis poly-γ-D-glutamic acid capsule covalently conjugated to the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis serotype B protected mice against parenteral B. anthracis challenge. Here we tested this vaccine in rabbits and monkeys against an aerosol spore challenge. The vaccine induced anti-capsule antibody responses in both species, measured by ELISA and a macrophage opsono-adherence assay. While rabbits were not protected against a high aerosol challenge dose, significant protection was observed in monkeys receiving the capsule conjugate vaccine. The results confirm that the capsule is a protective immunogen against anthrax, being the first non-toxin antigen shown to be efficacious in monkeys and suggest that addition of capsule may broaden and enhance the protection afforded by protective antigen-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald J Chabot
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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42
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Anthrax vaccine antigen-adjuvant formulations completely protect New Zealand white rabbits against challenge with Bacillus anthracis Ames strain spores. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2011; 19:11-6. [PMID: 22089245 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.05376-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In an effort to develop an improved anthrax vaccine that shows high potency, five different anthrax protective antigen (PA)-adjuvant vaccine formulations that were previously found to be efficacious in a nonhuman primate model were evaluated for their efficacy in a rabbit pulmonary challenge model using Bacillus anthracis Ames strain spores. The vaccine formulations include PA adsorbed to Alhydrogel, PA encapsulated in liposomes containing monophosphoryl lipid A, stable liposomal PA oil-in-water emulsion, PA displayed on bacteriophage T4 by the intramuscular route, and PA mixed with Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin administered by the needle-free transcutaneous route. Three of the vaccine formulations administered by the intramuscular or the transcutaneous route as a three-dose regimen induced 100% protection in the rabbit model. One of the formulations, liposomal PA, also induced significantly higher lethal toxin neutralizing antibodies than PA-Alhydrogel. Even 5 months after the second immunization of a two-dose regimen, rabbits vaccinated with liposomal PA were 100% protected from lethal challenge with Ames strain spores. In summary, the needle-free skin delivery and liposomal formulation that were found to be effective in two different animal model systems appear to be promising candidates for next-generation anthrax vaccine development.
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43
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Monoclonal antibody therapies against anthrax. Toxins (Basel) 2011; 3:1004-19. [PMID: 22069754 PMCID: PMC3202866 DOI: 10.3390/toxins3081004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2011] [Revised: 08/06/2011] [Accepted: 08/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax is a highly lethal infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It not only causes natural infection in humans but also poses a great threat as an emerging bioterror agent. The lethality of anthrax is primarily attributed to the two major virulence factors: toxins and capsule. An extensive effort has been made to generate therapeutically useful monoclonal antibodies to each of the virulence components: protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF), and the capsule of B. anthracis. This review summarizes the current status of anti-anthrax mAb development and argues for the potential therapeutic advantage of a cocktail of mAbs that recognize different epitopes or different virulence factors.
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Nelson M, Stagg AJ, Stevens DJ, Brown MA, Pearce PC, Simpson A, Lever MS. Post-exposure therapy of inhalational anthrax in the common marmoset. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2011; 38:60-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2011.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2010] [Revised: 03/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/03/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Gorantala J, Grover S, Goel D, Rahi A, Jayadev Magani SK, Chandra S, Bhatnagar R. A plant based protective antigen [PA(dIV)] vaccine expressed in chloroplasts demonstrates protective immunity in mice against anthrax. Vaccine 2011; 29:4521-33. [PMID: 21504775 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.03.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2010] [Revised: 03/11/2011] [Accepted: 03/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The currently available anthrax vaccines are limited by being incompletely characterized, potentially reactogenic and have an expanded dosage schedule. Plant based vaccines offer safe alternative for vaccine production. In the present study, we expressed domain IV of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen gene [PA(dIV)] in planta (by nuclear agrobacterium and chloroplast transformation) and E. coli [rPA(dIV)]. The presence of transgene and the expression of PA(dIV) in planta was confirmed by molecular analysis. Expression levels up to 5.3% of total soluble protein (TSP) were obtained with AT rich (71.8% AT content) PA(dIV) gene in transplastomic plants while 0.8% of TSP was obtained in nuclear transformants. Further, we investigated the protective response of plant and E. coli derived PA(dIV) in mice by intraperitoneal (i.p.) and oral immunizations with or without adjuvant. Antibody titers of >10(4) were induced upon i.p. and oral immunizations with plant derived PA(dIV) and oral immunization with E. coli derived PA(dIV). Intraperitoneal injections with adjuvanted E. coli derived PA(dIV), generated highest antibody titers of >10(5). All the immunized groups demonstrated predominant IgG1 titers over IgG2a indicating a polarized Th2 type response. We also evaluated the mucosal antibody response in orally immunized groups. When fecal extracts were analyzed, low sIgA titer was demonstrated in adjuvanted plant and E. coli derived PA(dIV) groups. Further, PA(dIV) antisera enhanced B. anthracis spore uptake by macrophages in vitro and also demonstrated an anti-germinating effect suggesting a potent role at mucosal surfaces. The antibodies from various groups were efficient in neutralizing the lethal toxin in vitro. When mice were challenged with B. anthracis, mice immunized with adjuvanted plant PA(dIV) imparted 60% and 40% protection while E. coli derived PA(dIV) conferred 100% and 80% protection upon i.p. and oral immunizations. Thus, our study is the first attempt in highlighting the efficacy of plant expressed PA(dIV) by oral immunization in murine model.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Anthrax/immunology
- Anthrax/prevention & control
- Anthrax Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Anthrax Vaccines/genetics
- Anthrax Vaccines/immunology
- Anthrax Vaccines/metabolism
- Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
- Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology
- Antigens, Bacterial/genetics
- Antigens, Bacterial/immunology
- Antigens, Bacterial/metabolism
- Bacillus anthracis/immunology
- Bacterial Toxins/genetics
- Bacterial Toxins/immunology
- Bacterial Toxins/metabolism
- Chloroplasts/genetics
- Chloroplasts/metabolism
- Immunity, Mucosal
- Immunoglobulin A/blood
- Immunoglobulin A/immunology
- Immunoglobulin A, Secretory/immunology
- Immunoglobulin G/blood
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Plants, Genetically Modified
- Rhizobium/genetics
- Rhizobium/metabolism
- Nicotiana/genetics
- Nicotiana/metabolism
- Nicotiana/microbiology
- Transformation, Genetic
- Vaccination
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyotsna Gorantala
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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46
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Brenneman KE, Doganay M, Akmal A, Goldman S, Galloway DR, Mateczun AJ, Cross AS, Baillie LW. The early humoral immune response to Bacillus anthracis toxins in patients infected with cutaneous anthrax. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 62:164-72. [PMID: 21401726 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2011.00800.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, produces a tripartite toxin composed of two enzymatically active subunits, lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF), which, when associated with a cell-binding component, protective antigen (PA), form lethal toxin and edema toxin, respectively. In this preliminary study, we characterized the toxin-specific antibody responses observed in 17 individuals infected with cutaneous anthrax. The majority of the toxin-specific antibody responses observed following infection were directed against LF, with immunoglobulin G (IgG) detected as early as 4 days after the onset of symptoms in contrast to the later and lower EF- and PA-specific IgG responses. Unlike the case with infection, the predominant toxin-specific antibody response of those immunized with the US anthrax vaccine absorbed and UK anthrax vaccine precipitated licensed anthrax vaccines was directed against PA. We observed that the LF-specific human antibodies were, like anti-PA antibodies, able to neutralize toxin activity, suggesting the possibility that they may contribute to protection. We conclude that an antibody response to LF might be a more sensitive diagnostic marker of anthrax than to PA. The ability of human LF-specific antibodies to neutralize toxin activity supports the possible inclusion of LF in future anthrax vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Brenneman
- Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Rockville, MD, USA
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47
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Jesus S, Borges O. Recent Developments in the Nasal Immunization against Anthrax. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.4236/wjv.2011.13008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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48
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Rao M, Peachman KK, Li Q, Matyas GR, Shivachandra SB, Borschel R, Morthole VI, Fernandez-Prada C, Alving CR, Rao VB. Highly effective generic adjuvant systems for orphan or poverty-related vaccines. Vaccine 2010; 29:873-7. [PMID: 21115053 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.11.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2010] [Revised: 11/14/2010] [Accepted: 11/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Safe and effective adjuvants are needed for many vaccines with limited commercial appeal, such as vaccines to infrequent (orphan) diseases or to neglected and poverty-related diseases. Here we found that three nonproprietary liposome formulations containing monophosphoryl lipid A each induced 3-fold to 5-fold increased titers of binding and neutralizing antibodies to anthrax protective antigen compared to aluminum hydroxide-adsorbed antigen in monkeys. All vaccinated monkeys were protected against lethal challenge with aerosolized Ames strain spores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mangala Rao
- Division of Retrovirology, U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 1600 East Gude Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
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49
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Brown BK, Cox J, Gillis A, VanCott TC, Marovich M, Milazzo M, Antonille TS, Wieczorek L, McKee KT, Metcalfe K, Mallory RM, Birx D, Polonis VR, Robb ML. Phase I study of safety and immunogenicity of an Escherichia coli-derived recombinant protective antigen (rPA) vaccine to prevent anthrax in adults. PLoS One 2010; 5:e13849. [PMID: 21079762 PMCID: PMC2974626 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2010] [Accepted: 10/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fatal disease caused by Bacillus anthracis is preventable with a prophylactic vaccine. The currently available anthrax vaccine requires a lengthy immunization schedule, and simpler and more immunogenic options for protection against anthrax are a priority for development. In this report we describe a phase I clinical trial testing the safety and immunogenicity of an anthrax vaccine using recombinant Escherichia coli-derived, B. anthracis protective antigen (rPA). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A total of 73 healthy adults ages 18-40 were enrolled and 67 received 2 injections separated by 4 weeks of either buffered saline placebo, or rPA formulated with or without 704 µg/ml Alhydrogel® adjuvant in increasing doses (5, 25, 50, 100 µg) of rPA. Participants were followed for one year and safety and immunologic data were assessed. Tenderness and warmth were the most common post-injection site reactions. No serious adverse events related to the vaccine were observed. The most robust humoral immune responses were observed in subjects receiving 50 µg of rPA formulated with Alhydrogel® with a geometric mean concentration of anti-rPA IgG antibodies of 283 µg/ml and a toxin neutralizing geometric 50% reciprocal geometric mean titer of 1061. The highest lymphoproliferative peak cellular response (median Lymphocyte Stimulation Index of 29) was observed in the group receiving 25 µg Alhydrogel®-formulated rPA. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The vaccine was safe, well tolerated and stimulated a robust humoral and cellular response after two doses. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00057525.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce K. Brown
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Josephine Cox
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Anita Gillis
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Thomas C. VanCott
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Mary Marovich
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Mark Milazzo
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tanya Santelli Antonille
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lindsay Wieczorek
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kelly T. McKee
- DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Karen Metcalfe
- DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Raburn M. Mallory
- DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Deborah Birx
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Victoria R. Polonis
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Merlin L. Robb
- United States Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
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50
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Ray J, Marzouk YM, Najm HN. A Bayesian approach for estimating bioterror attacks from patient data. Stat Med 2010; 30:101-26. [PMID: 20963771 DOI: 10.1002/sim.4090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2007] [Accepted: 08/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Terrorist attacks using an aerosolized pathogen have gained credibility as a national security concern after the anthrax attacks of 2001. Inferring some important details of the attack quickly, for example, the number of people infected, the time of infection, and a representative dose received can be crucial to planning a medical response. We use a Bayesian approach, based on a short time series of diagnosed patients, to estimate a joint probability density for these parameters. We first test the formulation with idealized cases and then apply it to realistic scenarios, including the Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak of 1979. We also use simulated outbreaks to explore the impact of model error, as when the model used for generating simulated epidemic curves does not match the model subsequently used to characterize the attack. We find that in all cases except for the smallest attacks (fewer than 100 infected people), 3-5 days of data are sufficient to characterize the outbreak to a specificity that is useful for directing an emergency response.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Ray
- Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 969, Livermore, CA 94550-0969, USA.
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