1
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Van Den Bergh A, Bailly B, Guillon P, von Itzstein M, Dirr L. Novel insights into the host cell glycan binding profile of human metapneumovirus. J Virol 2024; 98:e0164123. [PMID: 38690874 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01641-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous viruses have been found to exploit glycoconjugates expressed on human cells as their initial attachment factor for viral entry and infection. The virus-cell glycointeractome, when characterized, may serve as a template for antiviral drug design. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans extensively decorate the human cell surface and were previously described as a primary receptor for human metapneumovirus (HMPV). After respiratory syncytial virus, HMPV is the second most prevalent respiratory pathogen causing respiratory tract infection in young children. To date, there is neither vaccine nor drug available to prevent or treat HMPV infection. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we report for the first time the glycointeractome of the HMPV fusion (F) protein, a viral surface glycoprotein that is essential for target-cell recognition, attachment, and entry. Our glycan microarray and surface plasmon resonance results suggest that Galβ1-3/4GlcNAc moieties that may be sialylated or fucosylated are readily recognized by HMPV F. The bound motifs are highly similar to the N-linked and O-linked glycans primarily expressed on the human lung epithelium. We demonstrate that the identified glycans have the potential to compete with the cellular receptors used for HMPV entry and consequently block HMPV infection. We found that lacto-N-neotetraose demonstrated the strongest HMPV binding inhibition in a cell infection assay. Our current findings offer an encouraging and novel avenue for the design of anti-HMPV drug candidates using oligosaccharide templates.IMPORTANCEAll cells are decorated with a dense coat of sugars that makes a sugar code. Many respiratory viruses exploit this sugar code by binding to these sugars to cause infection. Human metapneumovirus is a leading cause for acute respiratory tract infections. Despite its medical importance, there is no vaccine or antiviral drug available to prevent or treat human metapneumovirus infection. This study investigates how human metapneumovirus binds to sugars in order to more efficiently infect the human host. We found that human metapneumovirus binds to a diverse range of sugars and demonstrated that these sugars can ultimately block viral infection. Understanding how viruses can take advantage of the sugar code on our cells could identify new intervention and treatment strategies to combat viral disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Bailly
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Patrice Guillon
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark von Itzstein
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Larissa Dirr
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
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2
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Langedijk JPM, Cox F, Johnson NV, van Overveld D, Le L, van den Hoogen W, Voorzaat R, Zahn R, van der Fits L, Juraszek J, McLellan JS, Bakkers MJG. Universal paramyxovirus vaccine design by stabilizing regions involved in structural transformation of the fusion protein. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4629. [PMID: 38821950 PMCID: PMC11143371 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48059-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The Paramyxoviridae family encompasses medically significant RNA viruses, including human respiroviruses 1 and 3 (RV1, RV3), and zoonotic pathogens like Nipah virus (NiV). RV3, previously known as parainfluenza type 3, for which no vaccines or antivirals have been approved, causes respiratory tract infections in vulnerable populations. The RV3 fusion (F) protein is inherently metastable and will likely require prefusion (preF) stabilization for vaccine effectiveness. Here we used structure-based design to stabilize regions involved in structural transformation to generate a preF protein vaccine antigen with high expression and stability, and which, by stabilizing the coiled-coil stem region, does not require a heterologous trimerization domain. The preF candidate induces strong neutralizing antibody responses in both female naïve and pre-exposed mice and provides protection in a cotton rat challenge model (female). Despite the evolutionary distance of paramyxovirus F proteins, their structural transformation and local regions of instability are conserved, which allows successful transfer of stabilizing substitutions to the distant preF proteins of RV1 and NiV. This work presents a successful vaccine antigen design for RV3 and provides a toolbox for future paramyxovirus vaccine design and pandemic preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes P M Langedijk
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV, Leiden, The Netherlands
- ForgeBio, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Freek Cox
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole V Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | - Lam Le
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Roland Zahn
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jarek Juraszek
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mark J G Bakkers
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- ForgeBio, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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3
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Lee YZ, Han J, Zhang YN, Ward G, Gomes KB, Auclair S, Stanfield RL, He L, Wilson IA, Zhu J. A tale of two fusion proteins: understanding the metastability of human respiratory syncytial virus and metapneumovirus and implications for rational design of uncleaved prefusion-closed trimers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.07.583986. [PMID: 38496645 PMCID: PMC10942449 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.07.583986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) cause human respiratory diseases and are major targets for vaccine development. In this study, we designed uncleaved prefusion-closed (UFC) trimers for the fusion (F) proteins of both viruses by examining mutations critical to F metastability. For RSV, we assessed four previous prefusion F designs, including the first and second generations of DS-Cav1, SC-TM, and 847A. We then identified key mutations that can maintain prefusion F in a native-like, closed trimeric form (up to 76%) without introducing any interprotomer disulfide bond. For hMPV, we developed a stable UFC trimer with a truncated F2-F1 linkage and an interprotomer disulfide bond. Tens of UFC constructs were characterized by negative-stain electron microscopy (nsEM), x-ray crystallography (11 RSV-F and one hMPV-F structures), and antigenic profiling. Using an optimized RSV-F UFC trimer as bait, we identified three potent RSV neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) from a phage-displayed human antibody library, with a public NAb lineage targeting sites Ø and V and two cross-pneumovirus NAbs recognizing site III. In mouse immunization, rationally designed RSV-F and hMPV-F UFC trimers induced robust antibody responses with high neutralizing titers. Our study provides a foundation for future prefusion F-based RSV and hMPV vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Zong Lee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Jerome Han
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Yi-Nan Zhang
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Garrett Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Keegan Braz Gomes
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Sarah Auclair
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Robyn L Stanfield
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Linling He
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
- Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Jiang Zhu
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
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4
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Byrne PO, Blade EG, Fisher BE, Ambrozak DR, Ramamohan AR, Graham BS, Loomis RJ, McLellan JS. Prefusion stabilization of the Hendra and Langya virus F proteins. J Virol 2024; 98:e0137223. [PMID: 38214525 PMCID: PMC10878279 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01372-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are pathogenic paramyxoviruses that cause mild-to-severe disease in humans. As members of the Henipavirus genus, NiV and HeV use an attachment (G) glycoprotein and a class I fusion (F) glycoprotein to invade host cells. The F protein rearranges from a metastable prefusion form to an extended postfusion form to facilitate host cell entry. Prefusion NiV F elicits higher neutralizing antibody titers than postfusion NiV F, indicating that stabilization of prefusion F may aid vaccine development. A combination of amino acid substitutions (L104C/I114C, L172F, and S191P) is known to stabilize NiV F in its prefusion conformation, although the extent to which substitutions transfer to other henipavirus F proteins is not known. Here, we perform biophysical and structural studies to investigate the mechanism of prefusion stabilization in F proteins from three henipaviruses: NiV, HeV, and Langya virus (LayV). Three known stabilizing substitutions from NiV F transfer to HeV F and exert similar structural and functional effects. One engineered disulfide bond, located near the fusion peptide, is sufficient to stabilize the prefusion conformations of both HeV F and LayV F. Although LayV F shares low overall sequence identity with NiV F and HeV F, the region around the fusion peptide exhibits high sequence conservation across all henipaviruses. Our findings indicate that substitutions targeting this site of conformational change might be applicable to prefusion stabilization of other henipavirus F proteins and support the use of NiV as a prototypical pathogen for henipavirus vaccine antigen design.IMPORTANCEPathogenic henipaviruses such as Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) cause respiratory symptoms, with severe cases resulting in encephalitis, seizures, and coma. The work described here shows that the NiV and HeV fusion (F) proteins share common structural features with the F protein from an emerging henipavirus, Langya virus (LayV). Sequence alignment alone was sufficient to predict which known prefusion-stabilizing amino acid substitutions from NiV F would stabilize the prefusion conformations of HeV F and LayV F. This work also reveals an unexpected oligomeric interface shared by prefusion HeV F and NiV F. Together, these advances lay a foundation for future antigen design targeting henipavirus F proteins. In this way, Nipah virus can serve as a prototypical pathogen for the development of protective vaccines and monoclonal antibodies to prepare for potential henipavirus outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick O. Byrne
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Elizabeth G. Blade
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Brian E. Fisher
- Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - David R. Ambrozak
- Immunology Laboratory, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ajit R. Ramamohan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | | | - Rebecca J. Loomis
- Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jason S. McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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5
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Mahaboob Ali AA, Vishal A, Nelson EJR. Targeting host-virus interactions: in silico analysis of the binding of human milk oligosaccharides to viral proteins involved in respiratory infections. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4111. [PMID: 38374384 PMCID: PMC10876934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54624-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Respiratory viral infections, a major public health concern, necessitate continuous development of novel antiviral strategies, particularly in the face of emerging and re-emerging pathogens. In this study, we explored the potential of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) as broad-spectrum antiviral agents against key respiratory viruses. By examining the structural mimicry of host cell receptors and their known biological functions, including antiviral activities, we assessed the ability of HMOs to bind and potentially inhibit viral proteins crucial for host cell entry. Our in silico analysis focused on viral proteins integral to host-virus interactions, namely the hemagglutinin protein of influenza, fusion proteins of respiratory syncytial and human metapneumovirus, and the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Using molecular docking and simulation studies, we demonstrated that HMOs exhibit varying binding affinities to these viral proteins, suggesting their potential as viral entry inhibitors. This study identified several HMOs with promising binding profiles, highlighting their potential in antiviral drug development. This research provides a foundation for utilizing HMOs as a natural source for designing new therapeutics, offering a novel approach in the fight against respiratory viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anees Ahmed Mahaboob Ali
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India
| | - Adarsh Vishal
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India
| | - Everette Jacob Remington Nelson
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India.
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6
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Gonzalez KJ, Huang J, Criado MF, Banerjee A, Tompkins SM, Mousa JJ, Strauch EM. A general computational design strategy for stabilizing viral class I fusion proteins. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1335. [PMID: 38351001 PMCID: PMC10864359 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45480-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Many pathogenic viruses rely on class I fusion proteins to fuse their viral membrane with the host cell membrane. To drive the fusion process, class I fusion proteins undergo an irreversible conformational change from a metastable prefusion state to an energetically more stable postfusion state. Mounting evidence underscores that antibodies targeting the prefusion conformation are the most potent, making it a compelling vaccine candidate. Here, we establish a computational design protocol that stabilizes the prefusion state while destabilizing the postfusion conformation. With this protocol, we stabilize the fusion proteins of the RSV, hMPV, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, testing fewer than a handful of designs. The solved structures of these designed proteins from all three viruses evidence the atomic accuracy of our approach. Furthermore, the humoral response of the redesigned RSV F protein compares to that of the recently approved vaccine in a mouse model. While the parallel design of two conformations allows the identification of energetically sub-optimal positions for one conformation, our protocol also reveals diverse molecular strategies for stabilization. Given the clinical significance of viruses using class I fusion proteins, our algorithm can substantially contribute to vaccine development by reducing the time and resources needed to optimize these immunogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen J Gonzalez
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Jiachen Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Miria F Criado
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Avik Banerjee
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Stephen M Tompkins
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Jarrod J Mousa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Eva-Maria Strauch
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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7
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Ballegeer M, van Scherpenzeel RC, Delgado T, Iglesias-Caballero M, García Barreno B, Pandey S, Rush SA, Kolkman JA, Mas V, McLellan JS, Saelens X. A neutralizing single-domain antibody that targets the trimer interface of the human metapneumovirus fusion protein. mBio 2024; 15:e0212223. [PMID: 38117059 PMCID: PMC10790764 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02122-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important respiratory pathogen for which no licensed antivirals or vaccines exist. Single-domain antibodies represent promising antiviral biologics that can be easily produced and formatted. We describe the isolation and detailed characterization of two hMPV-neutralizing single-domain antibodies that are directed against the fusion protein F. One of these single-domain antibodies broadly neutralizes hMPV A and B strains, can prevent proteolytic maturation of F, and binds to an epitope in the F trimer interface. This suggests that hMPV pre-F undergoes trimer opening or "breathing" on infectious virions, exposing a vulnerable site for neutralizing antibodies. Finally, we show that this single-domain antibody, fused to a human IgG1 Fc, can protect cotton rats against hMPV replication, an important finding for potential future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Ballegeer
- VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Teresa Delgado
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Shubham Pandey
- VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Scott A. Rush
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | | | - Vicente Mas
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jason S. McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Xavier Saelens
- VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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8
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Quezada A, Annapareddy A, Javanmardi K, Cooper J, Finkelstein IJ. Mammalian Antigen Display for Pandemic Countermeasures. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2762:191-216. [PMID: 38315367 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3666-4_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Pandemic countermeasures require the rapid design of antigens for vaccines, profiling patient antibody responses, assessing antigen structure-function landscapes, and the surveillance of emerging viral lineages. Cell surface display of a viral antigen or its subdomains can facilitate these goals by coupling the phenotypes of protein variants to their DNA sequence. Screening surface-displayed proteins via flow cytometry also eliminates time-consuming protein purification steps. Prior approaches have primarily relied on yeast as a display chassis. However, yeast often cannot express large viral glycoproteins, requiring their truncation into subdomains. Here, we describe a method to design and express antigens on the surface of mammalian HEK293T cells. We discuss three use cases, including screening of stabilizing mutations, deep mutational scanning, and epitope mapping. The mammalian antigen display platform described herein will accelerate ongoing and future pandemic countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Quezada
- Department of Molecular BioSciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ankur Annapareddy
- Department of Molecular BioSciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kamyab Javanmardi
- Department of Molecular BioSciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - John Cooper
- Department of Molecular BioSciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ilya J Finkelstein
- Department of Molecular BioSciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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9
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Xiao X, Wen Z, Chen Q, Shipman JM, Kostas J, Reid JC, Warren C, Tang A, Luo B, O’Donnell G, Fridman A, Chen Z, Vora KA, Zhang L, Su HP, Eddins MJ. Structural characterization of M8C10, a neutralizing antibody targeting a highly conserved prefusion-specific epitope on the metapneumovirus fusion trimerization interface. J Virol 2023; 97:e0105223. [PMID: 38032197 PMCID: PMC10734504 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01052-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a common pathogen causing lower respiratory tract infections worldwide and can develop severe symptoms in high-risk populations such as infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients. There are no approved hMPV vaccines or neutralizing antibodies available for therapeutic or prophylactic use. The trimeric hMPV fusion F protein is the major target of neutralizing antibodies in human sera. Understanding the immune recognition of antibodies to hMPV-F antigen will provide critical insights into developing efficacious hMPV monoclonal antibodies and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Xiao
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Discovery, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
- Discovery Biologics, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- MRL Postdoctoral Research Program, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA
| | - Zhiyun Wen
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Discovery, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Qing Chen
- Protein and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jennifer M. Shipman
- Protein and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James Kostas
- Protein and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John C. Reid
- Protein and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christopher Warren
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Discovery, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aimin Tang
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Discovery, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Bin Luo
- Quantitative Biosciences, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gregory O’Donnell
- Quantitative Biosciences, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Arthur Fridman
- Data Science and Scientific Informatics, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Zhifeng Chen
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Discovery, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kalpit A. Vora
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Discovery, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lan Zhang
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Discovery, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Hua-Poo Su
- Protein and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael J. Eddins
- Protein and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
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10
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Ols S, Lenart K, Arcoverde Cerveira R, Miranda MC, Brunette N, Kochmann J, Corcoran M, Skotheim R, Philomin A, Cagigi A, Fiala B, Wrenn S, Marcandalli J, Hellgren F, Thompson EA, Lin A, Gegenfurtner F, Kumar A, Chen M, Phad GE, Graham BS, Perez L, Borst AJ, Karlsson Hedestam GB, Ruckwardt TJ, King NP, Loré K. Multivalent antigen display on nanoparticle immunogens increases B cell clonotype diversity and neutralization breadth to pneumoviruses. Immunity 2023; 56:2425-2441.e14. [PMID: 37689061 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles for multivalent display and delivery of vaccine antigens have emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing B cell responses to protein subunit vaccines. Here, we evaluated B cell responses in rhesus macaques immunized with prefusion-stabilized respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) F glycoprotein trimer compared with nanoparticles displaying 10 or 20 copies of the same antigen. We show that multivalent display skews antibody specificities and drives epitope-focusing of responding B cells. Antibody cloning and repertoire sequencing revealed that focusing was driven by the expansion of clonally distinct B cells through recruitment of diverse precursors. We identified two antibody lineages that developed either ultrapotent neutralization or pneumovirus cross-neutralization from precursor B cells with low initial affinity for the RSV-F immunogen. This suggests that increased avidity by multivalent display facilitates the activation and recruitment of these cells. Diversification of the B cell response by multivalent nanoparticle immunogens has broad implications for vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ols
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Klara Lenart
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rodrigo Arcoverde Cerveira
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcos C Miranda
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Natalie Brunette
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jana Kochmann
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Corcoran
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Skotheim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Annika Philomin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alberto Cagigi
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Brooke Fiala
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Samuel Wrenn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jessica Marcandalli
- Università della Svizzera italiana, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Fredrika Hellgren
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elizabeth A Thompson
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ang Lin
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Florian Gegenfurtner
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Azad Kumar
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Man Chen
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ganesh E Phad
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Università della Svizzera italiana, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Barney S Graham
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Laurent Perez
- University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Department of Medicine, Service of Immunology and Allergy, and Center for Human Immunology (CHIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andrew J Borst
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Tracy J Ruckwardt
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Neil P King
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Karin Loré
- Division of Immunology & Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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11
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Guo L, Li L, Liu L, Zhang T, Sun M. Neutralising antibodies against human metapneumovirus. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2023; 4:e732-e744. [PMID: 37499668 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(23)00134-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is one of the leading causes of respiratory infection. Since its discovery in 2001, no specific antiviral or vaccine has been available in contrast to its closely related family member human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV). Neutralising monoclonal antibodies (nMAbs) are the core effectors of vaccines and are essential therapeutic immune drugs against infectious pathogens. The development of nMAbs against hMPV has accelerated in recent years as a result of breakthroughs in viral fusion (F) protein structural biology and experience with hRSV and other enveloped viruses. We provide an overview of the potent F-specific nMAbs of hMPV, generalise their targeting F antigen epitopes, and discuss the nMAb development strategy and future directions for hMPV and broad-spectrum hMPV, hRSV nMabs, and vaccine research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Guo
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Children's Major Disease Research, Yunnan Institute of Pediatrics, Kunming Children's Hospital, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Li Li
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Children's Major Disease Research, Yunnan Institute of Pediatrics, Kunming Children's Hospital, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Li Liu
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Children's Major Disease Research, Yunnan Institute of Pediatrics, Kunming Children's Hospital, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Tiesong Zhang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Children's Major Disease Research, Yunnan Institute of Pediatrics, Kunming Children's Hospital, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Ming Sun
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
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12
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Ou L, Chen SJ, Teng IT, Yang L, Zhang B, Zhou T, Biju A, Cheng C, Kong WP, Morano NC, Stancofski ESD, Todd JP, Tsybovsky Y, Wang S, Zheng CY, Mascola JR, Shapiro L, Woodward RA, Buchholz UJ, Kwong PD. Structure-based design of a single-chain triple-disulfide-stabilized fusion-glycoprotein trimer that elicits high-titer neutralizing responses against human metapneumovirus. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011584. [PMID: 37738240 PMCID: PMC10516418 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Pneumoviridae family of viruses includes human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The closely related Paramyxoviridae family includes parainfluenza viruses (PIVs). These three viral pathogens cause acute respiratory tract infections with substantial disease burden in the young, the elderly, and the immune-compromised. While promising subunit vaccines are being developed with prefusion-stabilized forms of the fusion glycoproteins (Fs) of RSV and PIVs, for which neutralizing titers elicited by the prefusion (pre-F) conformation of F are much higher than for the postfusion (post-F) conformation, with HMPV, pre-F and post-F immunogens described thus far elicit similar neutralizing responses, and it has been unclear which conformation, pre-F or post-F, would be the most effective HMPV F-vaccine immunogen. Here, we investigate the impact of further stabilizing HMPV F in the pre-F state. We replaced the furin-cleavage site with a flexible linker, creating a single chain F that yielded increased amounts of pre-F stabilized trimers, enabling the generation and assessment of F trimers stabilized by multiple disulfide bonds. Introduced prolines could increase both expression yields and antigenic recognition by the pre-F specific antibody, MPE8. The cryo-EM structure of a triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F trimer with the variable region of antibody MPE8 at 3.25-Å resolution confirmed the formation of designed disulfides and provided structural details on the MPE8 interface. Immunogenicity assessments in naïve mice showed the triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F trimer could elicit high titer neutralization, >10-fold higher than elicited by post-F. Immunogenicity assessments in pre-exposed rhesus macaques showed the triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F could recall high neutralizing titers after a single immunization, with little discrimination in the recall response between pre-F and post-F immunogens. However, the triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F adsorbed HMPV-directed responses from commercially available pooled human immunoglobulin more fully than post-F. Collectively, these results suggest single-chain triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F trimers to be promising HMPV-vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ou
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Steven J. Chen
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - I-Ting Teng
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lijuan Yang
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Baoshan Zhang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tongqing Zhou
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrea Biju
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Wing-Pui Kong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nicholas C. Morano
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - John-Paul Todd
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yaroslav Tsybovsky
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shuishu Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cheng-Yan Zheng
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - John R. Mascola
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lawrence Shapiro
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ruth A. Woodward
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ursula J. Buchholz
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Peter D. Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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13
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Miller RJ, Mousa JJ. Structural basis for respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus neutralization. Curr Opin Virol 2023; 61:101337. [PMID: 37544710 PMCID: PMC10421620 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2023.101337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) continue to be a global burden to infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. In the past ten years, there has been substantial progress in the development of new vaccine candidates and therapies against these viruses. These advancements were guided by the structural elucidation of the major surface glycoproteins for these viruses, the fusion (F) protein and attachment (G) protein. The identification of immunodominant epitopes on the RSV F and hMPV F proteins has expanded current knowledge on antibody-mediated immune responses, which has led to new approaches for vaccine and therapeutic development through the stabilization of pre-fusion constructs of the F protein and pre-fusion-specific monoclonal antibodies with high potency and efficacy. In this review, we describe structural characteristics of known antigenic sites on the RSV and hMPV proteins, their influence on the immune response, and current progress in vaccine and therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose J Miller
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Jarrod J Mousa
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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14
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Williams JA, Biancucci M, Lessen L, Tian S, Balsaraf A, Chen L, Chesterman C, Maruggi G, Vandepaer S, Huang Y, Mallett CP, Steff AM, Bottomley MJ, Malito E, Wahome N, Harshbarger WD. Structural and computational design of a SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen with improved expression and immunogenicity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg0330. [PMID: 37285422 PMCID: PMC10246912 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg0330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern challenge the efficacy of approved vaccines, emphasizing the need for updated spike antigens. Here, we use an evolutionary-based design aimed at boosting protein expression levels of S-2P and improving immunogenic outcomes in mice. Thirty-six prototype antigens were generated in silico and 15 were produced for biochemical analysis. S2D14, which contains 20 computationally designed mutations within the S2 domain and a rationally engineered D614G mutation in the SD2 domain, has an ~11-fold increase in protein yield and retains RBD antigenicity. Cryo-electron microscopy structures reveal a mixture of populations in various RBD conformational states. Vaccination of mice with adjuvanted S2D14 elicited higher cross-neutralizing antibody titers than adjuvanted S-2P against the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan strain and four variants of concern. S2D14 may be a useful scaffold or tool for the design of future coronavirus vaccines, and the approaches used for the design of S2D14 may be broadly applicable to streamline vaccine discovery.
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15
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Gonzalez KJ, Huang J, Criado MF, Banerjee A, Tompkins S, Mousa JJ, Strauch EM. A general computational design strategy for stabilizing viral class I fusion proteins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.16.532924. [PMID: 36993551 PMCID: PMC10055117 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.16.532924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Many pathogenic viruses, including influenza virus, Ebola virus, coronaviruses, and Pneumoviruses, rely on class I fusion proteins to fuse viral and cellular membranes. To drive the fusion process, class I fusion proteins undergo an irreversible conformational change from a metastable prefusion state to an energetically more favorable and stable postfusion state. An increasing amount of evidence exists highlighting that antibodies targeting the prefusion conformation are the most potent. However, many mutations have to be evaluated before identifying prefusion-stabilizing substitutions. We therefore established a computational design protocol that stabilizes the prefusion state while destabilizing the postfusion conformation. As a proof of concept, we applied this principle to the fusion protein of the RSV, hMPV, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. For each protein, we tested less than a handful of designs to identify stable versions. Solved structures of designed proteins from the three different viruses evidenced the atomic accuracy of our approach. Furthermore, the immunological response of the RSV F design compared to a current clinical candidate in a mouse model. While the parallel design of two conformations allows identifying and selectively modifying energetically less optimized positions for one conformation, our protocol also reveals diverse molecular strategies for stabilization. We recaptured many approaches previously introduced manually for the stabilization of viral surface proteins, such as cavity-filling, optimization of polar interactions, as well as postfusion-disruptive strategies. Using our approach, it is possible to focus on the most impacting mutations and potentially preserve the immunogen as closely as possible to its native version. The latter is important as sequence re-design can cause perturbations to B and T cell epitopes. Given the clinical significance of viruses using class I fusion proteins, our algorithm can substantially contribute to vaccine development by reducing the time and resources needed to optimize these immunogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen J Gonzalez
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Jiachen Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Miria F Criado
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, Auburn University; Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Avik Banerjee
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Stephen Tompkins
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Jarrod J Mousa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Eva-Maria Strauch
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia; Athens, GA 30602, USA
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16
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Cable J, Balachandran S, Daley-Bauer LP, Rustagi A, Antony F, Frere JJ, Strampe J, Kedzierska K, Cannon JL, McGargill MA, Weiskopf D, Mettelman RC, Niessl J, Thomas PG, Briney B, Valkenburg SA, Bloom JD, Bjorkman PJ, Iketani S, Rappazzo CG, Crooks CM, Crofts KF, Pöhlmann S, Krammer F, Sant AJ, Nabel GJ, Schultz-Cherry S. Viral immunity: Basic mechanisms and therapeutic applications-a Keystone Symposia report. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1521:32-45. [PMID: 36718537 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Viruses infect millions of people each year. Both endemic viruses circulating throughout the population as well as novel epidemic and pandemic viruses pose ongoing threats to global public health. Developing more effective tools to address viruses requires not only in-depth knowledge of the virus itself but also of our immune system's response to infection. On June 29 to July 2, 2022, researchers met for the Keystone symposium "Viral Immunity: Basic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications." This report presents concise summaries from several of the symposium presenters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Siddharth Balachandran
- Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lisa P Daley-Bauer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Arjun Rustagi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Ferrin Antony
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Justin J Frere
- East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership; Department of Medical Education; and Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jamie Strampe
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University and National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Katherine Kedzierska
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Judy L Cannon
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Maureen A McGargill
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Daniela Weiskopf
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Robert C Mettelman
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Julia Niessl
- Department of Medicine, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paul G Thomas
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bryan Briney
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Sophie A Valkenburg
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Jesse D Bloom
- Basic Sciences Division and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Pamela J Bjorkman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Sho Iketani
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Chelsea M Crooks
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Kali F Crofts
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center and Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrea J Sant
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Gary J Nabel
- Modex Therapeutics Inc., an OPKO Health Company, Natick, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stacey Schultz-Cherry
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Department of Immunology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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17
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Pedenko B, Sulbaran G, Guilligay D, Effantin G, Weissenhorn W. SARS-CoV-2 S Glycoprotein Stabilization Strategies. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020558. [PMID: 36851772 PMCID: PMC9960574 DOI: 10.3390/v15020558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has again shown that structural biology plays an important role in understanding biological mechanisms and exploiting structural data for therapeutic interventions. Notably, previous work on SARS-related glycoproteins has paved the way for the rapid structural determination of the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein, which is the main target for neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, all vaccine approaches aimed to employ S as an immunogen to induce neutralizing antibodies. Like all enveloped virus glycoproteins, SARS-CoV-2 S native prefusion trimers are in a metastable conformation, which primes the glycoprotein for the entry process via membrane fusion. S-mediated entry is associated with major conformational changes in S, which can expose many off-target epitopes that deviate vaccination approaches from the major aim of inducing neutralizing antibodies, which mainly target the native prefusion trimer conformation. Here, we review the viral glycoprotein stabilization methods developed prior to SARS-CoV-2, and applied to SARS-CoV-2 S, in order to stabilize S in the prefusion conformation. The importance of structure-based approaches is highlighted by the benefits of employing stabilized S trimers versus non-stabilized S in vaccines with respect to their protective efficacy.
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18
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Cabán M, Rodarte JV, Bibby M, Gray MD, Taylor JJ, Pancera M, Boonyaratanakornkit J. Cross-protective antibodies against common endemic respiratory viruses. Nat Commun 2023; 14:798. [PMID: 36781872 PMCID: PMC9923667 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36459-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), and human parainfluenza virus types one (HPIV1) and three (HPIV3) can cause severe disease and death in immunocompromised patients, the elderly, and those with underlying lung disease. A protective monoclonal antibody exists for RSV, but clinical use is limited to high-risk infant populations. Hence, therapeutic options for these viruses in vulnerable patient populations are currently limited. Here, we present the discovery, in vitro characterization, and in vivo efficacy testing of two cross-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, one targeting both HPIV3 and HPIV1 and the other targeting both RSV and HMPV. The 3 × 1 antibody is capable of targeting multiple parainfluenza viruses; the MxR antibody shares features with other previously reported monoclonal antibodies that are capable of neutralizing both RSV and HMPV. We obtained structures using cryo-electron microscopy of these antibodies in complex with their antigens at 3.62 Å resolution for 3 × 1 bound to HPIV3 and at 2.24 Å for MxR bound to RSV, providing a structural basis for in vitro binding and neutralization. Together, a cocktail of 3 × 1 and MxR could have clinical utility in providing broad protection against four of the respiratory viruses that cause significant morbidity and mortality in at-risk individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelyn Cabán
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Immunology & Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Justas V Rodarte
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Madeleine Bibby
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Matthew D Gray
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Justin J Taylor
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Immunology & Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Marie Pancera
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Jim Boonyaratanakornkit
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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19
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Marcink TC, Zipursky G, Cheng W, Stearns K, Stenglein S, Golub K, Cohen F, Bovier F, Pfalmer D, Greninger AL, Porotto M, des Georges A, Moscona A. Subnanometer structure of an enveloped virus fusion complex on viral surface reveals new entry mechanisms. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade2727. [PMID: 36763666 PMCID: PMC9917000 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade2727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Paramyxoviruses-including important pathogens like parainfluenza, measles, and Nipah viruses-use a receptor binding protein [hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) for parainfluenza] and a fusion protein (F), acting in a complex, to enter cells. We use cryo-electron tomography to visualize the fusion complex of human parainfluenza virus 3 (HN/F) on the surface of authentic clinical viruses at a subnanometer resolution sufficient to answer mechanistic questions. An HN loop inserts in a pocket on F, showing how the fusion complex remains in a ready but quiescent state until activation. The globular HN heads are rotated with respect to each other: one downward to contact F, and the other upward to grapple cellular receptors, demonstrating how HN/F performs distinct steps before F activation. This depiction of viral fusion illuminates potentially druggable targets for paramyxoviruses and sheds light on fusion processes that underpin wide-ranging biological processes but have not been visualized in situ or at the present resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara C. Marcink
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gillian Zipursky
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wenjing Cheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kyle Stearns
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shari Stenglein
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kate Golub
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Frances Cohen
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Francesca Bovier
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Pfalmer
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alexander L. Greninger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Matteo Porotto
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli,” 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Amedee des Georges
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
- PhD Programs in Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anne Moscona
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
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20
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Characterization of prefusion-F-specific antibodies elicited by natural infection with human metapneumovirus. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111399. [PMID: 36130517 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a major cause of acute respiratory infections in infants and older adults, for which no vaccines or therapeutics are available. The viral fusion (F) glycoprotein is required for entry and is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies; however, little is known about the humoral immune response generated from natural infection. Here, using prefusion-stabilized F proteins to interrogate memory B cells from two older adults, we obtain over 700 paired non-IgM antibody sequences representing 563 clonotypes, indicative of a highly polyclonal response. Characterization of 136 monoclonal antibodies reveals broad recognition of the protein surface, with potently neutralizing antibodies targeting each antigenic site. Cryo-EM studies further reveal two non-canonical sites and the molecular basis for recognition of the apex of hMPV F by two prefusion-specific neutralizing antibodies. Collectively, these results provide insight into the humoral response to hMPV infection in older adults and will help guide vaccine development.
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21
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Van Den Bergh A, Bailly B, Guillon P, von Itzstein M, Dirr L. Antiviral strategies against human metapneumovirus: Targeting the fusion protein. Antiviral Res 2022; 207:105405. [PMID: 36084851 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Human metapneumoviruses have emerged in the past decades as an important global pathogen that causes severe upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Children under the age of 2, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals are more susceptible to HMPV infection than the general population due to their suboptimal immune system. Despite the recent discovery of HMPV as a novel important respiratory virus, reports have rapidly described its epidemiology, biology, and pathogenesis. However, progress is still to be made in the development of vaccines and drugs against HMPV infection as none are currently available. Herein, we discuss the importance of HMPV and review the reported strategies for anti-HMPV drug candidates. We also present the fusion protein as a promising antiviral drug target due to its multiple roles in the HMPV lifecycle. This key viral protein has previously been targeted by a range of inhibitors, which will be discussed as they represent opportunities for future drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Bailly
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Patrice Guillon
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Mark von Itzstein
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia.
| | - Larissa Dirr
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia.
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22
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Ebel H, Benecke T, Vollmer B. Stabilisation of Viral Membrane Fusion Proteins in Prefusion Conformation by Structure-Based Design for Structure Determination and Vaccine Development. Viruses 2022; 14:1816. [PMID: 36016438 PMCID: PMC9415420 DOI: 10.3390/v14081816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The membrane surface of enveloped viruses contains dedicated proteins enabling the fusion of the viral with the host cell membrane. Working with these proteins is almost always challenging because they are membrane-embedded and naturally metastable. Fortunately, based on a range of different examples, researchers now have several possibilities to tame membrane fusion proteins, making them amenable for structure determination and immunogen generation. This review describes the structural and functional similarities of the different membrane fusion proteins and ways to exploit these features to stabilise them by targeted mutational approaches. The recent determination of two herpesvirus membrane fusion proteins in prefusion conformation holds the potential to apply similar methods to this group of viral fusogens. In addition to a better understanding of the herpesviral fusion mechanism, the structural insights gained will help to find ways to further stabilise these proteins using the methods described to obtain stable immunogens that will form the basis for the development of the next generation of vaccines and antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriette Ebel
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Benecke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Vollmer
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
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23
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Huang J, Miller RJ, Mousa JJ. A Pan-Pneumovirus vaccine based on immunodominant epitopes of the fusion protein. Front Immunol 2022; 13:941865. [PMID: 36003370 PMCID: PMC9393700 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.941865] [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: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) are two leading causes of severe respiratory infections in children, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients. The fusion (F) protein is the major target of neutralizing antibodies. Recent developments in stabilizing the pre-fusion conformation of the F proteins, and identifying immunodominant epitopes that elicit potent neutralizing antibodies have led to the testing of numerous pre-fusion RSV F-based vaccines in clinical trials. We designed and tested the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a chimeric fusion protein that contains immunodominant epitopes of RSV F and hMPV F (RHMS-1). RHMS-1 has several advantages over vaccination with pre-fusion RSV F or hMPV F, including a focus on recalling B cells to the most important protective epitopes and the ability to induce protection against two viruses with a single antigen. RHMS-1 was generated as a trimeric recombinant protein, and analysis by negative-stain electron microscopy demonstrated the protein resembles the pre-fusion conformation. Probing of RHMS-1 antigenicity using a panel of RSV and hMPV F-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) revealed the protein retains features of both viruses, including the pre-fusion site Ø epitope of RSV F. Mice immunized with RHMS-1 generated neutralizing antibodies to both viruses and were completely protected from RSV or hMPV challenge. Overall, this study demonstrates protection against two viruses with a single antigen and supports testing of RHMS-1 in additional pre-clinical animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiachen Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Rose J. Miller
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Jarrod J. Mousa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jarrod J. Mousa,
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24
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Potently neutralizing and protective anti-human metapneumovirus antibodies target diverse sites on the fusion glycoprotein. Immunity 2022; 55:1710-1724.e8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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25
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Phung E, Chang LA, Mukhamedova M, Yang L, Nair D, Rush SA, Morabito KM, McLellan JS, Buchholz UJ, Mascola JR, Crank MC, Chen G, Graham BS, Ruckwardt TJ. Elicitation of pneumovirus-specific B cell responses by a prefusion-stabilized respiratory syncytial virus F subunit vaccine. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabo5032. [PMID: 35731888 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abo5032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality globally. A candidate RSV prefusion (pre-F)-stabilized subunit vaccine, DS-Cav1, has previously been shown to elicit potent and durable neutralizing activity in a phase 1 clinical trial in healthy adults. Here, we used fluorescently labeled probes and flow cytometry to evaluate the antigen specificity and phenotype of RSV F-specific B cells longitudinally after DS-Cav1 immunization. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected at time points before the first immunization through the end of the trial at 44 weeks were assessed by flow cytometry. Our data demonstrate a rapid increase in the frequency of pre-F-specific IgG+ and IgA+ B cells after the first immunization and a modest increase after a second immunization at week 12. Nearly all F-specific B cells down-regulated CD21 and up-regulated the proliferation marker CD71 after the first immunization, with less pronounced activation after the second immunization. Memory B cells (CD27+CD21+) specific for pre-F remained elevated above baseline at 44 weeks after vaccination. DS-Cav1 vaccination also activated human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cross-reactive B cells capable of binding prefusion-stabilized HMPV F protein and increased HMPV F-binding antibodies and neutralizing activity for HMPV in some participants. In summary, vaccination with RSV pre-F resulted in the expansion and activation of RSV and HMPV F-specific B cells that were maintained above baseline for at least 10 months and could contribute to long-term pneumovirus immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Phung
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lauren A Chang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Maryam Mukhamedova
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lijuan Yang
- RNA Viruses Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Deepika Nair
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Scott A Rush
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Kaitlyn M Morabito
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Ursula J Buchholz
- RNA Viruses Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - John R Mascola
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michelle C Crank
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Grace Chen
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Barney S Graham
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tracy J Ruckwardt
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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26
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Banerjee A, Huang J, Rush SA, Murray J, Gingerich AD, Royer F, Hsieh CL, Tripp RA, McLellan JS, Mousa JJ. Structural basis for ultrapotent antibody-mediated neutralization of human metapneumovirus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2203326119. [PMID: 35696580 PMCID: PMC9231621 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2203326119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a leading cause of morbidity and hospitalization among children worldwide, however, no vaccines or therapeutics are currently available for hMPV disease prevention and treatment. The hMPV fusion (F) protein is the sole target of neutralizing antibodies. To map the immunodominant epitopes on the hMPV F protein, we isolated a panel of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and the mAbs were assessed for binding avidity, neutralization potency, and epitope specificity. We found the majority of the mAbs target diverse epitopes on the hMPV F protein, and we discovered multiple mAb binding approaches for antigenic site III. The most potent mAb, MPV467, which had picomolar potency, was examined in prophylactic and therapeutic mouse challenge studies, and MPV467 limited virus replication in mouse lungs when administered 24 h before or 72 h after viral infection. We determined the structure of MPV467 in complex with the hMPV F protein using cryo-electron microscopy to a resolution of 3.3 Å, which revealed a complex novel prefusion-specific epitope overlapping antigenic sites II and V on a single protomer. Overall, our data reveal insights into the immunodominant antigenic epitopes on the hMPV F protein, identify a mAb therapy for hMPV F disease prevention and treatment, and provide the discovery of a prefusion-specific epitope on the hMPV F protein.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/chemistry
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/isolation & purification
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/chemistry
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/isolation & purification
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Viral/chemistry
- Antibodies, Viral/isolation & purification
- Antibodies, Viral/therapeutic use
- Antigens, Viral/chemistry
- Antigens, Viral/immunology
- Cryoelectron Microscopy
- Epitopes/immunology
- Humans
- Metapneumovirus/immunology
- Mice
- Paramyxoviridae Infections/prevention & control
- Primary Prevention
- Viral Fusion Proteins/chemistry
- Viral Fusion Proteins/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Avik Banerjee
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Jiachen Huang
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Scott A. Rush
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Jackelyn Murray
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Aaron D. Gingerich
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Fredejah Royer
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Ching-Lin Hsieh
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Ralph A. Tripp
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Jason S. McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Jarrod J. Mousa
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
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27
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Hsieh CL, McLellan JS. Protein engineering responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 74:102385. [PMID: 35533563 PMCID: PMC9075828 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Antigen design guided by high-resolution viral glycoprotein structures has successfully generated diverse vaccine candidates for COVID-19. Using conjugation systems to combine antigen design with computationally optimized nanoparticles, researchers have been able to display multivalent antigens with beneficial substitutions that elicited robust humoral immunity with enhanced neutralization potency and breadth. Here, we discuss strategies that have been used for structure-based design and nanoparticle display to develop COVID-19 vaccine candidates as well as potential next-generation vaccine candidates to protect against SARS-CoV-2 variants and other coronaviruses that emerge into the human population.
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28
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Tajuelo A, Carretero O, García-Ríos E, López-Siles M, Cano O, Vázquez M, Más V, Rodríguez-Goncer I, Lalueza A, López-Medrano F, Juan RS, Fernández-Ruiz M, Aguado JM, McConnell MJ, Pérez-Romero P. Brief Research Report: Virus-Specific Humoral Immunity at Admission Predicts the Development of Respiratory Failure in Unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 Patients. Front Immunol 2022; 13:878812. [PMID: 35547738 PMCID: PMC9082065 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.878812] [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: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction There is robust evidence indicating that the SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral response is associated with protection against severe disease. However, relatively little data exist regarding how the humoral immune response at the time of hospital admission correlates with disease severity in unimmunized patients. Our goal was toidentify variables of the humoral response that could potentially serve as prognostic markers for COVID-19 progressionin unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 patients. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out in a cohort of 160 unimmunized, adult COVID-19 patients from the Hospital Universitario 12Octubre. Participants were classified into four clinical groups based on disease severity: non-survivors with respiratory failure (RF), RF survivors, patients requiring oxygen therapy and those not receiving oxygen therapy. Serum samples were taken on admission and IgM, IgG, IgG subclass antibody titers were determined by ELISA, and neutralizing antibody titersusing a surrogate neutralization assay. The differences in the antibody titers between groups and the association between the clinical and analytical characteristics of the patients and the antibody titers were analyzed. Results Patients that developed RF and survived had IgM titers that were 2-fold higher than non-survivors (p = 0.001), higher levels of total IgG than those who developed RF and succumbed to infection (p< 0.001), and than patients who required oxygen therapy (p< 0.05), and had 5-fold higher IgG1 titers than RF non-survivors (p< 0.001) and those who needed oxygen therapy (p< 0.001), and 2-fold higher than patients that did not require oxygen therapy during admission (p< 0.05). In contrast, RF non-survivorshad the lowest neutralizing antibodylevels, which were significantly lower compared those with RF that survived (p = 0.03). A positive correlation was found between IgM, total IgG, IgG1 and IgG3 titers and neutralizing antibody titers in the total cohort (p ≤ 0.0036). Conclusions We demonstrate that patients with RF that survived infection had significantly higher IgM, IgG, IgG1 and neutralizing titers compared to patients with RF that succumb to infection, suggesting that using humoral response variables could be used as a prognostic marker for guiding the clinical management of unimmunized patients admitted to the hospital for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Tajuelo
- Intrahospital Infections Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Octavio Carretero
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Estéfani García-Ríos
- Infecciones Víricas e Inmunidad en Enfermos Inmunodeprimidos, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Universidad Internacional de Valencia - VIU, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mireia López-Siles
- Intrahospital Infections Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Olga Cano
- Biología Viral, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mónica Vázquez
- Biología Viral, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Vicente Más
- Biología Viral, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Rodríguez-Goncer
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Lalueza
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco López-Medrano
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael San Juan
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Fernández-Ruiz
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Mᵃ Aguado
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital "12 de Octubre" (imas12), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Michael J McConnell
- Intrahospital Infections Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Pérez-Romero
- Infecciones Víricas e Inmunidad en Enfermos Inmunodeprimidos, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
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29
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Profiling of hMPV F-specific antibodies isolated from human memory B cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2546. [PMID: 35538099 PMCID: PMC9091222 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30205-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) belongs to the Pneumoviridae family and is closely related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The surface fusion (F) glycoprotein mediates viral fusion and is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies against hMPV. Here we report 113 hMPV-F specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) isolated from memory B cells of human donors. We characterize the antibodies' germline usage, epitopes, neutralization potencies, and binding specificities. We find that unlike RSV-F specific mAbs, antibody responses to hMPV F are less dominant against the apex of the antigen, and the majority of the potent neutralizing mAbs recognize epitopes on the side of hMPV F. Furthermore, neutralizing epitopes that differ from previously defined antigenic sites on RSV F are identified, and multiple binding modes of site V and II mAbs are discovered. Interestingly, mAbs that bind preferentially to the unprocessed prefusion F show poor neutralization potency. These results elucidate the immune recognition of hMPV infection and provide novel insights for future hMPV antibody and vaccine development.
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30
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The E484K Substitution in a SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Subunit Vaccine Resulted in Limited Cross-Reactive Neutralizing Antibody Responses in Mice. Viruses 2022; 14:v14050854. [PMID: 35632595 PMCID: PMC9146450 DOI: 10.3390/v14050854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), especially emerging variants, poses an increased threat to global public health. The significant reduction in neutralization activity against the variants such as B.1.351 in the serum of convalescent patients and vaccinated people calls for the design of new potent vaccines targeting the emerging variant. However, since most vaccines approved and in clinical trials are based on the sequence of the original SARS-CoV-2 strain, the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of vaccines based on the B.1.351 variant remain largely unknown. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity, induced neutralization activity, and protective efficacy of wild-type spike protein nanoparticle (S-2P) and mutant spike protein nanoparticle (S-4M-2P) carrying characteristic mutations of B.1.351 variant in mice. Although there was no significant difference in the induction of spike-specific IgG responses in S-2P- and S-4M-2P-immunized mice, neutralizing antibodies elicited by S-4M-2P exhibited noteworthy, narrower breadth of reactivity with SARS-CoV-2 variants compared with neutralizing antibodies elicited by S-2P. Furthermore, the decrease of induced neutralizing antibody breadth at least partly resulted from the amino acid substitution at position 484. Moreover, S-4M-2P vaccination conferred insufficient protection against live SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, while S-2P vaccination gave definite protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in mice. Together, our study provides direct evidence that the E484K substitution in a SARS-CoV-2 subunit protein vaccine limited the cross-reactive neutralizing antibody breadth in mice and, more importantly, draws attention to the unfavorable impact of this mutation in spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 variants on the induction of potent neutralizing antibody responses.
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31
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Hsieh CL, Rush SA, Palomo C, Chou CW, Pickens W, Más V, McLellan JS. Structure-based design of prefusion-stabilized human metapneumovirus fusion proteins. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1299. [PMID: 35288548 PMCID: PMC8921277 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28931-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The human metapneumovirus (hMPV) fusion (F) protein is essential for viral entry and is a key target of neutralizing antibodies and vaccine development. The prefusion conformation is thought to be the optimal vaccine antigen, but previously described prefusion F proteins expressed poorly and were not well stabilized. Here, we use structures of hMPV F to guide the design of 42 variants containing stabilizing substitutions. Through combinatorial addition of disulfide bonds, cavity-filling substitutions, and improved electrostatic interactions, we describe a prefusion-stabilized F protein (DS-CavEs2) that expresses at 15 mg/L and has a melting temperature of 71.9 °C. Crystal structures of two prefusion-stabilized hMPV F variants reveal that antigenic surfaces are largely unperturbed. Importantly, immunization of mice with DS-CavEs2 elicits significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers against hMPV A1 and B1 viruses than postfusion F. The improved properties of DS-CavEs2 will advance the development of hMPV vaccines and the isolation of therapeutic antibodies. The degree to which the conformation of the human metapneumovirus fusion (F) protein affects immunogenicity has been debated. Here, Hsieh et al. engineer prefusion-stabilized F variants with enhanced thermostability that elicit higher neutralizing antibody titers in mice than postfusion F.
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32
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To A, Lai CY, Wong TAS, Namekar M, Lieberman MM, Lehrer AT. Adjuvants Differentially Modulate the Immunogenicity of Lassa Virus Glycoprotein Subunits in Mice. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022; 3. [PMID: 37034031 PMCID: PMC10081732 DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.847598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lassa Fever (LF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa virus (LASV) that is primarily transmitted through contact with wild rodents in West Africa. Although several advanced vaccine candidates are progressing through clinical trials, some effective vaccines are virally vectored and thus require a stringent cold-chain, making distribution to rural and resource-poor areas difficult. Recombinant subunit vaccines are advantageous in this aspect as they can be thermostabilized and deployed with minimal storage and transportation requirements. However, antigen dose and adjuvant formulation must be carefully selected to ensure both the appropriate humoral and cell-mediated immune responses are elicited. In this study, we examine the immunogenicity of a two-step immunoaffinity-purified recombinant LASV glycoprotein (GP) with five clinical- and preclinical-grade adjuvants. Swiss Webster mice immunized intramuscularly with 2 or 3 doses of each vaccine formulation showed complete seroconversion and maximal GP-specific antibody response after two immunizations. Formulations with GPI-0100, LiteVax, Montanide™ ISA 51, and Montanide™ ISA 720 induced both IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies suggesting a balanced Th1/Th2 response, whereas formulation of LASV GP with Alhydrogel elicited a IgG1-dominant response. Splenocytes secreting both Th1 and Th2 cytokines i.e., IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5, were observed from mice receiving both antigen doses formulated with ISA 720, LiteVax and GPI-0100. However, robust, multifunctional T-cells were only detected in mice receiving a higher dose of LASV GP formulated with GPI-0100. Our results emphasize the importance of careful adjuvant selection and lay the immunological basis for a recombinant subunit protein LF vaccine formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert To
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Chih-Yun Lai
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Teri Ann S. Wong
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Madhuri Namekar
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Michael M. Lieberman
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Axel T. Lehrer
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Correspondence: Axel T. Lehrer,
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33
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García-Ríos E, Leivas A, Mancebo FJ, Sánchez-Vega L, Lanzarot D, Aguado JM, Martínez-López J, Paciello ML, Pérez-Romero P. Isolation of Functional SARS-CoV-2 Antigen-Specific T-Cells with Specific Viral Cytotoxic Activity for Adoptive Therapy of COVID-19. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10030630. [PMID: 35327433 PMCID: PMC8944951 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10030630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to demonstrate the feasibility of preparing clinical-grade SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells from convalescent donors and the ability of these cells to neutralize the virus in vitro, we used blood collected from two COVID-19 convalescent donors (before and after vaccination) that was stimulated with specific SARS-CoV-2 peptides followed by automated T-cell isolation using the CliniMacs Prodigy medical device. To determine cytotoxic activity, HEK 293T cells were transfected to express the SARS-CoV-2 M protein, mimicking SARS-CoV-2 infection. We were able to quickly and efficiently isolate SARS-CoV-2-specific T lymphocytes from both donors before and after they received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Althoughbefore vaccination, the final product contained up to 7.42% and 30.19% of IFN-γ+ CD3+ T-cells from donor 1 and donor 2, respectively, we observed an enrichment of the IFN-γ+ CD3+ T-cells after vaccination, reaching 70.47% and 42.59%, respectively. At pre-vaccination, the isolated SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells exhibited cytotoxic activity that was significantly higher than that of unstimulated controls (donor 2: 15.41%, p-value 3.27 × 10−3). The cytotoxic activity of the isolated SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells also significantly increased after vaccination (donor 1: 32.71%, p-value 1.44 × 10−5; donor 2: 33.38%, p-value 3.13 × 10−6). In conclusion, we demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells can quickly and efficiently be stimulated from the blood of convalescent donors using SARS-CoV-2-specific peptides followed by automated isolation. Vaccinated convalescent donors have a higher percentage of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells and may be more suitable as donors. Although further studies are needed to assess the clinical utility of the functional isolated SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells in patients, previous studies using the same stimulation and isolation methods applied to other pathologies support this idea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estéfani García-Ríos
- National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III Majadahonda, 28221 Madrid, Spain; (E.G.-R.); (F.J.M.); (P.P.-R.)
- Department of Science, Universidad Internacional de Valencia—VIU, PintorSorolla 21, 46002 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alejandra Leivas
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre—Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Avenida Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (L.S.-V.); (J.M.-L.)
- H12O-CNIO Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco J. Mancebo
- National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III Majadahonda, 28221 Madrid, Spain; (E.G.-R.); (F.J.M.); (P.P.-R.)
| | - Laura Sánchez-Vega
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre—Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Avenida Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (L.S.-V.); (J.M.-L.)
- H12O-CNIO Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - José María Aguado
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Avenida Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain;
- Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Martínez-López
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre—Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Avenida Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (L.S.-V.); (J.M.-L.)
- H12O-CNIO Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Liz Paciello
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre—Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Avenida Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (L.S.-V.); (J.M.-L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-620351421
| | - Pilar Pérez-Romero
- National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III Majadahonda, 28221 Madrid, Spain; (E.G.-R.); (F.J.M.); (P.P.-R.)
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34
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Chawla H, Jossi SE, Faustini SE, Samsudin F, Allen JD, Watanabe Y, Newby ML, Marcial-Juárez E, Lamerton RE, McLellan JS, Bond PJ, Richter AG, Cunningham AF, Crispin M. Glycosylation and Serological Reactivity of an Expression-enhanced SARS-CoV-2 Viral Spike Mimetic. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167332. [PMID: 34717971 PMCID: PMC8550889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Extensive glycosylation of viral glycoproteins is a key feature of the antigenic surface of viruses and yet glycan processing can also be influenced by the manner of their recombinant production. The low yields of the soluble form of the trimeric spike (S) glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2 has prompted advances in protein engineering that have greatly enhanced the stability and yields of the glycoprotein. The latest expression-enhanced version of the spike incorporates six proline substitutions to stabilize the prefusion conformation (termed SARS-CoV-2 S HexaPro). Although the substitutions greatly enhanced expression whilst not compromising protein structure, the influence of these substitutions on glycan processing has not been explored. Here, we show that the site-specific N-linked glycosylation of the expression-enhanced HexaPro resembles that of an earlier version containing two proline substitutions (2P), and that both capture features of native viral glycosylation. However, there are site-specific differences in glycosylation of HexaPro when compared to 2P. Despite these discrepancies, analysis of the serological reactivity of clinical samples from infected individuals confirmed that both HexaPro and 2P protein are equally able to detect IgG, IgA, and IgM responses in all sera analysed. Moreover, we extend this observation to include an analysis of glycan engineered S protein, whereby all N-linked glycans were converted to oligomannose-type and conclude that serological activity is not impacted by large scale changes in glycosylation. These observations suggest that variations in glycan processing will not impact the serological assessments currently being performed across the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshi Chawla
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Sian E Jossi
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Sian E Faustini
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Firdaus Samsudin
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Joel D Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Yasunori Watanabe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Maddy L Newby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Edith Marcial-Juárez
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Rachel E Lamerton
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Peter J Bond
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Alex G Richter
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Adam F Cunningham
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
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35
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Abstract
Antibody immunodominance refers to the preferential and asymmetric elicitation of antibodies against specific epitopes on a complex protein antigen. Traditional vaccination approaches for rapidly evolving pathogens have had limited success in part because of this phenomenon, as elicited antibodies preferentially target highly variable regions of antigens, and thus do not confer long lasting protection. While antibodies targeting functionally conserved epitopes have the potential to be broadly protective, they often make up a minority of the overall repertoire. Here, we discuss recent protein engineering strategies used to favorably alter patterns of immunodominance, and selectively focus antibody responses toward broadly protective epitopes in the pursuit of next-generation vaccines for rapidly evolving pathogens.
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36
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Discordance Between SARS-CoV-2-specific Cell-mediated and Antibody Responses Elicited by mRNA-1273 Vaccine in Kidney and Liver Transplant Recipients. Transplant Direct 2021; 7:e794. [PMID: 34805496 PMCID: PMC8601286 DOI: 10.1097/txd.0000000000001246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–specific cell-mediated immunity (SARS-CoV-2-CMI) elicited by mRNA-based vaccines in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients and its correlation with antibody responses remain poorly characterized.
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37
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Arroyo-Sánchez D, Cabrera-Marante O, Laguna-Goya R, Almendro-Vázquez P, Carretero O, Gil-Etayo FJ, Suàrez-Fernández P, Pérez-Romero P, Rodríguez de Frías E, Serrano A, Allende LM, Pleguezuelo D, Paz-Artal E. Immunogenicity of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in Common Variable Immunodeficiency. J Clin Immunol 2021; 42:240-252. [PMID: 34787773 PMCID: PMC8596355 DOI: 10.1007/s10875-021-01174-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia and/or a defective antibody response to T-dependent and T-independent antigens. CVID response to immunization depends on the antigen type, the vaccine mechanism, and the specific patient immune defect. In CVID patients, humoral and cellular responses to the currently used COVID-19 vaccines remain unexplored. Eighteen CVID subjects receiving 2-dose anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were prospectively studied. S1-antibodies and S1-specific IFN-γ T cell response were determined by ELISA and FluoroSpot, respectively. The immune response was measured before the administration and after each dose of the vaccine, and it was compared to the response of 50 healthy controls (HC). The development of humoral and cellular responses was slower in CVID patients compared with HC. After completing vaccination, 83% of CVID patients had S1-specific antibodies and 83% had S1-specific T cells compared with 100% and 98% of HC (p = 0.014 and p = 0.062, respectively), but neutralizing antibodies were detected only in 50% of the patients. The strength of both humoral and cellular responses was significantly lower in CVID compared with HC, after the first and second doses of the vaccine. Absent or discordant humoral and cellular responses were associated with previous history of autoimmunity and/or lymphoproliferation. Among the three patients lacking humoral response, two had received recent therapy with anti-B cell antibodies. Further studies are needed to understand if the response to COVID-19 vaccination in CVID patients is protective enough. The 2-dose vaccine schedule and possibly a third dose might be especially necessary to achieve full immune response in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Arroyo-Sánchez
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Cabrera-Marante
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain. .,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Rocío Laguna-Goya
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Almendro-Vázquez
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Octavio Carretero
- National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.,Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Gil-Etayo
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Suàrez-Fernández
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Pérez-Romero
- National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Edgard Rodríguez de Frías
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Serrano
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis M Allende
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain.,National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Pleguezuelo
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain
| | - Estela Paz-Artal
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario, 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Av. de Córdoba, s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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38
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Stewart-Jones GBE, Gorman J, Ou L, Zhang B, Joyce MG, Yang L, Cheng C, Chuang GY, Foulds KE, Kong WP, Olia AS, Sastry M, Shen CH, Todd JP, Tsybovsky Y, Verardi R, Yang Y, Collins PL, Corti D, Lanzavecchia A, Scorpio DG, Mascola JR, Buchholz UJ, Kwong PD. Interprotomer disulfide-stabilized variants of the human metapneumovirus fusion glycoprotein induce high titer-neutralizing responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2106196118. [PMID: 34551978 PMCID: PMC8488613 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106196118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a major cause of respiratory disease worldwide, particularly among children and the elderly. Although there is no licensed HMPV vaccine, promising candidates have been identified for related pneumoviruses based on the structure-based stabilization of the fusion (F) glycoprotein trimer, with prefusion-stabilized F glycoprotein trimers eliciting significantly higher neutralizing responses than their postfusion F counterparts. However, immunization with HMPV F trimers in either prefusion or postfusion conformations has been reported to elicit equivalent neutralization responses. Here we investigate the impact of stabilizing disulfides, especially interprotomer disulfides (IP-DSs) linking protomers of the F trimer, on the elicitation of HMPV-neutralizing responses. We designed F trimer disulfides, screened for their expression, and used electron microscopy (EM) to confirm their formation, including that of an unexpected postfusion variant. In mice, IP-DS-stabilized prefusion and postfusion HMPV F elicited significantly higher neutralizing responses than non-IP-DS-stabilized HMPV Fs. In macaques, the impact of IP-DS stabilization was more measured, although IP-DS-stabilized variants of either prefusion or postfusion HMPV F induced neutralizing responses many times the average titers observed in a healthy human cohort. Serological and absorption-based analyses of macaque responses revealed elicited HMPV-neutralizing responses to be absorbed differently by IP-DS-containing and by non-IP-DS-containing postfusion Fs, suggesting IP-DS stabilization to alter not only the immunogenicity of select epitopes but their antigenicity as well. We speculate the observed increase in immunogenicity by IP-DS trimers to be related to reduced interprotomer flexibility within the HMPV F trimer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Gorman
- Vaccine Research Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
- National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY 10027
| | - Li Ou
- Vaccine Research Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | | | - M Gordon Joyce
- Vaccine Research Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Silver Spring, MD 20910
| | - Lijuan Yang
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Vaccine Research Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | | | | | | | - Adam S Olia
- Vaccine Research Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | | | | | | | - Yaroslav Tsybovsky
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21701
| | | | | | - Peter L Collins
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Davide Corti
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Humabs BioMed SA, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Antonio Lanzavecchia
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Ursula J Buchholz
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892;
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39
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Combinatorial F-G Immunogens as Nipah and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine Candidates. Viruses 2021; 13:v13101942. [PMID: 34696372 PMCID: PMC8537613 DOI: 10.3390/v13101942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) possess two surface glycoproteins involved in cellular attachment and membrane fusion, both of which are potential targets for vaccines. The majority of vaccine development is focused on the attachment (G) protein of NiV, which is the immunodominant target. In contrast, the fusion (F) protein of RSV is the main target in vaccine development. Despite this, neutralising epitopes have been described in NiV F and RSV G, making them alternate targets for vaccine design. Through rational design, we have developed a vaccine strategy applicable to phylogenetically divergent NiV and RSV that comprises both the F and G proteins (FxG). In a mouse immunization model, we found that NiV FxG elicited an improved immune response capable of neutralising pseudotyped NiV and a NiV mutant that is able to escape neutralisation by two known F-specific antibodies. RSV FxG elicited an immune response against both F and G and was able to neutralise RSV; however, this was inferior to the immune response of F alone. Despite this, RSV FxG elicited a response against a known protective epitope within G that is conserved across RSV A and B subgroups, which may provide additional protection in vivo. We conclude that inclusion of F and G antigens within a single design provides a streamlined subunit vaccine strategy against both emerging and established pathogens, with the potential for broader protection against NiV.
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Structure, Immunogenicity, and Conformation-Dependent Receptor Binding of the Postfusion Human Metapneumovirus F Protein. J Virol 2021; 95:e0059321. [PMID: 34160259 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00593-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important cause of acute viral respiratory infection. As the only target of neutralizing antibodies, the hMPV fusion (F) protein has been a major focus for vaccine development and targeting by drugs and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). While X-ray structures of trimeric prefusion and postfusion hMPV F proteins from genotype A, and monomeric prefusion hMPV F protein from genotype B have been determined, structural data for the postfusion conformation for genotype B is lacking. We determined the crystal structure of this protein and compared the structural differences of postfusion hMPV F between hMPV A and B genotypes. We also assessed the receptor binding properties of the hMPV F protein to heparin and heparan sulfate (HS). A library of HS oligomers was used to verify the HS binding activity of hMPV F, and several compounds showed binding to predominantly prefusion hMPV F, but had limited binding to postfusion hMPV F. Furthermore, MAbs to antigenic sites III and the 66-87 intratrimeric epitope block heparin binding. In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of postfusion hMPV B2 F protein as a vaccine candidate in BALB/c mice. Mice immunized with hMPV B2 postfusion F protein showed a balanced Th1/Th2 immune response and generated neutralizing antibodies against both subgroup A2 and B2 hMPV strains, which protected the mice from hMPV challenge. Antibody competition analysis revealed the antibodies generated by immunization target two known antigenic sites (III and IV) on the hMPV F protein. Overall, this study provides new characteristics of the hMPV F protein, which may be informative for vaccine and therapy development. IMPORTANCE Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important cause of viral respiratory disease. In this paper, we report the X-ray crystal structure of the hMPV fusion (F) protein in the postfusion conformation from genotype B. We also assessed binding of the hMPV F protein to heparin and heparan sulfate, a previously reported receptor for the hMPV F protein. Furthermore, we determined the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of postfusion hMPV B2 F protein, which is the first study using a homogenous conformation of the protein. Antibodies generated in response to vaccination give a balanced Th1/Th2 response and target two previously discovered neutralizing epitopes.
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Korsun NS, Angelova SG, Trifonova IT, Voleva SE, Grigorova IG, Tzotcheva IS, Mileva SD, Perenovska PI. The Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Human Metapneumovirus in Bulgaria, 2016-2019. Intervirology 2021; 64:194-202. [PMID: 34304230 DOI: 10.1159/000516821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We investigated the prevalence of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) among patients with acute respiratory infections in Bulgaria, and performed genetic characterization of the F gene of these strains. METHODS Nasopharyngeal swabs collected from patients of a range of ages were tested by using real-time PCR for 12 respiratory viruses. The F gene was sequenced, and phylogenetic and amino acid analyses of the F gene/protein were performed. RESULTS A total of 1,842 patients were examined during a 3-year period; 1,229 patients (66.7%) were positive for at least one respiratory virus. hMPV was identified in 83 (4.5%) patient samples. Eleven (13%) of hMPV-positive patients were coinfected with another respiratory virus. The hMPV incidence rate in the 2016/2017, 2017/2018, and 2018/2019 winter seasons was 5.4, 5.4, and 3.1%, respectively. hMPV was mainly detected in specimens collected between January and May (89.2% of cases). The incidence of hMPV infection was highest (5.1%) among the youngest age-group (0-4 years), where hMPV was a causative agent in 8.1 and 4.8% of bronchiolitis and pneumonia cases, respectively. Among the patients aged ≥5 years, hMPV was detected in 2.2 and 3.2% of cases of pneumonia and central nervous system infections, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the F gene showed that the sequenced hMPV strains belonged to the A2b, B1, and B2 genotypes. Numerous amino acid substitutions were identified compared with the NL00/1 prototype strain. CONCLUSION This study revealed the significant role of hMPV as a causative agent of serious respiratory illnesses in early childhood, and also demonstrated year-to-year changes in hMPV prevalence and genetic diversity in circulating strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neli S Korsun
- Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Svetla G Angelova
- Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivelina T Trifonova
- Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Silvia E Voleva
- Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Iliana G Grigorova
- Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Iren S Tzotcheva
- Pediatric Clinic, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Sirma D Mileva
- Pediatric Clinic, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Penka I Perenovska
- Pediatric Clinic, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria
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Narkhede YB, Gonzalez KJ, Strauch EM. Targeting Viral Surface Proteins through Structure-Based Design. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071320. [PMID: 34372526 PMCID: PMC8310314 DOI: 10.3390/v13071320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of novel viral infections of zoonotic origin and mutations of existing human pathogenic viruses represent a serious concern for public health. It warrants the establishment of better interventions and protective therapies to combat the virus and prevent its spread. Surface glycoproteins catalyzing the fusion of viral particles and host cells have proven to be an excellent target for antivirals as well as vaccines. This review focuses on recent advances for computational structure-based design of antivirals and vaccines targeting viral fusion machinery to control seasonal and emerging respiratory viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh B Narkhede
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| | - Karen J Gonzalez
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| | - Eva-Maria Strauch
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
- Correspondence:
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Sendai Virus-Vectored Vaccines That Express Envelope Glycoproteins of Respiratory Viruses. Viruses 2021; 13:v13061023. [PMID: 34072332 PMCID: PMC8230104 DOI: 10.3390/v13061023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), and human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) are leading causes of respiratory disease in young children, the elderly, and individuals of all ages with immunosuppression. Vaccination strategies against these pneumoviruses and paramyxoviruses are vast in number, yet no licensed vaccines are available. Here, we review development of Sendai virus (SeV), a versatile pediatric vaccine that can (a) serve as a Jennerian vaccine against HPIV1, (b) serve as a recombinant vaccine against HRSV, HPIV2, HPIV3, and HMPV, (c) accommodate foreign genes for viral glycoproteins in multiple intergenic positions, (d) induce durable, mucosal, B-cell, and T-cell immune responses without enhanced immunopathology, (e) protect cotton rats, African green monkeys, and chimpanzees from infection, and (f) be formulated into a vaccine cocktail. Clinical phase I safety trials of SeV have been completed in adults and 3–6-year-old children. Clinical testing of SeVRSV, an HRSV fusion (F) glycoprotein gene recombinant, has also been completed in adults. Positive results from these studies, and collaborative efforts with the National Institutes of Health and the Serum Institute of India assist advanced development of SeV-based vaccines. Prospects are now good for vaccine successes in infants and consequent protection against serious viral disease.
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A vulnerable, membrane-proximal site in human respiratory syncytial virus F revealed by a prefusion-specific single-domain antibody. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02279-20. [PMID: 33692208 PMCID: PMC8139709 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02279-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract disease, especially in young children and the elderly. The fusion protein (F) exists in a pre- and postfusion conformation and is the main target of RSV-neutralizing antibodies. Highly potent RSV-neutralizing antibodies typically bind sites that are unique to the prefusion conformation of F. In this study we screened a single-domain antibody (VHH) library derived from a llama immunized with prefusion-stabilized F and identified a prefusion F-specific VHH that can neutralize RSV A at subnanomolar concentrations. Structural analysis revealed that this VHH primarily binds to antigenic site I while also making contacts with residues in antigenic site III and IV. This new VHH reveals a previously underappreciated membrane-proximal region sensitive for neutralization.ImportanceRSV is an important respiratory pathogen. This study describes a prefusion F-specific VHH that primarily binds to antigenic site I of RSV F. This is the first time that a prefusion F-specific antibody that binds this site is reported. In general, antibodies that bind to site I are poorly neutralizing, whereas the VHH described here neutralizes RSV A at subnanomolar concentrations. Our findings contribute to insights into the RSV F antigenic map.
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Boonyaratanakornkit J, Singh S, Weidle C, Rodarte J, Bakthavatsalam R, Perkins J, Stewart-Jones GBE, Kwong PD, McGuire AT, Pancera M, Taylor JJ. Protective antibodies against human parainfluenza virus type 3 infection. MAbs 2021; 13:1912884. [PMID: 33876699 PMCID: PMC8078717 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2021.1912884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human parainfluenza virus type III (HPIV3) is a common respiratory pathogen that afflicts children and can be fatal in vulnerable populations, including the immunocompromised. There are currently no effective vaccines or therapeutics available, resulting in tens of thousands of hospitalizations per year. In an effort to discover a protective antibody against HPIV3, we screened the B cell repertoires from peripheral blood, tonsils, and spleen from healthy children and adults. These analyses yielded five monoclonal antibodies that potently neutralized HPIV3 in vitro. These HPIV3-neutralizing antibodies targeted two non-overlapping epitopes of the HPIV3 F protein, with most targeting the apex. Prophylactic administration of one of these antibodies, PI3-E12, resulted in potent protection against HPIV3 infection in cotton rats. Additionally, PI3-E12 could also be used therapeutically to suppress HPIV3 in immunocompromised animals. These results demonstrate the potential clinical utility of PI3-E12 for the prevention or treatment of HPIV3 in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim Boonyaratanakornkit
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Suruchi Singh
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Connor Weidle
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Justas Rodarte
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Jonathan Perkins
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Guillaume B E Stewart-Jones
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Washington, USA
| | - Peter D Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Washington, USA
| | - Andrew T McGuire
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Marie Pancera
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Washington, USA
| | - Justin J Taylor
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Rutten L, Gilman MSA, Blokland S, Juraszek J, McLellan JS, Langedijk JPM. Structure-Based Design of Prefusion-Stabilized Filovirus Glycoprotein Trimers. Cell Rep 2021; 30:4540-4550.e3. [PMID: 32234486 PMCID: PMC7118701 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus causes severe hemorrhagic fever, often leading to death in humans. The trimeric fusion glycoprotein (GP) is the sole target for neutralizing antibodies and is the major focus of vaccine development. Soluble GP ectodomains are unstable and mostly monomeric when not fused to a heterologous trimerization domain. Here, we report structure-based designs of Ebola and Marburg GP trimers based on a stabilizing mutation in the hinge loop in refolding region 1 and substitution of a partially buried charge at the interface of the GP1 and GP2 subunits. The combined substitutions (T577P and K588F) substantially increased trimer expression for Ebola GP proteins. We determined the crystal structure of stabilized GP from the Makona Zaire ebolavirus strain without a trimerization domain or complexed ligand. The structure reveals that the stabilized GP adopts the same trimeric prefusion conformation, provides insight into triggering of GP conformational changes, and should inform future filovirus vaccine development. Filovirus GP expression increases by stabilizing mutations in hinge loop and base helix Charged lysine in base helix and GP1 N terminus are trapped in metastable conformation Crystal structure of stabilized Makona Δmucin GP confirms successful stabilization These findings may be useful for understanding fusion mechanisms and vaccine design
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Rutten
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention, Archimedesweg 4-6, Leiden 2333 CN, the Netherlands
| | - Morgan S A Gilman
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Sven Blokland
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention, Archimedesweg 4-6, Leiden 2333 CN, the Netherlands
| | - Jarek Juraszek
- Janssen Vaccines & Prevention, Archimedesweg 4-6, Leiden 2333 CN, the Netherlands
| | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Abstract
Most viral vaccines are based on inducing neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against the virus envelope or spike glycoproteins. Many viral surface proteins exist as trimers that transition from a pre-fusion state when key NAb epitopes are exposed to a post-fusion form in which the potential for virus-cell fusion no longer exists. For optimal vaccine performance, these viral proteins are often engineered to enhance stability and presentation of these NAb epitopes. The method involves the structure-guided introduction of proline residues at key positions that maintain the trimer in the pre-fusion configuration. We review how this technique emerged during HIV-1 Env vaccine development and its subsequent wider application to other viral vaccines including SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogier W Sanders
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - John P Moore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Misasi J, Sullivan NJ. Immunotherapeutic strategies to target vulnerabilities in the Ebolavirus glycoprotein. Immunity 2021; 54:412-436. [PMID: 33691133 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa and the subsequent outbreaks of 2018-2020 in Equator and North Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo illustrate the public health challenges of emerging and reemerging viruses. EVD has a high case fatality rate with a rapidly progressing syndrome of fever, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding diathesis. Recently, two monoclonal-antibody-based therapies received United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, and there are several other passive immunotherapies that hold promise as therapeutics against other species of Ebolavirus. Here, we review concepts needed to understand mechanisms of action, present an expanded schema to define additional sites of vulnerability on the viral glycoprotein, and review current antibody-based therapeutics. The concepts described are used to gain insights into the key characteristics that represent functional targets for immunotherapies against Zaire Ebolavirus and other emerging viruses within the Ebolavirus genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Misasi
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Vaccine Research Center, 40 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nancy J Sullivan
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Vaccine Research Center, 40 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Abstract
The trimeric spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is the primary focus of most vaccine design and development efforts. Due to intrinsic instability typical of class I fusion proteins, S tends to prematurely refold to the post-fusion conformation, compromising immunogenic properties and prefusion trimer yields. To support ongoing vaccine development efforts, we report the structure-based design of soluble S trimers with increased yields and stabilities, based on introduction of single point mutations and disulfide-bridges. We identify regions critical for stability: the heptad repeat region 1, the SD1 domain and position 614 in SD2. We combine a minimal selection of mostly interprotomeric mutations to create a stable S-closed variant with a 6.4-fold higher expression than the parental construct while no longer containing a heterologous trimerization domain. The cryo-EM structure reveals a correctly folded, predominantly closed pre-fusion conformation. Highly stable and well producing S protein and the increased understanding of S protein structure will support vaccine development and serological diagnostics. SARS-CoV-2 S protein prematurely refolds to the post-fusion conformation, compromising immunogenic properties and prefusion trimer yield. Here, Juraszek et al. present a stable SARS-CoV-2 S-closed protein variant with increased expression and correct folding, predominantly in closed prefusion conformation.
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50
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Huang J, Diaz D, Mousa JJ. Antibody recognition of the Pneumovirus fusion protein trimer interface. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008942. [PMID: 33035266 PMCID: PMC7598476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a leading cause of viral respiratory infection in children, and can cause severe lower respiratory tract infection in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients. However, there remain no licensed vaccines or specific treatments for hMPV infection. Although the hMPV fusion (F) protein is the sole target of neutralizing antibodies, the immunological properties of hMPV F remain poorly understood. To further define the humoral immune response to the hMPV F protein, we isolated two new human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), MPV458 and MPV465. Both mAbs are neutralizing in vitro and were determined to target a unique antigenic site using competitive biolayer interferometry. We determined both MPV458 and MPV465 have higher affinity for monomeric hMPV F than trimeric hMPV F. MPV458 was co-crystallized with hMPV F, and the mAb primarily interacts with an alpha helix on the F2 region of the hMPV F protein. Surprisingly, the major epitope for MPV458 lies within the trimeric interface of the hMPV F protein, suggesting significant breathing of the hMPV F protein must occur for host immune recognition of the novel epitope. In addition, significant glycan interactions were observed with a somatically mutated light chain framework residue. The data presented identifies a novel epitope on the hMPV F protein for epitope-based vaccine design, and illustrates a new mechanism for human antibody neutralization of viral glycoproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiachen Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Darren Diaz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Jarrod J. Mousa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
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